Skewer (3.5e Creature)
As the party traverses the open plains they hear a sonic ping. The resonating noise sounding again as a broad shadow passes over. As you look above, you see an image out of a nightmare. Massive black wings patterned with violet patterns are held rigid as four massive pulsing sacks upon them expel whistling gas. A long serrated horn juts from what seems to be the creatures head stained a ruddy brown from dried blood. Immediately, the creature jets down with a shriek from its strange wings. Its lance-like horn angled towards your party.
| Skewer | |
|---|---|
| Size/Type: | Gargantuan Aberrations |
| Hit Dice: | 18d8+144 (225 hp) |
| Initiative: | +6 |
| Speed: | Fly 200 ft (poor) |
| Armor Class: | 18 (-4 Size, +2 Dex, +10 Size), touch 8, flat-footed 16 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +13/+37 |
| Attack: | +21 Melee Proboscis Lance 4d6+12 |
| Full Attack: | +21 Proboscis Lance 4d6+12 |
| Space/Reach: | 20ft/15ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Blood Drain, Methane Burst, Impale 4d10+12, Jet, Trade off. |
| Special Qualities: | Alien Anatomy, Blindsight 400 ft, Immunities, Methane Pods, Terrestrial vulnerability. |
| Saves: | Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +15 |
| Abilities: | Str 34, Dex 15, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 18, Cha 10 |
| Skills: | Listen + 30 |
| Feats: | Improved Initiative, Flyby Attack, Wingover, Adroit Flyby Attack, Alertness, Endurance, Weapon Focus (Proboscis Lance) |
| Environment: | Any, excluding underground and aquatic. |
| Organization: | Solitary, Pair or Pack (2-6) |
| Challenge Rating: | 10 |
| Treasure: | None. |
| Alignment: | Always Neutral |
| Advancement: | 19-32 HD (Gargantuan) 33-54 HD (Colossal) |
| Level Adjustment: | — |
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One of the most feared predators on Darwin IV, skewers count among their prey all large land animals, except the massive Groveback. Their formidable hunting array includes wings spanning 50 feet and equipped with four methane-powered "jet" pods that can generate speeds up to 200 mph. A skewer uses its speed to drive the long hollow lance protruding from its head deep into its victims. Prey are then carried aloft and sucked dry. Skewers hunt in small packs and are found across 90 percent of the planet.
Combat
A Skewer is an aerial combatant, swooping down to impale its prey upon its lethal proboscis and then climbing high into the sky draining them of blood, with its razor sharp tongue. If hunting in a pair or pack Skewers will trade off impaled creatures in mid-flight by flinging their prey off their proboscis to be impale and fed upon.
Impale (Ex): When a Skewer uses an Aerial Charge it can impale a creature up to two sizes smaller then itself and carry it aloft. Immediately, dealing 4d10+12 damage each round the creature remains impaled. A creature can make a grapple or escape artist check to pull itself off the proboscis.
Blood Drain (Ex): A Skewer drains blood, dealing 2d6 of Constitution damage in any round when it begins its turn impaling a victim. As long as a victim remains impaled the blood drain continues till the victims Constitution has become 0.
Methane Burst (Ex): Once per 1d4 minutes, a Skewer can propel itself at amazing speeds. Moving up to ten times it’s speed while flying (2000ft).
Jet (Ex): Once per 1d4 rounds, a Skewer can move up to its full speed as a free action. A Skewer often uses this in combination with its Aerial Charge ability to swoop in and impale its prey.
Trade Off (Ex): Skewers are pack hunters, and as pack hunters they have learned special maneuvers to share food. As a full round action, a Skewer can fling an impaled creature off its proboscis, doing so entitles a foe to taking fall damage. If another, Skewer is within proximity it also can take a full round action to make an attack against the falling victim during its turn to impale the creature. Doing so entitles that the Skewer catching the victim uses its methane pods to fly faster to catch the victim. The use of its Burst and Jet is used during this maneuver; re-roll the time in which a Skewer can use these abilities again after a Skewer catches a victim in a Trade Off.
Alien Anatomy (Ex): Due to the location of a Skewer's brain in its alien body, a Skewer is not slain by the effects of severing its head. However, it is effectively rendered blind by do so.
Blindsight (Ex): Skewers hunt by superior form of echo-location and by light sensitive cells upon their bodies. They effectively can locate any obect or creature with their "sight". These traits grant them Blindsight of 400 ft. A Silence spell renders its foes as if they were under total concealment and Darkness spell as concealment.
Immunities (Ex): Due to its lack of eyes a Skewer has immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other forms of attack that rely on sight.
Methane Pod (Ex): A Skewer’s flight is propelled by four pods that create and process methane, these pods are what are responsible for its Burst and Jet abilities. Because, the Pods continuously expel methane a Skewer cannot hover and it always moves each round. The pods can be targeted and any damage to them as various effects on the Skewer.
A Methane Pod has an AC 15 and 20 hp.
For fire spells that hit that hit the Skewer or its pods. A Skewer must make an additional reflex save to avoid having its Methane Pods from catching fire. Use the rules for catching fire save that only total immersion in water can put the flames out. In addition, the Skewers movement is halved, a Skewer gains a maneuverability of Clumsy until the Methane pods’ hit points becomes 20 once more. A Methane Pod which hit points total 0 is instantly destroyed, rendering the Skewers flight speed permanently halved and with a maneuverability of Clumsy. As well, all the numeral effects of its Jet and Methane Burst ability take twice as long.
Terrestrial Vulnerability (Ex): A Skewer that has lost all of its pods or has fallen suffers severe penalties because of its own lack of mobility upon the ground. A grounded Skewer has the following ability changes to its Statistics.
Initiative: -1
Speed: 5 ft (cannot run or charge.)
Armor Class: AC 11, Touch 3.
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/--
Attack: + 4 Melee Proboscis Lance 4d6+3
Full Attack: + 4 Proboscis Lance 4d6+3
Space/Reach: 20ft/ 15ft.
Special Qualities: Alien Anatomy, Blindsight 400 ft, Immunities, Methane Pods, Terrestrial vulnerability.
Saves: Fort +14 Ref +1 Will + 15
Abilities: Str 17 Dex 1 Con 26 Int 2 Wis 18 Cha 10.
- A Skewer can only take partial actions.
- It uses its new dexterity modifier instead of its strength modifier for attack rolls.
- It can only attack creatures that are in front of it.
- In regards to sneak attacks regard the Skewer as being helpless.
- A Skewer with 1 or more function Methane Pods takes 1d6 damage each turn the methane it expels is released driving it against the ground.
- A Skewer with a Methane Pod on each wing can attempt to take flight. Doing so involves the Skewer using its partial action to push itself up off the ground. Doing so evokes a attack of opportunity. A successful hit resolves in the Skewer falling helpless once again.
- The following round after pushing itself up it can attempt to take flight. Doing so involves the use of the Skewers’ Methane Burst ability.
Skills
A Skewer has a +10 bonus on Listen Checks.
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