Splitting Up Monsters

This is just a place to break up monster conversions into separate critter entries for uploading to the CC. It'll probably be quite short, since we think the pasari-nimal are the only critters that need to be split. But this thread will be here when necessary.

Pasari-niml Warrior

Originally converted here.

Pasari-Niml, Warrior
Diminutive Aberration
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-14
Attack: Greatsword +8 melee (1d6-2) or light crossbow +7 ranged (1d3/x3)
Full Attack: Greatsword +8 melee (1d6-2) or light crossbow +7 ranged (1d3/x3)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Frightful presence (DC 10), pitfall, puncture armor
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to enchantments, tremorsense 60 ft
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +6, Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B), Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Squad (3-12 pasari-niml warriors plus 1-2 pasari-niml nobles) or nest (60-240 warriors plus 11-30 nobles plus 1 calipha)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 2 HD (Diminutive); 3 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: -

This creature resembles an oversized black ant with a humanoid head. Its long face appears malevolent, with bulging eyes, pointed ears, and wrinkled brown skin. It walks on four of its six legs, while the other pair seem to function as arms.


Pasari-nimal (sometimes called mants) are horrid, tool-using, insectoid predators. They form large colonies, often under human cities, from which they launch nocturnal raids. In the wild, warriors and nobles dig a burrow for their calipha and then construct an ever more elaborate palace above it. At any time, 1-4 squads patrol the outer reaches of the colony.

A pasari-niml colony is led by a single calipha, who exists simply to eat, receive worship, and reproduce. Pasari-nimal worship their calipha, performing rituals and carving her face into burrow and castle walls. The calipha keeps a selama of nobles and reproduces rapidly, each day laying as many eggs as she has Hit Dice. Eggs hatch in three weeks; and approximately one in eight produces a noble. Once a year, a 6-HD calipha can produce a calipha egg. The egg hatches in three weeks, and a squad carries the new calipha several miles away and starts a new colony.

Warriors and nobles bring food to the calipha, who digests and regurgitates some of it to feed them. If the calipha dies, the lesser pasari-nimal die in 1-2 days. If all the warriors and nobles die, the calipha can last three days per Hit Die, during which time new warriors or nobles may hatch.

A pasari-niml warrior is between 4 and 6 inches long and weighs less than a pound.

Pasari-niml can speak Common and Undercommon, but usually only communicate with their own kind via hive telepathy.


COMBAT

Pasari-nimal always travel in mixed squads of warriors and nobles. They attack in an organized manner, directed by the nobles, who are in constant mental contact with the colony’s calipha. When a squad sights potential prey, the nobles send a few warriors to test the opponents, analyzing their attacks and defenses. The entire squad then attacks in concert. The pasari-nimal burrow rapidly under and around well-armored individuals, creating a pitfall. A trapped enemy is attacked by several burrowing pasari-nimal.

If a squad faces dangerous or numerous opponents, they call for reinforcements; 1d4 additional squads arrive in 1d4+1 rounds. If necessary, the mants pull back and wait.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A pasari-niml can unsettle foes with its mere presence. Any time a creature within 30 ft sees a pasari-niml, it must make a Will save. Creatures with more HD than the pasari-niml become frightened for 1d2 rounds on a failed save, while creatures with the same or fewer HD than the pasari-niml are panicked for 1d3 rounds on a successful save and cower for 1d4 rounds (or until attacked) on a failed save. Regardless of the result of the save, the victim is immune to the frightful presence of all pasari-niml for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Hive Mind (Ex): All pasari-niml within 1 mile of their calipha are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No pasari-niml in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Immunity To Enchantments (Su): A pasari-niml is immune to all spells of the Enchantment school that allow spell resistance. It is also immune to all charm effects, such as a harpy's captivating song.

Pitfall (Ex): Pasari-niml can bury an opponent by opening a pitfall beneath them. This requires a standard action by the pasari-niml, who must be free to move by burrowing. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or fall into the pitfall. A single pasari-niml can create a pitfall big enough for an opponent of Tiny size or smaller; it takes 2 pasari-niml to create a pitfall for a Small opponent, 4 for a Medium opponent and 16 for a Large opponent. If the pasari-niml create an oversized pitfall, the Reflex save DC increases by +4 for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent. Pasari-niml are too small to create a pitfall for Huge or larger opponents with this ability, although they can still excavate standard pit traps for such big creatures.

A pasari-niml's pitfall collapses as soon as it is created, leaving the victim trapped and partially buried in the ground. The pitfall is deep enough that the pasari-niml has total cover and total concealment against any other opponents on the surface. The pasari-niml have cover and concealment against a buried victim, giving the pasari-niml +4 AC and the victim a 20% miss chance. Due to the confined quarters of the pit, the victim can only wield light slashing or piercing weapons. The pasari-niml fight without penalty due to their burrow speed. If the victim has a burrow speed, they can move and fight normally by burrowing.

The buried victim, or its allies, can attempt to drag the victim from the ground with a DC 12 Strength check, or the buried victim can wiggle free with a DC 12 Escape Artist check (+4 on these DCs for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent). The pasari-niml can try to prevent the victim leaving the pit by grappling or other means. The DCs are Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus.

Puncture Armor (Su): As a standard action, a pasari-niml can tear holes in an opponent's armor. The opponent must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or the pasari-niml deals 1d6 points of damage to the opponent' s armor and tears a hole in it. A single pasari-niml can then attack the vulnerable area at the hole, ignoring the opponent's armor bonus.

The opponent must be unable to move freely (e.g. trapped in a pasari-niml's pitfall or entangled). Creatures not wearing armor are unaffected by this special attack. Armors with hardness 15 or higher (e.g. mithral, adamantine) are immune to this ability.

Multiple uses of puncture armor open separate holes, each of which can be exploited by a pasari-niml. Armor reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed. Damaged armor may be repaired with a successful Craft (armorsmithing) check. The save DC is Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus.

Skills: Pasari-niml warriors and nobles have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A pasari-niml warriors or noble can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Originally appeared in City of Delights (1993).

Pasari-niml Noble

Pasari-Niml, Noble
Diminutive Aberration
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-14
Attack: Greatsword +9 melee (1d6-3) or light crossbow +8 ranged (1d3/x3)
Full Attack: Greatsword +9 melee (1d6-3) or light crossbow +8 ranged (1d3/x3)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Frightful presence (DC 12), pitfall, puncture armor
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to enchantments, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +4
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 13
Skills: Climb +5, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +4, Knowledge (religion) +3, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B), Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Squad (3-12 pasari-niml warriors plus 1-2 pasari-niml nobles) or nest (60-240 warriors plus 11-30 nobles plus 1 calipha)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: -

This creature resembles an oversized black ant with a humanoid head. Its long face appears malevolent, with bulging eyes, pointed ears, and wrinkled brown skin. It walks on four of its six legs, while the other pair seem to function as arms.

Pasari-nimal (sometimes called mants) are horrid, tool-using, insectoid predators. They form large colonies, often under human cities, from which they launch nocturnal raids. In the wild, warriors and nobles dig a burrow for their calipha and then construct an ever more elaborate palace above it. At any time, 1-4 squads patrol the outer reaches of the colony.

A pasari-niml colony is led by a single calipha, who exists simply to eat, receive worship, and reproduce. Pasari-nimal worship their calipha, performing rituals and carving her face into burrow and castle walls. The calipha keeps a selama of nobles and reproduces rapidly, each day laying as many eggs as she has Hit Dice. Eggs hatch in three weeks; and approximately one in eight produces a noble. Once a year, a 6-HD calipha can produce a calipha egg. The egg hatches in three weeks, and a squad carries the new calipha several miles away and starts a new colony.

Warriors and nobles bring food to the calipha, who digests and regurgitates some of it to feed them. If the calipha dies, the lesser pasari-nimal die in 1-2 days. If all the warriors and nobles die, the calipha can last three days per Hit Die, during which time new warriors or nobles may hatch.

A pasari-niml noble is between 6 and 8 inches long and weighs less than a pound.

Pasari-nimal can speak Common and Undercommon, but usually only communicate with their own kind via hive telepathy.

COMBAT

Pasari-nimal always travel in mixed squads of warriors and nobles. They attack in an organized manner, directed by the nobles, who are in constant mental contact with the colony’s calipha. When a squad sights potential prey, the nobles send a few warriors to test the opponents, analyzing their attacks and defenses. The entire squad then attacks in concert. The pasari-nimal burrow rapidly under and around well-armored individuals, creating a pitfall. A trapped enemy is attacked by several burrowing pasari-nimal.

If a squad faces dangerous or numerous opponents, they call for reinforcements; 1d4 additional squads arrive in 1d4+1 rounds. If necessary, the mants pull back and wait.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A pasari-niml can unsettle foes with its mere presence. Any time a creature within 30 ft sees a pasari-niml, it must make a Will save. Creatures with more HD than the pasari-niml become frightened for 1d2 rounds on a failed save, while creatures with the same or fewer HD than the pasari-niml are panicked for 1d3 rounds on a successful save and cower for 1d4 rounds (or until attacked) on a failed save. Regardless of the result of the save, the victim is immune to the frightful presence of all pasari-niml for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Hive Mind (Ex): All pasari-niml within 1 mile of their calipha are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No pasari-niml in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Immunity To Enchantments (Su): A pasari-niml is immune to all spells of the Enchantment school that allow spell resistance. It is also immune to all charm effects, such as a harpy's captivating song.

Pitfall (Ex): Pasari-niml can bury an opponent by opening a pitfall beneath them. This requires a standard action by the pasari-niml, who must be free to move by burrowing. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or fall into the pitfall. A single pasari-niml can create a pitfall big enough for an opponent of Tiny size or smaller; it takes 2 pasari-niml to create a pitfall for a Small opponent, 4 for a Medium opponent and 16 for a Large opponent. If the pasari-niml create an oversized pitfall, the Reflex save DC increases by +4 for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent. Pasari-niml are too small to create a pitfall for Huge or larger opponents with this ability, although they can still excavate standard pit traps for such big creatures.

A pasari-niml's pitfall collapses as soon as it is created, leaving the victim trapped and partially buried in the ground. The pitfall is deep enough that the pasari-niml has total cover and total concealment against any other opponents on the surface. The pasari-niml have cover and concealment against a buried victim, giving the pasari-niml +4 AC and the victim a 20% miss chance. Due to the confined quarters of the pit, the victim can only wield light slashing or piercing weapons. The pasari-niml fight without penalty due to their burrow speed. If the victim has a burrow speed, they can move and fight normally by burrowing.

The buried victim, or its allies, can attempt to drag the victim from the ground with a DC 12 Strength check, or the buried victim can wiggle free with a DC 12 Escape Artist check (+4 on these DCs for every size the pitfall is bigger than the opponent). The pasari-niml can try to prevent the victim leaving the pit by grappling or other means. The DCs are Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus.

Puncture Armor (Su): As a standard action, a pasari-niml can tear holes in an opponent's armor. The opponent must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or the pasari-niml deals 1d6 points of damage to the opponent' s armor and tears a hole in it. A single pasari-niml can then attack the vulnerable area at the hole, ignoring the opponent's armor bonus.

The opponent must be unable to move freely (e.g. trapped in a pasari-niml's pitfall or entangled). Creatures not wearing armor are unaffected by this special attack. Armors with hardness 15 or higher (e.g. mithral, adamantine) are immune to this ability.

Multiple uses of puncture armor open separate holes, each of which can be exploited by a pasari-niml. Armor reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed. Damaged armor may be repaired with a successful Craft (armorsmithing) check. The save DC is Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus.

Skills: Pasari-niml warriors and nobles have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A pasari-niml warriors or noble can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

Originally appeared in City of Delights (1993).

Pasari-niml Calipha

Pasari-Niml, Calipha
Tiny Aberration
Hit Dice: 3d8 (13 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square)
Armor Class: 12 (+2 size), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-9
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-3)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-3)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Frightful presence (DC 13), puncture armor
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., hive mind, immunity to enchantments, spell resistance 8, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 11, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Diplomacy +10, Listen +5, Sense Motive +9, Spot +5
Feats: Iron Will, Negotiator, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Nest (60-240 warriors plus 11-30 nobles plus 1 calipha)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 4-5 HD (Tiny); 6-9 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: -

This tiny creature bears a beautiful female humanoid head with long tresses and large, feathery antennae. Her body is ugly, mottled and wormlike.

Pasari-nimal (sometimes called mants) are horrid, tool-using, insectoid predators. They form large colonies, often under human cities, from which they launch nocturnal raids. In the wild, warriors and nobles dig a burrow for their calipha and then construct an ever more elaborate palace above it. At any time, 1-4 squads patrol the outer reaches of the colony.

A pasari-nimal colony is led by a single calipha, who exists simply to eat, receive worship, and reproduce. Pasari-nimal worship their calipha, performing rituals and carving her face into burrow and castle walls. The calipha keeps a selama of nobles and reproduces rapidly, each day laying as many eggs as she has Hit Dice. Eggs hatch in three weeks; and approximately one in eight produces a noble. Once a year, a 6-HD calipha can produce a calipha egg. The egg hatches in three weeks, and a squad carries the new calipha several miles away and starts a new colony.

Warriors and nobles bring food to the calipha, who digests and regurgitates some of it to feed them. If the calipha dies, the lesser pasari-nimal die in 1-2 days. If all the warriors and nobles die, the calipha can last three days per Hit Die, during which time new warriors or nobles may hatch.

A calipha is 1 to 4 feet in length and weighs from 1 pound up to 50 pounds.

Pasari-niml can speak Common and Undercommon, but usually only communicate with their own kind via hive telepathy.

COMBAT

A pasari-niml calipha rarely engages in combat, rather directing her nobles and warriors from a distance. The calipha is always surrounded by an escort of pasari-nimal nobles, who will fight to the death to protect her.

Frightful Presence (Ex): A pasari-niml can unsettle foes with its mere presence. Any time a creature within 30 ft sees a pasari-niml, it must make a Will save. Creatures with more HD than the pasari-niml become frightened for 1d2 rounds on a failed save, while creatures with the same or fewer HD than the pasari-niml are panicked for 1d3 rounds on a successful save and cower for 1d4 rounds (or until attacked) on a failed save. Regardless of the result of the save, the victim is immune to the frightful presence of all pasari-niml for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Hive Mind (Ex): All pasari-niml within 1 mile of their calipha are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in a group is not flat-footed, none of them are. No pasari-niml in a group is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Immunity To Enchantments (Su): A pasari-niml is immune to all spells of the Enchantment school that allow spell resistance. It is also immune to all charm effects, such as a harpy's captivating song.

Puncture Armor (Su): As a standard action, a pasari-niml can tear holes in an opponent's armor. The opponent must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or the pasari-niml deals 1d6 points of damage to the opponent' s armor and tears a hole in it. A single pasari-niml can then attack the vulnerable area at the hole, ignoring the opponent's armor bonus.

The opponent must be unable to move freely (e.g. trapped in a pasari-niml's pitfall or entangled). Creatures not wearing armor are unaffected by this special attack. Armors with hardness 15 or higher (e.g. mithral, adamantine) are immune to this ability.

Multiple uses of puncture armor open separate holes, each of which can be exploited by a pasari-niml. Armor reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed. Damaged armor may be repaired with a successful Craft (armorsmithing) check. The save DC is Strength-based and include a +4 racial bonus.

Originally appeared in City of Delights (1993).

Changes made:

1) New tactics for Calipha.
2) Replaced SR of CR+6 with SR 8 in Calipha.
3) Changed "armor" bonus in AC of warrior and noble to "natural" armor.

Comments welcome before they're uploaded.

freyar said:

Changes made:

1) New tactics for Calipha.
2) Replaced SR of CR+6 with SR 8 in Calipha.
3) Changed "armor" bonus in AC of warrior and noble to "natural" armor.

Comments welcome before they're uploaded.

Click to expand...

Since we'd signed off on the original stats we could keep the "armour".

Maybe their skin is soft like a human rather than hard like chitin, so they wear little suits of padded cloth to protect themselves?

Imagine the nobles in rich clothing, with black turbans decorated with plumes that are actually their antennae...

Unfortunately the picture in City of Delights shows Pasari-Nimal as just looking like an ordinary ant apart from the evil humanoid head. The artist didn't even give it hands for wielding weapons (which they ought to have, really).

So, I guess going by that picture and the SRD Giant Ant they should have natural armour instead of regular armour.

We never actually discussed the AC in that conversion; I went back and re-read the thread. As far as I can tell, it was just inserted to make the ACs match up. But the key point is that an "armor" bonus in 3e needs to come from something you wear (and the equipment is typically specified in the AC line), and we didn't give them any armor equipment. But I do agree with the bit about the comparison to ants suggesting natural armor.

Tactics, etc, look ok?

freyar said:

We never actually discussed the AC in that conversion; I went back and re-read the thread. As far as I can tell, it was just inserted to make the ACs match up. But the key point is that an "armor" bonus in 3e needs to come from something you wear (and the equipment is typically specified in the AC line), and we didn't give them any armor equipment. But I do agree with the bit about the comparison to ants suggesting natural armor.

Click to expand...

Yes, I know. That's why I said I liked the idea of tiny little "Ant-Men" wearing stereotypical Arabian Nights robes and turbans, like a tiny little insectile evil vizier and his henchants, but the illustrations in their Monstrous Manual entries do not support it.

freyar said:

Tactics, etc, look ok?

Click to expand...

The rest of it looked fine - you don't think I could see something I disapproved of and not criticize it, did you.

I suppose we could add "The calipha is always surrounded by an escort of pasari-nimal nobles, who will fight to the death to protect her" to the tactics, just to flesh it out a bit.

I'm posting a couple more creatures that deserve to be split.

The Windigo includes a Mosquito Swarm which risks becoming forgotten if we don't make it a separate monster.

The Crab Swarm is a bit unwieldy, since it has two sizes of swarm and two sizes of individual crab.

Originally converted here.

Windigo
Medium Outsider (Air, Chaotic, Evil, Incorporeal, Native)
Hit Dice: 7d8 (31 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 15 (+5 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/—
Attack: Incorporeal touch +11 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +11 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Searing windblast, spell-like abilities, summon mosquito swarm
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., environmental body, fatal claustrophobia, incorporeal traits, skinstealing, summon mosquito swarm, transparent body
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +8
Abilities: Str —, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 16
Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +13, Diplomacy +5, Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Hide +15, Intimidate +15, Jump +2 (+4 in environmental body), Knowledge (nature) +13, Listen +13, Move Silently +15, Spot +13, Survival +13 (+15 in aboveground natural environments), Tumble +15
Feats: Improved Initiative, Track, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary or congregation (12-48)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Medium); 15-21 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

A humanoid-shaped cloud of haze floats nearby, with sky blue eyes that glow faintly from some internal light.

Windigos are vampiric wind spirits found in remote wilderness regions. They are extremely territorial, but are in a constant state of retreat from the ever-advancing tide of civilization. Whenever a windigo is driven deeper into the wilderness, it leaves behind a persistent plague of mosquitoes that torments the invading settlers. According to legend, windigos fathered the mosquito species as an act of revenge against humanoid races.

Roughly once every three centuries, a few dozen windigo congregate at the site of an epic winter storm. This event, seemingly religious in nature, entails the wind spirits dancing throughout the storm while chanting in their hallow, gusty voices. Aside from this dark ritual, windigos are never found in groups.

A windigo is 7 feet tall and weightless.

Windigos speak Auran, Common and Sylvan in a voice the sounds like a cacophany of fleeting whispers that originates from all directions at once.

COMBAT

A windigo uses its transparent body and ghostly silence to stalk prey. Only after thoroughly terrorizing its prey does it attack, forming a physical body out of its nearby environment. It uses its searing blast as often as possible, attempting to catch as many victims with the area of effect. If a windigo successfully picks off a straggler from a group, it wears the victims skin and attempts to infiltrate the group to create havoc among them.

A common tactic of these evil wind spirits is to flit in and out of the trees behind a group of travelers, only to disappear when someone looks back. After heightening its victims’ paranoia, the windigo begins to call softly to the travelers, so softly that its voice can barely be distinguished from a slight breeze. Only after the group is driven into a panic-induced frenzy fo cursing or running does a windigo attack. A survivor of such an attack is typically left with intense agoraphobia, breaking out into a cold sweat when the wind is heard rustling through the treetops.

A windigo's natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Environmental Body (Ex): A windigo can form a physical body for itself out of leaves, dirt, rocks or any other small loose objects lying in its vicinity. While in this form, the windigo loses its incorporeal subtype and its transparent body special quality, but it gains two claw attacks that deal 1d6 damage each, a natural armor bonus, and a Strength score of 15. Forming an environmental body requires a move action; the windigo can revert to its natural incorporeal form as a swift action. The natural armor bonus of the body depends on the hardness of its materials, according to the following table:

+0 NA Snow/Dust
+1 NA Leaves/Grass
+2 NA Wood
+3 NA Sand/Earth/Soil
+4 NA Stone
+5 NA Metal

Typically, a windigo will form an environmental body out of sand or soil, giving it the following statistics (those not listed are the same as the windigo's incorporeal form).

Medium Outsider (Air, Chaotic, Evil, Native)
Armor Class: 18 (+5 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+9
Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Two claws +9 melee (1d6+2)
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 16
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., environmental body, fatal claustrophobia, incorporeal traits, skinstealing, summon mosquito swarm

Fatal Claustrophobia (Ex): Windigos are so extraordinarily claustrophobic they quickly die in any enclosed space. Entering an area cut off from the open sky (such as a building's interior, a cave, or even a dense forest canopy) disorients a windigo: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape.

Searing Windblast (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, a windigo may unleash a 20-foot-radius burst of searing wind. The windblast deals 5d6 points of fire damage to all creatures in the area and knocks Medium-sized or smaller creatures prone. A successful DC 16 Reflex save halves the damage, and avoids being knocked prone. Additionally, creatures within the area must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skinstealing (Ex): If a windigo personally kills a humanoid within one size category of its own size, it can steal that humanoid's skin as a full-round action. A windigo wearing a stolen skin takes on its victim's appearance, voice, and physical abilities as per the alternate form special ability. It loses its incorporeal subtype and transparent body special quality. The windigo is effectively disguised as the individual whose skin it has stolen (with a +10 bonus on its Disguise checks). A windigo can wear a stolen skin for up to 1 hour, whereupon the skin starts to rip and fray, returning the windigo to its true form. A windigo cannot take off a stolen skin without tearing and ruining it.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—gust of wind (DC 15), whispering wind. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Summon Mosquito Swarm (Sp): Once per day, a windigo can summon a swarm of mosquitoes. This functions like a summon swarm spell, except it summons a mosquito swarm (see Swarm, Mosquito entry) and is equivalent to a 1st-level spell (CL 3rd).

Transparent Body (Ex): Due to its transparent body, a windigo is very hard to see, even under ideal conditions. At distances greater than 50 feet, a windigo is invisible. Within 50 feet, a creature can notice the presence of an active windigo with a DC 15 Spot check. A windigo that is moving gains a +15 bonus on Hide checks, one that is immobile gains a +30 bonus to Hide checks. A windigo within 50 feet gains concealment (rather than total concealment) against attackers that notice it. This ability is constant, allowing a windigo to remain nearly invisible even when attacking. This transparency is an innate property of the windigo's flesh, so is not subject to the invisibility purge spell. A windigo loses its transparent body when it uses its skinstealing and environmental body special abilities.

Originally appeared in Dungeon #77 (1999)