Page 68 - Serpent Kingdoms

MONSTERS

Special Attacks: Animal trance, constrict 1d8+4, fl ying gore, the corpse to await vultures and other carrion-feeders, which
improved grab it slays as well.
Special Qualities: Chameleon power, darkvision 60 ft., low-light Animal Trance (Sp): Once per day, a jaculi can sway in
vision, scent, spring place and fl ash its eyes to hold its prey motionless. This psionic
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3 ability works like the spell of the same name (caster level 12th;
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 2 save DC 9).
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +10, Jump +20, Listen +10, Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a jaculi deals
Spot +10, Swim +11 1d8+4 points of damage.
Feats: Alertness, Power Attack, Toughness Flying Gore (Ex): A jaculi can
Environment: Warm forests hurl itself down on an oppo-
Organization: Solitary or coil (4–40) nent like an arrow from a point
Challenge Rating: 3 30 feet or more above. This
Treasure: — fl ying gore attack (+10 melee)
Alignment: Always chaotic deals 1d8+6 points of piercing
evil damage from the jaculi’s horns
Advancement: 7–12 HD and does not provoke attacks
(Large) of opportunity.
Level Adjustment: — Improved Grab (Ex): To use
this ability, a jaculi must hit
A fl ash of purple through the leaves
with its bite attack. It can then
and a faint hiss reveal the presence of a
attempt to start a grapple as a
reptilian predator. Its serpentine eyes fl ash with
free action without provoking
Illustration by Thomas Baxa Although the name jaculi is sometimes used as a collective Jaculi lishes a hold and can constrict.
uncanny intelligence.
an attack of opportunity. If it
wins the grapple check, it estab-
term for tree-dwelling snakes (including the boomslang and
If it takes 10 or more points
the emerald tree boa), the jaculi of Faerûn is a particular
of damage, it fl ees to seek
kind of creature.
easier prey.
A jaculi looks like a snake with mauve to dark purple scales.
Chameleon Power (Sp): At
Its bony, arrowhead-shaped head is studded with stubby but sharp
parallel horns that point straight forward toward its nose. will, a jaculi can psionically
change the coloration of its
body as a standard action to
Combat match its surroundings, gaining
a +10 circumstance bonus on
Jaculis are intelligent hunters that never forget past expe-
Hide checks.
riences. They are wise enough to attack isolated creatures,
Spring (Ex): A jaculi can gather its coils and then launch
avoid falling onto pointed objects or obvious weapons, and
itself in a jump. The Jump DCs for both long jumps and high
seek out sleeping prey. A jaculi typically uses its animal
jumps are halved, and no running start is required. Further-
trance ability to lure small birds or furred forest creatures
more, when jumping down, the jaculi takes damage as if it had
into a nest or den, then slithers inside and uses its body to
dropped 70 fewer feet than it actually did.
block the exit.
Skills: A jaculi has a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and
Against formidable foes, a jaculi begins combat by launch-
Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and
ing itself from a high spot (a tree branch or even the roof
Jump checks.
of a building) for a fl ying gore attack. Should it face attacks
A jaculi can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even
from more than a single foe—or a hard fi ght from its chosen
if rushed or threatened.
victim—it springs to the nearest tree and climbs out of reach.
A jaculi uses either its Strength modifi er or its Dexterity
If pursued, it jumps from tree to tree to get away, seeking a
modifi er for Climb checks, whichever is higher.
place to hide, then turns and follows its foes unseen, attacking
A jaculi has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform
again when conditions are advantageous.
some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to
Jaculis usually swallow small prey whole, but they can
take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It
also bite and chew, savaging prey too large to swallow. Unless
can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in
they are starving, they eat only prey they have killed them-
a straight line.
selves less than two days ago. When feeding hungry young,
a jaculi sometimes slays a large beast and hides in or under
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