Archaeopteryx
Archaeopteryx, sometimes referred to by its German name Urvogel (“original bird” or “first bird”), is the earliest and most primitive bird known.
Archaeopteryx
Size/Type: Small Animal
Hit Dice: 2d10 (12 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 10 ft (2 squares), fly 40 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 16 (+1 size, +5 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-11 (+1 when attached)
Attack: Bite +7 melee (3d4-1)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (3d4-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Attach, sawteeth
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +7, Will +1
Abilities: Str 7, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +2, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse B
Environment: Warm marshes and moors
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
A archaeopteryx’s coloration ranges from rust-red to tan, with a coat of feathers that ranges from ochre to turquoise.
A archaeopteryx’s body is about 3 feet long, with a wingspan of 3-5 feet. It weighs about 50 pounds.
Combat
A archaeopteryx attacks by biting into a victim, and making a sawing motion with its beak.
Attach (Ex): If a archaeopteryx hits with its bite attack, it uses its saw-like teeth to latch onto the opponent’s body. An attached archaeopteryx is effectively grappling its prey. The archaeopteryx loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 12, but holds on with great tenacity. Archaeopteryx have a +12 racial bonus on grapple checks (already figured into the Base Attack/Grapple entry above).
An attached archaeopteryx can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached archaeopteryx through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the archaeopteryx.
Sawtooth (Ex): Archaeopteryx deal 1d6 points of damage in any round when it begins its turn attached to a victim.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged animal, creature type: dinosaur, flying, small by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Birdswarm
Hundreds of birds of all types gather in a cloud above.
Birdswarm
Tiny Animal (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 3d8 (12 hit points)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 10 ft, Fly 60 ft (average)
Armor Class: 13 (+2 size, +1 Dex)
Single Attack: swarm (1d4)
Full Attack: swarm (1d4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: Fly-by-attack
Special Qualities: None
Saves: Fort +x, Ref +x, Will +x
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +6 (2), Spot +9 (5)
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse
Climate/Terrain: Temperate/Any (including urban)
Organization: Flock (1-4 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Half standard (very small items only)
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: –
COMBAT
A birdswarm does not always act as a coherent unit. Many birds will attack, while others will simply squawk at their prey. They are treacherous in that they are so unpredictable, often going from harmless to harmful in a single round. Because of this, unless characters watch them closely, birdswarms will often surprise them when they attack.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its square must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be confused for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Fly-by-attack (Ex): A birdswarm can attack prey and keep moving in the same round.
Posted in Creature and tagged animal, bird, flying, swarm by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Swarm of Giant Locusts
Size/Type: Small Vermin (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 15d8+6 (100 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/—
Attack: Swarm (6d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (6d6)
Space/Reach: 30 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, knockdown
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int Ø, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: —
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Cloud (10-15 swarms), or plague (16-30 swarms)
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
Level Adjustment: —
A locust swarm is a cloud of thousands of winged vermin that devours any organic material in its path, including leather, clothing, foliage, and flesh.
Combat
A giant locust swarm surrounds and attacks any living prey it encounters. A swarm deals 6d6 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move.
Distraction (Ex)
Any living creature that begins its turn with a locust swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Knockdown (Ex)
Any creature that begins it’s turn with a locust swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 14 strength check or be knocked prone by the impact of the enormous insects.
Skills
A locust swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.
Posted in Creature and tagged flying, swarm, swarm subtype, vermin by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Winged Helm
This helmet, fittingly adorned by giant wings, allow the wearer to fly at various speeds, depending on the size of the adorning wings. Activating the item takes a standard action, as the wearer must rub the feathers with saliva not unlike the way a cat preens itself.
The helm in the picture is the minor version of the helm, which allows the wearer to float a foot off the ground with very limited mobility, essentially hovering and moving at half speed.
The normal version (with 18″ wings) provides fly at the wearer’s normal move and the greater version (with 6′ wings) provides flight up to 100′ per round.
Originally researched and developed by Djander, mage counsel to the King of Vandor in the waning days of his kingdom. When the king passed, the land split into the Ten Princedoms, and the Winged Helms allow the Princes to travel quickly across the sea to convene meetings to continue to rule the land. As such, there are ten Winged Helms, one each in possession of the princes.
Price: 25,000gp
Price, minor: 12,500gp
Price, major: 50,000gp
Posted in Magic Item and tagged armor, flying, helm, wondrous item by Stephen Hilderbrand with 1 comment.