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

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Marsh Assassin
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 4d8-4 (14 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (+3 Dex), touch 13, flatfooted
10
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Claw +7 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison, skin fold wrap,
smother
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.
The creature leaps from a tree and lands
silently, raising its claws to reveal the flaps of
leathery flesh that stretch from arms to legs. As it
growls a low, reptilian snarl, the pinhooks along
the interior of this fold rattle together, causing an
unearthly sound-one that is unmistakably a threat.
Combat
In combat, a marsh assassin may fight
normally with its two claws. Of course, it prefers
to use its deadly skin folds to attack.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 11, initial
and secondary damage 1d2 Str. The save DC is
Constitution-based.
Skin Fold Wrap (Ex): A marsh assassin
can try to wrap a Medium or smaller creature in
its body as a standard action. The marsh assassin
attempts a grapple that does not provoke an attack
of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it uses
its skin folds to grip the opponent and can make
two claw attacks on the victim with a +4 bonus on
its attack roll. Attacks that hit an engulfing marsh
assassin deal half their damage to the monster and
half to the trapped victim.
A creature wrapped in the skin folds is
automatically scratched by the pinhooks lining the
interior of the marsh assassin’s skin folds. These
needle-like protrusions deal no damage, but inject
the victim with poison. Breaking free of the skin
fold wrap stops the poison damage, but a poisoned
victim will be nauseated for 2d4 rounds instead.
Small or smaller opponents wrapped up in a marsh
assassin are also at risk of being smothered.
Smother (Ex): A wrapped opponent of
Small size or smaller can be suffocated while in
the marsh assassin’s skin folds (see Suffocation
rules in the DMG). A victim can attempt to escape
30
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +7, Will +2
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 17, Con 8, Int 7, Wis
7, Cha 8
Skills: Climb +3, Hide +4, Jump +6, Listen
+1, Move Silently +4, Spot +1
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Temperate marsh
Organization: Solitary or band (4-10)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Medium); 9-12 HD
(Large)
Level Adjustment: +1
with an opposed grapple check, though the marsh
assassin receives an additional +8 competence
bonus to its grapple check (+14 total grapple
bonus) owing to the effectiveness of the smother
attack.
Marsh Assassin Characters
Most marsh assassins are stealthy, excelling
in remaining unseen. Marsh assassin characters
have the following racial traits.
— +2 Strength, +6 Dexterity, -2 Constitution, -4
Intelligence, -4 Wisdom, -2 Charisma.
— Medium size.
— A marsh assassin’s base land speed is 40 feet.
— Darkvision: Marsh assassins can see in the dark
up to 60 feet.
— Racial Hit Dice: A marsh assassin begins with
four levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide
4d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base
saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4.
— Racial Skills: A marsh assassin’s monstrous
humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 7 x
(2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are
Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently and Spot.
— Racial Feats: A marsh assassin’s monstrous
humanoid levels give it two feats.
— Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A marsh
assassin is automatically proficient with neither
weapons or armor.
— Special Attacks (see above): Poison, skin fold
wrap, smother.
— Automatic Languages: Marsh assassin. Bonus
Languages: Aquan, Common, Draconic.
— Favored Class: Rogue.
— Level Adjustment: +1