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

Firetide Hunter
Huge Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 18d10+54 (153 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Swim 80 ft. (16 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +14
natural), touch 10, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +18/+32
Attack: Bite +23 melee (2d6+6) or spines +22
melee (2d6+6 plus 1d6 fire)
Full Attack: Bite +23 melee (2d6+6) or spines
+22 melee (2d6+6 plus 1d6 fire)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, rage, scald,
swallow whole
Special Qualities: Blindsense 90 ft.,
darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, keen scent,
low-light vision
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +9
With an explosion of foam a mighty shark’s
fin breaks the water’s surface. The water around it
surges like a tidal wave as it speeds toward you. An
intense heat precedes it, the water bubbling around
the great fin.
Combat
Firetide hunters are voracious feeders,
viciously attacking any creature that comes
near. Against foes that show an ability to defend
themselves, they try repeated passes raking with
their spines and using the Swim-By Attack feat,
likely also using Power Attack if the first two or
three attacks hit. They are also known for attacking
small ships, crushing hulls with their powerful bite
or piercing them with their scalding spines.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability,
a firetide hunter must hit with its bite 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 establishes a hold and can
try to swallow the foe the following round.
Rage (Ex): Whenever a firetide hunter takes
damage or when any living creature within 360
feet of it takes slashing or piercing damage, the
firetide hunter flies into a berserk rage, attacking
the nearest creature madly until it or its opponent is
dead. A raging firetide hunter gains +4 Strength, +4
Constitution, and -2 AC. The firetide hunter cannot
end its rage voluntarily, though the rage never lasts
longer than the duration of the encounter.
Scald (Su): The water within 5 feet of a firetide
hunter is constantly scalding hot. All creatures in this
area take 1d6 points of fire damage per round (Fort
DC 22 half). The save DC is Constitution-based.
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Abilities: Str 23, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 1, Wis
12, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +13, Spot +14, Swim +14,
Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved
Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Swim-By
Attack (spines only), Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary, pair, or school (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 19-36 HD (Huge); 37-54 HD
(Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
Swallow Whole (Ex): A firetide hunter can try
to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than
itself by making a successful grapple check. The
swallowed creature takes 2d6+6 points of crushing
damage plus 3 points of acid damage and 3d6 points
of fire damage per round from the firetide hunter’s
digestive system. A swallowed creature can cut its
way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon
to deal 20 points of damage to the firetide hunter’s
gut (AC 17). Once the creature exits, muscular
action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent
must cut its own way out.
A Huge firetide hunter’s interior can hold 1
Large, 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, 128 Diminutive,
or 512 Fine opponents.
Keen Scent (Ex): A firetide hunter can notice
creatures by scent in a 360-foot radius and detect
blood in the water at ranges of up to 3 miles.
Skills: A firetide hunter 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 firetide hunter tracking a creature by scent
while underwater has a +10 racial bonus on Survival
checks.
Swim-By Attack [General]
Prerequisite: Swim speed.
Benefit: When swimming, the creature can
take a move action and another standard action at
any point during the move. The creature cannot take
a second move action during a round when it makes
a swim-by attack.
Normal: Without this feat, the creature takes a
standard action either before or after its move.
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