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

A normal orb beast can be killed only by
slaying the body. However, to reduce its offensive
capabilities, it is generally necessary to cut off
its eye stalks. To sever a stalk, an opponent must
make a successful sunder attempt with a slashing
weapon. (The player should declare where the
attack is aimed before making the attack roll.)
Making a sunder attempt provokes an attack of
opportunity unless the attacker has the Improved
Sunder feat. An opponent can strike at an orb
beast’s eye stalks from any position in which he
could strike at the orb beast itself, since the stalks
writhe and whip about in combat.
Each of an orb beast’s eye stalks has hit
points equal to the creature’s full normal hit point
total divided by 10. Thus, an average orb beast
has 104 hp, so a single blow dealing 10 or more
points of damage severs an eye stalk (104 /10 =
10.4, rounded down to 10). Losing an eye stalk
deals no damage to the orb beast’s body. A natural
reflex seals the stalk shut to prevent further blood
loss. The orb beast can no longer use the eye ray
associated with that particular head, but suffers no
other penalties.
Each time an eye stalk is severed, a new eye
springs from the stump in 1d4 rounds. To prevent
a severed eye stalk from growing back, at least 5
points of acid or fire damage must be dealt to the
stump (a touch attack to hit) before the new eye
appears. A flaming weapon (or similar effect) deals
its energy damage to the stump in the same blow
that severs the stalk. Fire or acid damage from an
area effect (such as a fireball) may burn multiple
stumps in addition to dealing damage to the orb
beast’s body. A severed eye stalk that has been
cauterized by acid or fire still regrows in about a
month.
An orb beast’s body can be slain just like any
other creature’s, but orb beasts possess fast healing
and, like hydras, are difficult foes to slay in this
manner. Any attack that is not (or cannot be) an
attempt to sunder an eye stalk affects the body. For
example, area effects deal damage to the body, not
to the eye stalks. Targeted magical effects cannot
sever an eye stalk (and thus must be directed at the
body) unless they deal slashing damage and could
be used to make a sunder attempt.
Spells such as finger of death and slay living
kill an orb beast outright if they succeed.
Eye Rays (Su): Each of the orb beast’s 10
eyes can produce a magical ray once per round,
even when the orb beast is attacking physically or
moving. The necks of the orb beast are long and
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flexible enough to allow it to aim any of its
eyes in any direction except directly beneath
its body.
Each eye ray resembles a spell cast by a 13thlevel
sorcerer; all rays have a range of 150 feet and
a save DC of 17. The save DCs are Charismabased.
Charm Monster: As spell, Will negates.
Orb beasts use this ray to confuse the opposition,
usually employing it early in a fight.
Charm Person: As spell, Will negates. Orb
beasts use this ray in the same manner as the charm
monster ray.
Disintegrate: As spell, Fortitude partial. The
orb beast uses this ray on any foe it considers a
serious threat.
Fear: As spell, except that it targets one
creature (Will negates). Orb beasts like to use this
early in the fight against creatures which look to
have a low Will save.
Finger of Death: As spell, Fortitude partial.
Orb beasts use this ray to eliminate dangerous foes
quickly.
Flesh to Stone: As spell, Fortitude
negates. Orb beasts like to aim this ray at enemy
spellcasters.
Inflict Moderate Wounds: This works as the
spell, but at range (Will half).
Sleep: This works like the spell, except that
it affects one creature with any number of Hit Dice
(Will negates).
Slow: This works like the spell, except that it
affects one creature (Will negates).
Telekinesis: As spell, Will negates. Orb
beasts like to use this ray to disarm physicall
powerful creatures or against spellcasters, drawing
them into the orb beast’s maw.
All-Around Vision (Ex): Orb beasts are
exceptionally alert and circumspect. They can’t be
flanked.
Fast Healing (Ex): Each round, an orb beast
heals a number of hit points equal to 10 + 1/2 its
Hit Dice.
Skills: An orb beast has a +4 racial bonus on
Spot and Search checks, and a +2 racial bonus on
Listen checks due to its multiple eyes.
An orb beast 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.