Monster Geographica - Marsh & Aquatic.pdf - The Secrets of the ...

Sinew Dragger
Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 5d12 (32 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 50 ft. (with
tethers, 10 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2
leather armor), touch 14, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+2 and
paralysis) or mouth tether +6 ranged (2d6+1
and paralysis)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6+2 and
paralysis) and 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1)
or mouth tether +6 ranged (2d6+1 and
paralysis) and 2 hand tethers +4 ranged
(1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (20 ft. with tethers)
Special Attacks: Drag, paralysis, tethers of
sinew
The creature before you is a monstrosity, with
black veins showing through unwholesome deadwhite
flesh stretched tight over its musculature. It
grins, showing a mouth full of teeth before it whips
its head around, launching a disgusting tether
made of sinew, tipped with a wickedly barbed
hook, at you from its mouth.
Combat
Sinew draggers like to prepare ambushes for
their chosen prey. When hunting in a group, sinew
draggers use pack tactics and work together like a
well-oiled machine. Some have even been known
to carry others on their backs, allowing the carried
sinew dragger to make five tether attacks.
Drag (Ex): If a sinew dragger hits with a
tether attack, the tether latches onto the opponent’s
body. This deals damage as appropriate to the type
of tether used, and drags a Medium or smaller
opponent 25 feet closer each subsequent round
(provoking no attack of opportunity) unless that
creature breaks free, which requires a DC 18
Escape Artist check or a DC 14 Strength check.
The check DCs are Strength-based, and the Escape
Artist DC includes a +4 racial bonus. A creature
that breaks free from a tether takes 1d6 points of
damage from tearing free. A sinew dragger can
draw in a creature within 5 feet of itself and bite
and claw with a +4 bonus in the same round.
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Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead
traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 18, Con —, Int 14,
Wis 15, Cha 12
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +10 (+12 rope),
Escape Artist +4 (+6 rope), Hide +15, Jump
+6, Listen +11, Move Silently +15, Spot
+11, Tumble +11, Use Rope +20
Feats: Blind-Fight, Multiattack
Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary, cell (3-7), or host
(8-12)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 6-15 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —
A tether has 5 hit points and can be attacked
by making a successful sunder attempt. However,
attacking a sinew dragger’s tether does not
provoke an attack of opportunity. If the tether is
currently attached to a target, the sinew dragger
takes a –4 penalty on its opposed attack roll to
resist the sunder attempt. Severing a tether deals
no damage to a sinew dragger.
Paralysis (Ex): The sinew dragger’s saliva
causes paralysis. A victim bitten by a sinew
dragger or hit by its mouth tether must succeed
on a DC 13 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 3d6
minutes. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Tethers of Sinew (Ex): A sinew dragger can
launch tethers made of strong sinew from both
its mouth and appendages, sinking their barbs or
hooks into opponents. A sinew dragger can use
one mouth tether per round, and up to two from
any of its hands or feet, striking up to 20 feet away
(no range increment). A sinew dragger can detach
a sinew at will, allowing it to be used as extremely
strong rope, and if detached or severed a new
tether takes its place as a free action on its next
turn.
Skills: A sinew dragger has a +2 racial bonus
on Listen and Spot checks, a +4 racial bonus on
Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +10 racial
bonus on Use Rope checks. Sinew draggers have a
+8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A sinew dragger
can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks,
even if rushed or threatened.
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