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

Vendrin
Medium Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+30 (68 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 40 ft. (8
squares)
Armor Class: 21 (+1 Dex, +10 natural),
touch 11, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+13
Attack: Tail +14 melee (1d6+5) or bite +13
melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: Tail +14 melee (1d6+5) and
bite +9 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Impale, pull
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., lowlight
vision
Vendrin are aquatic crustaceans that can
grow as large as humans, up to a few hundred
pounds. Found in fresh water, these carnivores eat
any sort of meat but prefer humanoids. Resembling
a shrimp, vendrin have finger-like appendages that
allow them to crawl on shore and a tapered body
that ends in a pointed spike. Its chitinous shell
is usually dark green or blue to camouflage the
undulating predator.
Combat
Vendrin hunt by lying in wait alongside a
shoreline until a creature comes within ten feet
of the water’s edge. At that moment, the vendrin
strikes, lashing out and impaling its potential meal
with its tail spine. The powerful muscles in the
vendrin ‘s tail flex and drag its victim into and
under the water where it uses its bite attack.
Vendrin typically lurk at the shores of deep
lakes or inland seas, making its first strike and
carrying off its meal to sea. Once the vendrin has its
prey in the water, it dives deep, making assistance
from land nigh impossible without magic. If the
vendrin attacks from a river or streambed, it may
be possible for the rest of the party to rescue their
captured comrade. Those entering the water must
succeed on a Swim check (DC between 10 and 15
depending on the strength of the river) as well as
a DC 13 Search check to find their missing partymember.
They must then battle the thing in the
water, while it thrashes around eating their friend.
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Saves: Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 12, Con 22, Int 3, Wis
8, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +1*, Search +2, Spot +1, Swim
+12
Feats: Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or clutch (3-8)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium), 11-15
HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
Characters in this environment are considered
fighting blind due to the difficulty in seeing in
turbulent waters.
Impale (Ex): To use this ability, a vendrin
must hit with its tail attack. If it succeeds, its
opponent not only takes damage, but is also
impaled on the vendrin’s tail-spine, and it can
attempt to pull its opponent into the water. If the
opponent wins a grapple check, it frees itself from
the vendrin’s tail-spine.
Pull (Ex): If a vendrin wins a grapple check
against an impaled opponent, when it takes its
move action it can drag the opponent along with it.
If the vendrin submerges, it pulls the opponent into
the water, where the opponent may be at risk for
drowning. The impaled victim can freely attack the
vendrin although the opponent suffers the normal
penalties for fighting underwater. Vendrin can only
swim at 20 ft. (4 squares) when pulling an impaled
victim and only medium or smaller creatures can
be pulled.
Skills: A vendrin has a +8 racial bonus on
any Swim check to perform some special action or
avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on
a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It
can use the run action while swimming, provided
it swims in a straight line.
*A vendrin gains a +10 circumstance bonus
to Hide checks when underwater, if anyone is
searching for it from the shore.
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