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Living Deserts

August 13th, 2010

Joshua Zaback

From the Workshop Archive 

            Hello everyone and welcome back to From the Workshop, where we bring you some nice little miscellaneous things to improve your game.  To finish off Desert Week I would like to bring you a few new monsters.  Below you will find the stat blocks for four different varieties. 

            Living deserts are incarnations of the ruthless harsh lands they are named for.  As they grow in size, they grow in both power and cunning, ranging from mindless beasts driven purely by instinct to highly intelligent and cruel scions of destruction.  Possessing several combat forms, the living deserts will provide a perfect fit for any of your desert-themed adventures. 

 

Living Desert, Lesser (CR 6)

XP 1,600
N Large ooze
Init –5; Senses blindsight 60 ft; Perception –5
DEFENSE
AC 4, touch 4, flat-footed 4 (–5 Dex, –1 size)
hp 89 (9d8+48)
Fort +9, Ref –2, Will –2
Defensive Abilities Immune mind-affecting effects, ooze traits, DR 5/-
Vulnerabilities Weather Intolerance, Moisture Weakness   
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft, Fly 40ft perfect (while in desert storm)
Melee slam +10 (2d4+7 and grab)
Space 10 ft; Reach 5 ft
Special Attacks constrict (2d4+7), suffocate, desert storm
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 1, Con 22, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1
Base Atk +6; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 12 (can't be tripped)
Skills Climb +13 Fly: -15

Desert Storm (Su): A living desert may transform itself into a desert storm for a number of rounds per day equal to ½ its hit dice.  While in this form, the living desert loses its Strength score (gaining a new score of -),gains a fly speed (perfect) equal to twice its base land speed, and becomes immune to weapon damage.  While in desert storm form, a living desert may move into squares occupied by other characters or obstacles without penalty.  A creature caught in a desert storm automatically takes damage equal to the living desert’s slam damage (minus Strength bonus) and begins to suffocate.  Additionally, any character caught within the storm cannot move unless he or she succeeds on a Reflex saving throw DC 20.  Characters affected by freedom of movement or similar are immune to this effect.  The area inside the desert storm is considered difficult terrain.

Suffocate (Su): Creatures grappled by a living desert or within its desert storm form begin to suffocate in addition to any other suffered effects.  See the Pathfinder core rules for more information about suffocation.   

Weather Intolerance: Living deserts cannot tolerate areas with significant precipitation; any living desert caught in an area with significant precipitation (gentle rain will suffice) or substantially high humidity for longer than 1d4 rounds is destroyed utterly.

Moisture Weakness: Living deserts are all share a weakness for moisture.  Running water of any kind (including that generated from a decanter of endless water) inflicts 2d20 damage, and may cause the living desert to be affected by its weather intolerance.

 

Living Desert (CR 10)

XP 1,600
N Huge ooze
Init –5; Senses blindsight 60 ft; Perception –5
DEFENSE
AC 3, touch 3, flat-footed 3 (–5 Dex, –2 size)
hp 187 (15d8+120)
Fort +9, Ref –2, Will –2
Defensive Abilities Immune mind-affecting effects, ooze traits, DR 5/-
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft, Fly 60ft perfect (while in desert form)
Melee slam +20 (2d6+13 and grab)
Space 15 ft; Reach 10 ft
Special Attacks constrict (2d6+13), suffocate, desert form
STATISTICS
Str 28, Dex 1, Con 26, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1
Base Atk +11; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 12 (can't be tripped)
Skills Climb +13 Fly: -13

Desert Storm (Su): A living desert may transform itself into a desert storm for a number of rounds per day equal to ½ its hit dice.  While in this form, the living desert loses its Strength score (gaining a new score of -),gains a fly speed (perfect) equal to twice its base land speed, and becomes immune to weapon damage.  While in desert storm form, a living desert may move into squares occupied by other characters or obstacles without penalty.  A creature caught in a desert storm automatically takes damage equal to the living desert’s slam damage (minus Strength bonus) and begins to suffocate.  Additionally, any character caught within the storm cannot move unless he or she succeeds on a Reflex saving throw DC 20.  Characters affected by freedom of movement or similar are immune to this effect.  The area inside the desert storm is considered difficult terrain.

Suffocate (Su): Creatures grappled by a living desert or within its desert storm form begin to suffocate in addition to any other suffered effects.  See the Pathfinder core rules for more information about suffocation.   

Weather Intolerance: Living deserts cannot tolerate areas with significant precipitation; any living desert caught in an area with significant precipitation (gentle rain will suffice) or substantially high humidity for longer than 1d4 rounds is destroyed utterly.

Moisture Weakness: Living deserts are all share a weakness for moisture.  Running water of any kind (including that generated from a decanter of endless water) inflicts 2d20 damage, and may cause the living desert to be affected by its weather intolerance.

 

Living Desert, Greater (CR 14)

XP 1,600
NE Gargantuan ooze
Init –5; Senses blindsight 60 ft; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 1, touch 1, flat-footed 1 (–5 Dex, –4 size)
hp 290 (20d8+200)
Fort +9, Ref –2, Will –2
Defensive Abilities Immune mind-affecting effects, ooze traits DR 10/-
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft, Fly 80ft perfect (in desert storm)
Melee slam +24 (2d8+19 and grab)
Space 20 ft; Reach 15 ft
Special Attacks constrict (2d8+19), suffocate, desert storm
STATISTICS
Str 36, Dex 1, Con 30, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 4
Base Atk +11; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 12 (can't be tripped)
Skills Climb +13 Fly: +9
Feats Improved initiative, Skill Focus (Fly), Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Iron Will, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Greater Grapple

Desert Storm (Su): A living desert may transform itself into a desert storm for a number of rounds per day equal to ½ its hit dice.  While in this form, the living desert loses its Strength score (gaining a new score of -),gains a fly speed (perfect) equal to twice its base land speed, and becomes immune to weapon damage.  While in desert storm form, a living desert may move into squares occupied by other characters or obstacles without penalty.  A creature caught in a desert storm automatically takes damage equal to the living desert’s slam damage (minus Strength bonus) and begins to suffocate.  Additionally, any character caught within the storm cannot move unless he or she succeeds on a Reflex saving throw DC 20.  Characters affected by freedom of movement or similar are immune to this effect.  The area inside the desert storm is considered difficult terrain.

Suffocate (Su): Creatures grappled by a living desert or within its desert storm form begin to suffocate in addition to any other suffered effects.  See the Pathfinder core rules for more information about suffocation.   

Weather Intolerance: Living deserts cannot tolerate areas with significant precipitation; any living desert caught in an area with significant precipitation (gentle rain will suffice) or substantially high humidity for longer than 1d4 rounds is destroyed utterly.

Moisture Weakness: Living deserts are all share a weakness for moisture.  Running water of any kind (including that generated from a decanter of endless water) inflicts 2d20 damage, and may cause the living desert to be affected by its weather intolerance.

 

Living Desert, Elder (CR 18)

XP 1,600
CE Colossal ooze
Init +4; Senses blindsight 60 ft; Perception +32
DEFENSE
AC 1, touch 1, flat-footed 1 (–8 size)
hp 462 (28d8+336)
Fort +21, Ref +9, Will +13
Defensive Abilities Immune mind-affecting effects, ooze traits, DR 10/-
OFFENSE
Speed 60ft; Fly 120ft perfect (while in desert storm)
Melee slam +30 (2d10+25 and grab)
Space 25 ft; Reach 20 ft
Special Attacks constrict (2d8+19), suffocate, desert storm
STATISTICS
Str 44, Dex 1, Con 34, Int 20, Wis 18, Cha 6
Base Atk +21; CMB +46 (+54 grapple); CMD 56 (58 grapple; can't be tripped)
Skills Fly: +32 
Feats Improved initiative, Skill Focus (Fly), Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Iron Will, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple, Greater Grapple, Improved Bull Rush, Awesome Blow,

Desert Storm (Su): A living desert may transform itself into a desert storm for a number of rounds per day equal to ½ its hit dice.  While in this form, the living desert loses its Strength score (gaining a new score of -),gains a fly speed (perfect) equal to twice its base land speed, and becomes immune to weapon damage.  While in desert storm form, a living desert may move into squares occupied by other characters or obstacles without penalty.  A creature caught in a desert storm automatically takes damage equal to the living desert’s slam damage (minus Strength bonus) and begins to suffocate.  Additionally, any character caught within the storm cannot move unless he or she succeeds on a Reflex saving throw DC 20.  Characters affected by freedom of movement or similar are immune to this effect.  The area inside the desert storm is considered difficult terrain.

Suffocate (Su): Creatures grappled by a living desert or within its desert storm form begin to suffocate in addition to any other suffered effects.  See the Pathfinder core rules for more information about suffocation.   

Weather Intolerance: Living deserts cannot tolerate areas with significant precipitation; any living desert caught in an area with significant precipitation (gentle rain will suffice) or substantially high humidity for longer than 1d4 rounds is destroyed utterly.

Moisture Weakness: Living deserts are all share a weakness for moisture.  Running water of any kind (including that generated from a decanter of endless water) inflicts 2d20 damage, and may cause the living desert to be affected by its weather intolerance.

 

            Thank you for continuing to read From the Workshop.  If you would like to suggest a possible topic, feel free to email us and stay tuned – the next article just might be your idea.  Until next time, I wish you all the best in your gaming endeavors.