frankthedm
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Multiattack [General]
Prerequisite: Three or more natural weapons.
Benefit: The creature’s secondary attacks with natural weapons suffer only a -2 penalty.
Normal: Without this feat, the creature’s secondary natural attacks suffer a -5 penalty.
Multidexterity [General]
Prerequisite: Dex 15+, three or more arms.
Benefit: The creature ignores all penalties for using an off hand.
Normal: Without this feat, a creature who uses an off hand suffers a -4 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks, and skill checks. A creature has one primary hand, and all the others are off hands; for example, a four-armed creature has one primary hand and three off hands.
Special: This feat replaces the Ambidexterity feat for creatures with more than two arms.
DECAPUS
Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp)
Initiative: –2 (Dex)
Speed: 5 ft
AC: 15 (–1 size, –2 Dex, +8 natural)
Attacks: 9 tentacle slaps +6 melee; or bite +6 melee
Damage: Tentacle slap 1d6+4; or bite 2d8+4
Face/Reach: 10 ft by 10 ft/0 ft (10 ft with tentacle)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d6+4, rend 2d6+6
Special Qualities: Illusion, ventriloquism
Saves: Fort +4, Ref –1, Will +4
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 6, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 14
Skills: Climb +18, Listen+10, Move Silently +4, Spot +8
Feats: Multiattack, Multidexterity
Climate/Terrain: Any underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 6–10HD (Large), 11–15HD (Huge)
This clever monster has the innate ability to use both ventriloquism and illusions to lure victims into its den. In its true form it has ten long tentacles extending from various parts of its body. These tentacles have many 3–inch diameter suction cups that it uses to grab its victims as well as to climb walls and ceilings.
The most common color of a decapus is green, although some purple or yellow ones may be found. A decapus has patches of hair growing about its body. The hair is usually brown, but sometimes it is black. They have no iris in their eyes, only dark pupils. The mouth of a decapus is a horrible thing to behold. It is very wide and has long yellow teeth and a terribly foul breath.
The decapus is incapable of human speech, but is an expert at mimicking a high–pitched scream. It can also make guttural noises, which are under stood by others of its kind. The sounds are extremely unpleasant for humans to hear.
Combat A decapus only uses nine of its tentacles to fight with and can use no more than three on a single opponent. The tenth tentacle is used to suspend itself from the ceiling. On the floor the decapus is practically helpless, being able to move short distances in a slow and uncoordinated fashion.
Illusions (Su): At will, a decapus can make use of the 2nd-level arcane spell minor image as cast by a 5th-level sorcerer (Will save DC 14). It can disguise itself as other creatures, or as part of a wall, or anything else it feels will attract the victims to it. Some decapus’ choose to appear as a helpless, beautiful woman, usually hanging from the ceiling and being taunted by nine ugly men.
Ventriloquism (Ex): A decapus is an expert at mimicking sounds, although it is incapable of duplicating actual conversation. Any creature hearing sounds generated by a decapus must make a Will save (DC 14) to detect the ruse. Decapus’ understand that simple words and phrases such as “help me” and “come here” tend to attract bigger and better prey.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the decapus must hit an opponent of up to Medium-size with a tentacle attack. If it gets a hold, it can constrict.
Constrict (Ex): A decapus can constrict any grappled opponent, automatically dealing tentacle damage each round.
Rend (Ex): A decapus that hits a single opponent with three of its tentacle attacks tear the flesh, dealing 2d6+6 points of damage.
Skills: A decapus receives a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks and a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks.
Decapus Society Decapuses usually live alone, preferring to hunt by themselves. The only time they gather is during the mating season. At this time many of them can be seen hanging from ceilings, all making strange ugly sounds. A female decapus will give birth to only one offspring, and if she is hungry or confused she may eat it. If she does not she will leave it alone, and it then claims its own territory. Decapus young do not need the care of their mothers, as do the young of some animals.
The Decapuses’ favorite food is human beings, but they enjoy elves and halflings too. They will not eat dwarves unless forced by starvation to do so. Other creatures commonly eaten by a decapus are kobolds, orcs and ogres. A delicacy to a decapus is mule meat. They love it, and have been known to follow the scent of a mule for weeks until they catch it, or grow weary of the chase.
The Decapus first appeared in module B3 (Jean Wells, 1982)
Very nice to see the conversion done with the original modual critter, rather than the wimpy critter that most mystara converters use. All and all a great critter.
The first issue; Decapus speed, shouldn't there be a cimb speed? without that, the creature's climbing would be at its ground crawl
#2; if the bite is a singular attack, shouldn't it get the damage and a half like other singular attacks? 2d8+6 rather than +4.
#3; Feats don't benefit the monster [primary tentacles are not used together with bite], nor does it qualify for the multidex[not to mention it does not have a lot of use for the feat even if it gets the override prerequirement note] While very potent without any feats, the feats should not just be burned up on something it does not get to use.
#4 "practicaly helpless" is easy to misunderstand, could this be better defined? I seem to remeber the critter gets reduced # of attacks from an older sourse while groundbound
#5 Is the illusions ability a spell-- needing components, spell-like, or just a nebulously supernatural ability
The description of the monster is kind of lacking in the 'shape of body' department. While Decapus sounds close to octopus, mentioning cephalopod may better help DM picture the critter.
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without having the time to really check... was this the Creature Catalog site version, or the one from Tome of Horrors? if the former, it may have been caught and fixed in the latter. if not, i can always summon Erica (pretty sure this was her baby) to see what she can fix before the 3.5 ToH update is finalized...
