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Debihuman
2009-07-24, 01:27 AM
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/7350/paradoxtg3.jpg

Parrot-Ox
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 10d10+30 (85 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 40 ft., Fly 80 ft. (Average)
Armor Class: 14 (-1 Size, +1 Dex, +4 Natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
BAB/Grapple: +10/+19
Attack: Bite+14 melee (2d6+7) or hoof +9 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack: Bite +14 melee (2d6+7) and 2 hooves +9 melee (1d8+5)
Special Attack: Stampede
Special Abilities: Darkvision 60 ft., evasion, greater invisibility, low-light vision, timeless body
Saves: Fort +10, Reflex +8, Will +5
Abilities: Str 20 (+5), Con 16 (+3), Dex 12 (+1) Int 10 (+0)), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (+0)
Skills: Listen +11, Sense Motive +9, Spot +11, Survival +9
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Flyby Attack, Hover
Environment: Temperate Mountains
Organization: Solitary or herd (6-30)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Usually none
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 11-12 Large
Level Adjustment: —


A parrot-ox is a large magical creature, half parrot and half ox. Its front half is covered with red, blue, and green plumage. Its face is covered in feathers and it has a large bright yellow beak. Two large, orange wings rest against its speckled brown-furred body and it has a long black tail with a feathered end. It stands upon four hooved feet, and its dark avian eyes are dismayed at being discovered. A pair of slender curved horns adorns either side of the parrot-ox's head but these are too small for actual combat. These creatures, normally invisible, are amazingly common.

Parrot-oxen speak Common.

Combat

Normally peaceful animals, the parrot-ox usually remains invisible and flees. It only enters combat as a last resort, attacking with its powerful beak and kicking with its hooves. A parrot-ox usually takes to the skies at the first opportunity. A parrot-ox also uses its Hover ability to create cloud cover when making an escape.

Evasion (Ex): With a successful Reflex save against an attack that allows a Reflex save for half damage, a parrot-ox takes no damage.

Greater Invisibility (Su): This ability is constant, allowing a parrot-ox to remain invisible even when attacking. It works like greater invisibility (caster level 12th) and lasts as long as the parrot-ox is alive. This ability is not subject to the invisibility purge spell. A parrot-ox becomes visible 1 minute after it is killed. Parrot-oxen may also become visible (50% chance) if shaken, frightened or panicked or if they become unconscious.

Hover: When flying, the parrot-ox can halt its forward motion and hover in place as a move action. It can then fly in any direction, including straight down or straight up, at half speed, regardless of its maneuverability.

If a parrot-ox begins its turn hovering, it can hover in place for the turn and take a full-round action. A hovering creature cannot make wing attacks, but it can attack with all other limbs and appendages it could use in a full attack.

Because a parrot-ox is of Large size, when it hovers within 20 feet of the ground in an area with lots of loose debris, the draft from its wings creates a hemispherical cloud with a radius of 60 feet. The winds so generated can snuff torches, small campfires, exposed lanterns, and other small, open flames of non-magical origin. Clear vision within the cloud is limited to 10 feet. Creatures have concealment at 15 to 20 feet (20% miss chance). At 25 feet or more, creatures have total concealment (50% miss chance, and opponents cannot use sight to locate the creature).

Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 10 + ½ creature’s HD) to cast a spell.

Stampede (Ex): A frightened herd of parrot-oxen flees as a group in a random direction (but always away from the perceived source of danger) for 1d4 rounds before taking to the air They literally run over anything of Medium size or smaller that gets in their way, dealing 1d12 points of damage for each five parrot-oxen in the herd (Reflex DC 20 half). The save DC is Strength-based.

Timeless Body (Ex): A parrot-ox takes no ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged.

Training A Parrot-Ox: Although intelligent, a parrot-ox requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, a parrot-ox must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly parrot-ox requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

Riding a parrot-ox usually requires an exotic saddle but on rare occasions, a parrot-ox may agree to carry a rider bareback, but never into battle. A parrot-ox can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Parrot-ox eggs are worth 5,000 gp apiece on the open market, while chicks are worth 9,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 2,000 gp to rear or train a parrot-ox.

Carrying Capacity: A parrot-ox can carry 400 lbs. or less as a light load, 401-800 lbs. as a medium load and 801-1,200 lbs. as a heavy load.

Design Notes:
This is what happens when I get my hands on another Oz book. I based this off a giant eagle and a bison but made it more powerful and gave it the appropriate abilities from the book.

Debby

Vaynor
2009-07-24, 01:45 AM
This is pure awesome.

However, I noticed a few minor mistakes.

You did not list the total HP. There's no need to specify where your Initiative comes from. Its natural attacks should be bite +15 and hoof +10, with a +10 BAB and a +5 Str mod. Your Con mod is off, it should be +3 not +5 (or the Con should be 20/21, I can't tell). This also affects your Fort save. Also, there's no need to note the bonus from the ability scores, but I guess you can if you want to.

Also, this seems too strong for a CR 5. I think CR 7 would make a little more sense, though you may want to up the natural armor a bit.

Debihuman
2009-07-24, 01:50 AM
Its melee is correct. You forgot the -1 size penalty. I did forget the HP and had changed the Con from 20 to 16 before I changed the saves. I'll fix it in a few.

Thanks.

Debby

Nhoj
2009-07-24, 01:54 AM
Wow this is pretty awesome. I'd love to meet the magical genius who thought about breeding a Parrot and an Ox. Although I'd shudder at the thought of the Parrot being the mother. Poor bird.

It looks like the Reflex save for the stampede ability is two points lower than it should be though.

Debihuman
2009-07-24, 01:59 AM
I based it off the bison's stampede and probably forgot to add the additional points. I'll look at it again later.

Debby

Gorgondantess
2009-07-24, 02:00 AM
Wow this is pretty awesome. I'd love to meet the magical genius who thought about breeding a Parrot and an Ox.

Probably the same guy who decided to breed an owl and a bear. Is this supposed to be a parody of that?

Debihuman
2009-07-24, 02:02 AM
It's from the book, Paradox in Oz by Edward Einhorn. I read it a while back and thought this would be fun to stat out.

Debby

Nhoj
2009-07-24, 02:04 AM
I based it off the bison's stampede and probably forgot to add the additional points. I'll look at it again later.

Debby

The save DC for the Stampede Ability is 18, but should it be 20 instead?
HD/2 + Str mod + 10 = 20. Sorry if I didn't clarify it clearly enough.

Debihuman
2009-07-24, 02:50 AM
Now all edits are done.

Thanks everyone for all your help.

I think CR 7 is too high for this creature as I compared it to the manticore and young black dragon --both are also CR 5. Perhaps CR 6 would be in place but for now I'll let CR stand at 5.

JoseB
2009-07-24, 03:44 AM
Hmmm... Is nobody going to say it...? I guess then that I shall have to...

Ahem:

"This is an OX-PARROT!"

*runs, hides and ducks VERY fast* :smalltongue:

Bhu
2009-07-24, 05:38 AM
Kudos Debby :smallbiggrin:

Debihuman
2009-07-25, 12:50 PM
After mulling this over, I've decided that CR 5 is probably a tad too low, so it's being moved to CR 6. It's a bit too weak for CR 7.

Not quite a shameless bump, but close.

Debby

AstralFire
2009-07-25, 01:03 PM
I was hoping this was a bad pun monster for Paradox. Though it kinda is, in a way.

Blue Ghost
2009-07-25, 01:07 PM
It seems you have accidentally changed the CR to 65. Just pointing it out.

Iferus
2009-07-25, 02:49 PM
Hey! CR 65 is INTENTIONAL. Although I think it is a bit low, it is appropriate for a creature that gets free awsome-feats and Badass levels. What else did you oxpect?

okay, you can ban me for the most horrible pun of the year now...

Debihuman
2009-07-25, 06:30 PM
Oops. Sorry about that. The CR is now correct at 6.

GreatWyrmGold
2009-07-25, 06:34 PM
If I were to guess you chose this combo because of the pun, would I be correct?

Debihuman
2009-07-25, 10:05 PM
I actually picked this because I read the book, Paradox in Oz. One of the main characters is a parrot-ox named Tempus. You can now see the cover of the book with a picture of Tempus carrying Ozma of Oz in my first post. Of course, I couldn't resist the pun either.

This is my second of punny characters, the first being the watchdog from The Phantom Tollboth: Watchdog (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5585500&postcount=5)



Debby