What is the strange and unusual bestiary?

Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual is the long-awaited effort of the 2021 RPG Superstar contest , in which hundreds of monster fans and aspiring designers submitted their most unusual creature ideas to be judged by both professional RPG Designers and the community.

What was the bestiary purpose?

Originally, the bestiary was intended for religious education within the church , but it was eventually sought after by wealthy member of society for devotional reading as well as entertainment. The bestiary was also translated from Latin in other languages, notably French, further extending its popular reach.

What are the contents of bestiary?

Medieval bestiaries contained anywhere from a few dozen to more than a hundred descriptions of animals, each accompanied by an iconic image . Some descriptions explained a creature's Christian significance, such as the unicorn as a symbol for Christ, while others focused on physical characteristics.

Battlezoo Bestiary - Strange and Unusual

Discover the Unfamiliar!

Within the pages of Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual, you’ll find over 150 bizarre new creatures to confound and perplex players and their characters alike! The creatures in this eldritch tome arose from the most imaginative and compelling submissions from the 2021 RPG Superstar contest, including monstrosities like the roiling, giggling, congealed laughter, the firefly-swarming salirus, and the twodimensional chiralus.

Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual includes: • Over 150 new monsters based on the winning entries from the 2021 RPG Superstar contest, including full-color art, stat blocks, lore, and sidebars full of fun additional tidbits of information. • A new character archetype: the aberrant soul, who is slowly transforming into an aberration. • New options for the Monster Parts crafting system allowing players to craft weapons, armor, and magic items from the foes they defeat. • New imbued properties and staff refinements for the monster part system, adding new depth and possibilities to your games. • And much more!

$49.99 ISBN 979-8-9881198-0-7

54999>

rollforcombat.com 9 798988 119807 Printed in China

BATTLEZOO BESTIARY: STRANGE & UNUSUAL

Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual also includes everything you need to play with the Monster Parts system—perfect for explorers of the unusual who want to turn all those freshly collected bits and pieces into custom items and equipment, along with never-before-seen new imbued properties and a refinement path for staves. The creatures in this book are eclectic, esoteric, and just all-around fun, providing fresh new threats to encounter, allies to meet, and inspirational plot hooks for any game. This book is a completely stand-alone starting point into the world of Battlezoo Bestiary.

Stephen Glicker and Mark Seifter

MONSTER AUTHORS James Abendroth, Erica Abenti, Mark T. Adkins, Jeffrey Anderson, Daniel Aznavorian, Stephen Bandstra, Lau Bannenberg, Lorenzo Barquín, Stephen Bendig, Ryan Bentzinger, Nathan Berg, Adan Bermudez, Mavi Biglietto, Vittorio Boemio, Aaron B. Bradford, Andrew Braithwaite, Michael Bramnik, Dave Breitmaier, Alexander Burley, Justin Cando, Carlos H. Caro, Jake Cassar, Matt Cavanaugh, Brite Cheney, Alexander Eldritch, Aoife Ester, Hunter Evans, Luca T. Fassari, Davide Filippi, Ivis K. Flanagan, Logan France, Alex G. Friedman, Sebastian Garde, David Greene, Kalen H.M., Elizabeth Harris, Katrina Hennessy, Elizabeth Heyeck, Charlie Ho, S.A. Janke, Garry Stacey Johnston, Juho Kattelus, Erin A. Keston, Gregg Kieffner, Ryan King, Kitsune Kirin, Jameson Knopp, Jason Koellner, Ben Kojis, Ivan Kulikov, W. Brian Lane,Jesse Lehto, Nick Lucas, Jason Luke, Jake Marohl, Marty Martinez, Marceline Miller, Francois Potvin Naud, J.M. “Django” Nogueira, Brian Nowosatka, Nicholas Potter, Michael Robinson, Julian Röth, Gabriel M.S. Santos, Gabriel Santos, J.A. Saunders, Tony Saunders, Kenneth Schleich, Aviv Schwarz, Juniper Scott, Daniel Seligmüller, Natthan Senteni, Lucas Servideo, Jonathan T. Sims, Jacob Sloan, Rodney Sloan, Benjamin Sulzer, Ben Tait, Vincent Thériault, Brant Vallier, Dejan Veskovic, Michael Vieths, Nick Volpe, David Walker, Anthony Wheeler, Joshua White, Spencer Whiting, Garrick J. Williams, Nathan Wright MONSTER DEVELOPMENT Mark Seifter & Grady Wang MONSTER PARTS DESIGN Stephen Glicker & Mark Seifter EDITING LEAD Stephen Glicker EDITING Stephen Glicker, Sébastien “Aleph” Greffier, and MarkSeifter ART DIRECTION Stephen Glicker & MarkSeifter COVER ARTIST Ameur Makhloufi INTERIOR ARTISTS Çağdaş Demiralp, Douglas Deri, Miguel Regodón Harkness, Kaion Luong, Yugin Maffioli, Dio Mahesa, Ameur Makhloufi, Bruno Mello, Vinicius Menezes, Marco Morales, William O’Brien, Fabian Parente, Felipe Perez, Christoph Peters, Kiki Moch Rizki, Allan Santos da Silva, Egil Thompson, Danh Tran, Allyson Vitor; Endsheet Illustrations & Page Border Illustrations © Stefan Poag 2023 RPG SUPERSTAR JUDGES William Fischer, Stephen Glicker, Sen.H.H.S., Vanessa Hoskins, Luis Loza, Patrick Renie, Jefferson Thacker, Mark Seifter, Linda Zayas-Palmer PROOFREADERS Nathan Berg, Justin Cando, Brook Freeman, David Greene, Sébastien Greffier, Ryan King, Dylan Tice-Carroll, Brant Vallier, Joshua White, Nathan Wright FOUNDRY VTT IMPLEMENTATION Ian Blackstone, Ian Hildebrandt GRAPHIC DESIGN Stephen Glicker LAYOUT Stephen Glicker DIRECTOR OF GAME DESIGN MarkSeifter PUBLISHER Stephen Glicker SPECIAL THANKS Erik Mona, everyone at Paizo, Inc., all who entered the RPG Superstar contest, and the Roll For Combat fans!

Open Game Content: The Open Content in this book includes the monster names, monster statistics, monster abilities, items, and the suggested monster parts system. No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual (Pathfinder) is © 2023, Skyscraper Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved. First Printing. 2

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Contents Introduction 6 Monsters A–Z Monster Parts

10 170

Quick Start Guide for PCs................................................................................................................................................... 172 Quick Start Guide for GMs...................................................................................................................................................174 The Three Variants............................................................................................................................................................. 176 Gathering Ingredients......................................................................................................................................................... 178 Refining............................................................................................................................................................................. 182 Imbuing............................................................................................................................................................................. 188 Unusual Character Options................................................................................................................................................ 198

Appendix 202

Ability Glossary.................................................................................................................................................................. 202 Creature Traits................................................................................................................................................................... 204 Rituals............................................................................................................................................................................... 205 Languages......................................................................................................................................................................... 207 Suggested Monster Parts................................................................................................................................................... 208 Creatures by Type.............................................................................................................................................................. 220 Creatures by Level............................................................................................................................................................. 221

Alphabetical Listing Of Monsters Abandoned................................................................. Copper............................... Mark T. Adkins................................................. 10

Adada......................................................................... Copper............................... Juho Kattelus.................................................. 11 Akaky.......................................................................... Copper............................... Ivan Kulikov..................................................... 12 Amalgamess............................................................... Copper............................... Juniper Scott................................................... 13 Arrongtata Commander............................................... Silver................................. Ryan Bentzinger.............................................. 15 Arrongtata Hawk Rider................................................. Copper............................... Ryan Bentzinger.............................................. 14 Arrongtata Swarm........................................................ Gold.................................. Ryan Bentzinger.............................................. 16 Askyron....................................................................... Gold.................................. Nathan Wright................................................. 17 Atoning Spirit.............................................................. Copper............................... Michael Vieths................................................ 18 Auroplasm................................................................... Silver................................. Lau Bannenberg.............................................. 19 Ayd-rahiba.................................................................. Copper............................... Kenneth Schleich............................................ 20 Bannog Thief............................................................... Copper............................... Philip Holm-Lars.............................................. 21 Bathtub Ooze.............................................................. Silver................................. Andrew Braithwaite......................................... 22 Bell Walker.................................................................. Copper............................... Adan Bermudez............................................... 23 Between...................................................................... Silver................................. Sebastian Garde............................................. 24 Blink Drake.................................................................. Copper............................... Joshua White.................................................. 25 Bloodsport Remnant................................................... Copper............................... Nicholas Potter................................................ 26 Boe Erchitu................................................................. Copper............................... Vittorio Boemio............................................... 27 Bog Bomber................................................................ Copper............................... Marty Martinez................................................ 28 Bowlfish...................................................................... Copper............................... Mavi Biglietto.................................................. 29 Bulbekken................................................................... Gold.................................. Jake Cassar.................................................... 30 Cadavalier................................................................... Gold.................................. Brant Vallier.................................................... 31 Carnivorous Chapeau.................................................. Copper............................... Jacob Sloan.................................................... 32 Caster Detritus............................................................ Gold.................................. Juniper Scott................................................... 33 Cathartic Worm........................................................... Copper............................... Jason Koellner................................................ 34 Caxirus....................................................................... Platinum............................ James Abendroth............................................ 86 Celestial Geometry...................................................... Copper............................... Aviv Schwarz................................................... 35 Chiralus...................................................................... Grand................................ Kalen H.M......................................................114 Chosaintor.................................................................. Copper............................... Ivis K. Flanagan............................................... 36 Chronoceros............................................................... Copper............................... Mavi Biglietto.................................................. 37 Citric Evaporite........................................................... Silver................................. Elizabeth Heyeck............................................. 38 Cloaked Cadaver......................................................... Copper............................... Erin A. Keston................................................. 39 Congealed Laughter.................................................... Platinum............................ Nathan Berg.................................................. 151 Contortion Creeper...................................................... Platinum............................ Garrick J. Williams.......................................... 41 Contortion Crown........................................................ Platinum............................ Garrick J. Williams.......................................... 42 3

Contortion Swarm....................................................... Platinum............................ Garrick J. Williams.......................................... 40 Convolute Keyweed..................................................... Platinum............................ Lau Bannenberg.............................................. 95 Coppersmyf................................................................ Platinum............................ Dave Breitmaier............................................ 132 Cryptfowl Swarm......................................................... Copper............................... Jacob Sloan.................................................... 43 Crystalline Owl............................................................ Copper............................... Katrina Hennessy............................................ 44 Cunomaglos................................................................ Copper............................... Anthony Wheeler............................................. 45 Curse Eater................................................................. Silver................................. Marceline Miller.............................................. 46 Demon Shepherd........................................................ Copper............................... Lorenzo Barquín.............................................. 47 Ebirah......................................................................... Copper............................... Alexander Eldritch........................................... 48 Emperor Shark Penguin............................................... Copper............................... Andrew Braithwaite......................................... 49 Erygloid....................................................................... Copper............................... Aaron B. Bradford............................................ 50 Euphoria Ooze............................................................ Silver................................. Jake Cassar.................................................... 51 Extra Toe..................................................................... Copper............................... Jason Luke...................................................... 52 Eye Stalker.................................................................. Copper............................... Elizabeth Harris............................................... 53 False Tarrasque........................................................... Silver................................. Nathan Wright................................................. 54 Feddry......................................................................... Copper............................... Aaron B. Bradford............................................ 55 Fetchfisher.................................................................. Platinum............................ Alex G. Friedman............................................. 57 Fetchfisher Brood Swarm............................................. Platinum............................ Alex G. Friedman............................................. 56 Feth Velaunt................................................................ Gold.................................. Spencer Whiting.............................................. 59 Fethrotte..................................................................... Copper............................... Spencer Whiting.............................................. 60 Fosterkin..................................................................... Copper............................... David Greene.................................................. 61 Fragmentor................................................................. Grand................................ Kalen H.M..................................................... 112 Frenzied Trashfire....................................................... Silver................................. Mark T. Adkins................................................. 62 Furnace Newt.............................................................. Copper............................... Nicholas Potter................................................ 63 Fury Sphere................................................................. Copper............................... Nick Lucas...................................................... 64 Gasper........................................................................ Gold.................................. Vincent Thériault............................................. 65 Gastrophage............................................................... Silver................................. David Greene.................................................. 66 Gladelich.................................................................... Copper............................... Charlie Ho....................................................... 67 Goblin Circus Troupe................................................... Silver................................. Rodney Sloan.................................................. 68 Golden Coinivore Swarm............................................. Copper............................... Jeffrey Anderson............................................. 69 Goldsmyf.................................................................... Platinum............................ Dave Breitmaier............................................ 134 Golem of Wonder......................................................... Silver................................. Brite Cheney................................................... 70 Gorehed...................................................................... Copper............................... Lucas Servideo................................................ 71 Greater Fetchfisher...................................................... Platinum............................ Alex G. Friedman............................................. 58 Groundgullet............................................................... Copper............................... Aviv Schwarz................................................... 72 Guillotine Head........................................................... Silver................................. Stephen Bandstra............................................ 73 Guiltbound.................................................................. Gold.................................. Kalen H.M....................................................... 74 Gunpowder Bear......................................................... Copper............................... Tony Saunders................................................ 75 Handless Mage........................................................... Silver................................. Ben Kojis......................................................... 76 Haunting Spoon.......................................................... Silver................................. Daniel Seligmüller........................................... 77 Heat Glutton................................................................ Copper............................... Natthan Senteni.............................................. 78 Ictioctor....................................................................... Silver................................. W. Brian Lane.................................................. 79 Illiceru......................................................................... Gold.................................. Jake Marohl.................................................... 80 Imaginary Friend......................................................... Copper............................... Rodney Sloan.................................................. 81 Inkblot Ooze................................................................ Silver................................. Aoife Ester...................................................... 82 Iron Houndmaster........................................................ Copper............................... Kitsune Kirin.................................................... 83 Jadrani........................................................................ Copper............................... Jake Cassar.................................................... 89 Kawakami................................................................... Silver................................. Michael Robinson........................................... 90 Kayman Bacoo............................................................ Silver................................. Alex G. Friedman............................................. 91 Keeningreed................................................................ Platinum............................ Lau Bannenberg.............................................. 94 Kelpsteed.................................................................... Platinum............................ Lau Bannenberg.............................................. 92 Keyweed..................................................................... Platinum............................ Lau Bannenberg.............................................. 93 Kolufs Krafsa............................................................... Silver................................. Luca T. Fassari................................................ 97 Lantern Leshy.............................................................. Silver................................. James Abendroth............................................ 98 Living Bones................................................................ Copper............................... Daniel Seligmüller........................................... 99 Living Constellation..................................................... Silver................................. Hunter Evans................................................. 100 Living Figment............................................................. Copper............................... Anthony Wheeler........................................... 101 Living Origami............................................................. Copper............................... Daniel Aznavorian......................................... 102 Lorekith....................................................................... Silver................................. Marceline Miller............................................ 103 Lucent Demonsheep................................................... Copper............................... Lorenzo Barquín............................................ 104 Many Faces................................................................. Platinum............................ Nathan Berg.................................................. 153 Maramacula................................................................ Copper............................... Davide Filippi................................................ 105 Meatmonger................................................................ Silver................................. Juho Kattelus................................................ 106 Meddling Hands.......................................................... Platinum............................ Nathan Berg.................................................. 150 4

Mercurial Knight.......................................................... Silver................................. Matt Cavanaugh............................................ 107 Midnight Lily................................................................ Copper............................... Stephen Bendig............................................. 108 Mirage Crawler............................................................ Gold.................................. Gabriel M.S. Santos...................................... 109 Money-Grubber Swarm................................................ Copper............................... Francois Potvin Naud.................................... 115 Nafirus........................................................................ Platinum............................ James Abendroth............................................ 87 Odrazu........................................................................ Grand................................ Kalen H.M..................................................... 110 Owlpaca...................................................................... Copper............................... Gregg Kieffner............................................... 116 Paintbrush Fox............................................................ Copper............................... David Walker..................................................117 Plug-Tailed Wolly......................................................... Copper............................... Benjamin Sulzer.............................................118 Possibility Golem........................................................ Gold.................................. Nick Volpe..................................................... 119 Precognate................................................................. Silver................................. Jesse Lehto................................................... 120 Proselytizer................................................................. Copper............................... Alexander Burley........................................... 121 Psychic Rat King......................................................... Copper............................... Logan France................................................ 122 Psychogenic Lagomorph............................................. Copper............................... Jonathan T. Sims........................................... 123 Q-Metal Morphoid....................................................... Copper............................... Elizabeth Heyeck........................................... 124 Ribcage Vine............................................................... Silver................................. JM “Django” Nogueira................................... 125 Salirus........................................................................ Platinum............................ James Abendroth............................................ 85 Samaran..................................................................... Silver................................. S.A. Janke..................................................... 126 Savalir......................................................................... Silver................................. Anthony Wheeler........................................... 127 Scyphozoid Eye........................................................... Copper............................... Adan Bermudez............................................. 128 Secradow.................................................................... Copper............................... Garry Stacey Johnston.................................. 129 Shrieking Auger........................................................... Gold.................................. Dejan Veskovic.............................................. 130 Silkwurm..................................................................... Copper............................... Ben Tait......................................................... 131 Silversmyf................................................................... Platinum............................ Dave Breitmaier............................................ 133 Sorrow Portrait............................................................ Copper............................... Juniper Scott................................................. 136 Spellfilcher.................................................................. Copper............................... Carlos H. Caro............................................... 137 Squichlek.................................................................... Gold.................................. Ryan King...................................................... 138 Star Wyrm................................................................... Silver................................. Joshua White................................................ 139 Stick Tongue............................................................... Copper............................... Erica Abenti.................................................. 140 Stiltwalker................................................................... Copper............................... J.A. Saunders.................................................141 Susurration................................................................. Silver................................. Spencer Whiting............................................ 142 Tahagata..................................................................... Grand................................ Kalen H.M......................................................111 Telepathic Earwig Swarm............................................ Copper............................... Brite Cheney................................................. 143 Testudan..................................................................... Copper............................... Logan France................................................ 144 Thicket Urchin............................................................. Silver................................. Jeffrey Anderson........................................... 145 Thousand Skins........................................................... Platinum............................ Nathan Berg.................................................. 154 Thunderhead Willow.................................................... Gold.................................. Brian Nowosatka........................................... 146 Tidragat...................................................................... Copper............................... Garry Stacey Johnston...................................147 Time Golem................................................................ Copper............................... Gabriel M.S. Santos...................................... 148 Tree of Eyes................................................................ Silver................................. Jake Marohl.................................................. 149 Twistwere Wolf............................................................ Copper............................... Michael Bramnik........................................... 155 Unscaled Tyrant.......................................................... Silver................................. Michael Bramnik........................................... 156 Vaspertil...................................................................... Silver................................. Julian Röth.................................................... 157 Vengewhisper.............................................................. Silver................................. W. Brian Lane................................................ 158 Vile Ascender.............................................................. Copper............................... W. Brian Lane................................................ 159 Wackadodo................................................................. Copper............................... Tony Saunders.............................................. 160 Wadirus....................................................................... Platinum............................ James Abendroth............................................ 84 Wandering Plague....................................................... Gold.................................. Gabriel M.S. Santos...................................... 161 Wannabe Knight.......................................................... Copper............................... Justin Cando................................................. 162 War Tortoise................................................................ Copper............................... Michael Vieths.............................................. 163 Whorl Ooze................................................................. Gold.................................. Dave Breitmaier............................................ 164 Wildcat Gorger............................................................ Copper............................... Erin A. Keston............................................... 165 Writer’s Block.............................................................. Silver................................. Kalen H.M..................................................... 166 Xotlxotl....................................................................... Copper............................... Jeffrey Anderson........................................... 167 Zakurak....................................................................... Copper............................... Jameson Knopp............................................ 168 Zweiblade Guardian.................................................... Silver................................. Nicholas Potter.............................................. 169

This book refers to several other Pathfinder products; however, these additional supplements are not required to make use of this book. Readers interested in references to Pathfinder hardcovers can find the complete rules of these books available for free at paizo.com/prd. APG SOM

Pathfinder Advanced Player’s Guide Pathfinder Secrets of Magic 5

Introduction As Zara slept and Krueger’s eyes began to close, I remained vigilant while slowly reflecting on the day’s escapades. These lands are full of the most bizarre and outlandish beasts, undead, aberrations, and worse that the three of us have ever seen. It’s as if the gods of mischief and grotesquerie challenged each other to a cosmic contest to create something that they found... interesting. My hand, the one that transforms into a tentacle, began to tremble. Was there another presence nearby? Hopefully we wouldn’t find out before morning... or at least until I finish toasting my marshmallow. —Xan, Aberrant Soul

Welcome everyone to Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual, which is both a book I am excited for you to read and use in your games and a fitting description for the journey I have taken over the past few years getting Roll For Combat up and running. Never did I expect the first Battlezoo Bestiary to become such a massive success in such a short period of time, and for so many others to have the same love and excitement for the RPG Superstar contest. As many of you probably know, the original Battlezoo Bestiary grew from my love of roleplaying games, Paizo’s amazing RPG Superstar contest, and the desire to continue the tradition of the contest—to give new voices an opportunity to be heard and a method for them to break into the roleplaying industry. Simply getting the opportunity to bring back the RPG Superstar contest was exciting enough, but seeing how many others enjoyed the contest as much as I did and the thrill and excitement of seeing the winners get their name in print next to their monster was immensely rewarding. Of course, right away, people were asking when the next RPG Superstar contest was going to be run and what the theme of the contest was going to be this time around. In the first contest, there was no theme, and people could submit any type of monster to the contest. The result was a genuine hedgehog full of monsters of all shapes and sizes. There was nothing wrong with that, but I wanted a bit more direction for the next contest, something that would help tie all the monsters together into a common theme. But what could possibly do that? It had to be something simple to understand but broad enough to allow for a wide range of creatures. And then one night, as many people have pointed out on our Discord, I was watching Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice when Lydia Deetz utters the classic words, "I, myself… am strange and unusual," and I knew right from that moment that was to be the theme of the contest. My favorite monsters of all time have always been the oddballs, the bizarre, and the truly unique creatures that you remember long after the fight has concluded. My dream would be to have an entire bestiary filled with monsters of this kind, so the theme Strange and Unusual became the official theme for RPG Superstar 2021. So, with the theme solidified, RPG Superstar 2021 was opened to the public, and the response was overwhelming! Not only was there a significant increase in participation from the prior contest, but the quality of the entries was significantly stronger (not that the first Battlezoo Bestiary isn’t a fantastic book, but practice makes perfect!). In the end, the winning entries more than met the mark, and we now have this amazing volume in your hands. Hopefully, the creatures you find in this book will help you run memorable games for your players and inspire you to build unique adventures from the lore and hooks of these bizarre creatures. And, of course, the winners get to see their monsters in print, with their name and award next to each entry. Of course, we also expanded the Monster Parts system from the original Battlezoo Bestiary. We have included both the base rules for the system in this book as well as new rules for creating staves, multiple new imbuements, unusual character options, and the brand new aberrant soul player option because who wouldn’t want to play a character slowly turning into a monster? I hope you get as much enjoyment from these monsters and the new Monster Parts options as we did creating them! —Stephen Glicker

Reading Creature Statistics

Each creature’s rules appear in a stat block, with a structure similar to those of feats, spells, and magic items. Because creatures have more abilities than those game elements, however, their statistics include more entries, many of which have special formatting. A creature’s traits line sometimes begins with a rarity; if the creature’s rarity is common, no rarity is listed. The next entry is its alignment, which is given as a one- or twoletter abbreviation (CG for chaotic good, N for neutral, LE for lawful evil, and so on); these abbreviations are listed comprehensively on page 205. Next is the creature’s size (Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge, or Gargantuan). Any other traits are then listed alphabetically. The traits appearing in this book, including some traits from the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook, can be found in Creature Traits. Actions and activities the creature can use have the appropriate icons next to those abilities’ names noting how many actions they require. A creature always has the requisite proficiency ranks or other abilities required to use what’s listed in its stat block. For instance, a spellcasting creature can perform the Cast a Spell activity, and a creature is never untrained with any of its items. Some abilities are abbreviated in stat blocks and described in full in the Ability Glossary on pages 202–204.

CREATURE NAME RARITY TRAIT

ALIGNMENT ABBREVIATION

LEVEL SIZE

OTHER TRAITS

Perception The creature’s Perception modifier is listed here, followed by any special senses. Languages The languages for a typical creature of that kind are listed here, followed by any special communication abilities. If a creature lacks this entry, it can’t communicate with or understand another creature through language. Skills The creature is trained or better in these skills. For untrained skills, use the corresponding ability modifier. Ability Modifiers The creature’s ability modifiers are listed here. Items Any significant gear the creature carries is listed here. Interaction Abilities Special abilities that affect how a creature perceives and interacts with the world are listed here. AC, followed by any special bonuses to AC; Saving Throws A special bonus to a specific save appears in parentheses after that save’s bonus. Any special bonuses to all three saving throws against particular types of effects are listed after the three saves. HP, followed by automatic abilities that affect the creature’s Hit Points or healing; Immunities; Weaknesses; Resistances Any immunities, weaknesses, or resistances the creature has are listed here. Automatic Abilities The creature’s auras, any abilities that automatically affect its defenses, and the like are listed here. Reactive Abilities Free actions or reactions that are usually triggered when it’s not the creature’s turn are listed here. Speed, followed by any other Speeds or movement abilities. Melee 1 (traits; some weapon traits, such as deadly, include their calculations for convenience) The name of the weapon or unarmed attack the creature uses for a melee Strike, followed by the attack modifier and traits in parentheses. If a creature has any abilities or

gear that would affect its attack modifier, such as a weapon with a +1 weapon potency rune, those calculations are already included, Damage amount and damage type, plus any additional effects (this entry is Effect if the Strike doesn’t deal damage). Ranged 1 As Melee, but also lists range or range increment with traits, Damage as Melee. Spells The entry starts with the magical tradition and whether the spells are prepared or spontaneous, followed by the DC (and attack modifier if any spells require spell attack rolls). Spells are listed by level, followed by cantrips. A spell prepared multiple times lists the number of times in parentheses—for example, “(×2).” Spontaneous spells list the number of spell slots after the spell level. Innate Spells These are listed like other spells, but can also include constant, at-will, and focus spells. If the creature has a focus spell as an innate spell, it works like other innate spells with listed uses, rather than costing Focus Points. Spells that can be used an unlimited number of times list “(at will)” after the spell’s name. Constant spells appear at the end, separated by level. Rules for constant and at-will spells appear on page 202 in the Ability Glossary. Focus Spells If a creature has focus spells, this entry lists the spells’ level, the Focus Points in the creature’s focus pool, the DC, and those spells. Rituals Any rituals the creature can cast appear here. Offensive or Proactive Abilities Any actions, activities, or abilities that automatically affect the creature’s offense, as well as free actions or reactions that are usually triggered on the creature’s turn, appear here in alphabetical order.

Adjusting Creatures

Sometimes you might need to customize a creature based on the needs of your story as it unfolds. This section guides you through some basic strategies you can use to adjust creatures. It includes quick adjustments you can make to a creature to alter its level. You might also need to adjust a creature’s languages or gear, or know its proficiency ranks in skills or Perception.

COMBAT POWER

The creatures presented in this book have appropriate statistics for their levels. In many cases, you can make relatively minor adjustments, called elite and weak adjustments, to their statistics to make them function 1 level higher or lower than presented in their original form. Elite and weak adjustments work best with creatures that focus on physical combat. These adjustments overstate the normal numerical gains the creature would make from increasing its level to make up for the lack of new special abilities. As such, when applied multiple times to the same creature, these adjustments cause its statistics to become less accurate for the creature’s level. These adjustments have a greater effect on the power level of low-level creatures; applying elite adjustments to a level –1 creature makes it closer to 1st level, and applying weak adjustments to a 1st-level creature gives you one whose level is closer to –1. Creatures that cast spells or rely on noncombat abilities typically need specific adjustments to those spells or abilities as well.

Elite Adjustments

Sometimes you’ll want a creature that’s just a bit more powerful so that you can present a challenge that would otherwise be trivial, or show that one enemy is stronger. To do this quickly and easily, apply the elite adjustments to its statistics as follows: • Increase the creature’s AC, attack modifiers, DCs, saving throws, Perception, and skill modifiers by 2. • Increase the damage of its Strikes and other offensive abilities by 2. If the creature has limits on how many times or how often it can use an ability (such as a spellcaster’s spells or a dragon’s Breath Weapon), increase the damage by 4 instead. • Increase the creature’s Hit Points based on its starting level (see the table below).

Starting Level 1 or lower 2–4 5–19 20+

HP Increase 10 15 20 30

Weak Adjustments

Sometimes you’ll want a creature that’s weaker than normal so you can use a creature that would otherwise be too challenging, or show that one enemy is weaker. To do this quickly and easily, apply the weak adjustments to its statistics as follows. • Decrease the creature’s AC, attack modifiers, DCs, saving throws, and skill modifiers by 2. • Decrease the damage of its Strikes and other offensive abilities by 2. If the creature has limits on how many times or how often it can use an ability (such as a spellcaster’s spells or a dragon’s Breath Weapon), decrease the damage by 4 instead. • Decrease the creature’s HP based on its starting level.

Starting Level 1–2 3–5 6–20 21+

LANGUAGES

HP Decrease –10 –15 –20 –30

The languages listed in a creature’s entry represent the languages a typical creature of that type knows. However, you might want to vary these based on the specific creature. For instance, if a creature is interested in speaking with or understanding the people in its region, it would most likely know the language those people speak. This language is most often Common, but you can give it a more appropriate language depending on where the creature lives. Beings from other planes are unlikely to know any languages from the Material Plane unless they frequently travel there. If such a creature knows a mortal language, then that creature likely is interested in communicating with mortals. This language is most often Common,

though keep in mind that such a creature should speak Common only if it specifically travels to or studies your campaign’s world and region above others. The languages can be found in the Languages section of the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook and in the Languages section of this book (page 207).

GEAR

Some creatures rely on gear, like armor and weapons. You might need statistics for such a creature that doesn’t have its gear. For example, a creature could be Disarmed, it might be ambushed while it’s out of its armor, or one of its worn magic items could be disabled with dispel magic. In most cases, you can simply improvise, but if you want to be more exacting, use these guidelines for weapons and armor. If a creature loses its weapon, it might draw another weapon or use an unarmed attack. If it uses a Strike it doesn’t have listed in its stat block, find a Strike entry for the creature that most closely matches the substitute, reduce the attack modifier by 2, and use the damage dice for the new Strike. If the creature needs to make an unarmed attack and doesn’t have one listed in its stat block, it uses the statistics for a fist. If the creature loses a weapon with a weapon potency rune, you usually should reduce the attack modifier by 2 plus the bonus granted by the weapon’s potency rune for the new weapon. For example, if the creature is Disarmed of its +1 longsword, then you would reduce the attack modifier by 3 instead of 2 for the new Strike. If a creature doesn’t have its armor, find the armor in its Items entry and reduce the creature’s AC by that armor’s item bonus. If the armor has a potency rune, increase the reduction as appropriate; for example, if the creature has a suit of +2 scale mail in its statistics, and the characters catch the creature without its armor, you would reduce the creature’s AC by 5 instead of 3. If the armor has a resilient rune, reduce the creature’s saves based on the rune’s type (1 for resilient, 2 for greater resilient, or 3 for major resilient).

SKILLS, PERCEPTION, AND PROFICIENCY

In some situations, such as when a creature is trying to Disable a PC’s snare, you need to know the creature’s proficiency rank. Creatures are trained in the skills listed in their stat blocks. Because monsters aren’t created using the same rules as PCs, they are untrained in skills that aren’t listed. A creature usually has expert proficiency in its listed skills around 5th level, master proficiency around 9th level, and legendary proficiency around 17th level. A creature might need a certain proficiency rank in Perception to detect certain things. Many creatures have expert proficiency in Perception, and improve to master proficiency around 7th level and legendary proficiency around 13th level. At your discretion, creatures with world-class aptitude for a particular skill or in Perception, such as a doppelganger with Deception, might have a higher rank.

Abandoned COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MARK T. ADKINS

A WILL TO KILL

Abandoned prioritize revenge against those who left them behind. They’re often found patrolling homes and other locations associated with happier times, reliving memories while sobbing. Should they succeed in their revenge, the guilt of their victims causes them to often rise as zombie shamblers to accompany in death those they failed in life.

Some people die long before they draw their final breath. Abandoned are undead that felt the bitter sting of isolation in their final days or final moments, watching helplessly as those they loved and trusted left them behind. Their last moments were often filled with a deep shame and a desperate desire for revenge against those who abandoned them. At first glance, abandoned appear to be simple zombies, but even casual observation reveals that they move deliberately and intelligently. Abandoned are much stronger than a zombie shambler and have the ability to use tools and plan simple ambushes. In combat, abandoned struggle to land blows against their foes, but they can unleash tears of loneliness and isolation to blind their enemies. After shedding enough tears, their vision clears, and they can unleash their frustration more effectively. When an abandoned is destroyed, they often scream the names of the people who abandoned them with a final rasping breath.

ABANDONED UNCOMMON NE MEDIUM

CREATURE 2 UNDEAD

Perception +5;darkvision Languages Common; can’t speak any language Skills Athletics+8 Str+4, Dex+1, Con+4, Int–3, Wis+1, Cha–3 Blinded by Grief An abandoned’s eyes are filled with bitter necrotic tears, which slowly leak out, leaving smoking wounds on their cheeks. This mixture hampers the abandoned’s vision, causing it to be dazzled in most circ*mstances. Once an abandoned has used Malicious Tears three times in the same 10 minute period, it loses the dazzled condition but also no longer meets the requirements to use Malicious Tears. The dazzled condition returns after 10 minutes, as the creature’s decaying tear ducts produce more necrotic tears. AC 17; Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +5 HP 45; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknessespositive 5, slashing 5 Retributive Torrent 5 Requirements The abandoned is dazzled by its necrotic tears; Trigger The abandoned takes slashing damage from a creature within 15 feet; Effect The abandoned uses Malicious Tears; the cone must include the triggering creature. Sorrow of Isolation (aura, emotion, mental) 20 feet. The weight of isolation hangs around an abandoned, and enemies who draw too close can be overwhelmed by the emotion. Any enemy that enters the aura must attempt a DC 15 Will save, with the following effects. Success The creature is unaffected Failure The creature can’t assist its allies for 1 minute. It no longer grants flanking and can’t Aid its allies. Critical Failure As failure, and the creature becomes so desperate to restore its sense of companionship that it encroaches on its allies’ personal space. On its turn, if the creature isn’t adjacent to an ally, it must move until it’s adjacent to an ally before taking any other actions. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 fist +12, Damage 1d10+4 bludgeoning plus Grab Ranged 1 caustic bile +9 (range 20 feet), Damage 1d8+4 acid Malicious Tears 2 (incapacitation, poison) Requirements The abandoned is dazzled by its necrotic tears; Effect The abandoned sprays a 15-foot cone of liquid, composed of bitter necrotic tears of isolation. Creatures in the area must attempt a DC 18 Fortitude save, with the following effects. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round. Failure The creature is blinded for 1 round. Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1minute.

When convention and mandated structure crush the dreams of artists who would otherwise become once-in-a lifetime talents, the collective frustration from this loss spawns or attracts a terrifying creature of meaninglessness, an adada. Adadas spread unconventionality and irregular artistic visions in their wake, often causing calamitous damage as a side effect. Only the truly foolish would think to summon an unpredictable adada by design.

ADADA RARE

CN SMALL CHAOTIC

CREATURE 17 MONITOR

Perception +29;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 90 feet Languages tongue of nonsense Skills Arcana+31, Art Lore+33, Athletics+30, Crafting+33, Performance+36 Str+9, Dex+6, Con+9, Int+6, Wis+6, Cha+9 Tongue of Nonsense (divination, divine) Even though adadas babble nonsense, all creatures who can hear the adada can understand their babbling as the random sounds twist their brains into comprehending the meaning. Adadas understand all spoken and signed languages in the same way, converting language into something chaotic enough to process. AC 39; Fort +32, Ref +27, Will +27 HP 415; Immunitiesconfused, controlled; Weaknesseslawful 15, structure vulnerability Aura of Illogicality (aura, chaotic, divine, transmutation) 60 feet. Creatures within range attempt a DC 35 Will save. On failure, the world melts into a chaotic morass of randomness and absurdity, causing the creature to become stupefied 2. The flat check from this stupefied condition to avoid losing an action also applies to all actions using tools, weapons, or other objects, as the equipment’s functionality sporadically becomes random and nonsensical. On a successful Will save, the creature is temporarily immune for 1 minute. Melt Time 5 (divine, transmutation) Trigger The adada becomes slowed or stunned; Effect: The adada attempts to counteract its slowed and stunned conditions (using its Performance modifier as its counteract modifier with a counteract level of 9). Regardless of whether it succeeds, it becomes quickened for 1 minute and can use the extra action to Strike, Stride, Burrow, Fly, or Swim. Structure Vulnerability Unarmed attacks from creatures that follow a rigid code, such as tenets and anathemas trigger an adada’s weakness to lawful damage, even if the creature isn’t lawful. Speed 50 feet, burrow 35 feet, fly 40 feet, swim 35 feet; freedom of movement Melee 1 plume +33 (chaotic, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+17 slashing plus anti-poetry Melee 1 tongue +33 (agile, chaotic, magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d8+17 piercing plus Improved Grab Divine Innate Spells DC 38; 8th teleport; Constant (8th) freedom of movement, mind blank Anti-Poetry (auditory, chaotic, divine, emotion, enchantment, mental) An adada’s plume recites a sound poem on impact, which infects their victim with scathing and cutting satire that threatens to rip them apart, dealing 3d6 slashing damage with a DC 38 basic Will save. On a critical failure, the creature is also stunned 2. De-Artifice Convention 3 (chaotic, divine, transmutation, visual) Frequency Once per 1 minute; Effect: The adada unmakes order in a 300 foot radius. Unattended objects without the magical trait become broken. The area becomes difficult terrain as the ground cracks, shifts, and transforms into formless absurdity. All creatures in the radius 12d10 bludgeoning damage from the sudden shift of aesthetics, with a DC 38 basic Reflex save. Rhetoric of Violence 2 (attack) The Adada babbles strange violent rhetoric, allowing it to make three confounding attacks as one. It Strikes three times with its tongue, each against a different target. These count as only one attack for its multiple attack penalty.

Adada COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JUHO KATTELUS

UNFATHOMABLE BEINGS

Adadas are not malign creatures, but they have little to no regard for lives and property that they may ruin for the sake of their mission. But though their careless disregard can make them terrifying destroyers, they can also become unconventional saviors by battling tyrannical forces trying to dictate aesthetic sensibilities. At the same time an adada might attract rival powers. When an adada clashes with one of its nemeses, the results are often more devastating than the emergence of either creature alone.

Akaky COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY IVAN KULIKOV

COLD COMFORT

City dwellers share rumors about how to survive akaky encounters whenever the chill of winter approaches. Some say dropping a doll wearing winter clothing will distract an akaky, while others say the smell of roasted marshmallows repels akakys or that fire will slow down an approaching akaky. Nobody’s exactly sure as to why, to date, none of this advice has actually worked.

Akakys are the souls of mortals who died from hypothermia or illness, typically after they were ambushed and robbed of their valuables and, more importantly, their warm clothes during the winter. These spirits, filled with unspeakable hatred for the living and jealousy for their warmth, stalk city streets in the dead of cold winter nights, only to unleash a spectral phantasm of their own suffering upon anyone unlucky enough to cross their path.

AKAKY UNCOMMON CE MEDIUM

CREATURE 3 INCORPOREAL

SPIRIT

UNDEAD

Perception +8;darkvision Languages Common, Necril Skills Acrobatics+9, Intimidation+7, Society+9 Str–5, Dex+4, Con+0, Int+0, Wis+3, Cha+0 AC 18; Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +10 HP 25, negative healing, rejuvenation; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances all damage 5 (except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance to non-magical). Rejuvenation (divine, necromancy) When an akaky is destroyed, it reforms, fully healed, at the location where its clothing was stolen after 2d4 days. If someone willingly gives at least a piece of its original garment to the akaky, it is permanently destroyed. Winter Aura (aura, cold) 10 feet. The air grows supernaturally colder in close proximity to an akaky, causing the temperature to become two steps colder. Mild cold becomes extreme cold, Severe or extreme cold becomes incredible cold and so on. As long as this brings the temperature to severe cold or colder, creatures other than the akaky who end their turn in the aura who aren’t wearing winter clothing take 1d4 cold damage, with a DC 17 basic Fortitude save. Speed fly 25 feet Melee 1 ghostly hand +11 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 1d8+6 negative plus Ghostly Grab Ghostly Grab 1 As Grab, but the akaky can Grab a corporeal creature despite being incorporeal itself. It is only able to do so by manifesting a fading image of a ghostly overcoat onto the creature and then clutching onto the incorporeal coat. This spiritual garment superimposes over any winter clothing a target might have, allowing the akaky to potentially tear the warm clothing off the victim after killing them. The Escape DC for victims of an akaky’s Grab is 20, rather than the akaky’s Athletics DC. Steal Coat 1 Requirements The akaky has a creature grabbed; Effect The akaky rips the ghostly overcoat off and fills the target with the freezing cold of a fierce winter night. The target takes 1d8+6 cold damage, with a DC 20 Fortitude save. Critical Success Target is unaffected. Success Target takes half damage but its coat remains secure. Failure Target takes full damage. If the target was wearing winter clothing, the clothing phases off their body along with the superimposed ghostly overcoat and falls to the ground in the target’s space. Because the akaky is only able to grab the coat, not the creature directly, this causes the creature’s grabbed condition to end, though it doesn’t stop the akaky from using its Ghostly Grab ability again later to manifest a new coat. Critical Failure As failure, but the target is also clumsy 1 and enfeebled 1 until it spends 10 minutes in a warm environment. Jealous Hatred An akaky gains +2 circ*mstance bonus to all its attack rolls against targets wearing winter clothing, but its hatred for such creatures is also ultimately its undoing. Strikes made by creature wearing winter clothing are treated as magical when attacking the akaky.

Formed when a practitioner of magic has enough knowledge to summon a fiend but not enough experience to know how to do so correctly, an amalgamess is the result of a summoning ritual gone wrong. Due to the failed ritual, the creature being summoned was accidentally called within the summoner’s body, causing both to become unnaturally fused together in a way similar to how an amalgamite (Pathfinder Bestiary 3) can be formed due to a teleportation mishap. While the physical fusion of an amalgamess is fully permanent and very difficult to reverse, the minds of the two entities remain partially separated. The amalgamess functions as one creature, but the fragments of the two minds each have their own agenda. The mind of the summoner desperately seeks to survive long enough to someday discover a way to undo the horror that befell it, while the mind of the summoned fiend seeks to end its agonizing existence on the Material Plane so that it can return to its home plane at the cost of the summoner’s life. Reasoning with an amalgamess is nigh impossible due to its fractured minds, but an offer to cast the banishment spell on it is enough to draw its attention, as it’s one of the few ways to end its tragic condition.

AMALGAMESS RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 10 ABERRATION

FIEND

HUMANOID

Perception +15;darkvision Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal Skills Arcana+16, Athletics+22, Intimidation+22 Str+5, Dex–4, Con+5, Int+4, Wis–1, Cha+5 AC 25; Fort +23, Ref +14, Will +17,(+21 vs. banishment) HP 165; Resistancesprecision 10 Banishment Restoration Banishment can end an amalgamess’s tragic state. Despite its willingness to have the spell cast on it, due to its dual wills, the amalgamess instinctively tries to resist being banished. If the banishment is successful, the original summoner is returned to normal, albeit with the possibility of some lingering eccentricities. If the spell fails, however, the attempt is likely to enrage the amalgamess and throw it into a violent frenzy. Defensive Scramble 5 Trigger The amalgamess is the target of an attack or must attempt a Reflex save; Effect The amalgamess gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC and Reflex saves against the triggering effect, and then Strides. The amalgamess can’t use Defensive Scramble again until it uses Endangering Lunge. Endangering Lunge 5 Trigger A creature within the amalgamess’s reach makes a Strike against it, Effect the amalgamess takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty to its AC against the triggering Strike and then makes a claw Strike against the attacking creature. The amalgamess can’t use Endangering Lunge again until it uses Defensive Scramble. Speed 15 feet Melee 1 claw +23 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 slashing Melee 1 fist +23 (agile), Damage 2d8+13 bludgeoning Arcane Spontaneous Spells DC 26, attack +18; 5th(2 slots) hydraulic push, vampiric touch; 4th (2 slots) fly, touch of idiocy; 2nd (2 slots) fleet step, ventriloquism; Cantrips(5th)mage hand, produce flame, tanglefoot Somatic Flailing 2 As the summoner uses magic, the fiend lashes out at a nearby creature. The amalgamess Casts a Spell and makes a claw Strike against a creature within its reach other than the target of the spell. If the spell has an attack roll, both attacks count toward its multiple attack penalty, but the penalty doesn’t increase until after it’s made both of them. The amalgamess can’t use Somatic Flailing again until it uses Writhing Crawl. Writhing Crawl 1 The amalgamess Strides up to twice, gaining a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC and Reflex saves against reactions triggered by this movement. The amalgamess can’t use Writhing Crawl again until it uses Somatic Flailing.

Amalgamess COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JUNIPER SCOTT

BAD LUCK BANISHMENT

Summoning rituals aren’t the only spells that can go wrong—banishment can wreak havoc too. The longer the amalgamess’s fusion lasts, the more the essences of the two creatures intermingle. However, if an amalgamess has existed for more than a year and critically succeeds its Will save against banishment, the two creatures can rarely be restored to their original states. However, if they critically fail their save, the result can instead be a horrific mix of body parts, known as a greater amalgamess. This tragic condition can be somewhat fixed by them becoming an amalgamess again and hoping the next banishment goes better. Or, in extremely rare cases, much worse.

Arrongtata COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY RYAN BENTZINGER

READING FACES

The material an arrongtata uses to craft a shield face carries personal significance. Most choose a material matching what they defended as kami, though others select something they wish to protect in their new roles. Front-line fighters often have faces made of hardy wood or metal for better protection. Strategists have rock faces that channel the wisdom of the earth, while grass or fur faces help scouts blend into their environments. But the most fearsome arrongtata are those with bone faces—they are spirits of vengeance with nothing left to lose, for all they sought to defend has died.

Arrongtata were once kami who forsook their wards to seek out trespassers on sacred grounds. Abandoning their duty as kami allowed them to roam freely, but while they weren’t punished nearly as harshly as oni, their choice still cost them their vision and most of their magical powers. To overcome this, arrongtata bound their bodies to a shield face that they crafted from natural materials. Arrongtata are hostile to any creature they believe will harm nature, though they get along surprisingly well with non-evil oni, as the two can empathize with each other’s pasts, their choices, and the overly harsh punishments they’ve received. If their shield face is destroyed, they can craft a new one in a week, and it is sturdy enough to be used as shield material by those who manage to defeat them.

Arrongtata Hawk Rider

An arrongtata hawk rider is an arrongtata who forms a bond with a hawk mount, cohesively working as one fighting unit. Arrongtata’s constant study of warfare eventually led to the pursuit of aerial units in order to diversify their military capabilities. Certain arrongtata spend a significant amount of time to form a bond with a wild hawk, befriend it, and train the bird to be their mount. These arrongtata have fully melded themselves and their hawk allies into a single entity to ensure their success. They hang their detachable faces around their mount’s neck, and their ability to telepathically connect to their mount allows them to flawlessly become a single creature and look in all directions at once. Arrongtata hawk riders trade out the traditional arrongtata spear for a tiny longspear and javelins. Arrongtata riders become so connected to their hawks that dismounting them is as difficult as severing a limb from another creature. In the rare circ*mstance that an arrongtata hawk rider somehow does become dismounted, the rider usually dies from the fall or the sudden disconnect. Arrongtata hawk riders often fight alongside a number of arrongtata swarms commanded by an arrongtata commander.

ARRONGTATA HAWK RIDER CREATURE 3 N

SMALL

ANIMAL

FEY

SPIRIT

Perception +9;darkvision Languages Sylvan, speak with animals; telepathy 50 feet Skills Acrobatics +11, Athletics +10, Nature +11, Warfare Lore+10 Str+3, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+3, Wis+4, Cha+1 Items javelin (×5), longspear AC 18, all-around vision; Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +9 HP 45

Speed 10 feet, fly 50 feet Melee 1 longspear +12, Damage 1d8+5 piercing Melee 1 talon +12 (agile), Damage 1d4+5 piercing Ranged 1 javelin +13 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 1d6+5 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 17; Constant (2nd) speak with animals Air Joust 3 The arrongtata hawk rider swoops down, targeting its enemy’s eyes for two simultaneous attacks, one each from the rider and hawk. The arrongtata hawk rider Flies up to half its Speed, makes a longspear Strike and talon Strike, each against the same target, then Flies up to half its Speed again to return to its original location. If either Strike is a critical hit, the target is also blinded for 1 round. The second movement doesn’t trigger reactions. Both attacks count toward the arrongtata hawk rider’s multiple attack penalty, but the penalty doesn’t increase until after it makes both attacks.

Arrongtata

Arrongtata Commander

Arrongtata commanders are roving spirits with artificial faces they use as shields. They command phalanxes of their smaller kind to vanquish those that might harm nature. Arrongtata commanders are militaristic, constantly honing their skills in warfare.

ARRONGTATA COMMANDER N

SMALL

FEY

SPIRIT

CREATURE 4

Perception +11;darkvision Languages Sylvan, speak with plants; telepathy 50 feet Skills Acrobatics+11, Athletics+13, Nature+12, Warfare Lore+12 Str+5, Dex+3, Con+3, Int+1, Wis+3, Cha+1 Detached Face The arrongtata commander’s face is detached from its body, and there is a telepathic connection between the two. The face has two unblinking eyes that provide vision, hearing, scent, and the ability to perform a Stunning Glare. All other functions and abilities are performed by the arrongtata commander’s body. When the arrongtata commander’s body has its face in its possession, it perceives normally. The arrongtata commander’s face can still see, hear, and smell even if it’s away from its body, but it can only see whatever is visible from its current position, possibly making it unable to see, hear, or smell what’s going on around it (using effects similar to the blinded and deafened conditions to handle this). Even if its head can see its body from afar, the confusion from the distant viewpoint causes the arrongtata commander to be flat-footed while it isn’t holding its head. Shield Face The face of an arrongtata commander is incredibly sturdy, and acts as both a shield and weapon, though only for that arrongtata commander. When the arrongtata commander holds its arrongtata face in at least one hand, it can use the face to Raise a Shield, Shield Block, or Strike (Hardness 8, HP 48, BT 24). Because of their mystical connection to their head, when an arrongtata commander Raises a Shield with their head, they gain a +4 circ*mstance bonus to AC, and if their face breaks, it remains partially functional. While broken, it can no longer be used to Strike but can still act as a shield with a circ*mstance bonus of +2 AC when raised. If an arrongtata commander’s face is fully destroyed, the arrongtata becomes blinded and deafened and can’t use Stunning Glare. Summon Face 2 (conjuration, primal) Requirements The arrongtata commander has a free hand; Effect The arrongtata commander immediately teleports its face from anywhere into its hand. Items arrongtata face, spear (×5) AC 20,(24 with shield raised, 22 with broken shield raised); Fort+11, Ref +13, Will+9 HP 60 Raise a Shield 1 Shield Block 5 Speed 20 feet Melee 1 face +14, Damage 2d8+5 bludgeoning Melee 1 spear +14, Damage 2d6+5 piercing Ranged 1 spear +12 (thrown 20 feet), Damage 2d6+5 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 21; Constant (4th) speak with plants Stunning Glare 1 (enchantment, mental, primal, visual) Frequency once per round; Effect The arrongtata commander’s eyes flash to stun the spirit of a target within 30 feet. The target attempts a DC 21 Will saving throw. Critical Success The target is unaffected and becomes temporarily immune to Stunning Glare for 1 minute. Success The target is unaffected. Failure The target becomes stunned 1. Critical Failure The target becomes stunned 2. Command Troops 1 (range 50 feet, telepathy) The arrongtata commander telepathically commands its troops to adjust their positioning. Any lower level ally that’s both a fey and a spirit can use a reaction to Step.

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY RYAN BENTZINGER

OFF WITH THEIR HEADS?

Common sense suggests that killing a military unit’s commander would throw the troops into disarray, making the arrongtata commander a tempting target. However, the telepathic connection between arrongtata adds a complication to that strategy. As demonstrated by the arrongtata swarm, arrongtata are more than capable of coordinating amongst themselves— strike down the commander and another takes its place. The correct play is to leave the commander alive and strike at its mind. It might be possible to mind control an arrongtata commander in order to have it send faulty orders to its troops. However, sometimes such an attempt can go wrong and lead to the arrongtata commander turning the tables by pretending to be controlled.

Arrongtata GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY RYAN BENTZINGER

FORM UP!

Arrongtata are constantly developing and practicing new battle tactics, including new formations that can replace Tortoise Formation. Bridge Formation The arrongtata use their own bodies to build a bridge, allowing the swarm to move across gaps as though they are difficult terrain, provided it can reach the other side in one turn. Expanded Formation The arrongtata use an action to spread out, taking a –2 circ*mstance penalty to AC and Reflex saves but increasing the swarm’s size to Huge. The Expanded Formation remains in effect until the swarm uses another formation or exits Expanded Formation as a single action. Wave Formation The arrongtata stand on each other to buffet enemies in the swarm’s space—it functions like Tortoise Formation with the modifications that the swarm and all enemies in the swarm’s space become flat-footed, and the swarm does not gain circ*mstance bonuses to AC and Reflex saves.

Arrongtata Swarm

An arrongtata swarm is a cohesive and loyal battalion of approximately 400 arrongtata. The battalion works like a hive mind due to arrongtata’s telepathic connection and rigorous military training. Arrongtata swarms are often commanded by an arrongtata commander. Arrongtata are tiny, bipedal spirits with stubby, pointed tails that hold their detached faces as shields. These faces contain two round, unblinking eyes that glow on command and can be used in unison to flash brightly to weaken their enemies. The faces cover the entirety of their blocky bodies, and there is a telepathic connection between the spirit and its shield face. Arrongtata are hostile to any creature they believe are likely to harm nature. These spirits are militaristic, constantly honing their skills in warfare. They form battalions, and the bonds between each arrongtata in the battalion allow them to effortlessly align and rearrange their shield faces and spears to skillfully attack their enemies. Sometimes, an arrongtata in a swarm will go an entire battle without ever holding their own shield face.

ARRONGTATA SWARM N

LARGE

FEY

SPIRIT

SWARM

CREATURE 5

Perception +12;darkvision Languages Sylvan, speak with plants; telepathy 50 feet Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+14, Nature+13, Warfare Lore+13 Str+5, Dex+4, Con+4, Int+2, Wis+4, Cha+1 AC 21,(23 while in Tortoise Formation); Fort +11, Ref +15(+17 while in Tortoise Formation), Will+11 HP 50; Immunities precision, swarm mind; Weaknesses area damage 8, splash damage 8; Resistancesbludgeoning 5, piercing 8, slashing 5 Tortoise Formation 1 The arrongtata swarm aligns its shield faces effectively in every direction to protect itself. When the arrongtata swarm gets into Tortoise Formation, it gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC and Reflex saves. While in Tortoise Formation, the arrongtata swarm is immobilized. The Tortoise Formation remains in effect until the start of the swarm’s next turn. If necessary, the arrongtata swarm can exit Tortoise Formation as a free action. Speed 20 feet Primal Innate Spells DC 22; Constant (4th) speak with plants Dazing Glare 1 (enchantment, mental, primal, visual) All of the eyes of the arrongtata swarm flash simultaneously at its surrounding enemies, forcing all enemies within 30 feet to attempt a DC22 Will save. Critical Success The creature is immune to Dazing Glare for 1 minute. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is stupefied 1 for one round. Critical Failure The creature is stupefied 2 for one round. Phalanx Attack 1 Each enemy in the swarm’s space takes 2d10 piercing damage (DC 22 basic Reflex save). Spear Storm 2 Frequency once per hour; Effect The arrongtata swarm hurls a barrage of spears targeting its enemies’ weak points in a 10-foot emanation. Enemies in this area take 6d6 piercing damage, with a DC 22 Reflex save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage and 1 persistent bleed damage. Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and 1d4 persistent bleed damage.

Askyron are frightening harbingers of the end times, powerful entities meant to break down the gods themselves in the final unmaking of reality. Or at least they were in the previous incarnation of reality. Now that their job is done and has been since long before the beginning of this reality, they’re the cosmic equivalent of guests who’ve stayed after the party is over. Askyron didn’t intend to stay around, but while most of their number returned to whatever realm they call home or dissipated back into nothingness, a small number lingered. They found themselves perplexed by this strange new reality that’s come together, distorting themselves into new forms that suit its laws of physics so they can safely exist. Now that they aren’t responsible for ending everything one day, their professional menace has given way to a far more relaxed attitude. Most are akin to tourists or doting grandparents examining the drawings of a beloved child as they wander and take in the sights. Some may take up roles as sages or tyrants, though they are ill-fitted for both given their lack of understanding of this reality’s morality. Askyron have a one-sided antagonism with the aeons. Aeons view Askyron as outside elements that threaten the systems they preserve and attempt to destroy such elements without mercy. Askyron themselves don’t quite understand what this system is that aeons prize so dearly, but they find it precious that aeons care so much for it.

ASKYRON RARE

HUGE

Askyron GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN WRIGHT

ASK YRON

An askyron once visited a carnival where people took its name too literally. Now the carnival makes most of its money “translating” the askyron’s ramblings for those who flock to hear its wisdom.

CREATURE 18 ASTRAL

Perception +30;darkvision Languages Residui Skills Acrobatics +35, Athletics +31, Deception +35, Previous Reality Lore+38, Stealth+35 Str+9, Dex+10, Con+6, Int+9, Wis+5, Cha+6 Outdated The askyron treats any result other than a critical success to Recall Knowledge or Sense Motive as a critical failure. The exception is any attempt to Recall Knowledge using its Previous Reality Lore skill to remember information about its past reality. AC 39; Fort +30, Ref +33, Will +27;+2 status to all vs. divine HP 500; Immunities controlled, disease, mental, poison, precision damage; Weaknessesforce10; Resistancesacid 10 Alien Morality When subject to an effect with an alignment trait, an askyron is treated as whichever alignment would be worst for it when determining the outcome. Speed 40 feet, burrow 40 feet, fly 90 feet Melee 1 unmaker sceptre +37 (finesse, force, magical), Damage 3d10+17 force Ranged 1 unmaker bolt +35 (force, magical, range increment 60 feet), Damage 3d10+17 force Arcane Innate Spells DC 37, attack +29; 10thteleport; 7thdisintegrate (at will), plane shift; 5thtongues (at will); Cantrips(9th)shield Ancient Oration 2 (arcane, transmutation, verbal, visual) The askyron speaks in detail about how the previous world worked with such knowledge and authority that it briefly returns to its original form. Until the start of its next turn, creatures that see it take 9d6 mental damage (DC 40 basic Will save). On a critical failure, they are also confused until the end of their next turn. Godskiller When the askyron damages a target with a divine connection, such as a creature capable of casting divine spells or an object with the divine trait, it deals 2d6 additional force damage; this increases to 4d6 when using disintegrate. This applies only to the triggering target, even if the same effect would damage other targets. Scour When the askyron casts disintegrate, it doesn’t make an attack roll. Instead, every creature, unattended object, and force effect within a 5-foot burst must attempt a Fortitude save as if the askyron had succeeded on its attack roll.

Atoning Spirit COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MICHAEL VIETHS

FALSE WITNESS

Sometimes, when friends and family have had enough of a loved one’s misbehavior, they’ll hire a caster or just dress themselves up to impersonate an atoning spirit in hopes of changing the reprobate’s ways. This type of intervention rarely has the lasting effects of proper atonement and sometimes suffers the awkwardness of an actual atoning spirit showing up to disapprove of the falsehood.

Whether the agent of a deity, the embodiment of a holiday, or a fey spirit seeking to teach mortals a lesson, an atoning spirit appears to those in need, whether they want its aid or not. An atoning spirit’s goal isn’t to harm their target but instead to convince them to atone for their sins. They use powerful illusions and insights into the target’s life to show their target visions of their lives that led to the transgressions and caught the atoning spirit’s attention. An atoning spirit may appear in any form it likes, but they often choose that of someone close to the target: a deceased friend or relative, or an older or younger version of the target itself. A person can attract the attention of an atoning spirit either through the performance of an atone ritual or by encountering an atoning spirit and behaving in a way that makes the spirit believe they’re seeking atonement. The atoning spirit leaves once the creature has either properly atoned for its sins or sincerely no longer wishes to atone.

ATONING SPIRIT RARE

MEDIUM

INCORPOREAL

CREATURE 6 SPIRIT

Perception +18;darkvision Languages Common, Sylvan; tongues Skills Deception +13, Diplomacy +15, Intimidation +15, Nature +18, Penitent Lore +18, Religion+18, Society+15 Str+2, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+2, Wis+7, Cha+2 Know Penitent 1 (divination, linguistic, mental) The atoning spirit is able to read the penitent’s mind, learning relevant bits of their past in order to ascertain how best to influence them. The penitent may attempt a Will save. Success The penitent is unaffected and is temporarily immune to Know Penitent for 1 hour. Failure The atoning spirit gains +2 circ*mstance bonus to Diplomacy checks against the penitent, and the penitent takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty on Deception checks against the atoning spirit. These effects last for 1 hour. Critical Failure As failure, but the circ*mstance bonus to Diplomacy checks increases to +4, and the circ*mstance penalty to Deception checks increases to –4. Penitent Lore (divination) The atoning spirit is able to read a penitent’s entire lifetime. Their Penitent Lore skill is specific to their target for the purposes of knowing details about the penitent’s life and personality. Show Vision 2 (auditory, illusion, mental, olfactory, visual) The atoning spirit creates the effects of an illusory scene (Pathfinder Core Rulebook) of the penitent’s past, present, or future. The illusions created by this ability are interactive and react in a manner consistent with their appearance (food has flavor and scent, loved ones behave as the target expects, etc.). The vision must be consistent with the actions for which the penitent is atoning. AC 23; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +17 HP 71; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances all damage 5 (except force, ghost touch; double resistance vs. non-magical) Rejuvenation (divine, necromancy) When an atoning spirit is destroyed, it reforms, fully healed, within 2d4 days, appearing in the vicinity of the penitent. If it’s destroyed without a penitent, it instead appears near a potential penitent. Speed fly 30 feet Melee 1 strike +15 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d4+7 mental Primal Spells DC 24; 6th teleport (at will, self and penitent only); 2ndinvisibility (at will, self or penitent only); Constant (5th) tongues Rituals DC 24; atone

Auroplasms are mystical marauders of sentient gold that lust for one thing above all others: more gold to add to their bodies. Each one has a main denomination, which they use as their face. If they absorb a significant quantity of a different coinage, they split off a new auroplasm to resolve the internal conflict. You can simulate a newly split auroplasm by making it Small and giving it the weak template, or an engorged one just before splitting by applying the effects of enlarge. As beings composed entirely of gold, auroplasms face both dragons and adventurers as natural predators. But they themselves also hunt dragons for their hoards. Since they don’t care for most other treasures, they sometimes team up with adventurers, but adventurers with significant gold reserves should watch their backs.

AUROPLASM RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 15

Auroplasm SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LAU BANNENBERG

AUROPLASM ORIGINS

According to legend, auroplasms originate from a single incident, when a powerful sorcerer was caught standing on a dragon’s hoard and boiled alive in molten gold until his fire resistance spells gave out. His fury, frustration and greed fused with the hoard and created the first auroplasm.

OOZE

Perception +23;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 30 feet Languages Common, Draconic Skills Arcana+27, Athletics+27, Crafting+25, Deception+30, Diplomacy+27, Intimidation+30, Society+25, Stealth+25 Str+6, Dex+0, Con+6, Int+6, Wis+4, Cha+7 AC 27; Fort +29, Ref +23, Will +26 HP 425; Immunitiescritical hits, fire, electricity, precision; Weaknessesbase metal vulnerability, cold 15; Resistancesacid 15, piercing 15, slashing 15 Base Metal Vulnerability Auroplasms take 15 extra damage from weapons made of ordinary metals, but not precious or special metals like silver or cold iron. Conduct Electricity 5 Trigger The auroplasm is targeted by an electricity effect; Effect The auroplasm changes the target to a creature in their reach that isn’t already a target of the effect. Resolve the effect against the chosen creature instead. Molten Mass A creature that hits an auroplasm with weapon or unarmed attack must attempt a DC 33 Reflex save. On a failure, the weapon or creature takes 3d6 fire damage (after dealing damage to the ooze as normal). Thrown weapons take the damage from this ability automatically with no save. Radiant Heat (aura, fire) 30 feet. The auroplasm shimmers with heat, making them concealed. A creature entering the aura or starting its turn in it takes 3d6 fire damage (DC 33 basic Fortitude save). The auroplasm can deactivate or reactivate this ability with a single action, which has the concentrate trait. Speed 25 feet, climb 25 feet Melee 1 superheated tendril +30 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning plus 2d12 fire and coin brand Arcane Spontaneous Spells DC 36, attack +28; 8thdispel magic, horrid wilting, maze, mind blank (4 slots); 7th crushing despair, dispel magic, fly, haste, prismatic spray, tempest of shades (4 slots); Cantrips (8th) detect magic, mage hand, read aura, shield, telekinetic projectile Coin Brand (fire) When the auroplasm hits a creature with a superheated tendril Strike, it sears the visage of its dominant coinage in the defender’s flesh. Treat Wounds or regenerate removes this brand. Engulf in Gold 2 The auroplasm channels its magic into the connections with its coin brands, engulfing nearby branded creatures in gold. All creatures with the auroplasm’s coin brand within 60 feet take 12d6 fire damage with a DC 36 basic Reflex save. On a failure, the creature also takes a –10-foot circ*mstance penalty to its Speeds for 1 minute, and on a critical failure, it’s also immobilized for 1 round. Lure of Lucre 1 (mental, visual) The auroplasm makes a Feint against a creature within 30 feet. On a success the creature is flat-footed against all attacks until the end of the auroplasm’s next turn.

Ayd-rahiba COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KENNETH SCHLEICH

RAHIBA ROULETTE

Ayd-rahibas carry the mystery of their appearance to the grave, dissolving into black ichor when they die. Capturing the ichor requires a container made of organic material like leather—it seeps through everything else. Those who accomplish the task may drink it to gain the ability to wall glide, but doing so is a gamble; the effect lasts a variable amount of time per dose, and should it end while the drinker is inside a wall… the result is quite gruesome.

An ayd-rahiba is a frightening and implacable troop of aberrations that swarm their victims from inside nearby walls, surrounding and devouring them. What little is known about the ecology of ayd-rahiba concerns their bizarre habitat: they prefer to live within the walls of abandoned, desecrated structures. Their exact physical features are unknown; they are hidden within the walls, but when they attack, ichor-coated gangly black arms burst from behind plaster and crack the seams between stacked stone, plucking their victims off their feet and dragging them back to be crushed against the walls. The entire group of creatures moves and attacks with an eerily singular intent and coordination. Any structure home to an ayd-rahiba bears marks of the ayd-rahiba’s presence, and these marks are an adventurer’s only clue of the impending danger. The ayd-rahiba’s arms don’t emerge from the walls smoothly like an incorporeal spirit: they burst out violently and physically. When an ayd-rahiba pursues prey, their arms rip their way across surfaces, tearing plaster or even stone like paper. Survivors noted seams of oddly repaired walls prior to being ambushed, meaning that the creatures likely repaired the damage they caused to their own lair in their violent hunts.

AYD-RAHIBA RARE

GARGANTUAN

CREATURE 10 ABERRATION

TROOP

Perception +19;tremorsense (precise) 60 feet, occupying structure only Skills Athletics+22, Intimidation+18, Stealth+20 Str+8, Dex+7, Con+5, Int+3, Wis+2, Cha+3 AC 29; Fort +19, Ref +22, Will +16 HP 200 (16 squares),Thresholds 133 (12 squares), 67 (8 squares); Weaknessesarea damage 10, lawful 10, slashing 10, splash damage 5; Resistancespiercing 10 Retreat into the Walls 1 (move) The ayd-rahiba’s arms all retract into the walls in unison, leaving only gaping holes behind. This grants the ayd-rahiba standard cover and the ability to wall glide. Troop Defenses Speed 30 feet, climb 30 feet, troop movement, wall glide Constricting Drag 1 Frequency once per round; Effect The ayd-rahiba arms squeeze and pull on all creatures grabbed by it, rolling a single Athletics check and comparing the result against each grabbed creature’s Fortitude DC. On a success, the ayd-rahiba deals 2d8+6 bludgeoning damage and pulls the creature 5 feet towards its nearest space (10 feet and double damage on critical success). Grabbing Onslaught Frequency once per round; Effect The ayd-rahiba’s arms lash out at all enemies in the squares it occupies or within 5 feet with a DC 27 basic Reflex save. On a failure, the creature is grabbed until the end of the ayd-rahiba’s next turn. The damage depends on the number of actions. 1 2d8 bludgeoning damage 2 2d8+11 bludgeoning damage 3 2d8+17 bludgeoning damage. Form Up 1 Swarming Tide The ayd-rahiba moves with an organization illogical to mortal minds. It can move into other creatures’ spaces, and other creatures can move into its spaces. The spaces it occupies are treated as difficult terrain by other creatures. When the ayd-rahiba uses Form up, it can ignore the 15 foot limitation as long as its squares all occupy a single room. Troop Movement Whenever the ayd-rahiba Strides, it first Forms Up as a free action to condense into a 20-foot-by-20-foot area (minus any missing squares), then moves. This works just like a Gargantuan creature moving; for instance, if any square of the ayd-rahiba enters difficult terrain, the extra movement cost applies to the whole troop. Wall Glide After Retreating into the Walls, the ayd-rahiba moves behind the surfaces of walls, ceilings, and floors of a structure with illogical ease in a wet, slapping slither. The surfaces bulge obviously in ways that defy their material nature unless the ayd-rahiba Sneaks. After emerging to attack, the ayd-rahiba can’t wall glide until it Retreats into the Wall.

Bannog are a type of aberration from the realm of dreams that take the form of evil humanoid rabbits with human-like ears that stretch to well over a foot above their heads. Capricious and malevolent, bannogs travel from dream to dream in small family units in order to gang up on their prey. If they find a dream that seems especially fun or energetic, they might leave a clutch of eggs behind in that dream to gestate. Although bannogs look mostly harmless, believing them to be so is a mistake. They produce a magical membrane over their paws that works as a touch poison that allows them to absorb dream energy from mortal creatures. While it serves as an effective defense mechanism, bannogs are usually careful about overusing it for fear of ending their food supply. The souls that bannogs trap with their poison usually don’t hold much value to them, since the dreams of the soulless tend to be bland and depressing and to contain inferior energy. Since bannogs rely on souls to survive but are relatively weak among all creatures that feed upon souls, they are deathly afraid of most beings involved in the soul trade. Rather than compete, if they meet any such creatures, they often try to offer their services as a desperate act of self-preservation. Bannog thieves are cruel thrillseekers who enjoy the risks involved in hunting for souls. They often enter the Material Plane from an unsuspecting creature’s dream, steal the souls of everyone nearby except a single person, escape the scene through that person’s dream, and then expect the survivor to be blamed for the massacre.

BANNOG THIEF UNCOMMON

SMALL

Bannog COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY PHILIP HOLM-LARS

BANNOG CHARACTERS

Some bannog misfits spend their lives on the Material Plane, which causes them to become able to sustain themselves on normal sustenance without the need for souls and changes the way they interact with dreams. These bannogs sometimes become adventurers or mischievous pranksters instead of malevolent tormentors. For rules of playing a bannog PC, check out World of Battlezoo: Indigo Isles!

CREATURE 5 ABERRATION

DREAM

Perception +13;scent (imprecise) 40 feet Languages Aklo; speak with animals (rabbits only); telepathy 100 feet Skills Dreamlands Lore+10, Stealth+12, Survival+11, Thievery+16 Str+2, Dex+5, Con+2, Int+0, Wis+4, Cha+1 Items thieves’ tools, replacement picks (×5), pebbles (×5) AC 21; Fort +9, Ref +15, Will +12 HP 50 Dream Susceptibility Because they are creatures of dream, bannog thieves are uniquely vulnerable to magic associated with sleep and dreaming. Whenever a bannog thief makes a check to avoid a spell or effect with the sleep trait or a spell or effect that would cause the unconscious condition, it treats the result of its check as one degree of success worse than the result it rolled on the check. Spells and effects that only work on sleeping creatures, such as the nightmare spell, work on the bannog thief at any time. Just a Dream 5 (conjuration, mental, occult, teleportation) Trigger A creature damages the bannog thief; Effect The thief gains resistance 5 all (except force) against the triggering damage and teleports up to 10 feet in any direction. Speed 60 feet Melee 1 fist +15 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+4 bludgeoning plus deep dream membrane Occult Innate Spells DC 22 Constant (2nd) speak with animals (rabbits only) Deep Dream Membrane (death, enchantment, incapacitation, occult, poison) Saving Throw DC 20 Will; Maximum Duration 10 minutes; Stage 1 stupefied 1 (1 round); Stage 2 stupefied 2 and drained 1 (1 round); Stage 3 stupefied 4, drained 2 and slowed1 (1 round); Stage 4 unconscious (10 minutes); Stage 5 the creature dies, and its soul becomes trapped within a pebble in the bannog thief’s possession. Imaginary Flurry 2 The bannog thief makes three fist Strikes (applying its multiple attack penalty normally), then Steps. Lucid Step 2 The bannog thief insidiously shifts itself into the dream of an adjacent unconscious creature or into an unoccupied space on the Material Plane adjacent to the creature whose dream it inhabits. The bannog thief can stay on either plane indefinitely without ill effect.

Bathtub Ooze SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ANDREW BRAITHWAITE

THE FLOAT TEST

Bathing with a duck figurine is a treasured tradition in many cultures, its graceful form bobbing upon the surface of the water with nary a care in the world. Coincidentally, the float test is the quickest method to determine if the water in a tub is merely dirty or an ooze sleeping off its last meal. Drop a duck on an ooze, and it quickly sinks, pulled in by the ooze’s voracious body. Drop a duck in dirty water, and it gently floats, silently judging your poor hygiene.

Bathtub oozes are gray, aqueous blobs that consume magic. A bathtub ooze is typically created through absentmindedness: a mage, deep in contemplation of their arcane thesis, forgets to drain the tub after bathing. Over time, floating skin cells infused with lingering magic cause the ooze to form, a viscous blob of gray water held together by surface tension and shimmering with a subtle purple sparkle. Abandoned and forgotten, the ooze develops a hunger for more magic that manifests in an uncanny sense for approaching auras and drives the ooze to seek out and feed on such sources, stripping the skin off enchanted creatures’ flesh in the hopes of ingesting their magic. Bathtub oozes are known to ambush the very mages that created them with their own single-minded neglect, and they’re also a terrifying discovery for the unlucky adventurer, thief, or member of household staff who stumbles across them. Bathtub oozes are also surprisingly mobile compared to other oozes, able to compress themselves to squeeze through a keyhole or slide through the gap beneath a door in pursuit of a meal. Exhibiting the same relentless focus as the mage that created them, bathtub oozes doggedly stalk any creature if it senses magic within or upon that creature, grabbing the unfortunate prey with its pseudopod and feeding on its skin until no unconsumed auras of magic remain. Contented, the ooze retreats to its tub and waits patiently for the next meal to present itself.

BATHTUB OOZE UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 3 MINDLESS

OOZE

Perception +6;magic sense 60 feet, motion sense 60 feet, no vision Skills Acrobatics +6 (+10 to Squeeze), Athletics +9, Stealth +6 (+10 to Hide inside a bathtub) Str+4, Dex–3, Con+3, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–5 Magic Sense A bathtub ooze can sense all forms of magic nearby. Motion Sense A bathtub ooze can sense nearby motion through vibration and air or water movement. AC 12; Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +7 HP 75; Immunities critical hits, mental, precision, unconscious, visual; Resistancessponge for magic Sponge For Magic A bathtub ooze has resistance 5 to physical damage caused by magical weapons (including weapons etched with a fundamental rune), and to physical damage caused by a spell. Speed 15 feet, swim 25 feet Melee 1 pseudopod +12, Damage 1d8+6 bludgeoning plus Grab Strip Moisture 2 (necromancy, negative, occult) The bathtub ooze draws forth moisture from nearby creatures, causing the creatures’ skin to dry and crack and replenishing itself. Each living creature within 15 feet takes 3d6 negative damage (DC 18 basic Fortitude save). The bathtub ooze regains an amount of Hit Points equal to half the damage dealt to the single creature that took the most damage. Creatures with the water or amphibious trait use the outcome for one degree of success worse than their result. Creatures whose bodies contain no significant moisture (such as fire elementals) are immune to Strip Moisture. The bathtub ooze can’t Strip Moisture again for 1d4 rounds. Slippery Trail A bathtub ooze coats any square it moves through with a slick liquid, creating uneven ground. Creatures using an action to move onto the uneven ground must attempt either a Reflex save or an Acrobatics check to Balance, with a DC of 17. A creature that Steps or Crawls doesn’t have to attempt a check or save. The slick surface typically dries after 10 minutes, or immediately when subjected to a fire effect. A bathtub ooze’s movements aren’t hindered by Slippery Trail.

The parasitic, aberrant fungal spores that make up a bell walker have a bizarre and predatory life cycle intent on propagation at any cost. First, the spores kill their hosts and infest their bodies, seizing control of their nervous system, musculature, and all major organs. Then, after the spores have taken full control of their victim’s corpse, the various individual spores differentiate, undergoing various transformations as they specialize and become parts of a new being. And this being is the bell walker, clad in the tattered remnants of their host body. The parasitic spores consume the host’s body fluids and organs and use them as fuel for their evolution. The parasites that devour the brain steal away all of the host’s intelligence in order to command the parasites infesting the rest of the body. Meanwhile, the influence of the parasitic mold dries out the host’s flesh and skin, hardening them almost to the point of petrification in order to protect the fungal aberration beneath from any harm, like a suit of grotesque armor. The other spores continue to work on the remains to create the perfect vessel. The bones hollow out in order to house rubbery tendrils, threads, and parasitic organs, extending into two major tentacles that replace the body’s arms. A bell-like cap bursts out from the neck cavity, expanding and contracting as if it were a giant mouth. Several additional small tendrils grow all over the bell walker’s body. While satisfied with almost any creature they can capture for food, bell walkers are particularly attracted to sources of occult magic. Unaware occultists and lesser aberrations might end up victims of the monster’s curiosity.

BELL WALKER UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

Bell Walker COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ADAN BERMUDEZ

WHAT A FUNGI

Consuming a host’s brain may transfer aspects of the original creature to the bell walker, such as mannerisms or posture. Rarely, it may even pick up the host’s interests and phobias.

CREATURE 10 ABERRATION

FUNGUS

Perception +19;heatsense (imprecise) 60 feet, no vision Languages Aklo; can’t speak any language Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +23, Fungus Lore +20, Occultism +16, Stealth+14, Survival+17 Str+7, Dex–2, Con+7, Int+0, Wis+3, Cha–2 Heatsense A bell walker can sense creatures within the listed range through their body temperature. AC 27; Fort +22, Ref +14, Will +17 HP 210; Resistancesphysical 10 (except adamantine) Speed 20 feet Melee 1 tentacle +23 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+11 bludgeoning plus Improved Grab Noxious Kiss 1 (attack, poison) Requirements The bell walker has a creature grabbed; Effect The bell walker’s cap extends to an almost impossibly large size in order to cover the upper half of a grabbed creature. The bell walker attempts an Athletics check against the grabbed creature’s Reflex DC. On a successful Athletics check, the bell walker successfully covers the creature’s upper half. The creature is slowed 1, and has to hold its breath or start suffocating. The creature takes 2d10+6 damage at the end of each of its turns. The enveloped creature can get free by Escaping against DC 33, and it’s automatically freed if it is no longer grabbed by the bell walker. The bell walker can’t use its Toxic Fumes ability while it’s using Noxious Kiss to cover a creature’s upper half. Toxic Fumes 2 (poison) The bell walker inflates its rubbery fungal cap and then expels a horrific toxic cloud that deals 11d6 poison damage in a 20-foot cone with a DC 29 basic Fortitude save. The bell walker can’t use Toxic Fumes again for 1d4 rounds as its toxic spores replenish.

Between SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY SEBASTIAN GARDE

A FATE WORSE THAN…

Another outcome of an arcane cataclysm is becoming a fixed, where a creature loses the fourth dimension of time. It becomes stuck, immovable, and unchangeable through all of the past, present, and future. Mages speculate that introducing a between to a fixed could help both, but fixed are difficult to locate because the universe is always moving and changing, while fixed never, ever, change.

Formerly ordinary, three-dimensional people, the between are two-dimensional beings that have had one of their dimensions annihilated in an arcane cataclysm. Twisted into malevolence by existing on a level of reality their minds are unable to comprehend, the between yearn for what they can no longer perceive. Their interaction with the rest of the world is limited, but they are convinced that if they were able to drag a three-dimensional creature to their level and steal one of that creature’s dimensions, they could return to their former selves. The between’s true form is difficult for a three-dimensional being to see or understand, appearing as a strangely undulating wave of energy to the naked eye. Occasionally, grasping arms and anguished faces form in the wave as it gets closer to three-dimensional corporeality, if just for a moment. The between are typically found roaming the ruins of their former homes, but from time to time they wander further in search of victims, leaving destruction in their wake. Made of energy that manifests as heat in the physical world, a between burns everything with a single touch.

BETWEEN RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 12 ABERRATION

INCORPOREAL

Perception +22;tremorsense (precise) 120 feet, no vision Languages Common Skills Acrobatics+27, Occultism+22, Stealth+27 Str–5, Dex+7, Con+0, Int+4, Wis+5, Cha+7 Two-Dimensional Anatomy (aura, divination, mental, occult) 30 feet. The between’s nature breaks the laws of physics, befuddling those who glimpse it and twisting reality. The area within the aura is difficult terrain and creatures within that can see the between must succeed on a DC 32 Will save or become stupefied 2 for 1 round (stupefied 4 on a critical failure). AC 31; Fort +16, Ref +25, Will +22 HP 175; Immunities disease, paralyzed, poison, precision; Resistancesall 10 (except force or ghost touch; double resistance vs. non-magical) Speed 30 feet Melee 1 dimensional shear +24, Damage 3d8+11 force plus 2d6 fire and dimension rend Ranged 1 dimensional slice +24 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 3d6+11 force plus 1d6 fire Dimension Rend (conjuration, incapacitation, occult) A creature hit by a between’s dimensional shear Strike must attempt a DC 29 Will save as the between tries to rip away the creature’s dimensions. The creature is then temporarily immune to dimension rend for 1 minute. Success The target is unaffected. Failure The target is blinded for 1 round. Critical Failure The target is drained 3, blinded for 1 minute, and becomes out of phase with reality for 1 minute. In this state, it can pass through solid objects as if it was incorporeal, it can’t attempt Strength-based checks against physical creatures or objects, its Speed is halved and it takes a –1 status penalty to attack rolls. Energy Suffusion 2 The between Strides, ending its movement in another creature’s space and dealing it 10d6 fire damage, with a DC 32 basic Will save.

Blink Drake Blink drakes are dragons infused with teleportation magic. Their personalities and behaviors vary wildly. While some blink drakes are capricious and playful, playing pranks and stealing as suits their whims, others are vicious and aggressive, using their teleportation abilities to methodically assassinate their foes. Blink drakes are small, even compared to their weaker drake cousins—barely the size of a human—but their magical powers make them a dangerous and elusive foe. Those who would face a blink drake are advised to either bring force effects or else some kind of magic to prevent the creature’s constant teleportation.

BLINK DRAKE RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 11 DRAGON

Perception +20;darkvision Languages Draconic Skills Acrobatics+23, Athletics+21, Deception+19, Intimidation+21, Stealth+25 Str+4, Dex+7, Con+5, Int–3, Wis+3, Cha+2 Practiced Transposition A blink drake gains greater effects from teleportation magic. It can teleport up to twice the usual range with its teleportation spells, and if an effect would cause the drake to teleport to a space not of the drake’s choosing (including from its own blink spell), the drake can instead choose any valid space within range to appear, or choose not to teleport. In order to subvert a foe’s teleportation effect in this way, the drake must succeed at a counteract check with a counteract level of 6 and a counteract modifier of +20. AC 29; Fort +20, Ref +26, Will +16 HP 190; Immunitiesparalyzed, sleep; Weaknesses mental 10; Resistances all damage 8 (except force; from its constant blink spell) Attack of Opportunity 5 tail only Reactive Blink 5 (arcane, conjuration, teleportation) Trigger The blink drake is targeted by an attack; Effect The drake shimmers and blinks away. It increases its resistance to all damage except force from blink against the triggering attack from 8 to 24. After the attack is resolved, the drake then teleports to an open space within 10 feet. Warpblood 4 (arcane, conjuration, force, teleportation) Frequency once per round; Trigger The drake takes slashing, piercing, or persistent bleed damage. Effect Uncontrolled teleportation magic attempts to transpose things in unpredictable ways as it escapes the drake. Every creature adjacent to the drake must attempt a DC 27 Basic Reflex save against 2d6 force damage. A creature that critically fails this save is teleported 10 feet in a random direction (similarly to the effects of Sustaining a blink spell). Speed 20 feet, fly 50 feet Melee 1 fangs +24 (finesse), Damage 2d8+10 piercing plus 1d8 force Melee 1 tail +24 (agile, finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+10 bludgeoning Innate Arcane Spells DC 27; 6thunexpected transpositionSOM; 5thblink chargeSOM (×2); 4thdimension door (×2); Constant (6th) blink Draconic Frenzy 2 The blink drake makes two fangs Strikes and one tail Strike in any order. Warping Breath 2 The blink drake spits a ball of barely-restrained teleportation magic up to 60 feet that explodes into a 20-foot burst of rending microportals. Those in the burst take 10d6 force damage with a DC 30 basic Reflex save). The portals remain for 1d4 rounds as difficult terrain, and any creature that ends their turn in the area while they remain takes 3d6 force damage with a DC 27 basic Reflex save. The blink drake can’t use Warping Breath while the portals remain.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JOSHUA WHITE

MUTABLE MINDS

Blink drakes’ bodies are in constant flux from their incessant blinking, but that leaves their minds as their greatest weakness. Some scholars believe that blink drakes are more affected by mental attacks because they had to evolve mutable minds to keep up with everyday life while blinking. Others wonder whether someone or something might have been responsible for originally infusing blink drakes with magic and if that mysterious entity built in a weakness to exploit.

Bloodsport Remnant COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NICHOLAS POTTER

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

The flair and drama of bloodsport remnants cause them to gain admirers. The longest lasting remnants earn nicknames and devoted followings based on their style and personality. An enterprising organization called the Worldwide Wagers Exchange employs trackers to follow remnants and report on their activities, allowing people to bet on what the remnants will do next and how they will fare.

Born from the broken bodies and indomitable spirits of pit fighters, gladiators, and brawlers, bloodsport remnants are creatures that thrive on violence. Fueled by the cheers of a crowd only they can hear, they wander the world searching for challengers capable of lasting long enough in a fight to put on a good show. A remnant has no preference regarding how many participants it pulls into a battle, sometimes even wandering into the middle of an active battlefield and challenging all creatures it can see. Its presence riles nearby creatures into a frenzy of violence and adrenaline, pushing both it and its chosen enemies to greater heights than they can normally achieve. No battle with a Bloodsport Remnant lasts very long, as the fights become more and more brutal with every passing second. Though the remnant retains no memories from the beings whose lives gave it unlife, the bloody, flashy combat that birthed it imprinted a natural flair for the dramatic and an innate respect for any who match its style. Against such foes, a bloodsport remnant joyfully plays along with any posturing boasts.

BLOODSPORT REMNANT UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

UNDEAD

CREATURE 10

Perception +19 Languages Common Skills Acrobatics+19, Athletics+23, Intimidation+23, Performance+23 Str+7, Dex+5, Con+5, Int+1, Wis+3, Cha+7 AC 30; Fort +21, Ref +19, Will +17 HP 160; Immunitiesfalling damage; Weaknessesmental 10; Resistancesphysical 10 Easily Provoked (emotion, mental) The remnant is unable to resist a good challenge, especially one delivered dramatically. Any creature can spend an action, which has the concentrate trait, to challenge the remnant to focus on them, which the remnant happily accepts. Until the end of the remnant’s next turn, or until another creature takes an action to gain the remnant’s attention, the remnant takes offensive actions against only that creature. Hype Aura (aura, emotion, mental) 30 feet. A bloodsport remnant relishes escalating battles to a climactic finish and it infuses those nearby with the hype to deal more damage but the brazenness to expose themselves to attacks. When the remnant takes its first turn in combat, all creatures in the aura, enemy, ally, and the remnant alike, gain a +1 status bonus to damage rolls and are flat-footed. The status bonus to damage rolls increases by +1 for every round the remnant fights, to a maximum of +4 after 4 rounds. If the remnant is destroyed or the fight ends, the benefits reset and fade away. No-Sell 5 (emotion, fear, mental) Trigger A creature critically hits the remnant with a Strike; Effect The remnant plays off the blow as if it was nothing. It attempts a Performance check against the creature’s Perception DC, with the following effects. Critical Success The creature is filled with dread that even their most powerful attack was ineffective. It becomes frightened 2. Success As critical success, but it becomes frightened 1. Failure The creature realizes the critical hit was effective; it’s unaffected and is temporarily immune to No-Sell for 24 hours. Speed 35 feet Melee 1 fist +23, Damage 2d12+13 bludgeoning Melee 1 chest +23 (agile), Damage 2d8+13 bludgeoning Clothesline 2 The bloodsport remnant Strides up to twice its speed, moving through one creature’s space in the process. That creature takes damage from the bloodsport remnant’s fist Strike with a DC 28 Reflex save. Critical Success The creature stops the remnant’s movement before the remnant enters its space, and the creature takes no damage. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage. Critical Failure, The creature takes double damage and is knocked prone. Mighty Leap 2 The bloodsport remnant takes to the sky with a powerful jump, Leaping up to its Speed in any direction, even straight up. At any point during this movement it can take a single Strike or Grapple action against a creature in its reach. If it chooses to Grapple and succeeds, it must halt its Leap without moving away or the grabbed condition ends, as normal for the grabbed condition.

It is said that when an incredibly sinful person indulges in crimes not punishable (or simply unpunished) by mortal law, the power of the divine takes justice into its own hands and curses them to become a boe erchitu under each full moon. Only extinguishing the candles on the steel horns of this white ox can quell its fury, and only cutting the horns themselves with a single hit can free the mortal sinner from this curse. This distant cousin of the werewolf wanders the streets of its city in a bestial rage, stopping only before the houses of other sinners to curse them as well. Legend says that when the boe erchitu bellows three times before your home, you are destined to die within the coming year. The boe erchitu transformation lasts until dawn, and the curse can’t be spread with bites like the curse of the werecreature, although the boe erchitu is able to inflict a milder version with its charge, and silver still works excellently to wound it. The rescinded horns of a boe erchitu have medicinal properties, and they are especially useful to cure liver illnesses. A boe erchitu is sometimes seen in the company of imps or other devils, which direct their fury towards the sinners’ houses and make sure that their candles are always lit. Could this be a clue that the curse comes from Hell?

BOE ERCHITU RARE

LARGE

Boe Erchitu COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY VITTORIO BOEMIO

BIDDING FRENZY

Priests and cultists of all alignments pay well for the candles of a boe erchitu. Some speculate that dripping their wax on a creature stirs a rage greater than a barbarian’s. Others think they summon minotaurs or maybe banish them. All that is known for sure is that the candles have a pleasing raspberry scent.

CREATURE 7 BEAST

Perception +13;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Athletics+17, Intimidation+15 Str+6, Dex+2, Con+4, Int–3, Wis+2, Cha+4 AC 24; Fort +17, Ref +15, Will +11 HP 164; Weaknessessilver 10 Cursing Candles The lit candles on the boe erchitu’s horns allow it to curse its targets, and grant it strength. A creature can attempt to extinguish one of the candles with their fingers using a single action, which has the attack trait to make an unarmed attack roll against the boe erchitu’s AC or an Athletics check against the boe erchitu’s Reflex DC. Additionally, if the boe erchitu fails a saving throw against a spell with the air or water trait, one of the candles is extinguished; on a critical fail both are extinguished. If no lit candles remain on the boe erchitu’s horns, it can’t use Bellowing Curse and is drained 2 and clumsy 2 until the candles are lit again. Steel Horns A creature can target the boe erchitu’s horns with a Strike that deals slashing damage to try and cut them both in one Strike. The horns have the same AC as the boe erchitu, and they have Hardness 9 and 36 Hit Points: if not reduced to 0 Hit Points with a single Strike, they are immediately restored to full Hit Points. Performing such a legendary task immediately reverts the boe erchitu to its humanoid form, and frees them from the curse. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 horn +18, Damage 2d10+10 piercing Melee 1 fist +18 (agile), Damage 2d6+10 bludgeoning Bellowing Curse 2 (auditory, curse, negative, occult, transmutation) The boe erchitu bellows towards a living creature, weakening and disorienting it with a partial transformation into a boe erchitu. The creature must attempt a DC 25 Will save, with the following effects. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is briefly cursed, and its features shift slightly into a boe erchitu, including the growth of tiny horns. They are clumsy 1, enfeebled 1, and stupefied1 for 1 round. Failure As success, but the duration is 1 hour. Critical Failure As success, but the duration is 1 month. Charging Curse 3 The boe erchitu Strides then makes a horn Strike against a living humanoid creature. On a hit, the boe erchitu uses Bellowing Curse on the target, and on a critical hit, the target’s result on their saving throw against Bellowing Curse is one degree of success worse than the one they rolled.

Bog Bomber COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MARTY MARTINEZ

FATAL ATTRACTION

Bog bombers are instinctively attracted to other fiery creatures. Boggards must be careful to keep them away from fire elementals lest they abandon their masters for shinier, fierier ones, and villages near boggard territories maintain straw effigies they can ignite to distract them. Red dragons are the ultimate attraction for these pyromaniacs, but sadly, the dragons do not return their affection. A red dragon may tolerate the presence of bog bombers for a little while if it is planning to attack a city, at which time it picks them up to drop from the sky.

Bog bombers are huge creatures that resemble red bullfrogs with draconic features. They are a hybrid species, a cross between a flame drake and a giant frog. Boggards found a way to breed these monsters together, which either results in a nest of bog bombers or dozens of dead boggards. Boggards use bog bombers to defend and expand their territory. They lure these monsters with juicy giant dragon flies. However, there are times when these delicious meals go unnoticed and a bog bomber escapes, looking for bigger prey. That is why it’s possible to see feral bog bombers in the wild. The reason boggards go to such great lengths to produce bog bombers is that they make formidable allies, especially in battle. Bog bombers have the ability to spit huge balls of fire at their prey. In addition, they can jump and sprint incredible distances, and they have the ability to breathe both fire and water. Bog bombers tend to consume their prey by lashing out with their sticky, fiery tongues, pulling their prey toward their gaping giant maws. Once within the gullet, the bog bomber spits their prey out in a fireball and then consumes the exploded remains. If boggards continue to breed such monstrosities, they might start to conquer lands outside their home swamps, with bog bombers leading the charge.

BOG BOMBER UNCOMMON

HUGE

CREATURE 10 AMPHIBIOUS

DRAGON

FIRE

Perception +16;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 20 feet, smoke vision Skills Acrobatics +22, Athletics +19 (+20 to High Jump or Long Jump), Intimidation +19, Stealth+22 Str+7, Dex+3, Con+6, Int–3, Wis+5, Cha–1 Smoke Vision Smoke doesn’t impair a bog bomber’s vision; it ignores concealment from smoke. AC 30; Fort +22, Ref +17, Will +17 HP 215; Immunitiesfire, paralyzed, sleep; Weaknessescold 10 Frogsplosion When a bog bomber is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it explodes in a 20-foot burst at its center, dealing 8d6 fire damage (DC 27 basic Reflex save). If creatures are inside the bog bomber when it explodes take an additional 2d6 fire damage and a –2 circ*mstance penalty on their Reflex save to avoid all burst damage. Speed 25 feet, swim 25 feet; swamp surge Melee 1 jaws +23, Damage 2d12+13 piercing plus Grab Melee 1 tongue +23 (fire, reach 30 feet), Damage 2d6+10 fire plus flame tongue grab Fireball Breath 2 (arcane, evocation, fire) The bog bomber expels a ball of flame to a range of 180 feet that explodes in a 20-foot burst. Creatures in the burst take 9d6 fire damage (DC 27 basic Reflex save). If there are creatures swallowed by the bog bomber and the bog bomber uses its fireball breath, the damage of the fire ball increases by an additional 1d6 fire damage per creature, to a maximum of 12d6 if it swallowed three or more creatures. The bog bomber can’t use Fireball Breath again for 1d4 rounds. Flame Tongue Grab (fire) A creature hit by the bog bomber’s tongue becomes grabbed by the bog bomber and takes 2d6 persistent fire damage. Unlike normal for the grabbed condition, though, the creature isn’t immobilized; instead, it can’t move farther away from the bog bomber. A creature can sever the tongue with a Strike against AC 25 that deals at least 20 slashing damage. This deals no damage to the bog bomber, but prevents it from using its tongue Strike until its tongue regrows, which takes a day. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Large, 2d10+11 bludgeoning and 3d6 fire, Rupture 20 Swamp Surge A bog bomber ignores difficult terrain caused by swamp terrain features and it gains a +10-foot circ*mstance bonus to its Speeds in swamps.

What would appear as an unassuming yet lively goldfish in a transparent glass bowl is in fact a devious and cunning creature that feeds on those who fall for its ruse. The glass bowl itself is in fact a part of its body, and it’s soft and warm to the touch, but usually it’s too late for anyone to notice this fact. The “goldfish” inside is actually the head of the creature, and it can spring forward to bite its prey with a very large mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth, much like a piranha. When a bowlfish is digesting prey, the “water” inside the bowlfish’s namesake bowl turns a murky red with blood as bits and pieces of its last meal swirl around. After a few minutes, the digestion process completes, and its body becomes crystal clear once again. However, during that time, the bowlfish is especially vulnerable to exposure if a potential witness comes across what seems to be an inexplicably gory fish bowl. Thus, bowlfish try to ensure they can digest their food unmolested by picking off victims who are alone, who have become vulnerable in an obscure location, or who have entered the bowlfish’s room at a time when few others would be likely to interfere with their meal. Rumors say that unscrupulous wizards created the first bowlfish to be sold as exotic “pets,” with different shapes of bowl and varieties of fish to obscure the truth even from those who are aware of the existence of bowlfish. Bowlfish like to use their harmless appearance to their advantage. They often choose a single pawn around whom they always act like nothing more than a fish in a bowl. This leads their pawn to keep them around as a pet, not realizing that they’re hosting a vicious killer in their home. Less scrupulous partners who understand a bowlfish’s true nature might use it to intentionally murder others, inviting them into close quarters with the creature so they can collect valuables from the dead. Bowlfish can seldom be found in the wild, where this disguise is not very effective, and thus they have the tendency to avoid rural settings.

BOWLFISH RARE

TINY

Bowlfish COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MAVI BIGLIETTO

HE’S JUST RESTING

A dead bowlfish does not maintain its form and resembles a jellyfish out of water, much to the dismay of macabre collectors who wish to use its corpse as a novelty fish bowl. Some have found success, however, in decapitating the bowlfish, reanimating its head, and keeping the resulting “fish” as a pet.

CREATURE 1 ABERRATION

Perception +8 Languages Common Skills Athletics +6, Deception +7, Diplomacy +7, Intimidation +7, Performance +7, Society+6 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+3, Wis+3, Cha+4 AC 15; Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +10 HP 24 Speed 5 feet Melee 1 jaws +9 (agile, finesse, deadly d8), Damage 1d6+1 piercing plus Grab Occult Spells DC 17; Cantrips(1st)daze, ghost sound, prestidigitation Blood Frenzy 1 Requirements The bowlfish has a creature grabbed; Effect The bowlfish viciously feeds on its victim with its razor sharp teeth, dealing 1d4 piercing damage with a DC 17 basic Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature also takes 1 persistent bleed damage. Fish Dance 1 (enchantment, mental, occult, visual) The bowlfish erupts in a wonderful and complex dance, immediately drawing the attention of all those around it to its bizarre antics. Every creature in a 30 foot radius becomes fascinated, unless they succeed at a DC 17 Will save. A creature that fails its saving throw against a bowlfish’s Fish Dance ability stays fascinated this way as long as the bowlfish continues to spend one action to Fish Dance each turn to keep dancing, without receiving any further saving throws, although the fascination can be broken normally by hostile actions. Creatures fascinated by a bowlfish’s Fish Dance must spend the first action on each of their turns approaching the bowlfish, and they must instead spend all of their actions approaching the bowlfish if they critically failed their Will save against the bowlfish’s Fish Dance.

Bulbekken GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAKE CASSAR

PLAGUE CARRIERS

Bulbekken skin is a reservoir for diseases it encounters, passing the contagions to those who touch it. In the rare instances where a bulbekken colony hasn’t been exposed to other diseases, they spontaneously develop their own: bulbenesis, which, if left untreated, results in a fully grown bulbekken bursting out of the victim.

Among the larger members of the gremlin family when fully grown, a bulbekken resembles a miniature blue ogre, one riddled with bright orange boils and pimples, and a similarly colored pot belly that can spawn more of its kind. A bulbekken’s diseased skin is no surprise, since the creatures’ favorite pastime involves frolicking in urban refuse and eating the resident insects whole. They don’t shy away from mud baths either. The boils on their skin reek of acid, and their bellies only grow larger with time as they gestate their spawn in mucus. Towards the later stages of life, one can even see the tiny bulbekkens kicking. At the end of their short lifespan, the boils and stomach of the bulbekken explode, killing it, but birthing three new ones which remain and travel together as siblings until they grow up and burst themselves. The triplet bulbekkens maintain a familial resemblance to their parent and each other, though they often have completely differing personalities. One might be the quiet introvert while the other two squabble about everything under the sun, and each would certainly have a unique preference for seasoning their morning beetle stew. Nevertheless, though they might argue incessantly, a bulbekken’s family comes second to nothing else. The cycle of birth, growth, and bursting repeats in as little as two weeks when the area is nasty enough, resulting in bulbekkens quickly infesting any area they deem disgusting enough to call home. While they do quickly take care of any insect population, no city wants an exponentially growing band of plague-bearing bullies overrunning its garbage disposal sites and expanding their territory on a whim. In spite of this, bulbekkens are not impossible to negotiate with. Many an adventurer has managed to convince a colony to immigrate to an even more disgusting place to live. It’s especially easier to do so if the new home has weaker creatures to bully, since these gremlins fancy themselves the biggest threat around. Some stories even tell of bulbekkens being easily charmed by song, but others contradict this with assertions that bulbekkens hate any and all music. What’s certain is that their large, elephant-like ears are as sensitive to sound as bulbekkens are about their ears’ appearance.

BULBEKKEN UNCOMMON CN SMALL

CREATURE 3 FEY

GREMLIN

Perception +6 Languages Undercommon Skills Athletics+10, Intimidation+7 Str+4, Dex+0, Con+4, Int–1, Wis+1, Cha+1 AC 16; Fort +12 (+14 vs. diseases), Ref +7, Will +7;–2 to all vs. auditory HP 70; Weaknessespiercing 5, cold iron 5 Belly Burst When the bulbekken takes at least 10 piercing or slashing damage and has 10 or more HP, it splits into three identical gremlins. First apply the damage to the original bulbekken. Then that bulbekken splits open and dies, spawning three smaller bulbekkens, each with a third of the original’s HP. Each of the new bulbekken is Tiny instead of Small. All three appear in the same space as the original and have their own uses of primal innate spells, with a spell DC of 15 instead of 17. Tiny bulbekken lose the Belly Burst ability and can’t Swallow Whole. After about a week, they grow to full size, increase their spell DC to 17, and gain Belly Burst and Swallow Whole. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 claws +12, Damage 1d8+4 slashing Melee 1 strike +12, Damage 1d6+4 piercing plus Grab Primal Innate Spells DC 17; 2nd vomit swarmAPG; 1st acidic burst; Cantrips(2nd)prestidigitation Pack Attack A bulbekken deals 1d4 extra damage to any creature that’s within reach of at least two of the bulbekken’s allies. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Tiny, 1d8+3 bludgeoning, Rupture 10

Cadavaliers are the twisted result of the unfettered or undisciplined use of necromantic reanimation spells, where the divide between fallen cavalry and their trusty mounts is all but ignored. Raised from bloody battlefields, cadavaliers are cultivated from the remnants of cavalry charges ordered in vain by foolhardy commanders, haunted places where the anguish of fallen soldiers resonates, bitter and resentful that they were cut down in their prime. What emerges from these places are hollow vestiges of once-proud warriors astride regal steeds. They become vile mockeries of their former selves, twisted into one horrible composite, and cruelly bound to ride down their animator’s foes in relentless pursuit. While a cadavalier improves upon the speed of their horse’s previously living form, their decomposition and cobbled-together nature often cause them to stumble from time to time on their gnarled hooves and twisted bones. Over long stretches, swift-footed adventurers might be able to outpace them. Though they retain some martial ability from their previous lives, when a cadavalier runs down their quarry at lance point, ultimately the hunger for living flesh overrides what echoes of discipline remain within their shell, and their animalistic side takes control in a bloody frenzy of gnashing teeth and stomping hooves.

CADAVALIER UNCOMMON

LARGE

Cadavalier GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BRANT VALLIER

DOPPELNAYERS

While one would not normally greet the sight of a nuckelavee with joy, the fey may mean the difference between life and death when one is being pursued by a cadavalier. Nuckelavees take offense at their appearance, considering cadavaliers to be mockeries of their own form, and become obsessed with destroying any cadavalier they encounter. Just don’t stick around to be their next target.

CREATURE 7 MINDLESS

UNDEAD

ZOMBIE

Perception +15;darkvision Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+15 Str+4, Dex+6, Con+6, Int–5, Wis+2, Cha–4 Slow A cadavalier is permanently slowed 1 and can’t use reactions. Items steel shield (Hardness 5, HP 20, BT 10) AC 24; Fort +15, Ref +18, Will +12 HP 175, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, mental, poison, unconscious; Weaknessespositive 5, slashing 5 Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 30 feet, DC 22 Speed 50 feet Melee 1 lance arm +18 (reach 10 feet, deadly d8), Damage 2d8+8 piercing Melee 1 hoof +18 (agile), Damage 2d4+8 bludgeoning Melee 1 jaws +18, Damage 2d6+8 piercing plus Grab Break Off 4 Requirements The cadavalier’s last action was a critical success on a lance arm Strike; Effect The cadavalier’s lance arm impales its victim and breaks off, leaving them bleeding and staggered. The target takes 1d8 persistent bleed damage, and they are clumsy 1 as long as the lance remains within their body. The broken lance can be removed with a successful DC 20 Medicine check, though if the bleeding had stopped, removing the lance can reopen the wound. Any result except a critical success on the Medicine check causes the target to take 1d8 persistent bleed damage. The cadavalier can’t use its lance arm Strike again until it retrieves its arm (from the victim’s corpse or after the arm is removed) and reattaches it with an Interact action. Gnaw 1 Requirements The cadavalier has a creature grabbed with its jaws. Effect The cadavalier gnaws and chews on the grabbed target with its jaws, dealing 2d6+6 piercing damage (DC 22 basic Fortitude save). On a critical failure, the creature is also sickened 1 from the pain. Grave Charge 2 The cadavalier Strides twice and then makes a lance arm Strike. As long as it moved at least 20 feet, it gains a +4 circ*mstance bonus to its damage roll. Rearing Thrash 1 Frequency once per round; The cadavalier rears up and brings its front two hooves down onto its target. The cadavalier makes two hoof Strikes, each using the cadavalier’s current multiple attack penalty. Both Strikes must have the same target.

Carnivorous Chapeau COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JACOB SLOAN

HANG ON TO YOUR HAT

Recent attempts to rebrand carnivorous chapeaus as “hats no gust of wind can take” have experienced surprising success when combined with iron skull caps.

The result of decades of long research headed by a group of disreputable wizards and experimental alchemists, carnivorous chapeaus serve many purposes for their unsavory creators. While they are often employed as an unexpected vector or tool for assassination, they also function as torture devices or even traps for greedy and unwary intruders who can’t resist the allure of an extremely fashionable piece of headwear. The construction and form of carnivorous chapeaus are not limited to a stereotypical hat made entirely of cloth material. In truth, a carnivorous chapeau is capable of appearing like any kind of headgear, assuming its creator chooses to construct it in that manner. The possibilities for carnivorous chapeaus are endless, including forms as varied and disparate as a leather cap, an iron helmet, or even a golden crown. Carnivorous chapeaus are able to follow simple commands such as “attack when there is only a single creature you can sense” or “attack when you hear this word,” though more complex instructions can wind up being too complicated for a carnivorous chapeau to understand, leading to imperfect performance or even drastically unwanted behavior. Few assassins appreciate it when their creation kills the wrong target. Although potentially lethal in the right situation, the use of carnivorous chapeaus faded somewhat among shadowy organizations and disgruntled nobility due to its limited ability to pursue once a victim escapes. Although rumors insist that carnivorous chapeaus are merely prototypes for a more dangerous construct, their most common and traditional use is to affix them to an interrogated creature as a simple means of causing pain and injury.

CARNIVOROUS CHAPEAU UNCOMMON

TINY

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE –1

MINDLESS

Perception +4;darkvision Skills Athletics+5, Deception+3, Stealth+7 Str+2, Dex+3, Con+2, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–1 Snug Fit If a creature fails to realize a carnivorous chapeau’s true nature, or realizes the carnivorous chapeau’s nature and is simply exceptionally foolish, and the creature willingly chooses to put the carnivorous chapeau on their head, the carnivorous chapeau Attaches itself to that creature automatically. If the carnivorous chapeau is placed on the head of a creature that is already restrained or unconscious, the carnivorous chapeau likewise Attaches to that creature automatically. AC 14; Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2 HP 8; Immunitiesbleed, death effects, diseased, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious Speed 10 feet Melee 1 carnivorous brim +6 (agile, finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d4 bludgeoning plus Attach Attach 1 Requirements The carnivorous chapeau’s last action was a successful Strike against a target larger than itself; Effect The carnivorous chapeau attaches itself to its victim’s head. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the carnivorous chapeau moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The carnivorous chapeau is flatfooted while attached. Constrict 1 Requirements The carnivorous chapeau is attached to a creature; Effect The carnivorous chapeau contracts its form around the head of the creature to which it’s attached, dealing 1d4 bludgeoning damage to that creature with a DC 15 basic Fortitude save.

Caster Detritus

Practitioners of the arcane arts are often warned not to neglect the more mundane tasks of hygiene and cleanliness. As they grow in power and magical energies begin to permeate through their bodies, so too does residual magic linger in the hair, skin cells, fingernails, and toenails that most humanoids shed on a regular basis. When a mage becomes too engrossed in their studies to bother with such basic maintenance, these sheddings can sometimes congeal together to form an entity known as caster detritus. Consisting of a tangled mess of shedding in a vaguely humanoid shape, a caster detritus has a complicated relationship with the witch or wizard from which it originated. On the one hand, a caster detritus owes its entire existence and power to the mage that shed it, and will often go to great lengths to protect them, sometimes without the mage ever knowing the caster detritus exists. On the other hand, caster detritus often harbors a deep-seated resentment for the mage that carelessly discarded them from their body. The protection a caster detritus begrudgingly gives is more to preserve their source of organic debris that makes up their form than it is out of any sort of gratitude. Secretly, many caster detritus plot to grow in power enough to eventually overtake their source mage. On occasion, a caster detritus might align itself with a group of adventurers seeking to slay the witch or wizard, providing assistance in exchange for sparing the source mage’s life. Ultimately, the caster detritus seeks to incorporate the mage’s entire body into its own, functioning as a parasite with an internal host.

CASTER DETRITUS CE

MEDIUM

GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JUNIPER SCOTT

SIBLING RIVALRIES

A particularly unhygienic mage may spawn multiple caster detritus, which is perhaps the origin of stories about them duplicating when cleaved apart. These siblings see each other as competition and battle until one remains—a life-anddeath struggle that goes completely unnoticed by their absent parent. Occasionally, two detritus become entangled with each other and must learn to work together to survive. Such an argumentative pairing is called a dettin.

CREATURE 8

ABERRATION

Perception +14;low-light vision Languages Common, any languages the source mage speaks Skills Arcana+16, Athletics+14, Deception+14 Str+4, Dex+3, Con+3, Int+4, Wis+1, Cha+4 AC 26; Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +19 HP 130; Immunitiesbleed; Weaknessesfire 10; Resistancesbludgeoning 5, piercing 5 Burnt Hair (olfactory) Whenever a caster detritus takes fire damage, all creatures other than caster detritus in a 10-foot emanation of the caster detritus must attempt a DC 24 Fortitude save. On a failure, they become sickened 1. Speed 25 feet, climb 15 feet Melee 1 hair whip +20 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+8 slashing Ranged 1 nail shot +20 (agile, magical, range increment 30 feet, thrown), Damage 2d6+8 piercing Arcane Innate Spells DC 25, attack +15; 4th gaseous form; 3rd stinking cloud; 2nd glitterdust; 1st grease (×2); Cantrips(4th)tanglefoot Blast Sheddings 2 The caster detritus fires a blast of hair, nail clippings, and dander in a 20-foot cone that deals 4d6 slashing damage to each creature within the area (DC 24 basic Reflex save). Any creature that fails their save becomes dazzled, or blinded on a critical failure. Creatures must spend 1 Interact action to remove these conditions. A caster detritus cannot Blast Sheddings again until it spends a full round in the affected 20-foot cone to absorb some of the previous sheddings. Tangle Hair 2 The caster detritus makes a hair whip Strike. If the Strike hits, the target also suffers the effects of a successful tanglefoot, or a critically successful tanglefoot if the Strike was a critical hit.

Cathartic Worm COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JASON KOELLNER

PARTY CRASHERS

Celebrations are especially tempting targets for cathartic worms due to the concentration of elevated emotions. Large gatherings in the fey realm may attract multiple such dragons to their periphery, where precautions must be taken to prevent them from disrupting the event. The most effective technique is to meet the cathartic worms away from the party and cast spells that elicit strong emotions in volunteers to distract the worms. The cathartic worms don’t try too hard to circumvent these defenses, for they know that such distractions are simply appetizers. Sooner or later, the organizers will voluntarily let them in for the main course because nothing says the party’s over like all the joy being literally sucked out of the room.

Cathartic worms are dragons of the fey realm that act as emotional vampires, feeding on the emotions of those around them. Cathartic worms don’t attack most creatures on sight. Instead, they follow their prey from the air at a distance, ensuring that their target experiences strong emotions so the cathartic worm can feed. They don’t care what emotion or collection of emotions their victim feels, as long as the emotions are strong. When a cathartic worm feeds on a victim’s emotions, they do so from a distance, using their aura to pacify their victim and make the process of feeding simpler and safer for the cathartic worm. Victims rarely even understand what happened, often feeling calm and even-keeled after a feeding has occurred. Cathartic worms rarely kill their victims, since they have no need to do so, though folk tales describe the most violent of feedings as leaving victims with their minds shattered.

CATHARTIC WORM RARE

LARGE

DRAGON

CREATURE 9 FEY

Perception +15;darkvision Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan; telepathy 100 feet Skills Acrobatics+18, Arcana+18, Athletics+18, Emotion Lore +18, Nature+15, Occultism +15, Stealth+20 Str+3, Dex+6, Con+3, Int+2, Wis–2, Cha–4 Cathartic Void (aura, emotion, enchantment, mental, primal) 40 feet. A cathartic worm’s cathartic void aura manifests as an emotional emptiness that numbs all those inside. Whenever a creature ends its turn within the cathartic worm’s cathartic void aura, that creature must succeed at a DC 25 Will save or become slowed 1 as long as the creature remains in the aura. If the creature succeeds at its saving throw, it becomes temporarily immune to that cathartic worm’s cathartic void for 24 hours. AC 28; Fort +18, Ref +21, Will +13 HP 180; Weaknessescold iron 10 Speed 40 feet, climb 30 feet, fly 50 feet Melee 1 tentacle +21 (finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+9 bludgeoning plus Grab Melee 1 jaws +21 (agile, finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+9 piercing Cathartic Gaze 5 (emotion, enchantment, mental, primal, visual) Trigger A creature within 30 feet of the cathartic worm that can see the cathartic worm and that the cathartic worm can see targets the cathartic worm with a Strike, spell, or ability; Effect The cathartic worm locks eyes with the triggering creature. The triggering creature must attempt a DC 25 Will save or become overwhelmed with a fit of powerful emotion. Success The target isn’t affected and is temporarily immune for the next 24 hours. Failure The gaze has an effect depending on the result of a d6 below. The effect lasts for 1 round, except for the fear result on a d6 roll of 3. Critical Failure As failure, but the effect lasts for 1 minute, except for the fear result on a d6 roll of 3. d6 Effect 1 Anger: The target’s rage causes it to become clumsy 1. 2 Awe: The target’s awe toward the cathartic worm causes it to become stupefied 1. 3 Fear: The target is frightened 1. On a critical failure, the target is also fleeing for 1 round. 4 Hatred: The target’s hatred toward the cathartic worm causes it to become flat-footed to the cathartic worm. 5 Love: The target falls in love with the cathartic worm, but this bizarre emotion causes it to become confused. 6 Remorse: The target sobs and becomes immobilized with remorse. Constrict 1 2d6+9 bludgeoning, DC 28

Celestial Geometry

Celestial geometries are ancient machines whose construction transcends both physical dimensions and human understanding. Though very little is known of their origin, their purpose is clear: they exist to allow someone or something to study the heavens and reveal hidden connections to various planes. It is rumored that celestial geometries could ultimately even divine secrets about the nature of existence and fate.

CELESTIAL GEOMETRY RARE

LARGE

CONSTRUCT

MINDLESS

CREATURE 14

Perception +25;darkvision, lifesense (imprecise) 50 feet Skills Athletics+28 Str+8, Dex+4, Con+5, Int–5, Wis+5, Cha–5 Sphere Shift 5 Trigger The celestial geometry ends its turn; Effect The celestial geometry aligns itself with the orbit of a planet, choosing an option from elemental attunement, which must be different from its current choice. The celestial geometry gains the elemental attunement effect based on its choice, and can use the Geometric Evocation based on its choice. AC 35; Fort +28, Ref +22, Will +25 HP 245; Immunitiesbleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, grabbed, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, restrained, sickened, unconscious; Resistancessee elemental attunement Elemental Attunement A celestial geometry begins each encounter attuned to one of five platonic solids, typically blazing tetrahedron, and it can change its attunement each round with Sphere Shift. Depending on its attunement, it gains the defensive abilities stated in the attunement effects sidebar, and it can use the corresponding Geometric Evocation as stated below. Speed fly 40 feet Melee 1 face +27 (shove), Damage 3d12+14 bludgeoning Arcane Innate Spells DC 37, attack +29; 7thdimension door; 6thteleport Directive Necessity When using Geometric Evocation, a celestial geometry must target the maximum number of creatures in range, even targeting its allies or itself when necessary, and its emanations affect itself. When targeting itself or affecting itself with its emanation, a celestial geometry takes an additional 2d6 force damage, increases its stupefied condition by 1 (to a maximum of stupefied 4), and must take the Sphere Shift reaction at the end of its turn. Geometric Evocation 2 (arcane, evocation) The celestial geometry Casts a Spell depending on its elemental attunement. As normal, the stupefied condition can disrupt the spell. If a spell attack roll is required, Geometric Evocation has the attack trait. All spell attacks made during Geometric Evocation contribute to the celestial geometry’s multiple attack penalty, but only after making all of the attacks. Critical success on a spell attack deals double damage, and a failed spell attack misses and deals no damage. Blazing Tetrahedron (fire) The geometry makes spell attack rolls against three creatures within 20 feet, which can’t all be in a straight line (their positions must form a triangle instead). On a hit, the creature takes 8d4+16 fire damage. On a critical hit, it takes 4d4 persistent fire damage. Earthen Hexahedron (earth) Creatures in a 15-foot emanation take 6d6+6 bludgeoning damage with a basic Reflex save against the celestial geometry’s spell DC. On a failure, the target is knocked prone, and on a critical failure it is also immobilized for 1 round. Airborne creatures treat the result of their save as one degree of success better than the result they rolled. Etheric Dodecahedron (cold, fire, earth) Creatures in a 60-foot emanation take 12 fire damage, 12 cold damage, and 12 bludgeoning damage with a basic Fortitude save. Icy Icosahedron (cold) The geometry makes a spell attack roll against four creatures within 100 feet. On a hit, creatures take 2d10+10 cold and 1d10+10 piercing damage; creatures with standard cover or greater cover don’t take the piercing damage. Thunderous Octahedron (electricity, sonic) The geometry makes a spell attack roll against four creatures that aren’t prone within 40 feet. On a hit, creatures take 2d8+8 electricity damage and 2d8+8 sonic damage. On a critical hit, they are deafened for 1 minute.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY AVIV SCHWARZ

ATTUNEMENT EFFECTS

The celestial geometry gains the following attunement effects depending on its elemental attunement. • Blazing Tetrahedron The geometry gains resistance 15 to fire and piercing damage. • Earthen Hexahedron The geometry gains resistance 10 to all physical damage. • Thunderous Octahedron The geometry gains resistance 15 to electricity and slashing damage. • Icy Icosahedron The geometry gains resistance 15 to cold and bludgeoning damage. • Etheric Dodecahedron The geometry exposes and reconfigures its core, gaining 12 temporary HP and reducing its stupefied condition to 0 but becoming flatfooted until it uses Sphere Shift to change its attunement.

Chosaintor COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY IVIS K. FLANAGAN

FELICITOUS LEGACIES

The magical bond between chosaintor and child may break upon adulthood, but the emotional bond remains. Chosaintors prefer creating new bonds close to their former wards and may call upon those who figured out their true nature if they need aid. Some embattled communities even worship the fey as their protectors, but most simply pay forward the kindness by caring for other children or animals. Cats are popular pets for those who grow up with chosaintors, though they are in for a fright the first time they learn that real ones vomit hairballs.

Chosaintors appear to children who are vulnerable or living in unsafe situations. The creatures use their wide-eyed, innocent appearance to aid them in befriending the child, resorting to their charm spells only if needed. Once they bond with a child, they are able to use their abilities to telepathically speak with the child, deepening the bond between them into one of friendship. To those other than the bonded child, the chosaintor appears as a wide-eyed kitten who never grows, speaking only in mews and meows. Chosaintors use the children’s stories of monsters under the bed as cover to protect their identities. All stories are rooted in fact, after all. That the chosaintors are exactly opposite of the tales told of them amuses them greatly. At night, a chosaintor curls up under the foot of their bonded child’s bed as the child sleeps, keeping a watchful eye on the sleeping child throughout the night. If they see someone threatening their companion, their appearance changes to something far fiercer. Doubling in height, they typically attempt to scare off the would-be attacker. If the attacker persists, the chosaintor then launches an attack, brutally baring their teeth and claws as they tear into the threat. When a chosaintor has finished the job, they leave no evidence of the threat or their own protective actions for the child to find in the morning.

CHOSAINTOR UNCOMMON

TINY

CREATURE 2 FEY

Perception +10 Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics+8, Athletics+7, Deception+9, Diplomacy+7, Intimidation+7, Stealth+8 Str+1, Dex+3, Con+0, Int+2, Wis+4, Cha+3 Bond Companion 3 (mental, necromancy, primal) Frequency once per day; Effect The chosaintor forms a protective bond with a vulnerable child it can see within 60 feet; if the chosaintor attempts to use this ability and the target isn’t a valid vulnerable child (GM’s discretion), the chosaintor can use the ability again on the same day, ignoring the usual frequency limitations. While the bond exists, the chosaintor can communicate telepathically with their bonded companion with a range of 300 feet. The chosaintor can only have one bonded companion at a time, so using Bond Companion again ends the previous bond. The bond is also broken when the chosaintor’s companion becomes an adult (this age varies based on culture and individual maturity, and is determined by the GM). Finally, the bond also ends if the chosaintor or the bonded companion dies. AC 18; Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +10 HP 28; Weaknessescold iron 5 Speed 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +9 (finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d8+3 piercing Melee 1 claw +9 (agile, finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d6+3 slashing Primal Innate Spells DC 18, attack +10; 1st charm; Cantrips(1st)prestidigitation, tameSOM Nightmarish Protector 2 (polymorph, primal, transmutation) Frequency once per 10 minutes; Requirements The chosaintor has Bonded a Companion, and the companion is actively threatened; Effect The chosaintor grows into a more fearsome form in order to better protect their companion. The chosaintor grows from Tiny to Small, gains a 5 foot reach, 10 temporary Hit Points, and a +2 status bonus to their attack and damage rolls. The effects last for 1 minute.

Chronoceros

At first glance, a chronoceros resembles a regular rhinoceros, except that it has five eyes —one pair on the side of its head, one pair under its mane of hair, and one in the middle of its forehead. While the creature is at rest, it only has the ones on the sides of its head open, which makes the others difficult to notice. If disturbed, however, the creature reveals its true nature by opening its additional eyes and unleashing their powers, despite the mental strain this causes. The extra eye in its forehead is able to see the near future, allowing the creature to avoid incoming attacks before they’re made. The other extra pair sees the different possibilities unraveling moment by moment, so that the chronoceros can choose the best way to attack its target and maximize damage. A chronoceros is usually a quiet and peaceful herbivore creature, and thus it is more likely to run away rather than fight. However, during mating season or when a chronoceros’ calves are threatened, they become increasingly aggressive. Chronoceroses share the same habitat as ordinary rhinoceroses, and in fact, they can even be observed mingling together. It’s unclear if their nonsapient cousins are aware of the difference between them or whether they simply treat chronoceroses as their own. Sometimes a chronoceros sensing danger intentionally incites a rhinoceros stampede to ensure its own escape. The mental exertion that comes from using their extra eyes forces chronoceroses to be extremely careful as to when they choose to use their abilities, often opting instead to use their impressive size to scare off potential predators before a conflict begins. Only when conflict is inevitable will they resort to unleashing their full potential, despite the costs.

CHRONOCEROS UNCOMMON

LARGE

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MAVI BIGLIETTO

TIMELY INTERVENTION

The origin of chronoceroses is a subject of much debate. While some claim they are aberrations who lost their connection to their plane of origin, most think they were ordinary rhinoceroses changed by a god of time or prophecy. One legend states that hunters once drove rhinoceroses to the brink of extinction, and the god blessed some of them to defend the others. Another takes a dimmer view, claiming the original chronoceros accidentally stepped on a sacred animal of the god, bringing upon it the curse of painful foresight so that it could predict and avoid repeating the mistake.

CREATURE 7 BEAST

Perception +14 (+18 with all-seeing eyes open); low-light vision; scent (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+17, Survival+15 Str+6, Dex+2, Con+4, Int+0, Wis+2, Cha–2 All-Seeing Eyes 4 (divination, occult) Requirements The chronoceros hasn’t acted yet this turn; Effect The Chronoceros opens its additional eyes, or closes them if they were already open. Having its additional eyes open grants the chronoceros the ability to use its special abilities. However, the mental strain causes the chronoceros to suffer 1 mental damage at the end of each of its turns. If the chronoceros can’t act, its all-seeing eyes close on their own. AC 24; Fort +20, Ref +15, Will +18 HP 150; Weaknessesmental 5; Resistancesphysical 5 Avoid Fate 5 (divination, misfortune, occult) Requirements The chronoceros has its All-Seeing Eyes open; Trigger The chronoceros is critically hit by a creature it can see; Effect The chronoceros foretells the incoming danger. The attacking creature rerolls the triggering attack roll. If the second attack roll is also a critical hit, then the triggering attack remains a critical hit. In all other cases, the triggering attack becomes a normal hit instead. Regardless of the result, the chronoceros takes 1d4 mental damage. Speed 35 feet Melee 1 horn +18, Damage 2d10+9 piercing Chronoceros Charge 2 (divination, occult) Requirements The chronoceros has its All-Seeing Eyes open; Effect The chronoceros Strides twice, then makes a horn Strike. As long as the Chronoceros moved at least 20 feet, the Strike’s damage increases by 1d10. The chronoceros’s movement doesn’t trigger reactions based on movement (such as Attack of Opportunity). The chronoceros then takes 1d6 mental damage. Glimpse of the Future 1 (divination, occult) Requirements The chronoceros has its All-Seeing Eyes open; Effect The chronoceros focuses its gaze on a creature it can see within 30 feet. That creature is flat-footed to the chronoceros until the chronoceros uses this ability against a different target, closes its eyes, or loses line of sight to the chosen creature. After using Glimpse of the Future and at the start of each turn if the ability is active, the chronoceros takes 1 mental damage.

Citric Evaporite SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ELIZABETH HEYECK

DON’T BE SALTY

The nature of the citric evaporite’s attacks leaves a layer of salt covering its victims. This residue is insufficient to constitute its own creature, though it can cause the corpse to continue moving in eerie ways until it cools down. Finding these bodies is the safest way of harvesting citric salt, which is why those in that lucrative trade are always unfailingly polite and offer to let others go ahead of them.

Citric evaporites, also known as crystal oozes or lava oozes, can be found in two locations: deep underground, near certain volcanic flows, or near salt-rich seasonal lakes. Those found near the lakes are typically more sluggish and can easily be dispersed by aqueous deluges. Those found underground can easily slip into lava, becoming nearly invisible before erupting out at terrifying speeds towards unsuspecting prey. Citric evaporites exist in two forms: their salt citrate crystalline form, which is slow-moving, reasonably docile, and slowly consumes nearby citrate formations; and their molten form, which is fast, unpredictable, and prone to aggressive destruction. The molten form seeks out nearby heat sources, including warmblooded creatures, to maintain its heat capacity. When a citric evaporite attacks, on first inspection, victims see a well-formed but slightly cloudy crystal formation. Small bits of the crystal can be ground, creating a powdery salt that might work well for baking. But those who venture that close are quickly disillusioned as the crystal reaches out to wrap around them. Small samples of the citric salt harvested from a citric evaporite are extremely useful in storing magical and thermal energy, though extreme care must be taken near water sources.

CITRIC EVAPORITE N

MEDIUM

MINDLESS

OOZE

CREATURE 11

Perception +21;motion sense 60 feet, no vision Skills Athletics+23, Stealth+19 (+23 when immersed in lava) Str+8, Dex–2, Con+8, Int–5, Wis+2, Cha–5 Absorb Energy The citric evaporite absorbs fire and electrical energy when it comes in contact with either energy type in its crystal form, transforming its body into a molten form for 3 rounds. It gains fast healing 5 while in the molten form. Cooldown The citric evaporite cools down after being in its molten form for 3 rounds without contacting fire, lava, or electrical energy or succeeding on a melee Strike against a warmblooded creature. When that happens, it becomes stunned 1 and reverts to its crystal form. Motion Sense Citric evaporite can sense nearby creatures through vibration and air or water movement. AC 23,(21 while in molten form); Fort +25, Ref +15, Will +18 HP 380, (fast healing 5 in molten form); Immunities critical hits, fire, mental, precision, unconscious, visual (electricity while in crystal form); Weaknesseswater 10 Steam Explosion When the citric evaporite is in its molten form and is hit by at least 5 gallons of water, the water hitting the superheated molten citrate immediately evaporates into a cloud of steam enveloping the area. This obscures the area in a 30 foot emanation for 1d4 rounds, with the effects of obscuring mist, and the citric evaporite condenses into its crystal form. All creatures except the citric evaporite within the 30 foot burst takes 12d6 fire damage (DC 27 basic Reflex save). Speed 10 feet (crystal form) 40 feet (molten form); lava glide Melee 1 fist +24 (magical), Damage 2d12+15 bludgeoning (crystal form only) Melee 1 pseudopod +24 (agile, magical), Damage 2d10+15 fire (molten form only) Body Splash 3 Requirements The citric evaporite is in molten form; Effect The citric evaporate gathers up its material and spews it in a 15 foot emanation. Everyone in the area takes 8d6 bludgeoning damage and 8d6 fire damage (DC 27 basic Reflex save). After a Body Splash, the citric evaporite splashes all over the ground and must use Reform before performing any other actions. It can’t use Body Splash again until the next time it enters molten form. Lava Glide The citric evaporite can move through lava up to its molten form Speed, but it can’t retain its form after leaving the lava. When leaving an area of lava, it must use Reform before performing any other actions. Reform 1 The citric evaporite reforms its body into a cohesive structure and is able to act again. After using Body Splash or leaving an area of lava, the citric evaporite melts to the point that it must Reform itself before acting.

Cloaked Cadaver

The product of experimentation now lost to the ages, cloaked cadavers are as dangerous as they are rare. Named after their cloaked appearance, they are best known for their terrifying ability to paralyze their victims and consume their souls. Few survive encounters with these malevolent beings, though not many encounter them to begin with. Survivor stories and reports indicate a preference for damp, dark places and a vulnerability to sunlight, a leading factor in the survival of many unfortunate enough to stumble upon one. Cloaked cadavers are generally found lurking around ancient sites and ruins, most often alone or in pairs. Some stories mention more powerful variants that might form after a cloaked cadaver consumes countless souls. When attacking, cloaked cadavers first attempt to neutralize any threats by paralyzing their victims before going in to drain them with an embrace. Many scholars speculate that the few remaining cloaked cadavers are among the last of their kind, sourced from a single original batch long ago. This theory has piqued the interest of scholars, necromancers, and explorers alike, who seek to understand cloaked cadavers’ hidden origins and trace them back to their ancient creators.

CLOAKED CADAVER RARE

MEDIUM

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ERIN A. KESTON

CLOAK OF MANY COLORS

Scholars have noted significant discrepancies in how survivors of cloaked cadaver encounters describe their cloaks. Some accounts call them tattered and grimy, while others speak of ornate embroidery and vivid colors that resemble royal funeral shrouds. The condition of the cloak may reflect the power and number of souls a cloaked cadaver has consumed.

CREATURE 10

UNDEAD

Perception +17;darkvision; lifesense 60 feet Languages Common, Necril Skills Acrobatics+22, Intimidation+19, Stealth+19 Str+3, Dex+7, Con+5, Int+2, Wis+5, Cha+3 Lifesense (divination, divine) A cloaked cadaver can sense the vital essence of living and undead creatures within 60 feet. AC 29; Fort +17, Ref +21, Will +19 HP 250, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknessesgood 10, positive 10 Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 20 feet, DC 26 Sunlight Powerlessness A cloaked cadaver caught in sunlight is clumsy 2 and slowed 2 for as long as it remains in the sunlight. Speed fly 45 feet Melee 1 touch of paralysis +23 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d6+10 negative plus paralysis Cloaked Embrace 2 (divine, necromancy, negative) Requirements An adjacent living creature is paralyzed; Effect The cloaked cadaver drains the vital essences of the creature, which must attempt a DC 29 Fortitude save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is drained 1, and stupefied 1 for 1 hour. Failure The creature takes 12d6 negative damage, is drained 2, doomed 2, and stupefied 2 for 1 hour. Critical Failure As failure, but the creature takes 24d6 negative damage. Paralysis (divine, incapacitation, necromancy) Any living creature hit by a cloaked cadaver’s attack must succeed at a DC 26 Fortitude save or become paralyzed. It can attempt a new save at the end of each of its turns, and the DC cumulatively decreases by 1 after each failed save. Soul’s Anguish 4 (death, divine, necromancy) Trigger A living creature dies within 20 feet of the cloaked cadaver; Effect The cloaked cadaver absorbs the creature’s soul and regains a number of Hit Points equal to the creature’s level as it begins to feed off of it. A creature whose soul has been absorbed in this way can’t be resurrected unless the cloaked cadaver is killed within 7 days. If the cloaked cadaver isn’t killed within 7 days the creature’s soul is completely consumed and can only be restored to life by a powerful effect such as miracle or wish.

Contortion PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GARRICK J. WILLIAMS

CONTORTION COLONIES

When a mature contortion creeper or contortion crown comes across a large enough quantity of junk, the glee from this new treasure trove causes polyps to swell up around the base of their arms. Eventually, these polyps explode, releasing a small colony of infant contortions. The members of the colony inhabit the smaller pieces of junk until they grow enough to form a contortion swarm.

Contortions are a family of aberrations that share a distinctive behavior: like hermit crabs, they find and inhabit discarded objects, which they use as dwellings to protect their vulnerable bodies from harm. However, unlike hermit crabs, contortions tend to inhabit junk found in humanoid settlements rather than shells on the beach. Like hermit crabs, contortions continue to grow and trade up to larger and larger dwellings. While the smallest might live in a shoe, the largest are big enough to inhabit small buildings.

Contortion Swarm

A contortion swarm consists of a small colony of young contortion creepers. These creepers inhabit piles and clusters of litter and discarded junk. Once a young contortion creeper becomes too large for their carapace, they leave the colony to strike out on their own.

CONTORTION SWARM UNCOMMON

LARGE

ABERRATION

CREATURE 3 SWARM

Perception +8 Languages Aklo, Common, Undercommon Skills Acrobatics+10, Thievery+10 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+3, Int+0, Wis+1, Cha+1 AC 17; Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +6 HP 40; Immunities precision, swarm mind; Weaknesses area damage 5, splash damage 5; Resistancesbludgeoning 2, piercing 5, slashing 5 Speed 30 feet, climb 20 feet Carapace Pummels 1 Requirements The contortion swarm is Inhabiting a cluster of objects; Effect The swarm pummels each enemy in its space with the multitude of junk they use as carapaces, dealing 2d6 bludgeoning damage with a DC 20 basic Reflex save. Inhabit 2 The contortion swarm isn’t currently Inhabiting objects; Effect Each individual juvenile contortion creeper in the contortion swarm crawls inside an adjacent unattended Tiny object with Hardness 5 or less, such as a metal can, a small bag, or similar container. The containers become extradimensional spaces with an interior large enough for the juvenile creepers to fit inside, regardless of the object’s exterior volume. While Inhabiting an object, the contortion swarm gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC and loses its weaknesses to area and splash damage. The inhabited objects for the swarm as a whole have their Hardness increase to 5, and their Hit Points and Break Threshold respectively increase to 20 and 10 via the contortion swarm’s extradimensional magic; after taking enough damage to break, or if the contortion swarm takes 5 or more area damage or splash damage, their dwellings are destroyed until the swarm Inhabits new ones. When not Inhabiting objects, the contortion swarm can’t use its Carapace Pummels or Retract abilities. Pilfering Hands 1 Frequency once per round; Effect The contortion swarm extends their many hands to pilfer multiple objects with ease. The contortion swarm attempts Thievery checks to Steal from up to two creatures occupying their space. Unlike normal for Stealing, they can attempt to Steal from these two creatures even if those creatures are in combat or are otherwise on their guard. Retract 1 Requirements The contortion swarm Inhabits an object; Effect The contortion swarm’s constituent members fully withdraw into their improvised carapaces. Their circ*mstance bonus to AC increases to +4, and they can’t take actions except to use this action again to come out of their carapaces.

Contortion

Contortion Creeper

A contortion creeper is a skittish aberration that protects its fragile, deformed body by hiding inside ordinary objects smaller than itself. The creature seldom reveals itself, often displaying only a pair of beady yellow eyes and a deformed arm protruding from a disproportionately small container such as a stein or water skin. Each contortion creeper possesses a personal extradimensional space accessed by creating a portal from the openings of existing objects. A creeper inhabits such an object by deforming its anatomy to fit inside the narrow opening. Using the item as an improvised carapace, the creeper scurries through urban environments, hiding in plain sight among garbage in the streets or junk littering dwellings. Though capable of defending themselves, most creepers avoid violence and prefer to flee or hide from threats. Naturally curious, contortion creepers enjoy collecting intriguing items such as dining utensils, tools, and broken clockwork to ponder their use and function. Such items fill a creeper’s personal extradimensional space, where the aberration prizes its unseen collection. A creeper can be persuaded to trade or provide information in exchange for items that fascinate the creature.

CONTORTION CREEPER UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GARRICK J. WILLIAMS

CREEPER COLLECTIONS

A contortion creeper’s collection and extradimensional nest become inaccessible if its improvised carapace breaks or is destroyed. When a contortion creeper is slain, its collection spills out into the Material Plane and appears beside its corpse.

CREATURE 4

ABERRATION

Perception +11 Languages Aklo, Common, Undercommon Skills Acrobatics+11, Deception+10, Stealth+12, Thievery+12 Str+3, Dex+5, Con+3, Int+1, Wis–1, Cha+2 Contortion The contortion creeper can deform its body to fit through tiny spaces. It can Squeeze at its normal Speed without a check and does not consider small spaces as difficult terrain. AC 20; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +8 HP 60; Weaknessesslashing 5 Improvised Block 5 Trigger The contortion creeper would take damage while Inhabiting an object; Effect The creeper wards off the blow with its improvised carapace. The object’s Hardness prevents up to 5 damage. The creeper and the object both take any remaining damage, possibly breaking or destroying the object and expelling the creeper. Speed 25 feet, climb 10 feet Melee 1 junk carapace +14 (finesse, modular [B and shove, P and backstabber, S and sweep]), Damage 2d8+5 modular Melee 1 limb +14 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+5 bludgeoning Ranged 1 junk +14 (modular [B, P, S], range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d4+5 modular Inhabit 2 (move) Requirements The contortion creeper doesn’t currently Inhabit an object; Effect The contortion creeper crawls inside an adjacent unattended Tiny object with Hardness 5 or less, such as a metal can, a small bag, or similar container. The container becomes an extradimensional space with an interior large enough for the creeper to fit inside, regardless of the object’s exterior volume. While Inhabiting an object, the contortion creeper gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC and loses its weakness to slashing damage. The object’s Hardness increases to 5 and its Hit Points and Break Threshold increase to 20 and 10 via the contortion creeper’s extradimensional magic. The creeper remains Inhabiting the object until the object breaks or the creeper Inhabits a new object. When not Inhabiting an object, the creeper can’t use its junk carapace Strike. Pilfering Strike 1 Frequency once per round; Effect The contortion creeper makes a melee Strike against an adjacent creature. If the target takes damage, the creeper can attempt to Steal an item from the creature, even if the creature is actively engaged in combat. Retract 1 Requirements The contortion creeper Inhabits an object; Effect As contortion swarm, but the creeper can also Improved Block while retracted.

Contortion PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GARRICK J. WILLIAMS

CROWN COLLABORATIONS

Up to three contortion crowns can collectively dominate an abandoned village or small town, which becomes overrun with their spawn, consisting of contortion swarms and smaller creepers. Each new contortion creeper is born inside an object belonging to its parents’ collection. The greed of a contortion crown eventually drives its young out of the home to seek treasures elsewhere. Towns inhabited by multiple contortion crowns often devolve into political battlegrounds between the enormous tyrants.

Contortion Crown

A contortion creeper grows slowly as it ages and amasses a collection of pilfered items within its extradimensional space. Magical items within the collection accelerate the process as their power permeates into the creature’s body. The rare few that accumulate such a hoard become a massive and dangerous creature that can rapidly conquer a village or small town. Once a creeper becomes large enough to inhabit a small building, insatiable greed drives it to seize any and all objects within its ever-growing reach. Wagons, livestock, monuments, marketplaces, and even small ships become new additions to its hoard. Such a powerful creeper transitions from dwelling to dwelling, driving out inhabitants powerless to stop it. Folk unable to combat the monstrosity must evacuate their homes and eventually abandon their village, which the creeper claims as its dominion. Such tragedies earn this type of creeper the title contortion crown.

CONTORTION CROWN RARE

GARGANTUAN

ABERRATION

CREATURE 12

Perception +20;darkvision Languages Aklo, Common, Undercommon Skills Athletics+25, Society+20, Stealth+22, Thievery+25 Str+7, Dex+4, Con+7, Int+5, Wis+2, Cha+4 AC 32; Fort +25, Ref +22, Will +19 HP 265; Weaknessesslashing 15 Improvised Block 5 As contortion creeper, but the dwelling’s Hardness is 15 and it has 60 Hit Points and a Break Threshold of 30. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 limb +26 (reach 20 feet, sweep), Damage 3d10+13 bludgeoning Melee 1 junk carapace +26, Damage 3d10+13 bludgeoning plus Improved Push Ranged 1 junk +26 (brutal, modular [B, P, S], range increment 120 feet), Damage 3d6+13 modular Enforce Dominion 1 Frequency once per round; Requirements A Huge or Gargantuan object or building suitable for a dwelling is within the contortion crown’s reach, and there are creatures inside of that object or dwelling; Effect The contortion crown attempts to force out all creatures (except itself, if applicable) from the object or dwelling. The occupying creatures must succeed on a Fortitude save against the contortion crown’s Athletics DC. On a failed save, a creature is pushed out of the object and to an adjacent square. On a critical failure, a creature is pushed 15 feet away from the object and then the creature falls prone. Forceful Seizure 2 With a sweeping motion, the contortion crown Interacts to pick up a Small, Medium, or Large object and Strikes up to two creatures within 10 feet of it using its limb Strike. Its multiple attack penalty does not increase until after it makes both limb Strikes, and its +1 circ*mstance bonus to attack rolls from the sweep trait applies to both Strikes. Inhabit 2 (move) As contortion creeper, but the contortion crown inhabits a Gargantuan object such as a small building, vehicle, or similar dwelling, and the dwelling’s Hardness becomes 15, with 60 Hit Points and a Break Threshold of 30. Retract 1 As contortion swarm, except the contortion crown can also Improvised Block and Enforce Dominion while retracted. Throw Junk 1 The contortion crown picks up an object within reach (typically a piece of junk) and throws it, making a ranged junk Strike.

Cryptfowl Swarm

Cryptfowl are pale, vicious chickens that feed on maggots and other insects that feed on corpses. Despite being deadly monsters when encountered in their usual swarms, townsfolk who live near their hunting grounds don’t treat them with as much vitriol as a stranger might expect. This is because they tend to roost where graves and corpses are common, feeding mostly on the unwanted pests that infest such places. Since they can be distracted and placated easily with an offering of a meal of maggots, it’s not difficult for crypt keepers to find the time they need to dig fresh graves and inter the newly deceased without stirring the swarm’s ire. Cryptfowl make for surprisingly good opponents against ghouls, zombies, and other weak undead who try to eat them, due to their bodies having adapted to shake off diseases common to these creatures. Cryptfowl rely on their spittle to keep them safe from ingested diseases, but that doesn’t mean their beaks are sanitary. Any reckless living visitors who disturb their roost risk being afflicted with acidic saliva. Unfortunately for the living, crypt fowl can sometimes become carriers of dangerous diseases, and in those cases, settlements need to find adventurers to exterminate the creatures before the infection spreads.

CRYPTFOWL SWARM UNCOMMON

LARGE

ANIMAL

CREATURE 5 SWARM

Perception +11;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30ft Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+9, Stealth+12 Str+1, Dex+5, Con+3, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha–5 AC 19; Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +9 HP 55; Immunitiesdisease, precision, swarm mind; Weaknessesarea damage 5, fire 5, splash damage 5; Resistancesbludgeoning 8, piercing 4, slashing 8 No Escape 5 Trigger A creature leaves the cryptfowl swarm’s space Effect The cryptfowl swarm tries to chase after the triggering creature. The cryptfowl swarm Strides up to its Speed, following the creature and keeping it within the cryptfowl swarm’s space throughout its movement until it stops moving or until the cryptfowl swarm has moved its full Speed, whichever comes first. Speed 30 feet, fly 15 feet (must end its Fly action on solid ground or fall) Digestive Spittle (poison) Saving Throw DC 20 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d4 acid damage (1 round); Stage 2 2d4 acid damage (1 round) Fowl Play 1 Requirements A creature is within the cryptfowl swarm’s space and that creature has the prone condition; Effect The triggering creature falls prey to a relentless storm of beaks, claws, and feathers. The creature takes 1d6 piercing damage, 1d6 slashing damage, and 1d6 acid damage (DC 22 basic Reflex save). Swarming Pecks 1 Each creature in the swarm’s space takes 2d6+2 piercing damage (DC 20 basic Reflex save). Creatures that fail their Reflex save are exposed to Digestive Spittle. Creatures who critically fail their Reflex save are also knocked prone.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JACOB SLOAN

TASTES LIKE CHICKEN

The truly daring, or foolhardy (or both), go out of their way to find cryptfowl as it is said that because of their unusual diet, their meat has a truly unique taste and texture. However, if not properly prepared, there have been reports of strange and unusual side effects after consuming their meat. Some side effects are mild, such as temporary blindness or loss of smell, but some unlucky diners have become horribly diseased, or even perished. Still, consuming a cryptfowl is considered a rare delicacy, and there are always those who are willing to literally risk their lives for a new and unique experience.

Crystalline Owl COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KATRINA HENNESSY

NO NIGHT OWL

Crystalline owls make excellent companions. Due to their use of bright light as a defense, they are not nocturnal like other owls. Hugging them, however, may not be a bright idea.

Difficult to see and even more difficult to catch, these translucent bird-like creatures are not crystal but fey. Crystalline owls are tiny beings, shy yet curious by nature. While usually not aggressive, crystalline owls often choose creatures, objects, or places to protect, and they fight to defend whatever they’re guarding. They also attack if threatened, though they prefer to hide or flee. Their deceptively long legs allow them to reach out when they make an attack with their talons, but they do little to aid their mobility when grounded. Crystalline owls are acrobats of the air, sometimes referred to as aerial monks. Along with their fluid grace, they embody some physical characteristics of crystals and possess the ability to manipulate light around them. This not only aids their stealth but also allows them to dazzle their enemies in order to more effectively attack or escape. Most crystalline owls arrive in the Material Plan through naturally occurring interplanar bridges. Once on the Material Plane, these natives of the fey realm explore and adapt to their new surroundings. They usually hunt for a return path home or seek kindly beings with a connection to the fey. If they find such a friend, they might choose to form an attachment and eventually establish an empathic bond. Once bonded, a crystalline owl is fiercely loyal. When they mate, crystalline owls mate for life. Those who bond with another creature rarely form a mating bond as well. Guarding their nest is cause for more aggressive behavior than a crystalline owl otherwise exhibits, and they become quite territorial when their nest is on the line. Although crystalline owls have a naturally long lifespan, too often they succumb to predators or other disasters for which they are ill-prepared, especially those living on the Material Plane. While rare, those who survive long enough manifest stronger abilities to manipulate light and fire. They also develop the ability to use their translucence to hide even more effectively.

CRYSTALLINE OWL UNCOMMON

TINY

FEY

CREATURE 2

Perception +9;darkvision, low-light vision Languages Sylvan (can’t speak any language) Skills Acrobatics+8 (+10 to Fly or Maneuver in Flight), Stealth+8, Survival+7 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+2, Int+2, Wis+3, Cha+3 AC 18; Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +7 HP 25; Weaknessescold 5; Resistancesfire 5 Reflection 5 (fire) Trigger The crystalline owl would take fire damage; Effect The crystalline owl uses a wing or body part to reflect part of the attack. The crystalline owl reduces the fire damage it would take by 1d12, after applying resistance. The creature that dealt the fire damage to the crystalline owl, if any, takes the amount of fire damage the crystalline owl reduced (either the result of the d12 or the remaining damage after resistance, whichever was less), with a DC 18 basic Reflex save. Speed 10 feet, fly 40 feet Melee 1 beak +10 (finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d10+3 piercing Melee 1 talon +10 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d8+3 slashing Flyby Attack 2 The crystalline owl Flies and makes a talon Strike at any point along the way. Prismatic Dazzle 2 (light, visual) Requirements The crystalline owl must be in an area of bright light; Effect The crystalline owl uses the reflective surfaces of its body or wing to direct the light into the eyes of all creatures within 30 feet. The creatures must attempt a DC 18 Reflex save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round. Failure The creature is dazzled for 3 rounds. Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1 minute.

Some scholars claim that the curse of the werewolf originated in the fey realm, pointing to the cunomaglos as the first and greatest of werewolves. Indeed, these fierce faerie lords consociate with wolves of all sorts, spreading their affliction and leading mighty packs through shadowy fey forests. Some brave or desperate sages seek out a cunomaglos in the hopes of recovering otherwise forgotten lore, but the wolf lords never yield their secrets easily. Unlike most werewolves, cunomagloi don’t revel in bloody-minded destruction for its own sake. Rather, these wild fey live for the joy of the hunt and the legendary chase of worthy prey. They consume their prey’s body and even taste their minds, learning their history and deeds and sharing their tales as trophies. The more thrilling the sagas collected, the greater the cunomaglos’s status, leading cunomagloi to pursue renowned heroes and monsters to claim the honor of telling the stories of the vanquished.

CUNOMAGLOS UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 15 FEY

Perception +26;low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 40 feet Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Arcana+27, Athletics+30, Diplomacy+28, Intimidation+30, Nature+29, Occultism+27, Survival+31 Str+7, Dex+8, Con+6, Int+4, Wis+6, Cha+7 Blood Always Tells 2 (divination, primal) A cunomaglos can consume the flesh or blood of a creature, establishing a mystical connection that bares the target’s secrets. The cunomaglos can make a Nature check against the target’s Will DC. On a success, the cunomaglos immediately learns the same information provided by a legend lore ritual. On a critical failure, the cunomaglos is confused for 1 minute. A cunomaglos can’t use this ability if it can’t consume blood or flesh, meaning that creatures without blood or flesh are immune. Wolf Empathy (divination, primal) The cunomaglos can communicate with wolfs and other similar lupine creatures. Items +1 striking composite longbow AC 37; Fort +23, Ref +29, Will +26 HP 261,regeneration 15 (deactivated by cold iron); Weaknessescold iron 15, silver 15 Speed 40 feet Melee 1 jaws +31 (finesse), Damage 3d12+15 slashing plus curse of the werewolf Melee 1 composite longbow +32 (deadly d10, range increment 100 feet, volley 30 feet), Damage 2d8+11 piercing plus 2d8 acid, 1d6 persistent bleed, and curse of the werewolf Primal Innate Spells DC 34; 6thdominate (×2), true seeing; 5thmoon frenzy (×3); 4thfreedom of movement (at will), remove curse (at will, curse of the werewolf only) Change Shape 1 (concentrate, polymorph, primal, transmutation) The cunomaglos changes into a wolf with the following statistics. • Wolf size Large; Speed 50 feet; Melee jaws +32, Damage 3d12+15 piercing plus Improved Knockdown Curse of the Werewolf (curse, necromancy, primal) This ability affects only beasts and humanoids. Saving Throw DC 34 Fortitude save. Each full moon, the cursed creature must succeed at another Fortitude save or turn into a werewolf until dawn. The creature is under the GM’s control, seeking out lupine companions and hunting for half the night before falling unconscious. Hunter’s Howl 1 (auditory) Frequency once per round; Effect The cunomaglos’ blood-chilling howl promises death to all who hear it. The cunomaglos attempts to Demoralize all creatures in a 60 foot cone who can hear the howl, without taking any penalties for not sharing a language. The creatures are then temporarily immune for 1 day. Ruler of Wolves (aura, charm, emotion, primal) Canine and lupine beings (including creatures affected by Curse of the Werewolf) within 20 feet of a cunomaglos take a –2 circ*mstance penalty to their Will saves and DCs against the cunomaglos’s mental spells, Intimidation, and Diplomacy.

Cunomaglos COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ANTHONY WHEELER

PASSING THE SNIFF TEST

Those wishing to pry secrets from cunomagloi often obtain tips on the whereabouts and weaknesses of tempting prey to trade. This tactic is a mistake, as a cunomaglos considers those who can obtain such coveted information as worthy prey themselves. A better strategy is to disguise oneself as a cunomaglos and participate in their storytelling as one of them. Few are willing to dedicate themselves so wholly to such a ruse, though, as the cunomaglos’ keen sense of smell means one must become a werewolf to have a chance of tricking them.

Curse Eater SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MARCELINE MILLER

GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT

Curse eaters often face feast or famine, so they enter a feeding frenzy when they find a bounty of curses, and their physiology stores the excess for later digestion. Adventurers who encounter a bloated curse eater would do well to steer clear, for the undigested curses need somewhere to go if the curse eater dies…

Curse eaters are natural predators of werecreatures, oracles, and the accursed, who feed almost entirely off of curses. These two-headed creatures appear like long, twisted werehyenas, each head snapping and snarling. Though some cursed creatures might seek out a curse eater as a possible cure, it’s also possible that a curse eater might maul and devour an accursed creature even after it consumes the curse. Despite their violent nature, curse eaters tend to leave uncursed creatures who stay out of their way alone, and communities besieged by evil werecreatures or other cursed monsters often see the appearance of a curse eater as a blessing. On the other hand, werecreatures deeply fear and hate curse eaters, and so do members of communities that willingly host or rely upon werecreatures or curses. Superstitious communities, particularly those of pragmatic gnolls, sometimes team up with a curse eater, planting curses on the gnolls’ next victims and thus offering the curse eater their favorite meals in exchange for assistance in the battle. It is unknown when or how curse eaters reproduce; there exist many folktales and stories of abjurers obsessed with curing an incurable curse and then being turned into these monsters due to their hubris, either as some sort of divine punishment or as the result of magical experimentation gone wrong, but if this is their true origin, no verifiable example of such an incident actually occurring is currently known.

CURSE EATER RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 12 BEAST

Perception +25;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet, curse scent (imprecise) 120 feet Skills Athletics+25, Curse Lore+25, Stealth+20, Survival+22 Str+7, Dex+5, Con+7, Int+0, Wis+7, Cha–2 Curse Scent (divination, occult) A curse eater can sense curse effects as an imprecise sense within the listed range. This applies to cursed items and creatures, as well as creatures with the curse trait that are living curses, such as a feth velaunt (page 59). AC 30; Fort +25, Ref +19, Will +22 HP 275; Immunitiescurses; Resistancesphysical 10 (except silver) Attack of Opportunity 5 Opportunistic A curse eater gains an additional reaction each round which it can only use to make Attacks of Opportunity with its jaws Strike or to Eat a Curse. It can’t use more than 1 reaction on the same triggering action, even if a creature leaves several squares within its reach. If one of its heads is decapitated, it loses this additional reaction. Speed 35 feet, climb 25 feet Melee 1 jaws +26 (magical), Damage 3d12+13 piercing Melee 1 claw +26 (agile, magical), Damage 3d8+13 slashing plus Grab Eat Curse 5 (abjuration, occult) Trigger The curse eater makes a successful jaws Strike against a creature or object with a curse effect; Effect The curse eater feasts on the triggering creature or object’s curse, dealing additional damage to them equal to the curse’s level (or twice the curse’s level for a spell effect) and attempting to counteract the effect. If the effect is counteracted or is impossible to counteract (such as an oracle’s curse), the curse eater gains Hit Points equal to the additional damage. Any non-artifact cursed item whose curse is counteracted crumbles into dust. The curse eater has a counteract modifier of +28 and a counteract level of 6th for this reaction. Any Hit Points it gains from this reaction in excess of its maximum become temporary Hit Points that last until the beginning of its next turn. Feverish Assault 2 The curse eater makes two jaws Strikes and two claws Strikes in any order, each against a different creature within reach. These attacks count toward the curse eater’s multiple attack penalty, but the multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until after the curse eater makes all its attacks.

Demon Shepherd

When an insurrection against a demon lord fails, its leader could face several destinies. The three most common of these are a life of servitude to one they tried to overthrow, the complete and utter destruction of oblivion, or a lifetime of torture at the hands of the most sad*stic followers of the demon lord. But sometimes, a more creative and humiliating punishment is in order. And so, the demon insurgent’s powerful and violent soul is trapped inside one of the weakest and most peaceful creatures in the Material Plane, a sheep. However, when the hatred and desire for destruction of the trapped demon’s soul are strong enough, over time the demon completely takes over the sheep. Even in this case, the close bond developed between the demon and its host creature simply becomes the last part of their punishment. The freed demon becomes a demon shepherd, a fusion of the almighty power they once held, the fear the sheep feels, and the instinct to live in a flock. In this twisted transformation of both body and mind, the demon shepherd acquires a strange obsession to guide and protect other demons transformed into sheep, especially those that were part of the same insurrection the demon shepherd once led. Consequently, the demon shepherd channels their thirst for destruction toward feeding their flock with the corpses of creatures from the Material Plane.

DEMON SHEPHERD RARE

MEDIUM

DEMON

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LORENZO BARQUÍN

BAAAAD HAIR DAY

Demon or not, a sheep’s wool is going to grow and continue to grow. Talented shearers with steady hands may find themselves adopted by a demon shepherd against their will. In exchange for their indentured servitude, they are gifted protection and the heads of those who have wronged them in life.

CREATURE 10 FIEND

Perception +21;darkvision Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic; telepathy 100 feet Skills Acrobatics +17, Athletics +19, Deception +19, Intimidation +22, Occultism+19, Religion+19 Str+7, Dex+5, Con+7, Int+7, Wis+7, Cha+5 Items +1 striking scythe AC 29; Fort +19, Ref +17, Will +21 HP 250; Weaknessescold iron 10, good 10 Attack of Opportunity 5 Flock Vulnerability A demon shepherd’s flock is an intrinsic part of it. Every time a demon ally of the demon shepherd lower level than the demon shepherd is killed or reduced to 0 Hit Points, the demon shepherd suffers 3d6 mental damage. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 scythe +23 (deadly d10, trip), Damage 2d10+13 slashing Melee 1 horn +22 (agile), Damage 2d12+13 bludgeoning Divine Innate Spells DC 26; 5th impending doomSOM, rip the spiritSOM; 1stcommand (at will); Cantrips(5th)daze Divine Rituals DC 26; abyssal pact Call of the Shepherd 1 (divine, emotion, enchantment, mental) The demon shepherd call its flock to fight more fiercely. All demon allies lower level than the demon shepherd in a 30-feet emanation become more ferocious, becoming quickened for 1 round. They can use the additional action only to Stride or Strike. Call to the Feast 2 (divine, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental) With a blood-curling scream, the demon shepherd calls to feast upon the fear of terrified creatures. Every frightened creature in a 100-foot emanation takes 7d6 mental damage with a DC 29 basic Will save. On a failure, they become frightened 2, and on a critical failure they become frightened 3. Reap the Crop 2 (divine, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental, negative) The demon shepherd makes a sweeping move with its scythe, creating a wave of negative energy that affects all creatures that aren’t part of its flock. All creatures in a 30-feet cone take 7d6 negative damage with a DC 29 basic Will save. Creatures that fail the saving throw also become frightened 2, or frightened 3 on a critical failure. The demon shepherd can’t Reap the Crop again for 1d4 rounds. 47

Ebirath COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ALEXANDER ELDRITCH

A RIVALRY FOR THE AGES

Ebirath is not the only unaging creature amassing worshipers. An ancient clam in a trench deep beneath the ocean waves has gathered an army of locathahs. Above water on another continent, a centuries-old tortoise senses Ebirath’s apotheosis and commands its cabal to prepare for a possible confrontation. Conflict is not inevitable when young gods emerge—perhaps they band together to form a new pantheon of giant sea creatures instead. The world waits with bated breath as they inch toward confrontation. At their current rate of travel, the world will be waiting a long time, but that matters not to these immortals.

Ebirath is an enormous lobster, believed by some to be the incarnation of a lobster deity. Interestingly, lobsters do not die of old age. Usually, they die from being eaten or from growing too large to molt on their own. A particularly obsessed druid discovered this fact a few hundred years ago and was inspired to create an avatar of the ancient lobster deity, Ebirath, by continually helping a single lobster molt. Legends say that Ebirath was a betrayer god banished for attempting to flood the world so that aquatic ancestries, especially those with lobster qualities, could rule the world. Presently, the druid’s efforts have gained a whispered notoriety. A new sect of the ancient religion has sprouted around the new incarnation of Ebirath, and this sect has come to include other druids, sorcerers, and witches whose powers seemingly arise from this great crustacean. Ebirath has developed the ability to telepathically communicate, possibly due to some divine influence from the original lobster deity. Ebirath prefers to spend its time in saltwater, and as such, the sect’s hideaway is a repurposed aqueduct funneling ocean water to their patron.

EBIRATH UNIQUE

CREATURE 18 GARGANTUAN

ANIMAL

AQUATIC

Perception +26;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 25 feet, wavesense (imprecise) 50 feet Languages Aquan, Common; telepathy 50 feet Skills Acrobatics+29, Athletics+36, Diplomacy+29, Intimidation+34, Nature+28, Religion+28, Stealth+29 Str+10, Dex+3, Con+9, Int+4, Wis+4, Cha+3 AC 42; Fort +33, Ref +27, Will +30 HP 365; Weaknessesfire 15; Resistancespiercing 15, slashing 15 Speed 50 feet, climb 25 feet, swim 80 feet Melee 1 big claw +35 (reach 20 feet), Damage 3d12+22 slashing plus Improved Grab Melee 1 little claw +35 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d8+22 slashing Melee 1 tail +35 (reach 20 feet), Damage 3d10+22 bludgeoning plus Improved Push Aquatic Ambush 1 Constrict 1 3d12+7 bludgeoning, DC 40 Ebirath’s Wrath 5 Frequency once per hour; Trigger Ebirath’s Hit Points are reduced to half or lower. Effect Ebirath goes into a frenzied rage, immediately Furiously Assaulting the three closest creatures, regardless of whether or not the creatures are Ebirath’s allies. Furious Assault 2 Ebirath makes a big claw Strike and then two Strikes with either its little claw or its tail. If Ebirath makes all the attacks against different creatures, it doesn’t apply the multiple attack penalty until after all the Strikes are complete. Otherwise, it applies the multiple attack penalty normally. Sonic Claw Snap 2 Requirements Ebirath doesn’t have a creature grabbed using its big claw’s Improved Grab; Effect Snapping its big claw, Ebirath produces a blast of powerful sound waves in a 20-foot burst within 40 feet, dealing 5d10 sonic damage. All creatures within range must attempt a DC 40 fortitude saving throw, with the following effects. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage and is stunned 1. Critical Failure The creature takes double damage, is deafened for 1 round, and is stunned 3.

Emperor Shark Penguin

Despite the name bestowed upon them by hunters who quake at the sight of the rows of razor-sharp triangular teeth, emperor shark penguins are not descended from any actual shark but are instead aberrant penguins cross-mutated with sea devils. First created by ice witches to defend their frozen domain against intruders, these warped aberrations are the evolved result of a single experiment to cross a penguin, a flightless bird that forms deep social bonds to survive its harsh icy environment, with a sea devil, a bloodthirsty, shark-toothed amphibious humanoid. With their crueler and more barbarous mutations becoming more and more pronounced in subsequent generations, emperor shark penguins today are ruthless marauders with short tempers and beaks lined with rows of teeth. Growing to a similar height and heft as an adult dwarf, the penguins form regimented rookeries that blockade narrow ice floes along caravan corridors. When merchants and other caravanners send hunters to eradicate these blockades, the penguins take pleasure in working together to extract their toll in blood. They have also been observed hauling themselves out of the water to swarm such apex predators of frozen coastlines as polar bears and even frost worms. Using their powerful swim flippers to launch themselves out of the water, emperor shark penguins slide across the ice on their bellies, pop to their feet, and unleash a flurry of grievous bites before their prey can even recognize the blitz. Despite their ability to attack in concert to bring down powerful foes, humanoid or otherwise, emperor shark penguins attack larger creatures only for brutal sport and abandon their kills to other scavengers; they instead subsist on a diet of bait fish. While the current dominant form of emperor shark penguin is thought to be incapable of speech, adventurers returning bloodied to ice fishing lodges have reported tales of sad*stic, intelligent-sounding laughter shared among bands of marauding penguins, and it’s not inconceivable that a rookery in some remote corner of the world is on the verge of adding language to its toolkit.

EMPEROR SHARK PENGUIN UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

ABERRATION

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ANDREW BRAITHWAIT

AN ARMLESS ARMS RACE

Sea devils, who did not take kindly to ice witches experimenting on them, retaliated by creating their own breed of toothy hunters to eradicate emperor shark penguins. Thus the leopard shark seal came into existence. The ice witches then crossed sharks with sea devils, giving them the ability to breathe air, thus birthing the devil shark. And then the sea devils retaliated again and created the giant shark squid. Thankfully, the introduction of so many predators caused an ecosystem collapse before killer shark whales came about, and all the new aberrations starved to death, leaving the world with just the emperor shark penguins once more.

CREATURE 2 AMPHIBIOUS

Perception +6;darkvision, wavesense 30 feet Languages Aquan (can’t speak any language) Skills Athletics+8 (+10 to Swim), Intimidation+5, Stealth+6 Str+3, Dex+2, Con+4, Int+0, Wis+1, Cha–1 AC 17; Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +5 HP 30; Resistancescold 5 Speed 10 feet, swim 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +11, Damage 1d6+4 piercing plus 1d4 persistent bleed Melee 1 claw +11 (agile), Damage 1d6+4 slashing Deadly Duo 5 Trigger Another emperor shark penguin succeeds on a jaws Strike against an enemy within this emperor shark penguin’s reach; Effect The emperor shark penguin makes a jaws Strike against the same enemy. Only one emperor shark penguin can use Deadly Duo from a single triggering jaws Strike, and the jaws Strike made with Deadly Duo can’t trigger any additional emperor shark penguins’ Deadly Duo reactions. Haul Out 2 (move) Requirement The emperor shark penguin is in water within 30 feet of a solid icy surface; Effect Transitioning from sea to land with terrifying grace and speed, the emperor shark penguin Swims to the water’s edge, Climbs onto the ice, and Strides up to twice. During these Strides, the emperor shark penguin is prone. At the conclusion of its movement, the emperor shark penguin can Stand.

Erygloid COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY AARON B. BRADFORD

OOZING WITH PURPOSE

When erygloids gather in sufficient numbers, such as near ley lines or in the walls of arcane institutions, they become an erygloid colony. A colony allows them to combine their senses, expanding the range of their magic sense to hundreds of feet or even miles, depending on the area the colony covers. Once an individual separates from the colony, it loses its heightened senses, but this ability enables erygloids to find new places to explore. Erygloids also benefit from each other’s experiences, improving their intelligence. Some colonies even learn to speak basic words. Such tricks can convince creatures to gift magic items to the voices in the walls in order to placate them.

Erygloids are a mind-boggling and dire consequence of the combination of primal, arcane, and occult magic, forming blobs of rolling gunk and teeth-like shards that often incorporate real teeth. Erygloids consume magic, and they have tastes for specific magic and materials and aversions to others. Because of these affinities, erygloids can occasionally be found plugging up mechanisms and causing chaos in magical workshops and dungeons, sucking on local ley lines or sources of magic. While no one knows for certain, there are several theories about the origins of erygloids. Some scholars claim that when fey die due to a deficiency of magic, they leave behind a liquid pool with their teeth, and those pools of residual energy seek out magic to absorb. Other scholars argue adamantly for an arcane or alchemical origin for erygloids, despite the fact that most mages would find an erygloid a nuisance. Still other scholars believe erygloids were created by powerful fey lords to eliminate magical accidents. In some communities, even more outlandish theories prevail, such as an extraplanetary origin based on a combination of interplanetary conjunction and faerie magic. Whatever the case, erygloids don’t know or care about the truth of their own origin, as it has no effect on their lives. Erygloids aren’t usually predators who hunt down living creatures, since they derive nourishment from magic, not flesh. However, erygloids tend to hoard sources of magic to devour, such as magic items, and when adventurers disturb the items, the ooze inevitably emerges from hiding to violently protect its meal. While spellcasters generally loathe erygloids due to the fey oozes’ tendency to consume the magical energy spellcasters cherish, some eccentric mages appreciate a captured erygloid as a means to filter out undesired magical effects or to power traps meant to annoy rivals. Those who hate magic or have reason to worry about an assault by spellcasters sometimes employ erygloids as bodyguards, luring them with the promise of tasty magic treats.

ERYGLOID UNCOMMON

CREATURE 3 N

SMALL

FEY

OOZE

Perception +6;magic sense 40 feet, no vision Languages Sylvan; can’t speak any language Skills Athletics+10, Stealth+6 Str+4, Dex–5, Con+5, Int+1, Wis+1, Cha+1 Magic Sense An erygloid continuously senses nearby magical objects, with the effects of 4th-level detect magic, and the motions of those carrying such objects. AC 10; Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +6; +2 status bonus to all vs. magic HP 95; Immunities critical hits, precision, unconscious, visual; Weaknesses cold iron 5; Resistancesacid 5 Speed 10 feet, climb 10 feet, swim 10 feet Melee 1 toothy tendril +12 (versatile P), Damage 1d6+5 bludgeoning plus magic acid and Grab Constrict 1 1d6+3 bludgeoning plus magic acid, DC 22 Magic Acid An erygloid’s body is covered in a magical acid that eats away at living creatures but is more efficient at digesting magic. On a successful toothy tendril Strike or when a creature fails its save against Constrict, the erygloid deals 1d6 additional acid damage and attempts to counteract one spell affecting the target, or one of the target’s magic items, with a counteract modifier of +10 and a counteract level of 2. On a success, the erygloid ends the spell or causes the item to become a mundane item of its type for 10 minutes; this doesn’t change the item’s non-magical properties. If the chosen item is an artifact or similar item, the counteract check automatically fails. Strangely, an erygloid’s magic acid doesn’t affect several common mundane materials, specifically including teeth, glass, stone, and metal, which causes shards of these materials to accumulate inside an erygloid’s body.

Euphoria Ooze

The result of an enchanter’s successful experiment, euphoria ooze emits an addictive gas that brings unparalleled happiness to those who inhale it. The experiment proved lucrative, and soon more of its kind were produced and farmed for the drug. Some inevitably escaped, using their unusual elasticity and overpowering aura to slip through their confines. Though mindless, euphoria oozes possess a particular affinity for magic. This causes them to settle around magical environments and seek out spellcasters when they can. In turn, enterprising adventurers often embark on ill-advised journeys to catch and harvest these creatures, underestimating the potency of their fumes. These ventures frequently end with the adventurers falling in battle to the vapors or succumbing to their addiction. Euphoria oozes appear and feel more solid and rubbery than most others of their kind. In fact, the minimal oil their body excretes sizzles and evaporates into dark smoke at the slightest spark, protecting it while dampening its elastic abilities for a brief time.

LIQUID EUPHORIA UNCOMMON

ALCHEMICAL

ITEM 4 CONSUMABLE

DRUG

INHALED

POISON

Price 18 gp Usage held in one hand; Bulk L Activate Interact Skilled alchemists can extract the oil from a euphoria ooze to make a flammable liquid whose vapors can be inhaled for intense joy, though the side effects can be nasty. Saving Throw DC 21 Fortitude; Onset 1 minute; Maximum Duration 1 hour; Stage 1 +2 item bonus to Will saves against fear and emotion effects (10 minutes); Stage 2 stupefied 2, clumsy2 (1 minute); Stage 3 confused (1 hour)

EUPHORIA OOZE UNCOMMON

SMALL

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAKE CASSAR

IT’S A KEEPER

An unanticipated function that enchanters later discovered is the euphoria ooze’s ability to preserve food. Since it was created to be low-maintenance, the ooze does not need to eat to survive. Instead, it synthesizes its biological requirements using air, water, and light. That means it lacks the acid other oozes use to digest matter. Instead, its body provides airtight storage and oils that act as preservatives. Stick travel rations or leftovers inside its body, and they will remain safe to eat for years!

CREATURE 4 MINDLESS

OOZE

Perception +8;motion sense 60 feet, no vision Skills Athletics+12 (+14 to Shove) Str+5, Dex–2, Con+5, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–5 Motion Sense An euphoria ooze can sense nearby creatures through vibration and air or water movement. AC 14; Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +8 HP 110; Immunitiesbludgeoning, critical hits, mental, precision, unconscious, visual; Weaknessesacid 5 Euphoric Vapors (aura, olfactory, poison) 15 feet. A creature that enters the aura or begins its turn there must succeed a DC 21 Fortitude save or become clumsy 1 and stupefied 1 for 1 minute. On a success, the creature is temporarily immune for 1 minute. Sizzling Slime Whenever the euphoria ooze takes fire damage, the radius of its euphoric vapors aura increases to 30 feet. It loses its immunity to bludgeoning damage. Everything within the aura, including the euphoria ooze, is concealed by smoke, and all creatures outside the smoke are concealed to creatures within it. These effects all last for 1 minute. Speed 10 feet, climb 10 feet Melee 1 pseudopod +14 (agile), Damage 2d6+5 bludgeoning Elastic Bounce 1 Frequency Once per round; Requirements The euphoria ooze’s last action was a successful pseudopod Strike or a successful Shove, or the euphoria ooze is within 5 feet of a wall; Effect The ooze bounces off either a wall or the creature it hit or pushed. It Strides twice. If it ends its movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, it can make a melee Strike against that enemy.

Extra Toe COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JASON LUKE

DOCTORS HATE THIS ONE TRICK

Some humanoids voluntarily host one or more extra toes, accepting the parasite’s disgusting lifecycle as an acceptable trade-off for its benefits. One detail its detractors fail to mention is that the extra toe senses when toenails on its host’s real toes grow too long. It detaches while the host is sleeping and trims the nails back with its teeth, forestalling any maintenance that could draw attention to its presence. Another advantage is for those who may be missing a toe at birth or due to an accident. A complete set of toes is important for balance and agility, and an extra toe is a cheap and easy replacement!

A small, fleshy, caterpillar-like creature, the extra toe is a small insect that has adapted to look like a humanoid toe. When a humanoid walks too close to the nest of an extra toe, the creature attempts to grab their foot with small pincers, injecting a toxin that numbs the flesh. Upon success, the creature then buries its head deep into the humanoid’s foot and begins to feed on the blood of its new host. At a quick glance, the host can easily mistake the extra toe for one of the host’s own toes, and the extra toe remains in this position until the host finally notices and removes the parasite, or until it is able to lay its eggs. If an extra toe is able to lay eggs, they hatch after two weeks, and the larvae squirm their way out of the host’s foot and begin their quest to find their own hosts to repeat the process. The process of bursting forth from the host’s foot leaves a small wound on the foot, but just like the fully grown extra toe, the larvae inject the foot with venom to numb the area, and the host might not notice the wound until several hours later. The wound is small and without complications, healing up naturally after a day or two. In case the host discovers the extra toe and attempts to pluck it off, the extra toe is capable of spraying a scent that burns the eyes, mouth, and nose of the victim. The spray causes the victim to jerk violently from the pain, hopefully losing their grip on the extra toe and giving the parasite the opportunity to escape. If attacked, an extra toe makes haste for the nearest undergrowth and tries to hide out of sight.

EXTRA TOE N

TINY

ANIMAL

CREATURE –1

Perception +5 Skills Stealth+5, Survival+4 Str+0, Dex+3, Con+3, Int–5, Wis+2, Cha+0 AC 15; Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +4 HP 8 Defense Spray 5 Trigger An extra toe becomes grabbed due to a creature’s actions; Effect The extra toe emits a spray of foul smelling gas in order to weaken the triggering creature’s hold on it and attempt to scuttle away. The triggering creature must attempt a DC 15 Reflex save to hang onto the extra toe. Success The grabbing creature is able to retain their hold on the extra toe. Failure The extra toe leaps out of the creature’s grasp, escaping the grabbed condition. Critical Failure As failure, and the grabbing creature is sickened 1. Speed 10 feet Melee 1 jaws +8 (agile, finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d4 piercing plus Attach Attach When a extra toe hits a humanoid creature larger than itself with its jaws, and that creature has a foot, the extra toe attaches itself to that creature like an additional natural toe, releasing an anesthetic such that the creature doesn’t notice the bite or attachment. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the extra toe moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The extra toe is flatfooted while attached. If the extra toe is killed or pushed away while attached to a creature, that creature takes 1 persistent bleed damage. Escaping the attach or removing the extra toe in other ways doesn’t cause bleed damage. Extra Toe Eggs (disease) Saving Throw DC 14 Fortitude; Onset 2 weeks; Stage 1 The extra toe larvae break free, causing 1d4 damage, though the anesthesia prevents the afflicted creature from feeling the pain. Spawn 3 Requirements The extra toe is attached to a creature; Effect The extra toe lays countless eggs within its host’s foot, exposing the attached creature to extra toe eggs, as its larvae seek to grow within the foot.

Horrific aberrations that walk through the coastal mists, eye stalkers are the enemies of wandering drunkards and seaside encampments. Eye stalkers are tall, elongated creatures with greenish sallow skin, an emaciated visage, matted dark hair that falls to their feet, large claw-like hands that drag behind them as they walk, and empty, eyeless faces. To some, they might be mistaken for another taller humanoid, but to those who look beyond their greasy locks into the empty, gaping eye sockets beneath, they are a terrifying harbinger of imminent death. Eye Stalkers normally can’t see, as they have empty eye sockets set within their skulls. This makes them dependent on sound to find and hunt for their prey. They don’t have external ears. Instead, all of their organs related to hearing are internal, with only a small cluster of holes on either side of their head. Despite this, eye stalkers are incredibly gifted in their ability to hear their prey. As their name suggests, eye stalkers primarily steal and use the eyes of their victims to gain temporary sight, gouging out a victim’s eyes and implanting them within their own empty sockets. Eye Stalkers who manage to prove themselves by stealing a victim’s eyes are often chosen to lead other eye stalkers nearby, as their success indicates that they are capable of overcoming their prey. An eye stalker typically uses up a set of stolen eyes until the point where they are too decomposed to function. They then remove the rotted eyes and begin to search for a new pair.

EYE STALKER UNCOMMON

LARGE

Eye Stalker COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ELIZABETH HARRIS

EYE STALKER NESTS

Eye stalkers are known to ’nest’ among seaside caves or rock clusters, folding their elongated bodies into tightly packed balls and huddling alongside one another in some kind of apparent hibernation. Though they roam seasides, eye stalkers don’t venture out without the presence of fog or mist within the area.

CREATURE 7 ABERRATION

Perception +18;precise hearing 40 feet, no vision Languages Aklo Skills Athletics+17, Stealth+15 Str+6, Dex+4, Con+4, Int+4, Wis+6, Cha+2 AC 25; Fort +17, Ref +13, Will +15 HP 135; Immunitiesblinded; Weaknessessonic 10 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 jaws +18, Damage 2d8+8 piercing Melee 1 claw +18 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d4+8 slashing Extract Eyes 2 (attack, divination, occult) The eye stalker attempts an Athletics check against the creature’s Fortitude DC. On a success, it deals 2d4+8 piercing damage as it extracts one of the creature’s eyes, with the optic nerves still magically functional, from its socket. On a critical success, it extracts both eyes and deals double damage. A creature with all its eyes stolen is blinded until it recovers one or more of eyes. A creature can retrieve the stolen eyes and return them to its empty socket with an Interact action. As long as they do so while the eyes last (typically within 1 week of being stolen), this instantly reattaches their eyes and restores their vision. Stories tell of creatures forced to replace their missing eyes with those from another creature robbed by an eye stalker, granting them unusual senses temporarily or permanently. This might be possible at the GM’s discretion. Pack Hunters An eye stalker’s Strikes deal an extra 1d6 damage to creatures within reach of at least two allies. Steal Sight 1 Requirements The eye stalker has stolen at least two eyes using Extract Eyes; Effect The eye stalker puts the stolen eyes in its empty sockets. It gains precise vision, as well as other visual senses from the creature whose eyes it stole (including darkvision), and it gains 15 temporary HP. The stolen eyes typically last for roughly 1 week, but if an effect would give the eye stalker the blinded condition, that effect pops out their stolen eyes instead, removing any remaining temporary HP, if any as they fall from the eye stalker’s sockets.

False Tarrasque SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN WRIGHT

HEY, THAT’S NOT A TARRASQUE!

A false tarrasque has numerous tells in its disguise, the most obvious being that despite its size, the false image is often too small. Keen eyes may also note that the fire elemental’s flames set nothing alight or the tarrasque’s hurled spines vanish after impact. A false tarrasque’s inability to speak also betrays any disguise of more sophisticated creatures like dragons. But even so, most people don’t have time to notice these small details while they’re running away in terror.

Despite their name, false tarrasques do not necessarily take the form of tarrasques. The tarrasque is merely their most infamous disguise, since a false tarrasque can take any titanic form they wish. False tarrasques’ intelligence may be more primal than scholarly, but they know a surprising amount of information about the most fearsome monsters of the world and use this to shape their disguises, taking the time to learn the best form to take in a given area. Younger and less experienced false tarrasques typically become monstrously large versions of ordinary animals they’ve seen, such as spiders, snakes, or wolves, while older ones favor either universally feared creatures like ancient dragons or titanic golems or creatures feared in the specific folklore of the region. The first false tarrasques originally took the shape of jabberwocks. They were granted their powers by a fey lord, who used them to prank her rival by sneaking them into his balls and ceremonies to have them assume their titanic form and terrify all present. She successfully pulled off this prank on six occasions, and on the seventh, she arranged for an actual jabberwock to be teleported in. The utter destruction of her rival’s estate and the widescale butchery of all present at the claws of a true beast when her rival expected yet another harmless figment was viewed as both a brilliant political move and a hilarious prank by the survivors.

FALSE TARRASQUE CREATURE 1 UNCOMMON

TINY

FEY

Perception +7;low light vision Languages Sylvan (cannot speak) Skills Deception+7, Intimidation+7, Legendary Monster Lore+6, Performance+7 Str+1, Dex+3, Con+1, Int–3, Wis+3, Cha+4 AC 16; Fort +4, Ref +10, Will +6 HP 16 Flee 5 (polymorph, primal, transmutation) Trigger A creature makes a hostile action against the false tarrasque while its Titanic Transformation is active. Effect Before the triggering action is resolved, the false tarrasque becomes invisible until the end of its next turn. This might force the creature to make a DC 11 flat check to target the false tarrasque. After the triggering action, the false tarrasque’s Titanic Transformation ends. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 claw +9 (finesse), Damage 1d6+2 slashing Melee 1 jaws +9 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d4+2 piercing Melee 1 tail +9 (finesse), Damage 1d6+2 bludgeoning Illusory Attack 2 (illusion, mental, primal) The false tarrasque creates a colossal illusory attack, which can appear as any damage type. In its normal form, Illusory Attack affects a 10-foot cone, but while Titanic Transformation is active, Illusory Attack can affect a 30-foot cone, a 60-foot line, or a 10-foot burst with a range of 90 feet. Regardless of the area affected or the damage type it mimics, Illusory Attack deals 1d8 mental damage (DC 14 basic Will save). A creature that critically succeeds, or a creature with a resistance, immunity, or vulnerability that should apply to the apparent damage type, recognizes that the Illusory Attack is actually an illusion. Such a creature gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to saving throws against Illusory Attack. Titanic Transformation 2 (polymorph, primal, transmutation) Frequency Once per day; Effect The false tarrasque assumes a monstrous appearance of its choice and its size becomes Gargantuan. All of its attacks gain a 10 foot reach while transformed but its statistics are otherwise unchanged.

Feddry are amphibious humanoids who protect themselves by wearing rocks. Feddry typically appear as several feathery tendrils emerging from a porous rock, contorting into an exaggerated human-like face with feathery gills, bulging eyes, and a nearly accurate humanoid body. A feddry in this form is positively abuzz with excitement. Feddry are best known for their simplistic views of the universe. To them, everything is either a feddry or a rock. Anything capable of movement or action, including air and water currents, is a feddry, while anything else is a rock. Rocks are meant to protect feddry. Many feddry engage in long, drawn-out debates over the nature of feddry and the use of rocks, making them quaint and befuddling conversationalists. Many feddry colonies can be found near coral reefs; though feddry can move farther inland, they prefer plankton-filled water for food. Feddry outside of their rock homes have malleable bodies, which are made of long, flexible tendrils wrapped in layers. Even so, most feddry can’t be convinced to take on any form other than a small humanoid with two arms, two legs, and a head, with their home rock serving as the torso. When at rest or scared, a feddry often retreats into its personal rock. A feddry’s rock serves as protective armor for most of its vitals; inside is a tangle of further tendrils, tubes, and bulges. Feddry have no concept of gender, and study has only determined that they have a plankton-like life stage before attaching to a proper rock.

FEDDRY DANDY N

SMALL

AMPHIBIOUS

Feddry COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY AARON B. BRADFORD

A ROCK BY ANY OTHER NAME

Although feddry are considered simplistic by many, their society is more complex than it seems to outsiders. One well-known incident occurred when a feddry’s pet rock insisted that it was a feddry. The claim nearly led to a schism in feddry society until one of them pointed out that since all feddry would one day become rocks, there was no reason a rock could not become a feddry.

CREATURE 0 FEDDRY

HUMANOID

Perception +6;low-light vision Languages Common (Spoken and Signed) Skills Crafting+3, Deception+5, Diplomacy+5, Rock Lore+6, Society+3, Stealth+6 Str+2, Dex+3, Con+2, Int+0, Wis+1, Cha+3 Items dagger, explorer’s clothing, repair kit AC 16; Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +3 HP 15 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 dagger +8 (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet, versatile S), Damage 1d4+2 piercing Melee 1 fist +8 (agile, finesse, nonlethal), Damage 1d4+2 bludgeoning Ranged 1 rock +8 (nonlethal, thrown 10 feet), Damage 1d4+2 bludgeoning Roll 1 (move) Requirements The feddry is Withdrawn into Rock; Effect The feddry rolls slowly across the ground, moving 5 feet. Static Touch The vibrations a feddry makes generate a strong static charge. The first time each round that an adjacent creature hits the feddry with a melee attack, or a creature touches the feddry or hits the feddry with an unarmed attack, this static discharges, causing 1 electricity damage to the creature touched. A feddry can suppress or resume this static as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. Withdraw into Rock 2 A feddry can retreat into its rock, dropping equipment that can’t fit into its rock torso. While hiding inside its rock, the feddry gains the benefits of greater cover, though other creatures can attack and destroy the rock to remove the greater cover. The rock is a Tiny object the size of a backpack with Hardness 7, HP 28, BT 14, and 1 Bulk. A feddry can speak and listen while hiding in its rock, but it can’t see outside and can’t take most actions that require the use of its body, particularly its hands or legs. This includes the use of its Strikes. The only move action it can take while Withdrawn into its Rock is to Roll. It can use Withdraw into Rock again to leave the rock’s cover and return to its usual appearance. Other creatures might mistake a feddry in rock form for a rock as long as it remains still unless they succeed at a DC 20 Perception or Nature check.

Fetchfisher PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ALEX G. FRIEDMAN

FETCHFISHER EDUCATION

Fetchfishers are able to defend themselves and hunt in a brood even at a young age. However, at this point, their mind hasn’t yet fully developed, and they act more like animals than their adult counterparts. Thus, responsible adult fetchfishers watch over a brood swarm. Adult fetchfishers use harsh but fair practical hands-on lessons to teach important topics like hunting, language, nearby threats, and geography.

Fetchfishers are a family of mammalian beasts from the Shadow Plane that hunt on the borders between the Material Plane and the Shadow Plane. Exposure to shadowy energies can cause them to grow larger and more powerful.

Fetchfisher Brood Swarm

Though they are wily and ferocious, few fetchfishers survive into maturity. Pressures, such as competition from other liminal predators and pelt harvesting by shadow giants, have driven fetchfishers to raise their young communally in large, vicious broods. Although fetchfishers’ claws only begin to lengthen and hook as the kittens approach adolescence, their flesh-ripping fangs develop quite early. A fetchfisher kitten is around the size of a common dog. They are long-necked, with an oily black coat and a slithering gait like a salamander. When a brood is hiding prone in the shadows, kittens are nearly undetectable except for the reflections in their eyes, which flash green in torchlight. A kitten’s shadowy secretions are just as potent as those of an adult, but individuals don’t seem to develop the finesse to slip between the cracks in the planes as easily until adulthood. Nevertheless, grease from a kitten’s coat interferes with light sources and impedes movement as the substance permeates the boundaries between planes. Fetchfishers prefer to nest in the shadow of a large, warm, consistent light source. A brood might be found within the shadow of a great forge, beneath the base of a beacon fire, or even adjacent in a planar dimension to a d’ziriak light weaving. If left undisturbed in the dark, a fetchfisher brood is unlikely to swarm. However, hapless adventurers who carelessly shine light into a fetchfisher den soon find themselves dogpiled by dozens of oily shadows, bitten, shredded, and dragged halfway between the planes. Should the unlucky interloper manage to free themselves, they had best make themselves scarce. Fetchfishers rarely leave a brood without a babysitter nearby.

FETCHFISHER BROOD SWARM UNCOMMON

LARGE

BEAST

SHADOW

SWARM

CREATURE 5

Perception +11;greater darkvision, light blindness Skills Acrobatics+12, Athletics+13, Stealth+13 Str+5, Dex+5, Con+5, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha–4 Shifting Mass Despite their size, the fetchfisher can shift their body between planes to allow it to fit through tight spaces and take cover behind small obstacles that would be enough to provide cover for a Medium creature. While Squeezing, they can move at their full Speed. When using the Take Cover action, they can take cover behind Large or larger objects, reducing their space down from 15 by 15 feet to as small as 5 by 5 feet as necessary. AC 19; Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +9 HP 72; Immunities precision, swarm mind; Weaknesses area damage5, splash damage5; Resistancesbludgeoning3, piercing5, slashing5 Speed 20 feet, climb 15 feet Swarming Bites 1 Each enemy in the swarm’s space takes 3d6 piercing damage with a DC 22 basic Reflex save. The swarm attempts to counteract all light effects in the area (counteract level 3, counteract modifier +12) by slathering them in fetchfisher oil. If the light effect is on a creature in the area, or an object worn or held by a creature, a successful Reflex save allows the creature to avoid the oil. The oil can be removed by spending an Interact action to wipe it off. This restores any light effects counteracted by the swarm.

Fetchfisher

Fetchfishers are ambush predators that hunt at the edges of the Material and Shadow Planes. Although they are massive, ursine beasts, they stalk their prey by stepping through shadows and contorting behind natural and constructed edifices alike. When their quarry is distracted, a fetchfisher extends an impossibly long, taloned paw and snatches the startled victim away. These devilish hunters have been known to use roadside shelters, wells, and other essential structures as bait. A fetchfisher resembles a three-story-tall sloth with the long neck and fanged maw of a humongous weasel. They are almost comically ungainly on open ground, but on the hunt, they move with extraordinary fluidity through the shadows. Fetchfishers contort, hug, and shrink their extremely elastic, supine bodies to fit behind nearly any cover precisely. They conceal their bulk on the connecting plane, the Shadow Plane when hunting on the Material Plane, or on the Material Plane when they hunt the Shadow Plane. With their sharp claws, they carefully comb and manicure a slimy, oily secretion into their fur, giving their coat an inky black color. This secretion is key to their ability to step into the Shadow Plane. How fetchfishers extend their forelimbs to such extreme lengths is less understood, but this must be a function of the creatures’ extraordinary ability to shift their mass between planes. On the Material Plane, fetchfishers are known only to specialized scholars, as they prefer to lurk just outside of the humanoid field of vision. To fetchlings and other people of the Shadow Plane, however, fetchfishers are feared, and so they take precautions against them. Fetchfishers understand the languages of their prey and can speak in a voice similar in tone to a fetchling child’s. Occasionally they use deception as a lure, calling out for help or wailing like a child, but they seem to have little interest in conversation or diplomacy.

FETCHFISHER UNCOMMON

HUGE

PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ALEX G. FRIEDMAN

FETCHFISHER COLLABORATORS On the rarer occasions that fetchfishers hunt on the Material Plane, they have been known to cooperate with mimics to launch elaborate ambush schemes. In these schemes, the mimic acts as bait, adhering the victim in place to allow the fetchfisher to either gang up on a solitary victim or to snatch and drag away a back-line ally to make the mimic’s job easier.

CREATURE 7 BEAST

SHADOW

Perception +15;greater darkvision, light blindness Languages Common, Shadowtongue, Undercommon Skills Athletics+17, Deception+13, Fetchling Lore+13, Stealth+20 Str+6, Dex+6, Con+4, Int+2, Wis+4, Cha+0 Shifting Mass As fetchfisher brood swarm. Snatching Ambush 5 Requirements Initiative has not yet been rolled. Trigger A creature that hasn’t observed the fetchfisher moves within 15 feet of the fetchfisher. Effect The fetchfisher uses Snatch and Drag and then rolls initiative. AC 22; Fort +13, Ref +17, Will +15 HP 170 Speed 15 feet, climb 15 feet Melee 1 claw +18, Damage 2d10+9 slashing and Improved Grab Melee 1 jaws +18, Damage 2d12+9 piercing Constrict 1 2d10+3 bludgeoning, DC 25 Shadow Step 1 (conjuration, primal, shadow, teleportation) Requirements The fetchfisher is in an area of dim light or darkness or is standing in the shadow of any Large or larger object; Effect The fetchfisher instantly teleports to another location that’s in dim light or darkness or to a space that’s in the shadow of any Large or larger object. Either way, the destination must be within 60 feet. Snatch and Drag 2 The fetchfisher stretches their arm and snatches away their prey. The fetchfisher makes a claw Strike against a creature within 15 feet, despite the claw normally having a reach of 5 feet. If the fetchfisher hits and uses Improved Grab, it moves the creature to the nearest square adjacent to the fetchfisher.

Fetchfisher PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ALEX G. FRIEDMAN

GREATER FETCHFISHER RIVALS

Many of the more sad*stic schemers who occupy a similar niche to fetchfishers, such as bogeymen and bugbears, tend to think of themselves as the apex predators of the dark. A greater fetchfisher might observe these half-clever haunters for months from the darker places between shadows. While a bogeyman savors the process of terrorizing and baiting victims until they are encircled within their trap, a greater fetchfisher waits and bides their time. Only once their allies are in place and their mark has conveniently gathered victims for the kill do they strike. Then, like a leviathan appearing before a shoal in the gloom, the greater fetchfisher gorges itself on predator and prey alike.

Greater Fetchfisher

While the majority of fetchfishers seem content to subsist off of small-scale banditry, there are rare individuals with more terrible aspirations. Fetchfishers can develop a taste for evil magic and negative energy, as they naturally produce a small amount of primal shadow magic. A fetchfisher who regularly consumes such power eventually undergoes a transformation into a greater fetchfisher. Few understand fetchfisher metamorphosis, as it is a blessedly rare occurrence. At some point, after consuming enough magical energy, the fetchfisher enters their den and hibernates, usually guarded by generations of their own offspring. After a few months, the greater fetchfisher emerges, monstrously transformed. Greater fetchfishers are heavily muscled, with a larger, fish-hooked killing claw on the index digit of each forepaw. Their jawbones extend beyond the snout in a grotesque, fleshy, crocodilian maw, lined with multiple rows of teeth. While the beast’s eyes aren’t as thoroughly transformed, their positioning shifts higher on the skull for a broader field of view. Those unlucky enough to encounter a greater fetchfisher swear they exhibit a higher predatory intellect than their kin. An area that has been routinely hunted by a greater fetchfisher has several telltale signs. Ambient light seems bleary. Shadows might extend further than they should and diminish light more completely. Shadowy places, like woods and gullies, might develop the stench of rancid cooking fat. These are side effects of frequent travel by greater fetchfishers, as their slime residue settles into the nooks where shadows fall.

GREATER FETCHFISHER UNCOMMON

HUGE

BEAST

SHADOW

CREATURE 13

Perception +24; greater darkvision, light blindness Languages Shadowtongue, Common, Undercommon Skills Athletics +27, Deception +24, Fetchling Lore+24, Stealth+30 Str +8, Dex +8, Con +7, Int +4, Wis +5, Cha+5 Shifting Mass As fetchfisher brood swarm. Snatching Ambush 5 (range 15 feet) As fetchfisher, except the greater fetchfisher uses Snatch and Dive instead of Snatch and Drag. AC 31; Fort +24, Ref +25, Will +20 HP 340 Speed 15 feet, climb 15 feet Melee 1 claw +27 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d12+14 slashing and Improved Grab Melee 1 jaws +27 (agile), Damage 3d10+14 piercing Shadow Step 1 (conjuration, primal, shadow, teleportation) As fetchfisher. Snatch and Dive 3 The greater fetchfisher stretches their arm and snatches away their prey before diving into the shadows. The greater fetchfisher makes a claw Strike against a creature within 15 feet, despite the claw normally having a reach of 10 feet. If the greater fetchfisher hits and uses Improved Grab, they move the creature to the nearest square adjacent to the greater fetchfisher. The greater fetchfisher can then Shadow Step. If it chooses to Shadow Step, the grabbed creature must attempt a DC 30 Will save. On a failure, the target teleports with the greater fetchfisher, arriving in the same relative position and remaining grabbed. On a success, the greater fetchfisher can choose not to teleport if it wants to keep the creature grabbed.

A feth velaunt is both a creature and a curse, appearing as a transparent eel-like creature with an ophidian head and hard, oversized fins. It grows and absorbs bodies until it can threaten an entire small settlement on its own. A feth velaunt forms when a curse afflicts the local dead, causing them to lose all their color and opacity before crawling out of their grave to wander into the ocean. Worse, under the waves, the bodies of the dead merge together, forming a creature of singular desire: to continue growing.

FETH VELAUNT RARE

HUGE

ABERRATION

CREATURE 9 AMPHIBIOUS

CURSE

Perception +18; darkvision Languages Aklo Skills Athletics+20, Intimidation+18, Occultism+13, Stealth+13 (+20 underwater) Str+6, Dex+2, Con+6, Int–3, Wis+4, Cha+2 AC 25; Fort +21, Ref +15, Will +18;+2 to all saves against curses HP 175; Weaknessesmental 5; Resistancescold 5 Accursed Absence The feth velaunt is as much a curse as it is a creature, and the way it fades back and forth between the two aspects of itself makes it significantly harder to harm it. Whenever a Strike would hit the feth velaunt, the attacking creature must attempt a DC 9 flat check. On a failure, the Strike phases through the feth velaunt and misses. Afterwards, regardless of the result of the flat check, the DC decreases by 2. This reduction is cumulative, and once the flat check DC reaches 1, creatures no longer need to attempt it when they hit the feth velaunt with a Strike. At the beginning of the feth velaunt’s turn, the flat check DC resets to 9. Speed 25 feet, Swim 40 feet Melee 1 jaws +21 (Reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+9 piercing plus 1d6 mental Melee 1 tether lash +19 (Reach 30 feet), Damage 2d8+12 bludgeoning plus tether Harvest 2 The feth velaunt unleashes a barrage of tether lashes in a 30 foot cone. All creatures in the area of the barrage must attempt a DC 28 Reflex saving throw. On a failure, they’re tethered and take 4d8 bludgeoning damage, and on a critical failure, they take double damage and are affected by tether. The feth velaunt can’t Harvest again for 1d4 rounds. Mind Crush 1 (nonlethal) Frequency once per round; Effect The feth velaunt sends a wave of psychic energy to crush the minds of the victims attached to its tethers. Each creature tethered by the feth velaunt takes 6d6 mental damage with a DC 25 basic Will save. Creatures restrained by the tether treat the result of their saving throw as one degree of success worse than they rolled. Tether If the feth velaunt hits a creature with its tether lash, that creature becomes grabbed by the feth velaunt (Escape DC 30). Unlike normal for the grabbed condition, a creature grabbed by a feth velaunt isn’t immobilized, though it can’t move outside of the tether’s reach. A creature can sever the tether by attacking the tether, which has an AC of 20, and dealing at least 15 slashing damage. If the feth velaunt attempts to move in a way that would exceed the reach of any tether, creatures attached to those tethers can attempt an Escape action as a reaction. If they fail to Escape, or don’t attempt to Escape, such creatures are dragged along with the feth velaunt at a distance equal to the tether’s reach. This is forced movement. The reach of all current tethers decreases by 15 feet at the start of the feth velaunt’s turn each round, dragging all tethered creatures towards it if the reach becomes less than the distance between the creature and feth velaunt. If a tether’s reach reaches 0 in this way, the tethered creature becomes restrained. Creatures who are restrained in this way are moved along with the feth velaunt when it moves. Each time the feth velaunt takes damage, all creatures currently tethered take 1d4 mental damage; this damaging effect has the nonlethal trait.

Feth Velaunt GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY SPENCER WHITING

FETH VELAUNT FINALES

Eventually, the citizenry discovers the grisly parade of mindless, transparent bodies, or there aren’t enough corpses to sustain growth. That’s when it surfaces. Long and eel-like, transparent as fine glass, the creature drags itself onto land with its fins. Its belly is a miasma of coiling, whipping tendrils. It tethers dozens of creatures and tucks them up under its belly. Then, it slips back underwater so that its gathered victims dreamlessly drown. While these statistics are perfect for a newly arisen feth velaunt, with enough time and bodies, it could become a gargantuan creature capable of destroying cities.

Fethrotte COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY SPENCER WHITING

CAUTIONARY TAILS

Alchemists tempted to speed up the cleanup process by keeping more than one fethrotte quickly learn that fethrottes eat anything they consider food, including each other. The last thing an alchemist needs in a lab is more explosions, so a chain reaction of detonating cannibalized rats is not an appealing concept. They’ve also learned to monitor fethrottes that survive longer than usual. Their rate of mutation increases as they grow, and they may develop undesirable traits such as spewing elemental damage in a cone, changing sizes uncontrollably, growing wings, or birthing copies of themselves. Perhaps taking the time to clean up one’s own messes isn’t so bad after all.

A fethrotte is a markedly unintelligent, cantankerous, solitary creature that typically leads a short, painful life due to their singular purpose—a disposal system created to devour dangerous chemicals in alchemical laboratories. It moves slowly on its disproportionately small, overworked feet as it drags its distended, corpulent belly behind it. Behaviorally, fethrottes are aggressively territorial. Normal food will no longer sustain them, and so they are utterly reliant on its alchemist creator and the lab where its food is generated. Try to remove a fethrotte from its home, and it will fight obsessively and mercilessly. It may appear to be a common giant rat, but elemental grotesqueries come belching from between its gnarled teeth, and mutagenic mutations enable it to alter its very body to better rend an intruder. While a fethrotte is not a particularly uncommon sight in an alchemical lab today, the specific origins of the creature are lost to time, though the haunting procedure to create one has spread since then. The process involves feeding a mundane giant rat a caustic mixture of mutagens and other alchemical drippings to create a servant perfectly suited to cleaning up the dangerous fluids and runoff of an active laboratory. Adventurers are advised to pay heed to an addendum penned after an alchemical researcher’s final entry by their assistant: “Do not touch the corpse of a fethrotte, or your assistant will be entirely out of a job.”

FETHROTTE UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 3 ALCHEMICAL

ANIMAL

Perception +7; low-light vision Skills Acrobatics+7, Athletics+9, Stealth+9 Str+3, Dex+2, Con+4, Int–4, Wis+1, Cha+0 AC 20; Fort +12, Ref +9, Will +6 HP 50 Matching Miasma 5 Trigger The fethrotte takes acid, cold, electricity, fire, poison, or sonic damage; Effect The next jaws Strike the fethrotte makes deals 1d6 additional damage of the same energy type. The jaws Strike gains the corresponding energy trait. Volatile Contents (acid, cold, electricity, fire, poison, sonic) When the fethrotte is killed, it bubbles and froths and undulates with growing intensity. If it is touched or moved, it detonates in a foul spew, dealing 1d6 damage each of acid, cold, electricity, fire, poison, and sonic in a 10 foot emanation (6d6 total, basic Reflex save against DC 20). If no one interacts with it, the body detonates 1d4 minutes later in a 20 foot emanation. Speed 20 feet Melee 1 jaws +12, Damage 1d6+6 piercing plus Grab Heedless Mutation 1 (manipulate) Frequency Once per round; Requirements The fethrotte has taken damage since the last time it used Heedless Mutation; Effect With a grotesque twisting and expansion of its mouth and teeth, the fethrotte gains a +1 status bonus to its damage rolls with its jaws Strikes, but becomes clumsy 1. This effect is cumulative with multiple uses to a maximum of a +4 status bonus to damage rolls and clumsy 4. Two minutes after first using this ability or if the fethrotte loses consciousness, all changes from Heedless Mutation revert and it gains the drained condition equal to twice the previous status bonus and clumsy condition. If this would result in a drained condition higher than 4 (due to the status bonus and clumsy condition being 3 or 4), the backlash is fatal, and the fethrotte dies immediately as its head snaps back to its normal size.

Fosterkin are benevolent aberrations who love and care for young creatures without parents. According to popular folklore, fosterkin were created when an orphan made a powerful wish upon a star to have loving parents, and that wish was granted by strange benevolent entities beyond the stars. The child’s fur coat, or perhaps their rug, came to life and transformed into the first fosterkin, a creature filled with parental love for the child who innately knew how to provide adequate care and protection. The child’s wish surged in their heart, growing and changing into a wish to share this strange form of parental love with all the world’s children. Thus, hundreds of rugs or coats nearby transformed into a flock of fosterkin, who would each seek out children of their own to foster. The validity of this origin story is debatable, but it’s certainly true that fosterkin are unable to procreate. Despite this, fosterkin have a primal urge to protect and raise children. These friendly creatures hide throughout various civilizations, searching for children in need of parents. Skittish by nature around adult humanoids, fosterkin move discreetly through cities and towns by disguising themselves as fur coats and rugs, a ruse that comes naturally to these furry creatures. Fosterkin can’t bear to see children suffer, and they feel the worst thing in the world is when terrible parents don’t love or care for their children. Thus, they seek out abusive households and wait for opportune moments to steal children away from their terrible parents. When a favorable moment occurs, the fosterkin makes its presence known to the abused child, innately knowing how to soothe the youth. If the child agrees, the fosterkin then sneaks away with its newly adopted ward. If confronted, a fosterkin prefers to use nonviolent means to escape its adversary, however it will give its life if necessary to protect its ward. Once a foe is rendered incapacitated, the fosterkin attempts to modify the foe’s memory so that it forgets the encounter with the fosterkin. With the child’s consent, the fosterkin can use this same power to erase childhood trauma from its adopted offspring. Fosterkin raise children as if they were their own, and few things can match the love and support a fosterkin parent provides. Rumor has it that a ritual exists to draw the stars’ attention and create new fosterkin. However, if such a ritual exists, it has long been hidden.

FOSTERKIN RARE

MEDIUM

Fosterkin COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVID GREENE

A WORLD APART

Fosterkin are often uncomfortable in crowded cities and instead prefer raising their children in a rural setting. Some lead nomadic lifestyles, training their wards to be adventurers and survivalists. Others build treehouse villages or networks of underground burrows to emulate the societies their children came from. Dozens of fosterkin and children may make up these communities, with grown children that the fosterkin previously raised acting as intermediaries between them and those in an industrial society.

CREATURE 12 ABERRATION

Perception +22;darkvision Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Athletics +22, Deception +7 (+25 to Impersonate a fur coat or rug), Occultism+22, Parenting Lore+20, Stealth+25 Str+5, Dex+4, Con+3, Int+2, Wis+5, Cha+7 AC 32; Fort +19, Ref +22, Will +25 HP 211 Comforting Aura (emotion, mental, occult) 30 feet. Allies in the fosterkin’s aura feel soothing comfort. At the beginning of their turns, they reduce their frightened condition by 1 (in addition to reducing it normally at the end of their turns). Additionally, if they have the fleeing condition from a fear effect, they can choose to take no actions and stay in place, rather than running away, whichever they prefer. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 fist +24 (magical), Damage 3d6+11 bludgeoning plus Improved Grab Innate Occult Spells DC 32, attack +24; 6thmodify memory, sleep (×2); 5thsoothe (×2); 4thmodify memory (×2), sleep (×2); 1stsanctuary (×4) Cushioning Blows The fosterkin can make nonlethal fist Strikes without penalty. Sleepy Embrace 2 (enchantment, incapacitation, occult, sleep) Requirements The fosterkin has a creature grabbed with its fist. Effect The fosterkin rocks the target to sleep, with a DC 32 Will save. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target is enfeebled 1 for 1 minute. Failure The target falls unconscious for 1d6 rounds and is enfeebled 2 for 1 minute. For the duration of the unconscious condition, they can’t attempt Perception checks to wake up. Critical Failure The target falls unconscious and is enfeebled 4, both for 1 minute. For the duration of the unconscious condition, they can’t attempt Perception checks to wake up.

Frenzied Trashfire SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MARK T. ADKINS

LET IT GLOW

Some cities have found frenzied trashfires to be quite useful. They reduce the size of trash yards while preventing other unsavory creatures from taking up residence in them. Establishing a relationship with a trashfire requires magic to calm it and a translator to negotiate with it. Each trashfire has a different personality, so while some only want the city to burn, others have more of a live and let live attitude and are perfectly content consuming trash peacefully for others.

A frenzied trashfire is an elemental creature formed of a large, roiling mass of trash and debris, surrounded by a dangerous fire. These creatures can spring up without warning in trash yards or other areas where pollution is common. While a frenzied trashfire is sentient, all known descriptions of these creatures describe them as being driven by a relentless rage. While that rage is often directed at the markers (or excesses) of civilization, it’s hard to know if the creature’s violent actions are deliberate or happenstance. Scholars speculate that frenzied trashfires might be the result of failed magical experiments by druids aimed at striking a blow against civilization and the alltoo-common pollution that it brings in its wake. This leads many to wonder if other types of pollution-tainted elementals might exist. Due to their fragility to blunt attacks, frenzied trashfires prefer to attack from a distance, often hiding behind walls of flaming trash that they have created.

FRENZIED TRASHFIRE UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

ELEMENTAL

CREATURE 8 FIRE

Perception +16;darkvision Languages Ignan Skills Acrobatics+16, Athletics+14, Filth Lore+12 Str+2, Dex+4, Con+2, Int–1, Wis+3, Cha+0 AC 27; Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +13 HP 145; Immunitiesbleed, fire, paralyzed, poison, sleep; Weaknessesbludgeoning 10, cold 10 Consume Debris The frenzied trashfire naturally draws trash, refuse, and other debris into its body to fuel its flames. At the beginning of its turn, if the frenzied trashfire is standing on a significant pile of trash, it absorbs some of the trash pile into itself and recovers 2d6 Hit Points. Vulnerable to Momentum Because the frenzied trashfire has a body composed largely of trash, weapons that build up a great deal of momentum and scatter that debris are very effective against it. Critical hits from weapons with the backswing, forceful, or sweep traits cause the frenzied trashfire to become clumsy 2 for 1 round. Speed 30 feet; trash walker Melee 1 burning refuse +18 (agile), Damage 2d6+4 bludgeoning plus 2d6 persistent fire Ranged 1 thrown refuse +20 (range increment 50 feet), Damage 2d10+4 bludgeoning plus 2d6 persistent fire Primal Innate Spells DC 23; 3rdstinking cloud (×2) Wall of Burning Refuse 3 (evocation, fire, primal) The frenzied trashfire Strides or Steps up to three times, in any combination. During its movement, it can target up to 8 contiguous squares through which it passes, leaving a wall built out of 10 foot tall piles of burning trash in its wake. Other than the size and shape, this wall has the effects of a wall of fire spell. The frenzied trashfire can see through the concealment caused by this effect. A frenzied trashfire can’t use this ability again until it spends at least 1 minute absorbing more trash into its body. Trash Walker The frenzied trashfire ignores difficult terrain and greater difficult terrain created by trash, refuse, or debris.

Furnace Newt

Curious and playful, cat-sized furnace newts are nevertheless quite dangerous. Should a creature intrude upon their territory, furnace newts fight fiercely to defend their homes, but furnace newts’ true power lies in their unique physiology. Furnace newts live in hot, volcanic regions and are well adapted to high temperatures. As a furnace newt is exposed to more and more heat, it siphons some of the thermal energy to empower itself, growing larger and, in turn, radiating heat and fire around itself. This makes furnace newts popular additions to the domains of creatures that make use of fire, as the newt can add significant firepower to their side in a prolonged fight. Most furnace newts have a strong enough preservation instinct to vent heat until they maintain a small size, but sometimes, in the heat of battle, a furnace newt won’t have the time or inclination to shed excess energy. Many cautionary tales exist of cabals of young wizards capturing a furnace newt to defend their tower but then accidentally detonating it by using too many fire spells in its vicinity. Despite the danger they present, however, furnace newts also enjoy popularity as companions, especially among blacksmiths who can provide regular access to a comfortably hot environment.

FURNACE NEWT UNCOMMON

SMALL

CREATURE 3 BEAST

ELEMENTAL

FIRE

Perception +9 Languages Ignan; can’t speak any language Skills Acrobatics+10, Athletics+7, Stealth+10 Str+0, Dex+4, Con+3, Int–2, Wis+0, Cha+4 Fire Amplification (fire, aura) The furnace newt naturally exudes an aura that empowers fire within its radius. Creatures within 30 feet of a furnace newt gain a +1 status bonus to damage rolls whenever they deal fire damage. This status bonus increases depending on the furnace newt’s increasing size from All-Consuming Fire, to +2 if the newt is Medium, +3 if the newt is Large, and +4 if the newt is Huge. AC 18; Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +5 HP 45; ImmunitiesFire; WeaknessesCold 3 All-Consuming Fire (fire, polymorph, primal, transmutation) Whenever a creature other than a furnace newt uses a spell or ability with the fire trait within 30 feet of the furnace newt, the furnace newt feeds on the thermal energy of the fire, growing in size to the next size category (from Small to Medium, from Medium to Large, or from Large to Huge). This ability can take effect multiple times, though at most once per round. If the newt is already Huge when this ability is activated, it must attempt a DC 23 Fortitude save or explode, killing it and dealing 4d4 fire damage to all creatures in a 15-foot emanation (DC 19 basic Reflex save). On a successful save, the newt doesn’t absorb the heat and remains Huge. Whenever a creature uses a cold spell or ability within 30 feet of the furnace newt, it instead shrinks one size category, to a minimum of Small. If the newt was already Small, it is instead slowed 1 until the end of its next turn. Like the growth, this can take effect multiple times, but only once per round. Speed 25 feet, climb 25 feet Melee 1 bite +12 (finesse, fire), Damage 1d8 piercing plus raging flames Ranged 1 boiling spit +12 (fire, range increment 20 feet), Damage 1d6 fire plus raging flames Raging Flames The bigger the flames, the more powerful a furnace newt’s attacks. A furnace newt’s Strikes deal an additional 1d4 fire damage when it’s Small, but this damage increases when its size increases from All-Consuming Fire. Its Strikes instead add 2d4 damage if it’s Medium, 3d4 damage if it’s Large, and 4d4 damage if it’s Huge. Vent Heat 1 (fire) Frequency once per round; Requirements The furnace newt is Medium or larger due to all-consuming fire; Effect The newt sheds excess heat. It shrinks one size, and the heat coming from its body deals 2d4 fire damage to all creatures within a 10-foot emanation (DC 19 basic Reflex save).

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NICHOLAS POTTER

A SPICY ADDITION

Recently, the furnace newt has taken the culinary world by storm as enterprising chefs discovered that having one live in their smoker adds a distinct pungency to its output. Some restaurants take the concept a step further and serve finger food directly atop of furnace newts. The newts are quite content with this arrangement, so long as they get a share of the food while basking in the attention. Connoisseurs describe the resulting flavor as earthy, rustic, and toasty, while lessdistinguished diners complain the smoked meats taste “bog standard” and “like a cow drowned in a swamp of peppers.”

Fury Sphere COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NICK LUCAS

TRAPPING A SPHERE

When slain, the spirit of a fury sphere can be contained in a smaller vessel of Bulk 2 or less in the next 10 minutes with a DC 25 Arcana, Religion, or Occultism check. The sphere trapped in the new vessel can be used as one of the ingredients for an animate object ritual, creating an object that will begrudgingly follow commands.

Fury spheres are immense otherworldly metal spheres that were originally created by powerful immortal beings of good and law, early in the history of the universe. Each of these primordial spheres was infused with the spirit of a blessed being and put into place to help control a piece of celestial machinery. For a time, this was good, and the celestial spheres were happy... at least, until the day something went horribly wrong. The immortals who set the universe in order crafted a new and supposedly superior machine. But what is old and used is no longer perfect and ordered, so the immortal celestials cast the old pieces away to be melted down. But the celestial spheres weren’t merely some common metal to simply accept being smelted and reworked into something new. They felt their creators’ betrayal, and so by infusing themselves with wrath and hatred, representing the diametric opposite of their old essence, they managed to escape their destruction and crash through the Heavens themselves. Multitudes of fury spheres poured into the planes, full of vengeful hatred for the gods and mortals whom they once toiled to serve. They now delight in chaos and the destruction of all things peaceful in order to spite their creators and strike back at the world that wronged them and left them behind. They’d rather watch the universe burn than allow themselves to become obsolete and quietly disappear. Each fury sphere has a unique androgynous and ragefueled face that appears on the surface of the sphere and always remains upright, no matter how fast the sphere is rolling. Fury spheres are made of shimmering metals of various hues. Some are the color of brass, some are silver, and some are black gunmetal, but on the inside, all are made of solid steel. Fury spheres are enormous spheres, 8 feet in diameter, that weigh over 60 tons. Occasionally, a fury sphere comes up with a plan to seek out a high mountain, a labyrinth, a dungeon, or another area with narrow ledges and passages. Some evil beings have learned to negotiate and work together with fury spheres, promising untold destruction and chaos in exchange for the collaboration.

FURY SPHERE RARE

LARGE

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 9 FIEND

Perception +18 Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common Skills Athletics+20, Heaven Lore+18, Intimidation+18, Legal Lore+18 Str+6, Dex+4, Con+6, Int+2, Wis+3, Cha+4 AC 27; Fort +21, Ref +18, Will +15 HP 160; Immunities bleed damage, death effects, disease, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, poison, and the doomed, drained, fatigued, paralyzed, sickened, unconscious; Resistancesphysical 5 (except adamantine) Speed 25 feet; roll over Melee 1 body +19, Damage 2d10+10 bludgeoning and roll over Roll Over A fury sphere gains +10-foot circ*mstance bonus to its Speed when moving down a significant incline. After moving down an incline, a fury sphere deals 2d8 additional damage with its body Strikes, and Trample ability until the end of the turn and its successful body Strikes knock creatures prone. Slamball 3 A fury sphere can propel itself into the air and crash down, creating a shockwave and battering enemies as it flies by. The Angry Steel Sphere Flies up to its land Speed and then lands on the ground below. All creatures in the air in its path, plus those within 15 feet of the landing spot take 8d8 with a DC 28 basic Reflex save. On a failure they are also knocked prone, and on a critical failure, they are also slowed 1. The fury sphere can’t use Slamball again for 1d4 rounds. Trample 3 Medium or smaller, body, basic Reflex DC 28

Gaspers are bizarre, aberrant elementals, sealed inside a prison of rubbery skin, that choke to death whenever other living creatures get a good look at them. A gasper typically appears as a lanky creature with humanoid forms covered in yellowed rubbery skin that appears to have a life of its own. This sickly skin is stretched over its tall, malformed frame. Living creatures never get a chance to see a gasper’s face up close, as it seals shut at first sight with muffled cries and whimpers. A gasper’s torso bulges and throbs violently to unnatural proportions as it starts asphyxiating, and it lunges, rushing towards onlookers in reckless abandon. After all, if it kills them, it can breathe again. If the onlookers are obviously too powerful, the gasper attempts to flee beyond breathsense range instead. Gaspers at the end of their breath gouge themselves with their own spines to extend their consciousness. Gaspers can be found in nearly any climate in reclusive places and underground sanctuaries, as they avoid the lethal effects the gaze of the living has upon them. Yet gaspers inevitably emerge to lumber listlessly on the surface for a moment before returning to safety, their heads craned towards a sky they can’t see. Due to their self-imposed isolation, gaspers are virtually unknown in the outside world, which is unfortunate for many crossing their path since they mainly attack for self-preservation. Gaspers are usually forced to live solitary lives, but that doesn’t mean they don’t get lonely. They often find companionship with sightless creatures, intelligent undead, and constructs. Gaspers’ companions are sometimes benign, but undead and other evil companions might hang around the gasper mainly to use its breathsense as a rudimentary detector for living victims. Inscrutable accounts that attempt to explain a gasper’s unique physiology claim that a gasper’s skin is a separate aberrant entity added to an air elemental due to some kind of curse or punishment. One piece of evidence that supports this possibility is that when a gasper dies, its skin slumps lifelessly, leaving nothing more than an empty husk.

GASPER RARE

Gasper GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY VINCENT THÉRIAULT

A SUITABLE ENDING

Gasper skins are in high demand among those who know of their existence. If handled very carefully, they can get a second life as skintight suits for athletes, divers, and industrial workers who need the protection and efficiency offered by clothing that is nigh impenetrable except by slashing.

CREATURE 9 MEDIUM

ABERRATION

AIR

ELEMENTAL

Perception +16;breathsense 100 feet, no vision Languages Aklo, Auran (can’t speak any language) Skills Athletics+20 (+24 to Jump), Elemental Plane of Air Lore+16, Stealth+16 Str+6, Dex+2, Con+6, Int–2, Wis+2, Cha+2 Breathsense (air) A gasper’s only precise sense is its breathsense, which perceives breathing creatures. A breathing creature within the listed range who holds its breath and plugs its airways is invisible to the gasper for as long as it hold its breath. To plug its airways in this way, a creature must have one hand free to fully plug its nose and cover its mouth. Gasper’s Plight When a living creature within the breathsense range sees the gasper, the skin on the gasper’s head crimps shut until no living creature can see it for 1 minute. The gasper immediately begins suffocating, compelling it to kill any living witnesses or escape in order to survive. A gasper can last for a total of 12 rounds before falling unconscious. Gaspers don’t lose any air rounds using their actions or abilities. AC 26; Fort +21, Ref +15, Will +15 HP 225; Immunitiesinhaled effects, visual effects; Weaknessesbludgeoning 10; Resistances slashing 10 (Sip of Air) Sip of Air 5 (air) Trigger The gasper takes piercing or slashing damage; Effect The gasper inhales air from the quickly sealing wound holes. It regains 2 rounds of air, but it loses its immunity to inhaled effects until the start of it’s next turn. Speed 40 feet Melee 1 fist +21 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+12 bludgeoning Melee 1 spine +21 (agile, magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+12 piercing Desperate Assault 2 (attack, move) The gasper Leaps up to its Speed in a straight line and Strikes against up to two creatures in reach at the end of its movement. It doesn’t increase its multiple attack penalty from these Strikes until after it makes both of them.

Gastrophage SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVID GREENE

THE LAND IS HEALING?

Some believe that gastrophages are nature’s response to trolls, whose populations ravage the land if left unchecked. It’s an odd perspective to take given that gastrophage rampages can be more destructive than the problem they purportedly solve. The kernel of truth behind the belief comes from the phenomenon of gastrophages emerging out of the earth en masse. This behavior is due to their weakness to cold, however. During winters, gastrophages retreat underground. Those who find deep cavern networks remain active, while those in shallow burrows instead hibernate, suppressing their acid generation.

Throughout the land, trolls are a menace to small towns and villages. Aside from fire and the occasional flask of acid, trolls have little to fear... aside from a gastrophage, that is. Gastrophages are the natural predators of trolls; however, they are by no means a welcome sight, as gastrophages are happy to supplement their diet with livestock and townsfolk. The stomach bile of a gastrophage is highly corrosive, and these beasts have many pores along their skin from which they can spray this foul substance. When a gastrophage encounters a troll, it rushes towards its prey and sprays corrosive bile at the unfortunate troll. The beast then sinks its teeth into the troll as the bile begins to predigest the victim. The bile is far too corrosive for even a troll’s legendary regeneration to repair, and the troll is soon torn apart limb from limb. Like trolls, gastrophages have powerful regenerative abilities and are able to heal nearly any wound. However, unlike a troll, they can heal severe wounds caused by flame and corrosive acid. Only freezing temperatures are capable of slowing a gastrophage’s metabolism enough to halt its regeneration. When prey is plentiful and close at hand, gastrophages are known to spray bile from all of their pores at once, covering all within their vicinity in corrosive bile, including themselves. This makes for a horrific sight as the beast dissolves and reforms unhindered as it assails its prey. These acidic beasts have no innate resistance to their own bile and instead rely on their rapid regeneration to counteract their own stomach acid. A gastrophage coated in bile is even more dangerous, as those attacking the beast risk exposing themselves to the bile. Gastrophages have voracious appetites due to the high metabolism required by their regenerative flesh. However, they prefer easy prey and are quick to give up when chasing elusive targets.

GASTROPHAGE N

LARGE

BEAST

CREATURE 9

Perception +18;darkvision Skills Athletics+20 Str+6, Dex+2, Con+4, Int–4, Wis+1, Cha+2 AC 25; Fort +20, Ref +17, Will +15 HP 190,regeneration 25 (deactivated by cold); Weaknessescold 10 Acid Defense (acid) While the gastrophage is under the effects of persistent acid damage, each time an adjacent creature deals slashing or piercing damage to the gastrophage, the attacker is sprayed with the gastrophage’s acidic bile, which deals 2d4 acid damage (DC 25 basic Reflex save). Speed 35 feet Melee 1 jaws +21, Damage 2d10+12 slashing Melee 1 tail +21 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+10 piercing Ranged 1 bile +19 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d8+10 acid Corrosive Strikes (acid) While the gastrophage is under the affects of persistent acid damage, its jaws and tail Strikes deal an additional 1d6 acid damage. Gastric Explosion 2 (acid) Corrosive bile sprays forth from the pores in the gastrophage’s skin. This deals 8d6 acid damage in a 20-foot emanation (DC 28 Reflex save). The gastrophage automatically takes 2d6 persistent acid damage upon using this ability but is otherwise unaffected by its own emanation. It can’t use gastric explosion again for 1d4 rounds. Critical Success The creature takes no damage. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage and 2d6 persistent acid damage. Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and 2d6 persistent acid damage.

When spellcasters seek to outsmart death, there are a number of paths to follow. One vile method is lichdom, of which there are many paths since every lich ritual is unique. While many liches are metamorphosed from arcane magic, there are other secrets available only to those with a primal inclination—the gladelich. A gladelich is a variant of the infamous lich; however, rather than a phylactery, their source of immortality is their soul grove—a collection of trees where the ritual to transform them into a gladelich was performed. Once a soul grove arises along with the gladelich, the land becomes tainted with negative energy, and new trees can’t grow there via normal means. Instead, new saplings in the soul grove sprout only from the souls of mortals who die in the grove, typically after being brought there by the gladelich. Each time a gladelich rejuvenates from a temporary demise, their new body is transmuted from a tree in their soul grove. Potential gladeliches can pursue their undeath in three main ways. The first is to petition the vitae of the land, sometimes known as nature spirits, to grant them the necessary power in a bargain; the second is to seize the power for themselves by force; and the last is to simply be chosen by the woods, placing a mantle of responsibility on the vile spellcaster. Regardless of method, once the ritual is complete, the soul grove is theirs to ward for eternity.

GLADELICH RARE

MEDIUM

Gladelich COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY CHARLIE HO

BAD DRYAD

The gladelich’s corruption extends beyond its soul grove. Nearby dryads may resist its evil for a time but ultimately succumb. They become the gladelich’s first line of defense against those searching for the soul grove. Adventurers may think they are still in safe territory, only for the seemingly pristine forest to ambush them.

CREATURE 13 PLANT

UNDEAD

Perception +26;darkvision Languages Common, Elven, Necril, Sylvan; speak with animals, speak with plants Skills Arcana +22, Crafting +24 (can craft magic items; +26 woodworking), Intimidation +23, Medicine+24, Nature+30, Stealth+22, Survival+28 Str+2, Dex+3, Con+2, Int+5, Wis+7, Cha+4 Soul Grove (consecration, necromancy, plant, primal) Each gladelich has a soul grove, which allows them to rejuvenate. This area, a 40-foot emanation around the spot where the gladelichdom ritual took place, is tainted with a dread filter that perpetually sheathes the grove. Light in the area becomes dim light instead. When a gladelich is destroyed, its soul immediately transfers to its soul grove via its rejuvenation. A gladelich can be permanently destroyed only if its soul grove is found and destroyed. Items animal staff (greater) AC 31; Fort +19, Ref +22, Will +28; +1 status to all saves vs. positive HP 225, negative healing, rejuvenation (see Soul Grove); Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses fire 10; Resistancescold 10, physical 10 (except magic bludgeoning) Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 60 feet, DC 30 Speed 30 feet Melee 1 withering branch +25 (finesse, magical), Damage 3d8+7 negative plus Siphon Life Ranged 1 needle +25 (conjuration, plant, primal, range increment 40 feet), Damage 3d12 piercing Primal Prepared Spells DC 37, attack +27; 7thcorrosive bodySOM, finger of death, necrotizeSOM; 6thdispel magic, nature’s reprisalSOM, slow, true seeing; 5thcloudkill, tree stride (×2), wall of stone; 4thair walk, freedom of movement, pass without trace, petal stormSOM; 3rdanimal vision, haste, slow, wall of thorns; 2nd entangle, longstrider, shape wood, tree shape; 1st fear (×2), fleet step, gust of wind; Cantrips(7th)detect magic, puff of poisonSOM, read aura, tanglefoot; Constant (7th) speak with animals, speak with plants Dread Grove Creatures entering a gladelich’s soul grove other than the gladelich and its allies become doomed 1. If a creature in the soul grove has dealt fire damage to any plants in the past 24 hours, they become doomed 2 instead. Siphon Life 5 Trigger The gladelich deals damage with its withering branch Strike; Effect The gladelich regains Hit Points equal to half the damage dealt. Steady Spellcasting If a reaction would disrupt the gladelich’s spellcasting action, the gladelich attempts a DC 15 flat check. On a success, the action isn’t disrupted. Woodland Stride The gladelich ignores difficult terrain and greater difficult terrain from nonmagical foliage.

Goblin Circus Troupe SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY RODNEY SLOAN

CULTURE SHOCK

The number one piece of guidance for those about to experience a goblin circus troupe is: do NOT pelt the troupe with rotten vegetables. Goblin culture considers this expression of displeasure to be a sign of approval instead. Excited troupe members may be so thrilled by the audience participation that they bring offenders into the act. These kidnappings have put a new spin on the concept of running away to join the circus.

Goblin acrobats, bomb jugglers, fire eaters, dog tamers, clowns, and musicians form a goblin circus troupe led by a ringmaster. When left to their own devices, the troupe leaps and cartwheels around, banging their instruments and making an awful noise. Anyone who doesn’t applaud loudly enough—and the troupe can’t hear much over their din—gets pelted with whatever the goblins have on hand, which usually includes bombs and random circus props. With their courage bolstered by their numbers, goblin circus troupes love to perform in densely populated human cities where the city watch has difficulty keeping them under control.

GOBLIN CIRCUS TROUPE CE

GARGANTUAN

GOBLIN

HUMANOID

CREATURE 6 TROOP

Perception +11;darkvision Languages Goblin Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+13, Nature+11, Performance+14 Str+4, Dex+5, Con+4, Int+1, Wis+1, Cha+2 Cavorting Tide The goblin circus troupe is less organized than most troops. It can move into other creatures’ spaces, and other creatures can move into its spaces. Its spaces are difficult terrain to other creatures. AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11 HP 90 (16 squares),Thresholds 60 (12 squares), 30 (8 squares); Weaknessesarea damage10, splash damage 5 Cacophonous Aura (auditory, aura, mental) 30 feet. Whenever a living creature within the aura starts its turn, the creature must attempt a DC 21 Will save. Critical Success The creature is immune to this ability for 1 hour. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is stupefied 2 until the end of its next turn. Critical Failure The creature is stupefied 2 for 1 minute. Troop Defenses Speed 25 feet, troop movement Encore! 2 (auditory, mental, visual) Requirements No enemy is within 10 feet of the goblin circus troupe. Effect The goblin circus troupe puts on the show of their lives. Creatures within 120 feet that can see and hear the goblin circus troupe must attempt a DC 24 Will save. Success The target is unaffected. Failure The target is fascinated by the goblin circus troupe for 1 minute. Critical Failure The target is fascinated by the cavorting troupe and stupefied 2 for 1 minute. Form Up 1 Pelt Them! 2 The goblin circus troupe pelt their target with a volley of stones, bombs, and random props. This volley is a 10-foot burst with a range of 30 feet that deals 2d8 bludgeoning damage and 2d4 fire damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save). When the goblin circus troupe is reduced to 8 or fewer squares, this area decreases to a 5-foot burst. Smash Them! 1 to 3 Frequency once per round; Effect The goblin circus troupe engages in a coordinated attack against each enemy in their squares and within 5 feet (DC 21 basic Reflex save). The damage depends on the number of actions. 1 1d8 bludgeoning damage and 1d4 fire damage 2 1d8+7 bludgeoning damage and 1d4 fire damage 3 1d8+11 bludgeoning damage and 1d4 fire damage Troop Movement Whenever the goblin circus troupe Strides, the troupe first Forms Up as a free action to condense into a 20-foot-by-20-foot area (minus any missing squares), then moves. This works just like a Gargantuan creature moving; for instance, if any square of the troupe enters difficult terrain, the extra movement cost applies to the whole troupe.

Golden Coinivore Swarm

This deadly guardian is composed of thousands of hungry maws masquerading as a tremendous wealth of golden coins. A golden coinivore swarm can lie dormant for months on end, waiting for prey to stumble upon them. Their beguiling appearance, slowing poison, and endless tearing teeth then make short work of any fleshy morsel they can catch. This hunger makes a golden coinivore swarm difficult to keep alongside other creatures, as they invariably turn upon their companions. The swarm only ignores other coinivores and beings without edible flesh, such as most constructs, oozes, and spirits. Thankfully, golden coinivore swarms are extremely territorial and usually don’t willingly venture far from whatever lair they have come to call home. Anyone who survives an encounter with a golden coinivore swarm, however, might later discover a few extra coins in their pockets and purse, as a very small number of nascent coinivore queens in each swarm seek not blood but a home for a new brood. In this way, coinivores have been slowly spreading to the most unexpected of places. It should be noted, though, that an individual coinivore drone, once separated from its swarm, becomes rather docile, and they have been kept by some as unconventional pets or even familiars.

GOLDEN COINIVORE SWARM UNCOMMON

LARGE

ABERRATION

CREATURE 8

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JEFFREY ANDERSON

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIENDS

Some thieves guilds keep golden coinivore swarms for both defensive and offensive purposes. They place the creatures inside false entrances to their vaults, where they ambush rivals who think they are easy pickings. They may also use them to pay debts, unleashing murder on foes foolish enough to accept the bags of gold. Legend speaks of one ambitious thief who gifted a swarm to a dragon. It did not kill the dragon but infested the hoard so thoroughly that the dragon abandoned it in disgust, leaving easy pickings for the thief.

SWARM

Perception +16;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Athletics+14, Stealth+18, Survival+16 Str+0, Dex+4, Con+4, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha+0 Fool’s Gold 1 (concentrate) Until the next time it acts, the golden coinivore swarm appears to be a normal pile of golden coins. As part of this action it can enter an adjacent open container capable of holding at least 8 Bulk of items. It has an automatic result of 38 on Deception checks and DCs to pass as normal coins. AC 25; Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +14 HP 130; Immunitiesprecision, swarm mind; Weaknessesarea damage 10, splash damage 10; Resistancesphysical 10 All That Glitters (aura, enchantment, incapacitation, mental, occult, visual) 60 feet. Any creature within the aura that both sees the golden coinivore swarm and values gold must attempt a DC 23 Will save to resist becoming captivated. Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune for 24 hours. Failure The creature is fascinated, and it must spend each of its actions to move closer to the golden coinivore swarm as expediently as possible, while avoiding obvious dangers. If a fascinated creature is adjacent to the golden coinivore swarm, it stays still and doesn’t act. If attacked by the golden coinivore swarm, the creature is freed from the fascination at the end of the golden coinivore swarm’s turn. Otherwise, the fascination lasts 1 minute, and hostile actions against the fascinated creature and its allies don’t end the fascination early. Critical Failure As failure, but if attacked by the golden coinivore swarm, the creature can attempt a new save against the fascination at the start of its next turn, rather than being freed at the end of the golden coinivore swarm’s turn. Speed 20 feet, climb 20 feet Coinivore Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 23 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d6 poison damage and a –5-foot status penalty to all Speeds (1 round); Stage 2 1d8 poison damage and a –10-foot status penalty to all Speeds (1 round); Stage 3 2d6 poison damage and immobilized (1 round) Money Hungry 1 The coinivores swarm over and devour creatures in their space with an endless hunger. Each enemy in the swarm’s space takes 4d6 piercing damage with a DC 26 basic Reflex save. Those who fail their saving throw also take 1d6 persistent piercing damage and are exposed to coinivore venom.

Golem of Wonder SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BRITE CHENEY

WONDERING WHY

Like most artifacts, golems of wonder are so difficult and expensive to construct that their makers are left pondering what purposes they could serve that would be more valuable than the golem itself. They are less consistent guardians than their more lethal counterparts, and they have additional weaknesses to sensory magic. A few have ended up at casinos, where their scintillating appearances and chaotic abilities allow them to double as both an attraction as well as security.

Rods of wonder and related artifacts have long captured the imagination of artificers and spellcasters. So, it was all but inevitable that someone would imbue a magical creature with the chaotic magic found in these curious items. These brightly colored and bejeweled constructs are feared, not because of any expert spellcasting or massive damage, but because it is so hard to prepare for them. Their attacks are based on chaos and randomness, making it virtually impossible to guess what they will do next. This unpredictability makes a golem of wonder a formidable foe.

GOLEM OF WONDER RARE

LARGE

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 11 GOLEM

MINDLESS

Perception +19; darkvision Skills Acrobatics+20, Athletics+22 Str+7, Dex+3, Con+7, Int–5, Wis+2, Cha–4 AC 31; Fort +24, Ref +18, Will +21 HP 176; Immunitiesbleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, magic (see below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistancesphysical 10 (except adamantine) Golem Antimagic harmed by lawful and sonic (5d10, 2d8 from areas and persistent damage); healed by chaotic (2d8 HP); slowed by divination Last Throes of Chaos When the golem of wonder is destroyed, creatures within a 30-foot emanation are affected by Invoke Wonder, rolling the effect separately for each creature. Vulnerable to Sensory Magic Magical effects that affect the golem of wonder’s senses, such as a synesthesia spell, affect the golem of wonder normally. This bypasses the golem’s normal immunity to mental effects, but only for such spells. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 fist +24 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage varies (see chaos damage below) Chaos Damage When a golem of wonder makes a fist Strike, roll 1d6 to determine type and severity of damage; 1: 2d8+10 slashing, 2–3: 2d10+12 force, 4–5: 2d12+15 bludgeoning, 6: 2d12+22 electricity Invoke Wonder 1 (arcane, chaotic, evocation) Frequency once per round; Effect The golem points its finger at a target within 60 feet and unleashes the chaotic magic upon which it was built. Roll a d20 on the following table to determine the effect. Targets only receive a saving throw if the effect calls for it. Any DC required is 30. 1: Roll twice, targeting different creatures within range each time. Ignore any further results of 1 on these rolls. 2–3: Large glass beads form on the target’s arms, weighing them down. They are enfeebled 1 until they take a single action, which has the manipulate trait, to break the beads. 4–5: The target switches places with another random creature within 30 feet of the golem. 6–8: The target’s mind is overwhelmed by the chaos, causing them to become stupefied 2 for 1 minute. They can spend an action, which has the concentrate trait, to attempt a Will save. On a success, the stupefied condition ends early. 9–11: The golem casts solid fog. Roll 1d4. On a 1 or 2, the fog is centered on the golem, and on a 3 or 4, it’s centered on the target. 12–13: The golem is quickened for 3 rounds. It can only use the additional action to Invoke Wonder. 14–15: The golem casts slow on the target. 16–17: The target must succeed at a Fortitude save or their limbs temporarily lengthen for 2 rounds. For the duration, their reach increases to 10 feet if it’s shorter, but they are clumsy 2. 18–19: All the target’s nonmagical items, including any clothing, glow with a harmless blue light for 10 minutes. This casts dim light in a 10 foot radius and can’t be extinguished. 20: 10d6 pebbles shoot from the golem of wonder’s hand, doing the same amount of bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 60 foot line in the direction of the target, with a basic Reflex save.

Goreheds are a conglomeration of humanoid and frog, with a head that resembles that of a humanoid with one eye, a large maw of serrated teeth to better tear flesh, and a wrinkled, compact body like a frog with large webbed hands and clawed feet. While capable of bipedal travel, for more support, goreheds travel on all fours. Goreheds love humanoid flesh, and they use their mimicking voices to lure prey into their lairs. Goreheds make their lairs in swampy regions, where they can drown their prey and infect them with their young. Gorehed lairs modify the natural environment, sometimes causing a nuisance for those in the area. These lairs are made of mud, stone, and trees and built to withstand the elements. Goreheds are intelligent but don’t seem to use any crafted tools or weapons, preferring to rely on their natural abilities instead. Any fabric or items goreheds retain are from prey, not crafted by the goreheds themselves. Goreheds instinctually tend to distrust and fear magic. Once they notice a spellcaster, goreheds usually retreat unless they outnumber their potential prey. Goreheds typically hunt in packs of four or more to make sure they have the advantage over a single target, and they sometimes employ as many as ten adults in a hunting party when going after large prey. Goreheds usually hunt to eat and breed, but even when they are already wellfed, they enjoy luring prey to their deaths just for fun. No one is sure of the origin of these bizarre creatures. Rumors say they came from an opening in the sky, but nothing has been found to prove this.

GOREHED NE

SMALL

ABERRATION

Gorehed COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LUCAS SERVIDEO

HOLD YOUR TONGUE

Goreheds have an inflated sense of selfworth. They boast to each other about the size of their heads, the height of their leaps, the precision of their imitations... pretty much every aspect of themselves, which makes their one inferiority complex stand out even more: goreheds are jealous of frog tongues. Stuck with the pathetic, stubby tongues of humanoids, goreheads envy frogs for how far their tongues reach. That is why they cut tongues from their victims, not for display as trophies but to tie to the ends of their own tongues in hopes that they will somehow merge into an extended organ.

CREATURE 5 AMPHIBIOUS

Perception +12;darkvision Languages Aklo, Common Skills Acrobatics +12, Athletics +11, Deception +13, Nature +9, Stealth +12 (+16 in swamps), Survival+9 Str+4, Dex+5, Con+4, Int–2, Wis+2, Cha+4 Corpse Incubation After killing a creature, a gorehed drags the corpse underwater and inserts an egg sack into the base of its neck. The gorehed nymph grows within the corpse, feeding on the dead flesh and utilizing the head as a safe space to grow until it matures, roughly 1 week later. Sound Imitation A gorehed who succeeds at a Deception check to Lie can mimic any voice they have heard. They have a +4 circ*mstance bonus to this check. AC 22; Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +9 HP 72 Fleeing Leap 5 Trigger A foe ends their turn, and the gorehed is within that foe’s reach; Effect The gorehed Leaps up to half its Speed away from the triggering foe. It can’t end the movement adjacent to another foe. This movement doesn’t trigger reactions. Speed 20 feet, swim 25 feet; swamp stride Melee 1 jaws +15, Damage 2d8+4 piercing plus Grab Melee 1 claws +15 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+4 slashing Demoralizing Mimicry 1 (auditory) The gorehed uses its mimicry to frighten a creature, potentially by creating what sound like the shrieks of victims or saying something unsettling in a friend’s voice. They Demoralize a creature, using Deception instead of Intimidation to do so. Pack Attack A gorehed’s Strikes deal an additional 1d4 damage to creatures within the reach of at least two of the gorehed’s allies. Swamp Stride A gorehed ignores difficult terrain caused by swamp terrain features.

Groundgullet COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY AVIV SCHWARZ

GROUNDGULLET ORIGINS

The first groundgullets are believed to have been bred by an ancient cyclops kingdom as a bizarre means of garbage disposal, but a small number of the creatures have since spread to other regions around the world.

GROUNDGULLET ENCOUNTERS

Though usually not cruel, some groundgullets have developed a predilection for human flesh and lurk outside settlements to feed on wanderers. When threatened, groundgullets pummel their assailants with volleys of debris, digestive acids, and the stench of their decomposing previous meals.

At first glance, a groundgullet might appear to be nothing more than a rank, slimy, and slightly red pit in the ground. In fact, its body is composed of membranes that make up the walls of the pit, which undulate as they slowly burrow through the ground. Inside, one finds muscular feelers, acidic glands, and a potent, decentralized nervous system. Groundgullets can seamlessly blend into their surroundings when covering their maw, making them dangerous ambush predators.

GROUNDGULLET UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 8 ABERRATION

Perception +16;no vision, tremorsense (precise) 500 feet Skills Stealth+18 Str+6, Dex+3, Con+5, Int+2, Wis+2, Cha+1 AC 26; Fort +19, Ref +15, Will +14 HP 160; Immunitiesblinded, visual Speed burrow 20 feet; shifting earth Melee 1 tendril +18, Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning Ranged 1 spewed rock +18 (thrown 30 feet, reload 1), Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning Churn 1 (attack) Frequency once per round; Effect The groundgullet churns its insides, damaging the creatures within. Creatures Swallowed inside the groundgullet take 2d8+6 bludgeoning damage, with a DC 26 basic Reflex save. Creatures that fail this save also fall if they were attempting to Climb out. Cover Pit 3 The groundgullet closes a thick membrane above its opening, which immediately matches the appearance of the surrounding terrain. It gains standard cover and attempts to Hide. If a Small or Medium creature moves into the groundgullet’s space, it can use Swallow as normal. Otherwise, its cover can support up to 2 Bulk of unattended objects. Creatures with the Trap Finder feat or similar abilities gain the benefits against a groundgullet using Cover Pit. Decomposing Belch 2 All creatures within a 30-foot emanation must attempt a DC 24 Fortitude save. Creatures adjacent to or sharing the groundgullet’s space take a -2 circ*mstance penalty to this check. Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune for 1 hour. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is sickened 1. Critical Failure The creature is sickened 2. Shifting Earth A groundgullet’s body is a 15-foot deep pit. It can Burrow through earthen material such that its opening remains on the surface. When it does, it visibly disturbs the earth along its path, turning it into difficult terrain. It can instead choose to Burrow at half Speed and leave no trail. A groundgullet can move through other creatures’ spaces, and it can share the space of other Medium or smaller creatures. Spray 2 The groundgullet sprays churned rock and stomach acid. It deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage and 2d6 acid damage to creatures in a 20-foot cone, with a DC 24 basic Reflex save. Swallow 4 Frequency once per round; Requirements The groundgullet doesn’t contain a creature inside it; Trigger The groundgullet enters another creature’s space or another creature enters the groundgullet’s space; Effect The creature falls into the groundgullet. It can attempt to Grab an Edge (DC 26 Reflex save); on a critical success, the creature can Step as part of the reaction, and if it does and leaves the groundgullet’s space it doesn’t fall. Creatures inside the groundgullet are forced to move along with it, and at the beginning of their turn they take 3d6+8 acid damage (DC 24 basic Fortitude save) and are affected by Decomposing Belch. The groundgullet loses the cover granted by its Cover Pit ability when taking this action. While it has a creature swallowed, a groundgullet’s opening must remain on the surface as it Burrows. A creature can Climb out of the groundgullet with a successful DC 26 Athletics check, which they can reduce using rope or other tools; if they have a way to reach to the top of the 15-foot pit, they can simply pull themselves out with a single action, which has the move trait.

Guillotine Head

A guillotine head is a disembodied, rolling undead head, a cousin of the beheaded. During times of great killing and death, officials place the heads of those killed by a guillotine or blade in great baskets as trophies to display to the public. With so much death, necromantic energies can send tendrils of unlife into these heads, causing them to awaken. A guillotine head has but one goal: to kill the one who removed their head and then cause as much death as possible to those who cheered them on. A guillotine head is driven by its need to rip and tear with its teeth, often gnashing its teeth uselessly in the air if it hasn’t had a chance to feed within the past few hours. Guillotine heads have no physical need to sate their undead hunger for food, though, as their form is simply a decomposing head. Those who have observed these creatures attempting to eat have claimed that any flesh that passes through their mouth quickly comes out of the base of their sliced neck. A single guillotine head is not a great threat, though sometimes they form into a massive swarm of undead heads, sweeping across a city as an angry wave of undeath. This typically happens if a single bloody executioner kills countless people, as the victims work together to hunt down their shared executioner to enact their vengeance. In this event, they can become an unstoppable swarm, consuming anything in their wake and leaving behind a mess of chewed flesh and offal. When these guillotine heads gather, their chittering and grinding teeth are enough to clear whole city blocks. It is such a horrific noise that it’s been known to cause people’s ears to bleed and their bowels to loosen. If the guillotine heads can successfully locate their original bodies, they can reattach themselves, potentially transforming into another type of corporeal undead.

GUILLOTINE HEAD UNCOMMON

TINY

UNDEAD

CREATURE 0

Perception +5;darkvision Languages Common, Necril; can’t speak any language Skills Stealth+5, Survival+3 Str+3, Dex+1, Con+0, Int+0, Wis+1, Cha–1 AC 13; Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +6 HP 22,negative healing; Immunitiesdeath effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious Speed 15 feet; rolling movement Melee 1 jaws +7 (reach 0 feet), Damage 1d4+3 piercing Grinding Teeth 2 (auditory) The guillotine head grinds its teeth, producing a sickening noise. All living creatures within 15 feet of the guillotine head must attempt a DC 14 Will save. The guillotine head can’t use Grinding Teeth again for 1d4 rounds. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target is sickened 1. Failure The target is sickened 2. Critical Failure The target is sickened 2 and fleeing for 1 round. Rolling Movement Whenever the guillotine head Strides, it is only capable of rolling and can only ascend gentle slopes. The guillotine head is unable to climb stairs but can fall down them if necessary. If the guillotine head descends a slope, its Speed is doubled during that part of its movement. Torn Flesh When the guillotine head critically hits with a jaws attack, it deals 1d4 persistent bleed damage.

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY STEPHEN BANDSTRA

HEAD OF THE FAMILY

Guillotine heads may find allies in family members who also seek revenge for their loved one’s untimely decapitation. Few things in the world are as terrifying as a charge of orphans with their parents’ heads in picnic baskets, ready to be thrown in the world’s grisliest game of dodgeball. This strategy does have drawbacks, as victims of guillotine heads may themselves reanimate as guillotine heads if their attackers devour their bodies first.

DON’T BLINK

A researcher once asked a colleague facing execution to blink as many times as possible during his beheading so that they could determine how long a disembodied head retained consciousness. Unfortunately, the colleague became a guillotine head. Rumors say that he is still blinking to this day.

Guiltbound GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KALEN H.M.

GRISLY SENTRY

A guiltbound can often unintentionally act as a guard for small communities, remaining unaware of innocent denizens while unerringly pursuing interlopers with a history of killing. A guiltbound possesses no nuance about who it sees as a murderer; justifications of self-defense will prove to be no defense at all.

When a murderer shares a grave with their victim and the murder weapon (whether interred in a mass grave, buried at sea, or through sheer coincidence), the profane energies of the massacre fuse the three together, causing them to rise from the grave as a hideous amalgam. Bound together, the murderer is eternally presented with a grisly reminder of the deed they committed in life: the victim’s corpse, likewise reanimated and perpetually gripped by fear, dangles from the murderer in place of one of its arms. A guiltbound is unable to venture far from its burial site and can often be found lingering near its grave. Paradoxically, their horrific appearance contradicts their behavior, as they tend to ignore those who have never committed murder and usually don’t pose an immediate danger to those who have lived a peaceful life. Most give them a wide berth regardless. Moreover, some communities have used guiltbound as a way of determining guilt: if a guiltbound can see a suspected murderer, they are likely the perpetrator. In such cases, the guiltbound often also conveniently fulfill the role of executioner.

GUILTBOUND UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 10 UNDEAD

Perception +17;darkvision, murdersense Languages Common, Necril Skills Athletics+22, Intimidation+22 Str+7, Dex+0, Con+5, Int+3, Wis+3, Cha+6 Murder Weapon The guiltbound is linked to their murder weapon, either a specific type of weapon (hatchet, for example) tied to the murder that created them, or one determined randomly. The guiltbound wields a spectral version of this weapon, with its murder weapon Strikes gaining the weapon’s damage and traits, using a damage die one size higher for a simple weapon (the listed damage is for a longsword). A guiltbound also possesses weakness 10 to that specific type of weapon. Murdersense A guiltbound can only sense creatures that have damaged it within the last 24 hours, or those who have killed another living, sapient being (not animals or mindless creatures) with any of its senses. Other creatures are thus invisible, inaudible, and otherwise undetectable to a guiltbound. AC 27; Fort +23, Ref +16, Will +18 HP 275,negative healing; Immunitiesdeath effects, disease, fear, paralyze, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses murder weapon 10, positive 5 Speed 20 feet Melee 1 murder weapon +22 (magical, see murder weapon), Damage 2d8+10 negative plus mounting terror Melee 1 dangling corpse arm +21 (reach 10 feet, sweep), Damage 2d6+10 bludgeoning plus Grab and mounting terror Mounting Terror (emotion, fear, negative) A creature struck by the guiltbound begins to experience the moments that led up to the murder, eventually reliving the heartstopping instant before the victim’s death. They must attempt a DC 23 Will save, and they take a –2 circ*mstance penalty to their save if they’ve damaged the guiltbound in the last round. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 2 and takes 1d8 negative damage. Critical Failure The creature is frightened 3, doomed 1, and takes 4d8 negative damage. Victim’s Scorn 2 (divine, necromancy, negative) Requirements There are no enemies within the guiltbound’s reach. Effect The dangling corpse scorns those who are too cowardly to save it from its torment, launching a torrent of hate in an 80 foot line, dealing 8d6 negative damage (DC 26 basic Reflex save). Creatures that damaged the guiltbound with a melee attack within the last round treat their save result as one degree better than they rolled.

Gunpowder Bear

Gunpowder bears are tiny construct creatures that were given life by vexgit gremlins. They resemble cuddly toy bears with a knapsack and a string coming out of their back. Despite this benign appearance, gunpowder bears are vicious creatures with razor-sharp teeth that they will gladly sink into any creature that dares pick them up. Gunpowder bears are known for their driving need to seek and detonate objects with the potential to explode, in which case they make use of the small bag of tindertwigs they carry to help them set any necessary fires. Gunpowder bears are known to manipulate those unaware of their malign nature by luring them closer to objects they plan to detonate. In a fit of euphoria, an enraptured gunpowder bear pulls the string on its back, causing the creature to self-destruct in a fiery explosion. Since the invention of the first gunpowder bears, their vexgit creators have found the creatures difficult to control, which has resulted in countless accidents and unintended consequences. Even so, they still prove useful when deployed in enemy territory.

GUNPOWDER BEAR UNCOMMON

TINY

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 1 GREMLIN

Perception +4; darkvision Languages Undercommon Skills Crafting+7, Deception+3, Stealth+7, Thievery+7 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+3, Wis+1, Cha+0 Euphoria If a gunpowder bear is within 30 feet of a flammable object with the potential to explode, it must attempt a DC 20 Will save. On a failure, it becomes infatuated with detonating the object and is fascinated; on a critical failure, the gunpowder bear must spend each of its turns to Stride towards the object until it can use Pull The Cord to detonate the object. On a successful Will save, the gunpowder bear is temporarily immune to euphoria for 10 minutes. If exploding the object would result in injury to at least two other non-gremlin creatures, the DC of the Will save increases to 25 and the gunpowder bear loses its temporary immunity. Items tindertwig (×3) AC 15; Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +5 HP 30; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknessesfire 5 Exploding Fluff (fire) When a gunpowder bear is reduced to 0 Hit Points by taking fire damage, it automatically explodes as if it had used Pull The Cord. Speed 20 feet Melee 1 jaws +9 (finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d8+1 piercing plus Latch Melee 1 claw +9 (agile, finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d6+1 slashing Latch 1 Requirements The gunpowder bear’s last action was to hit a target larger than itself with its jaws; Effect The gunpowder bear’s teeth latch onto the creature it bit. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the gunpowder bear moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The gunpowder bear is flat-footed while latched onto a creature. A creature a gunpowder bear has latched to takes a –1 circ*mstance penalty on their save against its Pull The Cord. Pull The Cord 1 (fire, manipulate) The gunpowder bear pulls the cord attached to its back and immediately explodes. Creatures and objects in a 5-foot burst around the creature take 2d6 fire damage (basic Reflex DC 17). Objects that are flammable automatically take damage as if they had failed the save and might explode (GM’s discretion). The gunpowder bear is immediately destroyed upon using this action and is reduced to a fine powder.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY TONY SAUNDERS

FLARE BEARS

Detonations don’t always go according to plan. If someone removes a gunpowder bear’s trigger mechanism or its cord doesn’t work for any reason, the bear attempts to self-immolate instead. It may turn a tindertwig on itself or throw itself on a nearby flame source. If a group of bears are present, they may even attempt to help each other, resulting in the endearing but terrifying sight of an unlit bear running into the arms of a flaming one. These attempts burn unevenly, resulting in the bears blasting off in random directions before finally exploding.

Handless Mage SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BEN KOJIS

HANDY-DANDY TRADE

No small number of people have found success asking a handless mage to obtain another hand of the mage to trade for their own hand back.

Although considered macabre by some, the creation of the hand of the mage magic item requires the use of a severed hand, generally sourced from a deceased arcane spellcaster. Sometimes, however, the dead aren’t so content with being robbed, especially of a part of their body. When a handless mage rises from their grave, they won’t rest until their corpse is returned to its original state. A handless mage is always paired with a specific hand of the mage, and since the handless mage rose from its grave only to return what was stolen, they spend their time searching endlessly for it in often futile attempts to recover it. Only after they’ve righted this wrong can a handless mage rest, gladly moving on to the afterlife. While some handless mages may resort to physical violence against those who hold their specific hand of the mage, others are more than content to trade what few goods or services they can offer for their missing extremity. Depending on the mage, they might consider parting with a magic staff or, in some rare cases, their old spell book.

HANDLESS MAGE UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 9 ELF

UNDEAD

Perception +18;proprioception Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Jotun, Orcish, Sylvan Skills Arcana+20, Deception+18, Diplomacy+16, Survival+16 Str+3, Dex+4, Con+3, Int+6, Wis+5, Cha+4 Proprioception A handless mage is under the effects of a constant locate spell, targeting the handless mage’s specific hand of the mage. In addition to this, any creature wearing their paired hand of the mage within line of sight of the handless mage is always observed by the handless mage, even if it’s Hiding, invisible, or the like. Items spellbook AC 27; Fort +14, Ref +19, Will +20 HP 145, negative healing; Weaknesses slashing 10 (fear of the cut); Resistancesmental 10 Fear of the Cut The handless mage was formed when a corpse was desecrated with a blade, and thus they have an intense revulsion to being cut. Whenever a handless mage takes slashing damage, they also become frightened 1, or frightened 2 if they take slashing damage from a critical hit. Now You Know How I Feel 5 (concentrate, manipulate) Trigger A creature within 60 feet of the handless mage performs an action with the manipulate trait; Effect The handless mage points their residual limb at the triggering creature, forcing it to make a DC 30 Will save. On a failure, the triggering action is disrupted. Rejuvenation (arcane, necromancy) As long as their hand of the mage remains intact, a handless mage can’t be truly slain. If killed, the handless mage rises 1d6+1 days later, even if their body is destroyed. Only after the handless mage retrieves their hand of the mage and possesses it for a full year does the spirit move on, reducing the magic item to a mundane hand in the process. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 fist +17 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8+7 bludgeoning Arcane Innate Spells DC 30, attack +20; 5thphantom pain (×2); 2ndcharitable urgeAPG, telekinetic maneuver; Cantrips (5th) telekinetic projectile, mage hand; Constant (3rd) locate (linked hand of the mage only) Phantom Limb Pain 2 (arcane, illusion, mental) The handless mage sweeps their residual limb in an arc, assailing the minds of every creature in the area. The handless mage deals 8d6 mental damage to each creature in a 30 foot cone with a DC 28 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, they are temporarily immune for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature takes half damage and becomes sickened 1. Failure The creature takes full damage, becomes sickened 2 and stunned 1. Critical Failure As failure, plus the creature Releases what it’s holding in one of its hands (the handless mage’s choice).

Haunting Spoon

A haunting spoon is a fairly harmless construct closely related to animated objects. Haunting spoons are of little threat to most folk since they only move or attack when directly threatened with violence. They spend the rest of their time as a mild annoyance for anyone who would dwell in the same locale by acting as a repository for conversations and similar sounds, recording them, and replaying entire pieces at random whenever people come close. They are occasionally found in the households of hags or as a byproduct of homes that have seen violent incidents in the past. While haunting spoons and similar constructs can be created intentionally and can come in variant forms, like plates or other cutlery, most often they occur naturally and in spoon form. After a house has seen many arguments or frequent crimes in or around it, a haunted spoon might arise from regular spoons in the area. The sound that haunting spoons replay most frequently is the first thing they “heard” that catalyzed their original creation, which is usually a violent incident or a particularly strongly worded argument. More than one murder case has been accidentally solved when a haunting spoon began replaying the scene. This has led to experiments by law enforcement, criminal, and espionage organizations to make use of haunting spoons, but unfortunately, the spoons record so much that they quickly become useless as a tool to record and reproduce anything in particular other than the incident that spawned them.

HAUNTING SPOON UNCOMMON

TINY

CONSTRUCT

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DANIEL SELIGMÜLLER

A SPOONFUL OF SUGAR

A detective once noticed that cleaning a bloody spoon caused it to replay the murder that created it on a much less frequent basis. Further experimentation revealed that placing different substances on the spoon causes a haunting spoon to prefer replaying what it experienced when it last held those substances.

CREATURE 1 MINDLESS

SPIRIT

Perception +5;darkvision, lifesense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics+8 Str+2, Dex+3, Con+4, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–5 AC 16,(12 when broken); construct armor; Fort +9, Ref+8, Will+3 HP 16; Hardness 3; Immunities death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious Construct Armor Like normal objects, a haunting spoon also has Hardness. The haunting spoon’s Hardness reduces any damage the haunting spoon takes by an amount equal to the Hardness. Once a haunting spoon is reduced to fewer than half its Hit Points, or immediately upon being damaged by a critical hit, its construct armor breaks, removing the Hardness and reducing its Armor Class to 12. Sounds of Distress 4 (auditory, illusion, occult) Frequency once per round; Trigger A creature enters the range of the haunting spoon’s lifesense; Effect The haunting spoon creates an auditory illusion of a snippet of sound it has previously witnessed. The illusion manifests from a location within the range of the haunting spoon’s lifesense. Due to the nature of haunting spoons and their origin, the auditory illusion usually takes the form of people shouting in fear or agony, a violent argument, a heated conversation, or the like. The sounds always seem to originate from another room than the one the spoon is in and have a maximum volume equal to four normal humans shouting. Creatures who succeed at a DC 20 Perception check can tell that the sounds are an illusion. Speed fly 20 feet Melee 1 scoop +8 (agile, finesse, magical, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d6+2 bludgeoning plus big scoop Big Scoop (emotion, illusion, mental, occult, visual) Any creature that suffers a critical hit from a haunting spoon’s scoop Strike must attempt a DC 17 Will save. On a failure, the creature is dazzled for 2 rounds, as they experience a vivid hallucination of the haunting spoon attempting to scoop out their eyes from their head or similarly damage any visual organs.

Heat Glutton COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATTHAN SENTENI

HUNTING HEAT GLUTTONS

The personal tundra surrounding a heat glutton makes them remarkably easy to track and avoid, since they leave a trail of cold behind them. For an unaware traveler, however, the presence of an unexplained patch of ice in the desert might appear as a mystery to be resolved, leading the curious to their likely demise.

Intelligent magical offshoots of giant wolverines, heat gluttons are just as aggressive and temperamental, but the resemblance stops there. Heat gluttons are nomadic creatures roaming deserts and wastelands in a desperate attempt to satisfy their insatiable hunger for heat. Heat gluttons create their own permanent personal tundra, sucking in all the heat around them, desperately trying to keep their body temperature high enough to avoid permanently freezing to death. According to legend, a glory-hunting nomadic hero once attempted to domesticate a pair of heat gluttons. Convinced he could keep them satiated through magical means, he supplied them with nearly unlimited heat upon which to feed. But the heat gluttons kept growing, both in size and hunger, until they eventually reached a size where even his most powerful sorcerers could no longer keep them docile. They had reached such a size that their personal tundra covered the whole desert, feeding on every living thing for miles around. None can tell how far they would have roamed and the damage they could have done if a silver dragon hadn’t taken it upon themselves to solve the issue. The story provides a cautionary tale: heat gluttons are better left alone.

HEAT GLUTTON UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 10 BEAST

COLD

Perception +16;darkvision, heat sense (imprecise) 60 feet, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Acrobatics+19, Athletics+22, Intimidation+19, Stealth+19, Survival+19 Str+7, Dex+5, Con+7, Int–3, Wis+2, Cha+1 Heat Sense A heat glutton can sense and locate heat sources within the listed range. AC 27; Fort +22, Ref +19, Will +16 HP 300; Immunitiesfire; Weaknessescold 10 Hunger Frenzy 5 Trigger A creature deals fire damage to the heat glutton and is close enough for the heat glutton to reach with a single Stride; Effect The heat glutton Pounces on the triggering creature. Personal Tundra (aura, cold) 60 feet. The constant heat absorption of the heat glutton creates an ice patch within the aura, which is difficult terrain. The heat glutton moves at full Speed in the area. Once the heat glutton moves away, the ice typically melts enough to no longer be difficult terrain, though the signs of rime remain for some time thereafter. If the temperature is cold enough to support ice normally, the ice remains until conditions warm up. Speed 35 feet Melee 1 jaws +23 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 piercing plus Grab Melee 1 claw +23 (agile), Damage 2d8+13 slashing Feed 2 The heat glutton feeds on all heat sources in a 30-foot emanation, putting out nearby fires. It extinguishes nonmagical fires automatically and attempts to counteract magical fires (counteract level 5, counteract modifier +18). The heat glutton heals 1d8 Hit Points if it extinguishes any fires, plus an additional 1d8 Hit Points per magical fire extinguished this way, to a maximum of 10d8 Hit Points for extinguishing nine or more magical fires. Ice Grip 1 Requirements The heat glutton has a creature grabbed; Effect The heat glutton feeds on the body heat of the grabbed creature, dealing 2d12+5 cold damage with a DC 29 basic Fortitude save. Pounce 1 The heat glutton Strides and makes a Strike at the end of that movement. If the heat glutton began this action hidden, it remains hidden until after the attack.

Ictioctors are insectoid qlippoth with a hivemind consciousness. An ictioctor has no face to speak of. Instead, its chitinous thorax is topped with a teeming swarm of jellyfish. This swarm is not merely an adornment but the seat of the creature’s schismatic consciousness. Ictioctors are fascinated by creatures with a solitary mind, and the qlippoth might attempt to study such specimens or add their unique minds to their own assembly. Of course, either of these activities usually begins by splitting open the creature’s skull. Ictioctors sometimes parlay with brain collectors to obtain specimens in exchange for showing the aliens passageways through their abyssal realms. Ictioctor minds are prone to turning on themselves due to the lack of a central authority to coordinate the swarm. Members may decide to pursue different goals, leading to the main body engaging in strange behaviors such as walking in circles or even clawing itself. Such schisms are more likely when the ictioctor has recently integrated a new creature’s knowledge. The information may reach some parts of the swarm sooner than others or cause them to react in different ways.

ICTIOCTOR UNCOMMON

CREATURE 4 MEDIUM

FIEND

QLIPPOTH

Perception +11;darkvision Languages Abyssal; swarm telepathy 100 feet Skills Acrobatics+10, Athletics+12, Intimidation+12, Occultism+10 Str+5, Dex+3, Con+2, Int+3, Wis+2, Cha+5 Swarm Telepathy The ictioctor can communicate with telepathy, but its swarm mind always reaches out with a cacophony of violent threats, nonsensical questions, and esoteric ravings. Creatures who attempt to Sense Motive against the ictioctor, read its mind, or target it with a telepathic effect must first succeed at a DC 18 Will save or become stupefied 1. AC 20; Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +10 HP 60; Immunitiescontrolled, fear; Weaknessesarea 5, lawful 5, splash damage 5; Resistancesmental 5, physical 5 (except cold iron) Speed 25 feet, climb 25 feet, swim 25 feet Melee 1 claw +14 (chaotic, magical), Damage 2d6+5 slashing plus 1d6 chaotic and Grab Ranged 1 jellyfish +12 (chaotic, magical, range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d6+5 poison plus 1d6 chaotic and jellyfish venom Occult Innate Spells DC 18; 2nd vomit swarmAPG (jellyfish, x2); Cantrips(2nd)detect magic Jellyfish Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 18 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 clumsy 1 (1 round); Stage 2 clumsy 2 (1 round); Stage 3 clumsy 3 (1 round) Split Skull 1 (manipulate) The ictioctor extracts the brain of a creature that has been dead for no more than 1 minute, and absorbs the creature’s knowledge. For 1 minute, the ictioctor gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, saving throws, and AC against the dead creature’s allies. Swarming Display 1 (concentrate, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental, occult, visual) The ictioctor detaches half of its swarm to swirl around in a distracting and threatening display. Creatures in a 30-foot emanation must attempt a DC 18 Will save, after which they are temporarily immune to further Swarming Displays for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is flat-footed until the beginning of their next turn. Failure The creature is flat-footed until the end of the ictioctor’s next turn. Critical Failure As failure, and the creature can’t Step while they are flat-footed.

Ictioctor SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY W. BRIAN LANE

DIFFERENT MIND-SETS

Other variants of ictioctors have been observed, with different types of swarms: ticks, amoebas, rats, or any other creature with a swarm mind. You can represent these differences by changing the type of damage dealt by Swarming Bites (such as piercing for a rat swarm) and the affliction to which the target is exposed (such as filth fever for a rat swarm) instead of jellyfish venom. Some variations based on flying swarms might grant the ictioctor a fly Speed instead of a swim Speed.

Illiceru GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAKE MAROHL

DANCES WITH ILLICERU

Those who are daring and quick on their feet may test whether two people are illiceru puppets by dancing with them, spinning and weaving until its tentacles get twisted in knots. Of course, plenty of people who aren’t puppets are uncomfortable dancing with strangers, and a frustrated illiceru that thinks it is about to be exposed may choose to cut the shenanigans short with its jaws.

Illiceru are nightmarish creatures that are permanently invisible except for the ends of their two tentacles, which are nearly perfect duplications of humans. They puppet these tentacles as they stalk villages and cities, standing above crowds and climbing on buildings with their spider-like legs. Each of an illiceru’s tentacles can speak, and they use this ability to talk to their prey. They convince people to leave town or follow them to alleys, where the illiceru can swallow them without drawing attention. While an illiceru’s tentacles are almost perfect imitations, they can be spotted by a notably trained or particularly paranoid individual. Each illiceru has two tentacles. They often take the appearance of one man and one woman, and they usually act as husband and wife. Their eyes are fake, so they commonly don’t make eye contact. When an illiceru is known to be in the area, people tend to be wary of any pair of strangers. In extreme cases, suspicious folk might force strangers to separate and prove they aren’t the tentacles of an illiceru. As an illiceru ages, so too do its puppets. Each puppet ages at a much faster rate than a human, growing from young adulthood to elderly every five years. When its puppets get too old, an illiceru enters a state of hibernation. The puppets fall off during this time, and new, younger puppets take their place. Occasionally, a baby illiceru will emerge from the decay of a discarded puppet and cling to its parent, who feeds it until it grows child-sized puppets of its own.

ILLICERU UNCOMMON

CREATURE 11 CN

HUGE

ABERRATION

Perception +20;tremorsense (precise) 60 feet, scent (imprecise) 120 feet, no vision Languages Common Skills Athletics+22, Deception+24, Diplomacy+22, Stealth+20 Str+5, Dex+7, Con+5, Int+5, Wis+3, Cha+7 AC 30 (32 when targeting tentacles); Fort +22, Ref +23 (+25 when targeting tentacles), Will +18 HP 180; Immunitiesvisual effects Naturally Invisible The illiceru is invisible at all times, though the humanlike ends of its tentacles are always visible. Due to this, creatures that can’t see the illiceru are not flat-footed to its tentacle Strikes. These tentacles can be targeted by Strikes and spells instead of the illiceru itself to avoid the flat check to target a hidden or undetected creature, although the illiceru has a +2 circ*mstance bonus to its AC and Reflex saves when the target is a tentacle. Speed 35 feet, climb 20 feet Melee 1 jaws +24, Damage 3d12+8 piercing Melee 1 tentacles +24 (agile, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d8+8 bludgeoning plus Gluttonous Capture Gluttonous Capture 1 Requirements The illiceru’s last action was a success with a tentacle Strike; Effect The illiceru pulls the creature it hit into an adjacent space, then makes a jaws Strike against it. On a success, the illiceru then Grabs the target. Plea for Help 1 (mental) One of the illiceru’s tentacles cowers and begs for help, distracting and frightening a foe. The illiceru attempts a Deception check against a creature’s Will DC. Regardless of the result of the check, the target is temporarily immune to this monster’s Plea for Help for 1 minute. Critical Success The target becomes frightened 3 and is flat-footed to the illiceru’s next tentacle Strike this turn. Success As a critical success, except the target is frightened 2. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Large, 2d8+8 bludgeoning plus 2d6 acid, Rupture 20; the illiceru is not invisible to creatures inside it.

Imaginary Friend

Imaginary friends are fiercely protective manifestations of daydreams. Anomalies that cause tears between the Dreamlands and reality can cause an imaginary friend to manifest from the thoughts, memories, and unwavering belief of those who first imagined them. They often appear as the ideal form of their creator and are usually of the same age and heritage, though some imaginary friends appear as animals, constructs, dinosaurs, or mythical creatures. Imaginary friends are brave and daring, and their willingness to sacrifice their own existence to protect their comrade is unparalleled. Imaginary friends aren’t naturally aggressive, though; they’re amicable companions whose selflessness goes a long way toward explaining their readiness to lay down their life for a companion.

IMAGINARY FRIEND RARE

N SMALL DREAM

ETHEREAL

CREATURE 4 INCORPOREAL

Perception +11;darkvision Languages Common (can’t speak any language); telepathy 100 feet (can only communicate with bonded friend) Skills Acrobatics+12, Athletics+12, Deception+10 Str–5, Dex+5, Con+3, Int+2, Wis+3, Cha+2 Friend Bond An imaginary friend is bound to the creature that imagined it, and it must remain within 120 feet of that creature. If it strays further than 120 feet, it vanishes and reappears within 1 day within 10 feet of its bonded friend. It is destroyed if its bonded friend dies. AC 20; Fort +9, Ref +13, Will +11 HP 30; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistancesall damage 5 (except force or ghost touch, double resistance against nonmagical) Imaginary Shield 5 Trigger A creature attempts a melee Strike against the imaginary friend’s bonded friend; Effect The imaginary friend Steps. If it ends its movement adjacent to its bonded friend, the imaginary friend takes the damage from the Strike instead of its bonded friend. The imaginary friend’s resistance applies to this damage, but the resistance isn’t doubled even if the attack was non-magical. Natural Invisibility A imaginary friend is naturally invisible to all creatures except for its bonded friend. Together, Charge! 5 Trigger The imaginary friend’s bonded friend Strides. Effect The imaginary friend Strides twice and makes an imaginary sword Strike. As long as the imaginary friend moved at least 20 feet, it gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus on its attack. If the bonded friend is equal or lower level than the imaginary friend, the bonded friend gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to its next attack. After using this ability, the imaginary friend is stunned 2. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 imaginary sword +16 (force, magical, two-hand d12), Damage 1d8+5 force Ranged 1 imaginary bow +14 (deadly 1d10, force, magical, range increment 100 feet, reload 0, volley 30 feet), Damage 1d8+5 force Knee Whack 2 The imaginary friend Steps then makes an imaginary sword Strike against a target within reach. If the attack hits, the imaginary friend immediately attempts to Trip the target; this Trip attempt doesn’t apply or increase the imaginary friend’s multiple attack penalty.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY RODNEY SLOAN

OTHER IMAGINARY FRIENDS

Medium imaginary friends are common, and they gain no benefits or penalties because of their larger size. Large creatures usually have Large imaginary friends, in which case you might choose to also apply the elite adjustments described in Pathfinder Bestiary. Flying and aquatic humanoids usually have an imaginary friend with a comparable fly or swim Speed. Imaginary friends that appear as animals or mythical creatures replace their imaginary weapons with comparable unarmed attacks that deal force damage.

Inkblot Ooze SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY AOIFE ESTER

THE INKBLOT TEST

The inkblot test is a fairly well-known exam for determining if a person has thought disorders. The examiner presents images of ink on paper, often in symmetrical patterns, and asks the patient what the ink depicts. Not so well-known is the fact that the inkblot test was made up on the spot by an academic who was consulting a book infested by an inkblot ooze. The ooze leapt out of the book and danced in dizzying patterns before fleeing. Faced with the choice of losing a client due to damaged books or improvising a new test, the panicked doctor pretended to have planned the ooze’s appearance and asked, “So how did that make you feel?”

Thought to have first been created by the interactions between a spilled bottle of magical ink and an overstuffed spellbook, inkblot oozes are well known for being the bane of bookish types the world over due to their propensity for ruining entire libraries. Even in combat, an inkblot ooze tends to focus its attentions on whichever foe is carrying the most literature, a behavior that is theorized to be an attempt to propagate its kind by emulating its creation. When they can’t find further texts to spoil, inkblot oozes are known to hibernate inside books and spring out of them once they are opened.

INKBLOT OOZE UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 6 MINDLESS

OOZE

Perception +10;ink sense (imprecise) 30 feet, motion sense 60 feet Skills Athletics+15, Stealth+9 Str+4, Dex–4, Con+5, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–5 Ink Sense The inkblot ooze has a special sense allowing it to detect the pigments present in ink, alerting it to the presence and general quantity of ink within the listed range. Motion Sense An inkblot ooze can sense nearby motion through vibration and air or water movement. AC 14; Fort +17, Ref +8, Will +10 HP 190; Immunitiescritical hits, mental, precision, unconscious, visual Curious Symmetry (aura, mental, visual) 60 feet. The inkblot ooze’s constantly-shifting, symmetrical form stimulates the imaginations of nearby creatures, luring them into a hypnotic daze. Any creature within the area that can see the inkblot ooze must attempt a DC 22 Will save. On a failure, the creature is fascinated for 1d4 rounds, and on a critical failure they are also stupefied 1 for the same duration. At the end of this duration, or if a creature succeeds at its save, it is then temporarily immune to the aura for 1 minute. Speed 20 feet, climb 10 feet Melee 1 pseudopod +17, Damage 2d10+8 bludgeoning plus inkspill Hide in Pages 3 (move) Requirements The inkblot ooze is adjacent to a book with at least 10 pages; Effect The inkblot ooze seeps into the pages of the book. It has an automatic result of 35 on Deception checks and DCs to pass as a regular feature of the book. It can’t act except to dismiss the effect, either by using this ability again, or as a reaction to the book being opened. While hidden within a book, the inkblot ooze’s Curious Symmetry aura is suppressed. Inkspill Whenever an inkblot ooze makes a successful pseudopod Strike against a creature or unattended object, the inkblot ooze spills some of its form over a text within its reach, such as a book or scroll, in an attempt to ruin it. The text must be either the target of the Strike or on an object held or worn by the target. If the text is held or worn by a creature, that creature can attempt a DC 22 Reflex save to protect the text. On a failure the text is covered in inky ooze, rendering it unusable. On a critical failure, or against an unattended object, in addition to the failure effects, a random spell, formula, or page within the text is permanently erased. A text ruined in this way can be recovered over the course of an hour with a successful DC 25 Crafting check, and a spell or formula erased by a critical failure can be relearned for half its usual cost by using the page in the process.

Iron Houndmaster

When a construct workshop ceased production of hound and guard type constructs and scrapped the remaining models, a rogue construct crafter found the scrap and tried to make them work again. The result was a batch of iron houndmasters, mismatched mechanical patrol units that excelled at locating and capturing any trespasser foolish enough to enter their patrol field.

IRON HOUNDMASTER RARE

MEDIUM

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 8 MINDLESS

Perception +20;darkvision Skills Acrobatics+18, Athletics+16, Stealth+16, Survival+18 Str+4, Dex+6, Con+3, Int–5, Wis+6, Cha–5 Split Anatomy The iron houndmaster’s two halves are not fully wired to function in unison. When the iron houndmaster rolls initiative, its hound half uses its normal initiative roll and its master half uses the result of its initiative roll –5. Neither half can Delay. Instead of getting three actions and one reaction as normal, each half of the iron houndmaster gains two actions and one reaction on its respective turn. The halves calculate their multiple attack bonus separately. Only the master can use the metal fist and shock stick Strikes, and only the hound can use the metallic fangs and dart gun Strikes. Release the Hound When the iron houndmaster is reduced to 60 or fewer Hit Points, its two halves separate. Its remaining Hit Points are split between the hound and the master, rounding up. While separated, the two halves gain 3 actions and a reaction on each of their turns, the hound’s Speed increases to 50 feet, and both halves have their AC reduced to 24. AC 27 together,24 separated; Fort +13, Ref +19, Will +16 HP 132; Immunitiesbleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious Speed 30 feet Melee 1 metal fist +18 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8+8 bludgeoning Melee 1 shock stick +18 (electricity, finesse), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning plus 1d12 electricity Melee 1 metallic fangs +18 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8+8 piercing Ranged 1 dart gun +18 (range 60 feet, reload 0), Damage 2d6+8 piercing Bring Down 2 Requirements Only the hound half can use this action; Effect The hound performs a metallic fangs Strike. On a hit, it also knocks the target prone, and on a critical hit, the target takes an additional 1d8 persistent bleed damage. Net Cannon 1 (attack) Requirements Only the hound half can use this action; Effect The hound half launches a net at a target within 60 feet. The target attempts a DC 26 Reflex save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is flat-footed until the end of the hound’s next turn, though it can use an Interact action to end the effect early. Failure The creature is caught in the net. It is immobilized and flat-footed until it Escapes, with an Escape DC of26. Critical Failure As failure, but the creature is also knocked prone. The iron houndmaster can’t use Net Cannon again for 1d4 rounds. Subduing Strike 2 Requirements Only the master half can use this action; Effect The master makes a melee Strike. On a hit, the target takes the normal damage from the Strike and attempts a DC 23 Fortitude save; this additional effect has the incapacitation trait. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target is stunned 1. Failure The target is stunned 2. Critical Failure The target is stunned 4.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KITSUNE KIRIN

SEPARATION ANXIETY

Allowing an iron houndmaster to separate is a risky proposition because the halves may not combine back together correctly. When multiple houndmasters are on the field, the closest halves attempt to rewire themselves together at the end of combat. The result may be two masters or two hounds fused together, with a resulting duplication in their abilities.

Irus PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMES ABENDROTH

WADIRUS DRUGS

Shady black market dealers have begun to ask unscrupulous adventurers to intentionally provoke wadiruses in order to process their poison into a new form of drug. So far, none of the experimental wadirus drugs have made it to the market, as they have all had horrifying side effects.

Iruses are a family of fey creatures who find beauty in remote places most humanoids and other mortal folk overlook. Unfortunately for those who pass through their domains, they assume anyone in their territory is there to despoil it and react violently. Each irus is made up of a main body and a swarm of smaller bodies, each with a different physical shape. Both body and swarm are a single creature, however, and an irus can control the smaller bodies as easily as an arm or leg. Should the main body be destroyed, one of the smaller creatures will slowly grow into a new main body. There is some evidence that all iruses are actually the same species adapted to different environments. For example, a swarm body from one type of irus can cleave off and form a new main body of a different type if it encounters the correct environment.

Wadirus

Some people in urban areas view jungles as pristine wildlands that are good for nothing but pillaging resources for their own purposes. Those who would dare attempt to exploit jungle lands risk running afoul of many dangerous creatures, but none are so dedicated to protecting their arboreal homes as the froglike fey guardians known as wadiruses. A wadirus has the appearance of a giant tree frog with black and bright blue, green, or yellow markings all over its body. Its entire spine is covered by a crest of large, multicolored, iridescent feathers. These quills aren’t just present for decoration, however, and a wadirus can use its tongue to pluck one of its quills off its spine and flick it as a dart with surprising range. Though wadiruses have opposable thumbs, their legs aren’t particularly well-suited for bipedal movement, and therefore they rarely stand upright or use weapons or tools.

WADIRUS UNCOMMON

CREATURE 5 MEDIUM

FEY

Perception +15; low-light vision Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +13 (+16 to High Jump or Long Jump), Deception+11, Intimidation+11, Nature+13, Stealth+12 (+14 in jungles), Survival+12 (+14 in jungles) Str+2, Dex+5, Con+4, Int+2, Wis+5, Cha+4 Prodigious Leaper A wadirus doesn’t automatically fail High Jump or Long Jump attempts if it doesn’t Stride first, allowing it to make long and high leaps without any kind of running start. AC 21, all-around vision; Fort +11 (+13 vs. poisons), Ref+14, Will +12 HP 95, swarm rejuvenation; Weaknessescold iron 5 Poison Skin Any time a creature touches the wadirus or hits it with an unarmed melee attack, and any time an adjacent creature hits it with a weapon attack, the creature is exposed to its wadirus poison.

Swarm Rejuvenation A wadirus’s swarm is part of its true self. After defeating a wadirus, its swarm disperses, and 2d4 days later, one of the constituent creatures grows into a new wadirus if even a single one escapes. While the exact circ*mstances and surroundings determine how long the wadirus’s foes have to dispatch the fleeing creatures before they escape, usually its foes have only a single round. Typically, this requires the application of an area effect or splash weapon within 1 round to the space where the wadirus collapsed. After any amount of area or splash damage is dealt to that space, the character dealing the damage must attempt a DC 15 flat check. Each subsequent area or splash damage effect performed on the area reduces the DC of this flat check by 2, to a minimum of DC 5. If any of these flat checks succeed, none of the creatures escapes, and the wadirus is destroyed permanently. At the GM’s discretion, clever means of trapping or otherwise detaining the vermin may extend the time allowed to finish off the wadirus. Speed 25 feet, climb 20 feet, swim 20 feet Melee 1 foot +15 (finesse), Damage 2d10+4 bludgeoning plus wadirus poison Melee 1 tongue +15 (agile, finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+4 bludgeoning Ranged 1 quill +15 (agile, range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d6+4 piercing plus wadirus poison Primal Innate Spells DC 19, attack +11; 3rdanimal vision (at will), wall of thorns; 2ndentangle, fungal infestationAPG; Cantrips(3rd)tanglefoot Frog Swarm 2 The wadirus fills a 5-foot burst within 25 feet with its frog swarm. The frogs do no damage, but all creatures within this area when the wadirus moves it or at the start of their turn are exposed to wadirus poison. Once per turn, the wadirus can move the burst up to 25 feet or dissipate it with a single action, which has the concentrate trait. If the wadirus’s frog swarm is ever more than 100 feet from the wadirus, it automatically dissipates. Once the frog swarm dissipates, the wadirus must use this action to send the swarm forth again. If it uses Frog Swarm before the swarm has dissipated, doing so dissipates the existing swarm before sending it forth once again. Jump Kick 2 The wadirus Strides then Leaps. If it lands adjacent to a creature it can make a foot Strike against that creature. If the Strike is successful the creature is pushed 5 feet (10 feet on a critical success). Wadirus Poison (Poison) Saving Throw DC 20 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 1d6 poison damage (1 round); Stage 2 1d8 poison damage and enfeebled 1 (1 round); Stage 3 1d8 poison damage and sickened 1 (1 round); Stage 4 1d8 poison damage and sickened 2 (1 round); The sickened condition caused by wadirus poison can’t be reduced or removed until the target is no longer affected by wadirus poison.

Salirus

Many see nothing but stagnation in swamps. As nature’s bog guards, saliruses know different. They see the decay and rot as nature’s way of reclaiming what is no longer needed and know that life thrives just beneath the murky surface of the water. Like their brethren in other terrains, these fey creatures have a close connection to their swamps and punish anyone who would pollute their territory. A salirus can move unfettered through their natural environment, unimpeded by underbrush, and can walk across water as easily as land. They use this to their advantage, ambushing opponents when their targets are hampered by either water or plants and using their maneuverability to keep their distance. A salirus has the appearance of a humanoid beetle, complete with compound eyes, wicked mandibles, and a soft but obvious carapace. Its body ends at its torso, though, and six long, insectile legs spring from its waist. Each leg ends in a splayed-toed, webbed foot. The salirus is constantly surrounded by a cloud of fireflies that flash in a rainbow of colors. As with all iruses, this swarm is actually a part of the salirus, and the salirus can control it as easily as any other part of its body. In fact, should a salirus’s main body be destroyed, one of these fireflies becomes the repository of its consciousness and slowly grows into a duplicate of the destroyed body. Only by completely destroying this swarm of fireflies that make up a salirus’s extended body can a salirus be truly slain.

Irus PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMES ABENDROTH

SWARM REJUVENATION: A SURVEY AND ANALYSIS OF THE FIELD

The metaphysical process of swarm rejuvenation is complicated, and among the scholars who sought to understand it, many died to irus attacks before one extremely persistent researcher managed to publish a treatise named Swarm Rejuvenation: A Survey and Analysis of the Field, which is currently recognized as the most prominent collection of theories and data on the subject. According to the text, when an irus’s central body is defeated, it spreads the primal energy of its fey self throughout the swarm of creatures that make up its extended body. Each of these creatures is connected to the others and the main body by an invisible web of magical links, similar to arteries or a ley line network, and the web persists after the body’s death. This means that no matter how many of the swarm’s constituents are killed, the irus can quickly shift their energy into whichever manages to survive. However, the transfer isn’t lossless, and an unpredictable amount of the essence spills out during the process, especially if many of the swarm’s constituent creatures also perish. This leads to a significant variation in how long it takes for the irus to rejuvenate, as the more energy it loses, the longer it takes to return.

Irus PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMES ABENDROTH

SALIRUS AND WISPS

Occasionally, a salirus teams up with will-o’-wisps to lead a more dangerous group of adventurers astray in their swampy home. The wisps and the salirus intersperse the salirus’s colorful fireflies with the wisps’ dancing lights to completely befuddle, ambush, and then terrorize their opponents.

SALIRUS UNCOMMON

CREATURE 6 CE

MEDIUM

FEY

Perception +17; low-light vision Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics+15, Athletics+12, Deception+11, Intimidation+11, Nature+15, Stealth+16, Survival+13, Swamp Lore+14 Str+2, Dex+5, Con+4, Int+3, Wis+5, Cha+2 Items +1 composite longbow AC 23, all-around vision; Fort +12, Ref +17, Will +13 HP 120, swarm rejuvenation; Weaknessescold iron 5 Swarm Rejuvenation See wadirus. Speed 25 feet; water stride, woodland stride Melee 1 mandibles +17 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+8 piercing Ranged 1 composite longbow +17 (deadly d10, range increment 100 feet, volley 30 feet), Damage 1d8+7 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 21; 4thsolid fog; 3rdanimal vision (at will), stinking cloud; 2ndentangle, sudden blightAPG; Cantrips(3rd)dancing lights Illuminate 1 (light) Requirements The salirus hasn’t used Obfuscate this turn; Effect The salirus fills a square within 60 feet with its swarm of fireflies. Any invisible creatures in the square or that have a portion of themselves in the square become concealed rather than undetected, as the fireflies settle on them. The fireflies remain in the square until the salirus moves them again by using either Illuminate or Obfuscate. Any creatures that move out of the square regain their invisibility. Whether there are any creatures in the square the salirus selects or not, the fireflies shine bright light in a 10-foot radius. Obfuscate 1 (light) Requirements The salirus hasn’t used Illuminate this turn; Effect The salirus surrounds itself with its swarm of fireflies, hiding from view. It is concealed until the beginning of its next turn. It can’t use this concealment to Hide or Sneak, as normal for concealment that makes its position obvious. Target 1 (light) The salirus sends a single firefly to land on a creature to improve its aim. The salirus gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to its attack roll on the next bow Strike against the creature made before the end of its turn. If the Strike hits it deals an additional 1d8 precision damage. Water Stride The salirus can stand and move on the surface of water or other liquids without falling through. It can go underwater whenever it wishes, but in that case, it must Swim until it returns to the surface. Woodland Stride A salirus ignores difficult terrain and greater difficult terrain from nonmagical foliage.

Caxirus

Reefs are locations full of beautiful and often dangerous life. Unfortunately, many people forget that they are also carefully balanced and fragile ecosystems. Caxiruses are more than happy to violently remind them why they should respect the danger and sanctity of reefs. A caxirus finds and protects one reef from any who would despoil it, whether intentionally or not. An ambush predator, they most commonly attract interlopers with the flashing bioluminescence of their lure and the swarm of fish that surrounds them. Then, as their prey gets close, they douse the light of their lure and sneak up on their victim while the unsuspecting prey continues to be distracted by the smaller fish.

Caxiruses are experts at ambushing their prey, using the small school of bioluminescent fish that always attends them as a distraction before striking from hiding. More often than not, their victims are so fascinated by the smaller, harmless fish that they never see the main caxirus, with their dangerous teeth and claws, coming. The main body of a caxirus, in sharp contrast to the sleek fish that make up their swarm, looks much like an anglerfish, complete with a stubby body, toothy maw, and glowing lure. Unlike an anglerfish, a caxirus has a pair of crustaceanlike claws instead of pelvic fins, and its eyes sit at the ends of long stalks that it can rotate independently.

CAXIRUS UNCOMMON

CREATURE 8 CE

LARGE

AQUATIC

Irus PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMES ABENDROTH

CAXIRUSES AND CHOCHORI

While caxiruses ruthlessly hunt any who disrespects their reefs, they are willing to tolerate the presence of the coral people known as chochori, as long as the chochori in question spiritually revere the reef and give regular offerings to the caxirus.

FEY

Perception +18;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 100 feet Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Athletics+18, Deception+16, Intimidation+18, Nature+16, Stealth+18, Survival+16 Str+6, Dex+3, Con+4, Int+4, Wis+6, Cha+3 AC 26, all-around vision; Fort +16, Ref +13, Will +18 HP 175, swarm rejuvenation; Weaknessescold iron 10 Flashing School (aura) 20 feet. Creatures within the caxirus’s aura are surrounded by a swarm of multicolored flashing fish. A creature entering the aura or starting its turn in the aura must attempt a DC 23 Fortitude save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune to flashing school for 1 minute. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is dazzled for 1 round. Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1 minute. Swarm Rejuvenation See wadirus. Speed swim 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +18, Damage 2d10+10 piercing Melee 1 claw +18 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d6+10 slashing plus Grab Primal Innate Spells DC 23; 4th coral eruptionSOM, hydraulic torrent; 3rdanimal vision (at will), crashing waveAPG; 2nddarkness; Cantrips(4th)spoutSOM Constrict 1 2d6+7 bludgeoning, DC 26 Douse Lure 1 The caxirus turns off the illumination in its lure, obscuring itself in the flashing lights of its school. It makes a Hide check without requiring cover or concealment. While it can Hide, it can’t use this hidden condition to Sneak and become undetected, since it is still clearly positioned in the midst of its school. Pounce 1 The caxirus Strides and makes a Strike at the end of that movement. If the caxirus began this action hidden, it remains hidden until after the Strike. Sneak Attack The caxirus’s Strikes deal 2d6 extra precision damage to flat-footed creatures.

Nafirus

High mountain peaks are generally deserted, desolate places, and that’s just how a nafirus likes it. Nafiruses view the presence of almost any living creature, particularly landbound creatures and even more especially humanoids, as a desecration of these pristine places’ stark beauty. As such, they rapidly and violently attack any interlopers in their domain.

Irus PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMES ABENDROTH

NAFIRUS SYMPHONIES

Nafiruses might be evil, but they love music, and they often compose complex, haunting symphonies to be performed by their own songbirds. While nafiruses are ordinarily the most territorial of iruses, there are tales of accomplished bards managing to encroach on a nafirus’s mountain respectfully and survive the encounter by sharing their own musical compositions with the nafirus.

Unlike other iruses, nafiruses care little for subtlety. Instead, they dive down on their victims in cacophonous, multicolored fury. In combat, they zealously use their mobility, snatching climbing opponents off of walls to plummet to their doom and driving flying creatures to the ground. A nafirus has a body like a large gliding bird, such as a condor or eagle, with plain brown plumage. However, just above its wings, instead of an avian head, a humanoid torso and head grow, complete with arms, hands, and an additional set of feathered wings. A nafirus is attended by a mass of songbirds, each no larger than a human hand. While these birds all have the same shape and structure, they have wildly varying colorations and patterns. The songbird swarm has an impressive range of notes and can make beautiful songs, but they are also capable of painfully discordant tones.

NAFIRUS UNCOMMON

CREATURE 9 CE

MEDIUM

FEY

Perception +19; low-light vision Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +18 (+20 to Maneuver in Flight), Athletics +18, Deception +17, Intimidation +19, Nature+18, Performance +17, Stealth+17, Survival+18 Str+3, Dex+6, Con+4, Int+3, Wis+4, Cha+6 Items caterwaul sling AC 27, all-around vision; Fort +18, Ref +21, Will+15 HP 200, swarm rejuvenation; Weaknessescold iron 10 Swarm Rejuvenation See wadirus. Speed 10 feet, fly 60 feet Melee 1 talon +21 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d10+9 piercing plus Grab Ranged 1 sling +21, Damage 2d6+9 bludgeoning Primal Innate Spells DC 25; 5th lightning stormAPG; 4th freedom of movement; 3rdanimal vision (at will), wall of wind; 2ndash cloudSOM; 1stgust of wind; Cantrips(5th)electric arc Cacophonous Call 2 (evocation, primal, sonic) The songbird swarm releases a blast of sound, dealing 5d6 sonic damage in a 30-foot cone (DC 25 basic Reflex save.) Because the swarm is the origin of the blast, the cone can originate at any point within 60 feet of the nafirus, rather than just in the nafirus’s space. Down to Earth 2 (mental) The songbird swarm surrounds a flying target, dragging it down with their weight and disrupting its sense of direction with their song. The target attempts a DC 25 Will save. Success The target falls up to 60 feet. If this brings it to the ground, it is unharmed. Failure The target falls up to 80 feet. If this brings it to the ground, it takes 10d6 bludgeoning damage. Critical Failure The target falls up to 100 feet. If this brings it to the ground it takes 12d6 bludgeoning damage and is stunned 1. If the target doesn’t reach the ground, it must attempt another save against Down to Earth at the beginning of its next turn. Go For the Eyes 2 (incapacitation) The nafirus sends its swarm of songbirds to attack an opponent within 120 feet. The target takes 6d8 damage and must attempt a DC 26 Reflex save. Critical Success The target takes no damage and one of the attacking birds is injured, dealing 1d8 damage to the nafirus. Success The target takes half damage. Failure The target takes full damage and is blinded for 1 round. Critical Failure The target takes double damage and is blinded permanently. Snatch A nafirus can Fly at half Speed while it has a creature grabbed or restrained in its talons, carrying that creature along with it.

A jadrani is a giant undead bird formed from a slain and corrupted phoenix. Jadrani lair in dark caves and sleep in mountains of corpses of those foolhardy enough to seek their so-called fountain of youth, not knowing the true source of this myth. The withering and rejuvenation of a jadrani mark a contradiction in its nature. Where its aura is said to reverse the aging of living creatures, its very being is an affront to life itself. Jadrani use these tales for their own vile ends, sometimes even allowing petitioners to live to spread their legend and attract additional fools to their lair. Unlike a phoenix’s song, this creature’s song soothes no hearts. Should one of an jadrani’s hunters manage to slay it, the jadrani’s cursed flesh and bones turn to dust and coalesce around its killer in a deadly curse. It helps itself to a banquet of their life force and emerges from their flesh and bones only seconds later, often felling them instantly and adding another corpse to the pile.

JADRANI RARE

GARGANTUAN

CREATURE 16 BEAST

UNDEAD

Perception +28;darkvision, lifesense 120 feet Languages Common, Necril, Shadowtongue, Skills Acrobatics+32, Athletics+28, Deception+26, Intimidation+30, Stealth+28 Str+6, Dex+8, Con+6, Int+7, Wis+6, Cha+6 AC 38; Fort +26, Ref +30, Will +30 HP 305,negative healing, regeneration 20 (deactivated by good or positive); Immunitiesdeath effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknessesgood 10, positive 10 Jadrani Death Curse (curse, death, necromancy, occult) When a creature slays an jadrani, the slaying creature must succeed at a DC 41 Will save or become a vessel for the jadrani’s self-resurrection. On a failure, the jadrani returns to unlife fully healed 1d4 rounds later, with the effects of a 7th-level resurrect ritual. This deals 10d10 negative damage to the host (DC 37 basic Fortitude save). An jadrani who died within an area devoted to a good deity by a consecrate ritual can’t self-resurrect, and an jadrani can self-resurrect only once per year. Fountain of Youth (aura, occult, transmutation) 60 feet. When a living creature ends its turn in the aura, it must attempt a DC 34 Fortitude save. If the creature fails, its body regresses, reversing muscle development, balance, and coordination. The creature appears superficially youthful for 1 day but is also clumsy 1 and enfeebled 1 while the appearance of youth lasts. Speed 25 feet, fly 75 feet Melee 1 beak +32 (finesse, magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d8+14 piercing plus 2d6 negative and 2d6 persistent negative Melee 1 talon +32 (agile, finesse, magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d6+14 piercing plus 2d6 negative Ranged 1 bone pinion +32 (magical, range increment 40 feet), Damage 3d6+14 piercing plus 2d6 negative Occult Innate Spells DC 37; 8thspirit song Bone Shards 2 The jadrani snaps its wings and throws shards of bones in a 50-foot cone that deals 14d6 piercing damage to creatures in the area with a DC 37 basic Reflex save. A creature that fails its save is also immobilized until they spend an Interact action to wrench themselves free. An jadrani can’t use Bone Shards again for 1d4 rounds.

Jadrani COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAKE CASSAR

EXTINGUISHED HOPE

Necromantic magic and acts of evil are not sufficient to transform a phoenix into a jadrani. Phoenixes are beacons of kindness and hope. Foes must snuff out those qualities entirely, driving a phoenix into despair, before they can corrupt the creature. While such an end is tragic, it does bear the silver lining that jadrani are reclusive—they do not actively go out into the world to spread destruction in the same way that phoenixes travel widely to heal and console.

Kawakami SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MICHAEL ROBINSON

WATER ALWAYS WINS

Societies that respect a river can work with its guardian for the benefit of all. Kawakami are happy to advise farmers where floods are likely to occur so that they don’t build permanent structures in those areas. In exchange, those areas become fertile land for a bountiful yield of crops when the waters recede, and the river remains healthy by purging itself of silt buildup.

Appearing as an incorporeal humanoid made from flowing water that turns silty when angered, kawakami are protector spirits. They are a rare hybrid of kami and primal spirits that came about to resolve a dispute over which group would protect river systems. These hybrid creatures are highly protective of a specific river, their ward, and have a mercurial temperament that changes between embracing the destructive power of their river’s flooding and the restorative gift of their river’s bounty. Although not hostile to those who respect their river, a kawakami is willing to take extreme action to protect their ward. If they fail to do so, often due to excessive pollution from nearby societies, they can become stuck in one of their two states, causing damage to those relying on the river or the nearby ecosystem.

KAWAKAMI RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 9 INCORPOREAL

KAMI

SPIRIT

WATER

Perception +18;low-light vision Languages Aquan, Common Skills Acrobatics+18, Intimidation+18, Nature+20, Stealth+20 Str–5, Dex+4, Con+4, Int+4, Wis+4, Cha+3 River’s Mind A kawakami exists in one of two states: destructive or restorative. The Healing Waves and Suffocating Ripple abilities change the kawakami’s state during combat, but at the beginning of combat their state is determined by their current temperament. Ward Every kami is bound to a ward: a specific animal, plant, object, or location. A kami can merge with or emerge from their ward as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. While merged, the kami can observe their surroundings with their usual senses as well as the senses of their ward, but can’t move, communicate with, or control their ward. Additionally, a kami merged with their ward recovers Hit Points each minute as if they spent an entire day resting. A kawakami’s ward is a river, and they can observe anything within the river while merged. AC 25; Fort +15, Ref +18, Will +21 HP 100; Resistancesall 10 (except force or ghost touch, double resistance against non-magical) Speed fly 30 feet Melee 1 hydrokinetic wave +20, Damage 2d8+11 bludgeoning Primal Innate Spells DC 28; 5th control water; 4th hydraulic torrent (×2) Healing Waves 2 Requirement The kawakami is currently in a restorative state; Effect The kawakami surrounds up to two creatures within 30 feet (which can include itself) in restorative, obscuring water, and then reverts to their destructive state and can’t use this ability for 1d4 rounds. The targeted creatures recover 10d6 Hit Points, and gain concealment against all enemies for one round. Intercepting Swell 5 Requirement The kawakami is currently in a restorative state; Trigger A creature within 15 feet damages the kawakami or an adjacent ally; Effect Healing water blocks the blow, reducing the damage by 8, and granting the damaged creature fast healing 5 for the next 2 rounds. Hydropulse 1 (evocation, primal, water) Requirement The kawakami is currently in a destructive state; Frequency Once per round; Effect The kawakami unleashes a powerful explosion of water. All creatures within a 10ft emanation of the kawakami take 5d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 26 basic Reflex save). On a failure, the creature is also knocked prone. Suffocating Ripple 2 (primal, water) Requirement The kawakami is currently in a destructive state; Effect The kawakami targets a creature within 100 feet from which a 10-foot emanation of water and mud rapidly swells, and then reverts to a restorative state and can’t use this ability for 1d4 rounds. All creatures within the emanation take 10d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 28 basic Reflex save). On a failure, the target must also attempt a DC 28 Fortitude save, and they must start holding their breath on a failure. The affected creature, or any adjacent creature, can use an Interact action to clear the suffocating creature’s airway.

Kayman Bacoo

On the flooded coasts of the fey realm, the roots of fey mangrove forests reach deep to entangle the roots of Material Plane counterparts. Long ago, fey called bacoos climbed the roots into the Material Plane to see how mortals behaved. When they witnessed the callousness and brutality of the Material Plane, bacoos decided the people must have been put here as a cruel joke. Some, who called themselves kayman bacoos, found the most humor in the sweet lies of rum. Kayman bacoos are small crocodilian fey characterized by wild tempers and prickly senses of humor. To kayman bacoos, offerings of rum, sweets, or flesh are the only reasons to grant the local humans any peace. They love rum despite their low tolerance for drink and refuse to restrain their appetites. By day, they lounge in the trees bordering small villages or other human settlements, often nursing hangovers. But by night, kayman bacoos stalk the eaves, looking for partygoers or merrymakers who might be drinking rum without offering them a sip first. When they smell rum on someone’s breath, they silently fall into line behind them and attempt to follow them home. If noticed, they ask their prey some variation of “Out for a drink? Did you leave me any?” Those who live in an area haunted by kayman bacoos know better than to go carousing or host a party without leaving an offering of rum on their doorstep. Wise locals can then answer truthfully that they have left rum out for the fey. Anyone caught unprepared must make a choice: either invite the kayman bacoos in for a drink or suffer their wrath. Kayman bacoos quickly succumb to the sedative effects of alcohol, but their idea of what constitutes a party typically involves scatological pranks and profound overapplication of rowdy magic. Most communities tolerate their local kayman bacoos because they exterminate rats and other pests. Even if they don’t appreciate their scaly neighbors, driving off these gluttonous fey usually proves beyond the means of the local authorities.

KAYMAN BACOO NE

SMALL

BACOO

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ALEX G. FRIEDMAN

BACOO CHARACTERS

Kayman bacoo are one of several types of related fey called bacoo, which enjoy food and drink offerings like rum, bananas, and milk. For full rules on playing a bacoo PC, check out World of Battlezoo: Indigo Isles!

CREATURE 4

FEY

Perception +14;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +10, Intimidation +12, Nature +12, Performance+12, Stealth+12, Thievery+10 Str+2, Dex+5, Con+2, Int+3, Wis+3, Cha+5 AC 21; Fort +6, Ref +14, Will +11 HP 78; Weaknessescold iron 5, rum weakness Rum Weakness (poison) Alcohol quickly subdues kayman bacoos. A kayman bacoo is immune to alcohol addiction but treats every Fortitude saving throw against alcohol as one degree of success worse than they rolled. While suffering from the effects of alcohol, a kayman bacoo gains the slowed condition with a value equal to the alcohol’s poison stage. If a kayman bacoo’s slowed condition equals or exceeds 3, they fall unconscious for 2d4 hours. A kayman bacoo is inclined to drink any alcohol they are offered. Toothy Grin 5 (emotion, enchantment, fear, mental) Trigger The kayman bacoo critically succeeds on a saving throw against a foe, or a foe’s attack roll critically fails against the kayman bacoo; Effect A crocodile smile confounds and frightens those whose failure piques the kayman bacoo’s humor. The triggering foe must attempt a DC 21 Will save. Afterwards, the triggering foe is temporarily immune for 1 minute. Critical Success The triggering foe is unaffected. Success The triggering foe is frightened 1. Failure The triggering foe is frightened 2 and stupefied 1 for 1d4 rounds. Critical Failure The triggering foe is frightened 2 and stupefied 1 for 1 minute. Speed 30 feet, climb 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +14 (magical, finesse), Damage 2d6+5 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 21; 2ndglitterdust, vomit swarmAPG; 1stjump, mud pitSOM, pest form, restyleSOM; Cantrips(2nd)dancing lights, spoutSOM

Keyweed PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LAU BANNENBERG

KELPSTEEDS AND KELPIES

Kelpsteeds are generally friendly, curious, and willing to make friends with anyone who wishes to swim with them. However, they hold a deep enmity for the malevolent equine fey known as kelpies. This hatred comes about because kelpies, which also have a plantlike appearance, use trickery and compulsion to fool their prey into riding in the water with them, only to drown and devour their victim. This leads to kelpsteeds being mistrusted—and even sometimes attacked—by potential new friends who mistake them for kelpies.

Keyweeds are a family of diminutive plants who are known to perform quirky and unexpected activities, such as breaking into locks, swimming alongside other creatures, or even creating music to calm the spirits of the dead. The name refers to both the family as well as the most famous member of the family, the creature known as keyweed, a plant that loves to pick locks and disable devices. While keyweeds’ origin aren’t entirely clear, many scholars have come to believe the most widely spread legends, which tell that keyweeds were created by druids to fulfill a variety of unusual niches where no other plants possibly could. Other theories exist, including those of some scholars who believe that keyweeds were originally humanoids who transformed into plants due to the blessing or curse of a deity of nature. For instance, one fairy tale parents tell to little children who are caught filching something is that if they misbehave and steal from others, the Green Man might come to the house at night and transform them into a keyweed, spiriting them away into the woods forever, never to see their families again. Keyweeds have an unusual relationship with leshies based on their similarities and differences. Both are small sapient plant creatures, and if the stories are true, both originated from druidic magic, but leshies are nature spirits, or vitae, that directly incarnated in a mortal plant body through a primal ritual. While their progenitors might have been created by druids, keyweeds are mortal plants through and through, living, reproducing, and dying just like any other plant does.

Kelpsteed

Kelpsteeds are curious, sapient plants with a drive to see the whole underwater world. They have relatively slight frames, however, and on their own they can’t swim very fast. Kelpsteeds take their name from the way they overcome this: they like to form a partnership with a sturdier creature and provide it with the mobility to get to faraway marvels together. Most scholars classify kelpsteeds into the same family of plant creatures as keyweeds (the eponymous “keyweed” family), another supposed creation of enterprising druids. According to legend, these druids needed a way to transport their allies from place to place during some ancient oceanic conflict, or so the theory goes. Marine druids still often partner with kelpsteeds, but kelpsteeds are free-willed and often bargain for something in return, such as a promise to travel to places the kelpsteed wishes to explore. Kelpsteeds are seen as a mixed omen by sailors. While they can help one get around quickly underwater, they don’t provide the ability to breathe. Grizly stories circulate of sailors being pulled down into the depths and drowning in the grip of young kelpsteeds who were just looking for a partner. This can be conflated with kelpies, malevolent plantlike horses that intentionally drown others. In more tropical waters, sailors have learned to swim with kelpsteeds much like dolphins, surfacing for deep breaths of air and then swiftly swimming on.

Kelpsteeds don’t usually have separate communities of their own; they tend to keep company with a swimming partner. They’re able to pick up scent trails from many miles away, indicating other kelpsteeds are in the area, and when they do, they often encourage their partners to rendezvous. For kelpsteeds, this is a time to meet new friends and mates and to swap stories. Kelpsteeds can live for many decades, and if someone learns a compatible sign language, they can often share lore covering a vast region.

KELPSTEED CN

SMALL

AQUATIC

CREATURE 1 PLANT

Perception +7;low-light vision Languages Aquan, Sylvan (can’t speak any language; communicates via sign language) Skills Athletics+7, Nature+6, Ocean Lore+6, Survival+6 Str+4, Dex+0, Con+3, Int+1, Wis+3, Cha+3 AC 19; Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +7 HP 13 Speed swim 15 feet Melee 1 stinging tail +9 (reach 10 feet), Damage 1d4+2 piercing and kelpsteed venom Melee 1 frond +9 (agile), Damage 1d4+2 bludgeoning and Grab Hoist 1 (manipulate) The kelpsteed Swims into the square of an adjacent willing Medium or smaller creature, and then wraps itself around them in a way reminiscent of a finned cloak. While the kelpsteed is hoisted in this way, the creature to which they’re hoisted gains a Swim speed of 30 feet; this doesn’t otherwise hinder the creature. When the creature the kelpsteed is hoisted to moves, the kelpsteed is moved with it; this is forced movement. While hoisted the kelpsteed can’t move or use their Grab action, and the kelpsteed is slowed1. The kelpsteed can use this action again to detach themselves. Kelpsteed Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 16 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 4 rounds; Stage 1 1d6 poison damage (1 round); Stage 2 1d6 poison damage and enfeebled 1 (1 round).

Keyweed

Keyweeds are small, inconspicuous shrubberies gifted with locomotion and a remarkable ability to fold their leaves and vines. This enables them to manipulate locks and other devices and infiltrate urban environments, which they do gleefully. Although keyweeds are sapient and are able to communicate fluently in sign language, most keyweeds aren’t deeply interested in the politics and societies of the cities they inhabit. They know what interests them, and they stick to that: they seek out the trickiest locks they can find and learn to open them. Then, they use the peculiar vine-twistings required as a mating display. They usually practice this in discreet locations such as abandoned and overgrown buildings, but there are stories of young rogues who seek out these places to watch and learn. Keyweeds are capable combatants but tend to avoid confrontation, preferring to hide and avoid unnecessary danger. Cornering a keyweed that’s been probing one’s security measures can be quite difficult. When so cornered, a panicked keyweed often uses their spore puffball in order to create a distraction, allowing them to escape. The origins of keyweeds are obscure and almost certainly not entirely natural. Legend holds that it was an adventurer-druid who wished to make a point to a roguish friend about how cities had nothing on primal magic. Whether that’s true or not, druids have found that keyweeds are quite useful minions. Most keyweeds get along especially well with druids, but even so, they are not beholden to them. Some thieves’ guilds have managed to establish a working relationship with one or more keyweeds, enlisting the keyweeds in heists to serve as safecrackers or lockpickers and paying the keyweeds by giving them special contraptions to play with.

Keyweed PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LAU BANNENBERG

KEYWEED COMPANIONSHIP

While younger keyweeds that haven’t yet become convolute tend to remain separated from the complexities of intrigue, they are still more social than some other kinds of plant creatures and enjoy companionship, both with other plants as well as non-plants. Keyweeds especially enjoy hanging out with druids and other creatures with primal magic. Companions who’ve spent time with a keyweed often find their new friend’s perspective unusual and difficult to predict, though sometimes quite refreshing compared to what they are used to encountering. Adventuring companions consider keyweeds’ skills especially useful, as locks, traps, and devices can prove an impediment to parties without a rogue or other expert in those types of impediments. Slowly, keyweeds learn more about the world around them from their companions, which aids them in the growth (both physical and psychological) that they need in order to become a convolute keyweed some day. By exposing themselves to a broad variety of perspectives, they increase their rate of growth and ensure that they will become especially well-respected among the ranks of convolute keyweeds.

Keyweed PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LAU BANNENBERG

KEYWEED KEEPSAKES

Keyweeds sometimes like to keep physical mementos of their past accomplishments, such as hanging onto the first lock they ever picked or something from inside the first safe they cracked. These can lead an adventurer to come across a bewildering trove of otherwise unrelated knickknacks.

KEYWEED CN

SMALL

CREATURE 3

PLANT

Perception +12;darkvision Languages Common, Sylvan (can’t speak any language; communicates via sign language) Skills Acrobatics+10, Athletics+9, Crafting+9, Society+9, Stealth+11, Thievery+13 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+1, Wis+3, Cha+3 AC 19; Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +9 HP 75; Weaknessesfire 5, slashing 5 Speed 20 feet; climb 20 feet Melee 1 vine +12 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d8+4 bludgeoning Clever Vines 2 The keyweed Strides up to once, and it then shapes itself into a suitable tool and Disables a Device or Picks a Lock. It has an expert proficiency in Thievery for the purpose of determining what hazards it can disable, and it has an expert proficiency in Perception for the purpose of determining what hazard it can detect. Freeze 2 (concentrate) Until the next time it acts, the keyweed gets an automatic result of 30 on Deception and Stealth checks and DCs to appear to be an ordinary shrubbery. Puffball 1 (poison) Frequency once per day; Effect The keyweed scatters spore puffs in a 20-foot emanation, which remain for 1 round. For the duration, all creatures in the area are concealed, and all other creatures are concealed to them. Creatures in the area when the keyweed first shoots out the Puffball must attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save, with the following effects. Keyweeds are immune to this effect. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature is sickened 1. Critical Failure The creature is sickened 2 and slowed 1 as long as it remains sickened. Snagging Strike 1 The keyweed makes a vine Strike. If this Strike hits, the target is flat-footed until the start of the keyweed’s next turn or until it’s no longer within the reach of its vine, whichever comes first. Sneak Attack The keyweed’s Strikes deal 1d6 extra precision damage to flatfooted creatures.

Keeningreed

Believed to be cousins to keyweeds and kelpsteeds, keeningreeds are the most mysterious member of their family of plant creatures. They stalk ancient battlefields, singing lullabies to the spirits that linger. But precisely why they are driven to do so is not known for certain. Unlike their cousins, keeningreeds are capable of speaking out loud, and they possess a whispering voice that sounds like reeds rustling in the wind. However, they rarely show interest in talking to the living. Only those who have recently lost someone tend to earn their attention. Peasant superstition holds that this isn’t true compassion; they say keeningreeds need the passion of human grief in order to produce offspring. Some believe that keeningreeds were the creation of an order of druids that sought to heal the scars of an ancient war in their homeland. These druids supposedly didn’t want to invite meddling priests to wield divine magic in their domain, and so they created keeningreeds. Since then, keeningreeds have spread quietly through shadowy woods and gloomy marshes. While some raging spirits can only be laid to rest by direct force, often keeningreeds prefer to take a gentler approach, conversing with the spirits and soothing them before final departure. Sometimes keeningreeds take up the unfinished business of a spirit, either in order to help them depart or to honor their memory.

One company of adventurers became famous for allying with a keeningreed on their adventures. The keeningreed provided them with details on treasures that were theirs for the taking if the spirits haunting them could be given final satisfaction. However, another version of the story has a grimmer ending. After many adventures, it turned out that the final satisfaction was given to an enemy those adventurers had slain many years ago...

KEENINGREED CN

SMALL

CREATURE 7

PLANT

Perception +15;low-light vision, spirit sense (imprecise) 30 feet Languages Common, Necril, Sylvan Skills Deception +15, Diplomacy +15, Intimidation +15, Nature +15, Occultism +15, Performance+20, Religion+15, Stealth+16, Survival+13 Str+1, Dex+3, Con+2, Int+4, Wis+4, Cha+6 Spirit Sense The keeningreed can sense the spirits of creatures, including living creatures, most non-mindless undead, and haunts within the listed range. AC 24; Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +18 HP 86; Resistancesnegative 5 Speed 25 feet, swim 20 feet Melee 1 razor reed +13 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d10+3 slashing and 2d6 bleed Ranged 1 threnody +15 (auditory, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+6 sonic plus 2d6 positive Primal Innate Spells DC 25, attack +17; 4thcounter performance, enervationAPG, sound burst; 3rdsoothe (×3); Cantrips(4th)dirge of doom, ghost sound Ghostreed (necromancy, primal) A keeningreed’s razor reed and threnody Strikes both gain the effects of the ghost touch weapon property, allowing them to damage incorporeal creatures effectively. Last Respects 2 (auditory, concentrate, necromancy, primal) The keeningreed sings a dirge to attempt to Disable a haunt using its Performance skill. If the haunt can’t normally be disabled with the Performance skill, use the Disable DC for one of the allowed skills requiring a proficiency rank of master or lower (usually Religion).

Keyweed PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LAU BANNENBERG

KEENINGREED CHORUSES

Sometimes, a spirit’s wishes are too great for a single keeningreed to fulfill on its own. In this case, a congregation of several keeningreeds, known as a chorus, might work together to achieve what a single keeningreed couldn’t on its own. Nearby settlements sometimes pass down stories of the eerie symphonies they heard during the night while such a chorus was hard at work.

Convolute Keyweed

When some keyweed grow older and more cunning, they undergo a physical and mental chrysalis. Their fertility and ability to exude spores fade. These elder keyweeds seem to wind in on themselves, becoming more and more compact but poised to explode into action like a tightly wound spring. Convolute keyweeds, as they’re called, no longer have the biological imperative to mate, but the instinct to manipulate devices remains and, in fact, becomes even stronger. Convolutes vary in how they deal with this drive; many search for some kind of meaning to their existence. Some convolutes find meaning in challenges, like seeking out ever more secure locations to penetrate or waging a competition with a rival, seeking to copy and exceed each other’s exploits. Thieves’ guilds often share ghost stories of accomplished members drawing the intense attention of a convolute. Other convolutes become invested in causes. Whereas younger keyweeds tend to be quite naive about humanoid intrigues, convolutes throw themselves into complexity. They might go to elaborate lengths to mask their involvement. One story tells of a powerful crusading knight who had sworn not to lift her visor until an insidious conspiracy had been defeated. After the final raid on their stronghold, it turned out that a convolute had been puppeteering the armor from within.

Keyweed PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LAU BANNENBERG

CONVOLUTED CONSPIRACIES

Unlike younger keyweeds, convolute keyweeds have a special love of complicated stories and plots (the more complex, the better), which can cause them to become involved in situations with a much broader scope than other keyweeds. They believe that this allows them to contort and exercise their minds’ flexibility in the same way that they’ve been building up their bodies all along. As such, convolute keyweeds are also fans of puzzles, riddles, and brain teasers, as well as mystery stories. When unraveling a mystery or conspiracy, they think of themselves as traveling along the puzzle’s body as if it were a winding plant, slowly getting to the root of the problem.

CONVOLUTE KEYWEED UNCOMMON

TINY

PLANT

CREATURE 11

Perception +24;darkvision Languages Common, Sylvan (can’t speak any language; communicates via sign language) Skills Acrobatics+23, Athletics+21, Crafting+21, Society+21, Stealth+26, Thievery+26 Str+5, Dex+7, Con+3, Int+3, Wis+5, Cha+5 Encroachment Convolute keyweeds can pass through openings as small as one inch without needing to Squeeze. Thanks to their many vines, they don’t need free hands to Climb or Grab an Edge. AC 31; Fort +18, Ref +24, Will +21 HP 255; Weaknessesfire 10, slashing 10 Tripping Vine 5 Trigger A creature within the convolute keyweed’s reach uses a move action or leaves a square during a move action it’s using; Effect The convolute keyweed extends a vine and attempts to Trip the triggering creature. Speed 40 feet, climb 40 feet; mobility Melee 1 razor vine +24 (agile, disarm, finesse, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d8+11 slashing Ranged 1 whirling vine +24 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d8+11 slashing Freeze 2 (concentrate) The convolute keyweed stops moving and attempts to appear as nothing more than a mundane tiny shrubbery. Until the next time it acts, the convolute keyweed gets an automatic result of 45 on Deception and Stealth checks and DCs to appear to be an ordinary shrubbery. Intrusion 2 The convolute keyweed Sneaks, Strides, or Climbs up to two times. Once their movement is complete, the convolute keyweed then Disables a Device or Picks a Lock, using its own body as a suitable tool to perform the task. Disabling the Device or Picking the Lock does not automatically cause the convolute keyweed to become observed if it was previously hidden or undetected, as long as the convolute keyweed successfully Sneaks for its first actions of the Intrusion. The convolute keyweed has master proficiency in Thievery for the purpose of determining what hazards it is capable of disabling, and it has master proficiency in Perception for the purpose of determining what hazards it is capable of detecting. Joint-Locking Strike 1 (manipulate) Frequency once per round; Requirement The target is flat-footed against the convolute keyweed; Effect The convolute keyweed contorts its vines to lock down its foe’s joints. The convolute keyweed makes a razor vine Strike and binds the target’s joints with vines and intricate motions. If the Strike hits, the target is clumsy 2 and enfeebled 2 (or clumsy 3 and enfeebled 3 on a critical hit), and takes a –10-foot status penalty to its Speeds. The target can end this effect with a successful DC 30 check to Escape; otherwise, the effect lasts for a maximum of 1 minute. Mobility When the convolute keyweed takes a Stride or Climb action to move half their Speed or less, that movement doesn’t trigger reactions. Snagging Strike 1 The convolute keyweed lashes out, attempting to snag its foe with its razor sharp vines. The convolute keyweed makes a razor vine Strike. If this Strike hits and deals damage, the target is flat-footed until the start of the convolute keyweed’s next turn or until it’s no longer within the reach of its razor vine, whichever comes first. Sneak Attack The convolute keyweed’s Strikes deals 2d6 extra precision damage to flat-footed creatures. Unlock Ailment 2 (manipulate, necromancy, primal) The convolute keyweed contorts a willing creature’s body in a strange and metaphysical way, allowing it to attempt to counteract a disease or poison afflicting the creature using its Thievery modifier against the disease or poison’s DC, in order to end the affliction, with a counteract level of 6. Regardless of success, the target is sickened 2 by the way the convolute keyweed contorts their body in ways their body was never meant to move, and the creature is then temporarily immune to Unlock Ailment for 24 hours.

Kolufs Krafsa

Kolufs krafsas are mammalian humanoids afflicted with a bizarre curse that transforms them into something else, a pupal stage on the path to something terrifying and new. As a part of that transformation into a nonmammalian creature, all the kolufs krafsa’s hair falls out. For ancestries like dwarves that place great value on their thick, lustrous beards, the curse is especially horrifying. Curiously, kolufs krafsas don’t always choose their victims randomly. Despite the burgeoning evil of the curse within them, they prefer to attack those who truly deserve it. Because of that, many kolufs krafsas respond to the pleas of oppressed commoners. A kolufs krafsa listens to those who invoke its name and strikes its victim in the quiet of the night. It carves up its victims, killing the lucky ones as they are free from the creature’s curse. Those who survive an encounter with a kolufs krafsa must prepare for sleepless nights, tearing their hair out to the point of exhaustion as their body transforms into a new kolufs krafsa.

KOLUFS KRAFSA RARE

MEDIUM

CURSED

CREATURE 6

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LUCA T. FASSARI

TWO WRONGS DON’T MAKE A RIGHT

Some kolufs krafsas seek out werecreatures to bite them. They hope that the new curse will counteract their current one, or at the very least help them grow hair again. Sadly, they just end up doubly cursed, hairless monstrosities who roam the night without even their moral compass for consolation.

HUMANOID

Perception +10; darkvision Languages Common, one additional language they knew before being cursed Skills Athletics+15, Stealth+13 Str+5, Dex+3, Con+4, Int+2, Wis–2, Cha+0 AC 22; Fort +17, Ref +15, Will +9 HP 130; Immunitiescurses; Weaknessessilver 5 Split Ends 5 Trigger The kolufs krafsa is critically hit by an attack from a mammalian humanoid who possesses hair; Effect Retaliating in anger for being distracted, the kolufs krafsa forces the triggering creature’s hair to tear and frizz up while showing visions of its own cursed transformation into a kolufs krafsa. The triggering creature must succeed a DC 21 Will save or be frightened 2 and immobilized for 1 round. Speed 30 feet, climb 20 feet Melee 1 claws +17, Damage 2d6+8 slashing plus Grab Clinging Grab The kolufs krafsa clings to its grabbed victim. This causes it to enter the same space as a Medium or smaller creature it has grabbed, or one square of a Large or larger creature’s space. The kolufs krafsa can only have a single creature grabbed, and while the kolufs krafsa is grabbing a creature, the kolufs krafsa is clumsy 2. Curse of the Kolufs Krasa (curse, occult, transmutation) The curse affects only mammalian humanoids. Saving Throw DC 21 Will save; Effect Each night before going to sleep, the cursed creature feels their body changing, and their hair begins to feel foreign and invasive. They tear their own hair out until they fall asleep, and unconsciously continue to do so as they sleep. The cursed creature takes 2d10 piercing damage with a DC 21 basic Will save; this effect is nonlethal. They also awaken fatigued. If the curse brings the creature to 0 Hit Points, or if the creature remains cursed for a full month, the creature fully transforms into a kolufs krafsa. Tearing the Hair 1 Requirements The kolufs krafsa has a mammalian humanoid who possesses hair grabbed; Effect The kolufs krafsa violently rips the hair off of the creature it has grabbed. The creature takes 2d6 piercing damage and 1d6 persistent bleed damage, with a DC 24 Fortitude save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage and is exposed to Curse of the Kolufs Krasa. Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is exposed to Curse of the Kolufs Krasa, and the curse’s initial DC is 24 instead of 21.

Lantern Leshy SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMES ABENDROTH

A WORSE HEADSPACE

A lantern leshy can still store objects in its head in the same manner as a gourd leshy, but the magical flame destroys objects that are flammable. Typical items a lantern leshy might carry are metallic weapons and torture implements. They arrange the objects around the flame so that it casts enlarged shadows of them against its face, giving their victims the terror of anticipating what cruelty it may inflict next.

The moment a leshy’s spirit leaves its physical body is generally dramatic and explosive, but those clever or driven enough can either salvage the leshy’s form afterward or prevent the explosion in the first place, often through magical means. Once the leshy’s remains are gathered, it’s relatively easy for such individuals to take the next step and reanimate them. When a gourd leshy is the subject, the result is a lantern leshy. A lantern leshy’s body is a tangle of withered vines and leaves, but their gourd heads remain surprisingly fresh and intact. Their creators often carve frightening faces, pictures, or symbols into these heads to make them more terrifying. And of course, a magical fire glows from within the gourd head, giving the lantern leshy its name. Even the friendliest-looking lantern leshy possesses a vicious intellect, and nothing brings them more joy than tormenting victims. A lantern leshy might stalk their prey multiple nights in a row, playing cruel tricks. Eventually, they grow bored with such games and kill their targets, often in slow and creative ways. Nothing about the process of creating a lantern leshy bonds them to their creator, and thus their loyalty varies wildly. A lantern leshy’s creator gains a lifelong evil companion as often as they accidentally create their own murderer.

LANTERN LESHY NE

SMALL

LESHY

PLANT

CREATURE 2 UNDEAD

Perception +8;darkvision, low-light vision Languages Common, Druidic, Necril, Sylvan Skills Deception+7, Intimidation+7, Occultism+7, Stealth+8 Str+3, Dex+4, Con+3, Int+1, Wis+4, Cha+3 Eternal Flame (evocation, light, occult) During creation a magical fire is lit inside a lantern leshy’s head. This fire creates a bright light in a 15-foot radius. When a lantern leshy is destroyed, the piece of coal used to create this flame can be used as a piece of shining ammunition (Pathfinder Core Rulebook). AC 17; Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +8 HP 30 Withering Burst (negative, poison) When a lantern leshy is destroyed, it explodes in a blast of necromantic energy. Due to its origin, this energy only affects plants, doing 1d10 negative damage to each plant creature in a 30-foot emanation with a basic Fortitude save. This burst causes plants in the area to rot, creating a disgusting miasma that lingers in the air for 1 minute. Any creature that breathes must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save any time it enters or ends its turn in the area while the miasma lasts. Critical Success The creature is temporarily immune to the miasma for 1 day. Success The creature is unaffected this turn. Failure The creature is sickened 1. Critical Failure The creature is sickened 2. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 claw +9 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d6+3 slashing Ranged 1 head +7 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 1d10+3 bludgeoning plus 1d4 fire (see Head Toss) Ranged 1 roasted seed +9 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 1d8+3 bludgeoning plus 1 persistent fire Head Toss 2 (emotion, fear, mental) The lantern leshy can remove its head and toss it to attack a foe. It makes a head Strike against a foe; this ability is the only way it can make a head Strike. Whether the Strike hits or misses, any creature within 20 feet of either the lantern leshy or the Strike’s target must attempt a DC 18 Will save or be frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure). The lantern leshy’s head does not return after being thrown until it retrieves and reattaches it. It is blind until then, though it always precisely senses its own head. Picking up and reattaching the head requires a single Interact action by the lantern leshy, which it can do as long as the head is within its reach. Spooky Decorations 1 (concentration, occult, polymorph, transmutation) The lantern leshy collapses into a pile of sticks and withered leaves with its illuminated head sitting on top. Creatures who come across the lantern leshy in this form must succeed a Perception check against its Deception DC to recognize that it is not simply a decoration. This lasts until it uses this action again to regain its original form.

Once in a long while, when a skeleton comes in contact with positive energy, instead of being damaged or destroyed, they are transformed. The negative energy that animates them and feeds their hatred is almost completely extinguished and replaced with positive energy, creating something that shouldn’t be possible. For mindless undead, it can even create a mind and soul where there was none. However, this state is not entirely stable, as the remaining negative energy within them constantly tries to overwhelm its counterpart. As such, exposure to significant quantities of negative energy is extremely harmful to living bones. There is lively debate in the more obscure academic circles on whether or not an undead animated by positive energy is technically still an undead, but this changes little for the individuals in question. They still retain their previous bony visage with a warm glow around them, which makes interaction with other people rather complicated. But this doesn’t cloud their sunny disposition, and they toil restlessly to help wherever they can. Their calm and positive attitude gives them a chance to integrate into smaller communities in remote areas, but that is by no means guaranteed. The ones who succeed in joining a community almost inevitably choose more peaceful professions, becoming farmers, artisans, or healers despite their martial capabilities. The presented statistics represent a skeletal champion that was transformed, but theoretically any type of skeleton (or potentially other undead) can be affected. This is an extremely rare occurrence, though.

LIVING BONES RARE

MEDIUM

Living Bones COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DANIEL SELIGMÜLLER

OF TWO WORLDS

Regular skeletons don’t respond with as much animosity toward living bones as they do toward other living creatures. Living bones who have a hard time being accepted into societies may form their own communities on the borders of regions with undead activity, settling in places the living wouldn’t dare and providing early warnings of undead incursions. Such communities may even include animal living bones.

CREATURE 3 POSITIVE

SKELETON

SPIRIT

Perception +9;darkvision Languages Common, Necril Skills Acrobatics+9, Athletics+9, Diplomacy+8, Society+5 Str+4, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+0, Wis+2, Cha+1 Items chain mail, longsword, steel shield (Hardness 5, HP 20, BT 10) AC 20,(22 with shield raised); Fort +8, Ref +11, Will +7 HP 40 (positive healing); Immunities disease, paralyzed, poison; Weaknessesnegative 5; Resistancescold 5, electricity 5, fire 5, piercing 5, slashing 5 Positive Healing Unlike other skeletons, living bones draw health from positive energy. Despite being spirits, they are living creatures, which means they’re healed by positive healing effects, they aren’t destroyed when reduced to 0 Hit Points, and they’re damaged by negative damage and not healed by effects that would normally heal undead (like a champion’s touch of corruption). Soothing Glow (aura, divine, emotion, enchantment, positive) 20 feet. Living bones have a glow about them that radiates a positive attitude and soothes the mind of others with a wide, toothy smile. As long as the living bones takes no hostile actions, it exudes a peaceful aura. Creatures in the aura who attempt a hostile action must attempt a DC 17 Will save. A creature who succeeds on their saving throw is temporarily immune for 1 minute; otherwise, they don’t take the action against the living bones and the action is wasted, but they can attempt the saving throw again by spending more actions. If the living bones takes a hostile action, the soothing glow deactivates for 1 minute, allowing others to attack them with ease. Attack of Opportunity 5 Shield Block 5 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 longsword +11 (versatile P), Damage 1d8+6 slashing Melee 1 fist +11 (agile), Damage 1d6+6 bludgeoning Merciful Strikes (divine, necromancy) Living bones’ attacks are surrounded by a nimbus of positive energy. Their Strikes deal an extra 1 positive damage, as the positive energy that animates them is not fully contained. As normal for positive damage, this harms only undead and other creatures with negative healing. Additionally, living bones can make nonlethal attacks without taking the usual –2 circ*mstance penalty.

Living Constellation SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY HUNTER EVANS

UNSPEAKABLE HORROR

Speculation abounds that living constellations are agents of the Great Old Ones sent to determine if a world is ripe for conquest. While the occasional living constellation may not be cause for great alarm, multitudes appearing in rapid succession can stir thoughts of the apocalypse in even the most composed individuals. True or not, these beliefs serve the living constellation’s purpose by arousing more fear for it to consume.

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While the light of a star is often seen as a sign of hope, living constellations represent the exact opposite. Otherworldly and enigmatic, they live among the normal stars of the night sky. Their bodies are made up of sickly green stars with lines joining them like joints. They orbit the world erratically with unpredictable positioning, descending and taking on the forms of well-known constellations to garner the attention of those who look to the stars in the night. When mortals see them, living constellations attempt to lead those mortals into perilous situations in order to feed off of their fear. This effect becomes strongest in close proximity, and so living constellations leave their homes in outer space to feast on fear. Scholarly attempts to study living constellations have thus far resulted in failure, leaving the researchers befuddled or trembling with fear for weeks on end. The malignant aberrations welcome this, however, as more attention grants them a greater audience to manipulate for their fear.

LIVING CONSTELLATION NE

LARGE

ABERRATION

ASTRAL

FIRE

CREATURE 10

Perception +19;know fear (imprecise) 1,000 feet Languages Common (can’t speak any language) Skills Arcana+19, Deception+19, Intimidation+22, Nature+19, Occultism+19, Stealth+22 (+25 to Hide in the night sky among the stars) Str+5, Dex+5, Con+3, Int+4, Wis+5, Cha+7 Know Fear (detection, divination, emotion, mental, primal) A living constellation can detect the presence and location of any frightened creature within 1,000 feet of it. AC 29; Fort +16, Ref +19, Will +22 HP 135; Immunitiesfire, unconscious; Weaknessescold 10; Resistancesphysical 10 (except cold iron) Consume Fear 5 (divination, mental, primal) Trigger A creature becomes frightened within 30 feet of the living constellation. Effect The living constellation attempts to feed off of the fear of the target, forcing it to attempt a DC 29 Will save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature takes 2d12 mental damage. Failure The creature takes 3d12 mental damage and becomes slowed 1 for 1 round. Critical Failure The creature takes 4d12 mental damage and becomes slowed 1 for 1 round or as long as it is frightened, whichever is longer. Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental, primal) 10 feet, DC 26 Speed 25 feet, fly 50 feet Melee 1 astral stinger +23 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+11 piercing plus 1d6 persistent fire (scorpion stance only) Melee 1 cosmic claw +23 (agile, magical), Damage 2d10+11 piercing plus Grab (crab stance only) Ranged 1 shooting star +23 (fire, magical, range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d12+11 fire (archer stance only) Primal Spells DC +29, attack +21; 3rd searing light; 2nd guiding starSOM (at will); Cantrips (5th) guidance, light Alter Form 1 (stance) The variability of the cosmos allows the constellation to alter its form. It assumes one of the following stances. • Archer Stance The living constellation takes on a humanoid form, resembling the graceful shots of an archer. While in this stance, the only attacks the constellation can make are shooting star Strikes. • Crab Stance The living constellation flattens itself, growing the limbs of a crab. While in this stance, the living constellation gains a +2 status bonus to AC and the only attack the constellation can make are cosmic claw Strikes. • Scorpion Stance The living constellation contracts into the form of a large scorpion. While in this stance, the living constellation gains a +25-foot status bonus to its Speeds, and the only attack the constellation can make are astral stinger Strikes.

Living Figment

Also known as “living illusions,” living figments occasionally arise from highly complex, long-lasting illusions that eventually take on a mind of their own. The attitudes and interests of living figments vary as widely as their appearances, but their personalities tend to reflect their original purposes. Illusions intended to entertain produce more whimsical and gregarious living figments, while more secretive and hostile living figments arise from spells intended to conceal traps or bewilder foes. Though rare, living figments are sociable creatures, and they eagerly cooperate among themselves to create larger and grander illusions than they would be capable of creating alone. Once independent of their creators, living figments are less trusting of physical beings, but they sometimes lend their talents to those who can win their confidence.

LIVING FIGMENT RARE

LARGE

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 6 ILLUSION

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ANTHONY WHEELER

MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS

Merchants have discovered that living figments are effective at encouraging people to buy their wares. Some create charismatic figures who model what they are selling, while others prefer energetic creatures who annoy people until they make a purchase. There really is no better way of getting inside a customer’s head.

INCORPOREAL

Perception +14 Languages Common, plus any languages known by its creator Skills Deception+17, Intimidation+15, Performance+13, Stealth+17 Str–5, Dex+5, Con+2, Int+3, Wis+4, Cha+5 All in Your Head (mental) As insubstantial beings, living figments are unable to affect the physical world on their own, and their attacks rely on their target’s inadvertent cooperation, through their belief in the illusion, to cause harm. A living figment is incapable of directly harming a creature while they are undetected. AC 21; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14 HP 84; Resistancesall 5 (except force or ghost touch; double resistance against non-magical) Speed fly 40 feet Melee 1 illusory weapon +17, Damage 2d12+9 mental plus psychosomatic strike Fanciful Forms 1 (auditory, illusion, olfactory, visual) A living figment is unbound to any form; they can appear as anything that can fit inside a 10 foot by 10 foot square. A living figment that isn’t adjacent to a hostile creature can choose to perfectly mimic the terrain in which it finds itself, allowing it to hide even while it’s directly observed. The living figment makes a Stealth check as part of using Fanciful Forms, becoming hidden on a success. In addition, it can choose to conceal traps or other hazards in the area by changing into a form that obscures them or covers them up, using the figment’s Stealth or Stealth DC instead of the hazard’s, if it is higher. Psychosomatic Strike A living figment’s attacks deal damage because the target believes they are real. The first time each round a creature is hit by a living figment’s Strike, they can attempt a DC 25 Will save to disbelieve the illusory attack. On a failure, they take damage as normal. On a success, the creature disbelieves the illusion, causing the living figment’s subsequent illusory weapon Strikes to gain the nonlethal trait against that creature and deal half damage to that creature. Sensory Overload 2 (illusion, mental, occult) The living figment takes the form of a bewildering cacophony of nonsensical sounds, sights, and even smells to disorient its enemies. Each creature within a 20-foot radius emanation must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. This ability can only affect creatures with precise auditory, olfactory, or visual senses, but not living figments. Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune for 1 minute. Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round. It can spend an Interact action to end the effect. Failure The creature is dazzled for 1 minute. It can spend an Interact action to reduce the duration by 1d4 rounds. Critical Failure The creature is blinded for 1 minute. It can spend one Interact action to reduce the effect to dazzled.

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Living Origami COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DANIEL AZNAVORIAN

LIVING ORIGAMI SWARMS

Though they tend to bond with other creatures, some living origamis prefer the company of their own kind. These wild creatures live far from civilization and form swarms of up to 1,000. They tend to use wings and claws to attack their enemies, killing them with countless tiny cuts.

A living origami is a strange, natural creature that appears no different than its paper namesake. This tiny creature often takes the form of a tiny white dragon, beast, or bird, but it always comes from a single sheet of paper. Some believe that these creatures came into being from enchanted books or paper, while others believe that they are made of a rare leaf that closely resembles white paper. Living origami are only a few inches long and are as light as the paper they are made from. They are often very long-lived, living to 70–80 years. Before they gravitate towards their chosen companions, living origamis are often found in gardens and forests. Here, they are cultivated by leshies, who consider them to be distant cousins before taking off on their own to find a companion. Once a living origami chooses a companion, it devotes its life to their well-being and safety. Sometimes, these creatures have been known to seek out ways to improve the quality of their companions’ lives by helping to repair broken relationships or even acting as romantic matchmakers. Living origamis often nest in places of knowledge and art such as libraries, schools, and art galleries and seek out the young and the creative. They often befriend dreamers and children, acting as friends, guides, spies, and even defenders. Wizards sometimes even take on living origamis as familiars, while children see them as friendly pets. When defending their adopted companions, living origamis can become quite defensive, often taking it into their own hands to decide whether or not others are good influences for their companions. These creatures can be won over by good deeds and delicious dollops of fresh ink. Living origamis have no natural enemies, but they do fear creatures of fire. Unscrupulous hunters sometimes capture these creatures to sell them as pets, novelty items, or spies, as their ability to hide in plain sight makes them invaluable informers. These unlucky living origamis are doomed to an unhappy life confined to cages. Those who free these captives often find devoted companions for the rest of their lives.

LIVING ORIGAMI NG

102

TINY

PLANT

CREATURE 0

Perception +6;low-light vision Languages Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +6 (+9 to Impersonate ordinary paper), Nature+5, Stealth+6 Str+0, Dex+3, Con+0, Int+2, Wis+3, Cha+3 AC 16; Fort +2, Ref +9, Will +6 HP 20; Weaknessesfire 3 Bolt 5 Trigger The living origami is attacked with a melee weapon; Effect After resolving the attack, the living origami Steps or Strides away. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 paper +8 (agile, finesse, reach 0 feet), Damage 1d8 slashing Change Shape 1 (concentrate, polymorph, primal, transmutation) Living origamis can fold themselves into a variety of tiny forms. This doesn’t change its attacks but gives them a fly Speed of 30 feet if they take the shape of something with wings or a swim Speed of 30 feet if they take the shape of a fish. This ability does not grant the ability to breathe underwater. Folded Flurry 2 The living origami folds a flurry of jagged paper scraps and sends them flurrying at their foes. Creatures in a 15-foot cone take 2d4 slashing damage with a DC 16 basic Reflex save. The living origami can’t use this ability again for 1d4 rounds. Freeze 1 The living origami stops moving, attempting to disguise itself as ordinary origami. It has an automatic result of 32 on Deception checks and DCs to pass as inanimate origami until it acts again.

Lorekith are fey creatures obsessed with myths and folklore, traveling the land collecting variations on their favorite stories, their own personal epics, and retelling them to the delight of others. Short, slight creatures, lorekith look like wooden puppets with long sleeves and several painted masks, bearing the likenesses of monsters and heroes. Though they may delight in stories of great battles, lorekith prefer to avoid combat whenever possible, using their illusion magic to escape or deescalate a confrontation when negotiation fails. When fighting alongside more powerful figures, however, lorekith are quick to inspire them to new heights, eager to record their deeds to retell later.

LOREKITH UNCOMMON

CREATURE 3 SMALL

FEY

Perception +12;low-light vision Languages Common, Sylvan; Storyspeaker Skills Crafting+9, Diplomacy+10, Intimidation+9, Myth Lore+13, Performance+13, Society+10, Stealth+9 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+2, Int+3, Wis+3, Cha+4 Fantastical Illusions (illusion, primal, visual) When a lorekith tells a story, they are surrounded by images representing the tale’s events. These are obviously illusory to most creatures, though animals and small children might need to make a Perception check against the lorekith’s spell DC to recognize it, at the GM’s discretion. Myth Masks A typical lorekith carries three masks that they modify as needed; the hero, the mentor, and the villain. They can swap masks with an Interact action, and they gain benefits based on which mask they currently wear. Their masks have a Hardness of 3 and 12 Hit Points, with a Broken Threshold of 6, and a creature can target a lorekith’s mask using the lorekith’s AC and saves, though the masks aren’t normally affected by area effects while in the lorekith’s possession. If their mask is broken, a lorekith loses access to that mask’s benefits until they Craft a new one, which costs them no valuable materials and takes only 1 day. Rarer lorekith might have access to more masks than these basic three. • Hero The lorekith gains fast healing 2. • Mentor The lorekith gains a +1 status bonus to skill checks. • Villain The lorekith gains a +1 status bonus to attack and damage rolls. Storyspeaker A lorekith can’t speak except when telling tales. While the wily fey have developed a variety of techniques to turn any conversation into a story, activities that depend on the lorekith speaking that would normally take at least 1 minute take twice as long, and they might be hard to interpret when phrased as a story. Items painted masks (3) AC 19; Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +10 HP 45; Weaknessescold iron 5 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 shadow puppet +11 (finesse, magical, shadow), Damage 1d10+3 cold Primal Innate Spells DC 20, attack +12; 2nd illusory creature (×3), illusory object (at will); Cantrips (2nd) daze, haunting hymnSOM, inspire courage, inspire defense

Lorekith SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MARCELINE MILLER

ADDITIONAL LOREKITH MASKS

While nearly every lorekith has worn a mask for the essential roles of a story, some have more specific tastes, creating masks such as the conflagration, the dragon, or the fool. The Conflagration The lorekith gains resistance 5 to fire, and its shadow puppet Strike’s damage changes to fire. The Dragon The lorekith’s Intimidation bonus becomes +13. The Fool The lorekith gains a +2 status bonus to saves against mental effects.

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Lucent Demonsheep COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LORENZO BARQUÍN

BAAAAD ROMANCE

Lucent demonsheep are dangerous enough on their own, but they are nigh unstoppable when led by a demon shepherd. The slightest hint of their existence can lead to cullings of entire herds to prevent those more dangerous demons from emerging.

BLACK SHEEP

Has anyone considered that sheep are not as innocent as they appear? Perhaps there is a bleakness to the lives of farm animals that encourages demonic influences in even the meekest of creatures. Possessed cows, demon sheep, corrupted chickens… meanwhile, capybaras are famed for their relaxed nature, and no one has ever heard of a demonic capybara.

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Attempts to overthrow the thrones of demon lords are a regular occurrence in the Abyss, a baleful realm driven by destruction, power, hate, and greed. Most of these would-be usurpers are easily dispatched, after which both the pretender and their cohorts tend to be punished harshly as an example for other demons to discourage further rebellion. A humiliating destination for arson demons or other demons who love violence is to trap their souls inside the body of one of the most harmless creatures, a sheep. If the sheep lives long enough, the soul of the demon eventually has enough time to find small cracks in its confinement, allowing the demon’s sapience to partly re-emerge. When this happens, the sheep, now driven by an insatiable thirst for destruction, is irretrievably changed, giving birth to a lucent demonsheep. Even as a lucent demonsheep’s behavior changes with the demon’s emergence, slowly but surely becoming more cunning and dangerous, their appearance does not. It is only in these brief moments of clarity that the demon’s soul is able to fully emerge and twist the body of its host into a strange mix of sheep and demon.

LUCENT DEMONSHEEP RARE

CE SMALL ANIMAL

DEMON

CREATURE 7 FIEND

Perception +15;darkvision Languages Abyssal (can’t speak any language) Skills Acrobatics+15, Athletics+15, Intimidation+17 Str+4, Dex+6, Con+2, Int–1, Wis+4, Cha+4 Demon in Sheep’s Clothing A lucent demonsheep can disguise its malevolent presence among a flock of ordinary sheep with fiendish ease. A creature must succeed in a Perception DC 27 check to Seek it when it’s among a flock of sheep and it can Hide and Sneak among the flock even without any other cover or concealment. A lucent demonsheep under the effects of Demon Soul can’t use this ability. AC 24; Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +18 HP 155; Weaknessescold iron 5, good 5 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 horn +18 (finesse), Damage 2d8+6 piercing plus 1d6 evil Melee 1 jaws +18 (finesse), Damage 2d6+6 piercing plus 1d10 evil Melee 1 hoof +18 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+6 bludgeoning plus 1d6 evil Demon Soul 1 (concentration, divine, polymorph, transmutation) Frequency once per hour; Effect The lucent demonsheep remembers a glimpse of its past life and former glory, regaining a fraction of its former demonic abilities for 1 minute. The lucent demonsheep grows to Medium size, and its body lights on fire, causing its Strikes to deal 1d6 additional fire damage. Its wool becomes a dense cloud of choking black smoke, granting it concealment to all other creatures. Finally, the lucent demonsheep gains smoke vision, allowing it to see through smoke. The listed effects from Demon Soul are appropriate for a lucent demonsheep that was originally formed from an arson demon. Other thematic Demon Soul effects might apply for lucent demonsheep formed from different sorts of demons, at the GM’s discretion. Demonsheep Charge 3 The lucent demonsheep Strides twice and makes a horn Strike against a foe within its reach at the end of the movement. If it hits, the lucent demonsheep can attempt to Shove the target, without increasing its multiple attack penalty until after the Shove attempt. Fearful Bites 2 (emotion, fear, mental) The lucent demonsheep makes three jaws Strikes, applying the lucent demonsheep’s multiple attack penalty normally. If two or more attacks hits the same target, it becomes frightened 1.

Maramacula is an ancient beast renowned as a mischievous liar. According to legend, Maramacula is a marvelous fish with golden and rainbow scales, but the truth is... slightly different. This appearance is merely a facade, a rumor spread by Maramacula itself. These rumors assist it in settling down in a sewer or swamp and then making up lie after lie to lure innocent people to their doom.

MARAMACULA UNIQUE

HUGE

AMPHIBIOUS

CREATURE 12 BEAST

Perception +22;greater darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 20 feet Languages Common Skills Athletics+22, Deception+28, Diplomacy+23, Society+21, Stealth+25 Str+4, Dex+5, Con+2, Int+1, Wis+4, Cha+7 Malevolent Call Maramacula can mimic any sound it has heard, such as generic chatting noises or an infant’s cries, by succeeding at a Deception check to Lie. Maramacula has a +4 circ*mstance bonus to this check. This doesn’t allow Maramacula to mimic specific words. AC 32; Fort +18, Ref +23, Will +20 HP 270 Cheat the Cheater Maramacula loves to play with its prey, even if results in losing its meal. A creature can spend a single action, which has the concentrate trait, to attempt a Deception or Diplomacy check against Maramacula’s Perception DC (typically 32). On a success, Maramacula is slowed 1 for 1 round, as it’s compelled to spend the missing action to respond with a better reply or lie. The effect is cumulative if creatures succeed several times in the same round, and if the slowed condition increases to 3 or more in this way, Maramacula ceases its attack and becomes friendly to the triggering creature and its allies, as long as they cease hostilities as well. If a creature attacks Maramacula after it becomes friendly in this way, Maramacula becomes temporarily immune to Cheat the Cheater for 10 minutes. Speed 25 feet, swim 60 feet Melee 1 tail +26 (acid, finesse, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+8 bludgeoning plus 1d10 acid and Improved Push Melee 1 toothless jaws +26 (acid, agile, finesse, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d6+8 bludgeoning plus 2d6 persistent acid and Improved Grab Ranged 1 spit +26 (acid, range increment 20 feet), Damage 3d10+4 acid plus Knockdown Aquatic Ambush 1 Fast Swallow 5 Trigger Maramacula Grabs a creature. Effect Maramacula uses Swallow Whole. Hey! Look Out! 1 (auditory, mental) Requirements Maramacula has heard a specific creature speak, or use an action with the auditory or the linguistic trait; Effect Maramacula imitates the creature’s voice and shouts inaccurate warnings, befuddling the creature and its allies. The mimicked creature and its allies in a 20-foot emanation must attempt a DC 34 Will save. Critical Success The creature recognizes Maramacula’s schemes and is temporarily immune for 1 hour. Success The creature doesn’t fall for Maramacula’s schemes and is unaffected. Failure The creature is flat-footed until the end of Maramacula’s next turn. Critical Failure The creature can’t completely shake off the lies coming from Maramacula’s voice and distinguish it from the original’s voice, even if it was their own. The creature becomes flat-footed and stupefied 1 for 1 minute. Slippery Slope Maramacula leaves a sticky, slippery trail on its path. Whenever it leaves a square on land, that square becomes difficult terrain for every other creature for 1 round. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Large, 1d6+10 bludgeoning plus 2d6 acid, Rupture 22

Maramacula COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVIDE FILIPPI

MASTER MIMIC

Maramacula is a lethal trickster, mimicking all sorts of voices to attract prey. To ensnare a parent, Maramacula sends the cries of their lost child (perhaps a child Maramacula has already eaten). To trap a guard, all it takes are shouts from allies or superiors. The few who survive Maramacula are those who manage to captivate the creature and convince it to let them leave.

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Meatmonger SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JUHO KATTELUS

NO MEAT FOR YOU

The meatmonger does not barter and only accepts coins for its goods. Hungry families who try to trade one of their own for a meal will find the meatmonger giving them the cold shoulder—no, not the one in the cart. It is willing to pay for services rendered, though. Meatmongers are always looking for delectable spices and marinades, as well as blacksmiths to sharpen their blades. As a bonus to the income earned, meatmongers do not usually butcher those they find helpful.

106

Meatmongers are gregarious fey merchants who peacefully sell delectable and occasionally dubious meat from their large wooden carts... except when they’re low on stock! A meatmonger has a simple need to serve delicious meats to clients. But a meatmonger’s client can never be sure exactly what kind of meat they are eating. Many people have taken to cannibalism because of a meatmonger. And many more have fallen victim to the meatmonger’s need for new ingredients. Meatmongers don’t shy away from selling their wares to unscrupulous individuals either. It’s not uncommon to find one peddling their goods to a gang of trolls or the hungry dead.

MEATMONGER UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 6 FEY

Perception +14;scent 60 feet (imprecise) Languages Common, Jotun, Sylvan, Necril Skills Athletics+15, Cooking Lore+15, Crafting+13, Diplomacy+13 Str+5, Dex+2, Con+5, Int+2, Wis+4, Cha+4 Meat Cart (conjuration, extradimensional, primal) Meatmongers create magical carts to store their products. The cart is Large, weighs 15 bulk, has 80 hit points and a Hardness of 5 (Break Threshold 40), provides tools for butchering, and holds up to 50 bulk worth of meat stored in an extradimensional space inside the cart. Meat carried in the cart is subject to a 5th level gentle repose. As long as the meatmonger is pushing their cart, they gain a +10-foot status bonus to Speed and standard cover. A meatmonger needs two hands to push their cart. If a meatmonger’s cart is destroyed, the stored meats pours out of the cart in a tidal wave of flesh. A meatmonger is able to make a new cart over 8 hours as long as it has appropriate materials. The cart loses its magic if the meatmonger that made it dies or abandons it. Placate If a creature offers to buy 50gp worth of meat or provides 5 bulk worth of fresh meat and succeeds at a DC 23 Diplomacy check the meatmonger becomes friendly. While friendly, a meatmonger attempts to sell the creature more meat at a cost of 10gp per 1 Bulk of meat. 1 Bulk of purchased meat eaten within 10 minutes of purchase has the effects of Fine Cuts. Once a friendly meatmonger is no longer able to sell meat, they leave and becomes indifferent; they don’t attempt to victimize their customer for more meat. Items dagger (×10), hatchet (×3), meat cart AC 21; Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +14 HP 160; Weaknessescold iron 5 Mouthwatering Scent (aura, olfactory) 30 feet (centered on the meat cart). Creatures in the aura that eat meat must succeed at a DC 22 Will save or become fascinated for 1 round. Creatures that don’t eat meat gain a +2 circ*mstance bonus on the save and are sickened 1 instead of fascinated on a failed save. Any creature who succeeds on their save becomes temporarily immune to for 1 minute. Speed 30 feet; meat cart Melee 1 hatchet +17 (agile, sweep), Damage 2d6+9 slashing Melee 1 dagger +17 (agile, finesse, versatile S), Damage 2d4+9 piercing plus 14 persistent bleed Ranged 1 hatchet +12 (agile, sweep, thrown 10 feet), Damage 2d6+9 slashing Ranged 1 dagger +12 (agile, finesse, thrown 10 feet, versatile S), Damage 2d4+9 piercing plus 1d4 persistent bleed Barreling Butcher 2 The meatmonger strides twice and Strikes once with Hatchet. Fine Cuts 1 (healing, necromancy, primal) Requirement The meatmonger is adjacent to or pushing a Meat Cart with at least 1 Bulk worth of meat in it; Effect The meatmonger samples its products and consumes 1 Bulk worth of meat. It heals 3d8+10 hit points and attempts to counteract one affliction affecting it with a counteract level of 3 and a counteract modifier of +15.

Mercurial Knight

Mercurial knights are adaptable constructs that can change between solid and liquid forms. According to legend, an ancient artificer, on a quest to create the perfect bodyguard, constructed the first mercurial knight out of pure quicksilver. Unable, or perhaps unwilling, to choose between a bulky knight and an agile fighter, the crafter attempted to make a guard capable of both, able to shift on a whim to better protect against possible intruders. Whether this invention was a stroke of genius or a sign of mercury-induced foolishness usually depends on which end of the knight’s sword you find yourself on. At first glance, a mercurial knight appears as a standard suit of armor, though slight ripples across its form hint at its true nature. Composed almost entirely of quicksilver, mercurial knights can will themselves to solidify, becoming imposing and stalwart defenders. In liquid form, a knight loses some protection but gains the speed and grace to make it a deadly combatant, and its liquid body is able to fit through the smallest crack. This allows for quick movement throughout the battlefield, either to confront intruders or to make a rapid escape. In battle, a mercurial knight often confronts an intruder while in its solid form, using strong armor to deflect blows and soak up damage. When the time is right, it liquefies, providing the construct with a lithe form and powerful attacks to force the intruders back. Any party facing such a creation must approach with caution and employ smart tactics or risk being outmaneuvered by the perfect bodyguard.

MERCURIAL KNIGHT N

MEDIUM

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MATT CAVANAUGH

VOLATILE ALLEGIANCE

Mercurial knights may change who they consider to be allies on a whim. These decisions are sometimes based on who is winning, but other times they are inscrutable. As a result, they often end up stationed far from their masters during a fight.

CREATURE 3

CONSTRUCT

Perception +9;darkvision Skills Acrobatics+9, Athletics+9, Stealth+7 Str+4, Dex+3, Con+2, Int+0, Wis+1, Cha+1 Mercurial Form The knight flows from solid to liquid throughout combat, gaining and losing effects based on the form it occupies; in addition to its Reform reaction, it can change its form as a single action. The knight defaults to its solid form, and where its statistics differ, the listed statistics apply for its solid form unless stated otherwise. While in its liquid form, the knight is able to move through any opening large enough for water. The knight also has a different Strike depending on its form, a mercury hammer in solid form and a mercury sword in liquid form. AC 21,(17 when liquid); Fort +12,(+9 when liquid), Ref+9,(+12 when liquid), Will +6 HP 45; Immunities bleed, death effects, diseased, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknesses bludgeoning 5 (piercing and slashing 5 when liquid); Resistances piercing and slashing 5 (bludgeoning 5 when liquid) Reform 5 Trigger The Mercurial Knight would take physical damage that it is weak to; Effect The knight changes to a liquid or solid form, whichever is not its current form. Apply the triggering damage after the change. Speed 20 feet (30 feet when liquid) Melee 1 mercury hammer (solid only) +12, Damage 1d6+6 bludgeoning Melee 1 mercury sword (liquid only) +12, Damage 1d12+8 slashing Mercury Splash 2 Requirements The Mercurial Knight is in its liquid form; Effect The knight sprays raw mercury from its body in a 15 foot cone. All creatures within this cone take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and 1d4 poison damage, with a DC 17 basic Reflex save.

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Midnight Lily COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY STEPHEN BENDIG

LIVING MAZE

Some tunnel dwellers plant midnight lilies at strategic choke points to protect against intruders from the surface. Foes with darkvision who explore the maze-like lair may think they have it mapped out, only for others to wander in, trigger some lilies, and change the entire layout due to the plants moving into new positions. Defenders may also combine midnight lilies with snares that shed light so that even those with darkvision may fall victim to them.

Midnight lilies are swarms of predatory plants that spend most of their time as an unremarkable, desiccated bramble. They flock together in gardens of four to five swarms of lilies, and under natural conditions, in the thickly canopied jungles where no light reaches the ground and the deep subterranean cave systems that a midnight lily calls home, the plants can go decades without so much as moving or consuming a meal. In these places where creatures have adapted to the darkness, midnight lilies hunt using light. When exposed to bright light, a midnight lily’s pods blossom explosively into fleshy white flowers, each radiating from a single venomous needle-like thorn. The plant then thrashes violently, seeking to inject its prey with venom. Once subjected to the strange magical co*cktail that makes up a midnight lily’s venom, a creature’s insides begin to corrode and, more disturbingly, shed a sickly pale red light. This light can cause other lilies to blossom and result in a chain reaction feeding frenzy, ensuring that the plant can continue to move and sting. Once its prey succumbs to its injuries, a midnight lily plants its roots in the creature and returns to its desiccated state to rest and feed. Creatures with darkvision who avoid the use of light have little to fear from midnight lilies. Because of this as well as their rare and beautiful flowers, midnight lilies are favorites of deep-dwelling gardeners and floriculturists. The plant is also used for deadly purposes, with wicked gardeners planting them in paths that a surface dweller might take to reach a subterranean lair or treasure horde, functioning as an early warning system.

MIDNIGHT LILY N

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HUGE

MINDLESS

CREATURE 3 PLANT

SWARM

Perception +6;tremorsense (imprecise) 20 feet Skills Stealth+10 (+13 in darkness) Str+0, Dex+1, Con+3, Int–5, Wis+1, Cha+3 AC 16; Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +8 HP 48; Immunitiesmental, swarm mind; Weaknessesfire 5, area damage 5, slashing 5, splash damage 5; Resistancesbludgeoning 5, piercing 5 Phototropic Bloom 5 Trigger A light source moves or lights up inside the midnight lily’s space and the midnight lily has the slowed condition; Effect The midnight lily uses Stinging Thorns and loses the slowed condition and status penalty from its desiccation ability for as long as the light source remains in the midnight lily’s space and for 1 round after the light leaves the area. Speed 20 feet; desiccation Desiccation In darkness, a midnight lily is slowed 1, and has a –10-foot status penalty to its Speeds Midnight Lily Venom (poison) Saving Throw Fortitude DC 20; Maximum Duration 1 minute; Stage 1 1d4 poison and sheds light like a torch (1 round) Stage 2 1d6 poison, sheds light like a torch, and light blindness (1 round) Stinging Thorns 1 Each creature within the midnight lily’s space takes 2d6piercing damage with a DC 20 basic Reflex save. A creature that fails its save is exposed to midnight lily venom.

Mirage Crawler

Lurking near desert roads, the mirage crawler is a vicious ambush predator. Often mistaken for a large boulder, it resembles a massive, asymmetrical clam with sand-colored shells. When the crawler opens itself, the spongy mass of flesh and mucus contained within bulges outward. Its spindly, unevenly spaced legs are then pushed out, revealing these crystalline appendages to be covered in a network of sensory bulbs and sand-filled blisters. Slow to move on the surface, mirage crawlers move with uncanny speed when digging underground. When hunting, the constant skittering and twitching of a mirage crawler’s legs releases a cloud of sand that surrounds the creature and allows it to grab unsuspecting prey. Despite its unimpressive intelligence, a mirage crawler exerts a great deal of control over the sand cloud that constantly surrounds it, allowing it to form images in the cloud to distract its foes. Although it is fortunate that these crawlers are typically lone predators, they occasionally gather during certain astronomical conjunctions for their nighunpredictable mating season. The ensuing feeding frenzy often ravages nearby communities, leaving behind the remains of the mirage crawlers’ victims, shaped by their alien digestive tracts into hollow, oblong pearls of petrified bone.

MIRAGE CRAWLER UNCOMMON

NE HUGE ABERRATION

CREATURE 10

Perception +17;tremorsense 60 feet (variable, see below), no vision Skills Athletics+19, Stealth+18 (+22 when in sand) Str+7, Dex+2, Con+7, Int–3, Wis+5, Cha–3 Tremorsense A mirage crawler’s tremorsense is a precise sense out to 60 feet, and an imprecise sense out to 120 feet. AC 29; Fort +22, Ref +16, Will +19 HP 130; Immunitiesblinded, dazzled, visual; Weaknessescold 10; Resistancesfire 10 Project Mirage 5 (illusion, occult, visual) Trigger The mirage crawler is targeted by an attack; Requirements The mirage crawler’s sand cloud is active; Effect The mirage crawler projects multiple illusions of itself within its sand cloud, potentially causing the attacker to hit one of the images instead. Roll 1d4. On any result other than a 1, the triggering attack hits the image instead of the mirage crawler, with no effect. Either way, the images disappear, and the crawler’s sand cloud is suppressed until activated again. Sand Cloud (aura, illusion, occult, visual) 30 feet. The mirage crawler’s leg blisters can constantly eject bursts of sand, which the creature uses to its advantage. Any creature caught within the area is concealed, and creatures outside the aura are concealed to creatures within. The mirage crawler can suppress this aura or activate it again using a single action, which has the concentrate trait. Speed 10 feet, burrow 40 feet Melee 1 leg +23 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 bludgeoning plus Grab Ranged 1 mucus +21 (agile, range increment 60 feet), Damage 2d8+4 acid plus mucous residue Caging Rush 3 The mirage crawler Burrows or Strides up to its Speed. If it ends its movement within reach of an enemy, it makes two leg Strikes against a single creature. If both Strikes hit, the creature must attempt a DC 29 Fortitude save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature becomes grabbed until the end of the mirage crawler’s next turn. Failure The creature becomes restrained until the end of the mirage crawler’s next turn. Critical Failure The creature becomes restrained until the end of the mirage crawler’s next turn and is stunned 2. Constrict 1 2d12+9 bludgeoning, DC 29 Mucous Residue A creature damaged by the mirage crawler’s mucus Strike must succeed at a DC 29 Reflex save or become slowed 1 for 1 round, or sickened 1 and slowed 2 for 1 round on a critical failure.

GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GABRIEL M.S. SANTOS

PEARLS OF WISDOM

Foolhardy treasure hunters search for mirage crawler bone pearls with the reasoning that since regular pearls are valuable, these must be as well. They are not, and the wise move is to leave them alone. Fertilized mirage crawler eggs look almost identical to the digested remains and spawn ravenous larvae that devour any organic material they can wrap their maws around. They resemble cave worms, though they are not as powerful, and remain in that life stage until they eat enough rock and crystal to grow a shell and legs. Should adventurers kill a larva before it transforms into a mirage crawler, they may find some precious metals in its stomach, but the value is rarely worth the risk.

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Mirrorborn GRAND PRIZE RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KALEN H.M.

THE WAGES OF VANITY

When odrazu bring vain souls to Hell and don’t form them into new odrazus, the creatures are typically tortured amid halls of mirrors or reflecting pools that show off distorted versions of their visage, filling them with despair. These reflective surfaces connect to mirror dimensions, which also allow odrazu and their patrons to attempt to spread Hell’s corruption into other realms.

Mirrorborn are a family of creatures with connections to both the Astral Plane and the infinite alternate realities beyond the twisted dimensions found within mirrors. Much like the evil duplicates found on the other side of a darkside mirror (Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook), most mirrorborn represent the infinite possibilities of the multiverse, of things that aren’t but could have been. This category of mirrorborn includes tahagatas and fragmentors, two entities formed from the paradoxical distortion of potential into a corporeal form. To a lesser extent, the same is true of chiraluses, the incarnations of the reflections that could never be, embodying reflections of creatures like vampires that ordinarily have no reflections. Finally, odrazu are highly unusual mirrorborn, as they form from a symbiotic hybrid between a devil and the Astral Plane, peppered with otherworldly energies from alternate mirror dimensions. One commonality among all mirrorborn is their physical connection to mirrors: odrazu feed on reflections, chiraluses appear as two-dimensional reflections, tahagatas take a form built of myriad mirrored surfaces, and fragmentors are composed of countless jagged mirror shards. This doesn’t mean that they are necessarily more likely to be found in areas where mirrors are more common, as each of the creatures brings their mirrored physicality along with them. Despite being a family of creatures, mirrorborn rarely interact with each other. Even fragmentors, which can sometimes form out of a destroyed tahagata, rarely converse with tahagatas, and tahagatas for their part find the fragmented potential inherent to a fragmentor’s essence distasteful and jarring, much like the sensation of wrongness they feel from an original creature after the tahagata juxtaposes with it.

Odrazu

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Also known as mirror devils, odrazu are the grotesque remnants of narcissistic creatures that, while they were still alive, made a foolish pact with a devil in order to further enhance their own charm. After their demise, these mortals were transformed into devils and infused with astral shards and fragments of mirror entities that make up creatures like fragmentors and tahagatas to form a bizarre type of hybrid being between a devil and an astral mirror creature. The patron devil’s offers are often irresistible: incredible good looks, a silver tongue, or an undeniable force of personality. As payment for their bargain, the soul’s infernal servitude sees them seeking out likewise egoistic mortals—easy marks for their progenitor to eventually exploit. In the intervening time, however, odrazus delight in inflicting small torments upon their victims. A mortal’s reflection is a gateway to a tiny fragment of their soul. Though far too meager a bounty for most devils to deign spending effort pursuing, fiends as wretched and vain as odrazu are all too eager to lap up such table scraps, delighting in the brief moment of restored glory that the reflection’s energy affords them. Creatures tormented by an odrazu often remain completely unaware of its presence, beyond experiencing a general, inexplicable feeling of malaise and hopelessness across all aspects of their lives. However, their obsessive behavior might start to seem suspicious to others as they stare longingly at their own reflection at interminable length. Then again, for an odrazu’s most likely victims, such loathsome self-infatuation might not appear at all out of the ordinary.

ODRAZU UNCOMMON

CREATURE 4 LE

SMALL

ASTRAL

DEVIL

FIEND

Perception +14;greater darkvision Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 100 feet Skills Deception +12, Diplomacy +12, Intimidation +12, Performance +11, Religion +10, Society+12, Stealth+12 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+4, Wis+4, Cha+5 Self-Absorption The odrazu is invisible to creatures who are fascinated by anything other than the odrazu itself. AC 19, all-around vision; Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +14;+1 status to all saves vs. magic HP 70; Immunitiesfire; Weaknessesvisual 10; Resistancesphysical 5 (except silver), poison 5 Attack of Opportunity 5 Eyestalk only Narcissistic Compulsion (aura, divine, enchantment, mental, visual) 60 feet. An odrazu constantly surrounds itself in a cloak of absolute vanity and self-absorption. A non-devil creature that ends its turn in the aura must attempt a DC 18 Will save. If it fails, then as long as it remains in the aura, if it sees its reflection in a reflective surface within the aura’s radius, it becomes fascinated with its own reflection for 1 minute or until it can no longer see its reflection, whichever comes first. While fascinated, the creature can’t willingly stop viewing its own reflection, or move such that it can no longer see its reflection. A creature that critically succeeds on their saving throw becomes temporarily immune to narcissistic compulsion for 1 hour. Speed 10 feet, fly 20 feet Melee 1 tongue +14 (finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d6+4 bludgeoning plus 1d6 evil Melee 1 eyestalk +14 (agile, finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d4+4 bludgeoning plus 1d6 evil and clouded vision Clouded Vision (visual) A creature struck by an odrazu’s eyestalk is dazzled for 1 round, or for 2 rounds on a critical hit. Taste Reflection 1 (divine, enchantment) Frequency once per round; Effect Odrazu are capable of sipping away at a fascinated creature’s reflection, and they do so regularly, both because they adore the taste and to drain their victim’s soul energy away and take it for themselves. The odrazu makes a tongue Strike against a fascinated creature who isn’t doomed; the fascinated creature is flat-footed against this Strike. If the Strike hits and deals damage to the victim, the odrazu gains temporary Hit Points equal to twice the victim’s level and a +2 status bonus to Charismabased skill checks for 24 hours. The struck creature must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude saving throw, becoming doomed 1 on a failure or doomed 2 on a critical failure. While the creature is doomed, it doesn’t cast a reflection in any reflecting surface. This Strike doesn’t otherwise end the fascinated condition on the creature even though fascination normally ends after a hostile action. However, if the creature was fascinated due to narcissistic compulsion, the lack of reflection means that the fascination automatically ends, as the creature can no longer see its own reflection. If the odrazu was unnoticed or undetected by the creature before Tasting its Reflection, it remains so after Tasting the creature’s Reflection, even though a Strike would normally reveal its presence. While doomed by Taste Reflection, a creature can’t observe the odrazu unless the odrazu takes another hostile action against the creature, rendering the odrazu effectively invisible to the creature

Tahagata

Tahagatas are bizarre astral mirror entities that, due to their composition, are aware of the infinite variations of the other creatures around them that could have come to pass but ultimately did not—selves that could have existed had the creature made different decisions or had the random variations of the universe’s forces been slightly different. When a tahagata juxtaposes itself with another creature, mimicking that creature’s form, it instinctively knows details of that creature’s life, had they lived out their life as one of these other near-infinite variations. However, these details always diverge from reality in some way, sometimes subtly and at other times wildly. The knowledge of this incongruity wracks the tahagata’s mind—only by removing the original creature from existence (which puts a final end to its continuously branching variations) can the tahagata lessen its anguish.

Mirrorborn GRAND PRIZE RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KALEN H.M.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

In addition to darkside mirrors, which send forth alternative versions of those reflected within, it’s possible, though rare, to connect to realms beyond an ordinary mirror and encounter mirrorborn. The phenomenon is far more likely in places brimming with astral energies or in locations where the veil between the mortal world and the world beyond the mirror has been torn before, becoming thinner and thinner in the process. Those who enter through a mirror find that these mirror realms operate on their own bizarre rules, and while they eventually might re-emerge from another mirror, they often do so changed.

OTHER MIRRORBORN

The mirrorborn presented here are just the tip of the iceberg, as the possibilities in the infinite mirror universes are just as endless as the multiverse itself. Some rumors of other mirrorborn include: • Darksiders, creatures originating from a darkside mirror who have become permanent residents of this world, either seeking to bring more residents from their reality or to establish their own fiefdom in this one. • Kryshards, malevolent entities that form from the reflective shards of shattered crystal balls and use mirrors to spy on many other creatures and use the information for their own foul purposes. • Mirror Mimes, creatures who hide within mirrors and replace a creature’s natural reflection in order to devour that creature’s psyche, attempting to stay unnoticed by mimicking the creature’s actions in front of mirrors. • Reflectors, creatures that position many mirrors across the battlefield when stalking their prey, shooting beams of light that bounce off the mirrors at unexpected angles and irradiate their victims.

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Mirrorborn GRAND PRIZE RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KALEN H.M.

TAHAGATA IMPERSONATORS

Occasionally, a tahagata who destroyed the original version of the creature they juxtaposed attempts to continue impersonating that creature even after the juxtaposition ends. Without any magical ability to assist, they must do so purely through mundane disguises, and their fragmented memories of alternate timelines usually exposing them swiftly even if they can pull that part off.

TAHAGATA UNCOMMON

CREATURE 6 MEDIUM

ABERRATION

Perception +17; darkvision Languages Aklo; tongues Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+13, Deception+15, Intimidation+15, Occultism+15, Stealth+15 Str+4, Dex+4, Con+4, Int+4, Wis+4, Cha+4 Presaging Reflection (divination, occult, visual) A creature within 30 feet who Seeks as a 1 minute activity (gazing carefully at the reflections upon the tahagata’s body) can see a glimpse of their own fate. This acts similarly to a read omens spell, but the predictions are made with one especially incorrect assumption. If the tahagata is aware of such observation, they can choose to purposefully twist the vision that the creature sees. In that case, the GM makes a secret DC 25 Will save for the observer; on a failure, the tahagata shows them a false vision of the tahagata’s design, often one that leads the observer to harm. A creature can only ever benefit from viewing any given tahagata’s reflection a single time. AC 22, all-around vision; Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +14;+2 status vs. morph and polymorph HP 78; Weaknessesfortune weakness; Resistancesphysical 5 (while not Juxtaposed) Enoptromancy 5 (concentrate, curse, divination, occult) Trigger The tahagata is Juxtaposed and takes damage from one of the Juxtaposed creature’s allies. Effect The Juxtaposed creature must attempt a DC 24 Will save; on a failure, the Juxtaposition ends and the creature is affected by an inevitable disaster spell dealing 35 damage instead of 55, with the triggering ally being the source of the spell’s eventual damage, if possible. Fortune Weakness A tahagata takes 10 additional damage from damaging effects with the fortune trait or benefiting from an effect with the fortune trait (for instance, attacks affected by a true strike spell). Speed 35 feet Melee 1 obsidian edge +14 (agile, deadly d10, magical, versatile P), Damage 2d6+8 slashing plus Grab Ranged 1 obsidian shard +14 (magical, range increment 60 feet, versatile P), Damage 2d6+8 slashing Occult Innate Spells DC 21; Constant (5th) tongues Envisage 1 Requirements The tahagata has a creature grabbed; Effect The tahagata Juxtaposes into the grabbed creature, and the two briefly meld, during which the tahagata can choose to either imperceptibly swap places with the creature or remain in its original position, making it impossible in either case to determine which is the original creature at a glance. Creatures who successfully Seek against the tahagata’s Deception DC can discern which of the two is real. Juxtapose 4 (occult, polymorph) Trigger The tahagata’s turn begins. Effect The tahagata peers into the soul of a Large or smaller sapient creature that it can detect, seeing the variations of that creature that could have existed, and changing its appearance to Impersonate one of these nearly-indistinguishable variants until the beginning of its next turn. The creature must attempt a DC 21 Will save; on a failure, while the tahagata remains Juxtaposed as them, the creature rolls twice and takes the lower result whenever it makes a check against the tahagata (this is a misfortune effect), while the tahagata rolls twice on checks it makes against the creature, taking the higher result (this is a fortune effect).

Fragmentor

112

ASTRAL

Fragmentors are the remnants of those who have been confronted with alternate versions of themselves—from other dimensions, split timelines, or malicious curses—and, in the process, had their sense of self ruptured, leaving behind only thousands of formless slivers of themselves. These slivers are drawn to other sapient creatures, often creating simulacra of the creatures in a desperate bid to regain some of the sense of self that they have irrevocably lost. While fragmentors retain memories of their past lives, they are often inextricably tangled with memories of their alternate selves, which makes communication difficult at best and mindwarping at worst. Fragmentors are also sometimes created as a byproduct when a particularly tenacious tahagata is destroyed.

FRAGMENTOR UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 7 ASTRAL

SWARM

Perception +15;darkvision, visionsense (imprecise) 120 feet Languages Aklo; telepathy 100 feet Skills Stealth+16 Str+4, Dex+2, Con+6, Int+2, Wis+2, Cha+6 Visionsense The fragmentor can sense any and all creatures who possess a visual sense that are within 120 feet of it. Creatures whose visual senses are suppressed (or who aren’t processing much visual information, such as if they are closing their eyes) can’t be detected using visionsense. AC 21; Fort +18, Ref +15, Will +12 HP 108; Immunitiesbleed, swarm mind; Weaknessesarea damage 10, bludgeoning 10, splash damage 10; Resistancespiercing 10 Phantasmal Defense 5 (concentrate, illusion, occult, visual) Requirement The fragmentor has at least one phantasm manifested; Trigger The fragmentor would be hit by an attack. Effect The fragmentor calls one of its existing phantasms, which instantly appears in a square adjacent to the fragmentor, and interposes itself in the path of the attack. The source of the attack must attempt a DC 11 flat check; on a failure, the phantasm is destroyed, and the fragmentor changes the result of the attack from a critical success to a success or a success to a failure. Speed fly 30 feet Distorting Edges 1 (evocation, occult) The fragmentor’s countless shards warp and distort, spinning through the fragmentor’s space with razor sharp edges. Each foe in the fragmentor’s space takes 4d6 slashing damage (DC 25 basic Reflex save). Phantasms 4 (illusion, occult, visual) Trigger The fragmentor uses Distorting Edges and at least one creature fails its save; Effect The fragmentor creates a phantasm (two phantasms if the triggering creature critically failed) in an unoccupied square within 10 feet. Phantasms are Medium, quasi-real illusions, which resemble the form of the triggering creature (changing size such that they are Medium, even if the triggering creature isn’t). Phantasms act independently of the fragmentor, taking their turns either immediately before or after the fragmentor. Phantasms have 2 actions each turn that they can use only to Fly. Phantasms have a fly speed of 30 feet, and their saving throw modifiers and AC are equal to the fragmentor’s. Phantasms are substantial enough to provide flanking, and other creatures cannot pass through their space. A phantasm disappears if it is hit by an attack or fails a save, after 1 minute passes, if the fragmentor or the creature it was created from dies or gains the dying condition, or if it is ever further than 100 feet away from the fragmentor. A typical fragmentor can only have at most seven phantasms at a time, but more powerful fragmentors might exist that can have more phantasms. Shatter Phantasm 1 (illusion, occult) The fragmentor destroys one of its phantasms, creating a 10-foot burst centered at any point in the phantasm’s space, which deals 3d6 piercing damage (DC 25 basic Reflex save). The fragmentor chooses one of the following additional effects: • The fragmentor teleports to the space previously occupied by the phantasm. This additional effect has the conjuration and teleportation traits. • The fragmentor gains 10 temporary Hit Points as the shattered phantasm’s fragments coalesce into its own form. • Each creature that failed their saving throw against Shatter Phantasm is also dazzled for 1 round (blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1 minute on a critical failure). Shatter Phantasm gains the visual trait.

Mirrorborn GRAND PRIZE RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KALEN H.M.

FRAGMENTOR INSIGHT

While it’s exceptionally difficult to communicate with fragmentors and even harder to parse what they’re saying, fragmentors possess a rare insight into what is, what was, and what could have been due to their jumbled memories, some of which come from alternate versions of themselves. Those who wonder about the path not taken could do worse than to consult a fragmentor.

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UNTETHERED

Travelers to the Astral Plane must be especially wary of chiralus, since the creatures’ infinitely sharp form can sever even an astral tether, tragically ending their journey.

Chiralus

A common refrain in folklore throughout the world paints some evil creatures (such as vampires) as so horrible, or perhaps so alien, that they are utterly unable to cast a reflection, despite being normally visible. These tales often turn out to be true, but leave a lingering question of, “Why?” But perhaps the question should instead be, “Where?” As any magical scholar or seasoned adventurer will attest, mirrors and the reflections seen in them often hold strange and mercurial power. For those who seemingly defy such reflection, their visage may not be cast back at them but instead cast away, drifting through the Astral Plane. These distorted figures—tiny fragments of pure malevolence—eventually coalesce into a chiralus. Just like a reflection on a mirror’s surface, chiralus are two-dimensional, appearing impossibly flat and almost indistinguishable from a mundane mirror, aside from the fact that living creatures don’t see their reflections within, instead seeing the reflections of creatures who otherwise don’t have them, like vampires. Observed side-on, a chiralus is almost imperceptible—a property they often use to their deadly advantage, as they are driven by little else besides a primordial desire to cut, sever, and kill.

CHIRALUS UNCOMMON

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CREATURE 9 LARGE

ABERRATION

ASTRAL

Perception +20;lifesense 120 feet Languages Aklo (reversed speech) Skills Stealth+21 Str+3, Dex+6, Con+4, Int+3, Wis+4, Cha+6 Depthless By using its two-dimensionality, a chiralus can pass through any gap, however thin (so long as it would not be a perfect enough seal to stop the flow of air), and can freely pass through other creatures’ squares. Reversed Speech A chiralus speaks and writes backwards, which makes it exceedingly difficult to understand what it’s saying, requiring a successful DC 20 Society check (to Decipher Writing when used on written text). AC 25; Fort +15, Ref +21, Will +17 HP 140; Immunitiesgrabbed, restrained; Weaknessesphysical 10 (when prone) Broken Mirror Curse (curse, misfortune) When a creature reduces the chiralus to 0 Hit Points, the creature must attempt a DC 28 Will save. On a failure, the creature is afflicted with bad luck, and must roll twice and take the worse result on the next seven non-trivial checks it makes within the next 24 hours. Two Dimensional Reorientation 4 Trigger The chiralus rolls for initiative, or its turn ends; Requirements The chiralus is not prone. Effect The chiralus chooses one side of its square. Until the next time it uses this ability or falls prone, whenever a hostile effect’s source originates from the chosen side or the opposite side of its square (using the same method as determining cover), the effect’s source must attempt a DC 15 flat check; on a failure, the effect doesn’t affect the chiralus. Speed fly 35 feet Melee 1 sharp edge +20 (finesse, magical), Damage 2d10+7 slashing plus 2d6 persistent bleed Ranged 1 haunting reflection +20 (illusion, occult, range 30 feet, visual), Damage 2d10+10 mental Infinitesimal Slice 1 The chiralus Flies through another creature’s space and slices the creature both bodily and spiritually. The creature takes 4d6 slashing damage with a DC 27 Reflex save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage. The chiralus makes a counteract check (counteract modifier +20, counteract level 5) against each magical effect directly linking the creature to its allies, such as the shield other spell, and other effects at the GM’s discretion. Critical Failure As failure, but the creature is drained 1, and if the creature is astrally projecting (such as via the astral projection ritual), their silver cord is damaged, or severed if it was already damaged.

Money-Grubber Swarm

Money-grubbers are tiny undead that gather together to pilfer shiny coins. Sightings of the tiny creatures are often dismissed as the ramblings of losing gamblers or forgetful spenders, but everyone living in urban centers haunted by money-grubbers will, one day or later, find their purses lighter than usual because of these pests. A single money-grubber is completely harmless and simply shooing them away will often be enough to get rid of them. Even if they manage to sneak their way into a purse, they will usually only be able to steal a single coin. Because they always prioritize the shiniest coins, carrying a handful of polished copper pieces is a common and effective practice around communities haunted by money-grubbers. However, when a great number of money-grubbers gather, they can overwhelm beginner adventurers and steal away all their coins. This usually ends up hurting the novices’ pride more than their bodies, but losing the spoils of a recent dungeon delve before getting to spend them can be a career-ending event for many. What these greedy wandering souls do with the coins they steal is unknown, as no money-grubber hoard has ever been found.

MONEY-GRUBBER SWARM UNCOMMON

LARGE

INCORPOREAL

CREATURE –1 SPIRIT

SWARM

UNDEAD

Perception +4;darkvision, coinsense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Stealth+5, Thievery+5 (Steal coins only) Str–5, Dex+3, Con+2, Int–4, Wis+1, Cha+0 Coinsense (detection, divination, divine) Money-grubbers can detect coins as an imprecise sense. If they focus their senses on a creature by Seeking, they learn how many coins they are carrying and how shiny these coins are. Items a handful of coins (4 copper pieces) AC 12; Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +2 HP 9, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, sleep, swarm mind; Weaknessesarea damage 2, splash damage 2; Resistancesall damage 2 (except force, ghost touch, mental, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical) Greedy Souls A money-grubber’s existence is linked to the coins they steal. If a creature successfully Steals coins from the swarm, the swarm is dealt 1d4 mental damage, or mental damage equal to the number of coins stolen, whichever is lower. Nourishing Spirits Any spirit, undead, or creature with negative healing inside a moneygrubber swarm can take a single manipulate action with the evil trait to consume a handful of money-grubbers. This deals 1d4 mental damage to the swarm, and the creature gains temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt for 1 minute. If the creature was an undead spirit, it also gains a +1 status to attack rolls and damage rolls for 1 minute. A creature can only gain these benefits from eating money-grubbers once per hour. Speed 20 feet Penny Pinching 2 The moneygrubber swarm rummages through the possessions of all the creatures within its space in order to steal their shiniest coins, attempting a Thievery check against all the creatures’ Reflex DCs. Success The money-grubbers can steal up to 1d4 coins from the creature, prioritizing the shiniest ones, at the GM’s discretion. The constant tickling and pinching also deal 1d4 mental damage to the creature. Failure The money-grubbers fail to steal any coins, but they still deal 1 mental damage to the creature.

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY FRANCOIS POTVIN NAUD

A SPIRITUAL SUPPLEMENT

The spiritual essence of money-grubbers is strangely nourishing for most undead and spirits, and scholars have claimed to have recorded events of pretty much every kind of spirit eating money-grubbers. Some even say that after consuming money-grubbers in great quantities, even benevolent spirits can be corrupted into powerful undead abominations. The total disregard the money-grubbers have toward anything not carrying coins makes them easy snacks, and stronger spirits sometimes keep a swarm of them around as a quick way to power up when attacked.

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Owlpaca COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GREGG KIEFFNERE

HOOTS FOR DINNER

The owlpaca is an omnivore that prefers a mix of grasses and rodents. Like regular alpacas, its spit consists of partially digested meals from its stomach. An owlpaca that recently ate may add bludgeoning damage or the sickened condition to its spit depending on what comprised its meal. A partially digested mouse to the face gives most predators cause to turn away.

WHEN OWLPACAS FLY

Some owlpacas are born with wings. Flight does not come naturally to them, but these rare mutants manage a fly speed of 10 feet when they reach maturity. While this makes them slightly more powerful, since they don’t have a damaging ranged option, this adjustment isn’t enough to noticeably increase the owlpaca’s overall capabilities.

This amalgamation of an owl and an alpaca came about after an eccentric magical shepherd performed bizarre experiments to keep their herd safe from local goblins who kept killing the previous guard dogs. After seeing the effectiveness of the new animal in protecting the shepherd’s flock, other herders in the area started requesting owlpacas as well, and they’ve begun to spread from there. Much like alpacas, owlpacas make excellent guards for their herds. For this reason, it isn’t unheard of for adventurers to occasionally bring one along if no one in the party has the ability to see in dim light. Much like owls, an owlpaca’s eyes are fixed in place, so they have to turn their heads in order to change their view. With a longer neck, owlpacas are able to rotate their necks even further than an owl, to a maximum of 270 degrees in their youth, without tearing any tendons. If more than one owlpaca is watching over a herd, the two with the longest necks flank the rest to give the most coverage. While an owlpaca’s wool-like fiber isn’t as soft as that of other herd animals, there are some herders whose herds now consist entirely of owlpacas. Owlpacas need to be sheared every two years, but the shearer must be careful to avoid the feathers in the process or the owlpaca might attack them. What makes this more difficult is that each owlpaca has a non-standardized pattern of feather growth. Neglectful owners often let the wool around the feathers get matted rather than risk shearing nearby. Alpacas and other camelids are unable to crossbreed with owlpacas. Researchers have wisely avoided ridicule by not experimenting to see if that is true of owlpacas and owls.

OWLPACA UNCOMMON

116

MEDIUM

CREATURE 3 ANIMAL

Perception +12;low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Acrobatics+9, Athletics+9, Intimidation+7 Str+4, Dex+2, Con+4, Int–4, Wis+3, Cha+0 AC 18; Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +8 HP 50 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 beak +12, Damage 1d10+6 piercing Ranged 1 spit +10 (range 15 feet), Damage see owlpaca spit Eye Peck 2 The owlpaca pecks a creature’s eyes, using its long neck to reach them. The owlpaca makes a beak Strike against a Large or smaller creature with eyes. If the Strike hits, the creature takes 1d4 persistent bleed damage and is dazzled until it removes the bleed damage. If the creature is also sickened by owlpaca spit, it’s blinded until it either removes the bleed damage or the sickened condition. Herd Alarm 1 (auditory, emotion, fear, mental) Requirements The owlpaca is within 60 feet of two or more allies; Effect When part of a herd, the owlpaca instinctively protects the others and alert them of danger, unleashing a loud screech that terrifies potential predators. Each creature in a 60-foot emanation must attempt a DC 19 Will save. Regardless of the result, creatures are temporarily immune for 1minute. Other owlpacas automatically get a critical success, and if another ally rolls worse than a success, they get a success instead. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 2. Critical Failure The creature is frightened 3 and fleeing for 1 round. Owlpaca Spit If agitated, the owlpaca spews out a lob of bile at a creature’s eyes within 15 feet. On a hit, the target is sickened 1, and dazzled as long as it remains sickened. If the creature also has persistent bleed damage from Eye Peck, it’s blinded until it either removes the bleed damage or the sickened condition.

Paintbrush Fox

A paintbrush fox appears as a normal fox, but their silver fur is marred by a black oil that profusely drips from their tail. The oil produced by a paintbrush fox is deep black and clings to almost any surface it contacts. By channeling primal magic through their oil, a paintbrush fox can form solid shapes that can emulate creatures the paintbrush fox has previously observed. The fox can command these oil creatures, giving an additional ally in times of distress or a simple companion in times of boredom. If forced to fight, paintbrush foxes generally ambush prey, using an oily ally to distract and defend. After maturing, a fox leaves their family den and ventures off to claim their own territory in a forest or vegetated plain. Paintbrush foxes have a strange habit of drawing designs and figures on trees and other objects in order to mark their territory, though a creature that enters a paintbrush fox’s turf is usually safe from harm as long as it doesn’t damage or usurp it. While paintbrush foxes generally prefer to remain isolated, they adore observing travelers that pass through their territory. They even mimic the peculiar mannerisms of these travelers as best they can, down to their peculiar gaits and fidgety motions. If spotted by a more powerful creature, a paintbrush fox tends to panic and flee, but some have been coaxed into friendship by patient would-be allies. A paintbrush fox’s oil creatures can easily be identified as artificial beings with a brief examination from a sapient creature, but they can still fool wildlife or inattentive onlookers. The oil creatures are always a varied shade of black and gray with a glossy sheen over their skin. With the amount of detail the fox includes, onlookers can even tell if the copy was based on someone they recognize. While the oil creatures aren’t capable of speech, adept foxes have picked up on projecting common phrases and noises they’ve heard to make their copies seem fully capable of speech.

PAINTBRUSH FOX N

SMALL

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVID WALKER

WHAT DOES THE FOX DRAW?

The paintings that paintbrush foxes draw to mark their territory usually depict what they have recently seen. They may depict landmarks in their territory or interesting creatures that passed through without disturbing the fox. The foxes become excited when they meet other creatures with artistic ability and imitate their work. Some druids have taught paintbrush foxes how to draw elaborate scenes or ritual marks for spells. In other cases, hooligans may teach a paintbrush fox crude drawings or vulgar phrases and delight in the results while maintaining plausible deniability of any vandalism.

CREATURE 2

BEAST

Perception +8;low light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Languages Sylvan Skills Acrobatics+8, Athletics+4, Crafting+4 (+8 when painting), Deception+7, Performance+5, Stealth+8, Survival+8 Str–2, Dex+3, Con+1, Int–2, Wis+3, Cha+1 AC 18; Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8 HP 30 Speed 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +11 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d6+3 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 18; 1stventriloquism (at will) Form Oil Creature 3 (primal, conjuration) Frequency once per hour; Effect The fox twirls their tail and paints a copy of a Medium or smaller creature they’ve seen before. Orders are given to every Oil Creature during creation and only change if directed by its creator. Oil Creatures have the following statistics: 10 HP, 15 AC, and a melee pseudopod unarmed attack with an attack roll modifier of +9 that deals 1d6+1 bludgeoning damage. For any other modifier or DC, oil creatures use the paintbrush fox’s value. Each turn after the first, the paintbrush fox must spend an action, which has the concentrate trait, to mentally command the oil creature or it collapses into ink, though unlike most minions, the oil creature gains three actions. After 10 minutes, or after the paintbrush fox spends a turn without commanding its oil creature, the oil creature dissolves into a useless black puddle. Leaping Pounce 1 The fox either Strides up to their Speed or Leaps, making a Strike at the end of that movement. If the fox began this action hidden, they remain hidden until after this ability’s Strike.

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Plug-Tailed Wolly COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BENJAMIN SULZER

A SAILOR’S BEST FRIEND

A tame plug-tailed wolly is a common sight aboard ships. The creatures are not fully domesticated but have acclimated to the presence of humanoids to the point that they will not attack the crew. They are excellent for morale, as the sailors delight in their colorful appearance, but they are also important during emergencies. Should anything puncture the hull, the crew uses the plug-tailed wolly and its split duplicates to plug leaks until a more permanent solution is available. As for situations where the ship runs low on supplies… wolly meat tastes like stringy chicken, and the original wolly never needs to know what happens to its spawns.

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A plug-tailed wolly is a badger-like creature with brightly colored fur of various colors, highlighted with black and white stripe markings. Whenever a plugtailed wolly feels threatened, it either attempts to flee or crawls into a safer space, potentially including its attacker’s mouth! In order to crawl down a creature’s throat, a plug-tailed wolly contracts and expands its body (sometimes even to several feet in diameter) and tries to claw the creature from the inside, leaving its many tails sticking outside the creature’s mouth. When someone pulls on the tail of a plug-tailed wolly inside a creature’s throat, a new plug-tailed wolly instantly spawns from the pulled tail. If left alone, a plug-tailed wolly is usually inquisitive and playful, but they can quickly turn skittish or violent if threatened. Many farmers, foresters, and trappers have shared tales of a plug-tailed wolly attacking a too-noisy companion or a barking dog. In such cases, the plug-tailed wolly typically manages to evade capture thanks to its strange abilities.

PLUG-TAILED WOLLY UNCOMMON

SMALL

BEAST

CREATURE 1 FEY

Perception +7; darkvision Skills Acrobatics+7, Athletics+7, Stealth+7 Str+2, Dex+4, Con+2, Int–3, Wis+2, Cha–2 Deep Breath A plug-tailed wolly can hold their breath for 300 rounds (30 minutes). AC 17; Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +5 HP 16 Split From Tail Whenever the plug-tailed wolly is grabbed, the plug-tailed wolly takes a critical hit from an attack that deals slashing damage, or a creature attempts to Escape from Crawl Down Throat, the creature might grab a tail, causing the plug-tailed wolly to split. If the plug-tailed wolly has at least 4 HP remaining (after applying any damage to the plug-tailed wolly), it splits into two identical plug-tailed wollys, each with half the original’s Hit Points. When the plug-tailed wolly splits, one remains in the same space and the other appears in the nearest unoccupied space. Speed 30 feet, burrow 10 feet, swim 10 feet Melee 1 claw +8 (agile), Damage 1d6+2 slashing Claw Throat 1 Requirements The plug-tailed wolly has crawled down a creature’s throat; Effect The plug-tailed wolly viciously claws the inside of the creature’s throat. This deals 1d6 slashing damage with a DC 17 basic Fortitude save. Crawl Down Throat 1 Requirements The plug-tailed wolly’s last action was a successful claw Strike against a Medium or larger creature; Effect The plug-tailed wolly crawls down the target’s throat, contracting and expanding its body to fill the throat, with its tail stuck out of the creature’s mouth. This is similar to Grabbing the creature, but the plug-tailed wolly moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The plug-tailed wolly is flat-footed while down another creature’s throat. The plugtailed wolly interferes with the creature’s ability to speak while in a creature’s throat. When attempting verbal spell components or actions requiring precise vocalizations, the creature must succeed at a DC 7 flat check or lose the spell or action. A creature can pull the plug-tailed wolly out of the target’s throat with a successful DC 17 Escape check.

Possibility Golem

When golem-making goes cataclysmically wrong, causing the destruction of the intended form, the animating spirit sometimes does not simply dissipate. In these rare cases, the spirit maintains a memory of form and a level of existence as a cloud of possible golems. Broken by this unstable half-life, it is possible that golems will mindlessly seek out the destruction of all living things.

POSSIBILITY GOLEM RARE

LARGE

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 14 GOLEM

MINDLESS

Perception +22;darkvision Skills Acrobatics+27, Athletics+30, Stealth+27 Str+8, Dex+4, Con+6, Int–4, Wis+0, Cha–5 Cloud of Possibility (arcane, conjuration, teleportation) A possibility golem simultaneously exists and does not exist in every space within a 60 foot by 60 foot square area. Because of this, other creatures can move through its space freely, though the space is difficult terrain for other creatures. As it continually exists and doesn’t exist in each space, the possibility golem is always hidden. Even see invisibility won’t reveal it, although dimensional lock or similar magic reduces the possibility golem to the usual space of a Large creature, 10 feet by 10 feet. A possibility golem’s reach extends from and within its Cloud of Possibility. AC 33; Fort +28, Ref +22, Will +25 HP 255; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, magic (see below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknessesarea damage 10, splash damage 10; Resistancesphysical 10 (except adamantine) Attack of Opportunity 5 Collapse Wave (arcane, conjuration, teleportation) When a possibility golem is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it duplicates into multiple copies of itself in multiple positions for one final attack. The golem makes a phase fist Strike against each target to which it previously dealt damage within the last minute. These attacks are unaffected by its multiple attack penalty. Afterward, it is destroyed. Golem Antimagic harmed by force and sonic (8d10, 2d10 from areas and persistent damage); healed by fire and electricity (area 2d10 HP); slowed by cold Vulnerable to Observation A successful Seek action against the golem’s Stealth DC collapses the golem’s waveform temporarily, locking it into one position. This removes the effect of Cloud of Possibility until the end of the Seeking creature’s next turn, locking the golem into a single space like a normal Large creature. The Seeking creature can choose where the golem appears within the overlap of their Seek action and the golem’s Cloud of Possibility. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 fist +28 (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d10+17 bludgeoning Melee 1 phase fist +28 (agile, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d8+15 bludgeoning plus untether from reality Impossible Flank 2 The golem makes two fist Strikes against a creature within the Golem’s Cloud of Possibility, attacking once from the front and then immediately following up with an attack from behind. Whether or not the first attack hits, the second attack deals 2d6 additional force damage. Apply the multiple attack penalty to the Strikes normally. Omnipunch 3 The possibility golem makes a fist Strike against each target within its Cloud of Possibility. These attacks count toward the golem’s multiple attack penalty, but its multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until after all the attacks. The golem cannot use this ability again for 1d4 rounds. Untether from Reality Upon Striking a creature with its phase fist, the golem can attempt to sever its opponent’s connection to reality. The target must attempt a DC 31 Will save. Afterward, the creature is temporarily immune for 1 minute. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target flickers in and out of existence. It is sickened 1. Failure The target vanishes from its current position and reappears 10 feet away in a random direction determined by the GM; the movement doesn’t trigger reactions. The target is sickened 2. Critical Failure As failure, but the target is sickened 2 and confused for 1 minute.

GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NICK VOLPE

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

No golem creator ever wants to experience the type of accident that creates the possibility of a golem, but they all want the opportunity to study one that comes into existence. The cloud of possible golems includes all possible golems, including ones that have not yet been imagined. Studying the golems that manifest and reverse engineering what they see could give inventors an immense advantage, provided they can survive the encounter.

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Precognate SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JESSE LEHTO

MISSION: INCREDIBLE

Precognates are in high demand for exploring dungeons and other trap-ridden environments. Their handlers let them loose in different directions and watch carefully as they navigate the safe routes and evade the monsters that might kill any other creature. Precognates are about the same size as most humanoids, so they make better test subjects than smaller beasts, who might avoid a trap simply due to their size. Using a precognate does not guarantee safety, however, as they may anticipate some trigger mechanisms so precisely that they bypass them in subtle ways that are impossible to notice or emulate. Many an overconfident adventuring party has defeated a tomb’s guardian only to fall victim to a simple arrow trap.

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The elusive precognate uses potent divination to make up for its lack of a mind. Precognates were originally believed to be highly intelligent beasts with the ability to see into the future, which led to their misleading name. After a group of hunters managed to capture one alive, scholars discovered through an autopsy that precognates not only have no cognitive functions of their own, but they don’t even have a centralized mind. Instead, like a jellyfish, their functions are distributed throughout their bodies. Precognates’ powerful divination abilities control their every movement, and thus they are driven by instinct to perform very specific behaviors that seem intelligent at first glance. This extreme level of divinatory magic allows them to avoid a sword strike before the warrior has time to complete the swing. The physical abilities of precognates are quite lopsided. They have lightningquick reflexes, but most of their athletic prowess comes from targeting weak points that their prey aren’t even aware of. Precognates can be tamed and trained, but not in the same way as creatures with minds can be, since they can’t learn and only have their magic to adapt. In the case of precognatess, training progress is more about being keenly aware of how their magical routines work and exploiting them in the trainer’s favor. In the wild, precognates are solitary hunters, but they have been reported to sometimes form packs.

PRECOGNATE RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 5 ABERRATION

MINDLESS

Perception +17 Skills Acrobatics+12, Athletics+16, Stealth+12, Survival+12 Str+4, Dex+5, Con+2, Int–5, Wis+2, Cha–5 Instinct Driven (divination, occult) For mindless creatures, precognates are highly adaptive and use unusually complex tactics. However they still have a predictable routine: unless their prey already has a negative condition (such as prone or grabbed), precognates’ first hostile action each turn is to use Athletics to Grapple or Trip in order to hamper their prey. Multiple precognates hunting together always select different targets if possible. If its divinations become inactive, such as in an antimagic field, a precognate wanders aimlessly and takes no other actions until its divinations return, and with them, its instincts. AC 21; Fort +9, Ref +17, Will +9 HP 95; Immunitiesmental Predictive Measure 5 (divination, occult) Trigger A creature attempts to target the precognate, or attempts to include the precognate in an area of effect; Effect The precognate Steps or Strides. The triggering creature can select another action if the precognate is no longer a valid target, or if the precognate moves out of the area. Speed 40 feet Melee 1 claw +15 (finesse, agile), Damage 2d6+6 slashing Efficient Takedown 2 (divination, occult) The precognate’s divinations determine an optimal plan to disable prey. It takes up to three Athletics actions, choosing between Disarm, Grapple, Trip, or Shove. The precognate can’t use the same Athletics action against the same target more than once during an Efficient Takedown. For example, it can’t Trip the same target twice or three times. A precognate’s claws can hold up to 3 creatures in a grapple at once, but it can restrain only one of them. The precognate’s multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until after all the checks have been attempted. Optimal Avoidance 1 (divination, occult) The precognate Steps and then Strides up to half its Speed.

Proselytizers are the scouts and spies of velstrac society. They scour the land, spreading their philosophy of pain and pleasure to all who are willing to listen. Thanks to their dark robe shrouding their velstrac features, at first glance, they can appear like a normal humanoid. This allows them to blend into a settlement, greatly aiding in clandestinely converting others to their cause. For those who are hesitant to consider the gifts the proselytizer has to offer, the proselytizer can have them share in experiencing excruciating pain by forcing them to touch the proselytizer’s chain while the proselytizer maims themselves. This experience oftentimes leaves the victim unconscious but forever changed, as they now know the limits of pain and are no longer bound by them.

PROSELYTIZER UNCOMMON

LE MEDIUM FIEND

CREATURE 15 VELSTRAC

Perception +26; painsight Languages Common, Infernal, Shadowtongue Skills Acrobatics +31, Diplomacy +30, Intimidation +25, Medicine +30, Religion +30, Torture Lore+33 Str+4, Dex+8, Con+6, Int+4, Wis+6, Cha+6 Painsight (divination, divine) A proselytizer automatically knows whether a creature it sees has any of the doomed, dying, and wounded conditions, as well as the value of those conditions. AC 36; Fort +23, Ref +29, Will +26 HP 300,regeneration 25 (deactivated by good or silver); Immunitiescold; Weaknessesgood 20, silver 20 Pain Link 5 (divine, necromancy, nonlethal) Trigger The proselytizer takes damage and has a creature grabbed or restrained with its chain; Effect The proselytizer shares its pain with the grappled creature, causing the creature to take mental damage equal to the total triggering damage the proselytizer took, with a DC 36 basic Fortitude save. Unnerving Gaze (aura, divine, enchantment, fear, mental, visual) 30 feet. When a creature ends its turn in the aura, it must succeed at a DC 33 Will save or become frightened 1. Speed 40 feet Melee 1 chain +30 (finesse), Damage 3d10+14 slashing plus Grab Ranged 1 spike +30 (thrown 30 feet), Damage 3d6+14 piercing Hidden Shadow Chain 2 (divine, evocation) Hundreds of chains emerge from the sleeves of the proselytizer’s hood and shoot out, skewering everything in their path. Each creature in a 30-foot line takes 10d4 slashing damage and 5 persistent bleed damage, depending on a DC 36 Fortitude save. The proselytizer can’t use Hidden Shadow Chain again for 1d4 rounds. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target takes half damage. Failure The target takes full damage and is grabbed by the proselytizer’s spiked chain . Critical Failure The target takes double damage and is restrained by the proselytizer’s spiked chain. Infinite Chains The proselytizer can have any number of creatures grabbed with its chain and can continue to Strike with it’s chain even if it has a creature grabbed with its chain. Painful Determination 1 (concentrate, divine, necromancy) Frequency once per round; Effect The proselytizer stabs themselves in a vital point with a spike, leaving the spike embedded in their flesh. They take 50 damage, which can’t be prevented in any way (though they can share the damage with another creature using Pain Link). The proselytizer then chooses one spell or condition affecting them, attempting to counteract the spell or condition with a counteract level of 8 and a counteract modifier of +30. This doesn’t prevent the condition from affecting the proselytizer again later, and it can’t remove situational or positional conditions such as being prone or being flat-footed due to being flanked.

Proselytizer COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ALEXANDER BURLEY

LET US PREY

A proselytizer’s appeal may seem strange until one understands that those who convert are often people who are already in pain. Proselytizers seek out the vulnerable in society who do not see an end to their suffering and instead offer them faith that their experience serves a greater purpose. A community that defeats a proselytizer would do well to recover its chains. The links retain the ability for a creature to experience another’s pain. They may be sold to bounty hunters, who use them to ensure their prisoners do not attack them. Yet they do not have to be used for punishment and can instead promote empathy by allowing people to learn how someone else feels.

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Psychic Rat King COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LOGAN FRANCE

TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD

Psychic rat kings appear to have limitless ambition. Not content with becoming the apex predator of the sewer, they set their sights on overrunning entire cities. This agenda became known due to the unfortunate cautionary tale of one town where a child adopted the psychic rat king, thinking its members were normal rodents. The rats played along as the child dressed them in fancy clothes and cute bonnets, disguising the physical features that would have given their nature away. They played the perfect pet so well that no one suspected them when rats began attacking people in the streets. By the time the family realized they were harboring the masterminds behind the invasion, they were the only ones left. Just them and the thousands of little paws scratching at their door.

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While a normal rat king is a group of rats whose tails have been physically intertwined and bound together, a psychic rat king is a group of a dozen or more rats whose minds have been intertwined and bound together in much the same way. Since their interconnection is purely mental, psychic rat kings have no physical connection, and they could be mistaken for an ordinary rat swarm from a distance, at least until the onlooker notices their glowing purple eyes or their enlarged exposed brains. Hyperintelligent but still possessing the natural instincts of rats, many psychic rat kings can be found in the sewers of large cities, bringing other rats under their control to grow the collective and fulfill some unknown purpose. Many fledgling adventurers have gone down into the sewers expecting an easy time fighting rats, only to be assailed by a swarm with an intelligence and power far exceeding their own.

PSYCHIC RAT KING RARE

LARGE

ABERRATION

CREATURE 14 BEAST

SWARM

Perception +26;low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet, thoughtsense (imprecise) 120 feet Languages Aklo; telepathy 60 feet, tongues Skills Acrobatics +27, Athletics +23 (+27 to Climb or Swim), Deception +25, Diplomacy +25, Intimidation+27, Stealth+27 Str+2, Dex+5, Con+4, Int+9, Wis+8, Cha+5 Rodent Connection When a psychic rat king’s spell forces a rodent to make a Will save, the DC is 39, rather than 37. Whenever it attempts a skill check against a rodent, it gains a +4 circ*mstance bonus to the roll. These benefits also apply against creatures with rodent features such as ratfolk or wererats. The GM makes the final call as to whether or not a creature is a rodent to determine the effects of the psychic rat king’s rodent connection. Thoughtsense (divination, mental, occult) A psychic rat king senses all non-mindless creatures at the listed range. AC 33; Fort +22, Ref +25, Will +28 HP 195; Immunities precision; Weaknesses area damage 10, splash damage 10; Resistancesmental 15, slashing 10, piercing 10 Speed 30 feet Occult Spontaneous Spells DC 37; 7th paralyze, retrocognition, visions of danger, warp mind (4 slots); 6th dominate, feeblemind, paranoia (4 slots); 5th command, phantom pain, synesthesia (4 slots); 4th confusion, object readingAPG, phantasmal killer (4 slots); 3rd fear, impending doomSOM, mind reading (4 slots); 2nd invisibility, hideous laughter, paranoia (4 slots); 1stdéjà vuAPG, schadenfreudeSOM, soothe (4 slots); Cantrips(7th)detect magic, daze, message, mage hand, shield; Constant (7th) tongues Swarming Bites 1 Each enemy in the psychic rat king’s space takes 4d12 piercing damage and must attempt a DC 31 basic Reflex save. A creature that fails its Reflex save is exposed to psychic fever. Psychic Fever (disease, mental) The stupefied and unconscious conditions suffered from psychic fever don’t improve on their own until the disease is cured. Saving Throw DC 34 Will; Stage 1 carrier with no ill effect (1d4 hours), Stage 2 stupefied 2 (1 day), Stage 3 stupefied 2 and confused (1 day), Stage 4 unconscious (1 day), Stage 5 dead

Psychogenic Lagomorph

A psychogenic lagomorph looks like a common forest-dwelling rabbit with long ears and a cottony tail that hovers above the ground, surrounded by a protective bubble. These unusual creatures have enhanced psychic and mental abilities of unknown origin and a startling intellect, albeit one that other sapient creatures have difficulty understanding. It would be a fatal mistake to underestimate these cute, fluffy creatures. Where common rabbits flee from danger, psychogenic lagomorphs are quick to defend themselves with their psychic abilities. They summon a protective barrier to shield themselves from attacks while they frantically throw nearby objects using telekinesis. Their assailants often find themselves pelted with branches and stones. Something in their subconscious nature drives psychogenic lagomorphs to seek out and hoard copper coins above all other treasure. This could somehow be related to the secrets of their origin, or it could just be a baffling side effect of their strange mutations. They store any coins they find in an extradimensional pocket accessed through their mouths. These coins can be used as telekinetic ammunition. So far, psychogenic lagomorphs have not been observed possessing or using any copper that isn’t in coin form.

PSYCHOGENIC LAGOMORPH UNCOMMON

TINY

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JONATHAN T. SIMS

EXTRADIMENSIONAL LOOT

Every so often, creatures who carefully skin a slain psychogenic lagomorph with a successful DC 25 Survival check can obtain a type I bag of holding with an hour of work. Success or failure, the remaining copper coins are expelled during the process. After combat, penny-pinching adventurers might also be tempted to search for copper coins that were spent in the psychogenic lagomorph’s Copper Barrage ability.

CREATURE 8

BEAST

Perception +16 Languages Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics+18, Athletics+16, Stealth+18, Survival+18 Str+2, Dex+3, Con+3, Int+3, Wis+6, Cha+3 Items 700 copper pieces AC 26; Fort +13, Ref +16, Will +19 HP 101 Bounce Back 5 (abjuration, force, occult) Trigger The psychogenic lagomorph is hit by a creature’s Strike that deals physical damage; Effect The psychogenic lagomorph focuses its telekinetic energy into a momentary barrier of telekinetic force in order to rebound physical damage back onto its attacker. The psychogenic lagomorph gains resistance 10 against the attack’s physical damage. The attacker takes half as much damage as this resistance reduces, of the same type (usually this is a maximum of 5 damage unless the Strike deals multiple physical damage types). Speed 20 feet, fly 35 feet Melee 1 jaws +18 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8+5 piercing Occult Innate Spells DC 26, attack +18; Cantrips (4th) telekinetic projectile Copper Barrage 2 (evocation, occult) Requirements The psychogenic lagomorph possesses one or more copper coins within its extradimensional pocket; Effect The psychogenic lagomorph pulls a bunch of copper coins from within its extradimensional pocket, flinging all of the coins in a chaotic whirlwind around itself. The psychogenic lagomorph loses 5d6 copper coins, to a maximum of the number in its possession and deals the same amount of bludgeoning damage to all creatures within a 30-foot emanation, with a DC 26 basic Reflex save.

123

Q-Metal Morphoid COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ELIZABETH HEYECK

Q IS FOR QUESTIONS

Q-metal has a number of potential applications, from more efficient smithing to flaming ammunition, but no research institution has obtained a large enough sample to perform a comprehensive analysis of its properties. Is the metal actually alive, and is there a hivemind that controls the morphoids? How do existing deposits expand without new meteoroids introducing more of the metal to the earth? Are the metal’s properties magical or alchemical in nature? Unfortunately, only goblins have been reckless enough to obtain q-metal in any notable quantity, and they always end up wasting it to start forest fires.

124

Q-metal morphoids are metal elementals made of the strange and extremely rare special material known as q-metal, a silvery metal that bursts into flames when struck. Morphoids appear to somehow be both the avatars and creators of the metal at the same time; q-metal deposits are always found with a morphoid as a guardian, and the deposits grow as the morphoid extends their territory. This leads to an interesting chicken-and-egg question, though whichever came first, they seem to have originated from fallen meteoroids. Q-metal morphoids are able to create multiple appendages that detach from their bodies, and some enterprising individuals have attempted to taunt morphoids into throwing their appendages at them in order to collect the material and run away. This strategy is not recommended for anyone who doesn’t desire a fiery death.

Q-METAL MORPHOID RARE

LARGE

ELEMENTAL

CREATURE 14

Perception +25;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 90 feet Languages Aklo, Terran Skills Athletics+28, Stealth+23 Str+8, Dex+5, Con+8, Int+4, Wis+5, Cha–4 AC 36; Fort +28, Ref +25, Will +22 HP 200; Immunities bleed, paralyzed, poison, sleep; Resistances physical 10 (except adamantine), fire 15 Flame Shroud 4 Trigger The q-metal morphoid is exposed to fire; Effect The exterior of the morphoid’s body is covered in flames for 1d4 rounds. This adds 1d6 fire damage to the morphoid’s melee unarmed attacks. Additionally, adjacent creatures that hit the morphoid with a melee attack, as well as creatures that touch the morphoid or hit the morphoid with an unarmed attack take 1d6 fire damage. If a q-metal morphoid causes creatures or objects to catch fire, water isn’t an effective means to end the persistent damage from the chemical fire. Q-Powder (aura) 20 feet. A powder cloud surrounds the morphoid, choking the lungs of enemies. A breathing creature that enters the cloud must succeed at a DC 31 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature is sickened 1 and on a critical failure, the creature is sickened 2. Afterward, the creature is temporarily immune for 1 minute. The powder is suppressed underwater or while the morphoid’s Flame Shroud is active. Speed 30 feet, burrow 20 feet Melee 1 hammer fist +29 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d10+18 bludgeoning plus Improved Push Melee 1 serrated tentacle +29 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d10+18 slashing plus 1d8 persistent bleed Melee 1 spike +29 (reach 20 feet), Damage 3d10+18 piercing Ranged 1 appendage +26 (range increment 60 feet), Damage 3d10+18 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing plus 1d6 fire; see fling appendage Absorb Q-metal 1 Requirements The q-metal morphoid is standing in or adjacent to an area containing q-metal; Effect The morphoid absorbs the q-metal into its form, recovering 20HP. Fling Appendage A q-metal morphoid’s ranged appendage Strike jettisons one of its limbs, removing that limb until it grows a new one. This deals the limbs normal damage plus 1d6 fire damage, and on a critical hit, the target additionally takes 1d10 persistent fire damage. Grow Limb 1 A q-metal morphoid grows a new limb and determines which type of Strike the limb can make. This can be a large hammer-like fist, a long sharp spike, or a serrated tentacle. It can have no more than six attached limbs at any time, and it can only use a given Strike if it has at least one limb capable of making that Strike. Limb Whirlwind 2 The q-metal morphoid spins around like a whirlwind of death, attacking nearby creatures with each of its current limbs. It can Strike once with each of its limb unarmed attacks, each against a different creature, to a maximum of six attacks if it has all six limbs. It applies its multiple attack penalty from these Strikes only after all the Strikes are complete.

A ribcage vine is an undead plant creature distorted by foul necrotic energy. A patient predator of living creatures, a ribcage vine feeds on a corpse’s vital essence and disguises itself as a partially buried skeleton, waiting for its prey as it feels the vital essence and footsteps approaching. Once it’s located its next meal, a ribcage vine suddenly attacks its prey with its grayish, hard leaves, piercing and grabbing its victim as filaments in the leaves pull the vital essence out of the victim’s body and send it to a heart-like structure deep within the plant stalk. A ribcage vine can grow anywhere with enough decaying bodies, plants, and necrotic energy, as the energy alters and merges the bodies and plants together. Although not a simple task, ribcage vines can be cultivated and artificially created for a myriad of purposes, including as a magical component, to protect an area, or even as a conduit of vital essence.

RIBCAGE VINE UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

Ribcage Vine SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY J.M. “DJANGO DJANGO”” NOGUEIRA

SPREADING CORRUPTION

In extremely favorable conditions, a ribcage vine can grow massive and start to alter nearby flora, assimilating them into its body to form a single gigantic organism. Over time, a truly ancient ribcage vine can corrupt even an entire forest.

CREATURE 5 PLANT

UNDEAD

Perception +10;lifesense (precise) 30 feet, tremorsense (imprecise) 60 feet Languages Necril (can’t speak) Skills Athletics+16, Stealth+13 Str+5, Dex+3, Con+5, Int–2, Wis+0, Cha+0 Mud and Bones (aura, divine, earth, necromancy, olfactory) 20 feet. A creature that enters the aura or that starts its turn in it must succeed at a DC 21 Fortitude save or become sickened 1. As long as it stays in the aura, the creature can’t reduce the value of the condition. On a success, the creature is temporarily immune to the effect for 24 hours. Regardless of the result of the save, the ground within the aura is difficult terrain. AC 21,(23 with Protect the Heart); Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +9 HP 60, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, sleep; Weaknessesprecision 5; Resistancescold 5, electricity 5, piercing 5, slashing 5 Speed 20 feet Melee 1 rib leaf +15 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+7 piercing plus Grab Feed the Heart 1 Requirements The ribcage vine has a creature grabbed; Effect The ribcage vine feeds on the vital essence of the creature. The grabbed creature takes 2d8 negative damage, with a basic DC 22 Fortitude save, and the ribcage vine regains a number of Hit Points equal to the damage taken. Protect the Heart 1 The ribcage vine assumes a more defensive position, using its hard leaves to protect its core, gaining a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC until the beginning of its next turn. Root Disruption 2 The ribcage vine uses its roots to churn and roil the earth, exposing a mass of sharp bones hidden underneath. Each of the ribcage vine’s enemies within its mud and bones aura takes 2d8 slashing damage, depending on a DC 21 Reflex save. Critical Success The creature avoids the bones and is unaffected. Success The creature takes half damage from the bones. Failure The creature takes full damage from the bones, as well as 1d6 persistent bleed damage as bone fragments become embedded in their flesh or leave gaping wounds behind. Critical Failure As failure, but the creature is also knocked prone by the violent churning of the earth.

125

Samaran SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY S.A. JANKE

SECOND LIFE

Samaran cultures proscribe any funeral custom except burial. Their bodies sprout into saplings from which future samarans grow, so their graveyards are also their nurseries and communities. The resulting trees grow to the size of maples. Given enough time, samarans believe the trees wake to begin a new life stage, but no documentation of such occurrences exists.

Samarans are tiny acorn arboreals that claim to be distant cousins of arboreal regents. These tiny creatures resemble a fist-sized acorn standing on long, twig-like legs. The legs end in two bud-like and prehensile toes. They bear wings like those of a maple seed, hence their name. These wings are not useful for flying, but they can keep a samaran airborne during their long jumps. Most peculiar are the exquisite weapons and armor that samarans create. Rapiers and scimitars of thorns, lances and halberds of needles, morningstars and hammers of stone fruits—their jagged armor of all varieties resembles oak, maple, or holly leaves, except that they shimmer in purples and blues that would make any scarab proud. The weapons and armor use metals, leathers, and more unusual materials as well as wood, despite the appearance of these remarkable works. Several samarans might work together to create the large stone swords used by arboreal lords as a sign of fealty. Though even a kobold laughs to hear these boasts, samarans continue to press their claim to distant kinship with arboreal regents, and in order to reinforce it (whether to convince themselves or others isn’t clear), they often pledge themselves in arboreal regents’ service. Other arboreals often treat samarans as children as a result. Ancient arboreals rarely recall life as an acorn or nut, so a possibility remains that they are related.

SAMARAN N

126

TINY

PLANT

CREATURE 1

Perception +8;low-light vision Languages Arboreal, Common, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +6, Arboreal Lore +6, Athletics +2, Crafting+8, Stealth+6 (10 in forests) Str+0, Dex+3, Con+1, Int+3, Wis+1, Cha+1 Items peach pit halberd, holly leaf breast plate AC 17; Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +4 HP 19; Weaknessesbludgeoning 2 Amplify Forest 5 Trigger Another samaran makes a Strike against an adjacent creature. Effect The samaran using Amplify Forest Aids the Striking samaran, even if it had not prepared to Aid. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 halberd +8 (versatile S), Damage 1d10 piercing Melee 1 twig +9 (agile, reach 0 feet, finesse), Damage 1d8 bludgeoning Ranged 1 branch +9 (range increment 10 feet), Damage 1d6 bludgeoning Falling Branch 2 A samaran closes distance quickly to surprise foes. The samaran Leaps up to 30 feet and makes a Strike with the following additional effects depending on the Strike’s success. Critical Success The Strike deals an additional 2d8 damage (applied after doubling the damage for the critical hit). Success The Strike deals an additional 1d8 damage. Failure The Strike still misses, but the target takes 1 bludgeoning damage from the falling samaran. Critical Failure The samaran falls painfully, taking 1d8 bludgeoning damage and falling prone. Soaring Leap 1 The samaran leaps great distances, using its wings to support it. It Leaps up to 30 feet in any direction, even straight up. Twisting Fall A samaran’s stiff wings twist it along in the wind. It does not take damage from falling. However, if it falls more than 30 feet, it is sickened 1 and stunned 1 from the twisting wings.

Lethal and adaptive hunters of the dark caverns of the world, savalirs originated from an order of drow assassins who sought advantage in bizarre and experimental alchemical elixirs. Centuries of consuming these unstable admixtures made them faster, stronger, and more resilient than their targets and competitors alike, but at a terrible cost. These projects of self-induced evolution in pursuit of ever more perfect murder warped their bodies and minds, and modern savalirs are now fleshwarps of their own making, unrecognizable as the elves they once were. Though they were long ago driven out of drow society, their alchemical traditions have been literally internalized, as savalirs possess specialized organs that can flood their systems with alchemical concoctions created on the fly. Savalirs are vicious and murderous to a fault, but their services can still be hired for difficult assassinations since they appreciate a challenge. Prospective employers must be extremely cautious with these arrangements, as savalirs would gleefully betray those who hired them at the first sign of weakness. Savalirs hunt alone or in small packs, but remain aware of the location of drow communities. As alchemically evolved beings, savalirs are incapable of biological reproduction and so they kidnap drow rather than slay them outright. This is a matter of self-interest, not mercy—savalirs inject their captives with alchemical co*cktails over the course of several months, slowly warping their unfortunate victims into new savalirs.

SAVALIR RARE

MEDIUM

Savalir SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ANTHONY WHEELER

TRAINING DAY

Savalirs pride themselves on their independence and only create new ones if they spot an especially promising drow or are growing old. They teach these new savalirs everything they know with the expectation that these apprenticeships end with either the student or teacher assassinating the other. It is rare for both to escape alive.

CREATURE 10 ABERRATION

Perception +19;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet Languages Elven, Aklo Skills Acrobatics+22, Intimidation+17, Stealth+22, Survival+17 Str+5, Dex+7, Con+7, Int+5, Wis–2, Cha–2 AC 29; Fort +23, Ref +21, Will +14 HP 148; Immunitiesacid Pursuing Strike 5 Trigger A foe within reach attempts to move away from the savalir; Effect The savalir can Stride or Climb up to its Speed, following the foe and keeping it in reach throughout its movement until it stops moving or the savalir has moved its full Speed. If the savalir ends its movement in reach of the triggering creature it can make a Strike. Speed 35 feet, climb 25 feet Melee 1 claw +21 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8+9 slashing Ranged 1 caustic spit +21 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d10+9 acid Alchemical Restoration 1 (alchemical, healing) Frequency once per day; Effect The savalir floods its system with medicinal alchemy, healing 5d6+12 Hit Points and gaining a +2 item bonus on saves against disease and poison for 1 minute. Befuddling Venom 2 (mental, poison) Frequency once per round; Effect A savalir can infuse its spit with a powerful neurotoxin. The savalir makes a caustic spit Strike. On a hit, the target must succeed a DC 29 Fortitude save or be confused for 1 minute. It can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns to end the confusion. Hermetic Organs 1 (alchemical, elixir, polymorph) Savalirs possess internal organs capable of manufacturing alchemical elixirs on the fly. A savalir can choose to apply the effects of a greater juggernaut mutagen, apply the effects of a greater quicksilver mutagen, or gain the following benefits related to a chosen energy type. If the savalir chooses the third option, they must also choose acid, cold, electricity, or fire; they gain 15 resistance to the chosen damage type, add 1d6 damage of the chosen type with their melee Strikes, and change their caustic spit’s damage entirely to the chosen type. Whichever effect the savalir chooses, the effect lasts for only 1 minute. Once active, a savalir can change the active elixir on its turn as a free action, but if the current effect hasn’t yet expired, the savalir must succeed at a DC 7 flat check or become sickened 1. Sneak Attack The savalir deals 2d6 precision damage to flat-footed targets.

127

Scyphozoid Eye COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ADAN BERMUDEZ

KNOCK, KNOCK

The scyphozoid eye’s search for a way home results in it being attracted to portals and teleportation magic. Those seeking to use permanent instances of teleportation magic, such as teleportation circles or doorways between planes, must always be wary of a scyphozoid eye lurking nearby or on the other side of a portal.

Scyphozoid eyes are the pinnacle evolution of the drifting parasites from some unknown realm that fuse with victims’ bodies to form bell walkers (page 23). Visually, a scyphozoid eye resembles a massive jellyfish with almost completely transparent rubbery skin. Four massive oral arms and multiple thinner tentacles hang in the air, emerging from under its hood and surrounding its mouth. The function of these arms is to melt any source of nourishment within their reach, while the thinner tentacles deliver a deadly toxin to the scyphozoid eye’s victims. Floating inside of the hood and constantly moving, a giant eye glows brightly with multiple colorful patterns. This eye contains the creature’s core, akin to its brain. When the scyphozoid eye uses magic, an entrancing sequence of colorful waves reflects from the normally transparent skin. These colors allow the scyphozoid eye to mentally manipulate its targets and launch powerful rays with dangerous effects. As a lost being from its original, unknown home, a scyphozoid eye consumes sources of occult magic with the goal of finding its way back. If a scyphozoid eye were ever to succeed, however, it would open a rift, allowing a massive invasion of blight parasites to occur.

SCYPHOZOID EYE RARE

128

LARGE

ABERRATION

CREATURE 13

Perception +26;darkvision, thoughtsense 60 feet Languages Aklo; telepathy 60 feet, tongues Skills Acrobatics+21, Athletics+20, Occultism+25, Stealth+20 Str+3, Dex+3, Con+4, Int+3, Wis+8, Cha+5 Thoughtsense (divination, mental, occult) The scyphozoid eye senses a creature’s mental essence as a precise sense within the listed range; it can’t sense mindless creatures with thoughtsense. AC 33; Fort +21, Ref +20, Will +27 HP 310; Weaknessesprecision 15, piercing 15; Resistancesacid15, bludgeoning 15, mental 15 Whirling Arms 5 Trigger A creature targets the scyphozoid eye with an attack; Effect The scyphozoid eye moves its arms randomly to disorient its foes. It gains the benefits of the concealed condition against the triggering attack. If the triggering attack was a melee attack and it fails to hit because of the flat check for the concealed condition, the arms snag the weapon or unarmed attack, and the creature takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty to further attacks with that weapon or unarmed attack until the end of its turn. The timing of the arms’ movement is harder to predict for ranged attackers, so the flat check for the concealed condition against ranged attacks from Whirling Arms increases from DC 5 to DC 7. Speed fly 30 feet Melee 1 arm +26 (acid, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d8+11 bludgeoning plus 2d6 acid and Grab Melee 1 tentacles +26 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d8+11 piercing plus scyphozoid toxin Occult Innate Spells DC 33, attack +25; 7th color spray (×2); 6th chromatic raySOM (×2), chromatic imageSOM; 5th cloak of colors (×2); 4th chroma leachAPG (×2); Cantrips (7th) detect magic; Constant (7th) tongues Digestive Embrace A creature grabbed by the scyphozoid eye’s arm takes 2d6+4 acid damage at the end of each of its turns. Ravenous Arms 2 The scyphozoid eye makes up to four arm Strikes, each against a different target. These count toward the scyphozoid eye’s multiple attack penalty, but the multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until after all the attacks. Scyphozoid Toxin (poison) Saving Throw DC 31 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage1 6d6 poison damage (1 round); Stage 2 6d6 poison damage and slowed 1 (1 round); Stage 3 6d6 poison damage and paralyzed (1 round)

Secrets weigh heavily on the souls of mortals, and sometimes this weight is so powerful that it can be felt even on the Shadow Plane. When this happens, the secret’s ripple effect on the Shadow Plane can grow and transform into a secradow, taking on an appearance and knowledge similar to the creature who felt the secret’s weight, though the secret twists the secradow’s shadowy image slightly, giving clues to its true nature. Secrets can only survive by staying hidden, so a secradow does all it can to stay that way. It single-mindedly hunts down and destroys all evidence of its secret’s existence, caring little about anything else. Coming into existence on the Shadow Plane does cause a secradow some problems though, as it doesn’t have any inherent ability to move between planes. For this reason, a secradow usually finds another creature that can shift between planes and uses whatever means necessary to gain passage to the Material Plane so it can protect its secret.

SECRADOW UNCOMMON

Secradow COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GARRY STACEY JOHNSTON

CRUSHING WEIGHT

An unspoken romantic attraction can create a conflicted secradow whose existence depends upon fostering the interest while dissuading impulses to act on it. Such a secradow may impersonate the crush to lead its creator on, constructing an elaborate web of lies to support the emotional affair.

CREATURE 7 MEDIUM

HUMANOID

SHADOW

Perception +15;darkvision, exposure sense Languages Common, Elven, Shadowtongue Skills Acrobatics+17, Deception+15, Secret Lore+15, Society+15, Stealth+19 Str+5, Dex+6, Con+2, Int+4, Wis+2, Cha+4 Creator’s Knowledge The secradow can use its Secret Lore not just to know information about the secret that spawned it, but also to know other information known to the creature keeping the secret who spawned the secradow. It gains a +4 status bonus to Deception checks to Impersonate that creature. Exposure Sense A secradow can sense the direction of the nearest creature or object that holds knowledge or evidence of its associated secret as long as it’s on the same plane. It can always sense whether or not such a creature or object exists. Never Show (auditory, Illusion, occult, visual) A secradow shrouds itself in an illusion of invulnerability and perfect health. The secradow appears to be somehow unaffected by any attack or effect used against it, even though it’s still being hurt just as badly as normal. The first time each round a creature physically interacts with a secradow they must attempt a DC 30 Will saving throw. Creatures that have been affected by never show in the last 24 hours gain a +2 circ*mstance bonus to their save. On a success, they realize the truth and see that the secradow has been harmed by the attacks against it all along. Items +1 shortsword, crossbow, 20 bolts AC 25; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14 HP 115; Resistancesnegative 10 Exposure Whenever someone with a connection to the secradow’s secret (determined by the GM, but this generally includes people affected by the secret directly or those who know enough about the topic to be curious of the details) discovers the truth, the secradow becomes drained 1, or has its drained condition increased by 1 if it’s already drained, to a maximum of drained 4. Rejuvenation (occult, necromancy) When a secradow is killed, it reforms on the Shadow Plane after 2d4 days, fully healed. A secradow can only be permanently destroyed by revealing the truth of the secret until it either becomes public knowledge or at least is established as fact to everyone with a direct connection to the secret (as determined by the GM). Split 5 Trigger The secradow is hit with a Strike, and it was aware of the attack; Effect The secradow Steps and leaves an illusion behind momentarily; this doesn’t prevent the triggering Strike from hitting due to reach, but it does grant the secradow the concealed condition against the triggering Strike, forcing the attacker to succeed at the usual DC 5 flat check or lose the attack. Using Split deactivates the effect of the secradow’s Never Show ability until the end of the current turn, allowing everyone to see that the secradow has actually been hurt until the Never Show ability returns. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 fist +18 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d4+9 bludgeoning Melee 1 short sword +18 (agile, finesse, versatile S), Damage 2d6+9 piercing Ranged 1 crossbow +18, Damage 2d8+4 piercing

129

Shrieking Auger GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DEJAN VESKOVIC

THIS HOLE WAS MADE FOR ME

Shrieking augers can also drill into earth or rock, leaving behind a perfectly circular entrance for curious creatures to investigate. These tunnels are not homes for the nomadic creatures, instead serving as temporary shelters to flee danger or as a way to find water. Should a poor soul peer into a tunnel while it is still occupied, however, the shrieking auger bursts out, thrilled to find a meal delivering itself. Augers who experience such encounters a few times may then start drilling holes as an ambush hunting strategy.

This agile furred quadruped might be confused for a small bear cub if not for the screw-like horn in place of where its head should be, but despite their surprisingly cuddly appearance, shrieking augers are terrifying ambush predators capable of taking down and slowly consuming creatures many times their size. A shrieking auger is an incredibly patient hunter; it’s perfectly willing to lie in wait for hours before springing with great speed towards its prey. It scurries over its victim’s body, then spins rapidly to drill its horn into the victim’s flesh. In order to prevent removal as it continues to burrow, the shrieking auger rubs together specialized tines that run along its paws, creating a dreadful shrieking noise that strikes fear into all but the most stalwart. As the victim tries to flee, the shrieking auger twists and tugs to direct its steps away from friends and allies. Shrieking augers are undiscerning carnivores with broad palates. Regardless of their prey’s flavor and consistency, a shrieking augur eventually grinds their victims down to the pulpy consistency needed to suck the remains in through the fourteen tiny mouth openings at the tip of their horn. Shrieking augers generally live laid-back nomadic lives, settling only long enough within the carcass of a creature they’ve slain to eat their fill before moving on in simple-minded pursuit of the next meal. They are all but impossible to befriend or train, though some enterprising individuals have certainly tried.

SHRIEKING AUGER N

130

SMALL

BEAST

CREATURE 8

Perception +18;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics+18, Athletics+15, Deception+16, Stealth+18 Str+3, Dex+6, Con+3, Int–1, Wis+4, Cha+3 AC 27; Fort +15, Ref +19, Will +14;+2 circ*mstance vs. Shove while attached HP 132 Speed 35 feet, climb 15 feet Melee 1 horn +21 (fatal d12, finesse), Damage 2d8+7 piercing plus attach Attach When a shrieking auger hits a target larger than itself, it quickly burrows its horn into that creature’ body. This is similar to grabbing the creature, but the shrieking auger moves with that creature rather than holding it in place. The shrieking auger is flat-footed while attached. While attached, the shrieking auger can only Strike the creature to which it is attached. Keening Shriek 2 (auditory, emotion, fear, mental) The shrieking auger vibrates the hard tines on its paws, creating an unearthly keening. Each creature within a 30-foot burst must attempt a DC 25 Will save. A creature that successfully saves against the shrieking auger’s Keening Shriek is temporarily immune for 10 minutes. If a creature to which the shrieking auger is attached is fleeing from the keening shriek, the shrieking auger controls the direction it flees. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 2. Critical Failure The creature is fleeing for 1 round, frightened 3 and stunned 1. Pounce 1 The shrieking auger Strides and makes a horn Strike at the end of that movement. If the shrieking auger began this action hidden, it remains hidden until after this ability’s Strike.

For reasons unknown to biologists and the academic community as a whole, sometimes a megacolony of arachnids (primarily spiders) congregate together and, through unknown means, use the carcass of a creature to build a mobile, defensible home that can feed the teeming masses. The silkwurm is the most well-known example of this phenomenon, rampaging like a hungry cave worm. Why this happens in the first place remains a hotly debated topic, as clearly some kind of intelligence and magic are involved, yet no obvious signs of them exist within silkwurms that are disassembled and studied. Esoterics posit that creating silkwurms is a behavior that normal spiders learned from intelligent spiders that descended from the Dreamlands. Meanwhile, naturalists think that a primal spirit helps the spiders in order to protect numerous colonies, arcanists are certain that silkwurms are some kind of golem-like construction, and religious zealots view silkwurms as grotesque idols for their gods.

SILKWURM RARE

GARGANTUAN

CREATURE 12 CONSTRUCT

Perception +18;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 100 feet Skills Athletics+28 Str+8, Dex+4, Con+7, Int–5, Wis+4, Cha–5 AC 32, all-around vision; Fort +27, Ref +20, Will +20 HP 255,regeneration 25 (deactivated by fire); Immunitiesbleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknessesfire 10, slashing 10 Adhesive Webbing Any creature that Strikes the silkwurm with a melee weapon must attempt a DC 29 Reflex save. On a failure, the creature is disarmed of its weapon, which becomes stuck to the silkwurm’s body; if the Strike was an unarmed attack, the creature’s limb sticks to the silkwurm’s body and the creature becomes immobilized. A creature must succeed at a DC 24 Athletics check to retrieve a stuck weapon. On a failure, the creature takes 2d6 piercing damage and the weapon remains stuck, and on a critical failure, the creature also becomes stuck to the silkwurm and becomes immobilized. A stuck creature takes 2d6 piercing damage each round at the end of its turn if it remains stuck to the silkwurm, and it can use an Escape action to try to free itself from the construct, with an Escape DC of 24. Nest Defense 5 Trigger The silkwurm takes slashing damage from an adjacent creature or takes a critical hit from an adjacent creature. Effect The spiders within the silkwurm sense a major intrusion and swarm to fend off the invaders. The triggering creature must attempt a DC 30 Reflex save. On a failure, the creature takes 6d6 piercing damage and becomes frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical failure) as a legion of spiders leap onto the attacker. Speed 40 feet, burrow 20 feet, climb 20 feet Melee 1 jaws +26 (reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+14 piercing plus Improved Grab Melee 1 stinger +26 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d6+14 piercing plus implant nest Breath Weapon 2 (evocation, primal) The silkwurm breathes out a host of spiders that deals 13d6 piercing damage in a 60-foot cone with a basic DC 32 Reflex save. The silkwurm can’t use its Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds. Implant Nest The silkwurm’s stinger is filled with ravenous infant spiders. A creature hit by the silkwurm’s stinger Strike must attempt a DC 32 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature if infested with spiders and takes 3d6 persistent piercing damage.

Silkwurm COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BEN TAIT

FROM TRASH TO TREASURE

The weapons and other items that stick to a silkworm hinder its ability to travel. The silkwurm “rests” after a successful battle to give the spiders time to consume organic material and discard anything inedible. It can therefore leave behind a literal treasure trove when it moves on. Since silkwurms don’t have the intelligence for strategy, scavengers feel confident following them to recover the leftovers without needing to worry about them being a trap to lure in more prey.

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Smyf PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVE BREITMAIER

SMYFS OF ALL TRADES

As the lowest-ranking smyfs, coppersmyfs more so than any other smyfs learn how to perform a variety of tasks at the restaurant, allowing them to fill in wherever they are needed. Comparatively, silversmyfs and goldsmyfs have specialized roles, and they typically fulfill those roles thoroughly. While this might mean that coppersmyfs are masters of none, their ability to serve many roles as a versatile jack of all trades, combined with the relatively low expenses required to create a coppersmyf, make them much more prevalent in gnome and fey restaurants than the other more powerful varieties of smyf.

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Smyfs are a family of fey constructs, with bodies forged of disparate pieces of mundane equipment connected into a single entity by strands of primal energy. Each type of smyf serves a different role at restaurants connected to the realm of the fey. Coppersmyfs handle the venue and gather supplies; silversmyfs serve food to guests; and goldsmyfs protect the restaurant’s finances. Together, they lend fey restaurants a unique style while guarding customers and staff alike. Their names arise from the type of object used to form their bodies: copper pots and bowls for a coppersmyf, silverware for a silversmyf, and gold coins for a goldsmyf.

Coppersmyf

Polished to a mirror-like rose gold sheen, gleaming coppersmyfs serve as the workers, custodians, guardians, and suppliers of eateries with close connections to the fey realm. These establishments, usually run by plucky gnome restaurateurs, are known for their secret recipes and obscure ingredients from the fey realm. Coppersmyfs, which protect recipes and rare ingredients at all costs, are key to a competitive advantage and have earned their formidable reputation. A disanimated coppersmyf looks to the untrained eye like nothing more than an inconspicuous assortment of four copper mugs, two copper bowls, and a meat cleaver. When animating, the copperware swirls with green primal magic, binding the pieces together to create the coppersmyf form. At the formed figure’s center, two copper bowls fuse into an orbed “torso,” bearing a large white eye that reflects with the brilliance of direct sunlight on metal. The remaining pieces assemble to form “arms” of magical energy, one of which wields its razor-sharp weapon. While they typically spend most of their spare time in kitchens, coppersmyfs serve in various capacities for restaurants according to their individual temperament and state of animation. Most guard their kitchens with militaristic vigilance, firing out a disintegrating eye beam at any would-be thieves or giving chase with their meat cleaver. Other coppersmyfs are paragons of efficiency who happily chop up ingredients and assist with preparing food. Some coppersmyfs prefer to spend the day in their disanimated form, functioning as ordinary cookware, springing to life when the restaurant is closed so they can be effective guards around the clock. Chefs also covet coppersmyfs as covert transporters of rare delicacies from the fey realm. A coppersmyf transporting ingredients can have a variety of expensive ingredients hidden inside its bowls, allowing it to safely transport them to and fro. Exceptionally cunning gnome chefs and restaurant owners put out mundane copperware components in the exact number and configuration that comprise a coppersmyf. Though this is incapable of forming a coppersmyf, the ruse can be an effective deterrent for recipe thieves, and it’s certainly much less expensive than commissioning a coppersmyf.

COPPERSMYF UNCOMMON

SMALL

CREATURE 4 CONSTRUCT

FEY

Perception +14;low-light vision Languages Gnome, Sylvan (can’t speak any language) Skills Acrobatics+11, Cooking Lore+12, Crafting+10 (+12 to Craft cookware), Stealth+11 (+15 in kitchens) Str+2, Dex+5, Con+0, Int–2, Wis+2, Cha+1 Disanimate 1 (concentrate, polymorph, primal, transmutation) A coppersmyf can disanimate itself, disassembling its body and taking the form of two copper bowls, four copper mugs, and a meat cleaver. In this form, the coppersmyf has no Speed and can take no actions other than reanimating itself. While in its disanimated form, the coppersmyf also gains and can use the Deterrent Shock reaction. As long as all of its pieces are within 5 feet of each other, it can use this action again in order to reanimate. AC 20; Fort +6, Ref +15, Will +11 HP 60; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknessescold iron 5 Deterrent Shock 5 (electricity) Requirements The coppersmyf is in its Disanimated form; Trigger A creature touches one of the coppersmyf’s pieces; Effect The coppersmyf sends a stunning shock of electricity into the triggering creature’s body. The creature must attempt a DC 18 Reflex save. The coppersmyf then reanimates. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is stunned 1. Failure The creature is stunned 2. Critical Failure The creature is stunned 3. Speed fly 40 feet Melee 1 meat cleaver +13 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8+4 slashing Primal Innate Spells DC 18; 2ndglitterdust (×3) Disintegration Beam 2 (acid, concentrate, evocation, primal) The coppersmyf fires a pulsating beam of corroding energy from its eye, dealing 3d6 acid damage (DC 18 basic Reflex save) to all creatures in a 15-foot line.

Silversmyf

The world of fey-operated fine dining attracts a lucrative clientele, and the most affluent customers demand full service that only a silversmyf can provide. While lesser staff members and coppersmyfs might merely ferry ingredients back and forth from the fey realm, silvermyfs have the enviable distinction of bringing and serving the rarest prepared delicacies directly to discerning patrons, wherever they might be. A disanimated silversmyf presents itself as a fancy silver serving tray capped with an intricately engraved cloche. It also consists of ten pieces of silverware, usually five forks and five knives, but different silversmyfs have different combinations of utensils. A silversmyf prides itself on never leaving the table untidy and fusses to reposition the serving ware and table décor, sometimes to the wait staff ’s vexation. When a silversmyf reanimates, it forms a crab-like creature with a glowing white eye, with the tray and clouche acting as a body and the silverware acting as appendages. Though they do not speak, silversmyfs are cordial and comport themselves with the utmost decorum, bowing to patrons as they deliver their extravagant meals. As decorous and polite as silversmyfs are while they are within their establishment, while en route to deliver their delicacies, they defend their exotic dishes with violent attacks. Using their bodies and silverware appendages, silversmyfs shoot thieves with freezing beams and throw grenades of crushed ice at them to slow their escape. The silversmyf ’s delicious cargo is premade food with a limited shelf life, but as long as these gustatory delights are sold right away, they could be quite valuable.

Smyf PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVE BREITMAIER

OTHER SMYFS

Smyfs aren’t especially common to begin with, and of those, only coppersmyfs, silversmyfs, and goldsmyfs are seen on any kind of regular basis, even in the relatively obscure niche of fey restaurants. However, these aren’t the only kinds of smyfs that exist. The following smyfs exist at least in stories and faerie texts, though whether they are fabricated or simply quite rare is still unknown. • Platinumsmyfs, whose enormous bodies include a furnace, are capable of cooking up new recipes. • Electrumsmyfs accompany silversmyfs or coppersmyfs on journeys delivering rare delicacies or purchasing ingredients in order to ensure appropriate payment and protect the payment on its return. • Mithralsmyfs are supposedly an advanced form of silversmyf, created to deliver especially perishable goods quickly, particularly when their destination is far away or in a dangerous area. • Orichalc*msmyfs, only mentioned in legends, coordinate all other smyfs across a vast restaurant empire, using their mastery over temporal magic and time management in order to manage dozens or even hundreds of other smyfs.

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Smyf PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVE BREITMAIER

SILVERSMYF HOSPITALITY

Silversmyfs never fail to be courteous to a guest, even though they are ruthless when it comes to guarding their customers’ meals. When it isn’t clear whether an intruder will eventually prove to be a customer or a larcenous bandit, silversmyfs typically default to a polite approach. After all, if they do so, in the worst case, they act with excessive decorum toward a criminal, whereas if they default away from a polite attitude, they might commit the grave sin of offending a guest.

SILVERSMYF RARE

N SMALL CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 6 FEY

Perception +14 Languages Gnome, Sylvan (can’t speak any language) Skills Acrobatics+15, Diplomacy+13, Society+12, Stealth+15 (+18 in kitchens) Str+4, Dex+5, Con+0, Int–2, Wis+2, Cha+3 Disanimate 1 (concentrate, polymorph, primal, transmutation) A silversmyf can disanimate itself and take the form of 10 pieces of silverware (usually 5 forks and 5 knives) and a silver serving tray with a clouche. In this form, the silversmyf has no Speed and can take no actions other than reanimating itself. While in its disanimated form, the Silversmyf also gains and can use the Deterrent Stab reaction. If all of its pieces are within 5 feet of each other, the silversmyf can use this action again in order to reanimate. AC 23; Fort +8, Ref +17, Will +14 HP 120; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknessescold iron 5 Deterrent Stab 5 Requirements The silversmyf is in its Disanimated form; Trigger A creature touches one of the silversmyf’s silverware pieces; Effect The piece of silverware attacks the triggering creature, making a silverware knife Strike even though the silversmyf can’t normally do so while Disanimated. The silversmyf then reanimates. Silvering Aura (aura, primal, transmutation) 20 feet. All weapons within the silversmyf’s aura count as silver for the purposes of determining weaknesses, resistances, and the like. The silversmyf’s silverware knife Strike is silver even if this aura is somehow canceled. Speed 40 feet, climb 35 feet Melee 1 silverware knife +17 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+8 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 21; 7thplane shift (self only; to the fey realm or back to the Material Plane only; x2); 2ndweb (×3) Crushed Ice Grenade 2 (cold, evocation, primal) A silversmyf throws a grenade made of crushed ice, dealing 4d6 cold damage to creatures in a 5-foot burst within 30 feet with a DC 21 basic Reflex save. On a failure, a creature also falls prone. Freeze Beam 2 (cold, concentrate, evocation, primal) The silversmyf fires a pulsating beam of freezing cold energy from its eye, dealing 4d6 cold damage (DC 24 basic Reflex save) to all creatures in a 30-foot line.

Goldsmyf

Goldsmyfs are the most sought-after guardians in the dangerous enterprise of feyowned gastronomy. Imbued with powerful magic, these creatures guard the thing most precious to any business—the money. A goldsmyf waits undetected in its disanimated form of three gold coins for unsuspecting thieves who veer too close to the till or the safe. Not only can these guardians release a bursting puff of permanent dye that paints the thieves, but they also explode into flames when provoked. The three coins of a disanimated goldsmyf are usually marked so those in the know can avoid touching the faux coins and setting off the dye bomb. Untrained eyes can’t easily detect these engravings, but they can be found even by those who don’t know of them if they look carefully and beat the natural talent of goldsmyf to disguise itself

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as normal coins. An animated goldsmyf uses its three coins to form the three segments of an ant, with legs formed from green primal magic, mandibular pincers, and glowing emerald eyes.

GOLDSMYF RARE

TINY

CREATURE 10 CONSTRUCT

FEY

Perception +22 Languages Gnome, Sylvan (can’t speak any language) Skills Acrobatics+22, Stealth+22 (+25 in kitchens), Thievery+22 Str+5, Dex+6, Con+4, Int–2, Wis+7, Cha+4 Disanimate 1 (concentrate, polymorph, primal, transmutation) A goldsmyf can disanimate itself and take the form of 3 gold coins. In this form, the goldsmyf has no Speed and can take no actions other than reanimating itself. While in its disanimated form, the goldsmyf also gains and can use the Deterrent Dye reaction. If all of its gold pieces are within 5 feet of each other, it can use this action again in order to reanimate. AC 29; Fort +16, Ref +20, Will +21 HP 225; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknessescold iron 10 Deterrent Dye 5 Requirements The goldsmyf is in its Disanimated form; Trigger A creature touches one of the goldsmyf’s gold coin pieces; Effect The goldsmith forcibly expels blue dye in a 20-foot radius. Unattended objects within the radius are permanently covered with dye (though the stain can be removed as normal for dye). Creatures within the radius must attempt a DC 29 Reflex save with the following effects. The goldsmyf then reanimates. Critical Success The creature avoids getting covered with dye and is unaffected. Success The creature is stunned 1 and is permanently covered with dye. Failure The creature is stunned 2, is permanently covered with dye, and takes 2d10 bludgeoning damage. Critical Failure The creature is stunned 3, is permanently covered with dye, and takes 4d10 bludgeoning damage. Speed 20 feet, climb 20 feet Melee 1 mandibles +23 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d10+11 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC +29, attack +18; 7thplane shift (self only; to the fey realm or back to the Material Plane only; x2); 5thpasswall; 4thfire shield (×3), freedom of movement, solid fog; 2ndfaerie fire (×2), glitterdust (×2); Cantrips(5th)detect magic, tanglefoot Aurumfire Explosion 3 (concentrate, evocation, fire, primal) The goldsmyf can cause itself to explode in a fiery 30-foot emanation. Each creature in the area takes 8d6 fire damage (DC 29 basic Reflex save). During the explosion, the goldsmyf can release the three gold coins that make up its body and use them as projectile weapons. The goldsmyf can target up to three creatures within the 30foot emanation, dealing 2d12 additional piercing damage to those creatures with the explosion; this damage is part of the explosion and is subject to the same basic Reflex save as the fire damage. At the end of the Aurumfire Explosion, the goldsmyf reforms back to its animated ant form adjacent to one of the creatures it targeted with coins (or anywhere in the emanation if it chose to target two or fewer creatures with coins). Breath Weapon 2 (evocation, fire, primal) The goldsmyf breathes a blast of flame in a 15-foot cone that deals 11d6 fire damage (DC 29 basic Reflex save). The goldsmyf can’t use its Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.

Smyf PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVE BREITMAIER

GOLDSMYF ACCOUNTANTS

Sometimes, a goldsmyf becomes bored of simply remaining in a restaurant’s vault disguised as ordinary coins. Such goldsmyfs turn their intellect toward other pursuits, and, given that they’re surrounded by coins, money, and financial forms, they often take up accounting as a hobby. Goldsmyf accountants might not be mathematical geniuses, but their patience and ability to focus for long stretches on financial topics still make them impressive and implacable when it comes to filing forms, counting money, or implementing a restaurant’s taxes.

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Sorrow Portrait COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JUNIPER SCOTT

HAUNTING ART

Anyone whose blood contributed to a sorrow portrait has part of their essence tied to the painting. When they die, they become a ghost who haunts the scenes painted with their blood. These ghosts cannot leave the painting, but they can speak to warn potential victims. The ghost can also aid or hinder a subject’s escape attempt.

Said to be created from paint mixed with the blood of a still-living victim, sorrow portraits are magical paintings that can trap other creatures within their artificial painted world. sad*stic manor owners favor the use of sorrow portraits, as they provide two benefits at once: they decorate the mansion with a certain horrific aesthetic, and they provide protection to the dwelling from potential intruders or other undesirables. Appearing as large paintings, sorrow portraits always depict some form of tragedy, but they lack a central humanoid subject. Sorrow portraits typically spend most of their time dormant, impersonating a regular, albeit macabre, painting. However, when a sorrow portrait detects an unwelcome intruder, it suddenly flies from its placement and attempts to transport that intruder into the twisted realm within the painting. Once its new subject is trapped, the sorrow portrait attempts to flee from any other would-be assailant so that the soul of its newly painted victim remains imprisoned forever.

SORROW PORTRAIT RARE

136

MEDIUM

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 12

Perception +18;darkvision Skills Acrobatics +20, Athletics +20, Deception +22 (+25 to Impersonate a regular painting) Str+4, Dex+4, Con+5, Int–4, Wis+0, Cha–3 AC 31; Fort +25, Ref +22, Will +18 HP 255; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Weaknesses acid 10; Resistances physical 10 (except adamantine and slashing) Speed fly 20 feet Melee 1 frame +24, Damage 3d12+12 bludgeoning plus Improved Push Subject of Horror 2 (conjuration, extradimensional, incapacitation, occult, teleportation) The sorrow portrait transports a creature into a painted world where it becomes the subject of the horrors it depicts. The sorrow portrait can target a creature within 30 feet, and the target must succeed a DC 33 Will save or be transported into an extradimensional space within the sorrow portrait and become the subject of the painting. Failing the Will save and being sucked into the painting has the effects of the maze spell on the unfortunate victim, except for the following differences: • The sorrow portrait doesn’t need to Sustain the effect. • The victim can also attempt to escape the painting by attempting a check relevant to what the sorrow portrait depicts, as determined by the GM (such as Athletics check to Swim from a shipwreck, or a Strike to fend off wolves). • At the end of its turn, if the subject is still within the sorrow portrait, it takes 5d6 mental damage with a DC 29 basic Will save. The damage type and save type might change to suit the sorrow portrait’s depiction, as determined by the GM. If the sorrow portrait is destroyed, the effect ends immediately. • The sorrow portrait can only have one subject inside of it at one time, and if the subject escapes it becomes immune to that sorrow portrait’s Subject of Horror for 1 minute. • If the subject dies within the painted world, any attempt to resurrect the subject must succeed at a DC 15 flat check if the painting is still intact, or the resurrection magic fails.

Spellfilchers are a small type of fey that delight in mischief. They seem to have an innate understanding of which minor magics would be missed the most if they were gone. Spellfilchers claim to be born out of the jealousy of the magically inept for more skilled magicians. If this is true, it means that more powerful spellfilchers likely exist, which would be capable of stealing more powerful magic. Spellfilchers are tiny creatures that possess the upper half of a colorful dragon that carries a tiny wand, while their lower halves trail off into sparks of mystical energies. Spellfilchers treasure their wands. They can replace a lost or stolen wand with one day of work, but they are loathe to do so and bargain dearly to get back a wand that belongs to them.

SPELLFILCHER UNCOMMON

TINY

CREATURE 3 FEY

Perception +10;glean magic, low-light vision Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan Skills Acrobatics +9, Arcana +11, Athletics +5, Crafting +9, Deception +9, Diplomacy +9, Nature+8, Occultism+8, Religion+8, Society+9, Stealth+11, Survival+8, Thievery+11 Str+0, Dex+4, Con+2, Int+4, Wis+3, Cha+4 Glean Magic The spellfilcher can sense the presence, though not the location, of spellcasters within 60 feet. This is a vague sense. Wand Dependence A spellfilcher can substitute its wand for any material component it needs to cast a stolen spell. It can’t use its Steal Spell or Cast Stolen Spell abilities without its wand. Items fae wand AC 18; Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +8 HP 42; Weaknessescold iron 5 Spell Siphon 5 (abjuration, arcane) Trigger The spellfilcher critically succeeds at a saving throw against a spell; Effect The spellfilcher attempts to Steal Spell on the triggering spell, without needing to meet the usual requirements. Speed 20 feet, fly 45 feet Melee 1 fae wand +11 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d6+4 bludgeoning Arcane Innate Spells DC 20, attack +12; Cantrips (2nd) dancing lights, detect magic, electric arc, ghost sound, light, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read aura Cast Stolen Spell A spellfilcher can use the Cast a Spell activity with any spell it has stolen, regardless of the source or tradition. It then loses the stolen spell. A spell cast this way gains the trait corresponding to the magical tradition of the spell’s original source. For example, even though a spellfilcher’s innate spells are normally arcane, if a spellfilcher steals burning hands from a druid and casts it, the spell would have the primal trait instead of the arcane trait. Feather Strike 1 The spellfilcher gently taps its wand against a creature with its fae wand in a way that doesn’t damage them and is almost impossible to notice. It makes an attack roll, uses its attack bonus with its fae wand of +11, but dealing no damage. If the spellfilcher is hidden, undetected, or unnoticed, it remains hidden, undetected, or unnoticed after using Feather Strike (as well as Steal Spell, if the spellfilcher uses Steal Spell after Feather Strike). Steal Spell 1 (arcane) Requirements The spellfilcher’s last action was to Strike or Feather Strike a creature with its fae wand; Effect The spellfilcher steals a spell from the creature it struck. The spellfilcher chooses a spell prepared by the creature or in the repertoire of that creature. If the spell was prepared, the creature must attempt a DC 22 Will save or lose that prepared spell. If the creature casts spells spontaneously, it must attempt a DC 22 Will save or lose a spell slot of the appropriate level. The spellfilcher can only steal a 1st or 2nd level spell this way. A spellfilcher can store up to three stolen 1st-level spells and three stolen 2nd-level spells at the same time. A spellfilcher can’t steal cantrips.

Spellfilcher COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY CARLOS H. CARO

STEALING FROM A THIEF

The spellfilcher’s fae wand only works for the spellfilcher, so creatures who take one cannot use it to steal spells. However, if the spellfilcher stole a spell and has not cast it yet, the wand functions as a scroll of that spell at the appropriate level and crumbles to dust after casting the spell. Destroying a wand in this way greatly upsets the spellfilcher, so bargaining with it is usually more advantageous.

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Squichlek GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY RYAN KING

ACCIDENTAL SUMMONINGS

The severed body parts that comprise squichleks are of no more concern to the greater aberrations who shed them than hair or other replaceable parts are to humanoids. However, the psychic sensitivities of squichleks mean that if enough of them gather in one location, a bit of stray conjuration magic can end up summoning the aberrations that make up the squichleks to their location.

A squichlek is an alien creature formed when the severed tendrils and tentacles of greater aberrations fuse together into a tiny mass of tentacles and gain a life of their own. With a squid-like beak and three slitted eyes spaced equally around its body, squichleks are flying masses of tentacles the size of a cat that vaguely resemble a squid. The writhing of a squichlek’s tentacles is particularly sickening to look upon. A squichlek’s dark purple-blue coloration and ability to defy gravity reveal their origin from outer space rather than under the sea. While they are capable of surviving the vacuum of space, they aren’t inclined to traverse the vast distances alone. Instead, squichleks prefer to travel in the wake of larger void wanderers. They rely on other creatures both as protectors and guides through the great expanse. Squichleks are attracted to psychic energy and tend to congregate near creatures with powerful mental capabilities. Squichleks defer to creatures that demonstrate impressive mental abilities and won’t attack such creatures except as a last resort for survival. When disturbed, they surround and peck at foes with their piercing, penetrative beak while disorienting them with unsettling undulations of tentacles. Some enterprising wizards, and even a few adventuresome bards, keep squichleks as pets or curiosities. A sharp mental rebuke is usually enough to keep the creatures from attacking their keeper. They are far from docile, however, and eventually try to eat anyone else aside from their keeper who comes near.

SQUICHLEK UNCOMMON

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CREATURE 3 TINY

ABERRATION

Perception +9;darkvision Languages Aklo; can’t speak any language Skills Acrobatics+10, Athletics+7, Intimidation+9, Stealth+10 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+1, Int–1, Wis+0, Cha+1 AC 18,all-around vision; Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +9 HP 65; Weaknessesmental 5 No Breath A squichlek doesn’t breathe and is immune to effects that require breathing (such as inhaled poisons). Weak Mind A squichlek’s sensitivity to psychic energy makes it especially susceptible to mental effects. The squichlek takes nonlethal damage equal to its weakness to mental damage whenever it is affected by a non-damaging mental ability or spell. Speed 10 feet, fly 30 feet Melee 1 beak +10 (finesse), Damage 1d12+5 piercing Melee 1 tentacle +10 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d8+5 bludgeoning plus agonizing enzyme Agonizing Enzyme (occult, poison) A squichlek’s tentacles secrete an enzyme that causes a brief, but intense pain. A living creature hit by a tentacle Strike or grabbed by the squichlek must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or become stupefied 1 for 1 round from the pain. Disturbing Display 1 (concentrate, emotion, enchantment, mental, occult, visual) The squichlek writhes its tentacles in a particularly disturbing manner, and creatures in a 10-foot emanation must attempt a DC 19 Will save. Once a creature attempts this save, it is temporarily immune to further Disturbing Displays for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The creature is flat-footed until its next turn. Failure The creature is sickened 1, and is flat-footed for as long as it is sickened. Critical Failure The creature is sickened 2 and is flat-footed for as long as it is sickened. Tearing Beak The squichlek’s beak attack does an additional 1d4 persistent bleed damage against flat-footed creatures.

Star wyrms are beings similar to true dragons that live in the vacuum of space. They appear as countless motes of light that gather into the shape of a dragon. Intensely social creatures, their social groups—called constellations—are metaphysically connected. They are almost never found alone and occasionally ally with other kinds of creatures. As a loose collection of smaller elements, star wyrms are greatly harmed by foes who disrupt their integrity with precise strikes at their component stars.

STAR WYRM RARE

LARGE

CREATURE 19 DRAGON

LIGHT

Perception +32;darkvision Languages Draconic, Voidspeech Skills Acrobatics+33, Athletics+37, Diplomacy+37, Intimidation+33, Occultism+35, Stealth+33 Str+10, Dex+5, Con+9, Int+6, Wis+5, Cha+9 No Breath A star wyrm doesn’t breathe and is immune to effects that require breathing (such as an inhaled poison). AC 43; Fort +36, Ref +32, Will +29 HP 335; Immunitiesparalyzed, sleep; Weaknessesprecision 20, chaotic 20; Resistancesnegative20 Bolster Ally 5 Trigger the star wyrm gains temporary Hit Points from a source other than another creature’s Bolster Ally; Effect One of the star wyrm’s allies within 30 feet gains half as many temporary Hit Points as the star wyrm did. These temporary Hit Points last for 1 minute. Extra Reaction The wyrm gains 2 reactions at the start of its turn each round. Intercept Attack 5 Trigger One of the star wyrm’s allies is hit by a Strike that could have targeted the wyrm; Effect The wyrm takes the effects of the successful Strike instead. Speed 40 feet, fly 150 feet Melee 1 jaws +36 (reach 10 feet), Damage 4d10+16 piercing plus leaking power Melee 1 claw +36 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 4d12+16 slashing Melee 1 tail +36 (reach 20 feet), Damage 4d12+16 bludgeoning Breath Weapon 2 The wyrm breathes in one of two ways, as determined by its Celestial Attunement. The wyrm can’t use its Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds. • Void (arcane, necromancy, negative) The wyrm breathes out the soul-sucking emptiness between stars in a 50-foot cone that deals 12d10 negative damage (DC 42 basic Fortitude save). The wyrm gains temporary Hit Points equal to half the damage a single creature takes from the Breath Weapon; calculate these temporary Hit Points using the creature that took the most damage. These temporary Hit Points last 1 minute. • Nebula (arcane, evocation, fire, positive) The wyrm breathes the primordial stuff of proto-stars in a 50-foot cone that deals 20d6 fire damage (DC 42 basic Reflex save) to the wyrm’s foes in the area, or positive damage to undead foes, whichever is worse for each undead foe. The wyrm’s allies in the area instead heal half as many Hit Points. Celestial Attunement 1 (arcane, necromancy, negative) The star wyrm attunes to either the emptiness of the void between the stars or the primordial potential of a nebula. This attunement lasts until the star wyrm uses Celestial Attunement again, so when first encountered, the star wyrm is attuned to one of these two cosmic sources, determined by the GM. Leaking Power When attuned to void, the star wyrm’s jaw Strikes do 4d6 negative damage. When attuned to nebula, their jaw Strikes do 4d6 fire damage, or positive damage to undead foes, whichever is worse for each undead foe. Share Attunement 1 The star wyrm shares its cosmic energy with an ally that doesn’t have the Celestial Attunement ability within 30 feet. Each time that ally deals damage with a Strike before the start of the wyrm’s next turn, they add the additional damage from the wyrm’s Leaking Power. Teamwork An enemy is flat-footed to the star wyrm’s melee attacks due to flanking as long as it is within reach of two of the star wyrm’s allies.

Star Wyrm SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JOSHUA WHITE

FUSION CUISINE

The star wyrm’s digestion process resembles the processing of raw materials in the hearts of stars. The results are an alchemist’s dream come true, with organic material transforming into metals and base metals turning into precious ones. A star wyrm’s conception of treasure revolves around philosophical concepts, for otherwise their latrines would be their hoards.

139

Stick Tongue COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ERICA ABENTI

DON’T LICK THAT

Travelers in regions where stick tongues live try various tricks to protect themselves. The most common involve wearing tearaway clothing or coating their armor in slick oil, but other strategies aim to make themselves less appetizing targets. Some carry pouches of ground chili peppers, thinking the spiciness might stun the tongue. Other folk tales say that the smell of peppermint sickens the creatures, preventing them from swallowing. Which strategies work best is unknown and may vary depending on the unique tastes of each stick tongue.

140

To the unsuspecting goblin, a stick tongue is the enormous tongue that snapped out of a tree’s foliage, wrapped itself around their armpits, and snatched them up forever. In reality, they are large mantids with numerous joints that allow them to navigate tree foliage nimbly and a toad-like tongue that lets them reach their prey below. A stick tongue’s limbs are often thicker than the branches, and they are covered in small, often scaly growths that resemble the leaves of their favorite trees. Their natural camouflage varies between regions. They may have a sappy, rotting bark appearance in haunted forests full of dead or undead trees or have lush green, feathery growths to sway alongside a willow tree or even large, bushy leaves in tropical environments.

STICK TONGUE UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 5 ANIMAL

Perception +11;low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Acrobatics+14, Athletics+12 (+16 to Grapple with tongue), Stealth+14, Survival+10 Str+5, Dex+5, Con+2, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha–4 Clever Positioning A stick tongue leverages foliage to shield and obscure itself. It can always Take Cover while in a tree and gains the benefits of Take Cover in a tree regardless of positioning or line of sight. It prefers to have greater cover as often as possible, by choosing positions that would normally grant cover without the use of this ability. If a stick tongue uses Stealth for initiative while in a tree, it uses Take Cover as part of rolling initiative. AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +9 HP 57 Retract Tongue 5 Trigger An enemy targets the stick tongue’s tongue with an attack; Effect The stick tongue retracts its tongue back into its mouth. It gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack. Any creature grabbed or restrained by the tongue is released immediately after the attack resolves. Vulnerable Tongue When a creature is grabbed or restrained by a stick tongue’s tongue, creatures can attack the tongue directly to harm the stick tongue. The tongue has the same AC as the stick tongue normally does, but it can’t benefit from any circ*mstance bonuses due to cover. Speed 30 feet, climb 30 feet Melee 1 tongue +15 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d4+7 bludgeoning plus Improved Grab Melee 1 claw +15, Damage 2d8+7 slashing Rehome 3 The stick tongue abandons its perch for a safer tree. It Strides up to three times, ending its movement next to another three, then Takes Cover in that tree. Snatch 1 Requirements The stick tongue is in a tree and has a creature grabbed with its tongue; Effect The stick tongue attempts an Athletics check to Grapple its prey with its tongue. If it rolls a success, it gets a critical success instead, and the stick tongue then pulls the creature up to 10 feet toward it. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Medium, 1d6 bludgeoning and 1d6+7 acid, Rupture 12

Stiltwalkers are incredibly long-limbed monstrosities twisted from giants. While they’re only encountered rarely, when a stiltwalker appears, it is the stuff of nightmares, able to decimate a village or small town’s entire guard contingent on its own. Its body has a twisted and warped but almost humanoid anatomy, with extreme proportions even compared to giants. Each limb stretches 40 feet in length and ends in a single, vast hand. Its torso, however, is a small, bulbous core balanced off these limbs. A stiltwalker roams by moving on all fours and using its extreme reach to climb nimbly, tending to roost in areas of great verticality, such as along cliff faces, within vast redwood forests, or in immense caverns deep underground. When hunting, a stiltwalker seeks out opportunities to drag, drop, or toss prey to their doom and let gravity do the work that their strength can’t accomplish. Once they notice nearby prey, they perch themselves at the apex of the area, using their height to monitor for the slightest hint of movement before diving in with their limbs when prey arrives within reach of an ambush. Stiltwalkers tend to be solitary creatures, but on the rare occasion that more than one stiltwalker attacks at a time, tales are told of dozens of awful limbs crisscrossing the sky and entire towns being methodically dragged out of their hiding holes one by one, tossed into the air, and dashed on the ground in bloody pulp.

STILTWALKER RARE

GARGANTUAN

Stiltwalker COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY J.A. SAUNDERS

WHAT LIES BENEATH

What creates stiltwalkers is a mystery. Common folk assume aberrations from space hang giants from the sky until their limbs stretch and their minds break, but those in the know whisper of hands from underground. Perhaps when stiltwalkers throw their victims skyward, they are trying to save others from their creators.

CREATURE 12 ABERRATION

Perception +22;darkvision Skills Acrobatics+25, Athletics+25, Intimidation+22, Stealth+25, Survival+22 Str+5, Dex+7, Con+5, Int–4, Wis+4, Cha+2 AC 33; Fort +21, Ref +25, Will +20 HP 245 Vulnerable to Trip A stiltwalker’s long dexterous limbs provide it most of its defense and its main body is usually 30 feet in the air on its stilt-like legs, which means that being tripped is even more painful for a stiltwalker than other creatures. A tripped stiltwalker takes 15 falling damage as its body slams into the ground. While flat-footed from being prone, a stiltwalker takes a –4 circ*mstance penalty to AC instead of the usual –2 circ*mstance penalty, as its easy for its foes to attack its body directly. Speed 40 feet, climb 40 feet Melee 1 fist +26 (finesse, reach 40 feet), Damage 3d12+11 bludgeoning plus Improved Grab Melee 1 detritus +26 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 3d8+11 bludgeoning plus stunning detritus Stunning Detritus When a stiltwalker makes a telling blow with its thrown detritus, the detritus clobbers its target so hard that it leaves the target momentarily stunned and unable to react to the stiltwalker’s further rampage. When the stiltwalker critically hits a creature with its detritus Strike, and the critical hit deals damage to the detritus Strike’s target, the target of the detritus Strike becomes stunned 1. Trebuchet Toss 1 (attack) Requirements The stiltwalker has a creature grabbed in one of its limbs; Effect The stiltwalker winds up its lanky limb and tosses a grabbed creature high up into the air far away from itself. The creature must attempt a DC 32 Fortitude save, with the following effects. The stiltwalker’s multiple attack penalty applies to Trebuchet Toss’s DC, even though Trebuchet Toss doesn’t have an attack roll. Critical Success The creature not only isn’t thrown, they also struggle free of the grapple and are no longer grabbed. Success The creature isn’t thrown. Failure The stiltwalker throws the creature up to 50 feet up into the air, and can also throw the creature up to 50 feet laterally. Falling from this throw typically causes the creature to take 25 falling damage and fall prone.

141

Susurration SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY SPENCER WHITING

TONGUE IN CHEEK

When destroyed, a susurration simply falls apart into a pile of tongues. Age and decay catch up with the tongues based on how long the susurration has existed—ancient ones may have the tongues crumble to dust, while younger ones result in a rain of tongues flopping to the ground. For whatever reason, multiple adventurers have succumbed to the temptation of putting one of the tongues in their own mouths. The disembodied tongue springs to life, dissolving the fool’s original one and replacing it. The host becomes unable to vocalize any sounds ever again but suffers no other ill effects.

Formed as a mass of disembodied humanoid tongues, a susurration floats a few feet off the ground, lazily swirling as if caught in the eddy of a quiet river. Something lies at the heart of the tongues, but it can’t be clearly seen, and since it disappears when the creature is destroyed, only the original creator knows what’s there. Silence emanates forcefully from the susurration, blanketing the nearby area in almost complete soundlessness. Behind the silence, however, is an inaudible but noticeable hint of endless, sorrowful whispering. Dark, frigid tendrils of undeath lance out from within the writhing mass. Reclusive spellcasters, often those pursuing lichdom or even viler paths to power, find themselves warding their towers or lairs against potential intruders. While many build up a host of guardians with common and successful minions like mimics or skeletal warriors, only the most talented and paranoid overlords would animate a susurration into existence. Whatever magic animates a susurration is a closely guarded secret, though over the years theories have risen to the surface. Did the tongues belong to talented sorcerers? Faithless heretics? People exceptional at channeling the power of the world through their songs? Others have mused quietly if perhaps they were donated willingly to the creator’s cause, perhaps from some secret cult of silence and horror that removed their own tongues for the foul ritual of animation. However it might have come to be, the magic driving a susurration imbues it with a mindless duty to defend. It waits for decades on end in a dusty heap until living creatures enter its designated territory. The only creatures safe from this calculated, unbending malice are other undead. The living are not welcome within the reach of a susurration.

SUSURRATION UNCOMMON

142

SMALL

CREATURE 6 MINDLESS

UNDEAD

Perception +14;lifesense 30 feet, tremorsense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics+13 (+17 to Escape), Stealth+13 Str+0, Dex+4, Con+5, Int–4, Wis+0, Cha+5 AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +12, Will +10 HP 90,negative healing; Immunitiesdeath effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, mental, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious, visual; Weaknessespositive 5 Voice Thief (aura, illusion, occult) 10 feet. The susurration is surrounded by an aura of silence, with the effects of a 4th level silence spell at all times. For the purposes of counteracting, this effect is level 3 and has a DC of 21. Speed fly 20 feet Melee 1 myriad tongues +17 (finesse, negative), Damage 2d12+4 negative plus warding horror Melee 1 invisible claw +17 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d10+4 slashing Hole in the World 2 (manipulate, negative) The susurration releases a wave of negative energy. All creatures in the susurration’s voice thief aura take 3d8 negative damage with a basic DC 22 Fortitude save. A creature that fails this save is also sickened 1, and one that critically fails is sickened 2. As long as the susurration isn’t grabbed or restrained, it can then choose to teleport up to 20 feet away. This movement is a teleportation effect; it doesn’t trigger reactions and isn’t impacted by difficult terrain or obstacles. The susurration can’t use Hole in the World again for 1d4 rounds. Warding Horror 1 (negative, mental) Requirements The susurration’s last action was a successfully Strike with its myriad tongues that dealt damage to a creature; Effect Twisting, shadowy coils of negative energy and body horror branch out from the creature initially licked by the susurration’s horrifying tongues. Up to two other creatures within 15 feet of the target take 2d6 negative and 2d6 mental damage, with a basic Will save against DC 22.

Telepathic Earwig Swarm

Telepathic earwigs resemble tiny brown insects with long antennae and pincers on their abdomens. Unable to reproduce on their own, these earwigs have developed a unique life cycle: they insert themselves into a host’s body, use their telepathic powers to control the mind of their host, and then begin the process of using the creature to incubate new earwigs. Throughout the gestation, they mentally control the host in order to create a suitable living and reproductive environment. The young earwigs continue to live within the host, taking over its actions and keeping it alive until it is no longer useful. They will use the host to defend themselves if required, but by using their keen intellect and ability to read the host’s mind, they are often able to avoid danger and suspicion. When the host outlives their usefulness, the earwigs eject from its body violently, exploding from the host’s brain as a new swarm. Telepathic earwigs have learned to use their telepathy to link their minds together when not inside a host, which has the effect of boosting their telepathic powers and allowing them to cast occult spells. Fighting a telepathic earwig swarm isn’t necessarily about destroying every single earwig, but instead more about disconnecting the hivemind enough that they can no longer amplify each other’s latent telepathic abilities, thereby becoming nothing more than regular earwigs.

TELEPATHIC EARWIG SWARM UNCOMMON

LARGE

ABERRATION

CREATURE 6

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BRITE CHENEYE

EAR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW The name earwig comes from the popular belief that the creatures crawl into people’s ears to lay their eggs. Earmuffs and ear plugs are no defense against the telepathic earwig swarm, though. Their eggs can enter the body anywhere, with their telepathic abilities coaxing the body to let down its defenses and absorb their offspring. Not all infestations are lethal, however. A strong enough blast of psychic energy can cause a swarm to exit the host prematurely, in which case they do pour out of the ears in their rush to escape the mental damage.

SWARM

Perception +14 Languages Aklo, Common; telepathy 60 feet Skills Acrobatics+12, Athletics+10, Occultism+15 Str+2, Dex+4, Con+2, Int+5, Wis+5, Cha+3 AC 24; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +17 HP 81; Immunities precision; Weaknesses area damage 8, splash damage 8; Resistancesbludgeoning 4, piercing 8, slashing 8 Speed 25 feet Occult Innate Spells DC 21, attack +13; 4thconfusion ; 2ndcalm emotions, telekinetic maneuver; 1stcharm, command (at will); Cantrips(3rd)daze, ghost sound Earwig Infection (disease, enchantment, occult, mental) Saving Throw Fortitude DC 24; Stage 1 stupefied condition from Psychic Sunder doesn’t decrease on its own (1 day); Stage 2 Same as stage 1 and drained 1 (1 day); Stage 3 Same as stage 1, drained 1, and the creature must attempt a DC 5 flat check before taking any action or lose the action (1 day); Stage 4 Same as stage 2 and the creature must attempt a DC 11 flat check before taking any action or lose the action (1 day); Stage 5 The creature become permanently controlled by the larval earwig swarm. If reduced to 0 HP while controlled, the creature dies and spawns a new telepathic earwig swarm. Psychic Sunder 1 (divination, occult, mental) Requirement The telepathic earwig swarm’s previous action was Telepathic Barrage and a creature failed its saving throw and took mental damage; Effect The earwig swarm focuses its telepathic powers on breaking down the mental defenses of its victim. The swarm chooses a creature that failed its saving throw against the Telepathic Barrage and took mental damage. That creature becomes stupefied 1. This is cumulative across multiple uses of Psychic Sunder to a maximum of stupefied 4. A creature who reaches stupefied 4 in this way (or who is already stupefied 4) is exposed to the swarm’s earwig infection. The stupefied condition from Telepathic Sunder decreases by 1 every hour. Telepathic Barrage 1 (mental) Each creature in the swarm’s area takes 2d12 mental damage (DC 21 Basic Fort save)

143

Testudan COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY LOGAN FRANCE

TESTY ABOUT TRESSES

Making a testudan retreat does not always require besting it with a display of strength. It is also possible to strike at its pride. Some towns have reported success hiring a thief to shave off an offending testudan’s mane in the dead of night, perhaps with the assistance of a mage with the sleep spell to make doubly sure it does not interrupt the process. The creature, horrified by its crudely shorn locks, hides until it feels it can show its face again.

144

A testudan is a massive chimera with faint relations to dragons, with the head of a lion, six bear-like feet, the back of a turtle, and the tail of a serpent. These creatures tend to be solitary, never mingling even with members of their own kind except during mating season. Brash and ornery, the average testudan spends its time bullying smaller creatures and attacking small towns until an army or group of adventurers show up to send it running with its tail between all six of its legs.

TESTUDAN RARE

HUGE

CREATURE 19 AMPHIBIOUS

BEAST

Perception +29;darkvision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet Languages Aquan, Draconic; can’t speak any language Skills Athletics+37, Intimidation+32 Str+10, Dex+5, Con+10, Int–2, Wis+2, Cha+5 AC 40(44 with Shell Defense); Fort +37, Ref +30, Will +27 HP 485; Resistancesphysical 15 Always Someone Better Though the testudan revels in its strength and power, it fears those who are more powerful than it. If the testudan fails a Will save or Perception check to disbelieve against an illusion that makes it see a creature that appears more powerful than the testudan, it becomes frightened 1 and takes 4d6 mental damage. On a critical failure, it becomes frightened2, takes 8d6 mental damage, and is fleeing for 1 round. It is then temporarily immune to Always Someone Better for 1 minute. Tail Lash 5 Trigger A creature within reach of the testudan’s serpent tail takes an action to Strike or attempt a skill check; Effect The testudan Strikes with its serpent tail at the triggering creature at a –2 penalty. If it hits, the creature takes a –2 circ*mstance penalty to the triggering roll. Speed 40 feet Melee 1 lion jaw +36 (poison, reach 15 feet), Damage 4d10+18 piercing plus 1d8 poison Melee 1 bear claw +34 (reach 15 feet), Damage 4d8+18 slashing plus Improved Grab Melee 1 serpent tail +36 (agile, reach 20 feet), Damage 4d8+18 bludgeoning Bestial Frenzy 2 The testudan makes up to six bear claw Strikes, attacking a given creature no more than once. It doesn’t increase its multiple attack penalty until after making all six attacks. Shell Defense 1 The testudan retracts its limbs and head into its shell and ends its turn. It gains a +4 circ*mstance bonus to AC, increasing its AC to 44, as well as to Reflex saves against area attacks. However, while in its shell, it can’t act except to Shell Slam, Stand, or use the Shell Defense action again to reemerge. If the testudan is prone while in its shell, it doesn’t gain the circ*mstance bonus to AC from Shell Defense and it must spend two actions in order to Stand. Shell Slam 2 Requirements The testudan is in its shell from Shell Defense and is not prone; Effect The testudan Leaps up to 20 feet horizontally, passing over the space of any Large or smaller creature before landing prone. Any creature within the testudan’s space at the end of its movement takes 10d6 piercing and 10d6 bludgeoning damage and must attempt a DC 38 Reflex save with the following effects. Regardless of the result, the creature is moved out of the testudan’s space to the closest empty space. If the testudan attempts to pass through the space of a Huge or larger creature, it stops its movement early and lands adjacent to the creature, forcing that creature to make the Reflex save in addition to all creatures in the testudan’s space. Critical Success The creature takes no damage. Success The creature takes half damage. Failure The creature takes full damage and is knocked prone. Critical Failure The creature takes double damage, is knocked prone, and is paralyzed for 1 round.

Thicket Urchin

The hills have teeth. At rest, a thicket urchin resembles a hill covered in short, evergreen shrubbery. When it hunts, however, it reveals its true form as an enormous fungal creature with a hard but porous shell. Bristling green spines extend from its shell, like those of its namesake, the mundane sea urchin. A thicket urchin’s formidable armored shell has only one weak point: the soft underbelly, which is hard to reach but can be tipped over, leaving the creature helpless until it can right itself. The spines of a thicket urchin are coated with a powerful hallucinogenic poison that can be distilled into a potent drug for spiritual or recreational uses, but the thicket urchin is too powerful for most to safely hunt. Instead, drug peddlers scavenge spent harpoons and needles in the wake of its passing, and locals give any new hills a wide berth.

THICKET URCHIN N

GARGANTUAN

FUNGUS

CREATURE 15 MINDLESS

Perception +23;darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 120 feet Skills Athletics+30 Str+9, Dex–4, Con+8, Int–5, Wis+4, Cha–3 AC 37; Fort +29, Ref +23, Will +26 HP 340; Immunitiesmental; Weaknessesfire 10 Prone Vulnerability A thicket urchin suffers a –4 circ*mstance penalty to AC whenever it’s flatfooted due to being prone instead of the usual –2 circ*mstance penalty. The only action it can use while prone is to Stand, and it must attempt a DC 6 flat check to do so or its action is lost. Speed 15 feet Melee 1 spine +30 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d12+17 piercing plus thicket urchin venom Melee 1 body +30, Damage 3d6+17 bludgeoning Ranged 1 harpoon +28 (brutal, range increment 60 feet), Damage 3d10+14 piercing plus thicket urchin venom and impale Thicket Urchin Venom (poison) Saving Throw DC 33 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 2d6 poison damage, clumsy 1, and stupefied 1 (1 round); Stage 2 3d6 poison damage, clumsy 2, and stupefied 2 (1 round); Stage 3 4d6 poison damage, clumsy 3, and stupefied 3 (1 round) Drag 1 Requirements The thicket urchin has a creature impaled; Effect The thicket urchin reels in its harpoon, pulling an impaled creature toward it. The thicket urchin attempts an Athletics check against an impaled target’s Fortitude DC. Critical Success The thicket urchin pulls the target 30 feet closer. Success The thicket urchin pulls the target 10 feet closer. Critical Failure The target is no longer impaled. Hillock 1 (concentrate) The thicket urchin settles down and disguises itself as a hill. Until the next time it acts, the thicket urchin appears to be a normal hill covered in short evergreen bushes. It has an automatic result of 47 on Deception checks and DCs to pass as a normal part of the landscape. Impale A creature hit by a thicket urchin’s harpoon Strike becomes impaled on its barbed harpoon. Such a creature is grabbed (Escape DC 37, or 39 if the harpoon was critical hit), and exposed to thicket urchin venom at the end of each of its turns as long as it remains grabbed. Needle Storm 2 The thicket urchin sheds needles in a 30-foot emanation, causing 8d6 piercing damage (basic Reflex save DC 36). A creature that fails its save is exposed to thicket urchin venom. Trample 3 Large or smaller, body, DC 36

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JEFFREY ANDERSON

THICK AS THIEVES

Thicket urchins are so large that there is space between their spines for small creatures to hide in them, provided they can deal with accidental scratches and the resulting poison. They are a natural fit for pukwudgies, who delight in driving thicket urchins toward villages that they perceive as having slighted them. Should the thicket urchin fail to cause enough destruction, an entire band of pukwudgies may leap out to finish the job.

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Thunderhead Willow GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY BRIAN NOWOSATKA

WIND IN THE WILLOWS

Thunderhead willow seeds resemble fluffy caterpillars that dislodge from their branches during the winds of strong thunderstorms. These seed pods retain some electrical impulse that allows them to crawl until they find a good spot to grow. The electricity causes a tingling sensation in the mouth when eaten, which seems to appeal to some creatures. Digestion does not harm the seeds, so being eaten helps disperse the willows over larger areas.

Thunderhead willows are electric trees native to alien forests, where incessant thunderstorms roil. Much of their time is spent chasing these storms, as they rely on lightning strikes for sustenance and to energize their natural abilities. They also serve as lightning rods to protect the forest, lifting their many branches high into the air and drawing the lightning to themselves. They then select the best time and place to discharge any excess energy. When particularly large and fierce storms appear, these normally solitary creatures gather in groves and feed off of the frequent lightning bolts as well as each other’s electric fields. Such gatherings are marked by dazzling electric displays and a chorus of singing in modulated and buzzing tones. During calm weather, thunderhead willows relax their boughs and dig their roots into the ground, seeking subterranean electric pulses. At these times, many smaller forest creatures seek shelter under the umbrella of drooping, thin branches, as the strong current pulsing through these spiny branchlets deters many a predator with an unexpected shock.

THUNDERHEAD WILLOW UNCOMMON

146

HUGE

ELECTRICITY

CREATURE 9 PLANT

Perception +18 Languages Arboreal, Sylvan Skills Athletics+20, Stealth+16 (+21 in forests) Str+6, Dex+3, Con+7, Int+1, Wis+4, Cha+1 AC 27; Fort +22, Ref +14, Will +15 HP 190; Immunitieselectricity; Weaknessesaxe vulnerability; Resistancesfire 10 Axe Vulnerability A thunderhead willow takes 5 additional damage from axes. Branches Down 5 (electricity) Trigger A creature uses a move action within the thunderhead willow’s reach or to enter the thunderhead willow’s reach; Effect The thunderhead willow’s branches brush the creature, dealing 4d6 electricity damage (DC 25 basic Reflex save). On a critical failure, the movement is disrupted. Branches Up 5 (electricity) Trigger A spell or effect with the electricity descriptor is cast or activated within 30 feet of the thunderhead willow; Effect The spell or effect is drawn towards the thunderhead willow. Single-target spells and effects target only the thunderhead willow, while all other spells and effects are reoriented to include the thunderhead willow as one of its targets or in its area. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 bough +21 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d6+10 slashing plus 2d6 electricity Melee 1 root +21 (agile, reach 20 feet, trip), Damage 2d8+10 bludgeoning Explosion 2 (fire, sonic) Frequency once per day; Effect The thunderhead willow expends all of its collected energy, unleashing a thunderous blast that deals 5d6 fire damage and 5d6 sonic damage in a 30-foot emanation to creatures, noncreature plants, and unattended objects (DC 28 basic Reflex save). Flammable objects and creatures that fail the Reflex save also catch fire and take 1d6 persistent fire damage. Until Explosion is recharged, a thunderhead willow deals no electricity damage with its bough Strike and is unable to use its Whirling Dynamo ability or Branches Down reaction. Lightning Collection (abjuration, nature) Whenever the thunderhead willow is hit by an electricity spell’s attack roll, rolls a successful save against a spell or effect that deals electricity damage, or is struck by lightning, they absorb the energy. Until the end of thunderhead willow’s next turn, its Strikes deal 1d6 additional electricity damage and its Explosion and Whirling Dynamo deal 2d6 additional electricity damage. Whirling Dynamo 3 (electricity) The thunderhead willow spins in place, generating a sparking electric field that deals 8d6 electricity damage within a 15-foot emanation (DC 28 basic Reflex save). Creatures that fail their save become electrically charged. They are flat-footed against the thunder willow’s attacks and attacks by metal weapons for 1 minute. On a critical failure, they are also stunned 1. The thunderhead willow can’t use Whirling Dynamo again for 1d4 rounds.

Tidragats, like other dragons, collect a hoard of treasure, though the contents of a tidragat’s hoard are a little different than those of its larger brethren. Using its highly dextrous opposable front claws, a tidragat collects items that would be inconvenient to lose; the more inconvenient its loss would be, the more value the tidragat places on that particular item. Thus, their Hoard could contain the hair brush of a noble who prided themselves on their appearance or the water skins from an adventuring party that was about to head out into the wilderness. Tidragats are usually smart enough to not take items that would be so inconvenient to lose that their victims are determined to track them down, except when it comes to items involving the art of wizardry. If there’s a wand, scroll, or spellbook to steal, tidragats can’t help themselves. Tidragats love playing with and learning how to use tools of wizardry, and most tidragats carry and use a few scrolls or a wand. A tidragat doesn’t normally keep a spellbook of their own. Instead, they rely on spellbooks and scrolls that they’ve stolen from others to provide the knowledge needed to prepare their spells, so two tidragats will rarely have the same spells prepared.

TIDRAGAT CN

TINY

Tidragat COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GARRY STACEY JOHNSTON

SCAPEGOAT ENTOURAGE

Tidragats are popular with kobolds because their size makes kobolds feel closer to a true dragon. They also offer helpful advice to kobold warrens, improving their defensibility and the effectiveness of their members. In turn, tidragats task the kobolds with stealing risky items for them, giving them a degree of separation from any retribution that may result from the thefts.

CREATURE 3

DRAGON

Perception +8;darkvision, low-light vision Languages Common, Draconic Skills Acrobatics +10, Arcana +9, Athletics +6, Deception +9, Stealth +11, Thievery+11 Str+1, Dex+4, Con+1, Int+4, Wis+1, Cha+3 AC 19; Fort +6, Ref +13, Will +6 HP 45; Immunitiesparalyzed, sleep Speed 30 feet Melee 1 claw +10 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d6+5 slashing Arcane Innate Spells DC 20; 2ndinvisibility (at will, self only); 1stinvisible itemAPG (at will) Arcane Prepared Spells DC 20, attack +12; 2nd knock, illusory object; 1st color spray, floating disk, sleep; Cantrips (2nd) daze, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, telekinetic projectile Numbing Breath 2 (arcane, evocation, poison) The tidragat breathes a 15-foot cone of invisible numbing gas. Each creature in the area must attempt a DC 20 Fortitude save, with the following effects. The tidragat can’t use Numbing Breath again for 1d4 rounds. Critical Success the creature is unaffected. Success The creature is clumsy 1 and enfeebled 1 for 1 round as its body is awash with pins and needles. Failure The creature becomes numb for 1 minute. In addition to being clumsy 1 and enfeebled 1, they automatically critically fail Perception checks that rely on touch, and they take a –2 circ*mstance penalty when using Perception for an initiative roll, as well as to any checks that involve touch but also use other senses. If a numb creature performs an action with the manipulate trait, they must succeed at a DC 5 flat check or the action is lost. Critical Failure As failure, but the creature’s clumsy and enfeebled conditions are 2 instead of 1. Pickpocket A tidragat can Steal or Palm an Object that’s closely guarded, such as in a pocket, without taking the –5 penalty. The tidragat can also attempt to Steal from a creature in combat or otherwise on guard. When doing so, Stealing requires 2 manipulate actions instead of 1, and it takes a –5 penalty.

147

Time Golem COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GABRIEL M.S. SANTOS

UNTIMELY DEMISE

Time itself unravels with a time golem’s defeat, sending ripples that manifest as future anomalies. Someone who slays a time golem may encounter a weak but still hostile version of it at an inopportune time down the road.

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Intricate constructs worked from the immaterial threads of time itself, time golems serve as guardians of the temples and vaults of their nameless eldritch creators. A time golem is a formable opponent who can erase opponents from existence.

TIME GOLEM RARE

TINY

CONSTRUCT

CREATURE 21 INCORPOREAL

MINDLESS

TIME

Perception +34;greater darkvision Skills Acrobatics+43 Str+6, Dex+10, Con+7, Int–5, Wis+5, Cha–5 Unaffected by Gravity The time golem is not affected by gravity in the Material Plane. It does not need to Fly to hover in place, and it does not fall. This ability might be suppressed in other planes, at the GM’s discretion. AC 49; Fort +34, Ref +41, Will +32 HP 270; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, force, healing, magic (see below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistances all damage 20 (except orichalcum weapons with a speed rune; double resistance vs. non-magical) Golem Antimagic harmed by electricity (11d8, 3d8 from areas or persistent damage); healed by force (areas 3d8 HP); slowed by time stop (see below) Timelike (occult, transmutation) A time golem inherently defends the time stream from any nearby interference with the flow of time and hijacks temporal magic. If a creature within the golem’s time vortex casts time stop, the golem enters the stoppage along with the caster and can also use 6 actions in 3 sets of 2 actions each, following initiative order, and it can both affect and be affected by the triggering creature. After the flow of time is restored, the golem becomes clumsy 2, flat-footed and slowed 1 for 1 round. Time Vortex (aura, occult, transmutation) 120 feet. Time warps and bends around the time golem. As long as the time vortex is active, the golem is quickened. It can only use its extra action for Fly or Strike actions. Foes who start their turn within the aura must succeed at a DC 41 Fortitude save or be slowed 1 (slowed 2 on a critical failure) for 1 minute. The golem can activate or deactivate this aura using a single action with the concentrate trait. Vulnerable to Slow A time golem targeted by slow takes 3d6 damage per spell level, with a basic Fortitude save against the caster’s spell DC. On a failure, the golem’s time vortex is suppressed for 1d4 rounds. Speed fly 120 feet Melee 1 fourth dimensional face +41 (reach 120 feet), Damage 4d8+14 force plus shorten timeline Shorten Timeline (death, necromancy, occult) The first time each round a creature takes damage from the time golem’s fourth dimensional face Strike, the target must attempt a DC 41 Fortitude save. If it fails, it becomes doomed 1 (doomed 2 on a critical failure), or increases its doomed condition by 1 if it was already doomed (or by 2 on a critical failure) to a maximum of doomed 3. If this would have otherwise increased the creature’s doomed condition beyond doomed 3, the creature takes 10d8 additional force damage from the Strike (doubled on a critical failure). Temporal Barrage 2 The time golem makes a fourth dimensional face Strike against each creature within its reach. Each Strike counts separately for the golem’s multiple attack penalty, but the penalty only increases after resolving all the attacks. Time Prison 2 (conjuration, extradimensional, occult) Requirements The golem has no more than two creatures imprisoned in its Time Prison; Effect Twisting time into a liminal void, the time golem attempts to trap a creature within 60 feet inside the timeless abyss within itself. The target must attempt a DC 44 Reflex save or be stunned 3 and drawn into the void within the golem for 1d4 rounds. The space within the golem seems boundless to its target, regardless of the target’s size. While trapped, the creature can’t sense, target or be targeted by creatures outside the golem’s extradimensional interior. Aside from that limitation and its stunned condition, it can otherwise act normally.

Contrary to its appearance, a tree of eyes is actually a parasitic fungus that burrows throughout a living tree, killing it in the process, and then uses the tree as a host, hanging its exposed eyes from the branches. Creatures that make eye contact with one of these eyes are mesmerized and feel an intense urge to sleep at the base of the tree. The tree then engulfs the prey with its roots and slowly drains the creature of its nutrients. Although the host of a tree of eyes is stationary, the fungus itself is not. It can move between these trees as easily as a human can walk, and over time, it will burrow into adjacent trees, often hollowing entire sections of forest. A truly desperate tree of eyes can use its host’s roots to drag itself short distances. The eyes of a tree of eyes contain its spores, which it uses as both a weapon and a means of spreading its fungus.

TREE OF EYES UNCOMMON

LARGE

Tree of Eyes SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAKE MAROHL

EYEING TO CULTIVATE

Some humanoids have limited immunity to lung rot and become addicted to it. They then form cults devoted to harvesting and spreading eyes to new trees so they can bask in their hypnotic gazes.

CREATURE 8 FUNGUS

Perception +19; darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Stealth+15 Str+6, Dex–1, Con+7, Int–4, Wis+3, Cha–2 AC 24, all-around vision; Fort +20, Ref +11, Will +16 HP 180; Immunities bleed, fatigued, sleep, unconscious; Weaknesses axe vulnerability, fire 10; Resistancesbludgeoning 10, piercing 10 Axe Vulnerability The tree of eyes takes 10 additional damage from axes. Speed 5 feet Melee 1 branch +20 (reach 30 feet), Damage 2d10+10 piercing Ranged 1 eye +20 (brutal, range increment 40 feet), Damage 2d4+10 bludgeoning plus spore burst Drain Life 2 The tree of eyes’s roots come out of the ground and attempt to sap an adjacent creature of nutrients. The target must attempt a Fortitude save. Prone creatures treat the result of their save as one degree worse. Success The target is unaffected. Failure The target becomes drained 1 or increases its drained value by 1 if it was already drained (to a maximum of drained 3). The tree of eyes gains 5 temporary Hit Points. Critical Failure The target becomes drained 2, or increases its drained value by 2 if it was already drained (to a maximum of drained 3). and the target becomes blinded for 1 round and dazzled for 1 minute. The tree of eyes gains 10 temporary Hit Points. Hypnotic Gaze 2 (incapacitation, mental, visual) The tree of eyes hypnotizes a creature it can see within 60 feet. The target must attempt a DC 25 Will save. Success The target is unaffected. Failure The target must use its next action to Stride toward the tree of eyes, falling prone if it ends this movement adjacent to the tree of eyes. Critical Failure As a failure, except the target must use all of its actions on its next turn to do so. Lung Rot (poison, inhaled) While a creature is afflicted by this poison, it can’t reduce its sickened condition below 1; Saving Throw Fortitude DC 25; Maximum Duration 5 rounds; Stage 1 2d6 poison damage and sickened 1 (1 round); Stage 2 2d8 poison damage and sickened 2 (1round); Stage 3 3d8 poison damage and sickened 2 (1 round). Spore Burst When the tree of eyes damages a creature with an eye Strike, the creature and each other creature within 5 feet of it are exposed to Lung Rot. Transfer Host 2 (move) Requirements The tree of eyes is touching another tree beyond its host, either along its current host’s branches (within 30 feet) or root system (within 50 feet); Effect The tree of eyes moves to the other tree. The tree of eyes’s Hit Points represent damage to the fungus, not the host, so they aren’t affected by transferring hosts.

149

Trickster Echoes PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN BERG

IDLE HANDS

While meddling hands supposedly act in unexpected ways to enact a secret scheme related to their progenitor’s own goals, most tricksters don’t have continual work for their meddling hands to perform at all times. This leaves meddling hands to their own devices for a time before the trickster calls them back to the next phase of the plan. While meddling hands often use their spare time to enact tricks and pranks of their own, they sometimes just want to work with their hands and take up various tasks in earnest, performing them to the best of their abilities.

Trickster echoes are fragments left behind due to the actions of a powerful trickster deity, drifting throughout the universe in the wake of the trickster’s mischief. Tricksters are a popular archetype among the many different deities across the world’s various pantheons and cultures. Traditionally, trickster deities take many forms, using their disguises and deceptions to bewilder, confuse, and mislead all those around them. Why trickster deities continually deceive all those around them varies from trickster to trickster. Some tricksters are compulsive liars. Others have an agenda they seek to pursue or simply find the idea of successfully pulling off pranks exhilarating or hilarious. Still other tricksters flit between moral codes, attempting to join with heroic deities for a time, only to inevitably betray their allies, or even their siblings, in a series of countless shifting adjustments of allegiance Disguises are a big part of the reason mortals and other deities alike can’t help but continue engaging with trickster deities, as they might never come to realize exactly with whom they are dealing or only discover that the mysterious figure offering advice was a trickster after it was too late. However, deception alone isn’t sufficient. Tricksters tend to be legitimately multi-talented in a variety of different skills, with incredible talent and unparalleled techniques. Thus, before their sudden but inevitable betrayal, a trickster is a superlative ally, capable of achieving all sorts of impossible feats on behalf of their allies, deific or otherwise. When trickster deities perform an especially notable prank, betrayal, or other act of mischief, they might leave behind a powerful echo, known as a trickster echo. Depending on the trickster’s actions and physicality, various sorts of trickster echoes congeal or coagulate. For instance, a trickster’s skills and clever nature can give rise to a meddling hands, while a trickster’s lies, alongside its deceptive tongue and facial features, lead to the birth of a many faces. A thousand skins slough off when a trickster changes guises between various forms in order to mislead all around them or ruin another’s reputation. Meanwhile, the mindless malice of a trickster deity’s laughter births a congealed laughter.

Meddling Hands

150

A writhing mass of arms and hands animated by the concentrated embodiment of a trickster god’s capacity for cleverness, manual dexterity, and skill, the strange beings known as meddling hands are exceptional infiltrators and dangerous opponents. While they are incredibly intelligent, meddling hands don’t communicate via language, and their methods and reasoning are as inscrutable as the god from which they attained life. So far as any can tell, they perform actions at the whims of their deific progenitor as an extension of some unknowable scheme. Meddling Hands appear to be massive, semi-upright writhing masses of arms and hands, interlocking to create “limbs” and something resembling a face.

MEDDLING HANDS RARE

LARGE

Trickster Echoes

CREATURE 13

ABERRATION

Perception +20 Skills Acrobatics+24, Athletics+27, Crafting+24, Medicine+24, Stealth+24, Thievery+27 Str+8, Dex+9, Con+5, Int+8, Wis+2, Cha+0 AC 33; Fort +23, Ref +26, Will +20 HP 300; Weaknessescold 10; Resistancesbludgeoning 10 Delicate Fingers While the hands of thieves and spies grant the meddling hands exceptional agility and fine manipulation, it leaves the creature uniquely vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Whenever the meddling hands takes cold damage, in addition to any other effects of the attack, it becomes clumsy 1 for 1 round. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 fist +27, Damage 3d10+16 bludgeoning Ranged 1 finger dart +27 (agile, range 30 feet), Damage 3d6+12 piercing Deep Pockets 1 (conjuration, divine, extraplanar) The meddling hands Interacts to place one held object into an interdimensional pocket deep inside its teeming mass. This space functions as a type I bag of holding. It can remove an object by using this ability again. The Deep Pocket disgorges its contents into an adjacent square when the meddling hands dies. Disable Organ 1 (interact, manipulate) The meddling hands strikes a nerve cluster, liver, or other vital organ on a living creature within reach, choosing to inflict either the clumsy, enfeebled, or stupefied condition. The meddling hands attempts a Thievery check against the target’s Fortitude DC. Critical Success The target suffers the meddling hands’s choice of clumsy, enfeebled, or stupefied 2 for 1 minute. A successful DC 32 Medicine check to Administer First Aid removes the condition. Success As critical success, but the condition only lasts for 1 round. Failure The target is unaffected. Critical Failure The target is unaffected, and the meddling hands is flat-footed until the beginning of its next turn. Make Light Work 2 The meddling hands performs any three of the following five actions once each: Battle Medicine, Pick a Lock, Steal, Trip, or Tumble Through. The actions combined take only the two actions spent to Make Light Work, even if they would normally take longer to complete. When using the Steal action, a meddling hands can attempt to Steal even during combat or while the target is on guard. Many Hands 2 The meddling hands makes fist attacks against all creatures within its reach. These attacks count toward its multiple attack penalty, but it doesn’t suffer the penalty until after the attacks have been made. Uncanny Theft 1 Requirements The meddling hands’ last action this turn was a successful fist attack against an opponent; Effect The meddling hands attempts a Thievery check to Steal an object from the creature it hit with its fist. The meddling hands can attempt this Thievery check even though it’s in combat and the target is on guard. If its fist attack was a critical success, it can choose to Steal an item held by the target, such as a weapon or shield, albeit with a –5 penalty to the check.

PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN BERG

TRICKSTER’S TRAIL

Adventurers who find themselves at odds with a trickster, chasing after the deity’s trail of plots and schemes, often find their path obstructed by a variety of foes thrown in their way by the trickster deity themselves. Chief among these opponents are the trickster echoes, whether they arise naturally and inadvertently through the trickster’s actions or the trickster intentionally creates them in order to oppose those who threaten to catch them in the act. This could lead to an entire adventure or campaign: First, the adventurers challenge the meddling hands setting up the trickster’s schemes. Then come across a congealed laughter while the trickster chortles with glee as their plans near completion. As the adventurers begin to unravel the trickster’s lies, they come face to face (or perhaps face to faces?) with a many faces. Before they have grown strong enough to challenge the trickster directly, the trickster sends a thousand skins to finish them off. Finally, the adventurers confront the trickster to solve this cosmic jest once and for all.

Congealed Laughter

Most trickster gods have many faces, and usually at least one of those faces is malicious. A trickster god’s malice embodies schadenfreude at the suffering of others and laughs at displays of depravity and cruelty. This cruel laughter echoes across the darkness between the stars and in the minds of those who follow their more wicked urges. Sometimes, this laughter reaches strange magical anomalies in the void, and the two conjoin and congeal into a thick, mindless substance that seeks out souls to devour so that it may grow and spread its heinous mockery across the universe. Congealed laughter is an ectoplasmic mass that resembles a dark storm cloud roiling with countless vile mouths that cackle discordantly, pulsing with bright veins of some strange extraplanar energy, floating through the planes in search of souls to devour.

151

Trickster Echoes PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN BERG

MINDLESS LAUGHTER

Congealed laughter doesn’t have a mind of its own. It merely embodies the eldritch and otherworldly sense of humor of a trickster deity. Some might find it strange that a creature composed of a complex mental and emotional phenomenon such as laughter can fulfill its purpose without a mind, but congealed laughter proves with deadly certainty just how possible such a thing could be.

152

CONGEALED LAUGHTER RARE

GARGANTUAN

MINDLESS

CREATURE 15 OOZE

Perception +25;emotionsense 100 feet, no vision Skills Athletics+33 Str+9, Dex–4, Con+8, Int–5, Wis+6, Cha+4 Emotionsense (divination, divine, emotion, mental) A congealed laughter can sense nearby creatures with emotions as a precise sense. This doesn’t allow the congealed laughter to sense creatures with literally no emotions, such as mindless creatures, but also certain sapient creatures without emotions. Typically, creatures without emotions list an immunity to emotion or mental effects. AC 24; Fort +32, Ref +20, Will +26 HP 420; Immunitiescritical hits, mental, precision, unconscious, visual; Weaknessesslashing10; Resistancesbludgeoning 10 Distracting Aura (auditory, aura, emotion, enchantment, mental) 40 feet. The congealed laughter emits a constant discordant chorus of laughter in an aura around its amorphous form. Living creatures who begin their turn inside the congealed laughter’s distracting aura must succeed at a DC 33 Will saving throw. On a failure, the creature is afflicted with fits of giggles. Until the end of their turn, the creature must succeed at a DC 5 flat check to perform any activity with the manipulate trait, as well as any spell with a verbal component. Failing the flat check means the action or activity is wasted. Split Whenever a congealed laughter that has 10 or more HP is hit by an attack that would deal the congealed laughter piercing or slashing damage, after applying the damage to the congealed laughter, the congealed laughter splits into two identical oozes, each with half the original’s remaining Hit Points. One congealed laughter is in the same space as the original, and the other is in an adjacent, unoccupied space. If no adjacent space is unoccupied, the new congealed laughter automatically pushes creatures and objects out of the way to fill a space (the GM decides if an object or creature is too big or heavy for the new congealed laughter to push). Speed fly 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +32 (reach 30 feet), Damage 3d12+17 piercing plus giggle fits Devour Laughter 3 (emotion, mental) Requirements The congealed laughter has a living creature Engulfed, and the Engulfed creature failed or critically failed its most recent saving throw against giggle fits; Effect The congealed laughter feeds on the Engulfed creature’s laughter. The Engulfed creature suffers 16d6 mental damage and must attempt a Will saving throw. If the congealed laughter brings the creature to 0 Hit Points, the creature dies and feeds the congealed laughter, healing it for half the damage taken (to a maximum of the creature’s remaining Hit Points). If the congealed laughter has split, this healing is equal to only one quarter of the damage taken, instead of one half. Critical Success The target is unaffected. Success The target takes half damage, and it’s stupefied 1 for 1 round. Failure The target takes full damage, and it’s stupefied 2 for 1 round. Critical Failure The target takes double damage, and it’s stupefied 4 for 1 minute and confused for 1 minute. Engulf 2 DC 35, 5d6 acid, Escape DC 35, Rupture 25. A creature that begins their turn Engulfed by the congealed laughter is affected by its giggle fits ability. Giggle Fits (emotion, enchantment, mental) A creature Engulfed by the congealed laughter or struck by its jaws Strike is afflicted with a horrible, uncontrollable urge to laugh along with it. The creature suffers the effects of a hideous laughter spell with a DC of 34 until the beginning of the congealed laughter’s next turn.

Many Faces

Trickster Echoes

A trickster deity’s duplicitous nature is well known; in fact, such a demeanor is absolutely integral to the god’s nature. That duplicity, distilled from the trickster god’s essence, sometimes coalesces on the Material Plane into a strange shapeshifter called many faces. Like the god from which they were created, these aberrant creatures are capricious and clever. While not outright malicious, they delight in disrupting the everyday lives of mortal folk without much thought to the consequences for those they hurt. They live to deceive, not for material gain or cruelty, but simply for the act itself.

MANY FACES RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 18 ABERRATION

Perception +30 Languages tongues Skills Acrobatics+35, Deception+38, Stealth+35 Str+5, Dex+9, Con+3, Int+6, Wis+4, Cha+10 AC 42; Fort +27, Ref +33, Will +30 HP 380; Weaknessesmental 15 (while telepathic aura is active); Resistancesbludgeoning 15 Telepathic Aura (aura, divine, enchantment, mental) 20 feet. The many faces constantly plucks subconscious thoughts from those around it within the range of its telepathic aura, allowing it to use its Familiar Face ability, but also leaving its mind more open to psychic assault. When the many faces takes mental damage while its telepathic aura is active, the many faces must succeed at a DC 40 Will save or be stunned 1 (or stunned 2 on a critical failure). If a spell or effect causes the many faces’s telepathic aura to be suppressed, the many faces also no longer possesses the weakness to mental damage for the duration of the spell or effect. The Many Faces can suppress this aura for a round as a single action, which has the concentrate and manipulate traits, but the aura returns automatically at the start of its next turn. Speed 25 feet Melee 1 rending claw +35 (finesse), Damage 3d12+13 slashing Melee 1 shifted glob +35 (range increment 60 feet), Damage 3d8+13 piercing Divine Innate Spells DC 37; Constant (5th) tongues Change Shape 1 (concentrate, divine, polymorph, transmutation) A many faces can transform into any Large or smaller humanoid form, even a specific creature. This doesn’t change its abilities or statistics, but it might change the type of its Strike damage to match the new form. Familiar Face 1 (concentrate, divine, emotion, fear, mental, transmutation, visual) The many faces plucks a face from the subconscious mind of one target within its telepathic aura and alters its form to match this face. The target must attempt a DC 40 Will saving throw. The many faces can dismiss this face by using this ability again to choose a new target, or revert to its true form as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. If the many faces changes to a new face while a target who failed their save is still suffering from the frightened condition from Familiar Face, the frightened condition ends early. Critical Success The many faces accidentally chooses a face the target hates. The target gains a +1 status bonus to attack rolls against the many faces until it dismisses or changes faces. Success The target is unaffected. Failure The target is frightened 2. Critical Failure The target is frightened 3 and flat-footed to the Many Faces as long as they are frightened. Sneak Attack The many faces’s Strikes deal an additional 2d6 precision damage to flatfooted creatures. Trickster’s Feint 1 (concentrate, mental, visual) Frequency once per round; Effect The Many Faces is highly adept at deception, and uses it to great effect in combat. The Many Faces rolls a single Deception check to Feint, and compares it to the Perception DC of all enemies within 20 feet.

PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN BERG

MANY FACES, MANY LIES

Trickster deities, such as the goddess Sewa on the world of Alacar, are known for taking various forms in order to deceive others and achieve their goals. By obfuscating their true identity, tricksters are able to convince even savvy victims who would otherwise be too skeptical to listen to anything a trickster said if they knew it came from the tongue of a trickster.

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Trickster Echoes PLATINUM AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NATHAN BERG

THOUSAND SKINS ORIGINS

Thousand skins are born in the forgotten corners of the chaos-infused wilds of the fey realm, where trickster gods often dwell. Some trickster gods even make a pilgrimage to these locations to purposely forge one of these terrifying warriors.

Thousand Skins

The ultimate embodiment of the trickster god’s vicious cunning, a thousand skins is a master of violence that lives to shed the blood of those who have wronged its deific master. A thousand skins knows no honor or rules when it hunts; it only cares about enacting pain and death, particularly if the death humiliates its enemy. Thousand skins are perhaps best known for their hideous hide outfit, sewn from the flesh of slain opponents, including animals, humanoids, fiends, angels, and many others. Each victim grants it more martial prowess as it absorbs the slain opponent’s combat abilities via this grisly method. This makes a thousand skins a terrifying opponent to behold, let alone to fight. A thousand skins appears as a large humanoid with raw-looking skin stretched too tight over misshapen muscles, which are barely visible through several layers of gore-soaked pelts from a variety of sapient creatures. Its yellow, pupilless eyes glow with malice.

THOUSAND SKINS RARE

154

LARGE

FEY

CREATURE 20

Perception +30 Skills Acrobatics+38, Athletics+38, Intimidation+38, Stealth+38 Str+10, Dex+11, Con+10, Int+3, Wis+2, Cha+8 AC 45; Fort +34, Ref +36, Will +30 HP 375; Weaknessescold iron 15 Grisly Trophies (aura, divine, enchantment, emotion, fear, visual, 20 feet) The very sight of the thousand skins’ horrific trophies is enough to make most enemies flee in a fit of abject horror. Living creatures who start their turn within 20 feet of the thousand skins must attempt a DC 39 Will save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected, and immune to the thousand skins’s Grisly Trophies for 1 minute. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 2. Critical Failure The creature is frightened 3 and fleeing for 1 round. Shifting Defense 5 (abjuration, divine) Trigger The thousand skins takes damage; Effect The thousand skins’ pelts shift their physicality to defend against any further damage. For the next minute, the thousand skins has resistance 15 against the triggering damage type (or one of the triggering types of the thousand skins’s choice if the triggering damage had two or more damage types). If it uses this ability again, it loses its previous resistance from Shifting Defense and replaces it with the new resistance. This resistance never applies to damage from cold iron weapons, even if it currently has resistance to the weapon’s associated damage type. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 skinwhip +38 (finesse, reach 40 feet), Damage 4d12+19 slashing Mutable Combatant 4 Trigger the thousand skins begins its turn; Effect The thousand skins chooses one of the following benefits to gain until the start of its next turn: • The thousand skins gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to its AC. • The thousand skins deals 2d6 additional damage with its skinwhip and Skinwhip Eruption. • The thousand skins gains a +2 circ*mstance bonus to its Athletics checks. • The thousand skins gains 20 temporary Hit Points that last until its next turn. Skinwhip Eruption 2 The pelts draped across the thousand skins erupt in all directions, whipping and slicing all creatures in a 20-foot emanation with the thousand skins’s rampaging aggression. Those in the area suffer 12d10 slashing damage and 6d6 persistent bleed damage, and must attempt a DC 42 Reflex save. The Thousand Skins cannot use this ability again for 1d4 rounds. Critical Success The creature is unaffected. Success The target takes half damage and no persistent bleed damage. Failure The target takes full damage. Critical Failure The target takes double damage.

Twistwere Wolf

When one thinks of werecreatures, the mind’s eye typically goes to those humanoids doomed to transform into animals and their vicious animalhumanoid hybrid shapes beneath the full moon, cursed to rampage through their own communities. Recently, though, this primal curse made a subtle but startling zoonotic jump from humanoids to animals, resulting in shapechanging beasts called twistweres. A twistwere’s animal form can be of any size and only affects animals. The first known creatures of this kind were house cats, songbirds, and small rodents, but later it was said that dogs, livestock, and wild animals had been seen as well. While in their animal form, twistweres behave as perfectly normal animals of their type, that is, until the light of the full moon shines upon them. Twistweres can pass on their curse to their offspring, or they can transmit the curse through their bite. As with other true werecreatures, those born with the curse have full control over their shapechanging abilities except during a full moon, when the transformation is irresistible, though they typically only transform by choice when their lives are in danger. In hybrid form, a twistwere appears as a stretched-out and distorted version of their animal form, with muscular bulges and elongated appendages that drive fear into the hearts of any who are unfortunate enough to fall prey to their uncontrollable rage.

TWISTWERE WOLF UNCOMMON

LARGE

ANIMAL

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MICHAEL BRAMNIK

OTHER TWISTWERES

The statistics below represent a twistwere wolf, but other twistweres exist. You can build these other twistweres by adjusting these statistics to gain abilities relevant to the other animal, removing Knockdown, and potentially adjusting its level.

CREATURE 5 WERECREATURE

Perception +13;low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Acrobatics +12, Athletics +13, Deception +8, Intimidation +12, Stealth+10, Survival+10 Str+5, Dex+3, Con+4, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha+1 AC 22; Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +9 HP 90; Weaknessessilver 5 Twisted Vitality 5 Requirements The twistwere wolf is in animal form; Trigger The twistwere wolf takes more than 10 points of damage; Effect The twistwere wolf immediately shifts into its hybrid form and must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or else enter an out of control frenzy with the effects of moonlight frenzy for 1 minute or until being rendered unconscious. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 jaws +15, Damage 2d8+6 piercing plus curse of the twistwere Melee 1 claw +15 (agile), Damage 2d6+6 slashing Change Shape 1 (concentrate, polymorph, primal, transmutation) The twistwere wolf changes into their hybrid or animal shape. Each shape has a specific, persistent appearance. Its natural form looks like a normal wolf, whereas its hybrid form looks like a twisted version of a wolf. Curse of the Twistwere (curse, necromancy, primal) This curse affects only animals; Saving Throw DC 18 Fortitude. On each full moon, the cursed creature must succeed at another Fortitude save or turn into the same kind of werecreature until dawn. The creature is under the GM’s control and goes on a rampage for half the night before falling unconscious until dawn. Moonlight Frenzy (polymorph, primal, transmutation) When the light of a full moon shines upon them, the twistwere wolf must enter hybrid form, can’t Change Shape thereafter, becomes one size larger, increases their reach by 5 feet, and increases the damage of their jaws Strike by 2. When the moon sets or the sun rises, the werecreature returns to animal form and is fatigued for 2d4 hours. Primal Shock 1 Requirements The twistwere wolf used Change Shape or Twisted Vitality this round; Effect The twistwere wolf makes a Strike. If it hits, it attempts to Demoralize the creature it struck, ignoring the penalty for not sharing a language.

155

Unscaled Tyrant SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MICHAEL BRAMNIK

KEEP YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE

Unscaled tyrants often keep the ones who murdered them as their lieutenants. They revel in making their former foes obey their whims and reanimating them after defeats to suffer further humiliation. Sometimes tyrants gain so much amusem*nt watching enemies kill these lieutenants that they become distracted and lower their guard to attacks against themselves.

Sometimes a kobold hatchling stands out due to extreme latent magical ability. When spellcasters in the young kobold’s community recognize this, they tend to mark the hatchling for greatness and future leadership. However, on rare occasions, this destined leader is murdered prematurely, whether by their own jealous clutch-mates, monstrous rivals, or even the community’s own paranoid leader. If the would-be ruler’s body is not destroyed utterly, their eternal desire to lead could cause the soul of the young kobold to rise as an unscaled tyrant, continuing their pursuit of greatness stolen from them by an early death. After killing a few stray kobolds and demonstrating the ability to command the undead, most unscaled tyrants are able to take control of their community. Communities of kobolds ruled by an unscaled tyrant often become brutal but murderously efficient, and their brutality and efficiency both increase as the number of living kobolds plunges. Unscaled tyrants usually lead from the rear, letting both their living and dead kobold brethren do their dirty work. Often, opponents fighting these kobolds or undead might not even realize a tiny undead kobold is controlling their opposition. These unfortunate souls might have a difficult time living long enough to realize their mistake. While unscaled tyrants are fairly rare, even among kobolds, whispers of similar undead for other ancestries are rumored.

UNSCALED TYRANT RARE

156

TINY

UNDEAD

CREATURE 4

Perception +8;darkvision Languages Draconic, Necril Skills Acrobatics +11, Diplomacy +11, Intimidation +13, Religion +9, Stealth+11 Str–2, Dex+5, Con+3, Int+3, Wis+2, Cha+5 AC 20; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +8 HP 44,negative healing; Weaknessespositive5; Resistancesslashing 5, piercing 5 Command Presence (arcane, aura, necromancy, Arcane) 60 feet. Mindless undead of level 2 or lower within the aura that are not otherwise controlled follow an unscaled tyrant’s commands reflexively, treating the scion and its kobold minions as allies. Eternal Service 5 (arcane, necromancy) Trigger A kobold ally is slain within 30 feet of the unscaled tyrant; Effect The fallen scion immediately sends a bolt of negative energy towards the fallen ally. The ally sloughs off its skin and rises as a Small-sized skeleton guard (Pathfinder Bestiary), acting at its same spot in the initiative order. The new skeleton guard begins its turn prone and holding any weapons the kobold held when it fell, rather than the usual scimitar. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 hand +11 (finesse), Damage 2d4+4 negative Ranged 1 unnerving ray +11, Damage 2d8+5 negative Arcane Spontaneous Spells DC 21, attack +12; 2nd animate dead, mirror image (2 slots); 1st fear, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement (3 slots); Cantrips(2nd)detect magic, shield Petulant Demand 1 (arcane, auditory, necromancy) Frequency Once per round; Effect The unscaled tyrant commands one mindless undead ally of level 2 or lower to Step and Strike against a foe of the tyrant’s choice, in either order. As normal for an attack made off the undead ally’s turn, this attack doesn’t apply or increase the undead ally’s multiple attack penalty. Tyrant’s Desire 1 (auditory) The unscaled tyrant belts out direction to its allies. All allied kobolds and mindless undead within 60 feet receive a +1 status bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws against fear for 1 round.

Vaspertil are mirrors of potential, a clean slate: demons who decided to follow a path of redemption. Whether through summons or of their own volition, vaspertil seek out those who pride themselves on their powers and talents and force them to question what really defines them. While atoning for their fiendish nature has left vaspertils faceless and mutilated, dismissing their abyssal roots has also introduced a sense of appreciation to their existence, one that is usually only acquired by the loss of something previously taken for granted. Despite being telepathic, vaspertils almost exclusively communicate through body language.

VASPERTIL RARE

MEDIUM

CREATURE 10 DEMON

MONITOR

Perception +19;darkvision Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Requian; can’t speak any language; telepathy 100 feet Skills Acrobatics+22, Religion+19, Society+17, Stealth+22, Survival+19 Str+7, Dex+7, Con+3, Int+2, Wis+5, Cha+2 Sign Magic If the vaspertil has at least one free hand, it can substitute somatic components for verbal components when casting spells. Instead of speaking aloud it makes the appropriate hand signs. This causes the somatic components to gain the manipulate trait, in addition to the concentrate trait. Items +1 striking bastard sword AC 30; Fort +16, Ref +22, Will +19 HP 180; Weaknessescold iron 10 Speed 40 feet, freedom of movement Melee 1 bastard sword +23 (two-hand 1d12), Damage 2d8+10 slashing plus drain life Divine Innate Spells DC 26, attack +18; 5thdimension door; 4thdarkness; 3rdnondetection; Constant (4th) freedom of movement Drain Life (divine, necromancy) When the vaspertil damages a creature, the creature must succeed at a DC 26 Fortitude save or become drained 1; on a failure, the vaspertil gains 10 temporary Hit Points. Further failures increases the drained condition value by 1 on a failed save, to a maximum of drained 4. Proliferate 5 (morph, transmutation) Trigger The vaspertil takes slashing damage and has fewer than four arms; Effect The vaspertil grows a new arm from the wound. If Proliferate is triggered by vigorous acquisition, the new arms might resemble one of the targeted creature’s limbs. If the vaspertil ever reaches full Hit Points, all its wounds close and the proliferated arms fall dead to the ground, which additionally ends any ongoing benefits of vigorous acquisition. Vigorous Acquisition 2 (divination, necromancy, transmutation) Requirements The vaspertil has temporary hit points from drain life and is able to use Proliferate; Effect With a swift motion the vaspertil cuts into its own flesh, dealing 1d6 slashing damage. If the vaspertil successfully Proliferates from this slashing damage, the creature most recently drained by drain life must attempt a DC 26 Fortitude saving throw. Critical Success The target is unaffected and temporarily immune for 1 minute. Success Until the end of the its next turn, the vaspertil gains the benefit of one of the targeted creature’s feats, chosen by the GM, and the target loses the benefits of the acquired feat. The GM should typically choose a feat the vaspertil would be capable of using, a feat on which the target overrelies, or preferably both. Failure As success, but the vaspertil steals the benefits of two feats, and the effect lasts as long as the vaspertil has temporary Hit Points or until the end of the vaspertil’s next turn, whichever is longer. At the end of each of the vaspertil’s turns, starting from its next turn, the targeted creature can attempt a new saving throw against vigorous acquisition. Critical Failure As success, but the vaspertil steals the benefit of three feats and the effects persists for 1 minute. At the end of each of the vaspertil’s turns, starting from its next turn.

Vaspertil SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JULIAN RÖTH

‘TIL WE MEET AGAIN

Vaspertils consider their battles to be tests of their foes. Those able to defeat a vaspertil in fair combat earn its respect and a boon appropriate to vaspertil philosophy. They may be willing to join a quest that confronts an adventurer’s fears or provide information against abyssal threats. Vaspertils won’t fight people’s battles for them but are willing to help them supplement and overcome their weaknesses.

157

Vengewhisper SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY W. BRIAN LANE

GUESSING GAMES

Vengewhispers tell the truth when they assail a victim’s curiosity and can accidentally hint at the answers the victim tried to get out of its corpse. Whether by embarrassment or magical compulsion, guessing those answers often dismisses the vengewhisper.

158

Vengewhispers are departed spirits that haunt a spellcaster after a corpse critically succeeds against talking corpse or a similar effect. They might have died keeping a terrible secret, they might resent having their remains disturbed, or they might hold a specific vendetta against the spellcaster. Vengewhispers are also known to spawn after a cursed scroll of talking corpse is activated. A vengewhisper can defend itself when discovered, but most vengewhispers prefer to remain invisible to their victims and antagonize them throughout their search for knowledge. Nevertheless, occasionally a vengewhisper that’s cornered, desperate, or particularly enraged chooses to engage in battle instead of subtler torments, and they can be particularly troublesome foes.

VENGEWHISPER RARE

MEDIUM

INCORPOREAL

CREATURE 11 SPIRIT

UNDEAD

Perception +24;darkvision Languages Common, one language spoken by the triggering victim Skills Intimidation+26, Life Lore+23 (topics related to the creature’s life), Stealth+23 Str–4, Dex+5, Con+0, Int+3, Wis+5, Cha+7 Claim Victim 5 Trigger The vengewhisper’s corpse critically succeeds against talking corpse or a similar effect to access its memories. Effect The vengewhisper manifests adjacent to the spellcaster, appearing from any distance, under the effects of invisibility. The vengewhisper designates the spellcaster as its victim. The spellcaster remains designated as the vengewhisper’s victim until the vengewhisper is destroyed or the vengewhisper uses Claim Victim again. Haunt Victim Each day, the vengewhisper can choose one victim to haunt, in addition to any victim it maintains with its Claim Victim reaction. It must be observing a creature to choose that creature as its victim for the day. As long as the vengewhisper is within 60 feet of its victim and has line of effect, it takes the haunted victim twice as long to carry out exploration activities and they’re slowed 1 for their first turn after rolling initiative. If the haunted victim travels via a teleportation effect, the vengewhisper can choose to travel with them. AC 28; Fort +18, Ref +21, Will +24 HP 125,negative healing; Immunitiesdeath effects, disease, fear, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances all damage 10 (except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical) Assail Curiosity 5 (auditory, emotion, mental) Trigger The vengewhisper’s victim attempts to Recall Knowledge. Effect The vengewhisper surrounds its victim in whispers that speak terrifying truths. After resolving the effects of Recall Knowledge, the victim becomes frightened 1, or frightened 2 if the victim received two or more pieces of information (true or otherwise) from Recalling Knowledge. The victim can’t Recall Knowledge again while frightened in this way. Speed fly 25 feet Melee 1 whisper hand +22 (finesse, magical), Damage 2d10+12 force plus 2d6 sonic Occult Innate Spells DC 30, attack +22; 6thphantom pain (×3); 4th confusion, invisibility (at will, self only, unlimited duration), nightmare; Cantrips(6th)ghost sound, mage hand, telekinetic projectile Vengeance Surge 2 Requirements The vengewhisper is affected by invisibility. Effect The vengewhisper Dismisses invisibility, Flies up to twice its fly Speed, and makes a melee Strike against a victim. The victim is flat-footed against this Strike. Victim Strike 5 (emotion, fear, mental) Trigger The vengewhisper hits its victim with a whisper hand Strike. Effect The victim becomes frightened 1 (frightened 2 on a critical hit).

Vile Ascender

Vile ascenders are shadowy tricksters who offer tainted gifts that bring others under the vile ascender’s will. They are quick to practice their wiles on innocent travelers who venture past their dwellings, pretending to be solitary sages capable of bestowing powerful boons upon those who visit their homes. The more mischievous and enthusiastic vile ascenders actively seek out victims to bestow with their gifts, disguising themselves as gnomes to more easily approach a wider range of potential victims. Once a vile ascender afflicts a creature with its curse of ascendance, it typically flees, waiting for the target to succumb to its will. The eldest of these vile ascenders retains an entire army of such victims, sending them out into the world to accomplish their bidding. Although they are treacherous, some vile ascenders hire themselves out to powerful beings looking to conscript an army.

VILE ASCENDER RARE

MEDIUM

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY W. BRIAN LANE

GREED IS GOOD

Ironically, the most greedy travelers don’t succumb to vile ascenders. The curse of ascendance applies to those who accept their gifts, not to those who rob them of all their possessions.

CREATURE 10

FEY

Perception +19;low-light vision Languages Common, Gnomish, Sylvan; thrallspeech Skills Acrobatics +19, Crafting +22 (+25 to Craft an ascending gift), Deception +22 (+25 to Impersonate a gnome version of themself), Nature +19, Society +19, Stealth +22, Survival+19, Thievery +19 Str+5, Dex+7, Con+5, Int+4, Wis+7, Cha+5 Thrallspeech Whenever the vile ascender gains a thrall, it learns one language that the thrall speaks, typically the thrall’s most commonly used language. Items potion of expeditious retreat, +1 striking shortbow AC 29; Fort +17, Ref +19, Will +21 HP 230; Weaknessescold iron 10 Speed 30 feet Melee 1 claw +21 (agile, finesse, magical), Damage 2d12+11 slashing and ascending critical Melee 1 shortbow +23 (deadly d10, magical, range 60 feet), Damage 2d6+8 piercing Primal Innate Spells DC 29, attack +21; 5th locate (×2; thrall only); 4th darkness (×2), dimension door (×2); 3rd haste; 2nd entangle (at will); Cantrips(5th)acid splash, tanglefoot Rituals DC 29; geas (5th) Ascending Critical A creature critically hit by the vile ascender’s claw is exposed to curse of ascendance. Ascending Gift 2 (manipulate) The vile ascender draws and presents a wondrous gift to another creature. If the creature accepts the gift the vile ascender offers, they are exposed to curse of ascendance. Curse of Ascendance (curse, mental, primal, transmutation) A creature who fails to identify the vile ascender’s curse of ascendance believes that the curse of ascendance is a divine blessing, magical boon, or other beneficial effect. The curse ends if the vile ascender is slain, removing both the beneficial and detrimental effects. Saving Throw DC 29 Will; Stage 1 Whenever the target rolls initiative, they become quickened until the end of their first turn. They can use the extra action only to Strike or Stride (1 day); Stage 2 As Stage 1, and the target gains the ability to cast an innate spell chosen by the GM once per day, typically of a level up to half the victim’s level – 1. The spell is intended to tempt the victim and suit the victim’s interests (1 day); Stage 3 As Stage 2, and the victim can use the spell once per hour instead of once per day (1 day); Stage 4 As Stage 3, and the target becomes an NPC thrall controlled by the vile ascender (permanent). Sneak Attack The vile ascender deals 2d6 precision damage against flat-footed creatures. When a creature takes precision damage from a vile ascender, they are exposed to curse of ascendance. Wanderer’s Bane Vile ascenders know exactly how to take advantage of others when their targets are distracted by the environment. Creatures in difficult terrain are flat-footed to the vile ascender.

159

Wackadodo COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY TONY SAUNDERS

TRENDY DANCER

Dancing for wackadodos can distract them from blind aggression. Experts recommend keeping up with new trends as wackadodos enjoy studying and imitating dances they haven’t seen before. When witnessing familiar dances, they often interpret them as a message that usually causes them to either become friendly with the dancer or fly into a rage and attack the dancer. On the other hand, when witnessing a new dance, the dancer must be careful as well, as ending a new dance before the wackadodo has absorbed its nuances may cause the bird to bite the dancer to encourage the dance to continue.

160

Wackadodos are two-headed birds that fight via discombobulating movements and a strange disease they spread that gives their victims a growing urge to dance. They stand between 5 and 6 feet tall with elongated necks, stubby wings, and long legs that end in large talons. Uncharacteristically for avians, the bird has sharp teeth in its beaks. The species brandishes a large fan of feathers for a tail, consisting of many colors, which they use to engage in abnormal dances. These dances are a means of communication between wackadodos, but they also double as a way to attract prey. Sometimes, during a rare astrological event, many wackadodos engage in dancing together, but the meaning of this odd ritual is unknown.

WACKADODO UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

CREATURE 6 ANIMAL

Perception +14;low-light vision Skills Athletics +13 (+17 to High Jump or Long Jump), Deception +13, Intimidation +13, Performance+15 (+17 to dance), Stealth+13 Str+4, Dex+5, Con+2, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha+5 Duo Bird Brains Each of a wackadodo’s heads rolls their own initiative and has their own turn. Neither of the wackadodo’s heads can Delay. At the start of one of the wackadodo’s heads’ turns, that head gets 2 actions and 1 reaction. Either of the heads, or both, can move the wackadodo’s legs on any given turn. Any ability that would sever a wackadodo’s head (such as the vorpal weapon property) doesn’t cause the wackadodo to die as long as the wackadodo still has their other head intact, but it does cause the wackadodo to lose the turns, actions, and reactions that would ordinarily come from the severed head. Mental effects that can only target a single creature affect only one of the wackadodo’s heads, but not both. AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14; +2 vs. mental HP 140; Weaknessesfire 5 Speed 25 feet Melee 1 talon +14, Damage 2d12+8 slashing Melee 1 beak +14 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+8 piercing plus gyrating fever Awkward Dance 2 (emotion, incapacitation, mental, occult, visual) The wackadodo bobs its head while shaking its tail feathers and Strides up to half its speed. Each creature within 30 feet of the wackadodo at the end of their movement must attempt a DC 22 Will save. Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune to Awkward Dance for 24 hours. Success The creature is stupefied 1 for 1 round and is temporarily immune to Awkward Dance for 24 hours. Failure The creature is fascinated by the wackadodo, and it’s stupefied 2 as long as it’s fascinated. Hostile actions against the fascinated creature’s allies don’t end this fascination, though hostile actions against the fascinated creature itself ends the fascination for that creature. Critical Failure The creature is confused for 1d4 rounds. Once the confusion ends, the creature suffers the failure effects. Gyrating Fever (disease, incapacitation) Saving Throw DC 20 Fortitude; Stage 1 You can’t become temporarily immune to the wackadodo’s Awkward Dance (1 day); Stage 2 As Stage1, and you must spend the first action on each of your turns to use Perform to dance (1 day); Stage 3 As Stage 1, and you must spend the first two actions on each of your turns to use Perform to dance (1 day); Stage 4 dead Opportune Chomp 5 Trigger On one of the wackadodo heads’ initiative, the wackadodo ends its turn next to a fascinated enemy; Effect The other head makes a beak Strike against the triggering enemy.

Wandering Plague

The result of abhorrent occult experiments, the wandering plague is a predatory scourge that replicates itself by infecting living organisms with its festering touch. Once a living creature becomes host to the carnivorous disease borne by these creatures, its vitality degrades as it is slowly digested from within by the nascent wandering plague. Upon becoming fully grown, the entity bursts out of its former host, killing it, and burrows deep, seeking others of its kind. This interwoven mass of bloodstained fat and sinew is capable of ravaging entire nations if left unchecked. While most scholars believe the spread of this living sickness could indeed pose a grave threat, certain eldritch tomes suggest even grimmer connections, alluding to ancient beings dwelling at the edge of reality whose hunger is only rivaled by their callous, unrelenting cruelty.

WANDERING PLAGUE UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

MINDLESS

CREATURE 9 OOZE

Perception +11;motion sense 60 feet, plaguesense 60 feet, no vision Skills Athletics+22 Str+7, Dex–4, Con+6, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–5 Motion Sense A wandering plague can sense nearby creatures through vibration and air or water movement. Plaguehive (divination, occult) A wandering plague is preternaturally aware of others of its kind within 1 mile. Additionally, if at least two wandering plagues are within 100 feet of each other, they gain a +2 circ*mstance bonus to initiative checks and Perception checks. Plaguesense A wandering plague senses any creature infected with carnivorous plague, and it knows the current stage of any creature within range infected by that disease. AC 17; Fort +21, Ref +11, Will +13 HP 300; Immunitiescritical hits, disease, mental, negative, precision, unconscious, visual Virulent Nature A wandering plague targeted by remove disease takes 2d10 damage per spell level, with a basic Fortitude save against the caster’s spell DC. On a failure, the wandering plague is stunned 1. On a critical failure, the wandering plague is instead stunned 4. Speed 20 feet, burrow 20 feet Melee 1 pseudopod +20, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning plus 3d6 negative and carnivorous plague Carnivorous Plague (disease, virulent) Saving Throw Fortitude DC 28; Stage 1 sickened 1 (1 day); Stage 2 sickened 2 (1 day); Stage 3 sickened 2 and drained 1 (1 day); Stage 4 sickened 4 and drained 3 (1 day); Stage 5 as stage 4 (1 day); Stage 6 dead, and an independent wandering plague bursts from the corpse. Cannibalize Plague 1 (occult, transmutation) Requirements The wandering plague is adjacent to a creature afflicted by stage 2 or higher carnivorous plague, and the wandering plague is Large or smaller; Effect Reclaiming pieces of itself, the wandering plague makes a pseudopod Strike against the plagued creature. If the Strike hits, the creature’s carnivorous plague’s stage is reduced by one, and the wandering plague becomes Large for 1 minute, increasing its reach by 5 feet, and regaining 4d8+10 Hit Points. If the wandering plague is already Large due to a previous use of this ability, it instead becomes Huge for 1 minute. In that case, it increases its reach by 10 feet instead of 5, and regains 6d8+15 Hit Points instead of 4d8+10 Hit Points. Pestilent Assault 2 (necromancy, occult) Violently thrashing at its target, the wandering plague hastens the progress of its infectious reproduction by leaving behind loose lumps of its own flesh. The wandering plague Strides once, then makes a pseudopod Strike against a creature within its reach. On a hit, if the creature is already afflicted by carnivorous plague, it must attempt a Fortitude save against the disease as if enough time had passed for it to progress to its next stage. Engulf 2 DC 28, 2d8+6 negative plus carnivorous plague, Escape DC 28, Rupture 20

GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY GABRIEL M.S. SANTOS

IN REMISSION

When a wandering plague senses others of its kind being killed nearby, it may go into hibernation either underground or within a deep cave. During this time, it shrinks to a small size and slows down its metabolism to the point that most spells can’t detect its presence as a living creature. It can stay in this state nearly indefinitely, but will quickly spring back to full alertness if it comes into contact with a potential host, ready to begin its spread again.

161

Wannabe Knight COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JUSTIN CANDO

MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE

Some equipment goes further for wannabe knights than others. Knights welcome new armor but find their own pseudopods to be sufficient weaponry. Their greatest desire is a real horse, which frees their form to create longer weapons and extend their reach. The horse becomes the knight’s best friend, receiving doting care. Losing the steed is devastating, though, and many veteran wannabe knights never seek out a replacement as the pain of losing their original mount is simply too great to experience again.

162

Wannabe knights appear as regal knights clad in shining armor with a lance at their side. However, upon closer inspection, it has glistening black ooze creeping out of its armor. More jarring yet is the knight’s “steed,” which is composed of nothing more than the same black ooze that makes up its body. Wannabe knights are huge fans of tales of knights and chivalry, so they try to stick to the code that the knights of legend supposedly follow. Acting like a silent knight out of a storybook, wannabe knights value a fair fight and accept the challenge of battle to prove their skill. Far too often, a wannabe’s need for glory leads it to attack the actual heroes it encounters. Other times, a wannabe knight might pledge its sword to an entity that convinces it to serve and protect an area.

WANNABE KNIGHT UNCOMMON

MEDIUM

OOZE

CREATURE 13

Perception +23;motion sense 240 feet, no vision Languages Common, can’t speak Skills Athletics+27, Legend Lore+24, Society+22 Str+8, Dex+4, Con+6, Int+1, Wis+2, Cha+4 Items lesser sturdy shield Motion Sense A wannabe knight can sense nearby creatures through vibration and air or water movement. AC 33 (35 with shield raised); Fort +26, Ref +23, Will +20 HP 175; Immunitiescritical hits, precision, unconscious, visual effects Attack of Opportunity 5 Shield Block 5 Speed 20 feet Melee 1 lance pseudopod +27 (deadly 2d8, jousting 1d6, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d8+14 piercing Melee 1 bastard sword pseudopod +27 (two-hand 1d12), Damage 3d8+14 slashing Issue Challenge 3 (visual, mental) The wannabe knight points at a foe, usually the strongest looking creature it can see, issuing a challenge to single combat. That creature can choose whether to accept. If the creature denies the challenge, the wannabe knight wins by default. If the creature accepts, both it and the knight gain 50 temporary Hit Points, which only protect them from damage they each deal to the other. They can only attack each other for the duration of the challenge and if any ally assists the challenged opponent, the challenged opponent forfeits and loses. When either combatant reduces the other’s temporary Hit Points from Issue Challenge to 0, they are the victor and gain a +2 status bonus to attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks for 1 minute. Additionally if the wannabe knight wins, its opponent becomes frightened 2. Afterward, the challenged creature is temporarily immune for 1 month. Mount Up 2 The wannabe knight creates a growth that extends below it and out of its armor to form a mount, which typically resembles a featureless black horse whose shape is slightly off. While “mounted,” the wannabe knight’s size increases to Large, it gains a +20-foot circ*mstance bonus to its Speed, and it takes a –2 penalty to its AC. Pseudopod Weapons 1 (manipulate) The wannabe knight forms a pseudopod that appears to be a lance or bastard sword held in its hand. The weaponized pseudopod remains until it uses this action again to change its type or remove it. The wannabe knight’s pseudopods are limited to one at a time, and while wielding its shield, it can spare only one “hand” for the pseudopod weapons; this means it deals d8 damage from the bastard sword pseudopod and can only use the lance pseudopod when mounted via Mount Up with the jousting trait. Without the shield, it can deal d12 damage with the bastard sword pseudopod and use the lance pseudopod in both hands for its full damage. Whirlwind Charge 3 The wannabe knight Strides up to twice its Speed in a straight line and can make a Strike against each foe within its reach throughout the movement. These attacks increase its multiple attack penalty, but only after the Whirlwind Charge is complete.

War Tortoise

The problem of mobilizing siege equipment has long plagued armies. Carts are unwieldy and difficult to move over rough terrain, and horses are easily spooked. With careful breeding, desert-dwelling dwarves created an innovative new solution to those problems: an enormous, trained siege turtle known as a war tortoise. With a tough armored shell, a steady pace, stable footing, and a propensity for ramming things with their heads, war tortoises are perfect siege transports. Their shells are augmented with large decks, which can be outfitted with an array of siege weapons. Dwarven siege crews train for at least a decade in order to work in perfect tandem with each other and with their war tortoise. This coordination allows them to work together as a single team, similarly to a troop.

WAR TORTOISE RARE

HUGE

ANIMAL

CREATURE 8

Perception +13 Skills Athletics+21 Str+6, Dex+3, Con+6, Int–4, Wis+3, Cha+3 AC 27 (30 using Shell Defense); Fort +20, Ref +13, Will +13 HP 135 Speed 20 feet Melee 1 jaws +20 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d10+11 piercing plus Grab Melee 1 foot +20 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d6+11 bludgeoning Fire Cannons 3 (manipulate) The dwarven siege crew on the upper deck of the war tortoise’s shell ready, aim, and fire the war tortoise’s cannons, dealing 6d10 bludgeoning damage to all creatures in a 10-foot radius burst, which is centered within 200 feet of the war tortoise, with a DC 26 basic Reflex save. After Firing its Cannons, the war tortoise can’t Fire its Cannons again for 2 rounds, as it takes the dwarven siege crew 2 rounds of work to reload the cannons. If the war tortoise can’t act for its entire turn while the dwarven siege crew are reloading the cannons, the team are unable to reload the cannons on that turn, and so it takes 1 additional round before the war tortoise can Fire its Cannons again. Shell Defense 1 The war tortoise retracts its limbs and head safely into its shell, bringing its siege crew inside the shell along with it in order to protect them as well. The war tortoise then ends its turn. Retracting into its shell increases the war tortoise’s AC to 30, but the war tortoise can’t act while inside its shell except to reemerge, which it can do by spending a single action. Siege Crew A dwarven siege crew on a retractable deck atop the war tortoise’s shell allows the war tortoise to fire off its siege weapons, but they aren’t as sturdy as the tortoise itself. Once the tortoise is reduced to 60 Hit Points or lower, the crew perish, preventing the tortoise from using Fire Cannons. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Large, 2d12+6 bludgeoning, Rupture 20

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY MICHAEL VIETHS

ARMS RACE

Dwarves experimented with several animals before settling on the tortoise. One contender was the giant desert hare, whose swiftness brought it into contention. That project failed because they had a tendency to drop dead from fright when cannons were fired. Giant scorpions were effective, but siege crews were uneasy about having a massive stinger hanging over their heads. Rocs were too difficult to tame, and elephants were too easy for enemies to hit with return fire. Rumors persist about gargantuan golems that hold crews within their bodies, but military experts insist they are only fanciful tales.

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Whorl Ooze GOLD AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY DAVE BREITMAIER

A PRISON OF THE MIND

Adventurers have discovered villages where inhabitants seem to live in an alternate, terrifying reality. They don’t perceive outsiders and behave as though in an alcohol-induced daze. The subsequent discovery of whorl oozes in one of the buildings revealed the oozes had shattered the villagers’ minds, trapping them in a shared hallucination. Though their bodies had escaped the oozes, they’d left part of their psyches behind forever.

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Often found clustered around chemical spills in abandoned laboratories, whorl oozes are the spawn of alchemical experiments with mind-altering or moodenhancing potions gone terrifyingly wrong. While most oozes are disquieting to behold, perceiving a whorl ooze is a sensory nightmare. The ooze’s concentric swirling patterns defy and cloud visuospatial reasoning, causing onlookers to stumble about in disorientation. With a whorl ooze’s devastating pseudopod attack, the unluckiest victims experience the horror of their bodies gelatinizing before they turn into oozes themselves. Some who escape whorl oozes with their lives experience anosmia, persistent nausea, or the disturbing sensation of their bones turning to jelly. Stranger still, other survivors of particularly nasty encounters murmur about an underground war among alchemists, insisting that whorl oozes will be weaponized as pawns in a great coming battle. Only others who have beheld whorl oozes tend to believe these seemingly hallucinatory mutterings.

WHORL OOZE UNCOMMON

LARGE

CREATURE 10 ALCHEMICAL

MINDLESS

OOZE

Perception +15;motion sense 60 feet, no vision Skills Athletics+22 Str+7, Dex–4, Con+6, Int–5, Wis+1, Cha–5 Motion Sense A whorl ooze can sense nearby motion through vibration and air or water movement. AC 18; Fort +22, Ref +14, Will +16 HP 360; Immunitiescritical hits, mental, precision, unconscious, visual; Weaknessessonic 10 Extra Reaction A whorl ooze gains an extra reaction each round. It can only use this reaction to Spin Whorls. Spin Whorls 5 (mental, visual) Trigger A creature that the whorl ooze can sense makes a ranged attack targeting the whorl ooze; Effect The patterns and spirals on the whorl ooze begin to spin and rotate hypnotically, overloading the creature’s mind and distorting the creature’s spatial reasoning. The creature must attempt a DC 26 Will save. Success The creature is unaffected. Failure The creature takes 4d10 mental damage and is sickened 1. Critical Failure The creature takes 8d10 mental damage and is sickened 2, and the creature’s ranged attack automatically fails. Transfixing Display (aura, mental, visual) 10 feet. A creature that enters or begins its turn within the aura must succeed at a DC 26 Fortitude save or be sickened 1 and also dazzled for 1 round. Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the creature is temporarily immune to this ability for 24 hours. Speed 20 feet Melee 1 pseudopod +23 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 bludgeoning plus Grab and gelatinizing strike Gelatinizing Strike (polymorph, transmutation) When a whorl ooze critically succeeds at an attack against a creature, the creature liquefies into an ooze, as per the ooze form spell unless it succeeds at a DC 26 Fortitude save. Like the spell, this effect lasts for 1 minute, but each round, on the target’s turn, it must attempt a DC 26 Will save or it becomes confused for the remaining duration of the transformation. While confused, the target doesn’t attack other oozes. Roll 1d4 to determine the battle form, with the following results. d4 Form 1 Black Pudding; 2 Gelatinous Cube; 3 Gray Ooze; 4 Ochre Jelly Mind Vice 1 (mental) Requirements The whorl ooze has a creature grabbed; Effect While grabbed, the whorl ooze can overwhelm the creature’s brain, dulling perception and dealing 2d12+9 mental damage, with a DC 26 basic Will save. On a critical failure, the creature is also stunned 1.

Wildcat Gorger

Wildcat gorgers, best known for their almost body-length mouths, are fearsome apex predators of the natural world. One of the larger species of big cats, they rely on brute strength to overwhelm prey, though they also excel at stalking and stealth. To hunt, wildcat gorgers first stalk their prey before pouncing to engulf them in their maw. Once they have caught a creature in this way, they hold it there until it is entirely digested, making it challenging to use their maw again unless they’re willing to lose their current meal. When outnumbered, they first isolate an enemy by swallowing them and then fend off any others with brute strength and vicious claw attacks. Though they usually avoid conflicts with bigger creatures, a confrontation is almost inevitable if such creatures remain in a wildcat gorger’s territory for any length of time. In these situations, wildcat gorgers usually rely on their strength and assault the creature with unrelenting physical force. The same applies to small groups of adventurers or people traveling within their territory. Wildcat gorgers are most commonly found in forests, grasslands, and mountains. They prefer more temperate climates, though they are not unheard of in colder areas. Their coats range from browns to grays depending on their environment, usually with darker stripes. Wildcat gorgers in forested or woodland areas tend to be brown, whereas those in more mountainous terrains tend to be grayer. Like tigers, wildcat gorgers are extremely territorial and often make their dens in caves. After establishing themselves in an area, they rarely leave other than to mate and generally remain there for the rest of their lives. This is partly due to their aggressive nature and unique way of feeding, which make any collaboration or sharing of meals difficult. Due to their aggressive and solitary natures, wildcat gorgers seldom mate. When they do, the mother raises the few cubs alone, and even then, only until they’re big enough to hold their own in the wild. Thus, often as early as four months old, the cubs have to survive on their own, contributing to their aggressive nature as a means of survival.

WILDCAT GORGER UNCOMMON

LARGE

COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY ERIN A. KESTON

DON’T TALK WITH YOUR MOUTH FULL

Wildcat gorgers share similar vocalizations to their smaller feline counterparts, meaning they are prone to hiss when surprised or yowl when faced with an unpleasant situation. Those who are unable to defeat a wildcat gorger may be able to use this tendency to their advantage if the feline swallows one of their companions. A jab at a foot or a leap onto its back can trigger involuntary cries that give the victim a better chance of escaping.

CREATURE 7 ANIMAL

Perception +15;low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 60 feet Skills Acrobatics+13, Athletics+18, Stealth+15 Str+6, Dex+3, Con+4, Int–4, Wis+2, Cha+0 AC 24; Fort +18, Ref +15, Will +12 HP 140 Speed 35 feet, climb 20 feet Melee 1 jaws +16, Damage 2d8+9 piercing plus Improved Grab Melee 1 claw +16 (agile), Damage 2d6+9 slashing plus Grab Pouncing Swallow 2 The wildcat gorger pounces, its large maw unfurling to envelop its victim. It Strides and makes a jaws Strike with its maw. On a success, if the creature is Medium or smaller, the wildcat gorger attempts to Swallow it Whole. If the wildcat gorger began this action hidden, it remains hidden until after this ability’s Strike. Sneak Attack The wildcat gorger deals 2d6 extra precision damage to flat-footed creatures. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Medium, 2d6+6 piercing plus 2d6 acid, Rupture 20. The wildcat gorger cannot Strike with its maw if it has a creature swallowed.

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Writer’s Block SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY KALEN H.M.

WRITER’S BLOCK VARIANTS

Some writer’s blocks may have additional abilities related to the contents of their writing, such as Forced Reading causing the frightened condition instead of flat-footed for a tale of horror.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

The worst outcome for dead writers is to become a ghost fixated on finishing their manuscript only to encounter the writer’s block they left behind. The two creatures typically deadlock and require a third party to decide who wins out, but on rare occasions they end up collaborating to produce a haunting new story.

Many writers dream of leaving their mark on the world with a work of such staggering genius that they will be remembered long after their time has passed, achieving a sort of immortality through their magnum opus. The pursuit of such a masterpiece, however, invariably comes at a dire price. Sleepless nights and failing health, the descent into a hermetic life, and profane deals with otherworldly entities are all frequently encountered themes in tales told of authors in pursuit of perfection. Upon confronting the realities of a life of such toil, many simply give up, finding meaning and happiness in other forms. However, some scribes, utterly fixated on their goal, keep a white-knuckled grip on their quills until their final breath yet still fail to deliver their timeless work, falling just short of greatness. While the ink on the final pages of these obsessive writers’ works quickly dry, the visceral force of their drive to create lingers on. Their haunted manuscript becomes animated by a tangle of their remaining emotions: obsession, frustration, and regret, creating a newborn literary spirit that doesn’t contain any components of the author’s soul. While the author failed to create a manuscript, they’ve brought something else into the world. Some scholars have posited that powerful fey intentionally create writer’s blocks in the First World in order to create lively sources of entertainment in particularly grand personal libraries or to pay tribute to deceased authors. In some cases, writer’s blocks have been found being used as macabre paperweights by infernal creatures with a penchant for irony.

WRITER’S BLOCK RARE

166

CN SMALL SPIRIT

CREATURE 5

Perception +9;darkvision Languages Common, Necril; tongues Skills Deception+13, Diplomacy+13, Intimidation+13, Performance+12, Society+13, Stealth+12 Str+3, Dex+5, Con+4, Int+4, Wis+5, Cha+5 AC 20; Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +14;+2 status to all saves vs. linguistic effects HP 75 Creative Plagiarism 5 (abjuration, mental, occult) Trigger A creature within 100 feet of the writer’s block Casts a Spell with a verbal component of a level no greater than half the writer’s block’s level rounded up (usually 3), a creature Activates an Item with a command component of a level no greater than the writer’s block’s (usually 5), or a creature of a level no greater than the writer’s block’s (usually 5) uses an action with the linguistic trait; Effect For 1 minute, the writer’s block can replicate the triggering effect a single time, as if it had Cast the Spell, Activated the Item, or taken the action or activity itself. This takes the normal required number of actions, but uses the same modifiers and DCs as the triggering effect. Pithy Retorts (enchantment, mental, occult) Whenever a creature uses a linguistic effect, such as Bon Mot or Demoralize, against the writer’s block, the creature’s degree of success is one step worse than it rolled. If the creature critically fails after this adjustment, their mind is filled with writer’s block, and they can’t use a linguistic ability for 1 minute. Speed 30 feet Melee 1 sharp edge +13 (finesse), Damage 2d8+7 slashing Ranged 1 ink spray +15 (mental, range 40 feet), Damage 2d6+5 mental plus 1d6 persistent mental and forced reading Occult Innate Spells DC 19; Constant (5th) tongues Forced Reading (enchantment, linguistic, mental, occult) The supernatural ink sprayed by a writer’s block shapes itself into passages of the author’s unfinished prose upon making contact with a creature. The writing is distracting: creatures suffering from the writer’s block’s persistent mental damage are flat-footed until they recover. Once per turn, an affected creature can make a DC 20 Society check to Decipher Writing as a single action to make a scathing critique of the writing. Succeeding on the check ends the persistent damage; on a critical success, the creature additionally becomes temporarily immune to the writer’s block’s mental damage for 1 hour, and the writer’s block becomes stunned 2. These critiques are not subject to the writer’s block’s pithy retorts ability.

Xotlxotl are hybrids of salamanders, toads, catfish, and roughly humanoid forms, created by more powerful aberrations long ago. They seek to emulate their creators by warping reality around themselves, forcing mutations upon their own flesh, and disappearing as foes approach. Variations in individual appearance are great, but xotlxotl all share some similar features. Standing fully upright, they reach around five feet tall, but their hunched posture makes them closer to four feet instead. External gill stalks around their scalps and barbels on their faces vary greatly in number and size between individuals. Their smooth skin is vibrant and riotous, typically with a main coloration of black, white, or pink but with starkly contrasting spots or stripes. It’s the combination of large, unblinking black eyes and a mouth that always seems to be smiling that is most endearing to some and off-putting to others. Fortunately, xotlxotl seem to have little interest in conflict with others. Travelers have reported being met with a cold and reserved attitude, but not hostility. They do, however, engage in a form of casual cruelty toward their own kind, or at least that’s how those who don’t know their ways would perceive it. To xotlxotl, bullying and abuse are normal. They know that in life only the strongest and fittest survive, and they push the ones they care about most to be the toughest and best they can be. Xotlxotl even expose their own clutches of eggs to poisons and alchemical wastes to weed out the weakest specimens before hatching. They prefer to keep strangers weak, and so they typically avoid conflict when possible unless they plan to finish their foes off. This makes developing friendships and diplomatic relations with xotlxotl a double-edged sword at best, since increasing closeness or intimacy leads to increased bullying. Though mutation is common among xotlxotl, most of these differences are cosmetic, but three bear special mention. The xotlxotl presented here has a sudden mutation based on a lesser juggernaut mutagen, but others might have mutations based on other lesser mutagens instead. Some choose to undergo an irreversible alchemical procedure that forces them to develop into a stronger, larger form but loses their aquatic prowess in the process. A small percentage of xotlxotl who live to old age experience a strange transformation. Rather than succumbing to frailty with age, they begin to grow and twist into stranger and more powerful forms, more akin to their elder god progenitors.

XOTLXOTL UNCOMMON

Xotlxotl COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JEFFREY ANDERSON

XOTLXOTL CHARACTERS

Xotlxotl who become interested in the outside world as a vector to explore their mutations can be strong allies, though they might put their companions through merciless challenges as a form of training and self-improvement. For rules of playing a xotlxotl PC, check out World of Battlezoo: Indigo Isles!

CREATURE 1 SMALL

ABERRATION

AMPHIBIOUS

XOTLXOTL

Perception +5;darkvision Languages Aklo, Aquan Skills Athletics+6, Nature+5, Occultism+6, Stealth+7, Survival+6 Str+2, Dex+3, Con+4, Int+2, Wis+2, Cha+3 Items Spear (×2) AC 15; Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +5 HP 16; Resistancesacid 2, poison 2 Perfect Healing Xotlxotl’s regrow lost limbs or organs in 1d4 days, and their wounds never leave scars. Vanish 5 Frequency Once per day; Trigger The xotlxotl is targeted with a Strike and can see the attacker; Effect The xotlxotl becomes invisible until the end of it’s next turn and Steps 10 feet. The invisibility occurs before resolving the Strike, but the movement happens afterward. The invisibility ends early if the xotlxotl takes a hostile action. Speed 25 feet, swim 15 feet Melee 1 spear +8, Damage 1d6+2 piercing Ranged 1 acidic spittle +9 (range 30 feet), Damage 1 acid plus 1d6 persistent acid Ranged 1 spear +9 (range increment 20 feet), Damage 1d6+2 piercing Sudden Mutation 1 Frequency Once per day; Effect The xotlxotl gains a +1 item bonus to Fortitude saves and 5 temporary Hit Points, but suffers a –2 penalty to Will saves, perception checks, and initiative rolls for 1 minute.

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Zakurak COPPER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY JAMESON KNOPP

DEVOTEE BENEFITS

Divine Ability: Strength or Charisma Divine Font: harm Divine Skill: Arcana Favored Weapon: dagger Domains: destruction, dreams, nightmare, wyrmkin Cleric Spells 1st: phantom pain, 2nd: illusory creature (dragonsonly), 5th: summon dragon Edicts: spread the dread of dragonkind, convince dragons to act as terrifying monsters, collect a hoard of terrifying stories, objects and deeds Anathema: slay or degrade dragons in view of those that fear them, improve the fearsome reputation of other creatures above that of dragons, offer comfort or assistance to the frightened and weak Follower Alignments: LE, NE, CE

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The sahkil tormentor Zakurak is the manifestation of mortals’ fear of dragons, as well as the terrifying draconic presence possessed by true dragons. A massive blend of dragon, skeleton, and arachnid, Zakurak often travels from the Ethereal Plane to the Dreamlands to infect the minds of ancient dragons, promising them power in exchange for spreading terror.

ZAKURAK UNIQUE

GARGANTUAN

CREATURE 24 FIEND

SAHKIL

Perception +42;darkvision, scent 120 feet; true seeing Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Requian; telepathy 200 feet Skills Acrobatics +39, Athletics +45, Deception +43, Dragon Lore +42, Intimidation +48, Nature+38, Occultism+39, Religion+40 Str+11, Dex+9, Con+12, Int+7, Wis+10, Cha+13 Easy to Call A sahkil’s level is considered 2 lower for the purpose of being conjured by the planar binding ritual (and potentially other rituals, at the GM’s discretion), but it is always free to attack or leave instead of negotiate unless the primary caster’s check is a critical success. AC 51; Fort +42, Ref +37, Will +38 HP 500; Immunitiesdeath effects, fear; Weaknessesgood 25 Attack of Opportunity 5 If a frightened creature triggers an attack of opportunity, Zakurak can make 2 claw Strikes against that creature instead of 1 Strike. Feed on Fear Zakurak regains 50 Hit Points at the start of their turn as long as any frightened creature is within 100 feet of them. Ferocity 5 Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 200 feet, DC 45 Mindcrushing Aura (aura, divine, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental) 10 feet, 2d6 evil damage and 4d6 mental damage (DC 45 basic Will save) Speed 60 feet, fly 200 feet Melee 1 jaws +44 (evil, magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 5d10+23 piercing plus 1d10 evil and Improved Grab Melee 1 claw +44 (agile, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 5d8+23 slashing Melee 1 tail +44 (magical, reach 25 feet, versatile B), Damage 5d10+23 piercing plus Improved Push Divine Innate Spells DC 48, attack +40; 10thsummon dragon (adult red dragon only); 9thsummon draconic legionSOM, summon dragon (adult blue dragon or adult green dragon only); 8thdispel magic (at will), divine aura; 7thtempest of shadesSOM, shadow raidSOM, warp mind; 6thspellwrack (×2); 3rdfear (at will); Constant (10th) true seeing Draconic Momentum Zakurak recharges their Breath Weapon whenever they critically hit with a Strike. Mindcrushing Breath 2 (divine, enchantment, evil) Zakurak breathes a blast of concentrated fear energy that deals 12d12 mental and 4d12 evil damage in a 60-foot cone (DC 48 basic Will save). They can’t use Mindcrushing Breath again for 1d4 rounds. Skip Between 1 (conjuration, divine, teleportation) The sahkil moves from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane or vice-versa, with the effects of ethereal jaunt except that the effect has an unlimited duration and can be Dismissed. A summoned sahkil can’t use Skip Between. Snatch Between When using Skip Between, Zakurak can bring along any creatures they have grabbed. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) Huge, 4d12+12 bludgeoning plus 1d8 evil, Rupture 44 Unsettled Mind Any creature affected by any of Zakurak’s mental spells or abilities becomes stupefied 3 for the duration of that effect and for 1d4 rounds thereafter.

Zweiblade Guardian

Created to defend against one or many intruders, zweiblade guardians are powerful, imposing constructs that can split apart into two when necessary. Their deadly whirling blades are capable of cutting down solitary foes, and their resilient outer shell inures them from most serious harm. The true terror one feels when facing these constructs comes when they take enough damage, or when a lucky hit shatters their protective exoskeletons. Without the outer layer binding the interior together, the zweiblade guardian is free to move at full speed, and the truth of its construction is revealed: one animating spark controls two separate bodies. The guardians take full advantage of their newfound duality, immediately transitioning to flanking tactics or dividing their attention between priority targets. Though each half only has one arm, those arms are more than powerful enough to make a split guardian a dangerous foe. However, the expensive repairs necessary after a split make zweiblade guardians a relatively unpopular choice, reserved primarily for rich eccentrics.

ZWEIBLADE GUARDIAN N

LARGE

CONSTRUCT

SILVER AWARD RPG SUPERSTAR 2021 BY NICHOLAS POTTER

TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORY

The zweiblade guardian’s inventor claimed the kitsune as inspiration, citing their two forms within one body. Little else is known about the inventor due to a lack of other notable creations, leading to speculation that they were a charlatan covering for shoddy construction that caused their regular constructs to split in two.

CREATURE 9

MINDLESS

Perception +18 Skills Acrobatics+23, Athletics+20, Intimidation+18 Str+4, Dex+7, Con+6, Int–5, Wis+0, Cha–5 Twin Body When a zweiblade guardian’s construct armor is broken, its body splits down the middle, with each half left with a pair of legs but only one arm. In this form, the guardian has two different spaces; each half is a Medium creature. The two halves share a pool of Hit Points and actions per turn, as well as their multiple attack penalty. The zweiblade guardian is quickened 1 when split, and can use the extra action to Stride, Step, or Strike. If both halves have to save against the same effect, it rolls the save twice and uses the worse result. If both halves take damage from the same effect, they take damage only once, taking the greater amount if the damage isn’t the same. The two halves of a split guardian can’t stay far apart for long. If the two halves remain separated by over 60 feet for more than 1 minute, one half (randomly determined) permanently loses its animating spark, and the remaining half remains active. AC 30,(26 when broken); construct armor; Fort +18, Ref +21, Will +15 HP 135;Hardness 10; Immunitiesbleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious Attack of Opportunity 5 Construct Armor Like normal objects, a zweiblade guardian has Hardness. This Hardness reduces any damage the guardian takes by an amount equal to the Hardness. Once a zweiblade guardian is reduced to fewer than half its Hit Points, or immediately upon being damaged by a critical hit, its construct armor breaks, removing the Hardness and reducing its Armor Class to 26. Speed 20 feet; 35 feet when construct armor is broken Melee 1 stone blade +21 (agile, finesse, versatile B), Damage 2d10+8 slashing Ranged 1 blade projection +21 (range increment 20 feet), Damage 2d6+6 piercing Double Slice 2 Requirements The zweiblade guardian’s construct armor isn’t broken; Effect The zweiblade guardian lashes out at its foe with both blades. It makes two Strikes, one with each of its stone blades, each using its current multiple attack penalty. Both Strikes must have the same target. If both attacks hit, combine their damage, and then add any other applicable effects from both weapons. Add any precision damage only once, to the attack of your choice. Combine the damage from both Strikes and apply resistances and weaknesses only once. This counts as two attacks when calculating its multiple attack penalty.

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Monster Parts As I wrapped my tentacle around the spore, the larger fungus rushed past Krueger and grabbed me with its own tendrils. I suppose that was only fair. Unfortunately for my mycelial adversary, I imbued my ensemble with magical spikes. In fact, I thought they would be perfect for situations just like this one. I activated my imbued spikes immediately, causing them to jut out every which way. The creature let out a strange scream, somehow both strangled and squishy... —Xan, Aberrant Soul

The Monster Parts system allows PCs to upgrade weapons and armor using pieces from foes they defeat. It is a perfect fit for adventures that take place far from civilization, where the PCs need to scrounge and forage for all the gear they need. However, the aesthetics of using the parts of defeated monsters to improve and customize gear can be exciting and rewarding for PCs in all sorts of campaigns. Monster parts can replace some or even all of the standard rewards that PCs would receive, depending upon what works best for your group. With this system, PCs can gather parts from monsters they defeat and use them to upgrade weapons, armor, and even skill items. The upgrades come in two major types—refinement improves the fundamental abilities of the item, and imbuing adds increasingly powerful special properties, which can sometimes branch along multiple paths. As weapons and armor become more refined, they can eventually be imbued multiple times, becoming truly fearsome armaments. In order to achieve these upgrades, the PCs need to defeat monsters with parts that meet the requirements for the refinement or imbuing. If you’re a player, your next step is to check out the Quick Start Guide for PCs on the next two pages, which will let you know what you need to do to use the new system. In the end it’s pretty simple: you kill monsters and use their parts to first create and then upgrade your weapons, armor, and gear, but as with all new things, it can take a little while to get used to the new way of handling treasure. Next, you might want to check out some of the benefits you can gain on your items by refining or imbuing them, so you can start planning the paths you’ll take and potentially aiming to kill specific types of monsters that provide the parts you’ll need. You can enhance your game further with the backgrounds, items, and especially the innovative archetypes at the end of the chapter, which allow a character to learn spells and special abilities from the monsters they defeat in battle. If you’re a GM, you can start instead with the Quick Start Guide for GMs on page 174. You’ll need to make a few quick decisions on how you want to use the new system, which you can figure out together with the group. Don’t worry, all the math and extra work has been calculated for you, so once you know what you want to do, you’ll find a comprehensive set of tables that do the work for you when it comes to figuring out how much value of monster parts to give the PCs so that they can create awesome new items out of monster parts. If you’re midway through your campaign and want to convert midstream, there’s also advice for how to swap over to the new system quickly and easily with the minimum amount of friction and time spent updating characters, so you can get right to the action. There are even extra sidebars throughout the section with all sorts of additional tweaks and tips, as well as ways to combine these rules with other variants like automatic bonus progression and relics. The only limit is your own imagination!

SECTION SUMMARIES

Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual’s Monster Parts chapter has seven sections, each detailing a variety of ways you can use parts from monsters to enrich your game. The first six sections are all connected to a brand new system to upgrade your equipment using monster parts, while the final section offers a new way to use monster parts. Quick Start Guide for PCs (page 172): This section is a fast and easy way to learn what you need to know to use the new system for upgrading your PC with monster parts. Quick Start Guide for GMs (page 174): This section is a quick guide to the choices you need to make as the GM and how to implement the rules for upgrading with monster parts in your game. The Three Variants (page 176): This section explains the three different versions of the new system you can use depending on how big a role you want monster parts to play in your game. Gathering Ingredients (page 178): This section outlines how to gather ingredients from monsters in order to use them to upgrade your items. Refining (page 182): This section covers the most basic way you use monster parts to upgrade your items, refining them to increase their basic attributes. Imbuing (page 188): This section covers the more advanced way to upgrade items with monster parts by imbuing the item with special powers related to the monsters’ abilities. Strange & Unusual Character Options (page 198): This section presents new backgrounds and an archetype with connections to bizarre entities or knowledge.

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Quick Start Guide for PCs

If your character is using the Monster Parts system from this book, you can use the following steps to create awesome items for yourself and your teammates out of monster parts.

Step 1: Slay Monsters

This part works like normal. Normally, you need to kill monsters before you can harvest their parts, though if your group is more peaceful, you might be able to find monster parts as quest rewards, or even unlock the powerful magical effects of monster parts freely given.

Step 2: Gather Ingredients

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Next, you gather ingredients from the monsters you defeated. The GM will tell you how much value the monster parts have as well as their Bulk. To prevent you from having to carry a lot of materials and keep track of them all, you might want to consider using them right away, but if not, you can hold onto them as long as you want. For more information, see Gathering Ingredients on page 178. If you have plenty of downtime, you can try to get a higher total value of monster parts from a monster’s corpse. For more information, see Gathering More From Monsters on page 181.

Step 3: Refine Item

Refining an item with monster parts is the first step towards creating an awesome custom item with the parts you’ve found. During this step, you can either create the base mundane item from scratch by providing monster parts equal to its Price, or you can start with an existing mundane item. Once you’ve chosen the item, refine it to make it more powerful, using as many monster parts as you like, as long as they meet the item’s refining requirements. For instance, you can refine a sword out of parts from a monster that had slashing or piercing unarmed attacks. As you reach certain threshold values while refining, your item will level up, increasing its item level and potentially gaining more benefits. You can’t refine an item higher than your own level. For more information, see Refining on page 182, and for an example, see Example of Refining on page 187.

Step 4: Imbue Item

Imbuing an item is where the item starts getting really interesting. As you continue to refine your item, the item eventually gains the capacity to be imbued with special imbued properties. A few types of items can even eventually be imbued multiple times. Just like refining, you can imbue an item by using monster parts that meet the imbued property’s requirements. For instance, if you want to imbue an item with fire, you’ll need parts from a fire monster or a monster with fire abilities. Just like with refining, as you reach certain thresholds, the imbued property will level up, potentially granting increased benefits. You can’t imbue a property on an item to be higher level than the item’s own level. For more information, see Imbuing on page 188, and for an example, see Example of Imbuing on page 189.

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Quick Start Guide for GMs

If you’re a GM and you want to start using the Monster Parts system from this book, you can use the following steps to get your group started in no time!

Step 1: Choose a Variant

To ensure that this system works great for any group that wants to upgrade items with monster parts, the system includes three variants that vary depending on how heavily your group relies on this system compared to the magic item system in the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. Start by talking to your players to gauge interest and choosing the variant that’s right for you. For more information, see The Three Variants on page 176.

Step 2: Determine Monster Parts as Treasure

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Once you know which variant you’re using, you can start giving your PCs monster parts as treasure. It’s most accurate to use Table 1A, 1B, or 1C (depending on which variant you choose) to plan out monster part drops per level. You can also use Table 2A, 2B, or 2C to determine the value of parts that a given monster grants the PCs; this method is much more flexible and perfect for a sandbox campaign, but depending on if the group fights mostly single strong monsters or many weak monsters, it might distort wealth over time. Thus, you might want to occasionally keep an eye out to be sure the PCs don’t have too much or too little. For more information, see Gathering Ingredients on page 178.

Step 3: Communicate With Your Players

Ask your players what sorts of items and imbued properties they want to create, and you can use that to help them guide the story towards opponents that meet the necessary requirements. For instance, if one of the PCs is interested in creating a weapon imbued with electricity, you could give them a rumor when they Gather Information about a dungeon haunted by electric monsters. If you want to see the requirements for refining and imbuing for yourself, you can check out Refining on page 182 and Imbuing on page 188.

Step 4: Play the Game

Now all that’s left is to play the game with the new system! As the PCs defeat monsters, the players will have their characters make decisions about how to use the parts they’ve found to upgrade their items. All you have to do is keep giving them more parts, using the appropriate tables to do so, and they’ll do the rest. Continue to keep in mind what sorts of refining and imbuing your PCs are interested in pursuing so that you can make sure they have a chance to find the right sorts of monsters to accomplish their goals.

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The Three Variants

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Whether your group wants to use this system to replace all magic items, add it alongside magic items with minimum disruption, or do something in between, this system provides both guidelines and specific tables to make introducing monster parts as seamless as possible. Full Variant: With this option, the GM replaces all or nearly all wealth with this subsystem. Light Variant: With this option, the GM replaces only currency with this subsystem. Other magic items still exist, even weapons and armor upgraded with runes, as presented in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. This is easy to apply and has the flexibility of using plenty of magic items from other sources, but the disadvantage is that there won’t be enough ingredients for more than a few items in the party to be built using this subsystem without falling behind in item levels. So the party will likely have only a few refined items total, most likely with only moderate levels of imbuing. Alternatively, the GM can simply add the Light variant without removing other rewards. This produces PCs that are a little more powerful in terms of gear than expected. Hybrid Variant: This option is halfway between the other two; the GM replaces about half of permanent items, as well as currency, with this subsystem while keeping the rest, as well as all consumables. Because this

variant replaces half but not all the permanent items, this is the most difficult variant for a GM to apply to a pre-published adventure. However, it provides enough materials for the party to have an assortment of refined items while maintaining permanent and consumable magic items.

Identifying Monster Part Items

Items made of monster parts gain a magic of their own and can be identified just like other magic items can. However, since this system deemphasizes the benefits of the Crafting skill, you might consider allowing the Crafting skill to identify all items built using the system, as a character with deep knowledge of the process of crafting and the use of different crafting components from various creatures might be able to use that to identify the effect of the finished product. This removes much of the value of the Crafter’s Appraisal skill feat from the Advanced Player’s Guide, but it nonetheless could be a useful tweak to add more value to the Crafting skill in a game using the Monster Parts system, especially the full variant.

Investing Monster Part Items

Worn monster part items are invested in exactly the same way as any other invested item, and follow the same investiture limit of 10 invested items.

Naming Monster Part Items

This new system gives your group incredible flexibility for advancing your items in various ways, but as a result, there’s more information you might need to know about an item than normal, as you and your players track the item’s refining level and various imbued property levels. When necessary, you can indicate the level of the weapon’s various features in parentheses. For example, a +3 major striking fire might (16) fire magic (18) cold technique (20) longsword (20) is a magical longsword that has been refined to level 20 and has three imbued properties, fire might at level 16, fire magic at level 18, and cold technique at level 20. Most times you can abbreviate this name or even just use a fanciful name based on the monsters whose parts you used to refine and imbue the item, such as “Blade of the Dueling Frostflame Dragons.”

Converting Your Game

As you read these new rules, you might be in the middle of an ongoing campaign but excited to start using monster parts in your game right away. These tips will help you convert your game to the new system with minimum fuss.

LIGHT VARIANT

You might not need to do anything at all to convert to the light variant, since this variant assumes that only a few items are made of monster parts. Most likely, take the player or players most interested in having a monster part item or two aside and see if you want to convert any of their items using the tips from hybrid and full variants.

HYBRID OR FULL VARIANT

In the hybrid variant, many of the party’s weapons, armor, shields, Perception items, and skill items will be using the new system, though perhaps not all. In the full variant, they all use the new system. In hybrid, it’s easiest to try to convert whichever of those you can first and leave behind the items that are most obviously steeped in the base magic item system, such as specific magic items. In full variant, convert everything to a similar item. Here are some best practices for converting items. When converting a skill or Perception item, check to see if there’s a refined and imbued version that works for you and convert to the nearest equivalent item. If not, and if you’re using the hybrid variant, you can always keep the old item. For example, a +1 shadow leather armor could be converted into a +1 leather armor (5) and a +1 Stealth skill item (3). When converting a shield, use the same process.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS The following terms are used throughout this chapter, presented here so you can quickly look up their definitions without having to flip later in the chapter to their appropriate sections. Full Variant The variant of the monster part crafting system where crafting with monster parts is the only form of itemization. Gathering The process of collecting monster parts from the enemies you defeat. Hybrid Variant The variant in between the full variant and the light variant where crafting with monster parts represents a significant chunk of all itemization, but there are still plenty of other items as well. Imbued Property A special benefit you add to an item, such as extra fire damage or the ability to cast a magic spell. Imbuing The process of adding and improving imbued properties on items crafted from monster parts. Light Variant The variant of the monster part crafting system where only a small amount of itemization depends on crafting with monster parts, perfect for replacing the loose coin treasure in a campaign without access to shops. Monster Parts A new currency gathered from defeated monsters and used to refine and imbue items. Refinement Benefit A fundamental benefit gained by an item when the item is refined to a certain level, akin to fundamental runes. One refinement benefit is the ability to imbue the item with one or more imbued properties. Refining The process of creating an item out of monster parts and improving an item’s fundamental properties by using more and more powerful monster parts. Refining an item raises its level and grants refinement benefits based on the type of item. Salvaging The process of taking apart an item made from monster parts to recover some of the component parts. Transferring The process of transferring monster parts from one refined item to another, granting the transferred benefits to the new item instead.

Sturdy shields are simple to convert over, but you might not be able to convert over a special shield exactly, so in the hybrid variant you can just keep that shield. For weapons and armor, you should be able to convert fundamental runes to refining levels pretty easily. Many of the most popular weapon runes have a might path that does something similar, such as fire might working roughly similarly to flaming. For armor runes, there are fewer imbued properties to choose from, and the armor runes that grant skill bonuses you can just replace with a skill item, opening up two possible slots for imbued properties. If the PCs have a precious material item or a specific weapon like a staff or a flame tongue, consider leaving them as-is in the hybrid variant or else using the sidebar on page 184 for the precious materials. You might even allow a specific item to be refined, but it should never be given imbued properties, and the refining level should not alter or adjust the effects of the specific item in any way.

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Gathering Ingredients

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The first step in upgrading weapons with monster parts is gathering suitable parts. After a battle, the PCs can spend 10 minutes gathering the monsters’ parts (a PC can instead take their time to gain a greater value of parts, see Gathering More from Monsters on page 181). The time it takes to gather normally does not depend on how big or numerous the monsters were, though the GM might determine that a battle with particularly enormous or numerous monsters require multiple 10 minute increments to gather all the parts. Gathering parts automatically succeeds without a check. Monster parts vary in Bulk based on the original monster, but they generally tend to be extremely bulky. While the Bulk is at the GM’s discretion, typical Bulk values are light Bulk for the parts of a Small creature, 1 Bulk for Medium, 2 Bulk for Large, 4 Bulk for Huge, and 8 Bulk for Gargantuan. As such, it is usually a good idea for PCs to use the parts quickly to upgrade their items via refining and imbuing. While many monster parts are gathered by harvesting them directly from monsters, most campaigns will include opponents that are not sources of parts (such as human foes). These foes might instead carry refined items that the PCs can break down for useful parts for their own equipment, or even unrefined monster parts. The PCs can keep track of monster parts by their value,

as well as the monster that provided them (for instance, “12 gp of giant crab parts”). This represents a variety of parts from those creatures, and the PCs can split the value of parts as needed. For instance, if the PCs used 10 gp of those giant crab parts to refine a weapon, they would have 2 gp of giant crab parts remaining. It’s recommended that the PCs be allowed to allocate and spend monster parts shortly after earning them, to avoid needing to drag along bulky materials and keep track of a large list of parts from different creatures and values (see Refining below for a discussion on how to allocate these quickly). As the GM, you determine the value of the monster parts the PCs find. To determine how much value in monster parts, as well as other treasure, PCs should be earning over the course of a level, use the appropriate Party Treasure by Level table: Table 1A for the Light variant, Table 1B for the Hybrid variant, or Table 1C for the Full variant. These tables replace the Table 10-9: Party Treasure table of the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. For GMs looking to select treasure for a single encounter, use the tables of monster parts per monster: Table 2A for the Light variant, Table 2B for the Hybrid Variant, or Table 2C for the Full variant. These tables work on the same encounter building assumptions used in the Pathfinder Second Edition Gamemastery Guide Treasure by Encounter

table. This means they provide approximately the right amount of monster parts for the level if the GM uses about 640 XP worth of monsters that grant monster parts, with the rest of the XP from hazards and achievements and the rest of the wealth from “Extra Treasure” (as indicated in the final column in the Gamemastery Guide’s table) found in caches, treasure chests, and other such locations. The GM can supply some or all of the Extra Treasure in the form of monster parts given as rewards for the PCs’ accomplishments. In the Full variant, if the GM wants to have more monster battles than normal for each level, she can just use 800 XP worth of monsters instead of giving Extra Treasure (with the rest of the XP from hazards and achievements). GMs can also use the monster parts per monster table to adjust a prepublished adventure to use this system. Simply add the listed monster parts by level for each opponent, and then subtract the appropriate amount of other treasure elsewhere (just currency for Light, coin and half the permanent items for Hybrid, and everything for Full). Because treasure doesn’t vary at exactly the same rate as experience, it is possible that if your group’s encounters are particularly skewed towards single opponents above the party’s level or many weak opponents; these situations might wind up giving a value of monster parts that is above or below expectations. This is especially true with very low level monsters and with monsters levels 17 through 20, the values for low level monsters have been adjusted slightly to reduce this effect. Because of these factors, the tables for monster parts over the course of an entire level (Tables 1A through 1C) more accurately represent an appropriate amount of treasure than the monster parts value per monster tables (Tables 2A through 2C). However, the parts per monster tables are easier and more convenient to use when building encounters; GMs can use either or both

TABLE 1A: PARTY TREASURE BY LEVEL (LIGHT VARIANT) Level Total Value 1 175 gp 2 300 gp 3 500 gp 4 860 gp 5 1,350 gp 6 2,000 gp 7 2,900 gp 8 4,000 gp 9 5,700 gp 10 8,000 gp 11 11,500 gp 12 16,500 gp 13 25,000 gp 14 36,500 gp 15 54,500 gp 16 82,500 gp 17 128,000 gp 18 208,000 gp 19 355,000 gp 20 490,000 gp

Permanent Items (By Item Level) 2nd: 2, 1st: 2 3rd: 2, 2nd: 2 4th: 2, 3rd: 2 5th: 2, 4th: 2 6th: 2, 5th: 2 7th: 2, 6th: 2 8th: 2, 7th: 2 9th: 2, 8th: 2 10th: 2, 9th: 2 11th: 2, 10th: 2 12th: 2, 11th: 2 13th: 2, 12th: 2 14th: 2, 13th: 2 15th: 2, 14th: 2 16th: 2, 15th: 2 17th: 2, 16th: 2 18th: 2, 17th: 2 19th: 2, 18th: 2 20th: 2, 19th: 2 20th: 4

WHAT MAKES A MONSTER? This system works no matter how you define a monster, but, in most cases, PC ancestries like humans, elves, or orcs aren’t a source for parts, except among evil groups that might wear leather armor made of tanned human skin and the like. Similarly, while killing an angel for parts would work following these rules, most groups would likely balk at murdering a being of pure good. When it comes to a diplomatic solution, an angel or other creature the PCs befriend might be willing to offer some shed feathers, scales, or so on to use in item crafting. The way magic works, an angel’s feather freely given to a worthy ally after a quest might have as much potential for crafting as many feathers as those taken from the corpse of a murdered angel. Since the system only measures the value of the parts and not the volume, you are free to make the decisions that work for your situation. sets of tables to suit their style of running games. For example, a group of 4 level 10 PCs using the full variant just defeated a level 13 purple worm. According to Table 1C, the GM should give out a total of 8,000 gp of monster parts for level 10 PCs, and the purple worm was worth 120 XP, representing a little over 1/5 of the total XP of monsters the party will face at this level, so the GM decides to give the PCs 1,750 gp worth of monster parts. If the GM needed an answer quickly and hadn’t planned out the treasure for the entire level, they could instead use Table 2C, which says to give out 1,560 gp worth of monster parts since the monster was level 13.

Consumables (By Item Level) 2nd: 2, 1st: 3 3rd: 2, 2nd: 2, 1st: 2 4th: 2, 3rd: 2, 2nd: 2 5th: 2, 4th: 2, 3rd: 2 6th: 2, 5th: 2, 4th: 2 7th: 2, 6th: 2, 5th: 2 8th: 2, 7th: 2, 6th: 2 9th: 2, 8th: 2, 7th: 2 10th: 2, 9th: 2, 8th: 2 11th: 2, 10th: 2, 9th: 2 12th: 2, 11th: 2, 10th: 2 13th: 2, 12th: 2, 11th: 2 14th: 2, 13th: 2, 12th: 2 15th: 2, 14th: 2, 13th: 2 16th: 2, 15th: 2, 14th: 2 17th: 2, 16th: 2, 15th: 2 18th: 2, 17th: 2, 16th: 2 19th: 2, 18th: 2, 17th: 2 20th: 2, 19th: 2, 18th: 2 20th: 4, 19th: 2

Monster Parts (Value) 40 gp 70 gp 120 gp 200 gp 320 gp 500 gp 720 gp 1,000 gp 1,400 gp 2,000 gp 2,800 gp 4,000 gp 6,000 gp 9,000 gp 13,000 gp 20,000 gp 30,000 gp 48,000 gp 80,000 gp 140,000 gp

Monster Parts per Additional PC (Value) 10 gp 18 gp 30 gp 50 gp 80 gp 125 gp 180 gp 250 gp 350 gp 500 gp 700 gp 1,000 gp 1,500 gp 2,250 gp 3,250 gp 5,000 gp 7,500 gp 12,000 gp 20,000 gp 35,000 gp

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TABLE 1B: PARTY TREASURE BY LEVEL (HYBRID VARIANT) Level Total Value 1 175 gp 2 300 gp 3 500 gp 4 860 gp 5 1,350 gp 6 2,000 gp 7 2,900 gp 8 4,000 gp 9 5,700 gp 10 8,000 gp 11 11,500 gp 12 16,500 gp 13 25,000 gp 14 36,500 gp 15 54,500 gp 16 82,500 gp 17 128,000 gp 18 208,000 gp 19 355,000 gp 20 490,000 gp

Permanent Items (By Item Level) 2nd: 1, 1st: 1 3rd: 1, 2nd: 1 4th: 1, 3rd: 1 5th: 1, 4th: 1 6th: 1, 5th: 1 7th: 1, 6th: 1 8th: 1, 7th: 1 9th: 1, 8th: 1 10th: 1, 9th: 1 11th: 1, 10th: 1 12th: 1, 11th: 1 13th: 1, 12th: 1 14th: 1, 13th: 1 15th: 1, 14th: 1 16th: 1, 15th: 1 17th: 1, 16th: 1 18th: 1, 17th: 1 19th: 1, 18th: 1 20th: 1, 19th: 1 20th: 2

TABLE 1C: PARTY TREASURE BY LEVEL (FULL VARIANT) Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

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Monster Parts (Value) 175 gp 300 gp 500 gp 860 gp 1,350 gp 2,000 gp 2,900 gp 4,000 gp 5,700 gp 8,000 gp 11,500 gp 16,500 gp 25,000 gp 36,500 gp 54,500 gp 82,500 gp 128,000 gp 208,000 gp 355,000 gp 490,000 gp

Monster Parts per Additional PC (Value) 45 gp 75 gp 125 gp 215 gp 340 gp 500 gp 725 gp 1,000 gp 1,425 gp 2,000 gp 2,875 gp 4,125 gp 6,250 gp 9,125 gp 13,625 gp 20,625 gp 32,000 gp 52,000 gp 88,750 gp 122,500 gp

Monster Parts (Value) 95 gp 165 gp 280 gp 460 gp 730 gp 1,110 gp 1,580 gp 2,200 gp 3,100 gp 4,400 gp 6,200 gp 9,000 gp 13,500 gp 20,000 gp 29,500 gp 45,000 gp 69,000 gp 112,000 gp 190,000 gp 280,000 gp

Monster Parts per Additional PC (Value) 24 gp 40 gp 70 gp 115 gp 180 gp 275 gp 400 gp 550 gp 775 gp 1,100 gp 1,550 gp 2,250 gp 3,375 gp 5,000 gp 7,375 gp 10,250 gp 17,250 gp 28,000 gp 47,500 gp 70,000 gp

TABLE 2A: MONSTER PARTS GAINED PER MONSTER (LIGHT VARIANT)

Creature Level -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Monster Parts (Value) 1.5 gp 2.25 gp 3.5 gp 5 gp 7 gp 12 gp 18 gp 30 gp 45 gp 64 gp 90 gp 125 gp 175 gp 250 gp 375 gp 560 gp 810 gp 1,250 gp 1,875 gp 3,000 gp 5,000 gp 8,750 gp 10,000 gp 17,500 gp 20,000 gp 35,000 gp 40,000 gp

TABLE 2B: MONSTER PARTS GAINED PER MONSTER (HYBRID VARIANT)

TABLE 2C: MONSTER PARTS GAINED PER MONSTER (FULL VARIANT)

GATHERING MORE FROM MONSTERS

HAUNTS AND HAZARDS

Creature Level -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Monster Parts (Value) 3.5 gp 5 gp 7 gp 12 gp 18 gp 27 gp 45 gp 65 gp 100 gp 140 gp 200 gp 275 gp 390 gp 560 gp 840 gp 1,250 gp 1,850 gp 2,800 gp 4,300 gp 7,000 gp 12,000 gp 17,500 gp 24,000 gp 35,000 gp 48,000 gp 70,000 gp 96,000 gp

Regardless of the variant your group is using, a PC with an appropriate Lore skill (such as Dragon Lore when gathering dragon parts) can spend downtime carefully foraging from a monster corpse to increase the value of scavenged parts, using Earn Income with a task level equal to the monster’s level. On a critical failure, or once they have doubled the value of the monster parts, the PC has garnered everything they can from this monster’s corpse. A PC particularly interested in this task can also take the skill feat below.

MONSTER SCAVENGER GENERAL

SKILL

Creature Level -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Monster Parts (Value) 6.5 gp 9 gp 13 gp 22 gp 30 gp 50 gp 80 gp 125 gp 180 gp 250 gp 360 gp 500 gp 720 gp 1.030 gp 1,560 gp 2,300 gp 3,400 gp 5,150 gp 8,000 gp 13,000 gp 22,500 gp 30,000 gp 45,000 gp 60,000 gp 90,000 gp 120,000 gp 180,000 gp

PCs can also gather parts or residues from a hazard with a physical manifestation. You can use the value for a creature if it’s a complex hazard, or ¼ that value for a simple hazard.

FEAT 1

Prerequisites trained in Survival You are particularly adept at using every part of the creatures you defeat. You can use Survival to Earn Income scavenging monster parts. If you choose to use an appropriate Lore skill instead, you gain a +1 circ*mstance bonus to the check. The bonus increase to a +2 circ*mstance bonus if you’re a master in Survival.

TRADING MONSTER PARTS

Monster parts typically aren’t sold on the open market, and they sell for half of their listed value if selling them is possible. If a monster’s parts are inappropriate for any item the entire party wants to refine or imbue, the GM might allow the PCs to trade their findings with other adventurers for parts they can use.

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Refining

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The first step in creating an item out of monster parts is refining the item. At its most basic level, refining monster parts into an item allows you to create a mundane weapon, armor, or shield out of those parts, as well as the basis for an item that will become a Perception item or skill item, like goggles or an anklet. This costs the normal amount for an item of that type. For instance, it would take 1 gp worth of parts to make a longsword, so you could slay a bulette and build a longsword out of its claws with plenty of materials to spare. Beyond the basics, refining upgrades an item’s basic functionality and allows the item to be imbued with additional powers (See Imbuing on page 188). To refine an item, you first gather monster parts that meet the requirements listed in the item’s refining entry and combine them into the item. You can’t use this process on an item made from a particular material since you’re building and refining it out of monster parts, and you can’t use this process on a magic item. A refined shield normally uses the statistics for a steel shield. Because items refined from monster parts usually aren’t metal, they bypass a druid’s restriction against wearing metal armor and shields, which offers a small but noticeable improvement for druids’ survivability. If your group wishes to maintain the status quo for druids instead,

limit druids to a base armor that wouldn’t contain metal and have their shields use the Hardness, HP, and BT thresholds listed for bucklers. It’s recommended that GMs allow characters to assign monster parts to refine or imbue items as soon as they collect the monster parts and then gain the benefits of refining or imbuing during their next daily preparations without waiting to spend downtime. This keeps things simpler, allows for fast-paced games with plenty of monster part upgrades, and prevents the party from needing to track exactly which monster dropped which parts in what quantities over time. If the GM prefers, it can be part of the Craft activity using downtime instead. This choice makes a big difference in the value of Crafting in your game. For groups using the Craft activity, Crafting could become mandatory for multiple characters in the group to max out. By contrast, for groups using refinement during daily preparations, particularly those using the Full variant, Crafting is less valuable than it is in a normal game. Discuss with your group and make the decision that works best for the story and pacing you want to tell. If your party doesn’t decide to use the monster parts right after gathering, it’s good practice to record the type of monster the parts came from and their value (such as

45 gp worth of elite mimic parts). Later, when you wish to refine or imbue a part that requires a specific type of monster ability, you can always reference the monster to ensure the monster parts can be used for your item. While there’s no need to keep track of every monster that provided the parts you used to refine your items, you might want to consider noting particular powerful or memorable monsters whose parts you include in an item by changing the item’s name to incorporate the monster’s name, typically appended at the end. For instance, if you incorporated jabberwock parts in your greatsword, you might add “of the jabberwock” to the end of the item’s name, or if you incorporated ancient red dragon parts, you might add “of the crimson wyrm.”

REFINING DETAILS

The five main categories of items you can refine are weapons, armor, shields, Perception items, and skill items. You can refine an item with monster parts, causing the item’s value to increase. Refined items level up when the total value of monster parts used to refine them reaches set thresholds, and as you keep refining and leveling up your items, they grant additional benefits. Use Table 3A and Table 3B to determine the total value of monster parts needed to level up your items. Tables 4A through 4E list the benefits each type of item grants based upon its level. In addition to these specific benefits, increasing an item’s level also increases your options when imbuing the item (see page 188). You can’t refine an item to a level above your character’s level, but you can refine additional monster parts to an item to increase its value towards the next level. If you refine enough parts into an item in which your character level is the only limitation preventing it from leveling up, the item levels up as soon as your character does.

SALVAGING & TRANSFERRING

Sometimes you’ll come across refined items during your travels. When you do, you typically have a decision to make: do you salvage the item, or decide to keep it and refine it further? Salvaging an item deconstructs the item into monster parts that can be used for refining or imbuing. However, salvaging can retrieve parts worth at most 50% of the cost of the item’s refinement and imbued properties, similarly to selling an item but without the need to return to town and find a shop to use as an intermediary. For example, an axe with 100 gp of parts spent to refine it and 100 gp of parts spent to imbue a fire property has a total cost of 200 gp of parts. Salvaging would recover 100 gp of parts, 50 from each. These salvaged parts can be used for refinement or imbuing as normal. On the other hand, you might find an item and want to keep its refinement and imbued properties but transfer them to another item of the same type. For instance, a rogue might find a greatsword but want to transfer the refinement and imbue properties to a shortsword. To transfer the refinement value or the value of an imbued property

VARIANT: PERSONAL REFINING AND IMBUING Sometimes the story you want to tell is less about building items from monster parts and more about characters who are permanently changed by their adventures and the creatures they encounter. In some cases, this might be visceral and material, such as when a character eats monster parts to gain the monster’s power, but often the connection can be magical, emotional, or metaphysical. The undying hatred of the defeated demon lord or fey monarch or the love of the allied nymph queen or vampire count can both be powerful forces that change the character. In fact, these might be preferable to the narrative when it comes to determining rewards for nonviolent encounters. When using this variant, the characters themselves can be the target for refining and imbuing for unarmed attacks (instead of handwraps), unarmored defense (instead of explorer’s clothing), or for a skill item or Perception item (without the item). In that case, decide what part of the character’s body, mind, life force, or spirit is being refined or imbued, reduce the character’s limit on invested items by 1 (as if they were permanently investing an item), and then otherwise use the normal rules for refining and imbuing. For example, while playing with hybrid variant of monster parts, blessings from a mated pair of giant eagles might imbue the party ranger’s eyes with greater perception. The ranger would mark the investiture, the same as if they were investing eyes of the eagle, and then add 36 gp (the appropriate value for two level 3 creatures in the hybrid variant) to refine the ranger’s eyes as a Perception item. As this is enough to bring the ranger’s eyes up to a refinement level of 3, the ranger would gain a +1 item bonus to Perception checks. from one item of the same type (a weapon, armor, shield, Perception item, or skill item) to another with a lower value, first choose what to swap, either the refinement value or the value of one of the imbued properties. In order to successfully transfer refinement value, the two items must have compatible requirements for the type of monster parts they need. For instance, you couldn’t transfer refinement from a bludgeoning weapon to a slashing weapon because they have different requirements. To perform the transfer, you’ll need to provide additional monster parts worth 10% of the difference in values between the two. Finally, you swap the refinement or imbued property value between the two items. For our example rogue, if they had a +1 striking cold might (4) rapier (6) with a refinement value of 250 gp and an imbued cold property (4) with a value of 100 gp, and

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VARIANT: PRECIOUS MATERIALS AND REFINING Normally, a refined item is made out of various monster parts, so it can’t be made out of a precious item. However, it’s possible that you might have a situation where you want to mimic the rules of a special material, perhaps for an item made entirely out of dragon scales, or for something made of extremely light monster parts that mimic the effects of mithral. In this case, choose which types of monsters provide parts that can create a special material item, for instance, dragons are a natural choice for the effects of dragonhide. A character can contribute monster parts towards the special material’s effects in the same way as refining monster parts into a mundane item. Just like normal for items made out of precious materials, a lowgrade precious material item can only be refined up to level 8, and a standard-grade precious material item can be refined up to level 15. A character can improve the grade of a precious material item from low to standard to high by providing an appropriate monster equal to the difference in price. Using a suit of dragonhide full plate as an example, a character could use 2,240 gp of dragon parts to create a standard-grade suit of dragonhide full plate. Later, to increase to a high-grade suit of dragonhide full plate, they would need to use a total of 44,800 gp of dragon parts. Since they already have a suit of standard-grade dragonhide full plate, they’d need to find 42,560 gp worth of more dragon parts to do so.

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they wanted to transfer the refinement from a +2striking greatsword (10) with a refinement value of 1,000 gp to the rapier, and keep the rapier’s imbue property, they would calculate the difference in refinement value (1,000 gp – 250 gp = 750 gp), divide by 10 (for the additional 10%) to then provide 75 gp worth of monster parts to perform the transfer. With the transfer complete, the rapier would become a +2 striking cold might (4) rapier (10) and have a refinement value of 1,000 gp and the greatsword would become a +1 striking greatsword (6) would have a refinement value of 250gp. On the other hand, if the barbarian insisted that instead of transferring the refinement value to the rapier, the group should transfer the cold imbued property onto the greatsword, the transfer would require 10 gp of parts (100 gp for the cold imbued property – 0 gp for the greatsword, divided by 10).

TABLE 3A: REFINEMENT COST BY ITEM LEVEL (WEAPONS AND ARMOR)

Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Total Cost 20 gp 35 gp 60 gp 100 gp 160 gp 250 gp 360 gp 500 gp 700 gp 1,000 gp 1,400 gp 2,000 gp 3,000 gp 4,500 gp 6,500 gp 10,000 gp 15,000 gp 24,000 gp 40,000 gp 70,000 gp

TABLE 3B: REFINEMENT COST BY ITEM LEVEL (SHIELDS, PERCEPTION ITEMS, AND SKILL ITEMS)

Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Total Cost 10 gp 20 gp 35 gp 60 gp 100 gp 160 gp 240 gp 340 gp 470 gp 670 gp 950 gp 1,350 gp 2,000 gp 3,000 gp 4,300 gp 6,500 gp 10,000 gp 16,000 gp 25,000 gp 45,000 gp

REFINING WEAPONS

To refine a weapon (or handwraps of mighty blows), you need monster parts from a monster with an unarmed attack that matches the weapon’s physical damage type (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing). If a weapon has the versatile or modular traits, you can use monster parts from monsters with unarmed attacks matching any of the weapon’s different damage types. Refining a weapon grants the following benefits, as shown on Table 4A. Item Bonus to Attack Rolls The weapon grants you the listed item bonus to attack rolls. Imbuing You can imbue the weapon up to the listed number of times (see Imbuing on page 188). Additional Damage Dice The weapon’s damage dice increase to the listed amount of weapon damage dice. The italicized name is the equivalent fundamental rune, and you can use it as part of the weapon’s name to make it more recognizable to a group used to the core magic item system (i.e. +2 greater striking longsword (12)).

TABLE 4A: REFINEMENT BENEFITS BY LEVEL (WEAPON) Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Refinement Benefits

item bonus to attack rolls (+1), imbuing (1) additional damage dice (2 dice, striking)

item bonus to attack rolls (+2), imbuing (2) additional damage dice (3 dice, greater striking)

item bonus to attack rolls (+3), imbuing (3)

additional damage dice (4 dice, major striking)

REFINING AND IMBUING VS RUNES An item is either built and upgraded using this system or the normal rules for magic items with precious materials, fundamental runes, and property runes. Even in the light or hybrid versions, where magic weapons and armor using fundamental runes and property runes still exist, a single item can’t use both at once. Item Bonus to Saving Throws The armor grants the listed item bonus to all saving throws. The italicized name is the equivalent fundamental rune, and you can use it as part of the armor’s name to make it more recognizable to a group used to the core magic item system (i.e. +3 greater resilient leather armor (19)).

TABLE 4B: REFINEMENT BENEFITS BY LEVEL (ARMOR) Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Refinement Benefits

increased item bonus to AC (+1), imbuing (1)

item bonus to saving throws (+1, resilient)

increased item bonus to AC (+2), imbuing (2)

item bonus to saving throws (+2, greater resilient)

increased item bonus to AC (+3), imbuing (3) item bonus to saving throws (+3, major resilient)

REFINING ARMOR

You can use monster parts to refine a suit of armor or explorer’s clothing. The monster must have suitable materials: hairs, fibers, or silk for explorer’s clothing and padded armor; skin for leather and hide armors; or some sort of hard component like bones or horns for armor typically made of metal. Monsters lacking any sort of armored component, such as oozes, do not provide suitable components. Refining a suit of armor grants the following benefits, as shown on Table 4B. Just like magic armor created using the normal rules, refined armor has the invested trait. Increased Item Bonus to AC The armor increases its item bonus to AC by the listed amount. Imbuing You can imbue the armor up to the listed number of times (see Imbuing on page 188).

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OTHER ITEMS Except in the full variant, other magic items exist in the world, using the system from the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook rather than the rules for upgrading items with monster parts. However, if your group is using the full variant, you might still want to include some types of items other than the ones listed, such as potions or talismans. To do that, just decide what type of monster parts apply towards creating a given item, and let the PCs refine that item by paying the item’s Price in monster parts. For instance, you might decide that healing potions made from monster parts require parts from a creature with the positive trait or blood from a creature with regeneration or fast healing, such as a troll. In that case, a PC could use 12 gp of troll parts to refine a lesser healing potion. As normal, a character can’t use this process to create an item of a level higher than their own.

REFINING SHIELDS

You can typically use monster parts to refine a shield if the monster has Hardness, resistance to physical damage, or resistance to one of the three physical damage types (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage). In some cases, you and the GM might decide together that a monster with resistance to physical damage because it is amorphous or gaseous doesn’t provide appropriate parts to refine a shield. Refining a shield grants the following benefits as shown on Table 4C. When refining a buckler, reduce the listed Hardness by 2, HP by 12, and BT by 6. You can’t refine a tower shield in this way. Hardness The shield has the listed Hardness. HP The shield has the listed number of Hit Points. BT The shield has the listed Broken Threshold. Imbuing You can imbue the shield once, starting at level 4 (see Imbuing on page 188).

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TABLE 4C: REFINEMENT BENEFITS BY LEVEL (SHIELD) Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Refinement Benefits

Hardness 5, HP 30, BT 15 imbuing Hardness 6, HP 36, BT 18 Hardness 7, HP 42, BT 21 Hardness 8, HP 48, BT 24 Hardness 9, HP 54, BT 27 Hardness 10, HP 60, BT 30 Hardness 11, HP 66, BT 33 Hardness 12, HP 72, BT 36 Hardness 13, HP 78, BT 39 Hardness 14, HP 84, BT 42 Hardness 15, HP 90, BT 45 Hardness 16, HP 96, BT 48 Hardness 17, HP 102, BT 51 Hardness 18, HP 108, BT 54

REFINING PERCEPTION ITEMS

Perception items are worn magic items that enhance Perception, and you can refine them out of monsters with special senses. You can use monster parts to refine a Perception item if the monster has a special sense in its stat block other than low-light vision. Refining a Perception item grants the following benefits, as shown on Table 4D. Perception items are worn items, and just like worn items created using the normal rules, refined Perception items have the invested trait. Item Bonus to Perception The item grants the listed item bonus to Perception checks. Imbuing You can imbue the Perception item once, starting at level 3 (see Imbuing on page 188).

TABLE 4D: REFINEMENT BENEFITS BY LEVEL (PERCEPTION ITEM) Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Refinement Benefits

item bonus to Perception (+1), imbuing

item bonus to Perception (+2)

item bonus to Perception (+3)

REFINING SKILL ITEMS

Skill items refer to a category of worn magic items that enhance a specific skill, and you can refine them out of monsters good at that skill. You can use monster parts to refine a skill item if the monster has the skill listed in its stat block. Refining a skill item grants the following benefits, as shown on Table 4E. Skill items are worn items, and just like worn items created using the normal rules, refined skill items have the invested trait. Item Bonus to Skill The item grants the listed item bonus to skill checks with its associated skill. Imbuing You can imbue the skill item once, starting at level 3 (see Imbuing on page 188).

TABLE 4E: REFINEMENT BENEFITS BY LEVEL (SKILL ITEM) Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Refinement Benefits

item bonus to skill (+1), imbuing

TABLE 4F: REFINEMENT BENEFITS BY LEVEL (STAFF) Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Refinement Benefits

1 cantrip 2 1st-level spells 2 2nd-level spells 2 3rd-level spells 2 4th-level spells 2 5th-level spells 2 6th-level spells 2 7th-level spells 2 8th-level spells

EXAMPLE OF REFINING item bonus to skill (+2)

item bonus to skill (+3)

REFINING STAVES

Just like any other kind of item from the base crafting system, you can choose to build a magic staff normally using refinement as a single-step process by simply paying the material cost for the base item. However, if your group uses the rules for personal staves from Pathfinder Secrets of Magic, you can also refine a personal staff incrementally using the monster part system. Refining staves uses the same costs as weapons and armor, but staves are a little different. They can’t accept imbued properties, but they can be refined as weapons in addition to being refined as staves. Doing so gives them two different item levels, one as a weapon and one as a staff, and they use these item levels separately to determine any necessary DCs and other statistics. The level-by-level benefits of refining a staff are summarized on Table 4F. Any time the table lists a number of spells, the staff gains that many spells, all of which must share a single trait that isn’t too broad to use (such as incapacitation, spell schools, or traditions). Spells The staff gains the listed number of spells at the listed spell level. Imbuing You can’t imbue the staff, but you can refine it as a weapon.

The party’s level 7 fighter recently lost their favorite weapon, and so they want to refine an amazing longsword out of the teeth of the tyrannosaurus they just defeated. They’re using the hybrid variant and have 275 gp of tyrannosaurus parts. Although a tyrannosaurus doesn’t have a slashing attack, longswords have the versatile piercing trait, which means the fighter can use the teeth to refine their longsword. They start the refinement by building the tyrannosaurus tooth longsword (0) for 1 gp, and then put the remaining 274 gp into the longsword’s refinement. Next, they refine the sword and spend 250 gp, which means the fighter has refined the longsword to item level 6, and it gains the appropriate benefits: a +1 item bonus to hit, a second weapon damage die, and the ability to imbue an imbued property. The sword is now a +1 striking longsword (6), with 24 gp of monster parts remaining. Finally, the fighter decides they want their longsword to reach level 7 as quickly as possible, so they apply the remaining 24 gp of monster parts to the longsword, which makes the final weapon a +1 striking longsword (6) refined to 274 gp—just 86 gp more of parts for the longsword to reach 7th level! In addition, the fighter is particularly excited about that imbued property, as the group also recently defeated 2 magma scorpions, and now they have fiery plans for what comes next for their +1 striking tyrannosaurus tooth longsword (6) (to see the fighter’s next steps, check out Example of Imbuing on page 189).

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Imbuing

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Once you’ve refined an item to a high enough level, you unlock the ability to imbue the item. The necessary level to unlock imbuing varies from item to item; see Tables 4A through 4E for more details. Imbuing an item follows a similar process as refining: add monster parts that meet the requirements for the imbued property you want to add to the item. You can’t use monster parts if they do not meet the requirements for the imbued property. For example, if you are imbuing a cold property, you can’t use parts from a monster that doesn’t have any cold abilities. Track this value separately from the monster parts you use to refine the item, and if the item is high enough level and of the right type to be imbued multiple times, track the value for each imbued property separately. Continue adding value to the imbued property as you use more parts to imbue the property, just like with refining. When you reach the values specified in Table 5A (if imbuing a weapon or suit of armor) or Table 5B (if imbuing a shield, Perception item, or skill item), the imbued property levels up, potentially granting increased benefits to the item. Just like with refining, the value and benefits are cumulative, and you can keep adding value to increase the imbued property’s level further and gain more benefits. An imbued property’s level can never be higher than the item’s level or your level, whichever is

lower. Much like in refining, you can keep contributing monster parts and imbuing the property past that point, and in that case, the imbued property’s level increases immediately once you refine the item enough to increase the item’s refining level. Unlike refining, which only has a single option depending on the type of item, you can choose from several options when you imbue an item, and some of them have multiple upgrade paths, allowing you to customize your item to match your personal playstyle.

TABLE 5A: IMBUING COST BY ITEM LEVEL (WEAPONS AND ARMOR)

Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Total Cost 20 gp 35 gp 60 gp 100 gp 160 gp 250 gp 360 gp 500 gp 700 gp 1,000 gp 1,400 gp 2,000 gp

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

3,000 gp 4,500 gp 6,500 gp 10,000 gp 15,000 gp 24,000 gp 40,000 gp 70,000 gp

TABLE 5B: IMBUING COST BY ITEM LEVEL (SHIELDS, PERCEPTION ITEMS, AND SKILL ITEMS)

Item Level 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Total Cost 10 gp 20 gp 35 gp 60 gp 100 gp 160 gp 240 gp 340 gp 470 gp 670 gp 950 gp 1,350 gp 2,000 gp 3,000 gp 4,300 gp 6,500 gp 10,000 gp 16,000 gp 25,000 gp 45,000 gp

EXAMPLE OF IMBUING

The party’s level 7 fighter just refined a level 6 longsword out of tyrannosaurus parts (see Example of Refining on page 187). Realizing they could also imbue a property, they decided the only thing better than a tyrannosaurus tooth longsword is one that’s on fire! Fortunately, the group recently defeated 2 magma scorpions, gaining 280 gp worth of parts. Since the magma scorpions have the fire trait or an attack or spell that deals fire damage (they have both!), the fighter imbues all the parts into their longsword, choosing to imbue the property of fire. The fighter has three choices of path for this imbued property and chooses the path of might. Imbuing 250 gp of parts increases the imbued property’s level to 6 (the current maximum, since the item level of the longsword is 6), and lights the tyrannosaurus tooth longsword aflame, allowing it to deal 1d4 additional fire damage! The final weapon is a +1 striking fire might (6) tyrannosaurus tooth longsword (6) refined to 274 gp!

IMBUED PROPERTIES

The following imbued properties are available when imbuing items with different kinds of monster parts. Sometimes an imbued property lists that the item gains either a specific spell or a chosen spell that follows

VARIANT: RELIC IMBUING Relic aspects and gifts, originally created to support relics in the Pathfinder Second Edition Gamemastery Guide, are a natural fit for crafting with monster parts. Is the weapon refined with parts from aquatic and water monsters on one side and fiends on the other? That could lend itself well to a relic with the fiend and water aspects. In general, relics keep the refining process but replace imbuing for an item, using the relic rules to grant gifts instead. If you’re interested in mixing and matching, you might consider creating imbued properties based on relic gifts or relic gifts based on imbued properties! certain criteria. In this case, the item gains a command and Interact activation the same number of actions as the listed spell, with an effect of casting the listed spell. The item’s DC for any effects is based on its item level, using the value from the Magic Item DCs table, found in the Pathfinder Second Edition Gamemastery Guide. If the item needs to make a spell attack roll or counteract check, its modifier is equal to its DC - 10. Some imbued properties, especially for weapons, have multiple upgrade paths, reflecting the different ways you can adjust the imbuing process. These paths are magic (emphasizing thematic spells), might (emphasizing direct damage), and technique (emphasizing special effects and damage over time). If the weapon is capable of holding multiple imbued properties, you can apply the same imbued property to the weapon multiple times as long as you choose a different path each time. To use an activated ability of an imbued property on a held item, such as a weapon, you must be wielding the item. Any effects are cumulative. For instance, if you wanted to make the ultimate fire sword, you could imbue the sword with fire from each of the magic, might, and technique paths. You would combine the fire damage and persistent fire damage from all three paths to determine the weapon’s total effects, meaning you would eventually deal 5d10 persistent fire damage on a critical hit!

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Imbued Property Stat Blocks An imbued property stat block reads as follows.

IMBUED PROPERTY’S NAME TRAITS

IMBUED

Type This entry lists the types of item you can imbue with this property (weapon, armor, shield, perception item, or skill item) Parts If present, this entry lists the requirements for monster parts you can use to imbue this property. Effect These are the effects of the imbued property. While a few properties, like sturdy, have a scaling effect explained in text, most properties have a list of imbuing levels and the benefits the item gains when the imbued property reaches each of those levels, separated by semicolons. These effects are cumulative. If an imbued property has multiple paths, each path is separated by a divider. Some imbued properties have activated abilities. To use an activated ability of an imbued property on a held item, such as a weapon, you must be wielding the item. Path If present, this entry provides the name of the path; any mechanical notes that apply to the entire imbued property or path are noted here 2nd The effect the imbued property provides at level 2 4th The effect the imbued property provides at level 4 (and so on)

ARMOR IMBUED PROPERTY

The following imbued property is available for armor.

SPIKED SPIKED EVOCATION

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MAGICAL

Type Armor Parts The monster must have a reaction, free action, or passive ability that deals piercing or slashing damage. Effect You imbue the armor with vicious spikes. 2nd The armor gains the following activation: Activate 2 Interact; Frequency once per day; Effect You cause vicious spikes to protrude from the armor. For 1 minute, adjacent creatures that hit you with a melee attack, as well as creatures that touch you or hit you with an unarmed attack, take 1 piercing damage each time they do. If they Grab or Grapple you, the damage increases to 1d4 piercing damage instead. 4th The damage from the activation increases to 1d4, or 2d4 when creatures Grab or Grapple you. 6th The damage from the activation increases to 1d6, or 2d6 when creatures Grab or Grapple you. 8th The damage from the activation increases to 2d4, or 4d4 when creatures Grab or Grapple you. 10th The damage from the activation increases to 2d6, or 4d6 when creatures Grab or Grapple you.

IMBUED

12th The armor’s activation gains a frequency of once per hour instead of once per day. Even when it isn’t activated, adjacent creatures that hit you with a melee attack, as well as creatures that touch you or hit you with an unarmed attack, take 1 piercing damage each time they do. If they Grab or Grapple you, the damage increases to 1d4 piercing damage instead. When activated, the damage from the activation increases this damage; they aren’t cumulative. 14th The damage from the activation increases to 3d6, or 6d6 when creatures Grab or Grapple you. 16th The armor’s activation takes only a single action, instead of two actions. 18th The damage from the activation increases to 4d6, or 8d6 when creatures Grab or Grapple you. The damage when the armor isn’t activated increases to 1d4, or 2d4 when creatures Grab or Grapple you. 20th The armor’s activation gains a frequency of once per 10 minutes instead of once per hour. Furthermore, in addition to its one action activation, the armor can be activated as a reaction triggered when a creature Grabs or successfully Grapples you. When you activate the armor in this way, the triggering creature takes the increased damage from the armor. This usage is still subject to the armor’s frequency of once per 10 minutes.

SHIELD IMBUED PROPERTY

The following imbued property is available for shields.

MIRRORED MIRRORED ABJURATION

MAGICAL

IMBUED

Type Shield Parts The monster must have a status bonus on saves against magic, golem antimagic, or an ability to counter or reflect magic or ranged attacks, such as Counterspell or spell turning. Effect You imbue the shield with reflective power. 2nd The shield gains the following activation: Activate 5 command; Frequency once per day; Trigger A foe’s ranged Strike critically fails against you; Requirements The shield with the mirrored imbued property is raised; Effect You turn a poorly aimed attack back at your foe. Reroll the triggering Strike against the foe who made it, using either the same attack bonus the foe made with that Strike or your most accurate ranged attack bonus with a weapon or unarmed attack, whichever is lower. On a success, the foe suffers the full effect of the reflected attack. 4th The shield’s activation gains a frequency of once per hour instead of once per day. 6th The activation uses the higher of the same attack bonus the foe made with the triggering Strike or your own ranged attack bonus, instead of the lower. 10th The trigger changes to “A foe’s ranged Strike or ranged spell attack roll critically fails against you,” allowing you to use the activation against

spells in addition to Strikes. When reflecting a spell, you can choose to use your spell attack bonus on the reflected attack roll if it’s higher than the other two options. 12th The shield’s activation gains a frequency of once per 10 minutes instead of once per hour. 16th The shield’s activation triggers any time a foe fails with a ranged Strike or ranged spell attack roll against you, instead of only on a critical failure. 20th Once per day, you can use the shield’s activation with the trigger of “A foe targets you with a spell” instead of the usual trigger. This still counts toward the shield’s frequency. When you use this alternate trigger, the shield can reflect even spells that don’t have spell attack rolls, and the reflection happens before determining the attack roll or saving throw, but the shield must succeed at a counteract check (counteract level 10, counteract modifier +33) against the triggering spell or the reflection fails.

WEAPON IMBUED PROPERTIES

The following imbued properties are available for weapons.

AIR AIR AIR

EVOCATION

MAGICAL

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have the air trait or an attack or spell with the air trait. Effect You imbue the weapon with slicing blades of wind. Path Magic; Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or primal. 2nd The weapon can cast gale blastSOM as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level rounded up. 4th The weapon can cast gust of wind once per day. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional slashing damage from blades of wind; this additional damage has the air trait. 8th The weapon can cast wall of wind once per day. 10th The weapon can cast air walk once per day. 12th The weapon can cast elemental giftSOM (air only) once per day. 14th The additional slashing damage increases to 1d4. 16th The additional slashing damage increases to 1d6. 18th The weapon’s elemental gift (air only) heightens to 8th level. 20th The weapon can cast 9th-level whirlwindSOM once per day. Path Might 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional slashing damage from blades of wind; this additional damage has the air trait. 6th The additional slashing damage increases to 1d4. 8th The additional slashing damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, you can push the target up to 5 feet away from you. 12th The additional slashing damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals slashing damage, this benefit only applies to the additional damage. 14th On a critical hit with the weapon, you can push the target up to 10 feet away from you. 18th The additional slashing damage increases to 1d8. 20th On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying the additional slashing damage, the target gains weakness 1 to air until the beginning of your next turn.

MASTER ALL 13 ELEMENTS The weapon-imbued properties in this book cover 6 of the 13 elements in Battlezoo Eldamon. You can find the other seven elements in the original Battlezoo Bestiary: the negative property works for the death element, the positive property works for the life element, and all the rest have properties with names that are clearly connected to the element names. Path Technique 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent slashing damage as blades of wind surround and slash them; this additional damage has the air trait. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional slashing damage from blades of wind; this additional damage has the air trait. 8th The persistent slashing damage on a hit increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, you can push the target up to 5 feet away from you. 12th The additional damage and persistent slashing damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances (as does the damage from hazardous terrain caused by this imbued property’s 16th level effect). Even if the main weapon deals slashing damage, this benefit only applies to the slashing damage from this imbued property. 14th The persistent slashing damage on a hit increases to 1d8. 16th While suffering from the persistent slashing damage, the surrounding blades of air damage the creature the more it moves, slashing at them each time they do. All terrain is hazardous terrain for them, dealing 2 slashing damage for each square through which they move (this includes the movement from being pushed by a critical hit). On a critical hit, you can push the target up to 10 feet away. 18th The persistent slashing damage on a hit increases to 1d10. 20th On a critical hit, you can push the target up to 20 feet away.

DARKNESS DARKNESS DARKNESS

EVOCATION

MAGICAL

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have an attack or spell with the darkness trait. Effect You imbue the weapon with creeping darkness. Path Magic; Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or divine. 2nd The weapon gains a two-action Interact and command activation allowing it to attempt to counteract the light cantrip (but not other light effects) with a counteract level equal to half the item’s level rounded up. 4th The weapon can cast penumbral shroud once per day. 6th The weapon can cast darkness once per day. 8th The weapon can cast chilling darkness once per day. 10th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional cold damage as the darkness saps warmth; this additional damage has the darkness trait. 12th The weapon’s chilling darkness, darkness, and penumbral shroud heighten to 4th level.

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14th The additional cold damage increases to 1d4. 16th The weapon’s chilling darkness, darkness, and penumbral shroud heighten to 6th level. 18th The cold damage increases to 1d6. 20th The weapon can cast 9th-level eclipse burst once per day. Path Might 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional cold damage as the darkness saps warmth; this additional damage has the darkness trait. 6th The additional cold damage increases to 1d4. 8th The additional cold damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, darkness shrouds the target’s vision, causing everything around it to be concealed to it unless it has darkvision. 12th The additional cold damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. 14th On a critical hit with the weapon, the target must attempt a Fortitude save against the weapon’s DC. On a failure, it’s blinded for 1 round by magical darkness unless it has greater darkvision;

even on a success or critical success, everything around it is concealed to it unless it has greater darkvision. 18th The additional cold damage increases to 1d8. 20th On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying the additional cold damage, the target gains weakness 1 to darkness until the beginning of your next turn. Path Technique 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent cold damage as encroaching darkness slowly drains their warmth away; this additional damage has the darkness trait. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional cold damage as the darkness saps warmth; this additional damage has the darkness trait. 8th The persistent cold damage on a hit increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, darkness shrouds the target’s vision, causing everything around it to be concealed to it unless it has darkvision. 12th The additional damage and persistent cold damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. 14th The persistent cold damage on a hit increases to 1d8. 16th While suffering from the persistent cold damage, the shrouding darkness interferes with the target’s vision. Everything around it is concealed to it unless it has darkvision. On a critical hit with a weapon, the target must attempt a Fortitude save against the weapon’s DC. On a failure, it’s blinded for 1 round by magical darkness unless it has greater darkvision; even on a success or critical success, everything around it is concealed to it unless it has greater darkvision. 18th The persistent cold damage on a hit increases to 1d10. 20th The persistent darkness devours the light. Each time the target takes the persistent cold damage from this property, the darkness attempts to counteract one light effect on the target or the target’s belongings with a counteract level of 10 and a counteract modifier of +33.

EARTH EARTH EARTH

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EVOCATION

MAGICAL

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have the earth trait or an attack or spell with the earth trait. Effect You imbue the weapon with churning earth. Path Magic; Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or primal. 2nd The weapon can cast scatter screeSOM as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level rounded up. 4th The weapon can cast pummeling rubbleAPG once per day. 6th The weapon’s pummeling rubble heightens to 2nd level. 8th The weapon can cast earthbind once per day. 10th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional piercing damage from spikes of stone; this additional damage has the earth trait. 12th The weapon’s earthbind and pummeling rubble heighten to 4th level and the weapon can cast stoneskin once per day.

14th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d4. 16th The weapon’s earthbind, pummeling rubble, and stoneskin heighten to 6th level. 18th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d6. 20th The weapon’s stoneskin heightens to 8th level, and it can cast earthquake once per day. Path Might 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional piercing damage from spikes of stone; this additional damage has the earth trait. 6th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d4. 8th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, the piercing rock shards attach the target’s feet to the ground, forcing extra effort to break the rocks and move from its current space. As long as it was on the ground, its first 5 feet of movement are difficult terrain, typically preventing it from Stepping. This effect lasts until it moves or for 1 minute, whichever comes first. 12th The additional piercing damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals piercing damage, this benefit only applies to the additional damage. 14th On a critical hit, the rocks connecting the creature to the ground fragment into damaging shards when the creature moves. If the creature breaks the rocks connecting it to the ground by moving, it takes an additional 1d8 piercing damage, which has the earth trait. If the creature instead chooses to wait the effect out for 1 minute without moving, it doesn’t take the additional damage. 18th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d8. 20th On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying the additional piercing damage, the target gains weakness 1 to earth until the beginning of your next turn. Path Technique 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent piercing damage as stone spikes grow and pierce them; this additional damage has the earth trait. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional piercing damage from spikes of stone; this additional damage has the earth trait. 8th The persistent piercing damage on a hit increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, the piercing rock shards attach the target’s feet to the ground, forcing extra effort to move from its current space. As long as it was on the ground, its first 5 feet of movement are difficult terrain, typically preventing it from Stepping. This effect lasts until it moves or for 1 minute, whichever comes first. 12th The additional damage and persistent piercing damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals piercing damage, this benefit only applies to the piercing damage from this imbued property. 14th The persistent piercing damage on a hit increases to 1d8. 16th While a target is suffering from the persistent piercing damage, the earth spikes growing on the target transform into an earthen shield that blocks their attacks against you. Whenever they hit you with a Strike, you gain resistance to physical damage (except adamantine) to that Strike with a value equal to the persistent piercing damage. 18th The persistent piercing damage on a hit increases to 1d10. 20th Foes suffering from the persistent piercing damage become very partially petrified in their extremities, making fine movements difficult. They are clumsy 1 as long as they have the persistent piercing damage.

ELONGATING ELONGATING MAGICAL

TRANSMUTATION

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have reach of 10 feet or more on one or more of its Strikes. Effect You imbue the weapon with the ability to elongate itself. 2nd The weapon gains the following activation: Activate 2 Interact; Effect You elongate your weapon, increasing your reach. You Strike with the weapon, and you have reach 10 feet for the Strike, or reach 15 feet if the weapon already had the reach trait. 4th The activation increases the weapon’s reach for the Strike to 15 feet (or 20 feet if it had the reach trait). 6th The activation increases the weapon’s reach for the Strike to 20 feet (or 25 feet if it had the reach trait). 8th The activation increases the weapon’s reach for the Strike to 30 feet (or 35 feet if it had the reach trait).

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VARIANT: AUTOMATIC BONUS PROGRESSION AND IMBUING What if your campaign uses the automatic bonus progression subsystem? You can still use imbuing, replacing refining with the automatic bonus progression. This works in a simple way for weapons and armor: bonuses happen automatically per the automatic bonus progression rules. Use monster parts to imbue weapons and armor, gaining the ability to imbue the item at the same levels as normal on Tables 4A and 4B. For shields, either use the normal refining and imbuing rules, or you might consider adding the shield refining rules as an “automatic shield progression” for 1 shield per character since those are the only items that have refinement and aren’t part of the automatic bonus progression. For Perception and skill items, there’s one decision you need to consider: imbued properties for skill items and Perception items are intentionally a much lower cost than imbued properties for weapons and armor, to encourage imbuing these items with additional abilities. This works in much the same way that skill and Perception items in the normal magic item rules have extra abilities built in, while weapons and armor only add abilities with property runes. With the automatic bonus progression, a character eventually receives six different skill potencies, but you probably don’t want this to mean the character can gain up to six imbued properties, allowing them to cast six spells per day for not much more than the cost of six scrolls of the same spells. You can easily avoid this by disallowing the imbuing of skill and Perception items, but for a middle ground, you might only allow one or two imbued skill items, increase the cost of imbuing these items to double the listed cost, or both. In any case, due to apex items being baked into automatic bonus progression, the apex imbued properties shouldn’t be available.

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10th The activation increases the weapon’s reach for the Strike to 60 feet (or 65 feet if it had the reach trait). 12th The activation increases the weapon’s reach for the Strike to 90 feet (or 95 feet if it had the reach trait). 14th The activation increases the weapon’s reach for the Strike to 120 feet (or 125 feet if it had the reach trait). 16th The weapon’s elongating activation can be used as only a single action once per hour. 18th The weapon’s elongating activation can be used as only a single action once per 10 minutes, rather than once per hour. 20th The weapon’s base reach increases to 10 feet if it doesn’t have the reach trait, or to 15 feet if it has the reach trait. This also increases the reach when using the activation to 125 feet (130 feet if the weapon has the reach trait).

LIGHT LIGHT

EVOCATION

LIGHT

MAGICAL

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have an attack or spell with the light trait. Effect You imbue the weapon with shining light. Path Magic; Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or divine. 2nd The weapon can cast light as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level rounded up. 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional fire damage as the light warms from within; this additional damage has the light trait. 6th The weapon can cast faerie fire once per day. 8th The weapon can cast searing light once per day. 10th The weapon’s searing light heightens to 4th level. 12th The weapon’s faerie fire heightens to 4th level, and it can cast chromatic raySOM once per day. 14th The fire damage increases to 1d4. 16th The weapon’s chromatic ray, faerie fire, and searing light heighten to 6th level. 18th The fire damage increases to 1d6. 20th The weapon can cast 9th-level sunburst once per day. Path Might 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional fire damage as the light warms from within; this additional damage has the light trait. 6th The additional fire damage increases to 1d4. 8th The additional fire damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, the target must attempt a Fortitude save against the weapon’s DC. On a failure, it’s blinded by the light for 1 round. 12th The additional fire damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. 14th On a critical hit with the weapon, the target is dazzled for 1 round by the light even on a success or critical success on its Fortitude save. 18th The additional fire damage increases to 1d8. 20th On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying the additional fire damage, the target gains weakness 1 to light until the beginning of your next turn. Path Technique 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent fire damage as the light continues to sear them; this additional damage has the light trait. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional fire damage as the light warms from within; this additional damage has the light trait. 8th The persistent fire damage on a hit increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, the target must attempt a Fortitude save against the weapon’s DC. On a failure, it’s blinded by the light for 1 round. 12th The additional damage and persistent fire damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. 14th The persistent fire damage on a hit increases to 1d8. 16th While suffering from the persistent fire damage, the light limns the creature, outlining it and preventing it from becoming concealed or becoming invisible. A visible creature can’t be concealed while suffering from the persistent fire damage; if the creature is invisible, it’s concealed while suffering from the persistent fire damage, rather than being undetected.

18th The persistent fire damage on a hit increases to 1d10. 20th The persistent light cancels out the darkness. Each time the target takes the persistent fire damage from this property, the light attempts to counteract one darkness effect on the target or the target’s belongings with a counteract level of 10 and a counteract modifier of +33.

THROWING THROWING EVOCATION

MAGICAL

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have a ranged unarmed attack or Rock Throwing or a similar ability. Effect You imbue the weapon with advantages when thrown, such as the power to return to you when you throw it. 2nd When you make a thrown Strike with this weapon, it flies back to your hand at the end of your turn. If your hands are full when the weapon returns, it falls to the ground in your space. 4th Instead of flying back to your hand at the end of your turn, the weapon flies back to your hand after each Strike is complete, allowing you to use it to make multiple thrown Strikes with it in sequence. 6th The weapon’s range increment increases by 10 feet. 8th After making a Strike with the weapon, instead of having it return to your hand, if your next action is a Strike, you can have the weapon Strike starting from the previous target’s location. If you do, you use this position to determine the distance, cover, and other factors to the new target. You can continue to do so as long as you continue Striking, and when you stop, the weapon returns to your hand as normal. 10th The weapon’s range increment increases by 20 feet, instead of 10 feet. 12th When you throw the weapon, it spins with whirling blades or creates a shockwave nearby, dealing 1 splash damage of the weapon’s normal type to the target and all adjacent creatures. As normal for splash damage, this damage is combined together against the target on a hit, and it also applies on a failed Strike, but not on a critical failure. 14th The weapon’s range increment increases by 30 feet, instead of 20 feet. 16th The weapon gains the following activation: Activate 3 command, envision; Frequency once per day; Effect You spin around, launching myriad duplicates of your weapon at foes all around you. Make thrown Strikes against all foes within 30 feet. These Strikes don’t increase your multiple attack penalty until after you’ve finished making all of them. 18th The weapon’s range increment increases by 40 feet, instead of 30 feet. 20th When you make a thrown Strike with the weapon against a foe, instead of having the weapon return to you, you can choose to hold onto the weapon and have it pull you through the air to the nearest available space to your target along the path of the throw.

WATER WATER

EVOCATION

MAGICAL

WATER

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have the water trait or an attack or spell with the water trait. Effect You imbue the weapon with flowing water. Path Magic; Choose when you first imbue the weapon for the granted spells to be either arcane or primal. 2nd The weapon can cast spoutSOM as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level rounded up. 4th The weapon can cast hydraulic push once per day. 6th The weapon’s hydraulic push heightens to 2nd level. 8th The weapon can cast aqueous orbAPG once per day. 10th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional bludgeoning damage from a crashing wave of water; this additional damage has the water trait.

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12th The weapon’s aqueous orb and hydraulic push heighten to 4th level and the weapon can cast hydraulic torrent once per day. 14th The additional bludgeoning damage increases to 1d4. 16th The weapon’s aqueous orb, hydraulic push, and hydraulic torrent heighten to 6th level. 18th The additional bludgeoning damage increases to 1d6. 20th The weapon can cast 9th-level horrid wilting once per day. Path Might 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional bludgeoning damage from a crashing wave of water; this additional damage has the water trait. 6th The additional bludgeoning damage increases to 1d4. 8th The additional bludgeoning damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, the target is also knocked prone by the force of the enormous wave unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save against the weapon’s DC. 12th The additional bludgeoning damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals bludgeoning damage, this benefit only applies to the additional damage. 14th On a critical hit with the weapon, if the target is knocked prone, they take 3d6 bludgeoning damage from the hard landing. 18th The additional bludgeoning damage increases to 1d8. 20th On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying the additional bludgeoning damage, the target gains weakness 1 to water until the beginning of your next turn.

Path Technique 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent bludgeoning damage as torrents of water continue to pummel them; this additional damage has the water trait. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional bludgeoning damage from a crashing wave of water; this additional damage has the water trait. 8th The persistent bludgeoning damage on a hit increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, the target is also knocked prone by the force of the enormous wave unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save against the weapon’s DC. 12th The additional damage and persistent bludgeoning damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals bludgeoning damage, this benefit only applies to the bludgeoning damage from this imbued property. 14th The persistent bludgeoning damage on a hit increases to 1d8. 16th While suffering from the persistent bludgeoning damage, the target is drenched in water, potentially making their footing slippery. Each turn, they must succeed at a Reflex save against the weapon’s DC, or else everywhere they walk, the ground is difficult terrain for them. 18th The persistent bludgeoning damage on a hit increases to 1d10. 20th Foes suffering from the persistent bludgeoning damage have difficulty speaking as long as they have the persistent bludgeoning damage, as the sloshing waves pour into their mouth when it opens. Unless they can breathe underwater or don’t breathe, they must succeed at a DC 5 flat check every time they use an action with the linguistic trait or cast a spell with a verbal component or the action or spell is disrupted.

WOOD WOOD

EVOCATION

196

MAGICAL

WOOD

IMBUED

Type Weapon Parts The monster must have the plant trait or an attack or spell with the plant trait. Effect You imbue the weapon with growing wood. Path Magic; The spells granted by this imbued property are always primal. 2nd The weapon can cast tanglefoot as a cantrip, heightened to half the item’s level rounded up. 4th The weapon can cast protector treeSOM once per day. 6th The weapon’s protector tree heightens to 2nd level. 8th The weapon’s protector tree heightens to 3rd level and it can cast entangle once per day. 10th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional piercing damage from thorns and pointed branches; this additional damage has the plant trait. 12th The weapon’s entangle and protector tree heighten to 4th level and the weapon can cast petal stormSOM once per day. 14th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d4. 16th The weapon’s petal storm and protector tree heighten to 6th level and it can cast tangling creepers once per day but can no longer cast entangle. 18th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d6. 20th The weapon’s petal storm heightens to 8th level, and it can cast 8th-level nature’s reprisalSOM once per day.

Path Might 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional piercing damage from thorns and pointed branches; this additional damage has the plant trait. 6th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d4. 8th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, vines attempt to entangle the target; they must attempt a Reflex save against the weapon’s DC. On a failure, they’re immobilized, and on a success they take a –10-foot circ*mstance penalty to their Speeds. Either condition ends after 1 round or if they spend an Interact action to remove the effect, whichever comes first. 12th The additional piercing damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals piercing damage, this benefit only applies to the additional damage. 14th On a critical hit with the weapon, if the target succeeds at their saving throw, they take a –20-foot circ*mstance penalty to their Speeds, instead of a –10-foot circ*mstance penalty. 18th The additional piercing damage increases to 1d8. 20th On a successful Strike with the weapon, before applying the additional piercing damage, the target gains weakness 1 to damage and effects with the plant trait until the beginning of your next turn. Path Technique 4th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 persistent piercing damage as thorns and vines continue to sprout from within them; this additional damage has the plant trait. 6th Strikes with the weapon deal 1 additional piercing damage from

thorns and pointed branches; this additional damage has the plant trait. 8th The persistent piercing damage on a hit increases to 1d6. On a critical hit, vines attempt to entangle the target; they must attempt a Reflex save against the weapon’s DC. On a failure, they’re immobilized, and on a success they take a –10-foot circ*mstance penalty to their Speeds. Either condition ends after 1 round or if they spend an Interact action to remove the effect, whichever comes first. 12th The additional damage and persistent piercing damage dealt by this imbued property ignores resistances. Even if the main weapon deals piercing damage, this benefit only applies to the piercing damage from this imbued property. 14th The persistent piercing damage on a hit increases to 1d8. 16th Even on a normal hit, the vines on the target grow longer and impede their movement. They take a –5-foot circ*mstance penalty to their Speeds for 1 round, on until they spend an Interact action pulling off the vines to remove the effect, whichever comes first. On a successful Reflex save after a critical hit, the circ*mstance penalty increases to a –20-foot circ*mstance penalty. 18th The persistent piercing damage on a hit increases to 1d10. 20th The pollen, spores, and seeds from the plants growing on your foes when they take the persistent piercing damage spreads between them, growing more and more plants. At the end of a foe’s turn, when they take damage from the imbued property’s persistent piercing damage, the plants spread to all foes adjacent to the foe not already sprouting plants, and they take the persistent piercing damage as well.

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Strange & Unusual Character Options

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These pages will do little, I fear, to instill in you true comprehension of the peculiarities described therein. I know because I was once you. I longed to study the most unusual cases and explore the process by which we become… something more—something different. I read through clinical tomes explaining all the facts and figures, and, in the youthful academic bliss of my ignorance, I believed myself an expert on the matter. Played make-believe, more like, but I would only come to understand that later. This book is not like those others. This story is not like the ones you have seen before. My reader, wise or foolish as you are, you will be following me on my own journey, and in so doing, you will understand a side of the process you could never know from dry academic dissertations alone. Instead, I invite you to experience the highs and lows, the excitement and the horror, and all the little details that make this what it is and that make me who I am. Perhaps then you won’t make the same mistakes I did; you’ll make different mistakes instead. Or if you do repeat my decisions, you’ll do so with your eyes open, understanding exactly what you’ve chosen for yourself. To begin, I’ll ask you a question to get you thinking about the philosophical implications of the matter: why do we call someone in the throes of an aberrant transformative process an “aberrant soul?” Why not something more tethered to the body, such as an aberrant mutation or aberrant fleshwarp, or perhaps

a reference to a different intangibility, such as an aberrant mind or aberrant heart? Before you continue reading, make your own inference, think about how you would justify it, and then proceed further. The truth is, the aberrations that have become a part of an aberrant soul are so anathematic to the very nature of mortality that it is our soul itself that is at risk from our exposure. This is not meant to be alarmist; somehow speaking about threats to souls always raises some hackles. Rather, it is a self-reflection grounded in analysis, inference, and data. To explain, allow me to give some examples from my own experience. —From Death of the Self or New Beginning?, a psychological exploration of the aberrant soul transformation, written by the aberrant soul Xan

Strange and Unusual Backgrounds

Some characters have already wandered far beyond the realm of the ordinary even before they begin their first adventure. The following backgrounds represent several such bizarre beginnings. Horror’s godchild requires some buy-in from the GM and the rest of the group since the GM will need to insert a specific NPC, and so it is rare while the others are common, despite being so unusual.

ABDUCTED BY THE UNSEEN

BACKGROUND

The formative event in your life, whether during your childhood or adulthood, was being abducted by them. You’re not sure exactly who they are. All you know is that they were able to infiltrate your life easily enough to abduct you without any traces or clues, but then they released you some time later, leaving you with only a vague and hazy memory of your lost time. You might call your abductors something odd, like “The Unseen.” Whether you’re trying to move past your abduction or are determined to dig up details, your abduction has left you forever changed, and you rely on special magic to protect others from sharing your fate. Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Constitution or Wisdom, and one is a free ability boost. You’re trained in the Occultism skill, and the Conspiracy Lore skill. You gain the Root MagicSOM skill feat.

HORROR’S GODCHILD RARE

TOUCHED BY THE BEYOND

BACKGROUND

Too often in your childhood, you gazed into the abyss, and eventually the abyss gazed back. Whatever form it took, you’ve experienced unusual occurrences and become inured to them. Your own gaze has now become unsettling to others, who see the echoes of the beyond deep within your eyes. Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Constitution or Charisma, and one is a free ability boost. You’re trained in the Intimidation skill, and the Aberration Lore skill related to one city you’ve visited often. You gain the Intimidating Glare skill feat.

BACKGROUND

There are some horrors in the multiverse better off unknown, which mortal beings weren’t meant to see. Whether you wished upon an ill-fated star, your parents made nefarious bargains, or even for no apparent reason whatsoever, one of those horrors considers itself your godparent and is looking out for you in a way that is at least as likely to cause you strife as it is to bring you succor. More often, when your godparent gets involved, it’s up to you to flatter them and keep them from unleashing some sort of cataclysmic fate on those who don’t deserve it, while they might ignore the moments you were in true peril as a “learning experience” that will make you grow stronger. Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Strength or Charisma, and one is a free ability boost. You’re trained in the Occultism skill, and in a Lore skill associated with your godparent (for instance, if your godparent is an aberration, you might be trained in Aberration Lore and if they are a fey, you might be trained in Fey Lore). You can also ask them for help, but potentially at great cost. Any time you attempt a skill check to Recall Knowledge, the GM can choose to offer you a +1 circ*mstance bonus to the check, as though your godparent were Aiding you with a small fragment of their otherworldly knowledge. If you accept but fail the check, your godparent sends a torrent of alien information to try to “help you” more that causes you to become stupefied 2 for 1 minute (stupefied 4 on a critical failure). The stupefied value can’t be reduced by effects that would reduce or prevent the condition.

SCHOLAR OF THE UNUSUAL BACKGROUND

The strangest and most bizarre occurrences are unsettling to most people, but to you, they are thrilling and unexplored mysteries just waiting for the right person to solve them... and that person is you! Whatever the oddity, you’re all too eager to study it, understand it, and chronicle it. Choose two ability boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Wisdom, and one is a free ability boost. You’re trained in the Occultism skill, and the Academia Lore skill. You gain the Oddity Identification skill feat.

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Aberrant Soul Archetype

You might have made a choice, accepted something alien within you in exchange for the power you would gain, or decided to further your experiments by testing them on yourself. Perhaps it started as an accident after contact with an aberration, a strange idol, or a tome of corrupted lore. Maybe it’s always been lurking somewhere inside you, ready to surface at the right moment. Whatever the case, your mind, body, soul, and life force have become corrupted by aberrant energies, slowly transforming you into an aberration through and through. The only way to avoid the slow descent into a completely alien monstrosity is to avoid progressing in the power you gained from being an aberrant soul... but can you resist that temptation? Aberrant souls are sometimes seen as villains or dangerous monsters by society at large, but far more often they are tragic figures who never asked for what happened to them or made a decision without understanding the potential consequences. On the other hand, those with strong enough wills can survive the process of becoming an aberration with enough of their personality intact that they can continue their relationships with others virtually unscathed. These well-adjusted aberrant souls don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Nonetheless, many stories tell of aberrant souls whose bonds with others were shattered by their transformations. Many of the special backgrounds from this chapter are especially fitting for an aberrant soul character, though aberrant souls can come from any background. If your character is exposed to aberrations during play in a significant fashion, such as if you were captured and had experiments performed on you, or if you were killed by an aberration and came back… different, your GM might allow you to instantly retrain some of your feats into aberrant soul archetype feats to represent a sudden and explosive transformation.

ABERRANT SOUL DEDICATION UNCOMMON

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ARCHETYPE

DEDICATION

FEAT 2

Through accident or intent, you are slowly transforming into an aberration. You gain the aberration trait, in addition to your other traits. You gain the ability to transform one of your arms into a rubbery tentacle and back as a single action, which has the concentrate trait. While one of your arms is a tentacle, it can hold objects normally, but you can also use it to make a tentacle unarmed attack, which deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage and has the agile, finesse, and grapple traits. Lastly, your partially aberrant nature inures you to external aberrations, even as it threatens to change you permanently from the inside, while alerting you through a strange itch in your mind to other aberrations’ movements. This grants you a +1 circ*mstance bonus to Perception checks and saving throws against aberrations. Special You can’t select another dedication feat until you have gained two other feats from the aberrant soul archetype. Additionally, once you gain those two feats, the transformation progresses further, and you lose your other ancestry’s other creature type trait (typically humanoid), fully transforming into an aberration.

THE LURE OF THE VOID While the story of an aberrant soul is one of constant temptation, where the further power of the archetype leads you down an inevitable spiral to corruption, on the mechanical side of things, the only effect is that you lose your humanity (or other ancestry trait if you aren’t a humanoid) if you take too many feats. This allows you maximum flexibility in how harsh and unforgiving you want to be with your character’s story. That way, you can use the aberrant soul archetype to play a light-hearted game where corruption is a narrative element acknowledged in the background that rarely presents a hardship, but you can also use the archetype to tell a grimmer story with travails and dangers that befall you as you slough off the trappings of your mortal life. You and your GM can work together to create further details to represent the specific story you wish to tell of your character’s descent into an aberration. If you have Battlezoo Ancestries: Dragons, the void dragon’s similar tragic tale of corruption synergizes well with the aberrant soul archetype, so you might consider playing a void dragon aberrant soul.

ABERRATION EMPATHY ARCHETYPE

SKILL

FEAT 4

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication, Expert in Diplomacy Due to your corrupted soul, you have a kinship with aberrations, allowing you to influence them more easily. You can use Diplomacy to Make an Impression on aberrations and make Requests even if the aberration is mindless, if you don’t share a language, or if their mindset is so alien that it’s difficult for others to communicate with them. You gain a +1 circ*mstance bonus on such checks. In addition, whenever you meet an aberration in a non-hostile situation, you can immediately attempt a Diplomacy check to Make an Impression on that creature rather than needing to converse for 1 minute. You take a –5 penalty to the check. If you fail but can engage in 1 minute of conversation, you can attempt a new check at the end of that time rather than accepting the failure or critical failure result. Special If you have the Glad-Hand skill feat, you don’t take the penalty on your immediate Diplomacy check if the target is an aberration.

SENSE ABERRATION ARCHETYPE

FEAT 4

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication The itching feeling in your mind and soul grows even stronger when other aberrations are nearby, allowing you to sense their presence at all times, if not their exact positions. When in the presence of an aberration, you eventually detect its presence. This acts as a vague sense, similar to humans’ sense of smell. An aberration using a disguise or otherwise trying to hide its presence attempts a Deception or Stealth check against your Perception DC to hide from you. If the creature succeeds, it is then temporarily immune to your Sense Aberration for 1 day.

STRETCHING STRIKE 2

FEAT 6

ARCHETYPE

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication You transform more and more of your arm, shoulder, and torso into an aberration for a brief moment, stretching your tentacle out to a great distance to attack. Make a tentacle Strike with a reach of 30 feet.

ABERRANT CONSTRICT 1 ARCHETYPE

BIG STRETCH ARCHETYPE

FEAT 16

Prerequisites Stretching Strike Your tentacle can extend far longer than even other aberrant souls. When you use Stretching Strike, your reach increases to 120 feet instead of 30 feet.

FEAT 8

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication Requirements You have a foe grabbed with your tentacle. You squeeze your tentacle tightly around your foe, crushing them in your grasp. The foe takes damage equal to your level + your Strength modifier, with a basic Fortitude save, using your class DC or spell DC, whichever is higher.

ABERRANT ANATOMY FEAT 10 ARCHETYPE

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication You can transform your body into an even more aberrant configuration with bizarre redundant parts, confusing vitals, and way too much acid everywhere. You gain the unusual anatomy sorcerer bloodline spell and a focus pool of 1 Focus Point; you can refocus by concentrating on adjusting your bizarre aberrant anatomy and soul, either keeping the power under control or allowing it to run loose, depending on your personality and situation. If you already have a focus pool, increase your number of Focus Points by 1.

EXTEND TENTACLE 1 ARCHETYPE

FEAT 12

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication You can make your tentacle unnaturally long, allowing you to attack opponents with it from reach but not use it for anything else. Until you use Extend Tentacle again to switch back or change your tentacle back into a normal arm, your tentacle unarmed attack gains the reach trait, typically granting it a reach of 10 feet, but you can’t use the tentacle to Interact, hold an object, or perform other actions.

ABERRANT GRAB 1 ARCHETYPE

FEAT 14

Prerequisites Aberrant Soul Dedication Requirements Your last action was a successful tentacle Strike. You grab the enemy you hit in your tentacle. The foe you hit becomes grabbed, as if you had succeeded at an Athletics check to Grapple the foe. Special You can use Aberrant Grab after Stretching Strike, even though the grabbed condition would normally end due to the creature being out of your reach. If you do, attempt an Athletics check against the creature’s Fortitude DC. On a success, you pull the creature until it’s within your reach and it remains grabbed; on a failure, the grabbed condition ends.

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Appendix Ability Glossary

The following creature abilities are listed here because they are shared by many creatures or are highly complex. The statistics for individual creatures might alter the traits, the number of actions, or other rules of these abilities. Anything noted in a specific creature’s stat block overrides the general rules for the ability below. In these abilities, “monster” is used for the creature that has the ability, to differentiate it from any other creatures the ability might affect. For additional information, please refer to the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook.

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All-Around Vision This monster can see in all directions simultaneously, and therefore can’t be flanked. Aquatic Ambush 1 Requirements The monster is hiding in water and a creature that hasn’t detected it is within the listed number of feet; Effect The monster moves up to its swim Speed + 10 feet toward the triggering creature, traveling on water and on land. Once the creature is in reach, the monster makes a Strike against it. The creature is flat-footed against this Strike. Attack of Opportunity 5 Trigger A creature within the monster’s reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using; Effect The monster attempts a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If the attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, the monster disrupts that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward the monster’s multiple attack penalty, and its multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike. At-Will Spells The monster can cast its at-will spells any number of times without using up spell slots. Aura A monster’s aura automatically affects everything within a specified emanation around that monster. The monster doesn’t need to spend actions on the aura; rather, the aura’s effects are applied at specific times, such as when a creature ends its turn in the aura or when creatures enter the aura. If an aura does nothing but deal damage, its entry lists only the radius, damage, and saving throw. Such auras deal this damage to a creature when the creature enters the aura and when a creature starts its turn in the aura. A creature can take damage from the aura only once per round. The GM might determine that a monster’s aura doesn’t affect its own allies. For example, a creature might be immune to a monster’s frightful presence if they have been around each other for a long time. Buck 5 Most monsters that serve as mounts can attempt to buck off unwanted or annoying riders, but most mounts won’t use this reaction against a trusted creature unless the mounts are spooked or mistreated; Trigger A creature Mounts or uses the Command an Animal action while riding the monster; Effect The triggering creature must succeed at a Reflex saving throw against the listed DC or fall off the creature and land prone. If the save is a critical failure, the triggering creature also takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage in addition to the normal damage for the fall. Catch Rock 5 Requirements The monster must have a free hand but

can Release anything it’s holding as part of this reaction; Trigger The monster is targeted with a thrown rock Strike or a rock would fall on the monster; Effect The monster gains a +4 circ*mstance bonus to its AC against the triggering attack or to any defense against the falling rock. If the attack misses or the monster successfully defends against the falling rock, the monster catches the rock, takes no damage, and is now holding the rock. Change Shape 1 (concentrate, [magical tradition], polymorph, transmutation) The monster changes its shape indefinitely. It can use this action again to return to its natural shape or adopt a new shape. Unless otherwise noted, a monster cannot use Change Shape to appear as a specific individual. Using Change Shape counts as creating a disguise for the Impersonate use of Deception. The monster’s transformation automatically defeats Perception DCs to determine whether the creature is a member of the ancestry or creature type into which it transformed, and it gains a +4 status bonus to its Deception DC to prevent others from seeing through its disguise. Change Shape abilities specify what shapes the monster can adopt. The monster doesn’t gain any special abilities of the new shape, only its physical form. For example, in each shape, it replaces its normal Speeds and Strikes, and might potentially change its senses or size. Any changes are listed in its stat block. Constant Spells A constant spell affects the monster without the monster needing to cast it, and its duration is unlimited. If a constant spell gets counteracted, the monster can reactivate it by spending the normal spellcasting actions the spell requires. Constrict 1 The monster deals the listed amount of damage to any number of creatures grabbed or restrained by it. Each of those creatures can attempt a basic Fortitude save with the listed DC. Coven (divination, mental, occult) This monster can form a coven with two or more other creatures who also have the coven ability. This involves performing an 8-hour ceremony with all prospective coven members. After the coven is formed, each of its members gains elite adjustments, adjusting their levels accordingly. Coven members can sense other members’ locations and conditions by spending a single action, which has the concentrate trait, and can sense what another coven member is sensing as a two action activity, which has the concentrate trait as well. Covens also grant spells and rituals to their members, but these can be cast only in cooperation between three coven members who are all within 30 feet of one another. A coven member can contribute to a coven spell with a single-action spellcasting activity that has a single verbal component. If two coven members have contributed these actions within the last round, a third member can cast a coven spell on her turn by spending the normal spellcasting actions. A coven can cast its coven spells an unlimited number of times but can cast only one coven spell each round. All covens grant the 8thlevel baleful polymorph spell and all the following spells, which the coven can cast at any level up to 5th: augury, charm, clairaudience, clairvoyance, dream message, illusory disguise, illusory scene, prying eye, and talking corpse. Individual creatures with the coven ability also grant additional spells to any coven they join. A coven can also cast the control weather ritual (Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook), with a DC of 23 instead of the standard DC. If a coven member leaving the coven or the death of a coven

member brings the coven below three members, the remaining members keep their elite adjustments for 24 hours, but without enough members to contribute the necessary actions, they can’t cast coven spells. Darkvision A monster with darkvision can see perfectly well in areas of darkness and dim light, though such vision is in black and white only. Some forms of magical darkness, such as a 4th-level darkness spell, block normal darkvision. A monster with greater darkvision, however, can see through even these forms of magical darkness. Disease When a creature is exposed to a monster’s disease, it attempts a Fortitude save or succumbs to the disease. The level of a disease is the level of the monster inflicting the disease. The disease follows the rules for afflictions found in the “Afflictions” section of the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. Engulf 2 The monster Strides up to double its Speed and can move through the spaces of any creatures in its path. Any creature of the monster’s size or smaller whose space the monster moves through can attempt a Reflex save with the listed DC to avoid being engulfed. A creature unable to act automatically critically fails this save. If a creature succeeds at its save, it can choose to be either pushed aside (out of the monster’s path) or pushed in front of the monster to the end of the monster’s movement. The monster can attempt to Engulf the same creature only once in a single use of Engulf. The monster can contain as many creatures as can fit in its space. A creature that fails its save is pulled into the monster’s body. It is grabbed, is slowed 1, and has to hold its breath or start suffocating. The creature takes the listed amount of damage when first engulfed and at the end of each of its turns while it’s engulfed. An engulfed creature can get free by Escaping against the listed Escape DC. An engulfed creature can attack the monster engulfing it, but only with unarmed attacks or with weapons of light Bulk or less. The engulfing creature is flat-footed against the attack. If the monster takes piercing or slashing damage equaling or exceeding the listed Rupture value from a single attack or spell, the engulfed creature cuts itself free. A creature that gets free by either method can immediately breathe and exits the engulfing monster’s space. If the monster dies, all creatures it has engulfed are automatically released as the monster’s form loses cohesion. Fast Healing A monster with this ability regains the given number of Hit Points each round at the beginning of its turn. Ferocity 5 Trigger The monster is reduced to 0 HP; Effect The monster avoids being knocked out and remains at 1 HP, but its wounded value increases by 1. When it is wounded 3, it can no longer use this ability. Form Up [one-action] The troop chooses one of the squares it currently occupies and redistributes its squares to any configuration in which all squares are contiguous and within 15 feet of the chosen square. The troop can’t share its space with other creatures. Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) A creature that first enters the area must attempt a Will save. Regardless of the result of the saving throw, the creature is temporarily immune to this monster’s Frightful Presence for 1 minute. Critical Success The creature is unaffected by the presence. Success The creature is frightened 1. Failure The creature is frightened 2. Critical Failure The creature is frightened 4. Grab 1 Requirements The monster’s last action was a success with a Strike that lists Grab in its damage entry, or it has a creature

grabbed using this action; Effect The monster automatically Grabs the target until the end of the monster’s next turn. The creature is grabbed by whichever body part the monster attacked with, and that body part can’t be used to Strike creatures until the grab is ended. Using Grab extends the duration of the monster’s Grab until the end of its next turn for all creatures grabbed by it. A grabbed creature can use the Escape action to get out of the grab, and the Grab ends for a grabbed creatures if the monster moves away from it. Greater Constrict 1 The monster deals the listed amount of damage to any number of creatures grabbed or restrained by it. Each of those creatures can attempt a basic Fortitude save with the listed DC. A creature that fails this save falls unconscious, and a creature that succeeds is then temporarily immune to falling unconscious from Greater Constrict for 1 minute. Improved Grab, Improved Knockdown, or Improved Push 4 The monster can use Grab, Knockdown, or Push (as appropriate) as a free action triggered by a hit with its initial attack. A monster with Improved Grab still needs to spend an action to extend the duration for creatures it already has grabbed. Knockdown 1 Requirements The monster’s last action was a success with a Strike that lists Knockdown in its damage entry; Effect The monster knocks the target prone. Lifesense Lifesense allows a monster to sense the vital essence of living and undead creatures within the listed range. The sense can distinguish between the positive energy animating living creatures and the negative energy animating undead creatures, much as sight distinguishes colors. Light Blindness When first exposed to bright light, the monster is blinded until the end of its next turn. After this exposure, light doesn’t blind the monster again until after it spends 1 hour in darkness. However, as long as the monster is in an area of bright light, it’s dazzled. Low-Light Vision The monster can see in dim light as though it were bright light, so it ignores the concealed condition due to dim light. Negative Healing A creature with negative healing draws health from negative energy rather than positive energy. It is damaged by positive damage and is not healed by positive healing effects. It does not take negative damage, and it is healed by negative effects that heal undead. Poison When a creature is exposed to a monster’s poison, it attempts a Fortitude save to avoid becoming poisoned. The level of a poison is the level of the monster inflicting the poison. The poison follows the rules for afflictions found in the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. Push 1 Requirements The monster’s last action was a success with a Strike that lists Push in its damage entry; Effect The monster automatically knocks the target away from the monster. Unless otherwise noted in the ability description, the creature is pushed 5 feet. If the attack was a critical hit, this distance is doubled. Regeneration This monster regains the listed number of Hit Points each round at the beginning of its turn. Its dying condition never increases beyond dying 3 as long as its regeneration is active. However, if it takes damage of a type listed in the regeneration entry, its regeneration deactivates until the end of its next turn. Deactivate the regeneration before applying any damage of a listed type, since that damage might kill the monster by bringing it to dying 4. Rend 1 A Rend entry lists a Strike the monster has; Requirements The monster hit the same enemy with two consecutive Strikes of the listed type in the same round; Effect The monster automatically

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deals that Strike’s damage again to the enemy. Retributive Strike 5 Trigger An enemy damages the monster’s ally, and both are within 15 feet of the monster; Effect The ally gains resistance to all damage against the triggering damage equal to 2 + the monster’s level. If the foe is within reach, the monster makes a melee Strike against it. Scent Scent involves sensing creatures or objects by smell, and is usually a vague sense. The range is listed in the ability, and it functions only if the creature or object being detected emits an aroma (for instance, incorporeal creatures usually do not exude an aroma). If a creature emits a heavy aroma or is upwind, the GM can double or even triple the range of scent abilities used to detect that creature, and the GM can reduce the range if a creature is downwind. Shield Block 5 Trigger The monster has its shield raised and takes damage from a physical attack; Effect The monster snaps its shield into place to deflect a blow. The shield prevents the monster from taking an amount of damage up to the shield’s Hardness. The monster and the shield each take any remaining damage, possibly breaking or destroying the shield. Swallow Whole 1 (attack) The monster attempts to swallow a creature of the listed size or smaller that it has grabbed in its jaws or mouth. If a swallowed creature is of the maximum size listed, the monster can’t use Swallow Whole again. If the creature is smaller than the maximum, the monster can usually swallow more creatures; the GM determines the maximum. The monster attempts an Athletics check opposed by the grabbed creature’s Reflex DC. If it succeeds, it swallows the creature. The monster’s mouth or jaws no longer grab a creature it has swallowed, so the monster is free to use them to Strike or Grab once again. The monster can’t attack creatures it has swallowed. A swallowed creature is grabbed, is slowed 1, and has to hold its breath or start suffocating. The swallowed creature takes the listed amount of damage when first swallowed and at the end of each of its turns while it’s swallowed. If the victim Escapes this ability’s grabbed condition, it exits through the monster’s mouth. This frees any other creature grabbed in the monster’s mouth or jaws. A swallowed creature can attack the monster that has swallowed it, but only with unarmed attacks or with weapons of light Bulk or less. The swallowing creature is flat-footed against the attack. If the monster takes piercing or slashing damage equaling or exceeding the listed Rupture value from a single attack or spell, the swallowed creature cuts itself free. A creature that gets free by either Escaping or cutting itself free can immediately breathe and exits the swallowing monster’s space. If the monster dies, a swallowed creature can be freed by creatures adjacent to the corpse if they spend a combined total of 3 actions cutting the monster open with a weapon or unarmed attack that deals piercing or slashing damage. Swarm Mind This monster doesn’t have a single mind (typically because it’s a swarm of smaller creatures), and is immune to mental effects that target only a specific number of creatures. It is still subject to mental effects that affect all creatures in an area. Telepathy (aura, divination, magical, mental) A monster with telepathy can communicate mentally with any creatures within the listed radius, as long as they share a language. This doesn’t give any special access to their thoughts, and communicates no more information than normal speech would.

Throw Rock 1 The monster interacts to pick up a rock within reach or retrieve a stowed rock and throws it, making a ranged Strike. Trample 3 The monster Strides up to double its Speed and can move through the spaces of creatures of the listed size, Trampling each creature whose space it enters. The monster can attempt to Trample the same creature only once in a single use of Trample. The monster deals the damage of the listed Strike, but trampled creatures can attempt a basic Reflex save at the listed DC (no damage on a critical success, half damage on a success, double damage on a critical failure). Tremorsense Tremorsense allows a monster to feel the vibrations through a solid surface caused by movement. It is usually an imprecise sense with a limited range (listed in the ability). Tremorsense functions only if the monster is on the same surface as the subject, and only if the subject is moving along (or burrowing through) the surface. Troop Defenses Troops are composed of many individuals, and over the course of enough attacks and downed comrades, troops shrink in size. Most troops start with 16 squares (4 by 4), and their Hit Points have two listed thresholds, typically the first is at 2/3 their maximum Hit Points and the second is at 1/3 their maximum Hit Points. Once the troop drops below the first threshold, it loses 4 squares, leaving 12 squares remaining, and the first threshold becomes the troop’s new maximum Hit Points. Once the troop falls below the second threshold, it loses another 4 squares, leaving 8 squares remaining, and the second threshold becomes the troop’s new maximum Hit Points. In order to restore its size and maximum Hit Points, a troop needs to spend downtime to use long-term treatment on casualties or recruit new members to replace the fallen. At 0 Hit Points, the troop is reduced down to 4 squares, which is too few to sustain the troop, so it disperses entirely, with the few remaining members surrendering, fleeing, or easily dispatched, depending on their nature. A damaging single-target effect, such as a Strike, can’t force a troop to pass through more than one threshold at once. For instance, if a troop had 60 Hit Points, with thresholds at 40 and 20, a Strike for 50 damage would leave the troop at 21 Hit Points, just above the second threshold. A damaging area effect or multi-target effect can cross multiple thresholds at once and could potentially destroy the entire troop in one shot. Non-damaging effects with an area or that target all creatures in a certain proximity affect a troop normally if they affect the entire area occupied by the troop. If an effect has a smaller area or numbers of targets, it typically has no effect on the troop. However, if the effect can target at least four creatures or cover at least four squares in the troop, and if it would prevent its targets from acting, cause them to flee, or otherwise make them unable to function as part of the troop for a round or more, the troop loses a number of Hit Points equal to the amount required to bring it to the next threshold, removing 4 squares. If an effect would both deal damage and automatically cross a threshold due to incapacitating some of the creatures in the troop, apply the damage first. If the damage wasn’t enough to cross a threshold on its own, then reduce the Hit Points to cross the threshold for the incapacitating effect. Wavesense This sense allows a monster to feel vibrations caused by movement through a liquid. It’s usually an imprecise sense with a limited range (listed in the ability). Wavesense functions only if the monster and the subject are in the same body of liquid, and only if the subject is moving through the liquid.

Creature Traits

Some of these traits appear in the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook or previous Pathfinder Second Edition Bestiary volumes, while others are new to this book.

RARITY TRAITS

Unless the creature is common, its trait list starts with a rarity trait. Creatures that don’t start with a rarity trait have the common rarity.

Common A creature of this rarity is generally known and can be summoned with the appropriate summon spell. Uncommon Less is known about uncommon creatures than common creatures. They typically can’t be summoned. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to this creature is increased by 2. Rare As the name suggests, these creatures are rare. They typically can’t be summoned. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to this creature is increased by 5. Unique A creature with this rarity is one of a kind. The DC of Recall Knowledge checks related to this creature is increased by 10.

ALIGNMENT TRAIT ABBREVIATION

Following any listed rarity trait is one of nine alignment trait abbreviations. They are listed below with the alignment traits that these abbreviations represent. General descriptions of alignments can be found in the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. CE Chaotic and evil CG Chaotic and good CN Chaotic and neutral LG Lawful and good LE Lawful and evil LN Lawful and neutral N Neutral NE Neutral and evil NG Neutral and good

SIZE

After any listed rarity trait and the alignment abbreviation, each creature has its size listed before its other traits.

Gargantuan This size of creature takes up a space of at least 20 feet by 20 feet (16 squares on the grid), but can be much larger. Gargantuan creatures typically have a reach of 20 feet if they are tall, or 15 feet if they are long, but larger ones could have a much longer reach. Huge A Huge creature takes up a 15-foot-by-15-foot space (9 squares on the grid). It typically has a reach of 15 feet if the creature is tall or 10 feet if the creature is long. Large A Large creature takes up a 10-foot-by-10-foot space (4 squares on the grid). It typically has a reach of 10 feet if the creature is tall or 5 feet if the creature is long. Medium A Medium creature takes up a 5-foot-by-5-foot space (1 square on the grid) and typically has a reach of 5 feet. Small A Small creature takes up a 5-foot-by-5-foot space (1 square on the grid) and typically has a reach of 5 feet. Tiny A creature of this size takes up less than a 5-foot-by-5-foot space (1 square on the grid), and multiple Tiny creatures can occupy the

same square on the grid. At least four Tiny creatures can occupy the same square, and even more can occupy the same square, at the GM’s discretion. They can also occupy the same space as larger creatures, and if their reach is 0 feet, they must do so in order to attack.

OTHER TRAITS

After any rarity traits, the alignment abbreviation, and the size, each creature’s trait line lists all other traits the creature has in alphabetical order. The following is a list of those traits found in the book.

Aberration Aberrations are creatures from beyond the planes or corruptions of the natural order. Acid Creatures with this trait are primarily constituted of acid or have a magical connection to it. Air Creatures with this trait consist primarily of air or have a magical connection to that element. Alchemical An alchemical creature was artificially created through the science of alchemy. Amphibious An amphibious creature can breathe in water and in air, even outside of its preferred environment, usually indefinitely but at least for hours. These creatures often have a swim Speed. Their bludgeoning and slashing unarmed Strikes don’t take the usual –2 penalty for being underwater. Animal An animal is a creature with a relatively low intelligence. It typically doesn’t have an Intelligence modifier above –4, can’t speak languages, and can’t be trained in Intelligence based skills. Aquatic Aquatic creatures are at home underwater. Their bludgeoning and slashing unarmed Strikes don’t take the usual –2 penalty for being underwater. Aquatic creatures can breathe water but not air. Arcane This magic comes from the arcane tradition, which is built on logic and rationality. Anything with this trait is magical. A creature with this trait is primarily constituted of or has a strong connection to arcane magic. Astral Astral creatures are native of the Astral Plane. They can survive the basic environmental effects of the Astral Plane. Beast A creature similar to an animal but with an Intelligence modifier of –3 or higher is usually a beast. Unlike an animal, a beast might be able to speak and reason. Bacoo A family of fey who either mischievously haunt their surroundings or serve contracts with mortals. Either way, they have a particular connection to food and drink. Bannog Bipedal rabbitlike aberrations from the Dreamlands. Celestial Creatures that hail from or have a strong connection to the good-aligned planes are called celestials. Celestials can survive the basic environmental effects of planes in the Outer Sphere. Cold Creatures with this trait have a magical connection to cold. Construct A construct is an artificial creature empowered by a force other than necromancy. Constructs are often mindless; they are immune to bleed damage, death effects, disease, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, poison, and the doomed, drained, fatigued, paralyzed, sickened, and unconscious conditions; and they may have Hardness based on the materials used to construct their bodies. Constructs are not living creatures, nor are they undead. When reduced to 0 Hit Points, a construct creature is destroyed. Curse A creature with the curse trait is the living incarnation of a magical curse.

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Cursed A cursed creature is under the effects of a powerful curse. Removing the curse might change the creature into something else. Demon A family of fiends hailing from the Abyss, most demons are chaotic evil. Most demons have darkvision and weakness to good damage. Devil A family of fiends from Hell, most devils are lawful evil. They typically have greater darkvision, weakness to good damage, immunity to fire, and telepathy. Dragon Dragons are reptilian creatures, often winged or with the power of flight. Most are able to use a breath weapon and are immune to sleep and the paralyzed condition. Dream Creatures native to the Dimension of Dreams can be any alignment and possess a diverse array of abilities, although those associated with the nightmare realm of Leng are almost always evil and immune to that realm’s freezing temperatures. Earth Creatures with this trait consist primarily of earth or have a magical connection to that element. Electricity Creatures with this trait have a magical connection to electricity. Elemental Elementals are creatures directly tied to an element and are native to the Elemental Planes. Elementals don’t need to breathe. Elf A creature with this trait is a member of the elf ancestry. Elves are mysterious people with rich traditions of magic and scholarship who typically have low-light vision. An ability with this trait can be used or selected only by elves. A weapon with this trait is created and used by elves. Ethereal Ethereal creatures are natives of the Ethereal Plane. They can survive the basic environmental effects of the Ethereal Plane. Evocation Effects and magic items with this trait are associated with the evocation school of magic, typically involving energy and elemental forces. A creature with this trait is primarily constituted of or has a strong connection to evocation magic. Feddry Amphibious humanoids who protect themselves by wearing rocks. Fey Creatures of the Fey World are called the fey. Fiend Creatures that hail from or have a strong connection to the evil-aligned planes are called fiends. Fiends can survive the basic environmental effects of planes in the Outer Sphere. Fire Creatures with this trait are primarily constituted of fire or have a magical connection to that element. Fungus Fungal creatures have the fungus trait. They are distinct from normal fungi. Giant Giants are massive humanoid creatures. Gnome A creature with this trait is a member of the gnome ancestry. Gnomes are small people skilled at magic who seek out new experiences and usually have low-light vision. Goblin A creature with this trait can be one of several kinds of creature, including goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears. Goblins tend to have darkvision. Golem Golems are a special type of construct. Golems are immune to almost all magic, but most have a weakness to certain spells. Gremlin Cruel and mischievous fey, gremlins have acclimated to life on the Material Plane. Human A creature with this trait is a member of the human ancestry. Humans are a diverse array of people known for their adaptability. An ability with this trait can be used or selected only by humans. Humanoid Humanoids reason and act much like humans. They typically stand upright and have two arms and two legs.

Illusion Effects and magic items with this trait are associated with the illusion school of magic, typically involving false sensory stimuli. A creature with the illusion trait is entirely illusory, though it has Hit Points and functions like a creature. Incorporeal An incorporeal creature or object has no physical form. It can pass through solid objects, including walls. When inside an object, an incorporeal creature can’t perceive, attack, or interact with anything outside the object, and if it starts its turn in an object, it is slowed 1. Corporeal creatures can pass through an incorporeal creature, but they can’t end their movement in its space. An incorporeal creature can’t attempt Strength-based checks against physical creatures or objects—only against incorporeal ones—unless those objects have the ghost touch property rune. Likewise, a corporeal creature can’t attempt Strength-based checks against incorporeal creatures or objects. Incorporeal creatures usually have immunity to effects or conditions that require a physical body, like disease, poison, and precision damage. They usually have resistance against all damage (except force damage and damage from Strikes with the ghost touch property rune), with double the resistance against nonmagical damage. Kami Kami are spirits of the Material Plane that bond with a specific object or place. Leshy Leshys are small, roughly humanoid plant creatures. Light Creatures with the light trait have a connection to magical light. Magical Something with the magical trait is imbued with magical energies not tied to a specific tradition of magic. A magical item radiates a magic aura infused with its dominant school of magic. Some items or effects are closely tied to a particular tradition of magic. In these cases, the item has the arcane, divine, occult, or primal trait instead of the magical trait. Any of these traits indicate that the item is magical. Mental A mental effect can alter the target’s mind. It has no effect on an object or a mindless creature. Mindless creatures and objects are entirely immune to a mental creature and can’t perceive it. Mindless A mindless creature has either programmed or rudimentary mental attributes. Most, if not all, of their mental ability modifiers are –5. They are immune to all mental effects. Monitor Creatures that hail from or have a strong connection to the neutrally aligned planes are called monitors. Monitors can survive the basic environmental effects of planes in the Outer Sphere. Negative Creatures with this trait are natives of the Negative Energy Plane. They can survive the basic environmental effects of the Negative Energy Plane. Nymph This family of beautiful fey creatures has strong ties to natural locations. Ooze Oozes are creatures with simple anatomies. They tend to have low mental ability scores and immunity to mental effects and precision damage. Plant Vegetable creatures have the plant trait. They are distinct from normal plants. Positive Creatures with this trait are natives of the Positive Energy Plane. They can survive the basic environmental effects of the Positive Energy Plane. Qlippoth A family of fiends hailing from the Abyss, most qlippoth are chaotic evil. Their appearance affects the minds of non-qlippoth that view them. Sahkil Sahkils are fiends that delight in spreading fear and unease

among mortal creatures. They typically have darkvision, immunity to fear, and weakness to good. Shadow Creatures with this trait are natives of the Shadow Plane. They can survive the basic environmental effects of the Shadow Plane. Skeleton This undead is made by animating a dead creature’s skeleton with negative energy. Sonic A creature with this trait has a magical connection to powerful sound. Spirit Spirits are ephemeral creatures defined by their spiritual essence. They often lack a material form. Sprite A family of diminutive winged fey with a strong connection to primal magic. Swarm A swarm is a mass or cloud of creatures that functions as one monster. Its size entry gives the size of the entire mass, though for most swarms the individual creatures that make up that mass are Tiny. A swarm can occupy the same space as other creatures, and must do so in order to use its damaging action. A swarm typically has weakness to effects that deal damage over an area (like area spells and splash weapons). Swarms are immune to the grabbed, prone, and restrained conditions. Time Time creatures are natives of the Dimension of Time. They do not age, and while some may be driven by supernatural hungers, they do not need to eat or drink to survive. They can survive the basic environmental effects of the Dimension of Time. Troop A troop is an organized collection of component creatures, typically Small or Medium in size, working as a cohesive whole. A troop is 16 squares in size and has two Hit Point thresholds in their HP entry, under which it reduces in size to 12 squares and then 8 squares. A troop has the Troop Defenses, Form Up, and Troop Movement abilities. Most troops have a weakness to area damage. Because they consist of multiple discrete creatures, they can’t be summoned. Undead Once living, these creatures were infused after death with negative energy and soul-corrupting evil magic. When reduced to 0 Hit Points, an undead creature is destroyed. Undead creatures are damaged by positive energy, are healed by negative energy, and don’t benefit from healing effects. Velstrac A family of fiends from the Shadow Plane that are associated with pain and agony. All velstracs possess some form of disturbing gaze. Water Creatures with this trait are primarily constituted of water or have a magical connection to the element. Werecreature Shapechanging creatures that either are naturally able to shift between animal, humanoid, and hybrid forms or are afflicted with a curse that forces them to shift involuntarily. Xotlxotl Bipedal axolotl aberrations with a penchant for mutation. Zombie These undead are mindless rotting corpses that hunger for living flesh.

Rituals

Some creatures from the Outer Planes can use special rituals to call their kin or transport themselves to another plane. These are the rituals used by various creatures in this book.

ABYSSAL PACT UNCOMMON

CONJURATION

RITUAL 1

Cast 1 day Primary Check Religion (expert; you must be a demon) You call in a favor from another demon whose level is no more than double Abyssal pact’s spell level, two demons whose levels are each at least 2 less than double the spell level, or three demons whose levels are each at least 3 less than double the spell level. Critical Success You conjure the demon or demons. They are eager to pursue the task, so they don’t ask for a favor. Success You conjure the demon or demons. They are not eager to pursue the task, so they require a favor in return. Failure You don’t conjure any demons. Critical Failure The demon or demons are angry that you disturbed them. They appear before you, but they immediately attack you.

Languages

Some creatures in this book speak languages not found in the “Languages” section of the Pathfinder Second Edition Core Rulebook. The languages are listed below.

TABLE: UNCOMMON AND RARE LANGUAGES Language Residui (rare)

Speakers This extraordinarily rare language from a previous universe is spoken exclusively by arkyrons

WEAPON TRAITS

The bonuses from these weapons traits are included in creatures’ statistics, but the traits appear because they’re relevant for the clumsy and enfeebled conditions. Brutal A ranged attack with this trait uses its Strength modifier instead of Dexterity on the attack roll. Finesse This melee attack is Dexterity based. Even if a weapon normally has the finesse trait, this trait is omitted in the Strike entry if the monster is applying its Strength.

207

Suggested Monster Parts

We have compiled a list of the various monster parts you can gather from each monster outlined within this book. You can present directly to the players after they have defeated the creature so they can determine how to best use the parts to refine and imbue items. No roll is needed to determine what the parts can do. Using this list will significantly save time; otherwise you will need to present the stat block to the players and they’ll have to spend time determining the possible components that can be salvaged from the monster. The refinements and imbued properties listed in these stats blocks are a suggested starting point for each creature. However, there’s a fair degree of judgment calls used in making certain decisions, so you and your group can and should adjust them depending on your group’s preferences or needs. For example, when refining armor, you need to determine if a creature can provide the equivalent of cloth, leather, or metal. Dragons in this table provide any type of armor, as perhaps the wings could be used for cloth, the skin for leather, and the scales and bones for metal. But perhaps in your game you only want dragons to provide heavy armor. These are all judgment calls, so feel free to adjust, especially if your players have a good explanation of why they think the part should work for a different refining or imbuing option. However, keep in mind that the other categories that are directly based upon abilities and skills, should probably be kept as presented as those are less up to interpretation. And if you adjust any of these abilities from the initial stat blocks presented in this book, you should change the properties in turn. For example, if you want to change the ice zuggle into a fire zuggle, you should also remove the cold imbued property from the list of options in favor of the fire imbued property. Also note, these lists are derived from the original monster stat block and not any listed alternate abilities detailed in some monster descriptions. If you decide to utilize a variable version of a creature, or you change a creature to better suit your game, make sure to adjust their monster parts accordingly. Of course, this is your game, and you can adjust these tables however you wish; perhaps you don’t even require any limitations! Whatever you choose, try to keep it consistent for both yourself and your players so that it feels fair.

CREATURE NAME

208

LEVEL

Monster Parts value light variant/hybrid variant/full variant Eligible Refinements Suggested refinements from the creature are listed here. You might determine the creature has additional refinements available or lacks any of these refinements. Eligible Imbued Properties Suggested imbued properties from the creature are listed here. You might determine the creature has additional imbued properties available or lacks any of these imbued properties.

MONSTER PARTS ABANDONED

CREATURE 2

Monster Parts 5/12/22 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, mental, negative, poison, strength, throwing, wild

ADADA

CREATURE 17

AKAKY

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 1,875/4,300/8,000 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Arcana, Athletics, Crafting, Lore [Art], Performance) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, spells (Divine: freedom of movement, mind blank, teleport), strength, wild, winged

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Intimidation, Society) Eligible Imbued Properties chaotic, cold, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, fortification, negative, wild, winged

AMALGAMESS

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Arcana, Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), fire, fortification, intelligence, mental, negative, spells (Arcane: fleet step, fly, hydraulic push, mage hand, produce flame, tanglefoot, touch of idiocy, vampiric touch, ventriloquism), spiked, strength, water, wild

ARRONGTATA COMMANDER

CREATURE 4

ARRONGTATA HAWK RIDER

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Lore [Warfare], Nature) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), spells (Primal: speak with plants), strength, wild

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Lore [Warfare], Nature) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, spells (Primal: speak with plants), strength, wild, winged

ARRONGTATA SWARM

CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Lore [Warfare], Nature) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), fortification, mental, spells (Primal: speak with plants), strength, sturdy, wild

ASKYRON

CREATURE 18

Monster Parts 3,000/7,000/13,000 gp Eligible Refinements armor (light, medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Lore [Previous Reality], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, dexterity, energy resistant (acid, positive), evil, force, fortification, good, intelligence, lawful, mental, mirrored, spells (Arcane: disintegrate, plane shift, shield, teleport, tongues), strength, throwing, wild, winged

ATONING SPIRIT

CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Lore [Penitent], Nature, Religion, Society) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, spells (Primal: atone, invisibility, teleport), wild, winged

AUROPLASM

CREATURE 15

Monster Parts 810/1,850/3,400 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Arcana, Athletics, Crafting, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, constitution, electricity, elongating, energy resistant (acid, electricity, fire, positive), fire, fortification, intelligence, light, mental, mirrored, negative, poison, spells (Arcane: crushing despair, detect magic, dispel magic, dispel magic, fly, haste, horrid wilting, mage hand, maze, mind blank, prismatic spray, read aura, shield, telekinetic projectile, tempest of shades), strength, sturdy, wild

AYD-RAHIBA

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, strength, sturdy, wild

BANNOG THIEF

CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Lore [Dreamlands], Stealth, Survival, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, mental, poison, wild

BATHTUB OOZE

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), mirrored, negative, strength, wild

BELL WALKER

CREATURE 10

BETWEEN

CREATURE 12

BLINK DRAKE

CREATURE 11

BLOODSPORT REMNANT

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Lore [Fungus], Occultism, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, poison, strength, sturdy, wild

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, fire, force, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 175/390/720 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), force, spells (Arcane: blink, blink charge, dimension door, unexpected transposition), wild, winged

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), shield, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Performance) Eligible Imbued Properties charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, mental, strength, sturdy, wild

BOE ERCHITU

CREATURE 7

BOG BOMBER

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, energy resistant (positive), evil, lawful, negative, strength, wild

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (fire, positive), fire, strength, wild

209

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), skill items (Athletics, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Performance, Society) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, mental, spells (Occult: daze, ghost sound, prestidigitation), wild

BOWLFISH

CREATURE 1

Monster Parts 560/1,250/2,300 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, cold, constitution, earth, electricity, energy resistant (cold, electricity, fire, positive, negative), fire, sonic, spells (Arcane: dimension door, teleport), strength, sturdy, wild, winged

BULBEKKEN

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, throwing, wild, winged

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, constitution, energy resistant (positive), spells (Primal: acidic burst, prestidigitation, vomit swarm), strength, wild

CADAVALIER

CREATURE 7

CARNIVOROUS CHAPEAU

CREATURE -1

CASTER DETRITUS

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (negative), evil, mental, negative, strength, wild

Monster Parts 1.5/3.5/6.5 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive, negative), strength, wild

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), shield, skill items (Arcana, Athletics, Deception) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, intelligence, poison, spells (Arcane: gaseous form, glitterdust, grease, stinking cloud, tanglefoot), strength, throwing, wild

CATHARTIC WORM

CREATURE 9

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Lore [Emotion], Nature, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), mental, strength, wild, winged

CAXIRUS

210

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Nature, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, darkness, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, intelligence, mental, spells (Primal: animal vision, coral eruption, crashing wave, darkness, hydraulic torrent, spout), strength, water, wild

CELESTIAL GEOMETRY

CREATURE 14

CHIRALUS

CREATURE 9

CHOSAINTOR

CREATURE 2

CHRONOCEROS

CREATURE 7

Monster Parts 5/12/22 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, spells (Primal: charm, prestidigitation, tame), wild

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), strength, sturdy, wild

CITRIC EVAPORITE

CREATURE 11

CLOAKED CADAVER

CREATURE 10

CONGEALED LAUGHTER

CREATURE 15

CONTORTION CREEPER

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 175/390/720 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (electricity, fire), fire, fortification, strength, wild

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, negative, wild, winged

Monster Parts 810/1,850/3,400 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, chaotic, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, fortification, mental, strength, wild

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

CONTORTION CROWN

CREATURE 12

CONTORTION SWARM

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Society, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, strength, wild

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), skill items (Acrobatics, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), wild

CONVOLUTE KEYWEED

CREATURE 11

Monster Parts 175/390/720 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, Society, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, throwing, wild

COPPERSMYF

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Crafting, Lore [Cooking], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, dexterity, electricity, energy resistant (negative, positive), strength, wild, winged

CRYPTFOWL SWARM

CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), wild, winged

CRYSTALLINE OWL

CREATURE 2

Monster Parts 5/12/22 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (fire, positive), fire, mirrored, wild, winged

CUNOMAGLOS

CREATURE 15

Monster Parts 810/1,850/3,400 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), perception item, skill items (Arcana, Athletics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Nature, Occultism, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

CURSE EATER

CREATURE 12

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Lore [Curse], Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), spells (Primal: dominate, freedom of movement, moon frenzy, remove curse, true seeing), spiked, strength, sturdy, wild

DEMON SHEPHERD

CREATURE 10

EBIRAH

CREATURE 18

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Occultism, Religion) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, intelligence, mental, negative, spells (Divine: command, daze, impending doom, rip the spirit ), strength, wild

Monster Parts 3,000/7,000/13,000 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Nature, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, sonic, strength, sturdy, wild

EMPEROR SHARK PENGUIN

CREATURE 2

ERYGLOID

CREATURE 3

EUPHORIA OOZE

CREATURE 4

EXTRA TOE

CREATURE -1

EYE STALKER

CREATURE 7

Monster Parts 5/12/22 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (cold, positive), evil, strength, wild

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, constitution, energy resistant (acid, positive), fortification, mirrored, strength, wild

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, energy resistant (positive), fortification, positive, wild

Monster Parts 1.5/3.5/6.5 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), wild

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, intelligence, strength, wild

211

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Deception, Intimidation, Lore [Legendary Monster], Performance) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), mental, wild

FALSE TARRASQUE

CREATURE 1

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (medium), perception item, skill items (Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild, winged

FEDDRY

CREATURE 0

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Lore [Filth]) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, dexterity, energy resistant (fire, positive), fire, spells (Primal: stinking cloud), wild

Monster Parts 2.25/5/9 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), skill items (Crafting, Deception, Diplomacy, Lore [Rock], Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties charisma, constitution, dexterity, electricity, energy resistant (positive), strength, throwing, wild

FETCHFISHER

CREATURE 7

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Lore [Fetchling], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), spiked, strength, wild

FETCHFISHER BROOD SWARM CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), fortification, strength, wild

FETHROTTE

CREATURE 3

FETH VELAUNT

CREATURE 9

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, cold, constitution, electricity, energy resistant (positive), fire, poison, sonic, strength, wild

CREATURE 7

FRENZIED TRASHFIRE

CREATURE 8

FURNACE NEWT

CREATURE 3

FURY SPHERE

CREATURE 9

GASPER

CREATURE 9

GASTROPHAGE

CREATURE 9

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (fire, positive), fire, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (medium, heavy), shield, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation, Lore [Heaven, Legal]) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, darkness, energy resistant (positive, negative), strength, sturdy, wild

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics, Lore [Elemental Plane of Air], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties air, bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, sturdy, wild

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (cold, positive), evil, mental, strength, wild

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, throwing, wild

FOSTERKIN

Monster Parts 375/840/1,560 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Arcana, Crafting, Intimidation, Medicine, Nature, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, air, bane, earth, energy resistant (negative), intelligence, mental, negative, poison, spells (Primal; animal vision, cloudkill, corrosive body, detect magic, dispel magic, entangle, finger of death, haste, longstrider, nature’s reprisal, necrotize, puff of poison, read aura, shape wood, slow, speak with animals, speak with plants, tanglefoot, tree shape, tree stride, true seeing, wall of stone, wall of thorns), sturdy, throwing, wild

CREATURE 12

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Lore [Parenting], Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, energy resistant (positive), good, mental, spells (Occult: modify memory, sanctuary, sleep, soothe), strength, wild

212

FRAGMENTOR

GLADELICH

CREATURE 13

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Nature, Performance) Eligible Imbued Properties constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, strength, wild

GOBLIN CIRCUS TROUPE

CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 2.25/5/9 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), perception item, skill items (Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, strength, wild

GOLDEN COINIVORE SWARM

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties chaotic, charisma, elongating, energy resistant (negative), evil, negative, strength, wild

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Crafting, Deception, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), evil, fire, intelligence, wild

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (heavy), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, wild

GOLDSMYF

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (medium, heavy), skill items (Acrobatics, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), fire, light, spells (primal: detect magic, faerie fire, fire shield, freedom of movement, glitterdust, passwall, plane shift, solid fog, tanglefoot), throwing, wild

GOLEM OF WONDER

CREATURE 11

Monster Parts 175/390/720 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, dexterity, electricity, elongating, energy resistant (negative, positive), force, strength, sturdy, wild

GOREHED

CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Nature, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, strength, wild

GREATER FETCHFISHER

CREATURE 13

Monster Parts 375/840/1,560 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Lore [Fetchling], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), spiked, strength, wild

GROUNDGULLET

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

GUILLOTINE HEAD

GUILTBOUND

CREATURE 0

CREATURE 10

GUNPOWDER BEAR

CREATURE 1

HANDLESS MAGE

CREATURE 9

HAUNTING SPOON

CREATURE 1

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Arcana, Deception, Diplomacy, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties energy resistant (negative), evil, intelligence, mental, spells (Arcane: charitable urge, mage hand, phantom pain, telekinetic maneuver, telekinetic projectile), wild

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), mental, sturdy, wild, winged

HEAT GLUTTON

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, cold, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (fire, positive), evil, spiked, strength, wild

ICTIOCTOR

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Occultism) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, poison, spells (Occult: vomit swarm), strength, sturdy, throwing, wild

213

ILLICERU

CREATURE 11

Monster Parts 175/390/720 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Diplomacy, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, mental, strength, wild

IMAGINARY FRIEND

CREATURE 8

KOLUFS KRAFSA

CREATURE 6

LANTERN LESHY

CREATURE 2

LIVING BONES

CREATURE 3

CREATURE 9

Monster Parts 5/12/22 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Deception, Intimidation, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, fire, light, mental, negative, poison, strength, throwing, wild

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Diplomacy, Society) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (cold, electricity, fire, positive), good, positive, spiked, strength, sturdy, wild

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Intimidation, Nature, Performance, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, earth, energy resistant (positive), evil, intelligence, light, mental, spells (Primal: dancing lights, glitterdust, jump, mud pit, pest form, restyle, spout, vomit swarm), water, wild 214

CREATURE 3

CREATURE 16

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), skill items (Acrobatics, Intimidation, Nature, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, spells (Primal: control water, hydraulic torrent), water, wild, winged

KAYMAN BACOO

KEYWEED

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, Society, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), poison, wild

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties constitution, energy resistant (positive), evil, strength, wild

Monster Parts 1,250/2,800/5,150 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (negative), evil, force, lawful, negative, spells (Occult: spirit song), throwing, wild, winged

KAWAKAMI

CREATURE 1

CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, electricity, energy resistant (negative, positive), strength, throwing, wild

JADRANI

KELPSTEED

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), skill items (Acrobatics, Lore [Ocean], Nature, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), poison, strength, wild

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), mental, strength, wild

IRON HOUNDMASTER

CREATURE 7

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), force, mental, wild

INKBLOT OOZE

KEENINGREED

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Nature, Occultism, Performance, Religion, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, energy resistant (negative, positive), intelligence, mental, negative, positive, sonic, spells (Primal: counter performance, dirge of doom, enervation, ghost sound, soothe, sound burst), throwing, wild

LIVING CONSTELLATION

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Arcana, Deception, Intimidation, Nature, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, fire, good, light, mental, spells (Primal: guidance, guiding star, light, searing light), strength, sturdy, throwing, wild, winged

LIVING FIGMENT

CREATURE 6

LIVING ORIGAMI

CREATURE 0

LOREKITH

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements skill items (Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (acid, cold, electricity, fire, negative, positive, sonic), mental, wild, winged

Monster Parts 2.25/5/9 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), skill items (Acrobatics, Deception, Nature, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), good, intelligence, wild, winged

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements skill items (Crafting, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Lore [Myth], Performance, Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, cold, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, mental, sonic, spells (Primal: daze, haunting hymn, illusory creature, illusory object, inspire courage, inspire defense), wild

LUCENT DEMONSHEEP

CREATURE 7

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, mental, strength, wild

MANY FACES

CREATURE 18

Monster Parts 3,000/7,000/13,000 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), shield, skill items (Acrobatics, Deception, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, sturdy, wild

MARAMACULA

CREATURE 12

MEATMONGER

CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Deception, Diplomacy, Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, mental, wild

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Crafting, Diplomacy, Lore [Cooking]) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, energy resistant (positive), evil, lawful, strength, wild

MEDDLING HANDS

CREATURE 13

Monster Parts 375/840/1,560 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (medium), shield, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, Medicine, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, strength, throwing, wild

MERCURIAL KNIGHT

CREATURE 3

MIDNIGHT LILY

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), poison, strength, wild

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), shield, perception item, skill items (Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), poison, spiked, wild

MIRAGE CRAWLER

CREATURE 10

MONEY-GRUBBER SWARM

CREATURE -1

NAFIRUS

CREATURE 9

ODRAZU

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, constitution, energy resistant (fire, positive), evil, strength, wild

Monster Parts 1.5/3.5/6.5 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), mental, wild

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Nature, Performance, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties air, bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, dexterity, electricity, energy resistant (positive), evil, fire, mental, sonic, spells (Primal: animal vision, ash cloud, electric arc, freedom of movement, gust of wind, lightning storm, wall of wind), wild, winged

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Performance, Religion, Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (fire, poison, positive), evil, intelligence, mental, wild, winged

215

OWLPACA

CREATURE 3

PAINTBRUSH FOX

CREATURE 2

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), mental, strength, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 5/12/22 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, Deception, Performance, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), spells (Primal: ventriloquism), wild

PLUG-TAILED WOLLY

CREATURE 1

POSSIBILITY GOLEM

CREATURE 14

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

Monster Parts 560/1,250/2,300 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (negative, positive), force, mirrored, strength, sturdy, wild

PRECOGNATE

CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

PROSELYTIZER

CREATURE 15

Monster Parts 810/1,850/3,400 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Lore [Torture], Medicine, Religion) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (cold, positive), evil, lawful, mental, throwing, wild

PSYCHIC RAT KING

CREATURE 14

Monster Parts 560/1,250/2,300 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, energy resistant (positive), evil, intelligence, spells (Occult: command, confusion, daze, detect magic, dominate, déjà vu, fear, feeblemind, hideous laughter, impending doom, invisibility, mage hand, message, mind reading, object reading, paralyze, paranoia, paranoia, phantasmal killer, phantom pain, retrocognition, schadenfreude, shield, soothe, synesthesia, tongues, visions of danger, warp mind), wild 216

PSYCHOGENIC LAGOMORPH

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), force, intelligence, mirrored, spells (Occult: telekinetic projectile), spiked, wild, winged

Q-METAL MORPHOID

CREATURE 14

Monster Parts 560/1,250/2,300 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (fire, positive), fire, strength, throwing, wild

RIBCAGE VINE

CREATURE 5

SALIRUS

CREATURE 6

SAMARAN

CREATURE 1

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (cold, electricity, negative), evil, negative, strength, sturdy, wild

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Lore [Swamp], Nature, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), evil, light, mental, negative, poison, spells (Primal: animal vision, dancing lights, entangle, solid fog, stinking cloud, sudden blight), water, wild

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Crafting, Lore [Arboreal], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, wild

SAVALIR

CREATURE 10

SCYPHOZOID EYE

CREATURE 13

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Intimidation, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, chaotic, cold, constitution, dexterity, electricity, energy resistant (acid, positive), evil, fire, intelligence, mental, poison, spiked, strength, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 375/840/1,560 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, elongating, energy resistant (acid, positive), evil, light, poison, spells (Occult: color spray, chromatic ray, cloak of colors, chroma leach, detect magic, tongues), sturdy, wild, winged

SECRADOW

CREATURE 7

SHRIEKING AUGER

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Deception, Lore [Secret], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), strength, wild

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, wild

SILKWURM

CREATURE 12

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive, negative), spiked, wild

SILVERSMYF

CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (medium, heavy), skill items (Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, cold, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), spells (primal: plane shift, web), spiked, strength, throwing, wild

SORROW PORTRAIT

CREATURE 12

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Deception) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), evil, mental, strength, sturdy, wild, winged

SPELLFILCHER

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Crafting, Deception, Diplomacy, Nature, Occultism, Religion, Society, Stealth, Survival, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, cold, dexterity, electricity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, light, spells (Arcane: dancing lights, detect magic, electric arc, ghost sound, light, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read aura), wild, winged

SQUICHLEK

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, poison, wild

STAR WYRM

CREATURE 19

Monster Parts 5,000/12,000/22,500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive, negative), fire, lawful, light, negative, positive, strength, wild, winged

STICK TONGUE

CREATURE 5

STILTWALKER

CREATURE 12

SUSURRATION

CREATURE 6

TAHAGATA

CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

Monster Parts 250/560/1,030 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties charisma, constitution, energy resistant (negative), intelligence, negative, wild, winged

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Occultism, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, spells (Occult; inevitable disaster, tongues), strength, throwing, wild

TELEPATHIC EARWIG SWARM CREATURE 6

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements shield, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Occultism) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, energy resistant (positive), force, mental, spells (Occult: calm emotions, charm, command, confusion, daze, ghost sound, telekinetic maneuver), wild

TESTUDAN

CREATURE 19

Monster Parts 5,000/12,000/22,500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium, heavy), shield, perception item, skill items (Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, poison, strength, sturdy, wild 217

THICKET URCHIN

CREATURE 15

Monster Parts 810/1,850/3,400 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, heavy), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), poison, throwing, wild

THOUSAND SKINS

CREATURE 20

Monster Parts 8,750/17,500/30,000 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, mental, strength, wild

THUNDERHEAD WILLOW

CREATURE 9

TIDRAGAT

CREATURE 3

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, slashing), armor (light, medium), skill items (Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, electricity, elongating, energy resistant (fire, positive), fire, strength, wild

Monster Parts 7/18/30 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light, medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Stealth, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, light, mental, poison, spells (Arcane: color spray, daze, detect magic, floating disk, ghost sound, illusory object, invisibility, invisible item, mage hand, telekinetic projectile), wild, winged

TIME GOLEM

CREATURE 21

TREE OF EYES

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 10,000/24,000/45,000 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Acrobatics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive, negative), force, mirrored, sturdy, wild, winged

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light, medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), mental, poison, strength, sturdy, throwing, wild

TWISTWERE WOLF

CREATURE 5

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

UNSCALED TYRANT

218

CREATURE 4

Monster Parts 12/27/50 gp Eligible Refinements armor (medium), shield, perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Religion, Stealth)

Eligible Imbued Properties charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), evil, intelligence, lawful, mental, negative, sturdy, throwing, wild

VASPERTIL

CREATURE 10

VENGEWHISPER

CREATURE 11

VILE ASCENDER

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Religion, Society, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, darkness, dexterity, energy resistant (negative), spells (Occult: darkness, dimension door, freedom of movement, nondetection), strength, wild

Monster Parts 175/390/720 gp Eligible Refinements perception item, skill items (Intimidation, Lore [Life], Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties chaotic, charisma, dexterity, energy resistant (acid, cold, electricity, fire, negative, sonic), evil, force, mental, sonic, spells (Occult: confusion, ghost sound, invisibility, mage hand, nightmare, phantom pain, telekinetic projectile), wild, winged

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), skill items (Acrobatics, Crafting, Deception, Nature, Society, Stealth, Survival, Thievery) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, constitution, darkness, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), mental, spells (Primal: acid splash, darkness, dimension door, entangle, haste, locate, tanglefoot), strength, wild

WACKADODO

CREATURE 6

WADIRUS

CREATURE 5

WANDERING PLAGUE

CREATURE 9

Monster Parts 30/65/125 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light), skill items (Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Performance, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), spiked, strength, wild

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (light), skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Nature, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, poison, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), fortification, negative, strength, wild

WANNABE KNIGHT

CREATURE 13

Monster Parts 375/840/1,560 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Lore [Legend], Society) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), fortification, spiked, strength, wild

WAR TORTOISE

CREATURE 8

Monster Parts 64/140/250 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing), armor (medium, heavy), skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, charisma, constitution, dexterity, elongating, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

WHORL OOZE

CREATURE 10

Monster Parts 125/275/500 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning), perception item, skill items (Athletics) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), fortification, mental, spells (Occult: ooze form), strength, wild

WILDCAT GORGER

CREATURE 7

Monster Parts 45/100/180 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, constitution, energy resistant (positive), strength, wild

WRITER’S BLOCK

CREATURE 5

XOTLXOTL

CREATURE 1

ZAKURAK

CREATURE 24

Monster Parts 18/45/80 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (slashing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Performance, Society, Stealth) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, chaotic, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (positive), intelligence, mental, throwing, wild

Monster Parts 3.5/7/13 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing), armor (light), perception item, skill items (Athletics, Nature, Occultism, Stealth, Survival) Eligible Imbued Properties acid, bane, charisma, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (acid, poison, positive), throwing, wild

Monster Parts 35,000/70,000/120,000 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing), armor (light, medium, heavy), perception item, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Intimidation, Lore [Dragon], Nature, Occultism, Religion) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, charisma, constitution, elongating, energy resistant (positive), evil, mental, spells (Divine: dispel magic, divine aura, fear, shadow raid, spellwrack, summon draconic legion, summon dragon, tempest of shades, true seeing, warp mind), spiked, wild, winged

ZWEIBLADE GUARDIAN

CREATURE 9

Monster Parts 90/200/360 gp Eligible Refinements weapons (piercing, slashing), armor (heavy), shield, skill items (Acrobatics, Athletics, Intimidation) Eligible Imbued Properties bane, constitution, dexterity, energy resistant (negative, positive), spiked, sturdy, throwing, wild

219

FEY

Creatures by Type

The following lists organize the creatures by their major types, subdivided by level. A superscript “U” indicates that a creature is uncommon, “R” that it’s rare, and “Uq” that it’s unique.

ABERRATION

Level 1 bowlfishR, xotlxotlU; Level 2 emperor shark penguinU; Level3 contortion swarmU, squichlekU; Level 4 contortion creeperU; Level 5 bannog thiefU, gorehed, precognateR; Level 6 tahagataU, telepathic earwig swarmU; Level 7 eye stalkerU; Level 8 caster detritus, golden coinivore swarmU, groundgulletU; Level 9 chiralusU, feth velauntR, gasperR; Level 10 amalgamessR, ayd-rahibaR, bell walkerU, living constellation, mirage crawlerU, savalirR; Level 11 illiceruU; Level 12 betweenR, contortion crownR, fosterkinR, stiltwalkerR; Level 13 meddling handsR, scyphozoid eyeR; Level 14 psychic rat kingR; Level18 many facesR

ANIMAL

Level -1 extra toe; Level 3 arrongtata hawk rider, fethrotteU, owlpacaU; Level 5 cryptfowl swarmU, stick tongueU, twistwere wolfU; Level 6 wackadodoU; Level 7 lucent demonsheepR, wildcat gorgerU; Level 8 war tortoiseR; Level 18 ebirahUq

ASTRAL

Level 4 odrazu ; Level 6 tahagata ; Level 7 fragmentor ; Level 9 chiralusU; Level 10 living constellation; Level 18 askyronR U

BEAST

FIEND

Level 4 ictioctorU, odrazuU; Level 7 lucent demonsheepR; Level 9 fury sphereR; Level 10 amalgamessR, demon shepherdR; Level 15 proselytizerU; Level 24 zakurakUq

FUNGUS

Level 8 tree of eyesU; Level 10 bell walkerU; Level 15 thicket urchin

HUMANOID

Level 0 feddry; Level 6 goblin circus troupe, kolufs krafsaR; Level 7 secradowU; Level 10 amalgamessR

MONITOR

Level 10 vaspertilR; Level 17 adadaR

OOZE

Level 3 bathtub oozeU, erygloidU; Level 4 euphoria oozeU; Level 6 inkblot oozeU; Level 9 wandering plagueU; Level 10 whorl oozeU; Level 11 citric evaporite; Level 13 wannabe knightU; Level 15 auroplasmR, congealed laughterR

Level 1 plug-tailed wollyU; Level 2 paintbrush fox; Level 3 furnace newtU; Level 5 fetchfisher brood swarmU; Level 7 boe erchituR, chronocerosU, fetchfisherU; Level 8 psychogenic lagomorphU, shrieking auger; Level 9 gastrophage; Level 10 heat gluttonU; Level12 curse eaterR, maramaculaUq; Level 13 greater fetchfisherU; Level 14 psychic rat kingR; Level 16 jadraniR; Level 19 testudanR

PLANT

CONSTRUCT

Level 5 fetchfisher brood swarmU; Level 7 fetchfisherU, secradowU; Level13 greater fetchfisherU

Level -1 carnivorous chapeau ; Level 1 gunpowder bear , haunting spoonU; Level 3 mercurial knight; Level 4 coppersmyfU; Level 6 living figmentR, silversmyfR; Level 8 iron houndmasterR; Level 9 fury sphereR, zweiblade guardian; Level 10 goldsmyfR; Level 11 golem of wonderR; Level 12 silkwurmR, sorrow portraitR; Level 14 celestial geometryR, possibility golemR; Level 21 time golemR U

DRAGON

Level 3 tidragat; Level 9 cathartic wormR; Level 10 bog bomberU; Level 11 blink drakeR; Level 19 star wyrmR

DREAM

Level 4; imaginary friendR; Level 5 bannog thiefU

ELEMENTAL

Level 3 furnace newtU; Level 8 frenzied trashfireU; Level 9 gasperR; Level14 q-metal morphoidR

ETHEREAL 220

Level 1 false tarrasqueU, plug-tailed wollyU; Level 2 chosaintorU, crystalline owlU; Level 3 arrongtata hawk rider, bulbekkenU, erygloidU, lorekithU, spellfilcherU; Level 4 arrongtata commander, coppersmyfU, kayman bacoo; Level 5 arrongtata swarm, wadirusU; Level 6 meatmongerU, salirusU, silversmyfR; Level 8 caxirusU; Level 9 cathartic wormR, nafirusU; Level 10 goldsmyfR, vile ascenderR; Level 15 cunomaglosU; Level 20 thousand skinsR

Level 4 imaginary friendR

Level 0 living origami; Level 1 kelpsteed, samaran; Level 2 lantern leshy; Level 3 keyweed, midnight lily; Level 5 ribcage vineU; Level7 keeningreed; Level 9 thunderhead willowU; Level 11 convolute keyweedU; Level 13 gladelichR

SHADOW SPIRIT

Level -1 money-grubber swarmU; Level 1 haunting spoonU; Level 3 akakyU, arrongtata hawk rider, living bonesR; Level 4 arrongtata commander; Level 5 arrongtata swarm, writer’s blockR; Level 6 atoning spiritR; Level 9 kawakamiR; Level 11 vengewhisperR

UNDEAD

Level -1 money-grubber swarmU; Level 0 guillotine headU; Level 2 abandonedU, lantern leshy; Level 3 akakyU; Level 4 unscaled tyrantR; Level 5 ribcage vineU; Level 6 susurrationU; Level 7 cadavalierU; Level 9 handless mageU; Level 10 bloodsport remnantU, cloaked cadaverR, guiltboundU; Level 11 vengewhisperR; Level 13 gladelichR; Level 16 jadraniR

Creatures by Level

The following tables present every single creature stat block that can be found in Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual. These creature stat blocks are organized by Creature Carnivorous Chapeau Extra Toe Money-Grubber Swarm Feddry Guillotine Head Living Origami Bowlfish False Tarrasque Gunpowder Bear Haunting Spoon Kelpsteed Plug-Tailed Wolly Samaran Xotlxotl Abandoned Chosaintor Crystalline Owl Emperor Shark Penguin Lantern Leshy Paintbrush Fox Akaky Arrongtata Hawk Rider Bathtub Ooze Bulbekken Contortion Swarm Erygloid Fethrotte Furnace Newt Keyweed Living Bones Lorekith Mercurial Knight Midnight Lily Owlpaca Spellfilcher Squichlek Tidragat Arrongtata Commander Contortion Creeper Euphoria Ooze Ictioctor Imaginary Friend Kayman Bacoo Odrazu Coppersmyf Unscaled Tyrant Arrongtata Swarm Bannog Thief Cryptfowl Swarm Fetchfisher Brood Swarm Gorehed

level. Each entry also details the creature’s prize ranking; its type traits, which are useful for summoning and some other abilities; its rarity; and its page number.

Prize Level Traits Copper -1 Construct, Mindless Copper -1 Animal Copper -1 Incorporeal, Spirit, Swarm, Undead Copper 0 Amphibious, Feddry, Humanoid Silver 0 Undead Copper 0 Plant Copper 1 Aberration Silver 1 Fey Copper 1 Construct, Gremlin Silver 1 Construct, Mindless, Spirit Platinum 1 Aquatic, Plant Copper 1 Beast, Fey Silver 1 Plant Copper 1 Aberration, Amphibious, Xotlxotl Copper 2 Undead Copper 2 Fey Copper 2 Fey Copper 2 Aberration, Amphibious Silver 2 Leshy, Plant, Undead Copper 2 Beast Copper 3 Incorporeal, Spirit, Undead Copper 3 Animal, Fey, Spirit Silver 3 Mindless, Ooze Gold 3 Fey, Gremlin Platinum 3 Aberration, Swarm Copper 3 Fey, Ooze Copper 3 Alchemical, Animal Copper 3 Beast, Elemental, Fire Platinum 3 Plant Copper 3 Positive, Skeleton, Spirit Silver 3 Fey Silver 3 Construct Copper 3 Mindless, Plant, Swarm Copper 3 Animal Copper 3 Fey Gold 3 Aberration Copper 3 Dragon Silver 4 Fey, Spirit Platinum 4 Aberration Silver 4 Mindless, Ooze Silver 4 Fiend, Qlippoth Copper 4 Dream, Ethereal, Incorporeal Silver 4 Bacco, Fey Grand 4 Astral, Devil, Fiend Platinum 4 Construct, Fey Silver 4 Undead Gold 5 Fey, Spirit, Swarm Copper 5 Aberration, Dream Copper 5 Animal, Swarm Platinum 5 Beast, Shadow, Swarm Copper 5 Aberration, Amphibious

Rarity Page Uncommon 32 Common 52 Uncommon 115 Common 55 Uncommon 73 Common 102 Rare 29 Uncommon 54 Uncommon 75 Uncommon 77 Common 92 Uncommon 118 Common 126 Uncommon 167 Uncommon 10 Uncommon 36 Uncommon 44 Uncommon 49 Common 98 Common 117 Uncommon 12 Common 14 Uncommon 22 Uncommon 30 Uncommon 40 Uncommon 50 Uncommon 60 Uncommon 63 Common 93 Rare 99 Uncommon 103 Common 107 Common 108 Uncommon 116 Uncommon 137 Uncommon 138 Common 147 Common 15 Uncommon 41 Uncommon 51 Uncommon 79 Rare 81 Common 91 Uncommon 110 Uncommon 132 Rare 156 Common 16 Uncommon 21 Uncommon 43 Uncommon 56 Common 71

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Creature Wadirus Precognate Ribcage Vine Stick Tongue Twistwere Wolf Writer’s Block Atoning Spirit Goblin Circus Troupe Inkblot Ooze Salirus Kolufs Krafsa Living Figment Meatmonger Tahagata Silversmyf Susurration Telepathic Earwig Swarm Wackadodo Boe Erchitu Cadavalier Chronoceros Eye Stalker Fetchfisher Keeningreed Lucent Demonsheep Fragmentor Secradow Wildcat Gorger Caster Detritus Frenzied Trashfire Golden Coinivore Swarm Groundgullet Iron Houndmaster Caxirus Psychogenic Lagomorph Shrieking Auger Tree of Eyes War Tortoise Cathartic Worm Feth Velaunt Fury Sphere Gasper Gastrophage Handless Mage Nafirus Kawakami Chiralus Thunderhead Willow Wandering Plague Zweiblade Guardian Amalgamess Ayd-rahiba Bell Walker Bloodsport Remnant Bog Bomber Cloaked Cadaver Demon Shepherd

Prize Level Traits Platinum 5 Fey Silver 5 Aberration, Mindless Silver 5 Plant, Undead Copper 5 Animal Copper 5 Animal, Werecreature Silver 5 Spirit Copper 6 Incorporeal, Spirit Silver 6 Goblin, Humanoid, Troop Silver 6 Mindless, Ooze Platinum 6 Fey Silver 6 Cursed, Humanoid Copper 6 Construct, Illusion, Incorporeal Silver 6 Fey Grand 6 Aberration, Astral Platinum 6 Construct, Fey Silver 6 Mindless, Undead, Zombie Copper 6 Aberration, Swarm Copper 6 Animal Copper 7 Beast Gold 7 Mindless, Undead, Zombie Copper 7 Beast Copper 7 Aberration Platinum 7 Beast, Shadow Platinum 7 Plant Copper 7 Animal, Demon, Fiend Grand 7 Astral, Swarm Copper 7 Humanoid, Shadow Copper 7 Animal Gold 8 Aberration Silver 8 Elemental, Fire Copper 8 Aberration, Swarm Copper 8 Aberration Copper 8 Construct, Mindless Platinum 8 Amphibious, Fey Copper 8 Beast Gold 8 Beast Silver 8 Fungus Copper 8 Animal Copper 9 Dragon, Fey Gold 9 Aberration, Amphibious, Curse Copper 9 Construct, Fiend Gold 9 Aberration, Air, Elemental Silver 9 Beast Silver 9 Elf, Undead Platinum 9 Fey Silver 9 Incorporeal, Kami, Spirit, Water Grand 9 Aberration, Astral Gold 9 Electricity, Plant Gold 9 Mindless, Ooze Silver 9 Construct, Mindless Copper 10 Aberration, Fiend, Humanoid Copper 10 Aberration, Troop Copper 10 Aberration, Fungus Copper 10 Undead Copper 10 Amphibious, Dragon, Fire Copper 10 Undead Copper 10 Demon, Fiend

Rarity Page Uncommon 84 Rare 120 Uncommon 125 Uncommon 140 Uncommon 155 Rare 166 Rare 18 Common 68 Uncommon 82 Uncommon 85 Rare 97 Rare 101 Uncommon 106 Uncommon 111 Rare 133 Uncommon 142 Uncommon 143 Uncommon 160 Rare 27 Uncommon 31 Uncommon 37 Uncommon 53 Uncommon 57 Common 94 Rare 104 Uncommon 112 Uncommon 129 Uncommon 165 Common 33 Uncommon 62 Uncommon 69 Uncommon 72 Rare 83 Uncommon 86 Uncommon 123 Common 130 Uncommon 149 Rare 163 Rare 34 Rare 59 Rare 64 Rare 65 Common 66 Uncommon 76 Uncommon 87 Rare 90 Uncommon 114 Uncommon 146 Uncommon 161 Common 169 Rare 13 Rare 20 Uncommon 23 Uncommon 26 Uncommon 28 Rare 39 Rare 47

Creature Guiltbound Heat Glutton Living Constellation Mirage Crawler Savalir Goldsmyf Vaspertil Vile Ascender Whorl Ooze Blink Drake Citric Evaporite Golem of Wonder Illiceru Convolute Keyweed Vengewhisper Between Contortion Crown Curse Eater Fosterkin Maramacula Silkwurm Sorrow Portrait Stiltwalker Greater Fetchfisher Gladelich Scyphozoid Eye Meddling Hands Wannabe Knight Celestial Geometry Possibility Golem Psychic Rat King Q-Metal Morphoid Auroplasm Cunomaglos Proselytizer Thicket Urchin Congealed Laughter Jadrani Adada Askyron Ebirah Many Faces Star Wyrm Testudan Thousand Skins Time Golem Zakurak

Prize Level Traits Gold 10 Undead Copper 10 Beast, Cold Silver 10 Aberration, Astral, Fire Gold 10 Aberration Silver 10 Aberration Platinum 10 Construct, Fey Silver 10 Demon, Monitor Copper 10 Fey Gold 10 Alchemical, Mindless, Ooze Copper 11 Dragon Silver 11 Mindless, Ooze Silver 11 Construct, Golem, Mindless Gold 11 Aberration Platinum 11 Plant Silver 11 Incorporeal, Spirit, Undead Silver 12 Aberration, Incorporeal Platinum 12 Aberration Silver 12 Beast Copper 12 Aberration Copper 12 Amphibious, Beast Copper 12 Construct Copper 12 Construct Copper 12 Aberration Platinum 13 Beast, Shadow Copper 13 Plant, Undead Copper 13 Aberration Platinum 13 Aberration Copper 13 Ooze Copper 14 Construct, Mindless Gold 14 Construct, Golem, Mindless Copper 14 Aberration, Beast, Swarm Copper 14 Elemental Silver 15 Ooze Copper 15 Fey Copper 15 Fiend, Velstrac Silver 15 Fungus, Mindless Platinum 15 Mindless, Ooze Copper 16 Beast, Undead Copper 17 Monitor Gold 18 Astral Copper 18 Animal, Aquatic Platinum 18 Aberration Silver 19 Dragon, Light Copper 19 Amphibious, Beast Platinum 20 Fey Copper 21 Construct, Incorporeal, Mindless, Time Copper 24 Fiend, Sahkl

Rarity Page Uncommon 74 Uncommon 78 Common 100 Uncommon 109 Rare 127 Rare 134 Rare 157 Rare 159 Uncommon 164 Rare 25 Common 38 Rare 70 Uncommon 80 Uncommon 95 Rare 158 Rare 24 Rare 42 Rare 46 Rare 61 Unique 105 Rare 131 Rare 136 Rare 141 Uncommon 58 Rare 67 Rare 128 Rare 150 Uncommon 162 Rare 35 Rare 119 Rare 122 Rare 124 Rare 19 Uncommon 45 Uncommon 121 Common 145 Rare 151 Rare 89 Rare 11 Rare 17 Unique 48 Rare 153 Rare 139 Rare 144 Rare 154 Rare 148 Unique 168

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Pathfinder Bestiary 3 (Second Edition) © 2021, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Logan Bonner, James Case, Jessica Catalan, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Katina Davis, Erik Scott de Bie, Jesse Decker, Brian Duckwitz, Hexe Fey, Keith Garrett, Matthew Goodall, Violet Gray, Alice Grizzle, Steven Hammond, Sasha Laranoa Harving, Joan Hong, James Jacobs, Michelle Jones, Virginia Jordan, TJ Kahn, Mikko Kallio, Jason Keeley, Joshua Kim, Avi Kool, Jeff Lee, Lyz Liddell, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Philippe-Antoine Menard, Patchen Mortimer, Dennis Muldoon, Andrew Mullen, Quinn Murphy, Dave Nelson, Jason Nelson, Samantha Phelan, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Danita Rambo, Shiv Ramdas, BJ Recio, Jessica Redekop, Mikhail Rekun, Patrick Renie, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Simone D. Sallé, Michael Sayre, Mark Seifter, Sen.H.H.S, Abigail Slater, Rodney Sloan, Shay Snow, Pidj Sorensen, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Tan Shao Han, William Thompson, Jason Tondro, Clark Valentine, Ruvaid Virk, Skylar Wall, Andrew White, and Landon Winkler. Pathfinder Secrets of Magic © 2021, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Amirali Attar Olyaee, Kate Baker, Minty Belmont, Logan Bonner, James Case, Jessica Catalan, John Compton, Katina Davis, Jesse Decker, Chris Eng, Eleanor Ferron, Leo Glass, Joan Hong, Vanessa Hoskins, Jason Keeley, Joshua Kim, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Liane Merciel, David N. Ross, Ianara Natividad, Chesley Oxendine, Stephen Radney‑MacFarland, Shiv Ramdas, Mikhail Rekun, Simone D. Sallé, Michael Sayre, Mark Seifter, Sen H.H.S., Shay Snow, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Tan Shao Han, Calliope Lee Taylor, Mari Tokuda, Jason Tondro, Clark Valentine, Ruvaid Virk, Andrew White, Landon Winkler, Tonya Woldridge, and Isis Wozniakowska. Battlezoo Ancestries: Dragons (Pathfinder) © 2022, Skyscraper Studios, Inc.; Authors: Mark Seifter and Ginny Di. Battlezoo Bestiary (Pathfinder) © 2021, Skyscraper Studios, Inc.; Authors: Stephen Glicker, Patrick Renie, and Mark Seifter. Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual (Pathfinder) © 2023, Skyscraper Studios, Inc.; Authors: James Abendroth, Erica Abenti, Mark T. Adkins, Jeffrey Anderson, Daniel Aznavorian, Stephen Bandstra, Lau Bannenberg, Lorenzo Barquín, Stephen Bendig, Ryan Bentzinger, Nathan Berg, Adan Bermudez, Mavi Biglietto, Vittorio Boemio, Aaron B. Bradford, Andrew Braithwaite, Michael Bramnik, Dave Breitmaier, Alexander Burley, Justin Cando, Carlos H. Caro, Jake Cassar, Matt Cavanaugh, Brite Cheney, Alexander Eldritch, Aoife Ester, Hunter Evans, Luca T. Fassari, Davide Filippi, Ivis K. Flanagan, Logan France, Alex G. Friedman, Sebastian Garde, Stephen Glicker, David Greene, Kalen H.M., Elizabeth Harris, Katrina Hennessy, Elizabeth Heyeck, Charlie Ho, S.A. Janke, Garry Stacey Johnston, Juho Kattelus, Erin A. Keston, Gregg Kieffner, Ryan King, Kitsune Kirin, Jameson Knopp, Jason Koellner, Ben Kojis, Ivan Kulikov, W. Brian Lane,Jesse Lehto, Nick Lucas, Jason Luke, Jake Marohl, Marty Martinez, Marceline Miller, Francois Potvin Naud, J.M. “Django” Nogueira, Brian Nowosatka, Nicholas Potter, Michael Robinson, Julian Röth, Gabriel M.S. Santos, Gabriel Santos, J.A. Saunders, Tony Saunders, Kenneth Schleich, Aviv Schwarz, Juniper Scott, Mark Seifter, Daniel Seligmüller, Natthan Senteni, Lucas Servideo, Jonathan T. Sims, Jacob Sloan, Rodney Sloan, Benjamin Sulzer, Ben Tait, Vincent Thériault, Brant Vallier, Dejan Veskovic, Michael Vieths, Nick Volpe, David Walker, Grady Wang, Anthony Wheeler, Joshua White, Spencer Whiting, Garrick J. Williams, Nathan Wright. Pathfinder and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc., and are used under license. See paizo.com/pathfinder to learn more about Pathfinder. Compatibility with Pathfinder Second Edition requires Pathfinder Second Edition from Paizo Inc. See paizo.com/pathfinder to learn more about Pathfinder. Paizo Inc. does not guarantee compatibility, and does not endorse this product. Pathfinder is a registered trademark of Paizo Inc. Pathfinder Second Edition and the Pathfinder Second Edition Compatibility Logo are trademarks of Paizo Inc. The PathfinderIcons font is © 2019 Paizo Inc. These trademarks and copyrighted works are used under the Pathfinder Second Edition Compatibility License. See paizo.com/pathfinder/compatibility for more information on this license. Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Game Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper nouns (characters, deities, locations, etc., as well as all adjectives, names, titles, and descriptive terms derived from proper nouns), artworks, characters, dialogue, locations, organizations, plots, storylines, and trade dress. (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content, or are exclusively derived from previous Open Game Content, or that are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.) Open Game Content: The Open Content in this book includes the monster names, monster statistics, monster abilities, items, and the suggested monster parts system. No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Battlezoo Bestiary: Strange and Unusual (Pathfinder) © 2023, Skyscraper Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in China.

Befriend, Train, Battle, Evolve With Battlezoo Eldamon, Eldamon, you can finally become the monster trainer of your dreams. Befriend over 160 elemental monsters and battle with them as an eldamon trainer or embody the powers of the elements yourself as an elemental avatar! With 13 distinct elements, this book contains more playstyles and character options than you can shake a lotusnek at!

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Unleash Your Inner Dragon! With Battlezoo Ancestries: Dragons, Dragons, you can channel the might of wyrms for your next PC! Using both the ancestry rules and innovative archetypes, you can grow your dragon’s abilities and even focus your class feats into gaining draconic power. Featuring 45 different dragons with details on how to play any of these dragons, or even your own homebrewed dragons, in your next campaign!

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Become The Monster! With Battlezoo Ancestries: Year of Monsters, Monsters, you finally get a chance to play as a monster. Discover the might and mysteries of 12 unique monstrous ancestries,, including powerful demons, cunning doppelgangers, ancestries sentient dungeons, tricky gremlins, intelligent weapons, sneaky mimics, brawny minotaurs, serene nymphs, determined oni, fairytale sidhe, amorphous slimes, and medusakin sthenos. Which one will you play next?

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Search For Pirate Treasure! Prepare to set sail for the Indigo Isles! Mysteries abound in the pirate town of Rumplank, but none is as well known as the legend of Poppy von Barnacle’s lost treasure. Will the characters rise to the challenge and return to Rumplank with pockets full of gold? Or will the dangers of the Indigo Isles claim yet one more party of would-be privateers? A mega adventure taking characters from level 1 to 11!

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Discover the Unfamiliar!

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BATTLEZOO BESTIARY: STRANGE & UNUSUAL

Stephen Glicker and Mark Seifter

Battlezoo Bestiary - Strange and Unusual - PDFCOFFEE.COM (2024)

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