[Creatures] I'm eating you for your own good.

I'm working on some 'Biotherapy' creatures for my Monstrumologist PrC. So far have the:

Purefly Swarm
Medicinal Leeches
Hunter Worm

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Purefly Swarm

Fine Magical Beast (swarm)
Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: Fly 20 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 22 (+4 dex, +8 size), touch 22, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6 plus disease)
Space/Reach: Swarm
Special Attacks: Disease, distraction
Special Qualities: Beneficial infestation, darkivision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 12, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: Spot +4
Feats: -
Environment: Any land
Organization: Swarm or Business (2-30 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

These appear as silvery blowflies, with an almost pleasant, musical buzzing as they swarm around one another.

Purefly swarms are specially bred blowflies for the production of therapeutic maggots. Their ancestors treated to frequent bursts of positive energy, they became a new species capable of reproduction. They seem to have a sixth sense when it comes to necrotic tissue, detecting it much farther than can a normal blowfly.

Combat
Pureflies swarm the undead and those with necrotic tissue, laying thousands of eggs and infecting them with their rapidly hatching maggots.

Detect Death (Ex): Through both scent and other inherent senses, a purefly swarm can detect those with necrotic tissue out to 100 feet. They can pinpoint their exact location within ten feet.

Beneficial Infestation (Ex): The disease of a purefly swarm is beneficial to most creatures, confusing spells that heal. There is 50% that a spell that would cure those of maggot therapy is unaffective.

Disease: A creature with necrotic tissue, such as damage from negative energy damage or being undead, must succeed on a DC 12 fortitude save or be infected with Maggot Therapy (incubation period 1d4 minutes). They are infested with thousands of eggs if they begin their round within a purefly swarm. Undead take 1d4 Strength damage per minute as the maggots begin feeding ravenously and releasing tiny sparks of positive energy. Living creatures are instead healed of 1 point of negative energy damage per round, and gain an immediate save against any other disease they may have (except maggot therapy). Living creatures can choose to voluntarily fail their fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Distraction (Ex): Any undead creature vulnerable to a purefly swarm's damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round, ignoring an undead creature's normal immunity to nausea and Fortitude-based saves; a Fortitude save (DC 12) 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.

Skills: A purefly swarm gains a +4 racial bonus to spot checks.

Medicinal Leeches

Fine Vermin Swarm (aquatic)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: Swim 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 dex, +1 natural, +8 size), touch 20, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-
Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (attach, blood drain)
Space/Reach: Swarm (attach, blood drain)
Special Attacks: Anesthetize, attach, blood drain
Special Qualities: Amphibious, blindsight 10 ft., immunity to weapon damage, scent, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will -1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 14, Con 11, Int -, Wis 8, Cha 2
Skills: Hide +18, Swim +3
Feats: -
Environment: Domesticated
Organization: Swarm or Bloodletting (2-5 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

These appear much as standard leeches, except they are larger and have a light-colored eye spot on their otherwise dark skin. However, within they are much different. These have been bred for hundreds of years from carnivorous leech stock to drain impurities while taking very little in return. They now are easily sated and are attracted specifically to poisons.

Anesthetize (Ex): A creature who is attached by a swarm must succeed on a Spot check (opposed by the swarm's hide check) to notice the attachment if both the swarm and its target are in murky water at least 2 feet deep. Each 10 minutes of blood drain entitles the target to another Spot check to notice the swarm, with a cumulative +2 bonus on the check per 10 minutes after the first. Those attached to in clear water, or who have some way of detecting the leeches without seeing it, notice it immediately.

Attach: Those who take damage from a swarm are covered by hundreds of individual leeches and begin blood purification.

Blood Purification (Ex): Living creatures who begin their turn with attached leeches take 1 point of Constitution damage per ten minutes and their host gain an immediate saving throw against all poisons affecting them. At the end of these ten minutes the poison is cleared out of their body and the leeches drop off, sated. Multiple exposures to the swarm while others are still attached does not deal additional constitution damage. Once the leeches are sated and drop off, and you enter the swarm again, then you take additional damage.
These leeches may be gathered and 'milked' with a DC 20 heal check to extract a single dose of the poison that they took from the blood.

Poison Inured (Ex): Medicinal leeches gain a +8 racial bonus to saves against poison, including the poison they siphon using their blood purification ability.

Skills: Medicinal leeches have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. The swarm has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. They can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. They can use the run action while swimming, provided they swim in a straight line,

Celestial Medicinal Leeches
Medicinal leeches grow naturally within the upper planes, except they do no constitution damage against those they purify and they have complete immunity to poison.

Hunter Worm

http://www.puristat.com/images/parasites/Tapeworm.jpg

Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 1/2d8+1 (6 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.
Armor Class: 17 (+4 dex, +1 natural, +2 size), touch 16, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-11
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d3-4 plus venom)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d3-4 plus venom)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Favored enemy, infest, poison
Special Qualities: Blindsense 20 ft., detect poison, resistance to poison 8, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1
Abilities: Str 4, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Hide +18, Move Silently +6
Feats: Toughness, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Internal
Organization: Solitary or Twining (2-3 worms)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 1-3 HD (tiny) 4-5 HD (small), 6-9 HD (medium)
Level Adjustment: -

This appears like a mixture between a white snake and a parasitic worm, but are exceedingly quick and intelligent. In fact hunter worms are specially bred and altered species of tapeworm made not to parasitize, but protect against them.
They actually are kept within a master symbiont, the one who trains and feeds them, keeping them within their own intestines to further the bond. It invades most of the host's system so as to keep it healthy, and warning him of impurities.

Though tiny sized, they are nearly 6 feet long when fully extended, and are slimmer than an earthworm, weighing no more than half a pound. They speak no language, though can understand simple commands in the language of their host.

Combat
Hunter worms prefer to stay within their hosts while attacking, springing out of their host's mouth to bite or deliver touch attacks. If directed to however they will emerge completely.

Favored Enemy: A hunter worm gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against parasitic or symbiotic creatures (those capable of infesting or bonding physically to a host in some manner). Likewise, its gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.

Detect Poison: A hunter worm can sense what might poison it or its host through its scent, and if within its host will cause him to regurgitate any harmful ingested substance. If without, the master symbiont knows the signs of a hunter worm trying to warn him.

Infest (Ex): A hunter worm can infest the body of a willing or helpless creature's body. It slips its way into the stomach or between organs and muscles as it sees fit. The host must be the same size as the hunter worm, or larger, and takes 4 rounds. Incorporeal creatures, constructs, elementals, oozes, and plants are immune to this ability.
A hunter worm can abandon a body it has infested with a full round action that deals 1d4 damage if it entered through a wound. If it invaded through a digestive orifice, it may induce the subject to vomit as a standard action, and the worm is deposited in an adjoining square. The worm can leave the digestion of its symbiont as a move action that requires no action on the part of said symbiont.
A hunter worm can, and usually will, attack any parasite, symbiont or other object that is not of the creature's body, except other hunter worms unless directed by its master symbiont. These might include a tsochar, a cancer mage's tumor, or psionic sinews. A hunter worm can move through a body practically at will, and its attacks are not inhibited by its lack of space, while most parasites are unable to move. If this is not the case, a hunter worm gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC and +1 on attacks against mobile parasites.
A hunter worm may also automatically deal damage to its host as if it had made a bite attack. This is usually only done if directed by its master symbiont prior to the worm's infestation. It can also be trained to perform actions while inside, such as attacking, by specific taps and blows upon the host's body. The master symbiont can take a -4 penalty on his attacks to communicate to his hunter worm inside an opponent's body by his manner of strikes.

Poison (Ex): A hunter worm has a poisonous, sterilizing bite that 3 times per day deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con, Fortitude DC 15. This also acts as a Remove Disease spell in regards to parasitic creatures. If it bites a non-parasite the victim is not affected as if by Remove Disease (CL 10th), but he does get an additional save against any infection. He does not receive an additional save through the worm's bite for 24 hours. Save DC's are Constitution-based and have a +4 racial bonus.

Skills: Hunter worms have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance checks. They have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks.

Hunter Worm Familiars
Masters of a Hunter Worm gain a +4 bonus to saves against poison.

Animal Companion
A hunter worm can be taken as an animal companion without level adjustment.

<Reserved for Writhing Life>

That should be it...

Pretty cool, love the leeches. Celestial leeches, I never would have thought of that. :smallbiggrin:

Can't wait for the Hunter Worm, that sounds like it has a lot of potential.

.... There are a surprising lack of beneficial creatures in the Monster Manuals. Thank you for remedying that situation.

Nitpick: The leeches should have Int -, not Int 0, otherwise they are incapacitated. Also your description leaves off amusingly, "They have been bred hundreds of years to ANESTHETIZE."

Otherwise, great set of creatures.

Not sure if you are looking for ideas or not, but here are a couple :).

leeches are actually good for circulation problems in the limbs, even in modern times they get used when reattaching fingers/ears/etc (evidentally plastic surgery sometimes too), tissue transplants, etc to help maintain circulation while it's healing. You might want to add another type of leech to help with paralysis or limb reattachment?

Certain types of maggots will eat dead tissue from a wound without burrowing into the skin or bothering the living tissue, even kill bacteria in some cases. They might be a good candidate for helping to heal wounds or increase natural regeneration or something.

Just to say, this is awesome. XD

Uggh... leeches. I don't care if their with the good guys, somehow the thought that there's a whole special swarm in Heaven is just kind of scary. :smalleek:

Love the pureflies.

I imagine they'd be something like Magical Vermin rather than beasts though.

Hunter Worm added. Be sure to fix yourself a burger or some tacos to eat while reading it :smallamused:

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Originally Posted by sigurd

Love the pureflies.

I imagine they'd be something like Magical Vermin rather than beasts though.

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If a creature has any supernatural ability it becomes a magical beast. Ignore the Fiend Folio.

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Nitpick: The leeches should have Int -, not Int 0, otherwise they are incapacitated. Also your description leaves off amusingly, "They have been bred hundreds of years to ANESTHETIZE."

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Dangit...

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Certain types of maggots will eat dead tissue from a wound without burrowing into the skin or bothering the living tissue, even kill bacteria in some cases. They might be a good candidate for helping to heal wounds or increase natural regeneration or something.

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Isn't that what they're doing? :smallconfused:

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Originally Posted by Kuma Kode

.... There are a surprising lack of beneficial creatures in the Monster Manuals. Thank you for remedying that situation.

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Here are a few more you might have interest in:

Arcadian Holly
Dreamcatcher
Elysium Orchid
Fane
Pureborn Beast
Rememdian
Wellspring Newt