Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 5:MONSTERSportion regrows in 1 minute. The creature can reattachthe severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blur, dimension door,shield, unhallow. Caster level 20th; save DC 8 + spelllevel.Alternate Form (Su): At will, a pseudotroll can takethe form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (or another appropriatelygruesome form determined by the DM), but allits abilities remain unchanged despite the alien appearance.Changing shape is a standard action. Other creaturesreceive a –1 morale penalty on their attack rollsagainst a pseudotroll in this alternate form.CREATING A PSEUDONATURAL CREATURE“Pseudonatural” is a template that can be added to anycorporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the basecreature).Pseudonatural creatures dwell between the stars,beyond the planes as we know them, or nestled in farrealms of insanity. When summoned to the MaterialPlane they often take the form of and emulate the abilitiesof familiar creatures, though such a creature is moregruesome in appearance than its normal earthly counterparts.Alternatively, a pseudonatural creature may appearin a manner more consistent with its origin: A combinationof its worldly form and a mass of writhing tentaclesis most common.The creature’s type changes to outsider. It uses allthe base creature’s statistics and special abilitiesexcept as noted here. (Note: If you use both Tome andBlood and the Epic Level Handbook, this template representsa more powerful version of the pseudonaturaltemplate than presented there. The alienist prestigeclass presented in Tome and Blood does not have powerover pseudonatural creatures created using the EpicLevel Handbook.)HD: A pseudonatural creature always has maximumhit points.Speed: A pseudonatural creature’s speed doubles, forall movement types.AC: Pseudonatural creatures gain a +35 natural armorbonus. If the creature already has an armor bonus, usewhichever is better.Attacks: A pseudonatural creature substitutes tentaclerake attacks for its melee attacks while in pseudonaturalform. For instance, a creature with two clawattacks and a bite attack in its worldly form has at leastthree tentacle rake attacks (all at the creature’s bestattack bonus) in its pseudonatural form. It also gainsadditional tentacle rake attacks (also at its best attackbonus) as noted on the table below.Damage: Tentacle rakes from a pseudonatural creaturedeal damage equal to 2d8 + Str modifier.Special Attacks: A pseudonatural creature retains allthe special attacks of the base creature and also gains thefollowing.Constant Insight (Su): The creature makes all itsattacks with a +15 insight bonus. The creature is notaffected by the miss chance that applies to attacksagainst a concealed target.Improved Grab (Ex): If the creature hits an opponentsmaller than it with a tentacle, it deals normal damageand attempts to start a grapple as a free action withoutprovoking an attack of opportunity.Rotting Constriction (Ex): Once the creature has hold ofan opponent, each successful grapple check it makesduring subsequent rounds permanently drains 2d4points of Constitution. At the same time, the creatureregains 10 lost hit points.Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blur, dimension door,shield, unhallow. Caster level 20th.Special Qualities: A pseudonatural creature retainsall the special qualities of the base creature and also gainsthe following.• Electricity and acid resistance of a varying amountrelated to its Hit Dice (see the table below). If thecreature already possesses such resistance, usewhichever is better.• Damage reduction of a varying amount related to itsHit Dice (see the table below). If the creature alreadypossesses damage reduction, use whichever is better.• Spell resistance equal to the creature’s HD × 5. If thecreature already possesses spell resistance, usewhichever is higher.• One extra tentacle rake attack (the creature can useanother of its many tentacles to attack at no penaltywhile in pseudonatural form) for each 4 HD the creaturehas.Hit DiceElectricity and Acid Damage Extra TentacleResistance Reduction Rake Attacks1–3 15 20/+5 14–7 20 25/+6 28–11 25 30/+7 312–15 30 35/+8 416–19 35 40/+9 521–24 40 45/+10 6each 4 more HD +5 +5/+1 +1If the creature already has one or more of these specialqualities, use the better value.Alternate Form (Su): At will, a pseudonatural creaturecan take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass (oranother appropriately gruesome form determined bythe DM), but all its abilities remain unchanged despitethe alien appearance. Changing shape is a standardaction. Other creatures receive a –1 morale penalty ontheir attack rolls against pseudonatural creatures inthis alternate form.Saves: Same as the base creature.Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows:Str +22, Con +10, Dex +10, Wisdom +10, Intelligence atleast 3.Skills: Same as the base creature.Feats: Same as the base creature.Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground.Organization: Same as the base creature.212