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

Sand Sifter
Large Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 10d10+40 (95 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Swim 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +8 natural), touch 9,
flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+20
Attack: Tentacle +17 melee (1d6+6 plus
poison)
Full Attack: 4 tentacles +17 melee (1d6+6
plus poison) and bite +15 melee (2d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+6, engulf,
improved grab, poison
Sand sifters are large, flat creatures that lurk
near the ocean floor in coastal regions. Using their
tentacles, they bury themselves in the sediments
found on the seabed. They then wait for creatures
to pass over them, bursting forth from their hiding
places to engulf a victim within reach. Once
engulfed, the prey is slowly eaten by the sand
sifters’ large, tooth-filled maws. These creatures are
common threats in regions where aquatic races have
settled, preferring the brain matter of intelligent
beings to other meals.
Averaging 10 feet across, sand sifters are only
a few inches thick through most of their body. Only
in the central region around the mouth is the creature
thicker, reaching a depth of 2 feet. Because of this,
sand sifters often hide in small depressions in order
to conceal their bulk. They are normally brown or
gray in color, depending on the hue of the local
sediment. Its skin is hard and granular, feeling much
like hard packed sand.
Sifters have few natural predators. Their
meat is considered vile, but the poison spines are
harvested by some enterprising orcam and other
aquatic races. One sand sifter can provide 10 doses
of poison if harvested properly, requiring a DC 25
Survival check. Some orcam (page 11) also use a
diluted dose of the poison as a euphoric drug.
Sifters sometimes group together in packs,
marking out a hunting area about a square mile in
size. Such regions quickly earn bad reputations as
people go missing in them.
Combat
Sand sifters wait to ambush their prey, bursting
forth from below when prey comes within reach. The
sifter tries to engulf the a creature while attacking
both the target and any other nearby creatures with
its tentacles. The creature normally fights to the
death, but if it engulfs and slays one creature of
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Special Qualities: Blindsight 20 ft.,
darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, lowlight
vision
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 5, Wis
10, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -1*, Listen +7, Move Silently +8,
Spot +7, Swim +14
Feats: Alertness, Multiattack, Weapon Focus
(bite), Weapon Focus (tentacles)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization; Solitary or pack (4-10)
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 11-20 HD (Huge); 21-30
(Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: –
10
Small size or larger it will stop trying to eat others,
instead only attacking in self-defense. Sand sifters
will attack large groups, rarely noticing when they
are surrounded by a great number of beings.
Although these creatures sometimes roam in
packs, they do not help each other in combat. Sand
sifters usually settle at least 100 feet apart from each
other, making it impossible for each creature to
know what befalls its fellows.
Constrict (Ex): A sand sifter deals 1d8+6
points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Engulf (Ex): Once the sifter has a target
grappled with a tentacle, a second successful grapple
check means it engulfs the victim by wrapping its
body around the prey. Attacks that hit an engulfing
sand sifter deal half damage to the monster and half
damage to the trapped victim. Engulfed victims
begin to suffocate on the following round.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability,
a sand sifter must hit a Large or smaller creature
with its tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start
a grapple as a free action without provoking an
attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check,
it grapples the opponent and can constrict. A sifter
also gains a +4 bonus on its attack rolls with its bite
attack against grappled opponents.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 19, initial
damage 1d4 Dex, secondary damage 1 Dex. The
save DC is Constitution-based.
Skills: Sand sifters have a +8 racial bonus
on Move Silently checks. A sand sifter has a +8
racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some
special action or avoid a hazard. It can always
can 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. *Sand sifters have a +12 racial bonus on Hide
checks when swimming near the bottom of an
ocean, lake, or other body of water.