Nightmare Beast
Nightmare Beast
CR 17 CE Magical Beast
This scaly creature resembles no true animal, but an amalgamation of the worst qualities of many of them. It stands on four legs tipped with saber-like claws, and has a maw of sword-sized teeth. Two curving tusks grow from its lower jaw, and its enormous eyes are red globes.
A nightmare beast is a true terror, a magical mutant that spreads destruction in its wake. All nightmare beasts hate other living things, and they rampage for days on end, destroying buildings, tearing down forests and slaying all in their path. These rampages are interrupted by long sleep, up to a year at a time, but all creatures near a resting nightmare beast dream of its rampages and are worn down psychically. The land around a nightmare beast lair is shattered, scarred, and bereft of most life.
If it sights potential victims a way off, a nightmare beast will often torment them at range with spells or summoned monsters before teleporting into the middle of the group. A nightmare beast prefers to be up close in combat, crushing foes under its feet and goring them with its swiveling tusks. This way it can drain the life from enemies with its teeth and steal their healing spells through magic. Every time it does so, its own spells grow stronger. Nightmare beasts will flee from a fight if they feel threatened, but few creatures are strong enough to concern it.
Nightmare beasts eat what they kill, and have been known to consume pieces of buildings, armor and weapons as well. They do not intentionally collect treasure, but their guts collect small valuables, and those foolish enough to rifle through their droppings may find a few surviving items. The ground tusks and teeth of a nightmare beast are coveted for use as components in making items of the necromancy or evocation schools, but forgeries are much more common than the real deal in markets.
A nightmare beast speaks Abyssal, but rarely has little to say except threats and curses. They can live for centuries.
Nightmare Beast CR 17
XP 102,400
CE Huge magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +23, scent
Aura healing theft (30 ft., Will DC 28),nightmares (1 mile, Will DC 28)
Defense
AC 30, touch 10, flat-footed 28 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +20 natural)
hp 287 (23d10+161)
Fort +20, Ref +15, Will +12; +8 vs. mind-influencing effects
DR 15/magic; Immune ability damage or drain,bleed, curses, divination, energy drain; Resist fire 20; SR 28
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 gores +30 (2d10+9/19-20), bite +30 (2d8+9 plus energy drain), 2 claws +30 (2d6+9)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks defiled casting, energy drain (2 negative levels, Fort DC 28), trample (4d6+13, DC 30)
Spell-like Abilities CL 17th, concentration +24
Constant—mind blank
At will—fireball (DC 20), shout (DC 21), wall of fire
3/day—empowered chain lightning (DC 23), quickened dimension door, disintegrate (DC 23)
1/day—incendiary cloud (DC 25), mass inflict serious wounds (DC 25), summon monster VIII
Statistics
Str 28, Dex 15, Con 25, Int 10, Wis20, Cha 25
Base Atk +23; CMB +34 (+40 sunder); CMD 46 (48 vs. sunder, 50 vs. trip)
Feats Blind-fight, Critical Focus, Dimensional Agility, Empower SLA (chain lightning), Greater Sunder, Improved Critical (gore), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Quicken SLA (dimension door), Staggering Critical, Stunning Critical
Skills Acrobatics +21, Climb +27, Perception +23
Languages Abyssal
SQ double damage against objects
Ecology
Environment any land or underground
Organization solitary
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Aura of Nightmares (Su) All creatures within 1 mile of a nightmare beast must succeed a DC 28 Will save every time they fall asleep or be affected by a nightmare spell. Casting dispel evil on a victim of these nightmares does not stun the nightmare beast, but does automatically dispel the nightmare effect. A nightmare beast’s aura of nightmares does not affect creatures under protection from evil or a similar effect.
Defiled Casting (Su) Any spell-like abilities used by a nightmare beast for 1 round after it deals negative levels with its bite or is healed with its healing theft aura gains a +2 to its save DC.
Double Damage against Objects (Ex) When a nightmare beast makes a full attack against an object or structure, it deals double normal damage.
Healing Theft Aura (Su) Any time a creature casts a spell that heals hit points or channels positive energy to heal within 30 feet of a nightmare beast, it must succeed a DC 28 Will save or half of the healing is redirected to heal the nightmare beast instead of its selected target. The save DC is Charisma based.