HD: D8
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will |Special
1st|+0|+0|+2|+0| Medusa Body, Snakebite, Slither/Stride, Serpentine Stance, +1 Dex
2nd|+1|+0|+3|+0| Chthonic Eye, Seductive Hiss, +1 Dex, +1 Cha
3rd|+2|+1|+3|+1| Snake Nest, Serpentine Stance II, Undulating Defense, +1 Dex,
4th|+3|+1|+4|+1| Chthonic Flash, Cold Blooded, +1 Dex, +1 Cha
5th|+3|+1|+4|+1| Strangle, Serpentine Stance III, Force Gaze, +1 Dex
6th|+4|+2|+5|+2| Chthonic Domination, Coil, +1 Dex, +1 Cha
7th|+5|+2|+5|+2| Gaze of the Gorgoness, Medusa's Kiss, Serpentine Stance IV, +1 Dex
[/table]
Skill Points 6+Int per level
Class Skills: Appraise, Balance, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (Dungeoneering or Local), Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble.
Proficiencies: The Medusa is proficient with simple and martial weapons, and with her own natural weapons.
Medusa Body: The Medusa loses all other racial bonuses and gains Monstrous Humanoid traits, granting her Darkvision out to 60'. Medusae are initially medium sized creatures with a base movement speed of 30', possessing a 'snakes' natural weapon that delivers 1d4 + Str mod damage and injects poison (see Snakebite ability, below). This weapon deals piercing damage. The Medusa has natural armor equal to her con modifier.
Medusae speak Common and Serpentine (A medusa-only language using only their snakes' gestures to communicate) as their starting language and gain additional languages for a high intelligence score as normal.
Attribute Bonus: The Medusa gains +1 Dex with every level in the class and +1 Cha with every even numbered level in the class, for a total bonus of +7 Dex and +3 Cha at 7th level.
Snakebite: The first level Medusa features a mane of venomous snakes that protrude from her scalp, coiling and snapping at those who come in reach. The 'snakes' natural weapon deals damage as described in Medusa Body, above, with a crit range of 19-20. Each successful attack with the snakes delivers an injury based poison. The poison allows a fortitude save, with a DC of 10 + ½ Medusa HD + Medusa's Con. On a failed saving throw, the victim takes attribute damage based on the Medusa's HD as described on the table below:
{table=head]HD|Initial Damage|Secondary Damage
1|1d4 Str|1d4 Str
3|1d4 Str|1d6 Str
6|1d6 Str|1d6 Str
9|1d6 Str|1d8 Str
12|1d8 Str|2d6 Str
15|2d6 Str|2d6 Str
18|2d6 Str|3d6 Str[/table]
The coils of snakes offer the Medusa several sets of eyes and (to a lesser extent) ears that operate independently of her primary focus. She rolls twice for any spot or search checks, taking the higher result, and gains Alertness as a bonus feat. In the event that the Medusa cannot use her primary set of eyes, she loses this benefit, but can continue to use her snakes to sense her surroundings. In doing so, she suffers a -2 penalty to spot and search checks. If she has her serpents concealed or blinded in some fashion, conversely, she simply loses the alertness feat and the benefit of the spot/search rerolls until such a time as her snakes can sense the world around them again.
Slither/Stride: At first level, the Medusa gains abilities stressing the particulars of her shape; Namely, whether she has legs or a serpent's lower body. Of the two stances the Medusa gains at 1st level, the first is determined by her choice between Slither (tail) vs. Stride (legs), the second is picked from the list of Serpentine Stances, described in the ability entry below.
Pick one of the following:
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- Stride - The Medusa sports two humanoid legs. She may wear boots and clothing intended for the lower body, and gains a bonus to disguise checks to appear as a medium sized humanoid equal to ½ her HD. The Medusa gains the following stance:
Asp's Bite: Stance. Grants the Medusa a 10% chance that melee attacks will miss her. Under the effects of this stance, she gains the ability to make an attack of opportunity when an opponent attacks her and fails to hit. These attacks of opportunity count against her maximum for the round.
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- Slither - The Medusa has a serpent's tail from the waist down, rather than legs. She is counted as a four legged creature for the purposes of being tripped or making balance checks, but cannot wear boots or legwear. Aside from the resistance to being tripped, there are no immediate benefits to having the tail, but the tail complements a number of Medusa stances and class features. The Medusa gains the following stance:
Swaying Cobra: Stance. Grants the Medusa the ability to make a 5' step in response to any 5' step made by an opponent within 15' of her. She may make a 10' step where she would normally make a 5' step on her turn, but doing so requires a swift action and cancels Swaying Cobra Stance.
: At first level, the Medusa gains a stance, chosen from the list below:
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- Darting Serpent: Stance. Grants the Medusa a cumulative bonus of +5' base movement speed at the end of each of her turns, starting on any turn where initiative is rolled. This movement speed bonus accumulates to a maximum of 50% the Medusa's base speed (so a Medusa with 30' base speed could get a total benefit of +15' movement). On a charge, provided she had at least 5' of accumulated movement, the Medusa may drop this stance. Doing so allows the Medusa to full attack on a charge and carry the target 5' in the direction of the charge for every 5' of bonus movement the Medusa had accumulated. The Medusa gains a +2 circumstance bonus to her attack rolls for every 5' of bonus movement she had before charging.
This stance and the accumulated benefits are lost if a foe makes a successful attack roll against the Medusa or successfully affects the Medusa with a combat maneuver (such as tripping, bull rushing, grappling the Medusa). The stance and all accumulative benefits are lost when combat ends.
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- Ouroboros Coils: Stance. The Medusa moves with sibilant grace, the serpents that wreath her head simultaneously moving in hypnotizing arcs and loops that distract attention and echo her words with the visual display, giving her an almost hypnotic presence. While in the Ouroboros Coils Stance, the Medusa may attempt to demoralize as a swift action.
While the Medusa is in the Ouroboros Coils stance, opponents within 15' of her are more liable to cower, cringe or go to excess in shielding their gaze from the undulating Medusa. Demoralized, shaken, panicked, cowering or frightened opponents within 15' of the Medusa retain the status effects until they move more than 15' away from her or she ends the stance, at which point the durations count down as normal. Opponents within 15' of the Medusa who choose to make a reflex save (as opposed to voluntarily failing) render themselves flatfooted until the start of their next turn, regardless of success or failure.
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- Rising Anaconda: Stance. Grants a climb speed equal to the Medusa's base speed, with the restriction that she must end her turn in a position where she isn't still climbing. A tree branch or ledge would be fine, but clinging to a wall or hanging off a ledge would not. If the Medusa chose Slither rather than Stride, and there is freedom to climb all the way around the object in question, (such as a tree or pillar), the Medusa may take 20 on the climb check.
In Rising Anaconda Stance, provided she is at a point higher than her target, the Medusa may leap down to her target. This is a charge, but imposes no AC penalty on the Medusa, ignores difficult terrain between herself and the target, and does not double the Medusa's movement for the purposes of charge distance. A Rising Anaconda Stance charge forces the target to make their choice of a reflex save or a balance check, against a DC of (10 + ½ Medusa HD + Medusa's Str mod or Dex mod, her choice) or fall prone. The prone condition is inflicted after the Medusa moves to a point adjacent to the target, but before the Medusa delivers her charge attacks.
Adopting a Serpentine Stance (Slither/Stride stances count as Serpentine Stances for the purposes of these rules of use) requires a swift action and can not be used in conjunction with other stances (such as Initiator Stances). The stance has no duration. Only one stance may be maintained at a time.
Chthonic Eye: Starting at second level, the Medusa may turn the supernatural power of her gaze to an enemy, turning some, most or all of them to stone. Use of Chthonic Eye is a standard action, with many of the drawbacks of a gaze attack. It targets a single foe within 25', with an additional 5' of range for every two HD of the Medusa. This attack requires line of sight to the target, and miss chances for concealment apply as is normal for gazes.
The target must make a Reflex Save against a DC of 10 + ½ Medusa's HD + Medusa's Cha. On a failure, consult the table below:
{table=head]Failed by...|Result|Penalty
1|Fatigued|1
2-3|Exhausted|2
4-5|Slowed & Exhausted|4
6-7|Dazed|6
8+|Petrified|-[/table]
Fatigue, exhaustion, slow and dazed conditions persist for 1d3 rounds, but the duration does not decline on any turn the target is in the Medusa's line of sight. Petrifaction lasts a number of hours equal to the Medusa's HD multiplied by the Medusa's Charisma modifier, and the duration may be reset by another use of Chthonic Eye on the target. Foes who fail another reflex save against Chthonic eye whilst still suffering from a previously applied effect count the result of their save as being lower. Such foes subtract the penalty value listed in the rightmost column of the table above from their save result. This change is made only after the save is deemed successful or not, and therefore does not determine the success or failure of Chthonic Eye, just the effect that is applied.
Medusae are immune to the effect of their own gaze.
When the Medusa reaches 4HD, all opponents count as though they had a result 1 lower than it was. This increases by a further -1 at 8HD and every 4HD thereafter. This does not affect the DC (and as a consequence, does not affect the chance of saving against the effect), but only the effect that is applied.
At 8HD, the duration of the Medusa's petrifaction doubles, and the duration of other effects now persists for 2d3 rounds.
At 16HD, the duration of petrifaction becomes 'permanent'.
Seductive Hiss: A second level Medusa may, as a move action, force her opponents to make their choice of their sense motive or Will save against a DC of 10 + ½ the Medusa's HD + the Medusa's Cha mod. The initial save is made with a +2 bonus on the part of the victim, but the Medusa increases the DC by a cumulative +2 with each consecutive turn she makes the attempt. Beating the opponent's result renders the opponent beguiled for 6 rounds. A beguiled opponent is entranced by the Medusa, caught in an almost hypnotic state, and suffers faintness of heart when striving to strike her down with spell or sorcery. Foes have a -4 to hit the Medusa if another valid target is in range. Similarly, any spell, spell like ability or ability (such as a breath weapon) that would affect the Medusa has its DC lowered by 2. This includes spells with the Medusa as an explicit target and area of effect attacks with the Medusa in the area. Any time the Medusa attacks or targets the victim with an spell or ability, the remaining duration for the effect is either halved or reduced by 2 rounds. A victim that has been Beguiled cannot be beguiled again for 24 hours.
If the Medusa is in Ouroboros Coils Stance, she may use Seductive Hiss as a Swift action, and the duration is extended to 12 rounds. Exiting the stance is treated as though the Medusa struck the foe.
At 6HD, the Medusa can use Suggestion 1/day on any subject she has beguiled, and subjects do not remember the captivation of the suggestion.
At 10HD, the Medusa can use Dominate Person 1/day per 6HD she has, but is restricted to using it on beguiled subjects.
The Seductive Hiss, Suggestion and Dominate Person effects are extraordinary abilities that only affects humanoids that can understand the Medusa.
Snake Nest: At third level, the Medusa is far more adept at using her snakes in combat. She gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat, or a bonus feat of her choice that she qualifies for if she already has Weapon Finesse, and gains the ability to use dexterity in the place of strength to determine damage for her snakes attack. Further, the Medusa gets a free attack with her Snakes against any opponent that is in her space at the start of her turn.
Serpentine Stance II: At third level, the Medusa gains an additional stance, chosen from the list below:
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- Stalking Serpent - Stance. The Medusa extends her critical threat range by one step (such as from 19-20 to 18-20) at the end of each of her turns. In addition, for the duration of the stance, her critical multipliers for all of her attacks are extended by one step (such as from x2 to x3). The benefits accumulate until the Medusa scores a critical hit, at which point the critical threat range and critical damage multiplier reset to normal and are free to accumulate again. This stance can only be initiated after initiative rolls have been made and ends when the encounter does.
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- Snake in the Grass - Stance. The Medusa gains a bonus to hide and spot checks equal to her Charisma modifier. Further, when the hidden Medusa is spotted, she retains concealment benefits for one round.
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- Mamba's Pursuit - Stance. You designate a foe within 20' as your turn ends. If that foe moves more than 20' away from you before the start of your next turn, you lunge forward to fill the space they just departed and are free to deliver an attack of opportunity if they decide to continue moving.
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- Serpentine Stance: any stance in found in the list under Serpentine Stance, above. (Darting Serpent, Viper's Fangs, Ouroboros Coils or Rising Anaconda).
: The Medusa, starting at third level, can take ten on tumble checks at any time, even when threatened, and suffers no penalties for dodging past multiple opponents, as she expertly contorts, feints and slips through their number.
Chthonic Flash: A fourth level Medusa can rip a veil, hood or mask from her face to release a powerful surge of energy from her eyes, turning a number of enemies to solid stone. For these purposes, the Medusa gains a Chthonic Charge every hour, to a maximum equal to her HD divided by 4. By spending a Chthonic Charge, the Medusa turns her gaze into a cone extending 30'. All targets within the area must save or be affected in the manner described in Chthonic Eye, above.
Cold Blooded: A fourth level Medusa is moved by little besides her own desires. The Medusa can make a reroll in the event of a failed saves against an emotion-based spell, drug, disease or similar effect. Emotional effects that Cold Blooded might help prevent might include rage, fear, despair, lust or panic.
Strangle: Medusae, from fifth level onward, can capitalize on an unaware or helpless opponent's weakness, strangling the life out of them with her mane of snakes, hands and/or tail. The Medusa is considered to have Improved Grab with any and every melee range weapon when attacking a foe that is denied their dexterity bonus to AC or a foe that she is flanking. Further, she may now use her Dexterity modifier in the place of her strength modifier when grappling.
An opponent that is grappling with the Medusa immediately begins suffocating. However, as the suffocation is forced on the victim rather than being a more or less passive environmental effect, the victim only has air to hold their breath for 1 round per 2 points of Constitution they have. Further, the DC to save against suffocation is increased by the Medusa's Str mod or Con mod, whichever is higher. Each time the Medusa succeeds in a grapple check against the victim (including the check to initiate the grapple) she reduces the amount of rounds the opponent can hold his breath by 1 and increases the DC of all further suffocation checks by that foe by +2 (this is cumulative).
If the Medusa has a tail (such as the tail option in Slither/Stride, above), each successful grapple check reduces the amount of rounds an opponent has air for by 2, instead, she deals 1d6 + Str bonus points of nonlethal damage each round she grapples and she counts herself as being one size larger for the purposes of grapple checks.
Serpentine Stance III: At fifth level, the Medusa gains an additional stance, chosen from the list below:
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- Snake Oil: Stance. For the duration, any time the Medusa takes a move action, ranged and melee attacks directed at her suffer a 25% miss chance, until the end of her turn. If she takes a full round move action, attacks against her suffer a 50% miss chance until the end of her turn, followed by a 25% chance miss chance until the start of her next turn. This stance can only be initiated after initiative rolls have been made and ends when the encounter does.
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- White Fangs Striking: Stance. Attacks of the Medusa that deliver piercing damage, for the duration of this stance, cause the enemy to bleed profusely. At the end of any round in which a struck opponent took a standard or move action, that foe takes bleeding damage equal to the Medusa's Dex modifier plus an additional point of damage for every time she has struck them with a piercing weapon while in this stance. The bleeding damage ceases if the victim goes three rounds without being struck by a White Fangs Striking Stance enhanced piercing weapon, if they take a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity to staunch the blood, or if they make a heal check as a standard action to stop the bleeding (DC is 10 + ½ Medusa HD + Medusa Dex bonus).
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- Viper's Fangs: Stance. Grants the Medusa +1 to her poison DC and +1 competence bonus to attack rolls using her snakes. Successfully striking an opponent with her snakes increases these benefits for subsequent attacks against the same foe, doubling the bonus to the poison DC each time (ie. +2 for the second, +4 for the third, etc) and increases the competence bonus to attack rolls by a further +1. Further, the Medusa may make iterative attacks when making an attack action with just her snakes and she may add the Viper's Fangs Stance bonus to attack rolls to her BAB for the purposes of determining how many iterative attacks she may make. (ie. If the Medusa has a +5 BAB, and entered the Viper's Fangs Stance with the +1 inherent bonus, she could make an attack at +6 and another attack at +1.)
If the Medusa misses an attack with her snakes, attacks a different target or changes stances, all accumulated bonuses of the Viper's Fangs stance are lost.
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- Serpentine Stance II: any stance found under Serpentine Stride II. (Stalking Serpent, Snake in the Grass or Mamba's Pursuit).
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- Serpentine Stance: any stance in found under Serpentine Stance, above. (Darting Serpent, Viper's Fangs, Ouroboros Coils or Rising Anaconda).
: Starting at fifth level, a Medusa can use strength to force an opponent to meet her eyes, gripping their chin or hair and wrenching their head in her direction. A Medusa that is grappling a foe or otherwise sharing a space with a foe can make an opposed Strength roll against her target as a standard action. If she beats the target's result, she may use Chthonic Eye against her target, with a circumstantial bonus on the reflex save DC equal to the amount she beat her opponent's Strength check.
Use of Force Gaze means that Chthonic Eye cannot be prevented by the usual means of avoiding gaze attacks, such as eye protection, attention focused solely on reflective surfaces and concealment.
Chthonic Domination: Starting at sixth level, the Medusa can spend a Chthonic Charge to adjust the DC of her Chthonic Eye and Chthonic Flash abilities, adding a +2 competence bonus. She may do this after the save has been rolled, but before the effects take place. In doing so, the Medusa may adjust the result to a higher condition or make a successful save into a failure. Any time the Medusa petrifies a foe challenging enoguh to grant experience to her, she gains a Chthonic Charge, though never more than her maximum (as described under Chthonic Flash).
Coil: At sixth level, the reptilian Medusa, with her flexible serpentine nature, can maintain two different stances at once, provided at least one of the stances is from the Medusa monster class.
Gaze of the Gorgoness: Starting at seventh level, the Medusa may focus her gaze over an area, afflicting any who enter her line of sight. Use of Gaze of the Gorgoness is a full round action, rendering the Medusa flat footed. She draws a cone out to 30', excluding any tiles against which she does not have line of sight. Those starting, moving through and/or ending their turn in the area of effect must make a reflex save, with those who only moved through the cone gaining a +4 save. Failure on the save results in petrifaction, using the same duration noted under Chthonic Eye.
Medusa's Kiss: A seventh level Medusa may reverse the effect of her petrifaction (and only her petrifaction) with a kiss.
Serpentine Stance IV: A seventh level Medusa may choose two new stances from any of the previous Serpentine Stance lists.
Re: Community Based Monster Classes VI
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