Page 75 - Serpent Kingdoms

MONSTERS

A bone naga looks like a serpentine skeleton and typically mea- Created by a rival hundred of years ago as a guard, this bone
sures about 12 feet long. Its skull bears an eerie resemblance to that naga despises both its master and its condition.
of a human, except that it sports long fangs. A cold, cruel light
burns in the creature’s eye sockets, giving it an air of unspeakable COMBAT
hatred and malice. Its tail ends in a vicious bone stinger. This bone naga’s master is still alive and has ordered it to guard
Thought it despises servitude, a bone naga unswervingly the underground chambers where it performs magical research.
obeys its creator, attacking even other nagas if so commanded. The bone naga always scans the minds of intruders to determine
Should its master die, the bone naga becomes free-willed and can their strengths and weaknesses before joining combat. It often
choose its own destiny. begins by trying to intimidate its enemies with telepathic taunts.
Thereafter, it resorts to spellcasting to soften up the more pow-
Sample Bone Naga erful-looking opponents. When it fi nally enters melee, it focuses
its attacks on living opponents rather than undead or constructs,
This skeletal creature looks like a giant undead snake, except since the living are susceptible to its poison.
for its humanlike skull and long, deadly fangs. Its tail ends Poison (Ex): Bite, injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and second-
in a bony stinger. ary damage 1d4 Str; or sting, injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial
and secondary damage 1d4 Con.
This example uses a 6th-level dark naga sorcerer as the base Spells: This bone naga casts spells as a 13th-level sorcerer.
creature. Detect Thoughts (Su): The bone naga can continuously use
detect thoughts as the spell (caster level 9th; Will DC 17 negates).
6th-level Dark Naga Sorcerer Bone Naga This ability is always active.
Large Undead (Augmented Aberration) Guarded Thoughts (Ex): The bone naga is immune to any
Hit Dice: 9d12 plus 6d12 (58 hp) form of mind reading.
Initiative: +6 Resistance to Charm: The bone naga has a +2 racial bonus
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) on saving throws against all charm effects.
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, fl at- Undead Traits: A bone naga is immune to mind-infl uencing
footed 15 effects, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death Illustration by Wayne England
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+15 effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it
Attack: Sting +12 melee (2d4+2 plus poison) also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical
Full Attack: Sting +12 melee (2d4+2 plus poison) and bite +7 hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage to its physical ability
melee (1d4+1 plus poison) scores, ability drain, energy drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or death
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. from massive damage. It cannot be raised, and resurrection
Special Attacks: Poison, spells works only if it is willing. Darkvision 60 ft.
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, darkvision Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (6/7/7/7/6/6/4; save DC 14
60 ft., detect thoughts, guarded thoughts, immunity to cold + spell level): 0—daze, detect magic, detect poison, light†, mage
and poison, resistance to charm, spell resistance 25, telepathy hand, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost†, read magic;
250 ft. 1st—expeditious retreat, magic missile†, ray of enfeeblement,
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +18 shield, silent image; 2nd—cat’s grace, eagle’s splendor, invisibility,
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con —, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 18 mirror image, scorching ray†; 3rd—dispel magic, displacement,
Skills: Bluff +20, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +12, Disguise fi reball†, lightning bolt†; 4th—charm monster, fear, fi re shield†,
+5 (+7 acting), Intimidate +6, Knowledge (arcana) +12, Listen stoneskin; 5th—cloudkill, cone of cold†, hold monster; 6th—dis-
+15, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +25, Spot +15 integrate, globe of invulnerability.
Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Dodge, Eschew Materi- †Because of Spell Focus (evocation), the DC for saves against
B
als , Improved Initiative, Lightning Refl exes, Spell Focus these spells is 15 + spell level.
(evocation) Possessions: Amulet of mighty fi sts +2, goggles of night, head-
Environment: Temperate hills band of resistance +5 (treat as cloak of resistance +5), diamond
Organization: Solitary, pair, or nest (3–4) dust (500 gp).
Challenge Rating: 15
Treasure: Standard CREATING A BONE NAGA
Alignment: Always evil “Bone naga” is an acquired template that can be added to any
Advancement: 10–13 HD (Large); 14–27 HD (Huge) or by naga (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
character class A bone naga has all the base creature’s statistics and special
Level Adjustment: — abilities except as noted here.

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