Arcanus Ape Working Draft
Arcanus Ape
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 4d8+16 (34 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 30 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8
Attack: Gorilla Form: Slam +9 melee (1d4+4)
Humanoid Form: Club+8 melee (1d6+4) or slam +9 melee (1d3+4)
Full Attack: Gorilla Form: 2 slams +9 melee (1d4+4) and bite +3 melee (1d6+2)
Humanoid Form: Club+8 melee (1d6+4) and slam +4 melee (1d3+2); or 2 slams +9 melee (1d3+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of the simian, howl, mesmerism
Special Qualities: Alternate form, damage reduction 10/darkwood, low-light vision, scent, simian empathy
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +6
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17
Skills: Bluff +10, Climb +12, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Intimidate +12, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Spot +6
Feats: Alertnessᴮ, Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Any warm or temperate land
Organization: Solitary or troupe (1 plus 1-8 apes and dire apes)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: —
A snarling hairy beast dressed in torn remnants of clothes. Barrel-chested and muscular, it walks on two legs like a human but is covered in thick dark fur and has an apelike face distorted by murderous fury.
Arcanus apes are a rare form of shapeshifter that most sages consider a variety of lycanthrope. When provoked by injury or strong passions they turn into savage carnivorous apes who hunger for flesh and violence. Their "normal" form appears to be an intelligent and civilized humanoid native to their homeland (although this may be an act to deter suspicion). In this form they have the power to mesmerise humanoids into following their suggestions. An arcanus ape usually lives as an itinerant merchant, traveling entertainer or peddler since a stationary career carries too much risk of exposing their simian alter-ego. The origins of this monster are obscure, the oldest known example was a human cursed to become a beast as punishment for a crime of passion.
In its default humanoid form an arcanus ape has the same height and weight as a human (although they tend to be short and stocky). In ape form the arcanus's height remains the same but its weight doubles.
COMBAT
An arcanus ape in human form often tries to use diplomacy or its mesmerism power to avoid combat, but if it does fight an arcanus ape tends to shift into gorilla form while using its howl special attack and then charge into melee. Arcanus apes are not averse to fleeing from battle if the situation calls for it and retain their full human intelligence in gorilla form.
Alternate Form (Su): An arcanus ape can assume two forms: a gorilla-like ape or a humanoid.
In ape form, an arcanus ape is unable to use weapons apart from its natural bite and claw attacks.
In humanoid form, an arcanus ape is unable to use its bite attack and its 1d4 damage claw attacks become 1d3 damage slam attacks. Its humanoid form is that of a unique individual of a humanoid race native to the arcanus ape's land of origin (typically human). This is its natural form.
If an arcanus ape in human form experiences a primitive emotional stimulus such as the heat of battle, rage, hatred, or even lust, the arcanus ape must succeed at a Control Shape check or involuntarily assume animal form. The Control Shape check's difficulty ranges from DC 15 for a regular situation to DC 25 for a particularly provocative one.
Curse of the Simian (Su): Any humanoid hit by an arcanus ape's bite attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be transformed into a carnivorous gorilla-like creature. If the victim has fewer than 5 Hit Dice this "gorilla" has the attributes of an ape, if they have 5 or more Hit Dice the transformed victim has the attributes of a dire ape. The cursed simian loses all memory of their previous life and becomes a wild animal that hunts humanoids and animals for food and sport. Transformed victims are not under the control of the arcanus ape who created them but can be influenced by its simian empathy.
Howl (Su): An arcanus ape in ape form can emit a terrifying howl as a standard action. All humanoids and animals within 60 feet must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or be frightened for 1d4 rounds. A creature who makes the saving throw is immune to the arcanus ape's howl for the next 24 hours. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Mesmerism (Ex): Three times a day as a full-round action, an arcanus ape in human form can attract the attention of a single humanoid within 30 feet by speaking to them and making strange gestures with a shiny object. Any shiny object will do, and arcanus ape usually carry a favorite piece of jewellery, gemstone or a small mirror for this purpose. If the humanoid fails a DC 15 Will save they become fascinated by the arcanus's voice and the shining object in the ape's hand. The target gains a +2 bonus on its saving throw if they are in combat. The fascination effect lasts for 2d4 rounds, during which the subject reacts as though it were two steps more friendly in attitude towards the arcanus ape. This allows the ape to make a single reasonable-sounding request of the target humanoid (assuming they can communicate with the victim). The humanoid retains its friendlier attitude toward the ape after the fascination ends, but only with respect to the hypnotic request. This is a mind-affecting language-dependent compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Simian Empathy (Ex): Communicate with any simian animal (including apes, baboons, dire apes and monkeys), and +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against simians. This ability works on victims transformed by the arcanus ape's Curse of the Simian but does not affect other apelike creatures such as girallons.
Skills: Arcanus apes have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Originally appeared in Children of the Night - Werebeasts (1998)
Skill Ranks: I was thinking:
Bluff Skill: 7 SPs
Climb: 0 SPs
Diplomacy: 7 SPs
Intimidate: 7 SPs
Listen: 2 SPs?
Move Silently: 3 SPs
Spot: 2 SPs?
