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Cleon Specials – SRD Redux Monsters and Related Creatures
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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 7961955" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong><em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> (The "Colossal Squid")</strong></span></p><p>Large Animal (Aquatic)</p><p><strong>Hit Dice:</strong> 8d8+16 (43 hp)</p><p><strong>Initiative:</strong> +3</p><p><strong>Speed:</strong> Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)</p><p><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 14 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12</p><p><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +6/+18* [<em>+1 per 2 arms</em>]</p><p><strong>Attack:</strong> Tentacles +10 melee (1d4+4)</p><p><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Tentacles +10 melee (1d4+4) and 8 arms +7 melee (1) and bite +7 melee (1d10+2)</p><p><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles)</p><p><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> Constrict [<em>1d8+4 plus 1/extra limb</em>], improved grab, tearing beak [<em>grapple or +9 melee, 1d10+4</em>]</p><p><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Chameleon, damage reduction 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, revolting taste, superior low-light vision</p><p><strong>Saves:</strong> Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3</p><p><strong>Abilities:</strong> Str 18, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2</p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> Hide +6, Listen +8, Spot +13, Swim +12</p><p><strong>Feats:</strong> Blind-Fight, Endurance, Multiattackᴮ, Weapon Focus (tentacles)</p><p><strong>Environment:</strong> Cold aquatic</p><p><strong>Organization:</strong> Solitary</p><p><strong>Challenge Rating:</strong> 4</p><p><strong>Advancement:</strong> 9–11 HD (Large); 12–16 HD (Huge)</p><p><strong>Level Adjustment:</strong> —</p><p></p><p>Commonly known as the colossal squid, <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> live in the lightless depths of the freezing polar ocean. They are not lively animals, spending most of their lives waiting for prey (usually fish or squid) to blunder close enough to catch. A colossal squid's sluggish behaviour and slow metabolism help it survive on very little food, since meals are few and far apart in the frigid abyss it calls home. <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> are eaten by sperm whales, or cachalots as they're also called.</p><p></p><p>The flesh of a colossal squid is semi-transparent and its skin contains colour-changing chromatophores, helping make <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> remarkably stealthy for its size. Its enormous eyes may be up to a foot across and have two rows of tiny bioluminescent photophores below them. These light-emitting organs can produce a glow that cancels out the shadow cast by the colossal squid's eyes and can also produce flashes of light that mimic those of little biolumuniscent animals, luring predators that hunt such animals to approach the <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> and be preyed upon. The animals the squid eats are often bioluminescent, so its inner mantle lining can be filled with dark red pigment to prevent the glow of its stomach contents shining through its see-through flesh and exposing its position.</p><p></p><p>Colossal squid belong to the same family as glass squids, the Cranchiidae. In addition to the aforementioned translucency, a <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> also uses ammonia to regulate its density like a glass squid, the tissues and blood of a colossal squid are soaked in this chemical and its body also contains a buoyancy chamber full of ammonia solution. The meat of an <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> has a foul bleach-like odour and cannot be eaten by normal humanoids.</p><p></p><p>Colossal squid mate like normal squid, the pregnant females then rise to relatively shallow water to spawn thousands of free-floating eggs up to one-eighth of an inch in diameter. The young gradually descend to deeper and deeper water as they grow and age. Infants may range from the surface to depths up to 1,500 feet, adolescent squid tend to be found from 1,500 feet to a mile down and adults usually live 3,000 to 6,000 feet deep.</p><p></p><p>An adult <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> is typically about 20 feet long from tailfin to tentacle-tip and weighs around 1,000 pounds, although huge individuals can grow up to 30 feet or more. The colossal squid has a bulky body and proportionally shorter tentacles than an <em>Architeuthis</em> giant squid, so while a <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> may be shorter in total length it will generally be more massive. While an <em>Architeuthis's</em> limbs have sharp-edged suckers, those of a <em>Mesonychoteuthis </em>are equipped with claws.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Combat</strong></span></p><p>A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> colossal squid seizes hold of prey with its tentacles, then secures them in its arms and bites with its beak. A stressed or threatened a colossal squid may inflate itself by sucking water into its mantle and change colour to a deep maroon, possibly as an intimidation display.</p><p></p><p>Giant squid are afraid of bright lights such as the <em>daylight</em> spell, misinterpreting them as bioluminescence from a much bigger animal. If wounded or frightened the <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> jets away, maybe covering its escape with a cloud of ink.</p><p></p><p>If a <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> already has a hold on an opponent in the water when it succeeds at a grapple check during a standard or full attack, it can automatically reduce the distance between it and its opponent by a distance of up to 20 feet, either by moving towards its opponent or pulling them closer with its limbs. The movement may affect the squid, the opponent or both. If this movement pulls an opponent into the Reach of its arm attacks or bite attack the giant squid is able to make attacks-of-opportunity with those natural weapons.</p><p></p><p>An opponent can attack a giant squid’s limbs with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. An <em>Mesonychoteuthis’s</em> tentacles and arms have 5 hit points each. If a giant squid is currently grappling a target with the appendage that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of a giant squid’s limbs deals 2 points of damage to the creature. A giant squid usually withdraws from combat if it loses four limbs. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days.</p><p></p><p><strong>Chameleon (Ex):</strong> A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> can change its colour and translucency as well as produce counter-illuminating bioluminescence, giving it a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks. The squid does not need cover or concealment to attempt a Hide check if it can match the colour and brightness of its surroundings.</p><p></p><p><strong>Constrict (Ex):</strong> A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> automatically deals 1d8+4 points of constriction damage with a successful grapple check, the damage is increased by 1 for each additional limb the squid constricts the opponent with. (i.e. a <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> that constricts with its tentacles and all 8 limbs inflicts 1d8+12 damage).</p><p></p><p>If the squid is close enough to bite an opponent it is constricting it can simultaneously uses its Tearing Beak special attack on them.</p><p></p><p>The constrict attack of a Huge <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> does 2d6 base damage plus its Strength modifier, if it constricts with multiple limbs the damage increases by 1d6 plus 1 point of damage for each additional limb. A Huge <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> normally has Strength 26 so inflicts 3d6+16 damage if it constricts with its tentacles and all eight limbs.</p><p></p><p><strong>Improved Grab (Ex):</strong> To use this ability, a giant squid must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle or arm attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.</p><p></p><p>*A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> has a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks with its tentacles, with an additional bonus of 1 per arm it is holding its opponent with. If it hits a target with multiple limbs as part of a full attack routine it only makes one grapple check to resolve the hold.</p><p></p><p><strong>Tearing Beak (Ex):</strong> A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> can bite an opponent it is grappling as a primary attack (bite +9 melee for 1d10+4 damage) or by succeeding at an opposed grapple check (for the same damage).</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Cloud (Ex):</strong> A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 20 feet high by 20 feet wide by 20 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the squid normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.</p><p></p><p><strong>Jet (Ex):</strong> A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.</p><p></p><p><strong>Revolting Taste (Ex):</strong> While the majority of aquatic creatures can stomach the ammonia-rich flesh of <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> non-aquatics find them uneatable. A normal air-breathing creature hungry enough to ignore the foul reek and eat the flesh will immediately vomit it back up and be sickened for 1d3 rounds. There are some air-dwelling creatures able to eat <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em>, such as otyughs and seabirds that habitually hunt squid.</p><p></p><p><strong>Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex):</strong> A <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> can see ten times as far as a human can in dim light.</p><p></p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> A giant squid’s huge eyes give it a +8 racial bonus to Spot checks and its chameleon ability gives it a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks.</p><p></p><p>A giant squid has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard and can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Advanced <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em></strong></span></p><p>A Huge <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> has a 20 foot Reach with its tentacles and a 10 foot Reach with its arms. Each of a Huge <em>Mesonychoteuthis's</em> limbs has 10 hit points and severing a limb deals 5 points of damage to the creature.</p><p></p><p>A Huge <em>Mesonychoteuthis</em> can emit an ink cloud 30 feet high by 30 feet wide by 30 feet long.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: green"><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Design Notes</span></strong></span></p><p><span style="color: green">This creature is based on my <em>Architeuthis</em> conversion with a modest increase to Strength and constriction damage to reflect <em>Mesonychoteuthis’s</em> greater size and the sharp claws on its suckers and most of the traits of a Gelatinous Squid such as reduced Swim speed and Superior Low-Light Vision. It seems somewhat implausible that <em>Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni</em> would have stealth camouflage as good as a truly transparent glass squid like <em>Galiteuthis phyllura</em>, but they are members of the glass squid family Cranchiidae and it seems a good way to distinguish the animal from the giant squid <em>Architeuthis dux</em>. I did compromise by reducing its racial bonus on Hide checks to +8 from a normal glass squid's +12.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green">Very little is actually known about the colossal squid. Most of the background information in this entry is based on scientists' theories based on their remains of and the scars they leave on their predators (sperm whales) and prey (fish and squid) rather than observation. This information was cribbed off various internet sources, particularly its Wikipedia entry (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_squid" target="_blank">Colossal squid - Wikipedia</a>) and a Softpedia article (<a href="https://news.softpedia.com/news/Colossal-Squid-Could-Grow-to-1-600-Pounds-750-Kg-84731.shtml" target="_blank">Colossal Squid Could Grow to 1,600 Pounds (750 Kg)</a>) that went into some detailed speculation about their semi-translucent & bioluminescent stealth capabilities.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><span style="color: red"><strong>Skill Breakdown:</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="color: green"><span style="color: red"><strong><span style="font-size: 12px"><em>Mesonychoteuthis </em>Squid (11 SPs):</span></strong><span style="font-size: 12px"> Hide 0S+Dex2–4size+8chameleon, Listen 7S+Wis1, Spot 4S+Wis1+8R, Swim 0S+Str3+8R</span></span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 7961955, member: 57383"] [SIZE=6][B][I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] (The "Colossal Squid")[/B][/SIZE] Large Animal (Aquatic) [B]Hit Dice:[/B] 8d8+16 (43 hp) [B]Initiative:[/B] +3 [B]Speed:[/B] Swim 40 ft. (8 squares) [B]Armor Class:[/B] 14 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +3 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +6/+18* [[I]+1 per 2 arms[/I]] [B]Attack:[/B] Tentacles +10 melee (1d4+4) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Tentacles +10 melee (1d4+4) and 8 arms +7 melee (1) and bite +7 melee (1d10+2) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles) [B]Special Attacks:[/B] Constrict [[I]1d8+4 plus 1/extra limb[/I]], improved grab, tearing beak [[I]grapple or +9 melee, 1d10+4[/I]] [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Chameleon, damage reduction 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, revolting taste, superior low-light vision [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3 [B]Abilities:[/B] Str 18, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 [B]Skills:[/B] Hide +6, Listen +8, Spot +13, Swim +12 [B]Feats:[/B] Blind-Fight, Endurance, Multiattackᴮ, Weapon Focus (tentacles) [B]Environment:[/B] Cold aquatic [B]Organization:[/B] Solitary [B]Challenge Rating:[/B] 4 [B]Advancement:[/B] 9–11 HD (Large); 12–16 HD (Huge) [B]Level Adjustment:[/B] — Commonly known as the colossal squid, [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] live in the lightless depths of the freezing polar ocean. They are not lively animals, spending most of their lives waiting for prey (usually fish or squid) to blunder close enough to catch. A colossal squid's sluggish behaviour and slow metabolism help it survive on very little food, since meals are few and far apart in the frigid abyss it calls home. [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] are eaten by sperm whales, or cachalots as they're also called. The flesh of a colossal squid is semi-transparent and its skin contains colour-changing chromatophores, helping make [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] remarkably stealthy for its size. Its enormous eyes may be up to a foot across and have two rows of tiny bioluminescent photophores below them. These light-emitting organs can produce a glow that cancels out the shadow cast by the colossal squid's eyes and can also produce flashes of light that mimic those of little biolumuniscent animals, luring predators that hunt such animals to approach the [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] and be preyed upon. The animals the squid eats are often bioluminescent, so its inner mantle lining can be filled with dark red pigment to prevent the glow of its stomach contents shining through its see-through flesh and exposing its position. Colossal squid belong to the same family as glass squids, the Cranchiidae. In addition to the aforementioned translucency, a [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] also uses ammonia to regulate its density like a glass squid, the tissues and blood of a colossal squid are soaked in this chemical and its body also contains a buoyancy chamber full of ammonia solution. The meat of an [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] has a foul bleach-like odour and cannot be eaten by normal humanoids. Colossal squid mate like normal squid, the pregnant females then rise to relatively shallow water to spawn thousands of free-floating eggs up to one-eighth of an inch in diameter. The young gradually descend to deeper and deeper water as they grow and age. Infants may range from the surface to depths up to 1,500 feet, adolescent squid tend to be found from 1,500 feet to a mile down and adults usually live 3,000 to 6,000 feet deep. An adult [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] is typically about 20 feet long from tailfin to tentacle-tip and weighs around 1,000 pounds, although huge individuals can grow up to 30 feet or more. The colossal squid has a bulky body and proportionally shorter tentacles than an [I]Architeuthis[/I] giant squid, so while a [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] may be shorter in total length it will generally be more massive. While an [I]Architeuthis's[/I] limbs have sharp-edged suckers, those of a [I]Mesonychoteuthis [/I]are equipped with claws. [SIZE=5][B]Combat[/B][/SIZE] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] colossal squid seizes hold of prey with its tentacles, then secures them in its arms and bites with its beak. A stressed or threatened a colossal squid may inflate itself by sucking water into its mantle and change colour to a deep maroon, possibly as an intimidation display. Giant squid are afraid of bright lights such as the [I]daylight[/I] spell, misinterpreting them as bioluminescence from a much bigger animal. If wounded or frightened the [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] jets away, maybe covering its escape with a cloud of ink. If a [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] already has a hold on an opponent in the water when it succeeds at a grapple check during a standard or full attack, it can automatically reduce the distance between it and its opponent by a distance of up to 20 feet, either by moving towards its opponent or pulling them closer with its limbs. The movement may affect the squid, the opponent or both. If this movement pulls an opponent into the Reach of its arm attacks or bite attack the giant squid is able to make attacks-of-opportunity with those natural weapons. An opponent can attack a giant squid’s limbs with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. An [I]Mesonychoteuthis’s[/I] tentacles and arms have 5 hit points each. If a giant squid is currently grappling a target with the appendage that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of a giant squid’s limbs deals 2 points of damage to the creature. A giant squid usually withdraws from combat if it loses four limbs. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days. [B]Chameleon (Ex):[/B] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] can change its colour and translucency as well as produce counter-illuminating bioluminescence, giving it a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks. The squid does not need cover or concealment to attempt a Hide check if it can match the colour and brightness of its surroundings. [B]Constrict (Ex):[/B] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] automatically deals 1d8+4 points of constriction damage with a successful grapple check, the damage is increased by 1 for each additional limb the squid constricts the opponent with. (i.e. a [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] that constricts with its tentacles and all 8 limbs inflicts 1d8+12 damage). If the squid is close enough to bite an opponent it is constricting it can simultaneously uses its Tearing Beak special attack on them. The constrict attack of a Huge [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] does 2d6 base damage plus its Strength modifier, if it constricts with multiple limbs the damage increases by 1d6 plus 1 point of damage for each additional limb. A Huge [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] normally has Strength 26 so inflicts 3d6+16 damage if it constricts with its tentacles and all eight limbs. [B]Improved Grab (Ex):[/B] To use this ability, a giant squid must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle or arm attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. *A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] has a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks with its tentacles, with an additional bonus of 1 per arm it is holding its opponent with. If it hits a target with multiple limbs as part of a full attack routine it only makes one grapple check to resolve the hold. [B]Tearing Beak (Ex):[/B] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] can bite an opponent it is grappling as a primary attack (bite +9 melee for 1d10+4 damage) or by succeeding at an opposed grapple check (for the same damage). [B]Ink Cloud (Ex):[/B] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 20 feet high by 20 feet wide by 20 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the squid normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured. [B]Jet (Ex):[/B] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting. [B]Revolting Taste (Ex):[/B] While the majority of aquatic creatures can stomach the ammonia-rich flesh of [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] non-aquatics find them uneatable. A normal air-breathing creature hungry enough to ignore the foul reek and eat the flesh will immediately vomit it back up and be sickened for 1d3 rounds. There are some air-dwelling creatures able to eat [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I], such as otyughs and seabirds that habitually hunt squid. [B]Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex):[/B] A [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] can see ten times as far as a human can in dim light. [B]Skills:[/B] A giant squid’s huge eyes give it a +8 racial bonus to Spot checks and its chameleon ability gives it a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks. A giant squid has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard and can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. [SIZE=5][B]Advanced [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I][/B][/SIZE] A Huge [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] has a 20 foot Reach with its tentacles and a 10 foot Reach with its arms. Each of a Huge [I]Mesonychoteuthis's[/I] limbs has 10 hit points and severing a limb deals 5 points of damage to the creature. A Huge [I]Mesonychoteuthis[/I] can emit an ink cloud 30 feet high by 30 feet wide by 30 feet long. [COLOR=green][B][SIZE=5]Design Notes[/SIZE][/B] This creature is based on my [I]Architeuthis[/I] conversion with a modest increase to Strength and constriction damage to reflect [I]Mesonychoteuthis’s[/I] greater size and the sharp claws on its suckers and most of the traits of a Gelatinous Squid such as reduced Swim speed and Superior Low-Light Vision. It seems somewhat implausible that [I]Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni[/I] would have stealth camouflage as good as a truly transparent glass squid like [I]Galiteuthis phyllura[/I], but they are members of the glass squid family Cranchiidae and it seems a good way to distinguish the animal from the giant squid [I]Architeuthis dux[/I]. I did compromise by reducing its racial bonus on Hide checks to +8 from a normal glass squid's +12. Very little is actually known about the colossal squid. Most of the background information in this entry is based on scientists' theories based on their remains of and the scars they leave on their predators (sperm whales) and prey (fish and squid) rather than observation. This information was cribbed off various internet sources, particularly its Wikipedia entry ([URL='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossal_squid']Colossal squid - Wikipedia[/URL]) and a Softpedia article ([URL='https://news.softpedia.com/news/Colossal-Squid-Could-Grow-to-1-600-Pounds-750-Kg-84731.shtml']Colossal Squid Could Grow to 1,600 Pounds (750 Kg)[/URL]) that went into some detailed speculation about their semi-translucent & bioluminescent stealth capabilities. [COLOR=red][B]Skill Breakdown:[/B][/COLOR][/COLOR] [COLOR=green][COLOR=red][B][SIZE=3][I]Mesonychoteuthis [/I]Squid (11 SPs):[/SIZE][/B][SIZE=3] Hide 0S+Dex2–4size+8chameleon, Listen 7S+Wis1, Spot 4S+Wis1+8R, Swim 0S+Str3+8R[/SIZE][/COLOR][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
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