The Vorpal Tribble
2006-08-30, 01:00 PM
Headhunter
An eerie gibbering comes from the depths of the jungle, almost overpowering the sound of leaves rustling. A great mass of weathered heads tied together by their hair then rolls into view...
Tiny Undead (swarm)
Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+2 dexterity, +6 natural, +2 size), touch 14, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus disease)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus disease)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, headhunt, spat upon, tangle
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/-, darkvision 60 ft., swarm traits, undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con -, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +21, Listen +12, Search +14, Spot +12
Feats: Ability Focus (spat upon), Improved Turn Resistance (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Improved_Turn_Resistance,LM), Lightening Reflexes
Environment: Warm Forest
Organization: Swarm
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
A headhunter swarm appears as a jumbled collection of insanely howling humanoid heads that are somewhat shrunken and wrinkled. Their hair has been dreadlocked and then tied and woven together into an impenetrable tangle.
Headhunters are the result of sadistic witch doctors of warring tribal faction with necromatic powers. After an entire village or army has been slaughtered their heads are gathered together and cursed to endlessly patrol their enemy's lands and sacred areas.
Headhunters speak Common, Infernal and Abyssal.
Combat
A headhunter swarm tends to lie low and unmoving amidst the thick growth of the land they guard. When they sense an intruder approaching they then screech to life, trying to roll over their victim, entrapping them inside as they tear and chomp with their rotten teeth. If their victim is particularly difficult to obtain or threatens to destroy them they spit upon it, dooming it to a fate worse than death.
Disease (Ex): Filth fever, Fortitude DC 14, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to a swarm’s damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 14) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check.
Headhunt (Ex): Those whom die in the grip of a headhunter swarm have their head removed while the rest of the body is devoured. The head is then animated and combines with the mass, increasing the swarm's HP total by 2 for each HD the victim had in life.
Spat Upon (Su): Once per day as standard action a headhunter swarm together my spit upon a single creature within 10 feet as a ranged touch attack. If struck, an individual of 6 HD or less is doomed to suffer death in some horrible manner before the day is through. Creatures with higher HD may attempt a DC 17 will save each day to put off the curse. A Remove Curse spell has a chance of dispelling the curse, though the caster must make an opposed caster level check against the headhunter's HD.
Those whom die rise up as a zombie unless special measures are taken, under the direct control of the swarm. If the swarm is defeated it becomes but a mindless wanderer, following the last command given by the swarm. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Tangle (Ex): Those whom occupy the swarm's space at the start of the headhunter's turn must make a DC 16 reflex save or be caught up and entangled within a hairy grip. Those caught can attempt to make an Escape Artist check (DC 20) each round to free themselves. For each round they remain within the DC increases by 1 as they are further entangled. The save DC is Dexterity based.
An eerie gibbering comes from the depths of the jungle, almost overpowering the sound of leaves rustling. A great mass of weathered heads tied together by their hair then rolls into view...
Tiny Undead (swarm)
Hit Dice: 8d12 (52 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+2 dexterity, +6 natural, +2 size), touch 14, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-
Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus disease)
Full Attack: Swarm (2d6 plus disease)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, headhunt, spat upon, tangle
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/-, darkvision 60 ft., swarm traits, undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con -, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 12
Skills: Climb +11, Hide +21, Listen +12, Search +14, Spot +12
Feats: Ability Focus (spat upon), Improved Turn Resistance (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Improved_Turn_Resistance,LM), Lightening Reflexes
Environment: Warm Forest
Organization: Swarm
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: -
A headhunter swarm appears as a jumbled collection of insanely howling humanoid heads that are somewhat shrunken and wrinkled. Their hair has been dreadlocked and then tied and woven together into an impenetrable tangle.
Headhunters are the result of sadistic witch doctors of warring tribal faction with necromatic powers. After an entire village or army has been slaughtered their heads are gathered together and cursed to endlessly patrol their enemy's lands and sacred areas.
Headhunters speak Common, Infernal and Abyssal.
Combat
A headhunter swarm tends to lie low and unmoving amidst the thick growth of the land they guard. When they sense an intruder approaching they then screech to life, trying to roll over their victim, entrapping them inside as they tear and chomp with their rotten teeth. If their victim is particularly difficult to obtain or threatens to destroy them they spit upon it, dooming it to a fate worse than death.
Disease (Ex): Filth fever, Fortitude DC 14, incubation period 1d3 days, damage 1d3 Dex and 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature vulnerable to a swarm’s damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 14) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Concentration check.
Headhunt (Ex): Those whom die in the grip of a headhunter swarm have their head removed while the rest of the body is devoured. The head is then animated and combines with the mass, increasing the swarm's HP total by 2 for each HD the victim had in life.
Spat Upon (Su): Once per day as standard action a headhunter swarm together my spit upon a single creature within 10 feet as a ranged touch attack. If struck, an individual of 6 HD or less is doomed to suffer death in some horrible manner before the day is through. Creatures with higher HD may attempt a DC 17 will save each day to put off the curse. A Remove Curse spell has a chance of dispelling the curse, though the caster must make an opposed caster level check against the headhunter's HD.
Those whom die rise up as a zombie unless special measures are taken, under the direct control of the swarm. If the swarm is defeated it becomes but a mindless wanderer, following the last command given by the swarm. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Tangle (Ex): Those whom occupy the swarm's space at the start of the headhunter's turn must make a DC 16 reflex save or be caught up and entangled within a hairy grip. Those caught can attempt to make an Escape Artist check (DC 20) each round to free themselves. For each round they remain within the DC increases by 1 as they are further entangled. The save DC is Dexterity based.