Costello-bot 4000                           Creature 12
Unique, N, Large, Construct
Perception +22; darkvision
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +20, Athletics +25, Diplomacy +22, Intimidation +22, Performance +22, Society +20, Wrestling Lore +22
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +5, Int +4, Wis +5, Cha +5
Knowing is Half the Battle Costello-bot is constantly analyzing his opponents, learning their techniques and abilities. He gains a free action at the start of his turn that allows him to Recall Knowledge about any creature. In addition, he can use Wrestling Lore to Recall Knowledge about any creature, but only while in combat or observing the creature fight.

AC 33; Fort +25, Ref +20, Will +23
HP 200; Immunities death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison; Resistances physical 10
Contender’s Belt Costello-bot carries a special belt that signifies his fighting prowess and is particularly important to him. A creature who has Costello-bot grabbed or restrained can take the belt as an Interact action by succeeding at an Athletics check against Costello-bot’s Fortitude DC. Taking Costello-bot’s belt in this way causes him to fly into a frenzy. Costello-bot becomes quickened and can use his extra action to Fly, Grapple, Stride, or Strike. He also gains a +4 status bonus to damage rolls, and takes a –4 status penalty to AC and Reflex saving throws. If he recovers the belt, Costello-bot ends his frenzy.
A creature can rightfully earn the belt by challenging Costello-bot to a one on one match, usually scheduled for one fall. If the creature bests Costello-bot, he will give the creature his belt and not enter a frenzy. Costello-bot gains a new belt again after 1 month, usually after another high-stakes match or event. While the belt is in a creature’s (other than Costello-bot) possession, it grants a +2 item bonus to Athletics check to Grapple and the constant effects of freedom of movement. The power of the belt is linked to Costello-bot’s belief. As such, it will lose its power if Costello-bot is destroyed. If a creature earns the belt in a challenge, however, it retains its power forever.

Speed 40 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +26 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] eye beam +24 (range increment 60 feet), Damage 2d10+11 electricity
Aerial Piledriver [two-actions] Requirements Costello-bot has a creature grabbed or restrained; Effect Costello-bot leaps into the air with his opponent, and brings them crashing to the ground. He makes an unarmed melee Strike against the creature he has grabbed or restrained. This Strike deals 1d6 additional damage per weapon damage die, and it has the following additional effects on a success, failure, and critical failure.
Success The target lands prone.
Failure Costello-bot loses his grip on the target, and it is no longer grabbed or restrained by him.
Critical Failure Costello-bot loses both his grip on the target and his balance. He falls prone, and the target is no longer grabbed or restrained by him.
Running Tackle [two-actions] Costello-bot charges toward his opponent, throwing his body at them in a vicious tackle. He Strides up to his Speed and then makes an unarmed melee Strike. If he hits, he can attempt to Shove the target.
Submission Hold [one-action] Requirements Costello-bot has a creature grabbed or restrained; Effect Costello-bot employs a brutal hold such as a Cobra Clutch, Figure Four Leglock, or the Dreaded Sharpshooter. His iron grip slowly saps his opponent’s strength. Costello-bot attempts an Athletics check to Grapple the creature he has grabbed or restrained, with the following effects instead of the usual effects.
Critical Success The target is enfeebled 2 until the end of its next turn and enfeebled 1 for 1 minute.
Success The target is enfeebled 1 until the end of its next turn.
Suplex [one-action] Requirements Costello-bot has a creature grabbed or restrained; Effect Costello-bot heaves his opponent over his head and slams them into the ground. He makes an unarmed melee Strike against the creature he has grabbed or restrained; on a success, the target lands prone in any space adjacent to Costello-bot, and on a critical success, the target lands prone and takes an additional 2d6 bludgeoning damage. Regardless of whether the Strike is successful, Costello-bot immediately releases his hold on the target.

Hailing from parts unknown, the Costello-bot 4000 is a machine designed for combat. While rumors abound about his origins, one thing is for certain about the Costello-bot: he fights for honor and respect. Costello-bot has no set lair or home, instead showing up where other great warriors are gathered. Costello-bot will arrive seemingly out of nowhere, ready to issue a challenge to any warrior, regardless of their fighting technique or reputation. He seeks only the challenge of a worthy opponent willing to fight in the spirit of competition. After a fight, Costello-bot will remain only for a few moments before leaving to seek his next opponent. The few who have managed to earn the Costello-bot’s respect and speak with it tell of a kind spirit beneath steely gaze of his metal frame. While no one has yet to discern why he fights, his continued search for warriors suggests that he seeks the greatest challenge the universe can offer. Costello-bot has met destruction multiple times at the hands of other warriors, but his fighting spirit seems to return him to life, allowing him to seek the next fight. He always carries a belt that signifies the victory that comes with a noble fight and anyone who tries to take the belt with underhanded or unsporting tactics draws his ire. Only by besting him in a proper fight can someone earn the belt and Costello-bot’s respect.

That’s it for this year! If you end up adding the Costello-bot into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Garuda                           Creature 18
Unique, N, Large, Air, Esper, Humanoid
Perception +30; darkvision
Languages Auran, Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +38, Athletics +31, Survival +31
Str +5, Dex +10, Con +9, Int +4, Wis +6 Cha +5

AC 42; Fort +28, Ref +33, Will +29
HP 335; Immunities air, controlled, death effects, doomed, unconscious; Resistances physical 10
Razor Plumes (aura, primal) 10 feet, 6d6 slashing damage (DC 35 basic Reflex save)

Speed 20 feet, fly 90 feet
Melee [one-action] claw +35 (reach 15 feet), Damage 3d12+20 slashing
Ranged [one-action] wind slash +33 (range increment 90 feet), Damage 3d10+17 slashing
Aerial Blast [two-actions] (air, evocation, primal) Garuda channels dangerous winds in a 30-foot emanation. The winds deal 15d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 40 basic Reflex save). Creatures that fail their saves are pushed back 10 feet (20 feet on a critical failure). Garuda can’t use Aerial Blast again for 1d4 rounds.
Downburst [two-actions] (air, evocation, primal) Garuda unleashes a blast of buffeting wind that deals 19d6 bludgeoning damage in a 60-foot cone (DC 37 basic Reflex save). Garuda can’t use Downburst again for 1d4 rounds.
Mistral Burst [three-actions] (air, conjuration, evocation, primal, teleportation) Garuda teleports to a location within 120 feet. All creatures in a line between her original location and destination are exposed to a slice of air that deals 19d6 slashing damage (DC 40 basic Reflex save). Garuda can’t use Mistral Burst again for 1d4 rounds.

The queen of storms, Garuda is a powerful being connected to the power of air. Though elegant of form and graceful in motion, the capricious and ruthless nature of this bloodthirsty being engenders mindless terror even amongst her devoted worshippers. Her wrath often erupts without warning, and descends upon her victims with unbridled fury. She is quick in combat, using her speed and ability to teleport to catch foes off guard. She does her best to keep her distance, unleashing blasts of wind with glee.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding Garuda into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Titan                           Creature 18
Unique, N, Huge, Earth, Esper, Giant, Humanoid
Perception +30; darkvision
Languages Common, Terran (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +31, Athletics +38, Survival +31
Str +10, Dex +3, Con +9, Int +4, Wis +6 Cha +5

AC 40; Fort +33, Ref +27, Will +30
HP 495; Immunities controlled, death effects, doomed, earth, unconscious; Resistances physical 10
Catch Rock [reaction]

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +35 (reach 15 feet), Damage 3d12+20 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] rock +33 (range increment 90 feet), Damage 3d10+17 bludgeoning
Throw Rock [one-action]
Geocrush [three-actions] Titan leaps high into the sky, out of sight from other creatures and falls to the ground, smashing everything around him. Titan becomes invulnerable to all damage and cannot be targeted by anything until the start of his next turn. At the start of his next turn, he crashes onto the space he left, or the nearest available space, dealing 30d6 bludgeoning damage to all creatures within 100 feet (DC 40 basic Reflex save). For every 10 feet away a creature is from the space where Titan lands, Geocrush deals 2d6 fewer damage, to a minimum of 10d6 bludgeoning damage for creatures on the edge of this area. Titan can’t use Geocrush again for 1d4 rounds.
Granite Gaol [two-actions] (earth, evocation, primal) Titan encases a creature within 60 feet in a thick slab of stone. The creature must attempt a DC 37 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, the creature is then temporarily immune for 1 minute. Titan can’t use Granite Gaol again for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature barely manages to escape the slab, but is flat footed until the end of their turn.
Failure The creature is trapped within the slab. They become restrained in place until they Escape the slab or the slab is destroyed. The slab has AC 30, hardness 10, and 80 HP.
Critical Failure The creature is fully encased within the slab. They are paralyzed until the slab is destroyed.
Landslide [two-actions] (earth, evocation, primal) Titan unleashes a wave of earth that pushes foes back. Titan deals 9d6 bludgeoning damage to creatures in a 60-foot line (DC 37 Fortitude save). Creatures that fail their save are pushed back 10 feet (20 feet on a critical failure).
Massive Stomp [two-actions] (earth, evocation, primal) Titan smashes the ground, creating a small earthquake. Titan deals 9d6 bludgeoning damage to creatures in a 15-foot emanation (DC 37 Fortitude save). Creatures that fail their save are knocked prone. Creatures that critically fail are knocked prone and pushed back 5 feet.

Titan, the Earthreaver, is a great giant who rends the very earth asunder. Stories say that the great chasms he creates in the ground can swallow up armies of soldiers. For many underground-dwelling people, Titan is a guardian and guide, helping protect these people and ushering them along in the world. Titan is typically compassionate and gentle, but when his ire is drawn, he is an earthshaking force. Summoners who call upon Titan can expect massive destruction capable of shaping the very earth around them.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding Titan into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Ifrit                           Creature 18
Unique, N, Huge, Beast, Esper, Fire
Perception +30; greater darkvision
Languages Common, Ignan (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +31, Athletics +38, Intimidation +35, Survival +31
Str +10, Dex +5, Con +9, Int +3, Wis +4 Cha +6

AC 42; Fort +33, Ref +29, Will +28
HP 415, regeneration 30 (deactivated by cold); Immunities controlled, death effects, doomed, fire, unconscious; Resistances physical 10; Weaknesses cold 20
Burning Body (aura, fire, primal) 20 feet. Ifrit radiates tremendous heat that can burn other creatures. Creatures that end their turn in the aura take 8d6 fire damage (DC 37 basic Fortitude save).

Speed 50 feet, climb 40 feet, fly 20 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +35 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d12+10 piercing plus 2d10 fire
Melee [one-action] claws +35 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+7 slashing plus 2d10 fire and Improved Grab
Ranged [one-action] meteor strike +33 (range increment 60 feet), Damage 3d10+17 fire
Constrict [one-action] 2d12+13 bludgeoning, DC 40
Breath Weapon [two-actions] (fire, evocation, primal) Ifrit unleashes a blast of fire that deals 19d6 fire damage in a 60-foot cone (DC 40 basic Reflex save). Ifrit can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
Hellfire [three-actions] Requirements Ifrit has a creature grabbed; Effect Ifrit unleashes a sphere of flame and tosses the creature inside. He then grabs a chunk of earth and launches it at the sphere. The  creature takes 12d6 fire damage and 8d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 40 basic Fortitude save). The creature then falls in prone in a square within 30 feet of Ifrit.

Ifrit, sometimes known as Jinn and Iflyte, is a powerful being connected to the element of fire. He typically takes the form of a massive humanoid beast with enormous claws and horns. Spouting flames hot and hungry enough to consume all they touch, he shows his foes no mercy. Even amongst other powerful espers, Ifrit is highly given to brutality, his temper quick to erupt in a conflagration of death. His breath ignites the very air, his claws melt the strongest steel, and his twisted horns scorch the heavens. Those who would face him must be prepared to withstand the fires of hell. Summoners who call upon Ifrit can expect the utter devastation of their opponents, but must be prepared for Ifrit’s might to lead to massive collateral damage.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding Ifrit into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

First, here is the image that was used as the prompt.

And now our three monsters!

Data Guardian by John Curtin

Data Guardian                         CR 8
XP 4,800
LN Medium construct (magical)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
DEFENSE
HP 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +5
Defensive Abilities speed of information
Immunities construct immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee datablade +20 (1d10+14 E)
Ranged byte blast +17 (2d8+8 E)
Offensive Abilities mutually-assured destruction
STATISTICS
Str +6, Dex +4, Con —, Int —, Wis +2, Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +16, Computers +21, Mysticism +16
Languages Common (cannot speak)
Other Abilities mindless, unliving
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Byte Blast (Ex) As a standard action, a data guardian can fire a deadly lance of electricity from its shield and launch this bolt as a ranged attack against EAC at a target within 60 feet.
Mutually-Assured Destruction (Ex) When a data guardian is destroyed, its programming routes all available resources into one last-ditch effort to protect its objective. Dozens of stacked duplicate copies of the data guardian form in the space and attack as one, creating a dangerous onslaught. As a reaction when a data guardian is reduced to zero hit points, it can make an attack against the creature that reduced it to 0 Hit Points, rolling twice on the attack and taking the better result. If the attack is a critical hit, roll damage three times instead of twice. A creature with the remote hack feature, the shortwave feature, or a similar ability can, as a standard action, attempt a DC 27 Computers check to disable this safeguard.
Speed of Information (Ex) As a creature of pure information, a data guardian typically moves faster than most lifeforms can react. A data guardian does not provoke attacks of opportunity while moving unless it is under the effects of a slow spell.

Technomagical constructs of digital information converted into a corporeal form, data guardians represent the physical embodiment of a firewall given life through magic. Technomancers often use these as guardians in the same way that necromancers of old used skeletons: as mindless constructs to defend valuable things and secure places. Often, a data guardian is summoned as part of a magical trap, where it executes its deadly combat protocols to its fullest extent. Designed without the capacity to learn, data guardians are only as effective as their programming; thus, most technomancers make the coding as simple as possible for the guardian, such as “kill anyone accessing the computer that isn’t me,” or “destroy the computer if anyone attempts to access it.”

The data guardian’s dying attack is its most unique feature, partly because it represents a singular technomagical achievement. By utilizing a mix of quantum computing, parallel processing, and the data guardian’s underlying source code, the data guardian creates dozens of versions of itself cohabitating the same space but minutely offset in time. When the guardian and these copies attack, the onslaught of dozens of strikes makes a successful defense difficult and increases the data guardian’s chances of striking a deadly blow. Many a technomancer have returned to their protected things to find their data guardian destroyed, but the would-be thief dead by the guardian’s blade.

John Curtin (he/him) is a writer and educator living outside of Boston, MA. With backgrounds in music, robotics, and the outdoors, he is always looking for new ways to have adventures, in the real world and in the realms of make-believe. You can follow his personal account on Twitter at @Curtin_Writes, or further Starfinder tomfoolery at @StarfinderFacts.

Nokkohoi by Tineke Bolleman

Nokkohoi                         CR 5
XP 1,600
Nokohoi soldier
CN Medium undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
HP 85
EAC 16; KAC 20
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +8
Shield 1/1
Defensive Abilities honorable death
Immunities undead immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee spirit sword +14 (1d6+10 S; critical bleed 1d8)
Offensive Abilities fighting style (wrathful warrior), frenzied fighting, ignore pain, raw lethality
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +3, Con —, Int –1, Wis +2, Cha +0
Skills Athletics, +16, Intimidate +11, Survival +11
Languages Common
Other Abilities spirit gear, unliving
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Honorable Death (Ex) A nokkohoi can only be defeated if it is killed in combat, and the nokkohoi itself sees its defeat as honorable. When dying in such a way, its body and items slowly disintegrate. In all other instances, a nokkohoi comes back to life in 1d4 days.
Spirit Gear (Ex) The weapons or gear a nokkohoi carries is part of its being. While the items can be disarmed, broken or taken away, they eventually re-form in the nokkohoi’s possession. An item that is lost or otherwise not in the nokkohois possession but not broken, can be called to its side as a swift action no matter how far away it is. A broken or destroyed item regenerates itself in one hour. Items that would normally require a power source or battery are powered by the nokkohoi itself. Weapons or gear used by anyone other than the nokkohoi refuse to function. Guns don’t fire, powered weapons do not power on, and melee weapons only function as the most basic version of itself.

Nokkohoi are undead creatures obsessed with dying again. They are most often those who in life followed a martial or military lifestyle, and who rose when their death was not to their satisfaction. A nokkohoi’s physical form and abilities closely resemble who they were in life. They hyper focus on a single fighting style, either a style they mastered while alive, or a style they preferred above all others. Nokkohoi are prevalent under worshippers of certain faiths, and are considered to be a blessing by worshippers of those gods, as not everyone gets to have a second chance at attaining honor. Nokkohoi roam about, searching for a worthy opponent to take on and will ignore those they consider beneath them. If attacked by an unworthy opponent, nokkohoi will usually choose to incapacitate rather than kill. Only opponents that give a nokkohoi a real challenge are deemed worthy of dying by its hand. This behavior seems to be instinctual in the nokkohoi, and prevents a nokkohoi from creating more if its kind. When several nokkohoi rise at the same time, they go to great lengths to avoid each other. No nokkohoi has been observed fighting its own kind, even when manipulated to face another.

Tineke Bolleman (she/her) is an avid gamer, weather tabletop, boardgame or videogame. She volunteers for Paizo organised play. She loves all animals. You can follow her on twitter @direottergames for weird game posts, geeking out about animals and the occasional cat picture

Reliquary Militant by Lau Bannenberg

Reliquary Militant                         CR 7
XP 3,200
LG Medium construct (good, lawful, technological)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14
Aura aura of menace (20 ft., DC 17)
DEFENSE
HP 108
EAC 19; KAC 20 (+1 with shield aligned)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +8
Immunities construct immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee holy converted dueling sword +14 (1d8+8 S)
Ranged integrated corona laser rifle +12 (2d6+4 F; burn 1d6)
Spell-like Abilities (CL 7th; ranged +12)
3rd (1/day)—mystic cure (level 3) (DC 20), remove affliction (DC 20)
2nd (3/day)—force blast (DC 19), remove condition (DC 19), restoration (lesser) (DC 19), shield other (DC 19)
1st (at will)—life bubble (DC 18), share language (DC 18)
STATISTICS
Str +4, Dex +2, Con —, Int +0, Wis +5, Cha +0
Skills Intimidate +19, Medicine +19, Mysticism +14
Languages Celestial, Common
Other Abilities unliving
Gear inheritor’s grace I, converted dueling sword, field riot shield (+1/+2)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Aura of Menace (Su) Any creature hostile to the reliquary militant within its aura of menace must attempt a Will saving throw. A creature that fails the save takes a –2 penalty to AC, attack rolls, and saving throws for 24 hours or until it deals damage to the reliquary. When the effect ends for a creature, that creature can’t be affected again by the same reliquary’s aura for 24 hours.

When a true crusader of Iomedae breathes their last, the corpse often holds a residue of the soul’s devotion. During one desperate siege a chaplain praying for divine intervention was given specifications for a robot body with a reliquary compartment. When they placed the heart of their fallen commander in it, the robot rose to defend the chapter and led relatively inexperienced troops to victory.

Since then, the use of reliquary militants has spread throughout the church. They have proven particularly effective as a force multiplier for green recruits, cowing enemies and keeping their own troops sustained with divine healing. Units backed by a reliquary militant have managed to fight off vastly larger enemy forces.

While the robots themselves don’t have much personality they occasionally catch a glimmer of insight from their departed patron. They often become mascots, and this has stirred up some theological controversy. The eventual compromise was that while modifying the Heaven-given specification of the robot body was not allowed, it was acceptable to supply the robot with customized clothing, armor and shields. Common designs include the unit’s heraldry or symbols of the original crusader. This compromise also gives wiggle room to put utility enchantments on the external gear.

Some find a walking reminder of their fallen comrades disturbing though. Even more disturbing are rumors that followers of Zon-Kuthon have emulated these robots but used still-living but helpless Joyful Things as relics. There is also concern in the church that followers of Damaritosh or Hellknight orders will try to steal the designs.

Lau Bannenberg makes his lair in the Netherlands but has been living in his imagination forever. He studied medieval history before dual classing to computer science. His recent work includes SFS #3-19 Rat’s Repentance and several monsters in the Battlezoo Bestiary (currently on kickstarter!). He just launched his website minigame-republic.com as a refuge for downtrodden skill challenges and misunderstood minigames.

And that’s our monsters! I hope you enjoyed both checking out these monsters and appreciating the different takes on the monster design here. If you’re interested in contributing to Summoned Monsters or have a prompt for a future article, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com or reach out to me via Know Direction’s Discord!

First, here is the image that was used as the prompt.

There was one particular wrinkle for this entry. Rather than just have it open for any kind of monster, I wanted specific parameters. While this monster looks rather sinister and nasty, I asked the authors to make sure their monsters were not evil. The entry could be good or neutral, but LE, NE, and CE were forbidden. Let’s see how things turned out!

Disperse Guard by Rigby Bendele

Disperse Guard                           Creature 8
Uncommon, N, Huge, Construct, Ethereal
Perception +19; chaos scent (imprecise) 60 feet; darkvision
Languages Common (can’t speak any language); telepathy 30 feet
Skills Athletics +18, Intimidation +16, Society +16
Str +7, Dex +3, Con +4, Int –2, Wis +2, Cha +0
Items +1 striking bastard sword
Chaos Scent A disperse guard can smell chaos, including any chaotic good, chaotic neutral, or chaotic evil creature.

AC 27; Fort +19, Ref +13, Will +16
HP 165; Immunities bleed, death effects, diseased, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistances hardness 6; Weaknesses mental 6

Speed 20 feet
Melee [one-action] bastard sword +20 (magical, reach 15 feet, two-hand 1d12), Damage 2d12+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist+27 (agile, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+18 bludgeoning plus Grab
Hunt Iconoclast [one-action] The disperse guard designates a single chaotic good, chaotic neutral, or chaotic evil creature that it can see and hear or that it is Tracking as its iconoclast. It gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks when it Seeks its iconoclast and a +2 circumstance bonus when it Tracks its iconoclast. It also ignores the penalty for making ranged attacks within its second range increment against its iconoclast. Lastly, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Deception checks, Intimidation checks, and Stealth checks against its iconoclast and to any check to Recall Knowledge about its iconoclast, as well as a +1 circumstance bonus to AC against its iconoclast’s attack. The disperse guard can have only one iconoclast designated at a time.
Iconoclast Shot [one-action] Frequency once per round; Effect The disperse guard makes two bastard sword Strikes against its hunted iconoclast. If both Strikes hit, combine their damager for the purpose of resistances and weaknesses.
Salt the Earth [three-action] (divine, necromancy, negative); Frequency once per day; Effect A shockwave spreads from the disperse guard as it lets out a world-dampening scream. Plant life withers as the shockwave passes over it and nutrients sap from the ground. This burst deals 9d6 negative damage to all creatures within 30 feet (DC 26 Will save).
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is doomed 1, or increases its doomed value by 1 if it was already doomed.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is doomed 3, or increases its doomed value by 3 if it was already doomed.

When the city fell, the wards and guards were never unraveled. These disperse guards were once animated statues that protected the gates, though years of wandering in desolation wore down their physical forms. The spellweaving that made them move now twists through their cracks as vibrant red and ash black fog.

Roaming through the once-vibrant countryside, these disperse guards continue to hunt any of the rebellion that threatened their city. With the original forces gone, they seek out any creature that dreams of anarchy. Since the disperse guards plod through open fields and their heads rise above trees, young upstarts make a game of antagonizing them.

Rigby Bendele (they/them) is a tabletop game designer from Richmond, VA. They have a master’s degree in Sociology from Virginia Commonwealth University and did their thesis on white masculinity construction in tabletop gaming communities. You can find them on Twitter at slothscout, where they talk about games, monsters and queer theory.

Indherun by Ruvaid Virk

Indherun                           Creature 12
N, Large, Air, Elemental, Fire
Perception +23; darkvision, smoke vision
Languages Auran, Ignan
Skills Athletics +25, Acrobatics +21, Nature +23, Occultism+19, Stealth +25
Str +7, Dex +7, Con +5, Int +3, Wis +5, Cha +2

AC 32; Fort +21, Ref +25, Will +23
HP 158, slow burn;  Immunities bleed, fire, paralyzed, poison, sleep; Weaknesses cold 10
Ash Cloud (aura, air, fire) 5 feet. The indherun puts out a constant stream of ash and cinders surrounding it. All creatures within the radius are concealed.
Slow Burn The indherun regains HP equal to fire damage it deals. This includes persistent damage.
Smoke Vision The indherun ignores the concealed condition from smoke
Attack of Opportunity [reaction]

Speed 25 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] ember blade +26 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d8+10 slashing plus 1d6 persistent fire damage
Melee [one-action] scorching claw +26 (agile, finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 3d6+8 slashing plus 1d6 persistent fire damage and grab
Ranged [one-action] smoky tendril +24 (range increment 60 feet) Damage 2d10+7 bludgeoning
Billow [one-action] The indherun increases the radius of its ash cloud by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.
Deflagrate [one-action] Requirement The indherun has a creature grabbed Effect The indherun burns unnecessary life away. The grabbed creature takes 7d6 fire damage. If a creature is killed this way and is left undisturbed for a month, the body becomes consumed by cinders and rises as a new indherun.
Flash Fire [three-actions] The indherun slams their sword into the ground as they ignite the area of their ash cloud. Creatures within the radius of ash cloud must attempt a DC 32 Reflex save. The indherun cannot use Flash Fire again for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 5d6 air damage.
Failure The creature takes 5d6 air damage and 5d6 fire damage and is sickened 1.
Critical failure The creature takes 11d6 fire damage and is sickened 2.

Indheruns are a representation of the ebb in the natural cycle of life. Found within forests and temperate grasslands, indheruns ensure that the dead remains of old life are burned away with controlled fires to make room for new generations of life. They act to protect their homes from unnatural and intrusive destruction, fighting with fiery resolve. Though indheruns prefer to be left alone, they are not typically hostile until they perceive a threat to themselves or their home.

Ruvaid Virk is a Pakistani RPG freelancer based out of Detroit, Michigan. A lover of all things board games and Pathfinder, he spends his free time either writing about redacted topics or playing any number of games. His Paizo contributions can be found in Pathfinder Second Edition’s Bestiary 3, the Ruby Phoenix Adventure Path, and the upcoming Secrets of Magic. He can be found playing in a 2E homebrew actual play on Wednesday nights called The Longstriders. For all other things, he can be found on Twitter as @Darth_Ruvaider.  

Quieted Epitaph by Ryan Costello

Quieted Epitaph                          Creature 13
CN, Medium, Monitor, Protean
Perception +20; tremorsense (imprecise) 60 feet
Languages Protean
Skills Athletics +27, Deception +24, Intimidation +27, Religion +22, Stealth +24
Str +9, Dex +4, Con +5, Int +5, Wis +8, Cha +5

AC 33; Fort +26, Ref +23, Will +26
HP 290; Resistances precision 10; Weaknesses lawful 15
Attack of Opportunity [reaction]
Sense Less (aura, divine, necromancy) 30 feet. Ashen smog soundlessly whips around a quieted epitaph, stifling the senses of those who approach it. When a non-protean ends its turn in the Sense Less aura, it must attempt a DC 30 Fortitude save. On a failure, it loses the use of one of its senses, randomly determined. Typically, this includes:
• Sight: The target is blinded for as long as it stays within the Quieted Epitaph’s aura, and 1 minute after.
• Hearing: The target is deafened for as long as it stays within the Quieted Epitaph’s aura, and 1 minute after.
• Smell: The target loses any scent-based abilities for as long as it stays within the Quieted Epitaph’s aura, and 1 minute after.
• Taste: The target loses its sense of taste  for as long as it stays within the Quieted Epitaph’s aura, and 1 minute after.
• Touch: The target is Clumsy 1 for as long as it stays within the Quieted Epitaph’s aura, and 1 minute after.
The targets of a quieted epitaph’s ash attack gain a Sense Less aura of 10ft. Ending the ash attack’s persistent damage also removes the Sense Less aura from the creature.

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] chaos sword +29 (versatile P), Damage 3d12+21 slashing
Ranged [one-action] ash +25 (fire), Damage 5 persistent fire damage and Sense Less aura

When a soul truly at peace lays to rest, the Maelstrom won’t stand for it. A quieted epitaph, a being of the unpredictable whims of the universe, rises up. Such instances of absolute closure offend the primal plane of chaos, so much so that it unleashes a being created from everything that could have gone wrong in the soul’s life.

A quieted epitaph takes the shape of the soul, formed out of the ashes of the soul’s mortal form, or from the soil in which their body lay. It delivers the heartache absent from the soul’s last moment unto their loved ones, all the while dripping with blood and discorporating in the breeze.

Ryan Costello lives in Montreal, Quebec with his wife, daughters, and collections of tabletop games and action figures. Known for his love of Pathfinder and the d20 systems that came before it, he’s made a name for himself as an RPG influencer, a writer and product developer for Blind Ferret Entertainment and Laughing Dragon Studio, and as the director of logistics at the Know Direction Network. Recently, he worked with Renegade Game Studios on their upcoming Hasbro license RPGs, in particular the G.I. Joe Roleplaying Game.

And that’s our monsters! I hope you enjoyed both checking out these monsters and appreciating the different takes on the monster design here. If you’re interested in contributing to Summoned Monsters or have a prompt for a future article, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com or reach out to me via Know Direction’s Discord!

Anniversarium Golem                           Creature 24
Unique, N, Huge, Construct
Perception +42; darkvision
Skills Acrobatics +33, Athletics +45, Intimidation +40, Stealth +33, Survival +38
Str +13, Dex +2, Con +10, Int +7, Wis +3 Cha +9

AC 50; Fort +42, Ref +36, Will +38
HP 600, fast healing 15; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, fire, healing, magic (see below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistances physical 20; Weaknesses bite vulnerability 25
Bite Vulnerability The anniversarium golem takes additional damage from fangs, jaws, or other bite-related attacks. These attacks automatically bypass the golem’s physical resistances. These attacks do not expose a creature to the golem’s Toxic Body.
Burning Candles The anniversarium golem sports enormous, burning candles on its top. The flame on the candles cannot be extinguished by any means save for destroying the golem. These candles emit bright light out to 40 feet and dim light an additional 40 feet beyond. The anniversarium golem gains the effects of true seeing against creatures in the bright light and the effects of see invisibility against creatures in the dim light.
Enticement Aura (aura, enchantment, mental, occult) 60 feet. The anniversarium golem’s sweet smells and vibrant appearance attract other creatures, tempting them to eat from the golem’s body. A creature that enters the aura or begins their turn in the aura must attempt a DC 45 Will save. Creatures with the scent sense take a –2 circumstance penalty to this check.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune to Enticement Aura for 24 hours.
Success The creature becomes slowed 1 and is temporarily immune to Enticement Aura for 1 minute.
Failure The creature is fascinated and compelled to move toward the golem and consume a piece of the golem. Fascinated creatures are also flat-footed. A creature can use an Interact action to eat a piece of the golem, which deals 1 damage to the golem. The creature receives another save against the aura at the end of its turn, but can’t roll worse than a failure in this case. If the creature successfully eat from the golem, the creature becomes temporarily immune to Enticement Aura for 1 minute.
Critical Failure As failure, but the creature doesn’t receive additional saves at the end of its turn.
Toxic Body Creatures that consume some of the anniversarium golem’s body or are swallowed whole by the golem are exposed to the golem’s corrupt composition. When exposed to Toxic Body, a creature must attempt on a DC 48 Fortitude save. A creature only attempts this save once per instance of becoming swallowed.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune to the effects of the golem’s Toxic Body for 24 hours.
Success The creature becomes sickened 1 or increases its sickened by 1 if it was already sickened.
Failure As success, but the sickened value is 2 or increases by 2.
Critical Failure As success, but the sickened value is 3 or increases by 3.

Speed 60 feet, climb 40 feet, fly 20 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +44 (reach 15 feet), Damage 4d12+26 piercing plus Improved Grab
Melee [one-action] body +44 (agile), Damage 4d10+22 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] flame +40 (reach 10 feet), Damage 4d10+22 fire
Constrict [one-action] 4d12+8 bludgeoning, DC 45
Swallow Whole [one-action] Large 4d10+25 bludgeoning, Rupture 50

Rumors speak of a mighty golem created at the birth of the universe. This creature, filled with the essence of temporal significance, was eternally doomed to scour existence, searching for noteworthy events. The anniversarium golem, as it came to be known, always makes itself known at particularly important points in history, such as centennials or notable deaths. The anniversarium is an enormous cake is as large as a house and decorated with colorful icing, delectable pieces of fruit, and a number of bright burning candles. A face composed of succulent frosting appears to have been placed on the cake’s top layer. The golem travels the multiverse searching for every notable event, in hopes of destroying the cause for the event and prevent future instances of future events. Unfortunately, this has relegated the golem to arriving for every birth, death, wedding, and other simple dates. As of late, the golem has taken to easing up on its quest. Anyone that can offer a gift of proper value (usually character level x 10 gp or character age x 10 gp, whichever is higher), satisfies the golem and prevents its return for one year.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding the anniversarium golem into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

First, here is the image that was used as the prompt.

And now our three monsters!

Monument to the Storm Goddess by Dom Ellis

Monument to the Storm Goddess                           Creature 14
N, Gargantuan, Construct, Divine, Electricity
Perception +13; darkvision, lifesense 60 feet
Skills Athletics +28, Religion +23
Str +8, Dex +4, Con +8, Int –5, Wis +2, Cha –5

AC 37 (33 when broken); Fort +28, Ref +19, Will +22
HP 220; Hardness 15; Immunities death effects, disease, doomed, drained, electricity, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poisoned, sickened, unconscious
Monument Armor Like normal objects, the monument to the storm goddess has Hardness. This Hardness reduces any damage it takes by an amount equal to the Hardness. Once the monument to the storm goddess is reduced to fewer than half its Hit Points, or immediately upon being damaged by a critical hit, its monument armor breaks, removing the Hardness and reducing its Armor Class to 32, but granting it an Electricity Aura (see below) and the ability to fly. If left alone for 1 week, this armor repairs itself.
Electricity Aura (divine, aura, evocation, electricity) 10 feet. 3d6 electricity damage (DC 30 basic Reflex)
Attack of Opportunity [reaction] Wings only

Speed 20 feet, fly 60 feet (when Monument Armor is broken)
Melee [one-action] wing +27 (magical, reach 20 feet), Damage 3d12+18 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist+27 (agile, magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d10+18 bludgeoning plus Grab
Ranged [one-action] lightning blast +23 (electricity, magical, range increment 80 feet) Damage 5d8 electricity
Storm Sacrifice [three-actions] (divine, electricity, evocation) Requirements The monument to the storm goddess has a creature grabbed; Effect The monument raises the creature into the air and offers it as a sacrifice to the storm goddess. Both the creature and the monument are struck by a bolt from the heaves. This has two effects; firstly, the creature takes 5d12+24 electricity damage, and secondly, if the monument to the storm goddess’s Monument Armor is intact, the armor breaks.

Monuments to the Storm Goddess can be found guarding lost waterways and high places prone to being battered by the storm. Those who are brave enough to pass one are said to be assured riches, but that is no easy task. These enormous monuments seem slow and lumbering, but when they detect unwanted living creatures they control vast powers of the storm and can call upon their goddess to punish transgressors, seeming only to grow stronger as battle continues.

Dom Ellis is an avid gamer and home-brewer living in New Zealand with his wife and their dog called Susan. He can be found on twitter and most other platforms mostly retweeting about TTRPGs and football under the name @domheroellis.

Sharishi by Ron Lundeen

Sharishi                         Creature 19
Unique, CN, Gargantuan, Fey
Perception +32; darkvision
Languages Sharishi; tongues
Skills Acrobatics +37, Athletics +33, Diplomacy +33, Intimidation +35, Nature +34, Survival +34
Str +8, Dex +10, Con +5, Int +2, Wis +5, Cha +6

AC 43; Fort +29, Ref +35, Will +32
HP 350
No Breath The sharishi doesn’t breathe and is immune to effects that require breathing (such as an inhaled poison).

Speed 25 feet, fly 80 feet
Melee [one-action] claw +36 (agile, finesse, reach 10 feet), Damage 4d8+21 slashing
Melee [one-action] wing +34 (reach 20 feet), Damage 4d12+12 bludgeoning plus Starting Brilliance
Ranged [one-action] cosmic glare +36 (range increment 60 feet) Damage 6d10 fire plus Starting Brilliance
Primal Innate Spells DC 36, attack +31; 10th cataclysm, earthquake, 8th earthquake (at will), punishing winds; 4th shape stone, solid fog, speak with plants; Constant (4th) freedom of movement, tongues
Rain of Feathers [two-actions] (evocation, primal) The sharishi gives a quick shudder and launches feathers at all creatures within 30 feet. The sharishi’s allies are soothed by the glowing feathers and reduce the value of their clumsy, drained, enfeebled, frightened, sickened, or stupefied condition by 2 (the sharishi chooses which condition, and can choose different conditions for each ally). The sharishi’s enemies must attempt a DC 40 Will save. The sharishi can’t use Rain of Feathers for 1d4 rounds.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune to Rain of Feathers for 24 hours.
Success The creature takes 6d8 piercing damage and 2d8 persistent piercing damage.
Failure The creature takes 14d8 piercing damage and 2d8 persistent damage. While it is taking persistent damage, it is stupefied 3.
Critical Failure As failure, but the stupefied condition lasts for 1 hour.
Startling Brilliance (incapacitation, primal visual) The sharishi flares with radiance when it attacks. Whenever the sharishi hits a creature with a wing or cosmic glare Strike, that creature must succeed at a DC 40 Fortitude save or be stunned 1 (stunned 3 on a critical failure).

Curious starfarers from a distant, destroyed solar system, sharishis travel the vast interstellar gulfs of space seeking a new home. They are effectively immortal and can fly at the speed of light when in space. Although their species numbers in the millions, it’s exceptionally rare for more than one sharishi to land on any specific planet, so a sharishi on any specific world is unique.

A sharishi judges each world based on its similarity to the destroyed planet its species once occupied. Their perfect world—and one from which they would call other sharishis to make their new home—would have salty oceans, dense swamps, cloud-filled skies, ranges of floating mountains, and a ring of glittering moons. A sharishi that encounters more than one of these features on a world remains there, dedicated to altering the terrain to match the missing features. Despite its powerful primal magic, a sharishi isn’t capable of making world-shaping changes on its own, so it usually seeks out lost lore or powerful relics to enact its desired alterations. Sharishis like collecting hidden knowledge and are naturally inquisitive, so many have decidedly long-range visions of these global modifications; some planet-bound sharishis have been working toward their goals for millennia or longer.

Though determined to reshape the world into a replica of its lost homeworld, a sharishi doesn’t like to cause wanton death. It does its best to warn locals when it’s making large-scale changes to the environment, encouraging them to migrate elsewhere or, even better, to help in its world-altering tasks. After all, it’s quick to explain, who wouldn’t want to live in a world occupied by millions of curious titans infused with cosmic wonder?

Ron Lundeen lives in the rural hinterlands outside of Seattle, Washington, where he finds the climate a pleasant change from his native Illinois. After a lengthy career as a corporate attorney, Ron took a full-time position with Paizo, Inc. as a developer, working with freelancers to create fabulous worlds and monstrous threats for the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games. He also designs games in his free time, creating a dizzying variety of perils, plots, and legends. Ron also runs his own gaming company, Run Amok Games, which you should visit at www.runamokgames.com.

Shrieking Gestalt by Andrew Mullen

Shrieking Gestalt                         Creature 11
Uncommon, N, Huge, Animal, Spirit
Perception +24; darkvision
Languages Sylvan (can’t speak any language); telepathy 50 feet
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +21
Str +6, Dex +7, Con +3, Int –3, Wis +5, Cha +2

AC 31; Fort +18, Ref +26, Will +20
HP 180; Immunities bleed, disease, paralysis, poison, precision; Resistances physical 5 (except ghost touch); Weaknesses mental 5
Snatching Talons [reaction] Trigger A creature critically misses the gestalt with a melee weapon Strike; Effect Falcons burst from the gestalt to tear away the unbalanced creature’s weapon. The gestalt attempts to Disarm the triggering creature by using an Acrobatics check for the Disarm check.
Tireless Wings A shrieking gestalt is permanently quickened 1, and the extra action can only be used to Fly or Sustain its Circling Death ability.

Speed 30 feet, fly 60 feet
Melee [one-action] murmuration +24 (finesse, reach 20 feet, deadly d12), Damage 4d8+11 bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing
Circling Death [one-action] (mental) Ghostly azure birds split off of the gestalt to create an eerily silent wall in a 50-foot radius sphere around it, hemming prey in. A creature in the wall’s space when it is created, that attempts to pass through the wall, or that ends its turn inside the wall experiences a mental cacophony of beating wings and hunting cries, and takes 2d8 mental and 2d8 slashing damage (DC 28 basic Will save). On a critical failure, the creature is also paralyzed for 1 round. The wall lasts as long as the gestalt spends an action on its turn to Sustain it; unlike Sustaining a Spell, this action does not have the concentrate trait.
Nature Spirit A shrieking gestalt’s Strikes and abilities affect incorporeal creatures with the effects of a ghost touch property rune, as it stands astride the veil between physical and spiritual.
Torrent of Talons [two-actions] One of the shrieking gestalt’s limbs temporarily explodes into a spectral avian flock that deals 8d6 slashing damage and 6 persistent bleed damage in a 50-foot cone or 100-foot line (DC 30 basic Reflex save). It can’t use Torrent of Talons again for 1d4 rounds.

A shrieking gestalt is a towering, barely tangible winged humanoid made of glowing blue feathers; these plumes are last vestiges of the instincts and intellects of hundreds of deceased birds of prey. Only raptors that shared territory with sapient beings gain enough understanding of mortal affairs to eventually accrete into a gestalt, their spiritual substances coalescing after decades or centuries into an aggregate being.

This spirit flock is beholden to its instincts, but has enough insight into humanoid affairs to treat with them. Communing with a shrieking gestalt means parsing the instinct-emotions of a tenuously coherent hive mind of ghostly birds—no easy task. Even so, one can entreat a gestalt to drive off predators or even pursue specific individuals, should they convince the creature that these targets are prey.

Watching a gestalt hunt is a terrifying affair. Its form constantly shifts as the individual spirits that comprise it move in tandem. Arms dissolve into a screaming temporary flock to surround and tear at prey, or a rushing stream of ghostly predators erupts from its writhing chest. Onlookers might catch only glimpses of this fluid nightmare, as a hunting gestalt typically surrounds itself in a great cloud of birds to keep its quarry penned in.

Andrew Mullen is a full time parent and part time TTRPG freelancer. His recent work includes Starfinder’s Galaxy Exploration Manual, Pathfinder’s Lost Omens Ancestry Guide, and Fauna of the Luminant Age, the first piece of an upcoming third-party campaign setting for Pathfinder. You can find him on Twitter @afmullen and @luminantA

And that’s our monsters! I hope you enjoyed both checking out these monsters and appreciating the different takes on the monster design here. If you’re interested in contributing to Summoned Monsters or have a prompt for a future article, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com or reach out to me via Know Direction’s Discord!

Loki                         CR 10
XP 9,600
CN Medium humanoid (giant)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision, Perception +24
DEFENSE
HP 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
Defensive Abilities fast healing 5; Immunities cold
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +22 (2d10+15 piercing)
Ranged dagger +20 (4d6+10 piercing)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th)
1/day–greater invisibility, mislead (DC 23)
3/day–displacement, mirror image
At will–disguise self, ghost sound (DC 18), invisibility
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +6
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +19, Bluff+24, Diplomacy +24, Disguise +24, Intimidate+24, Mysticism+19, Sleight of Hand +19, Stealth +19
Languages Common
Offensive Abilities trick attack +5d8
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Conjure Daggers (Su) As a swift action, Loki creates up to two daggers, one in each free hand.

Loki, Prince of Asgard, Odinson, rightful heir of Jotunheim, and God of Mischief, is burdened with glorious purpose. His desire to be a king drives him to sow chaos in Asgard. In his lust for power, he extends his reach to Earth where he believes they need a ruler and encounters unlikely heroes that interfere with his schemes. Loki is an ever-scheming individual; the God of Mischief, he meddles in people’s lives and even lead them to their inevitable deaths as it makes him feel powerful, often using superior ploys or ulterior designs upon his enemies. Compared to his boisterous older brother, he always seems to be calm, peaceful and quiet, but in truth has the mind of a cold, calculating killer and is constantly formulating machinations that would achieve his power and respect that he truly believes he deserves.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Loki into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

With that idea at the core, I wanted to start a new series within Monstrous Physique that explored the creativity of various authors and shared their creations with the world. I gathered three authors together and gave them a prompt in the form of a cool image of a monster and let them go to town. Other than the image, I only asked that they stat up the monster in Pathfinder Second Edition. The rest was up to them. They were to work on their own and create their take on the monster, which I get to share with you today. Each of these monsters has unique abilities and flavors and are open for anyone to grab for their games! So, how did things turn out? Let’s take a look!

First, here is the image that was used as the prompt.

And now our three monsters!

Ash Titan by Cody Garret Wells

Ash Titan                            Creature 10
Rare, NE, Gargantuan, Fire, Skeleton, Titan, Undead
Perception +18; low-light vision
Languages Common, Daemonic, Ignan
Skills Acrobatics +25, Athletics +16, Intimidation +23
Str +7, Dex +0, Con +5, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +0

AC 31; Fort +23, Ref +16, Will +18
HP 175, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, fire, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Resistances electricity 5, piercing 5, slashing 5; Weaknesses cold 10
Impossible Stature (aura, divine, illusion, mental) 100 feet. Titans warp perception and distance around them to seem even larger and more imposing. A creature that enters or begins its turn within the emanation must succeed at a DC 28 Will save or its movement toward the titan is movement over difficult terrain (greater difficult terrain on a critical failure) for 1 round.
Attack of Opportunity [reaction] The titan can use their Attack of Opportunity when a creature within their reach uses a concentrate action, in additional to its normal trigger. They disrupt actions on any hit, not just a critical hit— including triggering concentrate actions.

Speed 25 feet, fly 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +23 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+13 bludgeoning plus 1d6 fire and Grab
Ranged [one-action] rock +23 (brutal, range increment 120 feet) Damage 2d8+13 bludgeoning, plus 1d6 fire
Burn Alive [one-action] (fire) The titan squeezes a creature it has grabbed crushing, and burning the victim. The target takes 2d8+13 bludgeoning damage and 1d8 persistent fire damage.

This wretched creature was once a mighty Titan that was cast down for its rebellion against the gods. Raised in service to Urgathoa, these rare Ash Titans mainly reside in Abaddon. There is a dark ritual known only to the vilest necromancers to raise these monstrosities to the material plane, involving burning down a large settlement with many residents trapped within their homes. Though still terrible in might and form, Ash Titans are but a shadow of their former living selves.

I’m a father of four, married to my best friend and actively working on becoming a full-time writer and stay at home dad. I am a freelance writer in the TTRPG scene, I’m writing a fantasy fiction novel and working with other creatives on several TTRPG projects. Follow Cody on Twitter @CodyGarretWells and visit his website at codygarretwells.com.

Fallen Peri by Dave Nelson

Fallen Peri                            Creature 13
CE, Huge, Fire, Undead
Perception +23; darkvision
Languages Celestial, Common, Necril
Skills Athletics +25, Religion +24
Str +8, Dex +4, Con +6, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha –1

AC 33; Fort +26, Ref +23, Will +20
HP 290, fast healing 5, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, fire, mental, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses good 10, positive 10
Shadowed Blaze (aura, evocation, fire, necromancy) 10 feet, 5d6 fire damage (DC 29 basic Reflex)

Speed 25 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] burning claw +27 (agile, fire), Damage 3d10+11 bludgeoning plus 2 persistent fire and Grab
Ranged [one-action] ashen wing +25 (fire, range increment 120 feet) Damage 3d12+7 fire
Drag Below [one-action] Requirements The fallen peri’s last action was a successful Grab; Effect The fallen peri pulls the grabbed creature into the fiery surface from which it emerged, dealing 7d6 fire damage (DC 29 basic Fortitude save).
Swirling Ash [two-action] The fallen peri swipes its wings in a wide circle, dealing 12d6 fire damage in a 15-foot emanation (DC 29 basic Reflex save). On a failure, targets are also blinded for 1 round. The fallen peri can’t use Swirling Ash again for 1d4 rounds.

The flaming celestials known as peri have often grappled with their darker impulses compared to their other heavenly cousins. When a peri who has cast off the values of heaven dies, an undead monstrosity known as a fallen peri rises from the same place, bound to the depths of the Abyss through a burning chasm on the ground.

Dave Nelson is a Paizo freelancer with multiple credits and a fascination with all things gaming. You can find him talking about games, writing, and cats @davicthegrey on Twitter.

Obsidian Gravewalker by Jessica Redekop

Obsidian Gravewalker                            Creature 13
Uncommon, NE, Gargantuan, Elemental, Fire, Undead
Perception +23; darkvision, smoke vision
Languages Common, Ignan, Necril
Skills Acrobatics +22, Athletics +27, Fire Plane Lore +23, Intimidation +21, Volcano Lore +23
Str +8, Dex +3, Con +5, Int +4, Wis +2, Cha +2

AC 35; Fort +26, Ref +22, Will +21
HP 275, negative healing; Immunities death effects, disease, fire, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Resistances piercing 15, slashing 15; Weaknesses cold 15
Ash Cloud [reaction] Trigger The obsidian gravewalker is dealt damage; Effect Ash and charcoal are knocked away from the obsidian gravewalker’s bones, creating a cloud of smoke in a 15-foot burst centered on the obsidian gravewalker. All creatures within that area are concealed, and all others are concealed to them. This concealment lasts for 1 minute or until it is dispersed by a strong wind.
Volcanic Aura (aura, conjuration, fire, primal) 25 feet. An obsidian gravewalker radiates heat. A creature that starts their turn in the area must succeed at a DC 33 Fortitude save or become fatigued while they remain in the area. Creatures immune to environmental heat effects or with any fire resistance are immune.

Speed 40 feet, fly 60 feet
Melee [one-action] claw +27 (reach 20 feet), Damage 3d10+12 slashing plus 3d6 fire
Melee [one-action] wing +27 (agile, reach 15 feet) Damage 3d10+12 bludgeoning
Primal Innate Spells DC 31, attack +21; cantrips (6th) produce flame
Eruption [three-actions] (evocation, fire, primal) The obsidian gravewalker cracks the earth, summoning a volcano that immediately erupts and spills magma out across the battlefield. Choose one unoccupied 5-foot space the obsidian grawewalker can see. The ground of the chosen space crumbles, creating a volcanic crater with a central vent open to the earth’s outer core. The eruption expands by 10 feet in every direction each subsequent round at the beginning of the obsidian gravewalker’s turn. Any creature that crosses the magma or is occupying the eruption’s area at the start of its turn takes 8d6 fire damage. Cold effects that target an area cool the lava in the affected area, creating difficult terrain, and halt the eruption’s spread if the affected area includes the edge of the eruption’s area. The eruption area expands for 10 rounds.
Molten Core [two-actions] (evocation, fire, primal) Magma erupts from within the obsidian gravewalker, spilling out from its mouth and chest, dealing 8d6 fire damage and 8d6 bludgeoning damage in a 30-foot cone (DC 33 basic Reflex save). The obsidian gravewalker can’t use Molten Core again for 1d4 rounds.

Obsidian gravewalkers are massive skeletons with volcanic glass for bones and liquid molten cores suspended within their chests. They are created when necrotic energy leaks into the Plane of Fire from the Negative Energy Plane, crawling out of corrupted volcanoes.

Jessica Redekop is a freelance illustrator and game designer, working for Paizo, Lost Spheres Publishing, and Storm Bunny Studios. She loves cats, gaming, and Planescape, and can be found on Instagram @tectonomancer or Twitter @tectonomancer.

And that’s our monsters! I hope you enjoyed both checking out these monsters and appreciating the different takes on the monster design here. If you’re interested in contributing to Summoned Monsters or have a prompt for a future article, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com or reach out to me via Know Direction’s Discord!

Forest Drake                            Creature 4
NE, Large, Amphibious, Dragon
Perception +11; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Draconic
Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +12, Intimidation +8, Stealth +10, Survival +8
Str +4, Dex +3, Con +3, Int –1, Wis +0 Cha +1

AC 21; Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +9
HP 60; Immunities paralyzed, unconscious; Resistances acid 10
Tail Lash [reaction] Trigger A creature within reach of the forest drake’s tail uses an action to Strike or attempt a skill check. Effect The fprest drake attempts to Strike the triggering creature with its tail. If it hits, the creature takes a –2 circumstance penalty to the triggering roll.

Speed 20 feet, fly 50 feet, swim 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fangs +14, Damage 2d8+5 piercing
Melee [one-action] tail +14 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d6+5 bludgeoning
Acidic Cloud [two-actions] (acid, arcane, evocation) The forest drake spits a ball of acid up to a range of 60 feet that bursts into a cloud in a 10-foot burst. Creatures within the burst take 4d8 acid damage (DC 20 basic Reflex save). The cloud remains for 1d4 rounds, granting concealment to everything within. The forest drake can spit its Acidic Cloud underwater with the same effects, except that the cloud automatically dissipates after 1 round. The forest drake can’t use Acidic Cloud again for 1d6 rounds.
Draconic Frenzy [two-actions] The forest drake makes one fangs Strike and two tail Strikes in any order.
Speed Surge [one-action] (move) The forest drake moves up to twice its Speed. It can do this three times per day.

Forest drakes are the degenerate cousins of green dragons, possessed of cruel cunning but little actual wit. Like most drakes, forest drakes are bullies, prowling deep forests in search of their favorite prey—elves and fey. Forest drakes eagerly attack communities of such forest creatures unless driven off with arrows or other shows of force. Like many other drake types, forest drakes organize themselves in packs called “rampages,” and keep communal lairs in secluded forest locations. Such packs are usually made up of siblings who break from the pack only during mating season. A forest drake pack has a distinct pecking order, with younger and newer members receiving the least desirable portions of pack kills and the fewest mating options. Forest drakes mate once a year, but do little to raise their offspring. A female lays a clutch of four to eight eggs, but abandons her young as soon as they hatch. Forest drake hatchlings immediately band together in a pack. While few survive so long, forest drakes can live up to 200 years. Forest drakes are typically about 10 feet long with equally long tails, and weigh around 1,000 pounds.

Lava Drake                            Creature 9
NE, Large, Dragon, Fire
Perception +17; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Draconic
Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics +20, Intimidation +14, Stealth +17, Survival +7
Str +6, Dex +3, Con +5, Int –1, Wis +2 Cha +0

AC 28; Fort +19, Ref +17, Will +15
HP 155; Immunities fire, paralyzed, unconscious; Weaknesses cold 10
Wing Deflection [reaction] Trigger The lava drake is targeted with an attack. Effect The lava drake raises its wing, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack. If the lava drake is flying at the time it is attacked, it descends 10 feet after the attack is complete.

Speed 20 feet, burrow 20 feet (lava only), fly 50 feet
Melee [one-action] fangs +21, Damage 2d12+10 piercing plus 1d6 fire
Melee [one-action] tail +21 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+10 bludgeoning plus Push 5 feet
Magma Shake [two-actions] Requirements The lava drake was submerged in molten rock, either magma or lava, within the last round; Effect The lava drake shakes its body, flicking a fine spray of scalding molten rock that deals 10d6 fire damage to all creatures in a 30-foot emanation (DC 29 basic Reflex save).
Pyroclastic Vomit [two-actions] (arcane, fire, evocation) The lava drake vomits forth a ball of molten rock to a range of 60 feet that explodes in a 10-foot-radius burst. Creatures in the area take 10d6 electricity damage (DC 29 basic Reflex save). The molten rock continues to burn as it cools. Creatures that move through or end their turn in the area of the burst take 4d6 fire damage. The molten rock cools in 1d4 rounds. The lava drake can’t use Pyroclastic Vomit again for 1d6 rounds.
Speed Surge [one-action] (move) The lava drake moves up to twice its Speed. The lava drake can do this three times per day.
Surprise Attacker On the first round of combat, creatures that haven’t acted yet are flat-footed to the lava drake.

The deviant and destructive cousins of primal magma dragons, lava drakes rise from smoldering volcanic crevasses to terrorize and devour those creatures weaker than themselves. While far less intelligent that their draconic kin, they are equally arrogant and seek out the adoration of humanoids. They can and often do submerge themselves in molten rock, burrowing through the lava to sneak up on prey, or to provide a dramatic display of power to those who worship them. Thick, black-crusted scales cover a lava drake’s body. Stockier than other drakes, adults can grow up to 18 feet in length and weigh over 3,000 pounds.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding these drakes into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Darkmantle                            Creature 1
N, Small, Beast
Perception +10; darkvision, low-light vision, motion sense (imprecise) 60 feet
Skills Acrobatics +4, Athletics +6, Deception +6, Stealth +7
Str +0, Dex +3, Con +2, Int –5, Wis +1, Cha +0
Motion Sense The darkmantle detects nearby motion through vibration and air movement at the listed range.

AC 15; Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +4
HP 20
Drop From Above [reaction] Requirement Initiative has not yet been rolled; Trigger The darkmantle is positioned directly above a creature and the darkmantle is aware of the creature; Effect The darkmantle descends upon the creature, Flying down up to 30 feet until it’s adjacent to the creature before it rolls initiative.

Speed 15 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] body +7, Damage 1d6+3 bludgeoning plus Grab
Primal Innate Spells DC 14; 2nd darkness
Constrict[one-action] 1d6+1 bludgeoning, DC 17
Freeze [one-action] (concentrate) Until the next time it acts, the darkmantle appears to be a stalactite. It has an automatic result of 26 on Deception checks and DCs to pass as a stalactite.

Darkmantles are ambush predators that cling to the ceilings of caves and drop down onto unsuspecting prey. They use their natural camouflage to disguise themselves as stalactites, allowing them to remain hidden until the moment they strike. A darkmantle’s tentacle-span measures just under 5 feet—when attached to a cave roof and disguised as a stalactite, its length varies from 2 to 3 feet. A typical darkmantle weighs 40 pounds. Darkmantles resemble monstrous octopuses with thing, hook-lined tentacles connected by a fleshy web. The creatures’ heads and bodies are usually the color of basalt or dark granite, but their webbed tentacles can change color to match their surroundings.

Illustration by Mike Corriero

Lurker Above                            Creature 7
N, Huge, Aberration
Perception +18; darkvision, motion sense (imprecise) 10 feet, scent (imprecise) 60 feet
Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +15, Stealth +17 (+19 in rocky areas)
Str +7, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –5, Wis +2, Cha –1
Motion Sense The lurker above detects nearby motion through vibration and air movement at the listed range.

AC 24; Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +15
HP 115; Immunities precision; Resistances cold 5, fire 5
Drop From Above [reaction] Requirement Initiative has not yet been rolled; Trigger The lurker above is positioned directly above a creature and the lurker above is aware of the creature; Effect The lurker above descends upon the creature, Flying down up to 30 feet until it’s adjacent to the creature before it rolls initiative.

Speed 10 feet, climb 10 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] body +18 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+10 bludgeoning plus Grab
Constrict [one-action] 2d8+4 bludgeoning, DC 25
Grappling Drag [two-actions] Requirements The lurker above has a creature grabbed; Effect The lurker above attempts to force the creature to move. It attempts an Athletics check to Grapple the target. On a success, the lurker above Strides 10 feet (20 feet on a critical success), moving the grabbed creature with it.
Smother A lurker above forms an airtight seal when it grabs a target. A creature grabbed by a lurker above cannot speak, cannot provide verbal components for spells, and must hold its breath or begin suffocating.

The lurker above is a member of a family of subterranean creatures known as lurking rays. A lurker above somewhat resembles a grotesque stingray or manta ray. A lurker above takes residence in caverns or dungeons, disguising itself as an irregular stone formation or a strange bit of masonry on a dungeon wall. When suitable prey walks beneath it, the lurker above drops, attempting to engulf the creature and suffocate it, after which the lurker above can slowly dissolve the meat at its leisure. While lurkers above are poor fliers, they’re excellent gliders, able drop off a ceiling and silently float more than 100 feet horizontally over the course of a 5- or 6-foot drop. Lurkers above can grow to be 15 feet from tip to tip, and weigh nearly 500 pounds when fully fed.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding the darkmantle or lurker above into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Squirtle                            Creature 3
N, Small, Beast, Amphibious
Perception +9, low-light vision
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Athletics+9
Str +1, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 18; Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +5
HP 45; Weaknesses electricity 5; Resistances cold 5, fire 5
Surf Squirtle can pull other creatures with it while it swims. A creature can grab on to Squirtle with an Interact action and is moved along with Squirtle while Squirtle Swims. Squirtle can either pull one Medium creature, two Small creatures, or four Tiny creatures. Creatures holding on to Squirtle’s shell have to use an Interact action every round to maintain their hold.

Speed 30 feet, swim 30 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +12, Damage 1d10+6 piercing
Melee [one-action] claw +12 (agile, finesse), Damage 1d8+6 slashing
Ranged [one-action] water spout +12 (range 20 feet, water), Effect Improved Push 10 feet
Shell Withdraw [two-actions] (manipulate) Squirtle pulls himself into his shell. He gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of his next turn.
Waterfall [two-actions] (move, water) Squirtle creates a torrent of water and rides for a short distance. He rides the water to a space within 30 feet. He can move through creatures in this way, but must end his movement in an open space. Any creatures he moves through take 3d6 bludgeoning damage from battering water (DC 17 basic Reflex save).

Ivysaur                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Plant
Perception +14, low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +11, Athletics +13, Survival +15
Str +3, Dex +2, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +4

AC 24; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 95; Weaknesses fire 5, mental 5; Resistances bludgeoning 5, electricity 5, poison 5

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +17, Damage 2d8+9 piercing
Melee [one-action] vine +17 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d4+7 bludgeoning plus Grab
Ranged [one-action] razor leaf +15 (range 20 feet), Damage 2d6+8 slashing
Bullet Seeds [two-actions] Ivysaur unleashes a barrage of seeds in a 30-foot line. Creatures in the line take 7d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save) as they’re pelted with seeds. Ivysaur can’t use Bullet Seeds again for 1d4 rounds.

Charizard                            Creature 9
N, Large, Beast, Fire
Perception +20, darkvision, low-light vision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics +20, Intimidation +16
Str +6, Dex +1, Con +5, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +3

AC 28; Fort +21, Ref +15, Will +18
HP 160; Immunities fire; Weaknesses earth 10, electricity 5, water 10; Resistances physical 5
Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 90 feet, DC 27

Speed 25 feet, fly 40 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +21 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+13 piercing
Melee [one-action] claw +21 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+11 slashing plus Grab
Ranged [one-action] flame blast +19 (range 40 feet), Damage 2d6+9 fire
Breath Weapon [two-actions] (evocation, fire, primal) Charizard unleashes a blast of flame that deals 10d6 fire damage in a 30-foot cone (DC 25 basic Reflex save). Charizard can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
Seismic Toss [three-actions] Requirements Charizard is grabbing a creature; Effect Charizard flies up 40 feet, holding the creature as he does. At the height of his flight, he throws the creature toward the ground, Releasing the creature and ending the grapple. The creature falls to the ground, taking fall damage as normal plus an additional 2d8 bludgeoning damage from the force of Charizard’s toss.

These strange monsters hail from a faraway land where people and monster work in unison. The creatures vary in shape, size, and abilities ranging from electric rodents to creatures that resemble living objects. While these monsters cannot speak, beyond a specific phrase that many take to be their names, they can understand language, allowing them to work well with people.
Squirtle resembles a walking turtle. It is capable of spraying a seemingly endless amount of water from its mouth to push its foes away. Ivysaur appears to be a small dinosaur living a symbiotic relationship with the plant on its back. The plant helps defend the creature by spraying spores to put enemies to sleep or lashing out with thorny vines. Charizard looks similar to a small dragon. It breathes extremely hot flames and is capable of carrying creatures away. Charizard is said to only desire to fight worthy opponents.

That’s it for this week! If you end up adding these Pokémon into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Falcon                         CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +19
DEFENSE
HP 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (flight suit, perfect)
Melee slam +22 (2d10+15 bludgeoning)
Ranged submachine gun +20 (4d6+10 piercing)
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +6, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +3
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +19, Diplomacy +24, Piloting +19, Stealth +19
Languages Common
Other Abilities flight suit, Redwing
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Flight Suit (Ex) Falcon wears a specialized suit featuring a jetpack and a set of mechanical wings designed for flight. The suit allows him to hover in place as a free action. He does not need to spend any additional movement to turn 45 degrees or to ascend when flying. When targeted with an attack, Falcon can use a reaction to shield himself with his wings, granting him a +2 shield bonus to AC.
Redwing (Ex) Falcon has a drone he can deploy to aid him on his missions. Redwing is a 10th level drone with the hover chasis that only has a 90 foot fly speed and no land speed. It has the camera, enhanced armor, enhanced senses, and resistance (electricity and sonic) mods. It has the Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Lightning Reflexes, and Shot on the Run feats. Redwing has an integrated set of machine guns which have an attack bonus of +12 and deal 2d8+7 piercing damage. Falcon can deploy Redwing as a move action. Redwing’s advanced AI allows it take a full suite of actions without Falcon’s direct control.
Submachine Guns (Ex) Falcon’s guns have a range of 60 feet and targets KAC. They have the automatic and quick reload traits.

Sam Wilson was a United States Air Force Pararescueman and served tours in overseas military campaigns. During this time, was selected to test a prototype military wingsuit alongside his friend Riley. Their wingsuits were critical in their missions, as RPGs used by the terrorists prevented the Air Force from using helicopters. After Riley was nonetheless killed by an RPG, with Wilson unable to save him, the latter completed his mission and left the Air Force. Wilson then became a trauma counselor aiding returning war veterans. Some time later, Sam met Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, and aided Rogers in facing off against Hydra, a fascist group bent on ruling the world. Captain America helped Sam reclaim his former flight suit, which he used during the fight. Sam continued to use his suit to aid Cap and his allies with other endeavors, earning him a place in the Avengers under the codename Falcon. Sam is a courageous man with a good heart. His compassion earned him the respect of Captain America, who later gifted his shield to Sam in hopes of having Sam continue his legacy.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Falcon into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Winter Soldier                         CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +19
DEFENSE
HP 165; fast healing 5
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
Defensive Abilities bionic arm
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee slam +22 (2d10+15 bludgeoning)
Melee knife +22 (2d10+10 slashing)
Ranged assault rifle +20 (4d6+10 piercing)
STATISTICS
Str +8, Dex +5, Con +6, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +3
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +24, Diplomacy +19, Piloting +19, Stealth +24
Languages Common
Other Abilities super soldier
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Assault Rifle (Ex) Winter Soldier’s gun has a range of 100 feet and targets KAC. It has the automatic and quick reload traits.
Bionic Arm (Ex) Winter Soldier has a prosthesis made of vibranium that allows him to deflect most any attacks coming his way. He can align his arm like a shield, granting him a +3 shield bonus to AC. Additionally, he can use a reaction to intercept an attack and reduce incoming damage by 20. Winter Soldier can’t align his arm and attack with a weapon in that arm’s hand in the same turn; once the arm is aligned, it remains that way until the start of his next turn.
Super Soldier (Ex) Winter Soldier received a serum that granted him superhuman abilities. He can leap great distances. When making Athletics checks to jump, he does not need to take a 10-foot running start. In addition, the DC for his jump attempts are twice the number of feet he is attempting to jump horizontally or equal to the number of feet he is trying to jump vertically. He can also carry an amount of bulk equal to his Strength without difficulty and lift three times what a normal human could.

James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes was a veteran of the second World War where he was a standout soldier. During a mission, Bucky’s squadron was captured by Hydra, an authoritarian organization bent on world domination. While imprisoned, Hydra scientists experimented on Bucky, injecting him with a specialized serum that granted him superhuman abilities. While Bucky was eventually liberated, an accident during a different mission left many to presume Bucky was dead. Instead, his new abilities allowed him to survive, only for him to end up in the hands of Hydra scientists once more. These scientist brainwashed Bucky, transforming him into a deadly assassin that followed orders without question. His skills proved invaluable and rather than just use his skills as an assassin right away, Bucky was put into hibernation, woken up only to undertake important missions. Having forgotten who he was, Bucky was granted the moniker of Winter Soldier, in part due to the need to put him “on ice” between missions. This hibernation allowed the Winter Soldier to remain a relevant operative for decades. Within the last few years, Winter Soldier faced off with Captain America and in the ensuing conflict, finally recovered his memories. Bucky has since tried to move past his life as an assassin and make up for the time he lost as the brainwashed Winter Soldier. Though he intends to move past his old life, he still retains his superhuman abilities and combat skills, making him a formidable combatant through and through.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Winter Soldier into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

This week, in light of everything going on, I wanted to stat up a prominent Asian figure. Popular media has lots of Asian characters and I figured I would take a look at superheroes. There are a number of cool superheroes to check out like Amadeus Cho, Jubilee, Katana, Ms. Marvel, Shang-Chi, and more! However, I have a particular affinity for all of the spider-themed superheroes out there and this gave me a chance to explore one of the newer heroes out there: Silk. Cindy Moon, AKA Silk, is a Korean-American superhero with a fair number of similarities to other Spider-Folk, but also her own unique place in the superhero canon. Let’s take a look at Silk!

Silk                           CR 10
XP 9,600
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses spider sense 180 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
hp 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +9
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., web swinging
Melee unarmed strike +22 (2d10+15 B)
Ranged web shooter +22 (see below)
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +3
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +24, Life Science +19, Physical Science +19, Stealth +19
Languages Common
Other Abilities eidetic memory, spider strength, web swinging
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Eidetic Memory (Ex) Silk can recall details from almost any experience she has. She can attempt any check to identify a creature or recall knowledge as a free action and only needs 1 minute to take 20.
Spider Senses (Ex) Silk possesses an acute psychological awareness of her environment that manifests itself as a form of extraordinary perception. This functions as if Silk had blindsight out to 180 feet, as well as the operative’s evasion and uncanny agility class features and the improved evasion operative exploit. In addition, whenever an opponent attacks Silk or she is required to attempt a Reflex save, she can add +4 to her AC or to her next Reflex save as a reaction even if she isn’t aware of the attack. Silk loses the benefits of this ability while helpless, off-target, paralyzed, or stunned.
Spider Strength (Ex) Silk’s unarmed strikes lose the archaic and nonlethal weapon special properties and gain the grapple, operative, and stun weapon special properties. In addition, Silk gains a +5 bonus to her Strength when determining her encumbrance and carrying capacity.
Web Swinging (Ex) Silk is constantly under the effects of spider climb except she only needs two limbs free to climb. In addition, she can create lines of webbing to move around using her surroundings. This allows her to act as if she had a fly speed of 60 feet (perfect) whenever there is a building, piece of terrain, or other environmental feature higher than her. She cannot go higher than the tallest environmental feature within 100 feet of her.
Web Shooter (Ex) Silk can fire strands of webbings to tie up her foes. Her web shooters have a range increment of 60 feet and target KAC. On a hit, the target becomes entangled and is anchored to the ground, unable to move. An entangled creature can attempt to break free with a successful DC 19 Acrobatics or Athletics check. A creature can cut the web by dealing at least 20 points of slashing damage to the webbing.

Cindy Moon was a gifted child with an eidetic memory. Bitten by the same radioactive spider that created her world’s Spider-Man, Cindy was locked away in a bunker to hide her from the Inheritors, a clan of hunters that feed on the life force of people like her. Eventually, Spider-Man learned of her existence and sought her out only to draw the attention of the Inheritors. After Spider-Man liberated her from the bunker, Cindy took on the name Silk and teamed up with Spider-Man to take on the Inheritors. She now continues to use her power for good. Cindy’s time in isolation caused her to develop anxieties that give her trouble in social settings. Having known how it feels to be alone, Silk is driven to help others so no one else has to be alone again.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Silk into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Vision                            Creature 10
NG, Medium, Construct
Perception +22; darkvision, low-light vision
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics+22, Computer Lore +19, Deception +15, Diplomacy +17, Society +17
Str +7, Dex +5, Con +3, Int +7, Wis +5, Cha +3

AC 30; Fort +20, Ref +20, Will +16
HP 130; Hardness 12; Immunities bleed damage, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious

Speed 25 feet, fly 120 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +23 (agile), Damage 2d12+13 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] optic blast +21 (range 120 feet), Damage 2d10+11 force
Density Manipulation [two-actions] Vision alters his physical density, allowing him to phase through objects. He gains the effects of ethereal jaunt until he Dismisses the effects.
Holographic Manipulation [two-actions] Vision projects a hologram to alter his appearance, allowing him to disguise himself. He gains the effects of either 3rd-level illusory disguise or 2nd-level invisibility. The effects remain until he Dismisses the effects.
Superhuman Intelligence Vision’s computer brain stores an almost unlimited amount of information. He can use his Computer Lore to Recall Knowledge on any subject, not just computers. In addition, he can never critically fail an attempt to Recall Knowledge.

Vision is a unique android created with the use of a super-powerful AI. Sporting a body made from vibranium, an extremely rare element unmatched in hardness and versatility, Vision is a living marvel. His body is powered by an infinity stone, a powerful stone-like object tied to the birth of the universe. This stone both allows Vision’s body to animate as well as provides it with a number of unique abilities. These include super-strength, manipulation of energy to create energy blasts, and the ability to alter Vision’s own density, allowing him to become extremely resistant to attacks or to become intangible. In addition, the AI implanted in Vision, originally known as JARVIS, boasts an extreme intelligence. Since his creation, Vision has taken on a life and personality of his own, fighting on behalf of righteousness and protecting those in need.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Vision into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Pit                            Creature 6
NG, Medium, Angel, Celestial
Perception +14
Languages Celestial, Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+15,  Diplomacy +13, Religion +11, Society +13, Warfare Lore +11
Str +4, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 23; +1 status vs. evil creatures; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11; +1 status to all saves vs. evil creatures
HP 95; Weaknesses evil 5; Resistances cold 5, fire 5
Guardian Orbitar [reaction] Trigger Pit would be hit, but not critically hit, by a non-magical ranged attack; Effect Pit reflects the attack back at his attacker. The attack misses Pit and the attack is redirected to target the creature that made the attack. The redirected attack uses the same result on the attack roll but with a –2 circumstance penalty and compares it against the original creature’s AC. This can cause the redirected attack to hit the original creature, but can’t cause a critical hit.

Speed 25 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] Palutena’s blade +17 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+8 slashing
Ranged [one-action] Palutena’s bow +17 (deadly d10, range 100 feet), Damage 2d8+9 piercing
Charged Shot [two-actions] or [three-actions] Pit knocks an arrows and draws a powerful shot. He makes a Strike with Palutena’s bow, dealing damage normally plus an additional 1d6 damage if he used two actions for this attack or 2d6 if he used three actions.
Limited Flight Pit’s wings don’t allow him to maintain long-term flight. If he flies and doesn’t end his movement on solid ground, he falls at the end of his turn.
Powerful Takeoff [two-actions] Pit takes flight, Striding twice to fly straight up into the air. He moves at his full Speed when flying straight up in this way.
Upperdash Arm [two-actions] Pit charges forward and unleashes a powerful strike from his arm weapon. Pit Strides and makes a blade Strike. On a hit, it deals bludgeoning damage instead of slashing damage and the target becomes flat-footed until the start of its next turn. On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone.

Pit is an angel from Angel Land.  He also serves as the captain of the royal bodyguards of Palutena, Goddess of Light and ruler of Angel Land. He is a fearless and heroic warrior willing to fight monsters many times his size when the need arises. He wields a bow granted to him by Palutena that is capable of firing arrows made of pure light. The bow even splits apart into a pair of blades for close quarters engagements. Pit’s confidence, angelic skill, and bravery make him a valuable ally on the battlefield and in the fight against evil.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Pit into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Monaxian Aristocrat                            CR 3
XP 800
Monaxian mystic
N Medium humanoid (monaxian)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8
DEFENSE
hp 32
EAC 13; KAC 14
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +6
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Melee tactical baton +5 (1d4+4 B)
Ranged azimuth laser pistol +7 (1d4+3 F; critical burn 1d4)
Mystic Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd)
At will—mindlink
Mystic Spell Known (CL 3rd)
1st (3/day)—command, mind thrust
At will—detect magic, telekinetic projectile
Connection empath
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +0, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +4, Cha +0
Skills Life Science +8, Mysticism +13, Survival +13
Languages Common, Monaxian
Other Abilities empathy, greater mindlink
Gear graphite carbon skin, azimuth laser pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), tactical baton
ECOLOGY
Environment any (Tawnpux)
Organization solitary, pair, or gathering (3–8)

Monaxians are a species that hail from Tawnpux, a planet not yet formed in the present and in fact located in the distant future. These stout humanoids resemble large rodents and stand about 5 feet tall. They’ve adapted to stand and walk upright. Tawnpux will be a planet covered in soft earth and monaxians developed the ability to burrow through the ground to create large underground colonies. These colonies tend to be insular and as a result many monaxians are slow to open up to others outside of their neighbors. Life among these colonies has helped monaxians develop an innate sense of orientation, allowing them to traverse the countless tunnels of their homes.

Monaxians arrived in the present day due to an unfortunate failure of monaxian science. The future fate of Tawnpux is one of resource scarcity and overpopulation. The people of Tawnpux expanded quickly and soon found that they had run out of enough natural resources to support life on the planet. In a desperate gambit to undo the damage on Tawnpux, monaxian researchers attempted to modify contemporary time travel technology. The intent was to localize time travel to the planet itself and send Tawnpux back in time. Theoretically, this would revert the planet to an earlier point in its own timeline when it still had an abundance of natural resources. Unfortunately, the localized time travel went awry and launched the entire monaxian population backwards in time along with the planet. Tawnpux reversed so far back that it no longer existed and left monaxians alone in space. Many monaxians died as a result, but a lucky few were able to scramble to their starships and survive. Now the remaining monaxian population travels the stars in what’s left of their fleet, hoping to find a way to return to their time and their home that is yet to be.

Racial Traits

Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, +2 Wis, –2 Cha 
Hit Points: 6
Size and Type: Monaxians are Medium humanoids with the monaxian subtype.
Burrower: Monaxians have a burrow speed of 20 feet, but can only burrow through dirt and other soft materials.
Darkvision: Monaxians have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Natural Awareness: Monaxians gain a +2 racial bonus to Life Science and Survival checks.
Time Displaced: Monaxians have an innate time-disrupting energy. They gain a +2 racial bonus to saves against haste, slow, and other effects that manipulate time or the number of actions a monaxian can take. While under the effects of haste, a monaxian movement speeds increase by 60 feet and are none limited by the spell’s normal maximums for increasing speeds.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing monaxians into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Hey, there! Luis here! Earlier this week, I ran a playtest of the new gunslinger and inventor classes. The playtest was set in the same continuity as Valiant and had a little tie in to the story going on there. I won’t spoil much about Valiant, but know that at some point the heroes beat up on a robot named Langley and saved the day. Langley wasn’t destroyed, however, and it was up to the new playtest heroes to fix up Langley. After some tough fights, the heroes were able to bring Langely in for repairs and finally get him fixed up. I figured it would be fun to see the results of said repairs, so I have for you today, the new and improved Langley!

Langley                          Creature 10
Unique, N, Large, Construct, Mindless
Perception +19, darkvision
Skills Acrobatics +29, Athletics+22
Str +7, Dex +3, Con +5, Int –5, Wis +2, Cha –5
Dig-Widget Head Langley’s head is in fact an elite dig-widget (Bestiary 2). Langley can release its head as an action, which has the manipulate trait. Doing so cause Langley’s body to deactivate and Langley continues acting in their dig-widget form. Langley’s head can return to its body and reactivate the body using an Interact action while adjacent to the body.

AC 30; Fort +22, Ref +20, Will +15
HP 150; Hardness 10; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious
Programming Langley was designed to serve as a mining companion. It has been programmed to follow the orders of the mine leadership and anyone noted as having appropriate authority. Someone with authority can designate an individual to have appropriate authority, and thus have Langley follow their orders, with a 10-minute activity. During this time, Langley must be able to see the individual to recognize the new expansion to authority. A creature without authority can attempt to trick Langley into following their orders by attempting to Lie (DC 29). Langley follows simple commands like ‘attack,’ ‘guard,’ ‘help’, ‘move,’ and ‘stand down.’
Critical Success Langley believes the creature has authority and follows their orders for 1 minute, immediately stopping what its doing if it’s unable to complete the task during this time. The creature must attempt another check to trick Langley afterward.
Success As critical success, but Langley only follows orders for 1 round. The creature must attempt another check to trick Langley afterward.
Failure Langley ignores the creature and ignores further attempts by the creature to trick it. It becomes temporarily immune to that creature’s command for 24 hours.
Critical Failure As failure, but Langley also recognizes the attempt at deception and attacks the creature.

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] saw +22 (agile, sweep, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+11 slashing
Melee [one-action] drill +22 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+13 piercing
Melee [one-action] hammer +22 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+11 bludgeoning plus Knockdown
Ranged [one-action] slag cannon +20 (range 60 feet), Damage 4d8 fire
Tool Rush [three-actions] (attack) Langley unleashes a flurry of attacks using its tools. It makes up to six melee Strikes with its drill, saw, and hammer. No single creature can be targeted by more than one Strike and Langley can use a given Strike no more than twice during one use of this ability . These attacks count toward Langley’s multiple attack penalty, but the multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until after all the attacks are made.

Langley was a machine designed for excavation by the engineers of Hayewood Excavations. After an encounter with some adventurers in a mine, Langley was left severely damaged and in dire need of repairs. A crew of workers from the innovative facilities at Rhapsody Canyon were able to take Langley and repair while also making some improvements to its design. They took the remnants of a spiral centurion and integrated a notable dig-widget into the design to both reinforce Langley and make it more robust. Langley has since continued its excavational duties, now working for the Skymark Mining Corporation and helping with their mines based out of the Gold Cliff Mountains.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Langley into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Hey, there! Luis here! Have you heard? The gunslinger’s back, in 2E form! As someone who’s running his own fantasy western game, I’m excited to see the gunslinger back in action. Since a lot of people will be taking the time to playtest the gunslinger (and inventor) in the coming days, I figured I would port over a monster to serve as a good foe for the upcoming playtests. The pale stranger is an undead gunslinger featured in both Pathfinder First Edition and Starfinder, so it’s only right to bring it to 2E so that it can take aim against all these new gunslingers. Let’s have a look!

Pale Stranger                           Creature 10
NE, Medium, Undead
Perception +22, darkvision
Languages Common, Necril
Skills Acrobatics +22, Athletics+17, Intimidation +22, Gun Lore +19, Stealth+17
Str +3, Dex +7, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +4, Cha +3
Items +1 leather duster (leather armor), +1 striking dueling pistol (x2)

AC 27; Fort +19, Ref +22, Will +16
HP 135 (negative healing); Immunities death effects, disease, paralyze, poison, unconscious; Resistances piercing 10, slashing 10
Frightful Presence  (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 10 feet, DC 26
Stranger’s Luck [reaction] Trigger The pale stranger is target with a ranged attack by an attacker it can see; Effect The pale stranger gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack. This increases to +4 if the ranged attack is from a firearm.

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist+21 (agile, magical), Damage 2d10+11 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] pistol +25 (concealable, fatal d10, range 30 feet, versatile B), Damage 3d6+20 piercing
Pistols A pale stranger fights with two pistols. While pistols normally consume bullets and black powder when fired, a pale stranger’s pistols supernaturally reload the instant it fires them, allowing the pale stranger to fire multiple times in quick succession. In addition, a pale stranger’s never misfire.
Disarming Shot [one-action] (attack) The pale stranger attempts to shoot a foe’s weapon out of their hands. The pale stranger attempts to Disarm a creature within 30 feet using its attack bonus for its pistol Strike rather than its Athletics bonus. The pale stranger takes a –2 circumstance penalty to its check.
Stranger’s Shot [three-actions] The pale stranger takes careful aim to fire a single, ruinous shot. The pale stranger makes a pistol Strike. This counts as three attacks when calculating the pale stranger’s multiple attack penalty. If this Strike hits, it gets a critical hit. If it roll a critical hit, the attack deals an additional 4d6 piercing damage in addition to the normal critical hit damage. Whether or not it hits, the pale stranger becomes stunned 1 and flat-footed until the start of its next turn.
Warning Shot [one-action] The pale stranger fires its gun in the air to startle its foes. It attempts to Demoralize a foe within 30 feet. This check doesn’t take the –4 circumstance penalty if the target doesn’t share a language with the pale stranger.

Sometimes death itself cannot come between a gunslinger and its final revenge. When a gunslinger is slain by a hated enemy, or murdered before it can achieve vengeance against a hated foe, the anger and wrath can animate its remains as a vengeful undead monstrosity. When a pale stranger first rises, it seeks out the source of its anger to finish the job—thereafter, it wanders the desolate parts of the world looking for new victims to vent its unending rage upon.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the pale stranger into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Robot Santa                            CR 8
XP 4,800
N Medium construct (technological)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
DEFENSE
hp 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +5
Defensive Abilities crumple zones, hard to kill; Immunities construct immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam+20 (3d4+14 B)
Ranged laser tommy gun +20 (2d8+8 E and F)
STATISTICS
Str +6, Dex +5, Con —, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +3
Skills Athletics +21, Culture +16, Intimidate +21, Life Science +16
Languages Common
Other Abilities naughty list
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Laser Tommy Gun (Ex) Robot Santa’s plasma weapon can fire a deadly energy beam with a range increment of 120 feet.
Crumple Zones If Robot Santa somehow has to attempt a save against a mind-affecting effect, he gains a +10 bonus to the save thanks to his paradox-absorbing crumble zones.
Hard to Kill Robot Santa is not automatically destroyed when reduced to 0 or fewer Hit Points. Every turn Robot Santa is at 0 Hit Points or fewer Hit Points, it must attempt a DC 10 Fortitude save or be destroyed. The DC increases by 1 for every round that Robot Santa is at 0 or fewer Hit Points.
Naughty List Robot Santa is designed with a nice/naughty matrix allows it to assess the naughtiness of anyone in an instant. Robot Santa can attempt to identify a creature within 30 feet as a swift action with a +15 bonus. Robot Santa gains a +1 bonus to attack the targeted creature until the start of its next turn.

Robot Santa is a large robot designed with the intent to judge people as naughty or nice and hand out gifts as appropriate. Unfortunately, a programming error set Robot Santa’s standards too high and he typically judges every person as naughty. As a result, he attempts to destroy the naughty any way he can. This is usually done using a variety of X-Mas-themed weapons and murder device. Make sure to stay inside this holiday season, lest you incur the wrath of Robot Santa!

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Robot Santa into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Little Mac                            Creature 6
LN, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+15, Boxing Lore +11, Diplomacy +13, Society +13
Str +4, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 95
Ferocity [reaction]
Slip Counter [reaction] Trigger Mac is targeted with a melee attack by an adjacent creature; Effect Mac gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the triggering attack. If the attack misses, Mac can make a fist Strike against the triggering creature.

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist+17 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Jolt Haymaker [two-actions] Mac dashes forward past his opponents to deliver a punch. Mac Strides then makes a fist Strike. This movement doesn’t trigger reactions.
Rising Uppercut [two-actions] Mac leaps up with a powerful uppercut. Mac makes a fist Strike. On a hit, the fist deals an additional 1d12 bludgeoning damage and the target must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, Macbecomes stunned 1.
Success No further effect.
Failure The creature takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Critical Failure The creature is knocked prone and takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Straight Lunge [one-action] to [three-actions] Mac charges up a powerful punch. He makes a fist Strike. If he spends two actions, he can Step before making the Strike and the Strike deals an additional 1d8 point of damage. If he spends three actions, he can Step before making the Strike, the Strike deals an additional 2d8 points of damage, and the target is pushed away 10 feet on a hit.

Little Mac is a lightweight scrapper from the Bronx. After meeting with a former boxing great named Doc Louis who fell from glory, Mac took Doc on as his coach, and together the pair tried for the championship belt in the WVBA. This little boxer makes up in heart what he lacks in height, meaning he wasn’t afraid to take on the boxing champs. With his determination, Little Mac worked his way up the ranks of the WVBA, taking out foes several times his size.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Little Mac into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

With the holidays coming soon, ever do they loom, I bring to life a man from that beloved cartoon. The Nightmare Before Christmas from Mr. Tim Burton, a movie you’ve heard of, I’m ever so certain. It’s a movie filled with plenty of holiday cheer, but also lots of sights that fill hearts with fear. From the film comes a skeleton, no other is kinder, and now he’s come to life to play in Pathfinder. The great Pumpkin King, you know him as Jack, has all of his stats, including 2 claw attacks. I hope that you like him as it took lots of work, to stat up to life that most wondrous smirk. Now follow me as we go into this post, dear reader, and we will take a look at this great Halloween leader.

Jack, the Pumpkin King                            Creature 11
CG, Medium, Undead
Perception +21
Languages Common
Skills Athletics +19, Crafting +19, Deception +23, Intimidation +23, Performance +26, Stealth +23
Str +4, Dex +7, Con +0, Int +2, Wis +1, Cha +6

AC 30; Fort +18, Ref +24, Will +21
HP 200

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +24, Damage 2d12+15 slashing
Melee [one-action] claw +22 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d10+12 slashing
Occult Innate Spells DC 30, attack +22; 5th cone of cold, fireball, lightning bolt; 3rd burning hands, fear, shocking grasp; Cantrips (5th) ray of frost
Living Limbs Jack can remove or reattach his head or limbs with an Interact action and continue using them while unattached. If he removes his head, he loses access to his jaws Strike. If he removes both of his arms, he loses access to his claw Strike. If he removes a leg, his Speed is reduced by half. His Speed becomes 0 if he removes both legs. Jack can use an action, which has the concentrate trait, to animate any unattached limbs to move or Strike. His limbs Stride with a Speed of 10 feet and have precise blindsight out to 5 feet. His head retains all of its senses and can Stride with a Speed of 5 feet.

Hailing from the town of Halloween
Is this skeleton who is not so mean
Jack is his name, a man of delight
Who loves a good song as much as a fright
And always at his side, what appears to be fog
Is just his companion, Zero, his dog
Jack bears great power, completely unrivaled
Which helps the theatrics of his yearly arrival
At the time of horror and scares, he makes himself known
As the night fills with shrieks, howls, and moans
Once a year, it’s his holiday that rules
As the world fills with monsters and ghouls
The creeps get together, happy to sing
Of the return of the great Pumpkin King!

That’s it for this week! Please let me know if you would like to see some more childhood icons statted up. There’s a deep well of lots characters from shows and movies to draw from. If Jack visits your game world, or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Princess Peach                            Creature 6
LG, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Diplomacy +15, Royalty Lore +13, Society +15
Str +2, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +4

AC 23; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14
HP 95
Defensive Toad [reaction] Trigger Peach would take damage from an attack made by a creature she can see. Effect Peach uses her assistant Toad to block the damage and retaliate. Toad reduces the damage by 8 and sprays out damaging spores that deal 2d4 damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save) in a 15-foot cone in the direction of the attack’s origin. Peach can’t use Defensive Toad again for 1d4 rounds.

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] hand+17 (agile, finesse), Damage 2d6+6 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] frying pan, golf club, or tennis racket +17 (agile), Damage 2d4+7 bludgeoning plus Push 5 feet
Ranged [one-action] turnip +15 (range increment 30 feet), Damage 2d6+6 bludgeoning
Peach Bomber [two-actions] Peach rushes forward and collides into an adjacent creature. She makes a bomber Strike with a +17 bonus. On a hit, she deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage and 2d8 fire damage and the creature is pushed back 5 feet and knocked prone (10 feet on a critical hit).
Peach Parasol [one-action] Peach leaps into the air and uses her parasol to safely float away. She jumps up 10 feet into the air and begins to float safely down to the ground with the effects of feather fall. As she floats, she can move an equal distance horizontally. Peach can instead use two actions or three actions to jump up 20 feet or 30 feet respectively.

Princess Peach presides over the Mushroom Kingdom from her huge castle. Her loyal subject Toad does his best to protect her but always seems to fail spectacularly. Besides her royal duties, Peach is interested in both tennis and golf; since she’s so magnanimous, she’ll even deign to play a few matches with the evil Bowser.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Peach into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Link                            Creature 6
LG, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+15, Stealth+13, Survival +13
Str +5, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +0
Items Hylian shield (hardness 10, HP 80, BT 40), Master Sword

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 110
Attack of Opportunity [reaction]
Shield Block [reaction]

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] Master Sword +17 (magical, versatile P), Damage 2d8+9 slashing
Ranged [one-action] hero’s bow +15 (deadly d10, range increment 60 feet), Damage 2d6+8 piercing
Gale Boomerang [two-actions] Link throws a boomerang infused with the power of wind. He makes a ranged boomerang Strike with a +15 bonus against a target within 30 feet. On a hit, the target takes 2d4+7 bludgeoning damage and is pushed back 10 feet (20 feet on a critical hit).
Remote Bomb [one-action] Link throws a magical bomb into a space within 30 feet. The bomb does not explode immediately. Instead, Link can remotely detonate the bomb with an action, which has the concentrate trait. Otherwise, the bomb detonates automatically at the end of Link’s next turn. All creature’s within the bomb’s space and adjacent to the bomb take 4d6 fire damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save).
Spin Attack [three-actions] (flourish) Link spins, attacking all nearby creatures with his sword. Link makes a Master Sword Strike against all creatures within reach. Link’s multiple attack penalty does not increase until he makes all of his Strikes that are part of Spin Attack.

Link, the Hero of Time, is a warrior destined to save the land of Hyrule time and time again. Link wields the Master Sword, a legendary blade that slays evil, and a fragment of the Triforce, a powerful relic left behind by the goddesses of the world. Link bears an unbreakable spirit and is willing to push himself to the brink of death to help others and bring an end to evil. He uses a number of various tools and weapons in his quest to defeat evil. As the Hero of Time, Link has had multiple incarnations throughout history, each of them a courageous figure willing to stand for what’s right.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Link into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

I believe Black lives matter and I’m going to try to do my part to work toward eliminating prejudice in the world, because it’s important, especially as a person of color. I want justice for George Floyd, justice for Breonna Taylor, justice for the countless Black lives that have been disproportionately silenced or taken throughout history, and I want the world to be a better place. Please do what you can to support Black communities and especially the Black disabled, queer, and trans  communities. If you wish to inform yourself on ways you can help, donate, or spread the message, please check out the list of resources found here, here, here, and here. Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog.

Last time this happened, I statted up Miles Morales as a prominent Black figure in fiction. I mentioned in that blog that I considered doing Black Panther as well. So, now I’m doing Black Panther. I feel like he was a decently obscure comic hero, maybe B-list or C-list, until a few years ago. The Black Panther movie is phenomenal and introduced so many people to a great character. T’Challa is a character who is trying to rid the world of injustice and help others using the privilege he holds. Also, he’s just cool and kicks a lot of butt. So, let’s take a look at T’Challa, the Black Panther!

Black Panther                         CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
HP 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
Defensive Abilities combat suit; DR 5/—
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee claws +22 (2d10+15 slashing)
Special Attacks unleash energy
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +6
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +24, Diplomacy +19, Mysticism +19, Stealth +24
Languages Common
Other Abilities enhanced agility, vibranium claws
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Enhanced Agility (Ex) Black Panther can leap great distances. When making Athletics checks to jump, he does not need to take a 10-foot running start. In addition, the DC for his jump attempts are four times the number of feet he is attempting to jump horizontally or equal to the number of feet he is trying to jump vertically.
Combat Suit (Ex) Black Panther wears a specialized vibranium suit that can absorb kinetic energy. When he takes damage from attacks that targets KAC, he stores a number of points equal to half the damage. He can store up to 100 points in this way.
Unleash Energy (Ex) Black Panther releases the energy stored in his suit as a full action. All creatures within 10 feet of him take force damage equal to the number of points he had stored in the suit. A successful DC 17 Reflex save halves this damage.
Vibranium Claws (Ex) Black Panther’s claws are made with vibranium, a rare element that is stronger than all known metals. His attacks ignore the 20 points of hardness and are treated as adamantine for the purposes of damage reduction.

T’Challa is the king of Wakanda, a small, yet technologically advanced nation in Africa. As the king of Wakanda, T’Challa has accepted the mantle of Black Panther, Wakanda’s legendary protector. As part of taking on the mantle, T’Challa consumed the heart-shaped herb which granted him supernatural abilities, including enhanced strength, speed, and resilience. In combination with his abilities, T’Challa makes use of a number of Wakanda’s technological developments. Through the combination of his skill, the technology afforded to him, and his determination, the Black Panther is able to defend not only Wakanda, but the entire world from dangerous threats. Black Panther has often teamed up with other important heroes including the likes of Iron Man and Captain America. In combat, he uses his blinding speed and unmatched strength to outmaneuver and overwhelm his foes.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Black Panther into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Yoshi                            Creature 6
NG, Medium, Beast
Perception +14; darkvision, low-light vision
Languages Yoshi
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+13, Survival +13
Str +3, Dex +5, Con +4, Int –1, Wis +1, Cha +3

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 95

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +15, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] tongue +13 (agile, reach 10 feet), Effect Improved Grab
Ranged [one-action] egg +15 (agile, range 60 feet), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Egg Lay [one-action] Requirements Yoshi has a creature grabbed with its tongue. Effect Yoshi swallows the grabbed target, immediately ending the grab. The creature becomes trapped inside a large egg and takes damage equal to Yoshi’s foot attack. The egg appears in an adjacent square of Yoshi’s choosing. The creature within the egg is restrained, but can attempt to break free from the egg by attempting to Escape against Yoshi’s Athletic DC or attempting to Force Open the egg against DC 21. The egg shatters automatically after 1d4+1 rounds if the creature does not break free on its own. An egg laid with this ability has 20 hit points and hardness 5.
Egg Roll [three-actions] Yoshi encases itself in a large egg and roll to overrun its enemies. This has the same effects as the Trample activity as noted here, except that Yoshi gains a +2 status bonus to AC while inside the egg. Yoshi exits the egg once he is done moving. (Trample: Medium or smaller, foot, DC 21)
Flutter Jump When Yoshi Leaps, it travels an additional 5 feet. If it attempts to High Jump or Long Jump, it travels an additional 50% of the distance determined by its Athletics check, even if this distance would be greater than its Speed.

Yoshi is a dinosaur from a far-off land known as Dinosaur Island. Yoshi is a member of a race of intelligent dinosaurs also known as Yoshi. The entire species are lovers of fruit, able to consume large amounts of fruit whole. Yoshi can use their tongue to swallow any size of food and their foes, apparently not limited by the size of their own bodies. When a Yoshi swallows a creature, it can either lay it as an egg or spit the creature back out. This appears to be used entirely for defense as Yoshi tend to use their ability to swallow enemies as a means to buy time for an escape. Yoshi are great jumpers and are able to kick their legs at great speed to gain more air time and reach great heights or distances. Most Yoshi are very friendly, offering their services to those in need. They are also great at cooperating with each other, with legends telling of Yoshi traveling great distances to return children separated from their parents. Yoshi come in a variety of colors and some believe that these colors denote further abilities.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Yoshi into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Captain Falcon                            Creature 6
LN, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+15, Diplomacy +13, Piloting Lore +11, Society +13, Survival +13
Str +4, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 110

Speed 35 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist+15 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Falcon Dive [two-actions] (flourish) Captain Falcon leaps up into the air, automatically succeeding at a High Jump up to a height of 35 feet. He can attempt an Athletics check to Grapple a creature at any point during the movement. If he succeeds at his check to Grapple, the target takes 4d6 fire damage (8d6 on a critical success to Grapple) and the target falls to the ground, landing prone, but does not take damage for falling. Whether or not he attempts to Grapple Captain Falcon then lands safely on the ground.
Falcon Kick [two-actions] (flourish) Captain Falcon Strides in a straight line and makes a foot Strike at any point during the movement. On a critical hit, the target takes 1d4 persistent fire damage. He can move through other creatures’ spaces during this movement, but cannot end his movement in a creature’s space as normal.
Falcon Punch [three-actions] Captain Falcon charges up with power and then unleashes a devastating punch. He makes a fist Strike. If the Strike hits, he gets a critical hit and the target is pushed back 5 feet and knocked prone. If he rolls a critical hit, his attack also gains the deadly d10 trait and the target is pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone. Whether or not he hits, Captain Falcon becomes stunned 1 and flat-footed until the start of his next turn.
Raptor Boost [two-actions] (flourish) Captain Falcon Strides in a straight line and makes a fist Strike at any point during the movement. On a hit, the target is also knocked prone. On a critical hit, the target is knocked prone and takes 1d4 persistent fire damage. He immediately stops moving after making the Strike.

Captain Falcon is a skilled F-Zero pilot and resourceful, intergalactic bounty hunter. All that’s known of his past is that he hails from Port Town. Captain Falcon had built a reputation as one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy, one that has earned him many enemies. Falcon joined F-Zero, desiring to fuel his competitive drive, with his own ship, the Blue Falcon. His beloved ship has won him many races, earning fame and fortune as on of F-Zero’s greatest pilots. His incredible athleticism and never-say-die attitude make him the pilot to turn to in times of trouble.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Captain Falcon into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

This week, in light of everything going on, I wanted to stat up a prominent Black figure. There have been lots of Black characters throughout media, including superheroes. I considered statting up Black Panther, but ultimately landed on Miles Morales. Into the Spider-Verse is an absolute marvel of cinema. The movie is absolutely gorgeous and presents a fantastic story that promotes the idea that anyone can be Spider-Man, and thus, anyone can do good and help the world. That’s something that I think is really important, especially nowadays, so I just had to go with Miles. Let’s take a look at Miles Morales, Spider-Man!

Spider-Man                           CR 10
XP 9,600
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses spider sense 60 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
hp 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +9
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2, spider-camouflage
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., web swinging
Melee unarmed strike +22 (2d10+15 B)
Ranged web shooter +22 (see below)
Offensive Abilities bio-electrokinesis, venom blast
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +3
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +24, Computers +19, Physical Science +19, Stealth +19
Languages Common
Other Abilities spider strength, web swinging
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Bio-electrokinesis (Ex) Spider-Man can generate electrical discharges that he channels through his attacks. When making melee attacks, he can have his attacks deal electricity damage instead of the normal damage, chosen at the time of the attack.
Spider-Camouflage (Ex) Spider-Man can blend into his surroundings as a standard action. This camouflage is so potent that he becomes invisible until he dismisses the camouflage as a standard action or he attacks any creature.
Spider Senses (Ex) Spider-Man possesses an acute psychological awareness of his environment that manifests itself as a form of extraordinary perception. This functions as if Spider-Man had blindsight 60 feet, as well as the operative’s evasion and uncanny agility class features and the improved evasion operative exploit. In addition, whenever an opponent attacks Spider-Man or he is required to attempt a Reflex save, he can add +4 to his AC or to his next Reflex save as a reaction even if he isn’t aware of the attack. Spider-Man loses the benefits of this ability while helpless, off-target, paralyzed, or stunned.
Spider Strength (Ex) Spider-Man’s unarmed strikes lose the archaic and nonlethal weapon special properties and gain the grapple, operative, and stun weapon special properties. In addition, Spider-Man gains a +5 bonus to his Strength when determining his encumbrance and carrying capacity.
Venom Blast (Ex) Spider-Man unleashes a blast of electrical energy that can disable foes as a standard action. He makes an unarmed strike against a creature within reach. On a hit, the attack does not deal damage, but the target must attempt a DC 19 Fortitude save. On a failure, the creature is knocked unconscious for 1 minute. Spider-Man must wait 1 minute before using this ability again. 
Web Swinging (Ex) Spider-Man is constantly under the effects of spider climb except he only needs two limbs free to climb. In addition, he can create lines of webbing to move around using his surroundings. This allows him to act as if he had a fly speed of 50 feet (perfect) whenever there is a building, piece of terrain, or other environmental feature higher than him. He cannot go higher than the tallest environmental feature within 100 feet of him.
Web Shooter (Ex) Spider-Man can fire strands of webbings to tie up his foes. His web shooters have a range increment of 60 feet and target KAC. On a hit, the target becomes entangled and is anchored to the ground, unable to move. An entangled creature can attempt to break free with a successful DC 19 Acrobatics or Athletics check. A creature can cut the web by dealing at least 20 points of slashing damage to the webbing.

In an effort to recreate the circumstances that created the original Spider-Man, Oscorp genetically altered a number of spiders. One of these spiders was stolen from the Oscorp labs and made its way into New York City. One day while visiting his uncle Aaron, Miles Morales had a chance encounter with the spider. The spider bit Miles and left him with super human abilities. While Miles was initially hesitant to make use of his newfound powers, life pushed him to realize that truly with great power, comes great responsibility. With the death of the original Spider-Man, Miles stepped up, taking on the mantle of the new Spider-Man. He know uses his powers, many of which are similar to Spider-Man, to help protect New York City. With the help of his best friend Ganke Lee, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and his trusty spidey sense, Miles is a true hero, living up to the name of Spider-Man and his own great potential.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Spider-Man into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Luigi                            Creature 6
NG, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+15, Diplomacy +13, Plumbing Lore +11, Stealth +13
Str +4, Dex +6, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 95

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist+15 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] fireball +15 (range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 fire
Great Jumper When Luigi Leaps, he can move up to 20 feet horizontally or 30 feet vertically. Luigi treats all falls as 60 feet shorter.
Green Missile [three-actions] Luigi charges up with power and then launches himself at a creature within 30 feet, dealing 2d12+10 bludgeoning damage. Luigi also attempts a DC 20 flat check. On a success, he can instead launch himself at a target within 60 feet and the damage he deals is doubled (before determining the degree of success of his target). The target must attempt a DC 21 Reflex save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is pushed back 5 feet.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is back 10 feet and knocked prone.
Power Jump [two-actions] Luigi attempts to jump on the head of a creature within 10 feet. He makes a Strike with a +17 bonus. On a hit, he deals 2d8+9 bludgeoning damage and the creature is knocked prone. Luigi lands in a space adjacent to the target.
Super Jump Punch [three-actions] Luigi leaps up into the air, fist held high. He Leaps up to 20 feet horizontally and 30 feet vertically and makes a fist Strike against a single creature anywhere along his path while he Leaps. If the Strike hits, the creature becomes stunned 1 (or stunned 2 on a critical hit). If the target was flying, the target falls 30 feet.

Mario’s younger twin brother. He’s shy and quiet and overshadowed by his sibling, but he’s actually quite talented. His jumping ability surpasses Mario’s, and his all-around skills let him overcome any problem. He’s a bit cowardly and really afraid of ghosts. He’s teased by Koopas and Goombas alike and is sometimes called “green mustache guy.”  Things are looking up for the eternal understudy, however. He’s even picked up his own rival in Waluigi.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Luigi into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Appa                            Creature 6
N, Huge, Beast
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+18, Survival +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +6, Int –3, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 22; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11; +1 status bonus to all saves vs. air effects
HP 120
Master of Air Appa is a sky bison, one of the first air benders. He gains a +1 status bonus to saves against all air effects. In addition, when he succeeds at a saving throw against an air effect, he gets a critical success instead.

Speed 30 feet, fly 60 feet, swim 30 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +17 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+9 piercing
Melee [one-action] tail+15 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Bellowing Roar [one-action] (auditory, emotion, fear, mental) Appa lets out a loud roar meant to scare off his enemies. Each creature in an 80-foot emanation must attempt a DC 21 Will save. Regardless of the result, creatures are temporarily immune for 1 minute.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is frightened 1.
Failure The creature is frightened 2.
Critical Failure The creature is fleeing for 1 round and frightened 3.
Tail Blast [two-actions] (air, evocation) Appa flaps his tail, producing a strong blast of wind with the effects of gust of wind. Creatures in the area must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save against the effects.

Flying bison are extraordinary creatures capable of manipulating the air around them allowing them to fly. These creatures are rather gentle and typically friendly with humanoids. They become attached to individuals from a young age, particularly aerokineticists as they share the ability to manipulate air. A friendly flying bison is a very powerful ally as it will not only allow itself to be ridden, but will also serve its allies with extreme loyalty. Flying bison tend to form a bond with one particular individual and will go to great lengths to keep that individual safe. An angered flying bison is a force to be reckoned with. Appa is a unique flying bison as he was the partner of Avatar Aang. Appa joined Aang during his journeys to travel the world and master all forms of bending. The sky bison proved to be a loyal ally and invaluable friend during this journey.

That’s it for this week! Please let me if you would like to see more of the Avatar universe’s amalgam creatures. If you end up up introducing flying bison into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Nemesis                           CR 10
XP 9,600
N Large undead
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
hp 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
Defensive Abilities fast healing 10; DR 5/—; Immunities undead immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +22 (2d10+18 B)
Ranged rocket launcher +22 (4d6+10 B & F)
Ranged tentacle +19 (3d6+8 B plus grab and T-Virus)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Offensive Abilities vaulting leap
STATISTICS
Str +8, Dex +3, Con —, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +0
Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics +24, Survival +19
Other Abilities unliving
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Rocket Launcher (Ex) The rocket launcher fires a an explosive rocket. It has a range of 100 feet and targets KAC. It has the analog property. The rocket launcher can only be fired once per round, even when attacking with it as a full action. When it hits a creature, the rocket launcher deals its normal damage to the targeted creature and half of that damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the target as splash damage. A successful DC 17 Reflex save negates the splash damage.
Tentacle (Ex) The Nemesis’s tentacle has a range of 15 feet and targets KAC.
Vaulting Leap (Ex) As a swift action, the Nemesis jumps high into the air and lands safely in a space within 60 feet. Any creatures adjacent to the space must succeed at a DC 17 Reflex save or be knocked prone.

T-Virus
Type disease (injury); Save Fortitude DC 17
Track physical; Frequency 1/day
Effect The victim rises as an occult zombie 24 hours after death. The occult zombie that can transmit the T-Virus disease with its slam attacks.
Cure 3 consecutive saves

The Nemesis T-Type is perhaps the greatest horror created by the Umbrella Corporation. The product of an unholy fusion of a Tyrant and the G-Virus parasite developed by William Birkin, it retains enough intelligence to follow any order, and the particular order it was given was to kill any and all surviving S.T.A.R.S. members, with its main target being Jill Valentine. Nigh-invulnerable and wielding a rocket launcher with ease as well as having several tentacles within its body, the Nemesis is an unrelenting force that stops at nothing to take out its targets. Its bio-engineered nature grants it regenerative abilities and its able to transfer the T-Virus, a vital virus in the creation of the Nemesis, to its targets.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Nemesis into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Doom Slayer                            CR 26
XP 2,457,600
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +13; Perception +42
DEFENSE
hp 750
EAC 44; KAC 46
Fort +26, Ref +26, Will +22
DR 15/—; Immunities mind-affecting effects
OFFENSE
Speed 80 ft.
Melee slam +42 (16d12+42 B)
Ranged ballista +42 (19d8+26 E & F)
Ranged chaingun +42 (14d12+25 P)
Ranged combat shotgun +42 (17d12+26 P)
Ranged flame belch +42 (17d8+26 F)
Ranged plasma rifle +42 (13d10+25 E & F)
Ranged rocket launcher +42 (18d10+26 B & F)
Offensive Abilities BFG 9000, chainsaw, dash, Doomblade
STATISTICS
Str +16, Dex +13, Con +9, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +3
Skills Acrobatics +42, Athletics +47, Survival +41
Languages Common
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ballista (Ex) The ballista fires a single, concentrated shot of superheated plasma. It has a range of 70 feet and targets EAC. It has the analog and sniper (250 ft.) properties. The ballista can only be fired once per round, even when attacking with it as a full action. If it hits a flying creature, the creature must attempt a DC 29 Reflex save or fall 100 feet.
BFG 9000 (Ex) Once per minute as a full actiom, the Doom Slayer can fire his most powerful weapon, the BFG 9000. He targets a creature within 100 feet. The creature must succeed at a DC 31 Reflex save or die, becoming instantly vaporized. On a successful save, the target takes 16d12+30 electricity and fire damage instead. Any creatures in a line between the Doom Slayer and the target are exposed the deadly vaporizing damage of the BFG’s plasma projectile. These creatures take 17d8+26 electricity and fire damage. A successful DC 29 Reflex save halves this damage.
Chaingun (Ex) The chaingun fires multiple slugs in the span of a second capable of suppressing multiple targets at once. It has a range of 60 feet and targets KAC. It has the analog and automatic properties.
Chainsaw (Ex) Once per minute as a full actiom, the Doom Slayer can use his powerful chainsaw to rip and tear through a foe. He makes a melee attack against a creature within reach with a +45 bonus. On a hit, the target takes 21d10+30 slashing damage and must succeed at a DC 31 Fortitude save or die. On a successful save, the creature remains staggered for 1 minute.
Combat Shotgun (Ex) The shotgun fires a spray of pellets, making it an effective weapon at medium and close range. It has a range of 30 feet and targets KAC. It has the analog and blast properties
Dash (Ex) As a swift action, the Doom Slayer leaps up to 15 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Doomblade (Ex) When the Doom Slayer reduces a creature to 0 Hit Points with a melee attack, he uses his armor’s integrated blade to finish off the foe. This finishing move restores 12d12 Hit Points to the Doom Slayer.
Flame Belch (Ex) The flame belch sprays a blast of fire, burning foes. It has a range of 20 feet and targets EAC. It has the analog, blast, and burn (10d10) properties.
Plasma Rifle (Ex) The plasma rifle fires multiple plasma projectiles with a high rate of fire. It has a range of 80 feet and targets EAC. It has the analog and automatic properties.
Rocket Launcher (Ex) The rocket launcher fires a an explosive rocket. It has a range of 100 feet and targets KAC. It has the analog property. The rocket launcher can only be fired once per round, even when attacking with it as a full action. When it hits a creature, the rocket launcher deals its normal damage to the targeted creature and half of that damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the target as splash damage. A successful DC 29 Reflex save negates the splash damage.
Weapon Mastery (Ex) The Doom Slayer can carry a large of arsenal of weapons with him and swap them out on the fly. He does not need an action to stow and draw a weapon, allowing him to use multiple weapons as part of a full action, and his weapons never run out of ammo or need to reload.

The UAC’s most remarkable discovery was in Hell’s Kadingir Sanctum. Surrounded by nearly impassable terrain, the team discovered a sealed tomb—its entrance and walls covered in protective runes and imprisonment incantations. The tomb revealed many artifacts, including the powerful Praetor suit. Most notable, however, was an enormous sarcophagus bound to the center bedrock of the tomb with thick iron bands—seemingly anchored to prevent anything from getting in or out. It was believed this sarcophagus must hold a rare or powerful demon, but when later opened, it revealed the body of a man. This man now dons the Praetor suit and serves as the ultimate killing machine. Unrelenting; unforgiving; driven by a rage that cannot be contained. The Doom Slayer has been to Hell and brought it to its knees. He has no records, and he seems to vanish as quickly as he appears. The few witness accounts available detail a ruthless killer.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Doom Slayer into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Mario                            Creature 6
NG, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics+15, Diplomacy +13, Intimidation +13, Plumbing Lore +11
Str +4, Dex +6, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +11
HP 95

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist+15 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] fireball +15 (range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 fire
FLUDD [three-action] Mario uses the pack on his back to spray a torrent of water. He shoots water in a 30-foot line. All creatures in the line must attempt a DC 21 Reflex save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is pushed back 5.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is pushed back 10 feet and knocked prone.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is back 10 feet, knocked prone, and takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
Great Jumper When Mario Leaps, he can move up to 30 feet horizontally or 20 feet vertically. Mario treats all falls as 60 feet shorter.
Power Jump [two-actions] Mario attempts to jump on the head of a creature within 10 feet. He makes a Strike with a +17 bonus. On a hit, he deals 2d8+9 bludgeoning damage and the creature is knocked prone. Mario lands in a space adjacent to the target.
Super Jump Punch [three-actions] Mario leaps up into the air, fist held high. He Leaps up to 20 feet horizontally and 30 feet vertically and makes a fist Strike against a single creature anywhere along his path while he Leaps. If the Strike hits, the creature becomes stunned 1 (or stunned 2 on a critical hit). If the target was flying, the target falls 30 feet.

Known worldwide as Mr. Nintendo, Mario uses his incredible jumping ability to thwart the evil Bowser time after time. He is a man with a knack for saving the day and a love for cake. While he’s best known as a hero, Mario has played many roles, including racer, doctor, golfer, and villain. His tastes have changed over 35 years of gaming; he long ago swapped the colors of his shirt and overalls.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Mario into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Bowser                            Creature 6
N, Large, Dragon
Perception +14; darkvision
Languages Common
Skills Athletics+18, Diplomacy +13, Intimidation +13, Nobility Lore +11
Str +7, Dex +1, Con +4, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 21; Fort +18, Ref +8, Will +11
HP 120

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +17, Damage 2d12+10 piercing
Melee [one-action] claws +15 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 slashing plus Grab
Constrict [one-action] 2d6+7 bludgeoning, DC 21
Breath Weapon [two-actions] (fire, arcane, evocation); Bowser breathes a blast of flame that deals 7d6 fire damage in a 30-foot cone (DC 24 basic Reflex save). He can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
Koopa Klaw [free-action] Trigger Bowser deals damage with his Constrict. Effect He tosses the creature he has grabbed into a space within 10 feet, ending the grapple. The creature is knocked prone.
Whirling Spin [three-actions] Bowser retreats into his shell and does a dizzying spin, dealing 4d6 piercing damage to all creatures adjacent to him. Each creature must attempt a DC 21 Reflex save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is pushed back 5 feet.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is pushed back 10 feet.

Bowser, also known as King Koopa, is a monstrous creature from a faraway kingdom. He is an enormous creature which resembles a lizard or dragon known as a Koopa. From his personal castle, he plans assaults against the citizens of a neighboring kingdom, the Mushroom Kingdom. On many occasions, Bowser has even kidnapped the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach Toadstool, only to have his plans foiled time and time again. Although he has failed countless times, Bowser remains a formidable creature. He is able to breath flames and throws his foes around with great ease. Rumors hold that Bowser holds within him the power to unleash a monstrous force capable of empowering him to cause great destruction, but few seem to truly believe this to be the case.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Bowser into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Villager                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Athletics+15, Crafting +13, Fishing Lore +9, Flower Lore +9, Fossil Lore +9, Gem Lore +9, Insect Lore +9, Society +13
Str +6, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +0
Pocket [reaction] Trigger The villager is hit, but not critically hit with a ranged Strike. Effect The villager catches the projectile and places it into their pocket. The attack is negated, deals no damage, and has no effect on the villager.

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 95

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist +15 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] net+15 (agile, reach), Damage 2d4+7 bludgeoning plus Grab
Balloon Trip [one-action] The villager produces a set of balloons to lift him up. He temporarily gains a 30-foot fly Speed, Strides, and then loses the fly Speed.
Lloid Rocket [two-actions] The villager produces Lloid and fires him in straight line. Lloid travels in a 60-foot line and collides against the first creature in his way, dealing 4d6 bludgeoning damage (DC 21 basic Reflex save). The villager can choose to spend an additional action when producing Lloid to ride on it, traveling with it as it moves. Riding the Lloid in this way still causes the villager to trigger reactions based on movement.
Timber! [three-actions] The villager plants a tree in his space that instantly grows and he proceeds to chop it down. The tree makes a Strike against all creatures adjacent to the villager as it grows. The tree Strike has a +12 bonus, deals 1d8+5 bludgeoning damage, and does not increase in multiple attack penalty. After the tree has made its Strikes, it falls on one creature adjacent to the villager of the villager’s choosing, dealing 2d8+9 bludgeoning damage. The target must attempt a DC 21 Reflex save.
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target takes half damage.
Failure The target takes full damage and becomes flat-footed until the start of its next turn.
Critical Failure The target takes double damage and is knocked prone.

The villager is the player character from the Animal Crossing series. Villagers come in all shapes and sizes, so they can look however they like. Villagers feel the need to set out on their own and move into town (or into the city or onto a new island). Chatting with neighbors is a given, but there are a ton of other things to do once a villager is living on their own, like collecting furniture, customizing rooms, catching fish and bugs, digging up fossils, etc. A villager may get stung by bees or fall in a pit, but they still have fun.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the villager into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Mr. Freeze                            CR 8
XP 6,400
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Perception +16
DEFENSE
hp 105
EAC 19; KAC 20
Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +11
DR 5/—; Immunities cold
Weaknesses cryosuit, fire
OFFENSE
Speed 25 ft.
Melee slam +15 (1d12+9 B)
Ranged freeze gun +15 (1d10+8 C)
Offensive Abilities freeze beam, ice blast, wall of ice
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +6, Wis +2, Cha +3
Skills Computers +16, Engineering +16, Life Science +21, Physical Science +21
Languages Common
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Cryosuit (Ex) Mr. Freeze’s suit keeps his body at a constant sub-zero temperature, allowing him to survive in most environments. Attacks can target the cryosuit directly to disable this feature. The suit has an EAC of 20, KAC of 22, hardness 5, and 30 HP. If the suit is reduced to 0 HP, Mr. Freeze becomes shaken and stunned for 1d4+2 rounds while the suit reboots. During this time, Mr. Freeze’s EAC, KAC, and DCs for his abilities are also reduced by –2. Once the suit reboots, it is restored to full Hit Points and Mr. Freeze is no longer shaken and stunned.
Freeze Beam (Ex) Mr. Freeze’s gun targets EAC and has a range of 60 feet. If he scores a critical hit with the freeze gun, the target becomes staggered for 1 round as they become covered in rime.
Freeze Gun (Ex) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, Mr. Freeze fires a freezing beam at a creature within 60 feet. The creature must attempt a DC 18 Fortitude save or become paralyzed for 1d4 rounds.
Ice Blast (Ex) As a standard action once every 1d4 rounds, Mr. Freeze fires a blast of ice from his freeze gun in a 30-foot cone. All creatures in the cone take 4d6 cold damage. A creature can attempt a DC 20 Reflex save to take half damage.
Wall of Ice (Ex) As a full action once very 1d4 rounds, Mr. Freeze can create a large ice wall within 60 feet. The wall is 5 feet wide with a height of 10 feet and can be up to 20 feet in length. A 5-foot section of an ice wall has hardness 10 and 20 Hit Points. The wall remains for up to 1 minute.

Victor Fries was a brilliant cryogenicist and former GothCorp. employee whose beloved wife, Nora, was stricken with a fatal degenerative disease. Fries placed Nora in suspended animation while he obsessively searched for a way to cure her, but the corporation that funded his research —and Nora’s life—pulled the plug, and triggered an accident that also transformed Fries. Dr. Fries became an ice-colored monstrosity, the coolants making it impossible for him to survive above freezing temperatures. To counteract this, Victor constructed a special, ultra-durable suit to keep his body alive and at the right temperature. He embraced his new persona and became Mr. Freeze. Mr. Freeze is on a constant quest to bring back his beloved Nora, and he’ll do whatever it takes to succeed. He wields a freeze gun and uses ice and cold to wreak havoc—mostly in Gotham and against Batman, but he’ll turn his chill upon anyone standing in his way.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Mister Freeze into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Diddy Kong                            Creature 5
N, Small, Beast
Perception +12
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +16, Athletics+12
Str +2, Dex +6, Con +3, Int –2, Wis +1, Cha +2

AC 22; Fort +12, Ref +18, Will +9
HP 85

Speed 30 feet, climb 30 ft.
Melee [one-action] fist +13 (agile), Damage 2d6+6 bludgeoning plus Grab
Ranged [one-action] popgun +13 (range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+6 bludgeoning
Constrict [one-action] 1d8+7 bludgeoning, DC 22
Banana Peel [one-action] Diddy Kong produces a banana peel and drops it into an adjacent square without a banana peel. A creature that enters a square with a banana peel risks tripping, based on their Reflex save. Regardless of the result of the check, the banana peel is destroyed.
Critical Success No effect.
Success The creature is flat-footed until the start of its next turn.
Failure The creature falls prone.
Critical Failure The creature falls prone and takes 1d6 bludgeoning damage.
Rocketbarrel Boost [three-actions] Diddy Kong uses his rocket pack to launch himself. He moves in a straight line up to 120 feet in any direction. Diddy Kong collides with any creatures along the way. A creature he collides with takes 1d10 bludgeoning damage and 1d10 fire damage (DC 22 basic Reflex save to reduce all damage). If Diddy Kong flies into the air, he treats the fall as 120 feet shorter. Diddy Kong can’t use Rocketbarrel Boost again for 1d4 rounds.

Diddy Kong is an intelligent monkey that hails from Donkey Kong island. He is best friends with Donkey Kong. Diddy is more energetic than his ape friend and is usually the more adventurous and fun-loving of the two. Diddy is very kind and willing to offer foes a chance to surrender. He is a very fierce fighter when needed, however. Diddy uses his agility on the battlefield to outmaneuver his foes. One of his favored tactics is to leap onto a foe to clobber them. He also makes use of banana peels to create obstructions on the battlefield and his peanut popguns to strike distant foes.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Diddy Kong into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Ahem. Hey, I statted up Donkey Kong for Pathfinder Second Edition so let’s have a look at that!

Donkey Kong                            Creature 6
N, Large, Beast
Perception +14
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics+18
Str +7, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –2, Wis +0, Cha +3

AC 21; Fort +18, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 120

Speed 30 feet, climb 30 ft.
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning plus Grab
Constrict [one-action] 1d12+10 bludgeoning, DC 21
Giant Punch [three-actions] Donkey Kong can deliver a massive punch against a creature within his reach. He makes a fist Strike against a target within reach. On a hit, he deals 4d12+15 bludgeoning damage instead of the normal damage. The target must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save.
Critical Success No further effect.
Success The target is pushed back 5 feet.
Failure The target is pushed back 10 feet.
Critical Failure The target is pushed back 15 feet and knocked prone.
Hand Slap [three-actions] Donkey Kong slaps the ground and causes quakes in the area around him. Donkey Kong deals 4d6 bludgeoning damage to all creatures within 10 feet of him and each creature must attempt a DC 21 Reflex save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is knocked prone.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage and is knocked prone.
Powerful Lift [one-action] Requirements Donkey Kong has a creature grabbed or restrained. Effect Donkey Kong Strides and moves the grabbed creature with him, keeping the grabbed creature within his reach after this movement. This follows the forced movement rules.

Donkey Kong is an intelligent ape from an island that shares his name, Donkey Kong Island. Donkey Kong, or DK as he’s sometimes known, is usually a laid back creature content to relax on his island with his friends and families. However, if he, his friends, or his possessions are ever threatened, DK uses his might to go after his foes, even if it requires him to travel across the land. Drawing the ire of DK is never recommended. In combat, DK is known to toss his enemies aside with his great strength or, sometimes, use his powerful punches to send his enemies flying. When he’s not napping or chasing after his foes, Donkey Kong partakes in parties, plays sports, or even has friendly tussles with his friends.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing DK into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Mega Man                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Construct
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics+13
Str +4, Dex +6, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +1

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +18, Will +11
HP 95; Immunities bleed, disease, death effects, electricity, doomed, drained, fatigued, magic (see below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +15 (agile), Damage 2d4+7 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] mega buster +17 (range 60 feet), Damage 2d6+8 electricity
Ranged [two-actions] crash bomber +17 (range 30 feet), Effect see Crash Bomber
Ranged [one-aciton] leaf blast +15 (range 30 feet), Effect see Leaf Blast
Buster Charge [one-action] Mega Man’s arm cannon builds up energy and stores 1 charge. Mega Man can store up to 3 charges at once. When he makes a mega buster Strike, he consumes the charges as part of the attack. If the attack hits, it deals an additional 1d4 electricity damage for each charge consumed.
Crash Bomber [two-actions] Mega Man fires a small bomb at a creature. If the attack hits, the bomb attaches itself to the creature and detonates at the start of Mega Man’s next turn. When the bomb detonates, it deals 4d6 fire damage to the target it was attached to and to all creatures adjacent to the target. The adjacent creatures can attempt a DC 21 basic Reflex save to reduce this damage. A creature that has a bomb attached to it can remove the bomb with an Interact action and use an Interact action to attach the bomb to an adjacent creature.
Leaf Shield [two-actions] Mega Man generates three mechanical leaves that circle around him. Mega Man gains the effects of mirror image while the leaves are in place, with each leaf functioning as the images.
Leaf Blast [one-action] Requirements Mega Man has a leaf shield in place. Effect Mega Man fires the remaining leaves at a target within 60 feet. On a hit, the leaf shield deals 1d10 slashing damage for each leaf fired. The leaf shield is destroyed, whether or not the attack hit.

Mega Man is a unique robot created by a scientist named Doctor Light. Originally created to be a lab assistant, Mega Man soon took on the duty of facing and defeating rogue robots to defend innocents. Dr. Light equipped Mega Man with the Mega Buster, a powerful energy cannon. Dr. Light also allowed for Mega Man to replicate the abilities of some of the other robots he faced. This unique power allows Mega Man to have an array of different abilities to aid him in different situations.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Mega Man into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Sonic                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid
Perception +14
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics+13
Str +4, Dex +6, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +3

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +18, Will +11
HP 95

Speed 80 feet
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist +15 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Homing Attack [two-actions] (move) Sonic charges up and launch himself at a creature he can see within 80 feet. Sonic moves a distance up to his Speed towards the target, even if the creature is above him or flying. If he ends his movement within melee reach of the target, he can make a melee Strike against that target. Sonic begins to fall after he makes the Strike, if any, and treats the fall as 80 feet shorter.
Spin Dash [three-actions] Sonic builds up speed and then unleashes it in a blindingly fast attack. Sonic Strides three times. These Strides do not trigger reactions. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, he can make a melee Strike against that enemy. On a hit, the enemy is pushed back 5 feet or 10 feet on a critical hit.

Sonic is a free-spirited hedgehog possessing great speed. He hails from the far-off land of Mobius where he acts as a defender for the land’s innocent creatures. A villainous scientist by the name of Ivo Robotnik is a constant threat to the animals of Mobius and Sonic uses his great speed and combat prowess to put an end to the Doctor’s evil deeds. When not fighting off Robotnik’s vile robots, Sonic is a carefree creature, traveling the world to keep himself occupied. Sonic is sometimes overconfident and his ego will occasionally get him in trouble. Luckily, Sonic has a large number of friends who help him in times of need. Sonic’s speed allows him to take on most challenges, but he is known to have difficulty with traversing large bodies of water.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Sonic into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Cthulhu                            Creature 30
Unique, CE, Gargantuan, Aberration, Great Old One
Perception +51; darkvision, true seeing
Languages Aklo, telepathy 300 feet
Skills Acrobatics +49, Arcana +55, Nature +55, Occultism +58, Religion +55
Str +17, Dex +9, Con +13, Int +11, Wis +12, Cha +12
Immortality If Cthulhu is killed, his body immediately fades away into a noxious cloud of otherworldly vapor that fills an area out to the reach of his tentacle Strike. This cloud has the effects of 10th-level cloudkill (basic Fortitude DC 56). Cthulhu returns to life after 2d6 rounds, manifesting from the cloud and restored to life with the critical success effects of a 10th-level resurrect ritual. After returning to life, Cthulhu is slowed 1 for 2d6 rounds (nothing can remove this slowed effect). If slain again while he is slowed from this effect, Cthulhu reverts to vapor form again and his essence fades away after 2d6 rounds, returning to his tomb in R’lyeh until he is released again.

AC 60; Fort +46, Ref +46, Will +51
HP 750; Immunities cold, death effects, mental, paralysis, petrification; Resistances acid 30, electricity 30, fire 30, sonic 30
Frightful Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 300 feet, DC 56; A creature that critically fails its save immediately dies of fright instead of becoming frightened 4; this is a death effect. A creature immune to fear that fails its save against Cthulhu’s unspeakable presence is slowed for 1d6 rounds instead of killed.

Speed 60 feet, fly 100 feet, swim 60 feet
Melee [one-action] tentacle +53 (reach 40 feet), Damage 5d12+32 bludgeoning plus Grab
Melee [one-action] claw +51 (agile, reach 30 feet), Damage 5d10+28 piercing plus Grab
Occult Innate Spells DC 56; 10th dispel magic (at will), dream message (at will), implosion, nightmare (at will), scintillating pattern (x3), sending (at will), summon entity (at will), teleport (at will), weird (x3), wish; Constant (6th) true seeing; (4th) freedom of movement
Cleaving Claws Cthulhu’s claw Strikes target all creatures in a 10-foot square. When making a claw Strike, Cthulhu makes a single attack roll and compares it against the AC of any creatures in the area.
Greater Constrict [one-action] 4d12+26 bludgeoning, DC 56

Known to some as the Dreamer in the Deep, Great Cthulhu is the mightiest of the Great Old Ones. Cthulhu is represented often in artwork—particularly in sculpture, painting, and poetry, for his influence is particularly strong among such sensitive and creative minds. In these eldritch works of art, he is depicted or described as having a vaguely humanoid frame, but with immense draconic wings and an octopus-shaped head. His actual form is somewhat fluid—the Great Old One can shift and reshape his exact countenance as he wills, allowing him to occupy a smaller space than one might expect for a creature that stands over 100 feet tall.
It is fortunate indeed that Cthulhu is currently imprisoned on a distant planet within the sunken city of R’lyeh. There, the Great Old One slumbers away the eons in a state neither quite dead nor living, held in stasis by ancient magic and the potency of the Elder Sign, yet at times the city rises from the sea and the doors to his tomb open, granting Cthulhu limited mobility before he must return to his tomb.

That’s it for this week! If you end up up introducing Cthulhu into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Pikachu                            Creature 6
N, Small, Beast
Perception +14
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics+13
Str +4, Dex +6, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +3

AC 23; Fort +14, Ref +18, Will +11
HP 95; Immunities electricity; Weaknesses vulnerability to rock 5
Vulnerability to Rock Pikachu takes additional damage from rocks and stones. This includes sling stones, attacks from earth creatures, and earth effects.

Speed 40 feet, climb 20 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +17 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 piercing
Ranged [one-action] thundershock +17 (agile, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 electricity
Agility [free-action] Trigger Pikachu moves at least 10 feet. Effect Pikachu becomes a blur of movement. The next attack against them gains partial concealment. A creature that targets them with an attack, spell, or other effect must succeed at a DC 3 flat check or Pikachu is unaffected, as per the rules for standard concealment.
Thunderbolt [three-actions] Pikachu calls down a large lightning strike, dealing 4d6 electricity damage to all creatures adjacent to Pikachu. Each of these creatures attempts a DC 24 Reflex save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage, is pushed back 5 feet, and becomes deafened for 1 round.
Critical Failure The creature takes double damage, is pushed back 10 feet, and becomes deafened for 1 minute.

Pikachu is one of many strange monsters that hails from a faraway land where people and monster work in unison. Pikachu is capable of producing electricity from sacs in its cheeks. Depending on the expertise of the creature, these can produce anywhere from simple sparks to great bolts rivaling lightning. Pikachu tend to be playful and loving and are sometimes even a bit mischievous. Gathering a large number of Pikachu together is usually dangerous as their electricity arcs between each other and can even create great lightning storms. A typical Pikachu stands a little over 1 foot tall and weighs 13 pounds.

That’s it for this week! If you end up up introducing Pikachu into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Reinhardt CR 8
XP 6,400
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Perception +16
DEFENSE
hp 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +10
Defensive Abilities barrier shield, steadfast; DR 5/—
OFFENSE
Speed 25 ft.
Melee rocket hammer +19 (3d4+14 B)
Ranged fire strike +19 (2d8+8 F)
Offensive Abilities charge, earthshatter
STATISTICS
Str +6, Dex +1, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +2
Skills Athletics +22, Diplomacy +16, Survival +16
Languages Common
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Barrier Shield (Ex) Reinhardt can raise a large shield as a standard action. The shield blocks damage for him and all adjacent allies. If an attack targets Reinhardt’s EAC or the EAC of one his adjacent allies while he has the shield raised, the attack automatically hits the shield instead. The shield takes the normal damage of the attack and prevents the original target from being hit by the attack, avoiding all damage and effects. The shield has a total of 150 Hit Points and recovers 20 Hit Points every round. If the shield is reduced to 0 Hit Points or fewer, the shield shatters and becomes unusable for 4 rounds. After this time, the shield is restored with 50 Hit Points at the start of Reinhardt’s turn and begins to recover as normal. Reinhardt can move while raising the shield, but cannot attack at all until he lowers the shield as a swift action.
Charge (Ex) Reinhardt can charge at a foe as a full action. Reinhardt travels 60 feet in a straight line toward a single foe. If Reinhardt reaches the foe, he grabs the creature, dealing 4d6+10 bludgeoning damage, and continues to travel the remainder of the distance. A successful DC 16 Reflex save halves the damage and avoids Reinhardt’s grab. If Reinhardt collides with a solid object such as a wall or other sizable object or another creature, the grabbed creature takes another 2d6 bludgeoning damage. Reinhardt immediately releases the creature after finishing his movement.  Reinhardt must wait 1d4 rounds before using this ability again.
Earthshatter (Ex) Once per day as a full action, Reinhardt can smash his hammer on the ground, creating a shock wave. All creatures in a 30-foot cone take 2d10 bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone. A successful DC 16 Reflex save halves the damage and avoids falling prone.
Fire Strike (Ex)Reinhardt can fire a burst of flame with a range of 60 feet that targets EAC.
Rocket Hammer (Ex) Reinhardt’s hammer arcs in a wide swing, allowing him to attack several creatures with a single attack. Reinhardt makes a single attack roll and compares the result against the KAC of up to 3 different creatures adjacent to him. Reinhardt’s result takes a –4 penalty when compared against the second target of his attack and a –8 penalty when compared to the third target. If Reinhardt’s attack is a critical hit, he only deals the damage and effects of a critical hit against the first target of his attack.
Steadfast (Ex) Reinhardt gains a +4 bonus to saves to resist any abilities that would move him or knock him prone.

Clad in powered armor and swinging his hammer, Reinhardt Wilhelm leads a rocket-propelled charge across the battleground and defends his squadmates with a massive energy barrier. He dons powerful and resilient Crusader Armor that allows him to deal with the hardships of combat and move through the battlefield with the aid of its rocket propulsion. Reinhardt styles himself as a champion of a bygone age, who lives by the knightly codes of valor, justice, and courage. Possessing an “active imagination,” he enjoys eating currywurst, and is a fan of David Hasselhoff’s music.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Reinhardt into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Jigglypuff                            Creature 6
N, Small, Beast
Perception +14
Languages Common (can’t speak any language)
Skills Acrobatics +15, Performance +18
Str +0, Dex +5, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4

AC 21; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +17
HP 70; Resistances bludgeoning 5

Speed 20 feet, fly 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +13 (agile), Damage 2d4+7 bludgeoning
Pound [two-actions] Jigglypuff rushes forward and punches a foe. Jiggplypuff Steps. If they end their movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, they can make a melee Strike against that enemy. On a hit, the creature must succeed at a DC 27 Reflex save or become flat-footed.
Rest [three-actions] Jigglypuff immediately falls asleep, releasing an enormous amount of energy. Jigglypuff selects one adjacent creature, dealing 8d6 damage to the creature. That creature must attempt a DC 27 Fortitude save. Regardless of the creature’s result, Jigglypuff falls asleep. They automatically wake up at the end of their next turn or if they take damage.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes half damage.
Failure The creature takes full damage and is pushed back 5 feet.
Critical Failure The creature takes full damage, is pushed back 10 feet, and falls prone.
Rollout [three-actions] Jigglypuff rolls in a straight line, hitting the nearest target. Jigglypuff Strides up to 40 feet in a straight line, stopping as soon as they reach an enemy. If they stop adjacent to an enemy, Jigglypuff makes a melee Strike against that enemy. Jigglypuff gains a +1 circumstance bonus to the attack and a +2 damage for every 10 feet they traveled as part of the Rollout.
Sing [two-actions] Jigglypuff sings a soothing lullaby. Jigglypuff casts a 4th-level sleep spell (DC 27 Will save) that affects all creatures within 5 feet of Jigglypuff.

This Balloon Pokémon invites its opponents in close with its big, round eyes and then puts them to sleep with a soothing lullaby. It puffs itself up when angry, and while it may look adorable, it’s not to be trifled with; it knows several powerful techniques. It can suck in air and use this to float around on the battlefield.  Unfortunately, as a Balloon Pokémon its body is light, weak, and easy to knock away.

That’s it for this week! If you end up up introducing Jigglypuff into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

The Mandalorian                             CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses blindsight (life) 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +24
DEFENSE
HP 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
DR 5/—
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee punch +22 (2d10+15 bludgeoning) or
Amban taser +22 (2d10+15 electricity)
Ranged blaster pistol +22 (2d10+10 force) or
Amban sniper rifle +22 (4d6+10 electricity)
Offensive Abilities flamethrower, whistling birds
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +3, Int +8, Wis +4, Cha +6
Skills Athletics +19, Piloting +19, Survival +24
Languages Common
Other Abilities jetpack
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Amban sniper rifle (Ex) The Mandalorian’s sniper rifle has a range increment of 80 feet and the sniper (250 feet) property.
Blaster Pistol (Ex) The Mandalorian’s blaster has a range increment of 30 feet and targets EAC.
Flamethrower (Ex) The Mandalorian can spray fire from his vambraces in a 15-foot cone as a standard action. All creatures within the cone take 4d6 fire damage. A successful DC 17 Reflex save halves this damage. The Mandalorian cannot use his flamethrowers again for 1d4 rounds.
Jetpack (Ex) The Mandalorian can activate his jetpack as a swift action. He gains a 60-foot fly speed for 1 round. He must wait 1 minute before he can activate the jetpack again.
Whistling Birds (Ex) Once per day, the Mandalorian can fire a small array of missiles at all creatures within 20 feet as a full action. All creatures within this area take 4d10 fire and piercing damage. A successful DC 17 Reflex save halves this damage.

The Mandalorian was a battle-worn bounty hunter known for his great skill. As a member of the Bounty Hunter’s Guild, the Mandalorian traveled throughout the galaxy seeking quarries. He wears a distinctive beskar armor that is highly resistant to attacks. Although he was known as the Mandalorian or Mando, he ultimately belonged to the Mandalorians, an ancient martial order all bound by common creed and code. In combat, he made use of several weapons and tools, allowing him to adapt to the various situations that he found himself in during his bounties. His great skill and his great adaptability made him a worthy opponent in combat.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Mandalorian into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

This is the way.

We made it to the end! I’ve been going through the original cast of Street Fighter 2 and there are only two left! Last time, I covered the first two of the Kings of Shadaloo and this time we finish things up with Sagat and M. Bison, the final two fighters you face in the arcade mode of the game. Sagat was actually the final fighter in the original Street Fighter and made a perfect gatekeeper for the final boss of SF2. Both of these are powerful fighters, Sagat being the King of Muay Thai and M. Bison being an all powerful dictator with superpowers, and I’m excited to bring them in to PF2E. Let’s have a look!

Sagat                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +18, Muay Thai Lore +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 120

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +19, Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] tiger shot +17 (magical, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 force
Throw [two-actions] Sagat attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Sagat immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage.
Tiger Knee [two-actions] Sagat jumps forward and bashes a foe harshly in the process. Sagat Leaps 5 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally in any direction. He makes a foot Strike against a single creature adjacent to him at any point during this movement. If he Strikes a flying creature, Sagat uses the outcome of one degree of success better than the result of his attack roll.
Tiger Uppercut [two-actions] Sagat leaps up with a powerful uppercut. Sagat makes a fist Strike. On a hit, the fist deals an additional 1d12 bludgeoning damage and the target must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, Sagat becomes stunned 1.
Success No further effect.
Failure The creature takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Critical Failure The creature is knocked prone and takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Sagat is referred to as “The King of Muay Thai.” Sagat won the title as a teenager, and became a national hero in Thailand when he matured. Sagat served as the champion of the first World Warrior tournament and faced Ryu in the final bout of the tournament. During this fight, Ryu tapped into the murderous intent that resided within him and struck Sagat with a powerful shoryuken technique, creating the scar across Sagat’s chest. Consumed with rage after his defeat, Sagat decided to joined the criminal organization Shadaloo, after M. Bison offered him resources to find Ryu and provide Sagat with a rematch.

M. Bison (Dictator)                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +18, Psycho Power Lore +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 130

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +19, Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning
Throw [two-actions] Bison attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Bison immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage.
Double Knee Press [three-actions] Bison jumps forward and bashes a foe harshly in the process. Bison Leaps 5 feet horizontally in any direction. He makes two foot Strikes against a single creature adjacent to him at any point during this movement.  These attacks count toward Bison’s multiple attack penalty, but the multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until after he makes all its attacks. Bison becomes stunned 1.
Head Press [two-actions] Bison leaps up, jumping on a foe’s head. Bison jumps toward a creature within 15 feet and makes a foot Strike. On a hit, the fist deals an additional 1d12 bludgeoning damage and the target must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save. Bison then lands safely in a space adjacent to the target. Regardless of the result, Bison becomes stunned 1.
Success No further effect.
Failure The creature becomes stunned 1.
Critical Failure The creature becomes stunned 2.
Psycho Crusher [three-actions] Bison uses his psycho power to propel himself forward and attack his enemies. Bison flies in a 15-foot line, flying through enemies in his path without triggering reactions based on movement. All creatures in the line take 6d6 damage (DC 21 basic Reflex). Creatures that critically fail this save are also knocked prone. Bison becomes stunned 1.

M. Bison is the leader and creator of Shadaloo, an elusive criminal and military organization. Bison has been working on a lethal, mysterious energy that greatly increases his fighting ability, what he refers to as “Psycho Power.” He is ruthless in combat and uses his Psycho Power to crush his enemies. Bison hopes to use his might and the might of Shadaloo to achieve his ultimate goal: world domination.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Sagat and M. Bison into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Welcome back! After facing off the eight World Warriors, it turns out there are still some fighters to face. Known as the Four Kings of Shadaloo, these are the serious bad guys of Street Fighter II and are actually characters that no one could play initially. We’re going to take a look at these final four before wrapping things up with Street Fighter for the year. This time around, we start with the hotshot boxer Balrog and the handsome Spanish ninja Vega (or M. Bison and Balrog respectively, depending on where you’re from). Let’s have a look!

Balrog (Boxer)                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +18, Boxing Lore +13, Gambling Lore +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +3, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 120

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +19, Damage 2d10+9 bludgeoning
Throw [two-actions] Balrog attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Balrog immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage.
Buffalo Headbutt [two-actions] Balrog rushes forward with a dizzying headbutt. He Steps. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one creature, he can make a melee Strike against that enemy. Reduce the damage size for this Strike. The creature is knocked prone a hit.
Dash Punch [two-actions] Balrog Strides twice. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one creature, he can make a melee Strike against that enemy.
Turn Punch [three-actions] Balrog Strides. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one creature, he can make a melee Strike against that enemy. Increase the damage dice size for this Strike. Balrog becomes stunned 1.

Balrog was once a great boxing champion and prize fighter. He was banned from boxing for permanently injuring his opponents (as well as for his illegal maneuvers, particularly his headbutt), so he joined the Shadoloo criminal organization, and worked his way up from the bottom, eventually becoming Bison’s enforcer. While running errands for M. Bison, he killed Dhalsim’s elephant with a single Gigaton Punch. He is a notorious gambler and puts his love of money ahead of most other things in his life.

Vega (Claw)                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics +15, Bullfighting Lore +13
Str +4, Dex +7, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +5

AC 24; Fort +14, Ref +17, Will +12
HP 110
Backflip [reaction] Trigger Vega is hit with an attack and he is aware of the attacker. Effect Vega attempts a Reflex save against the creature’s attack DC. On a success, Vega takes only half of the damage from the attack and Steps away from the attacker. On a critical success, he takes no damage.

Speed 30 feet, climb 10 feet.
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] claw +19, Damage 2d12+10 slashing
Throw [two-actions] Vega attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Vega immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage.
Flying Barcelona Attack [three-actions] Requirements Vega is adjacent to a climbable surface. Effect Vega Climbs twice up a nearby fence, wall, or other suitable surface. He then jumps out from the surface, landing in a space within 15 feet. Vega does not take damage from the fall in this way. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one creature, he can make a claw Strike against that enemy. The claw deals an additional 1d6 bleed damage on a hit. Vega becomes stunned 1.
Rolling Crystal Flash [three-actions] Vega tumbles forward and Strides twice. This movement does not trigger reactions. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one creature, he can make a melee Strike against that enemy. Vega becomes stunned 1.
Scarlet Terror [two-actions] Vega makes a leaping backflip and bashes a foe harshly in the process. Vega Leaps 5 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally in any direction. He makes a Strike against a single creature adjacent to him at any point during this movement. If he Strikes a flying creature, Vega uses the outcome of one degree of success better than the result of his attack roll.

Vega was born to a privileged Catalonian family in Spain. For reasons undisclosed, their status dwindled, causing Vega’s mother to remarry for financial security. As he matured, Vega studied bullfighting, a cultural tradition. Afterward, he went to Japan and learned ninjutsu, a style he believed meshed well with his natural grace and agility. Combining bullfighting with ninjutsu, Vega went into an underground cage fighting circuit, and quickly became one of the best. His stepfather murdered his mother because he felt she did not respect him, and Vega killed him in return. The incident warped his mind, and he developed a dual personality: honorable nobleman by day, sadistic murderer by night. Due to Vega’s superb fighting ability and remorseless nature, the criminal leader known as M. Bison instated Vega as one of his three personal grand master bodyguards in the Shadoloo organization. Ever the narcissist, Vega takes to wearing a mask to protect his beautiful face during fights. Any attempts that could harm his beauty are met with swift and deadly retribution.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Balrog and Vega into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Hello again! I’ve been doing a bit of travelling in the past few weeks, first for Thanksgiving holiday and now to work the Paizo booth at PAX Unplugged. All of this traveling helps me relate with all of the traveling the various World Warriors would get up to for their various fights in Street Fighter. Luckily, I will be done with my travels soon and just like me, these World Warriors are done, too. We’re down to the final two (playable) characters in the original release of Street Fighter II, Guile and Dhalsim. Let’s check them out!

Guile                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +18, Military Lore +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +2

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 120

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +19, Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] sonic boom +17 (magical, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 force
Judo Throw [two-actions] Guile attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Guile immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage. Guile can attempt a High Jump immediately followed by a Judo Throw as a three-action activity, allowing him to creatures higher than him. He takes no damage from falling if he succeeds his attempt to Grapple as part of this activity.
Flash Kick [three-actions] Guile makes a leaping backflip and kicks a foe harshly in the process. Guile Leaps 5 feet vertically and 5 feet horizontally in any direction. He makes a foot Strike against a single creature adjacent to him at any point during this movement. If he Strikes a flying creature, Guile uses the outcome of one degree of success better than the result of his attack roll.

Guile is a member of the United States Air Force. Under the tutelage of his superior officer, Charlie Nash, Guile learned a unique set of combat techniques. It was these techniques that Guile used to combat the criminal organization Shadaloo. It was Shadaloo that caused the death of Nash and Guile sought revenge for his friend’s life. Guile entered the World Warrior tournament and worked alongside some of the other combatants, such as Chun Li to take down the organization’s leader. Outside of combat, Guile is a calm, tough man with a great love for his family.

Dhalsim                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +13, Yoga Lore +18
Str +2, Dex +6, Con +2, Int +3, Wis +7, Cha +3

AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +17
HP 100

Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +17 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +17 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] yoga fire +17 (magical, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 fire
Throw [two-actions] Dhalsim attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Dhalsim immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage.
Yoga Flame [two-actions] (fire) Dhalsim breathes out a great spout of flame in a 10-foot line. Creatures in the line takes 4d6 fire damage (DC 27 basic Reflex save). On a critical failure, a creature also takes 1d6 persistent fire damage.
Yoga Teleport [one-action] (concentrate, conjuration, teleportation) Dhalsim instantly teleports with the effects of dimension door, except that he can only travel up to 30 feet.

Dhalsim is one of the great masters of the mysterious “Yoga” fighting style. This style allows him to stretch his body to unimaginable lengths and even create gouts of flame from within his own body. Dhalsim is a stoic and humble individual with a mastery of self-discipline. He is a pacifist, however, and Dhalsim avoids killing any foe faces, even those who are truly evil. Instead, Dhalsim attempts to remain an altruistic man, uses his great skill to help others such as when he entered the World Warrior tournament to raise money for his village. He knows that using his power to harm could cause him to become evil and is constantly at odds with his pacifist beliefs and his great fighting skill. Thankfully, he has the help of his family to keep him on the better path.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Guile and Dhalsim into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Hello! It was Thanksgiving in the US and I’m guessing a lot of you fine readers enjoyed a great amount of food. What better way to burn off the extra calories than by running out into the streets to fight? (Please don’t get into fights, this is merely a goof.) I’m continuing my Street Fighter series by statting up Blanka (well, in a way, I’m converting him from his 1E incarnation) and the Red Cyclone himself, Zangief! Let’s have a look!

Blanka                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14; darkvision
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +18, Jungle Lore +13
Str +6, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +0

AC 23; Fort +15 Ref +17, Will +14
HP 120; Resistances electricity 5

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +17 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Bestial Grab [two-actions] Blanka attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Blanka immediately deals his Constrict damage and the target can’t attempt a Fortitude save to reduce the damage.
Constrict [one-action] 2d10+8 bludgeoning, DC 22
Electric Thunder [one-action] to [three-actions] Blanka hunkers down and produces a great amount of electricity. Blanka deals 1d4 electricity damage to all adjacent creatures. For each additional action he uses as part of Electric Thunder, the damage increases by 1d4. A successful DC 22 basic Reflex save can halve this damage.
Rolling Attack [three-actions] Blanka curls up into a ball and launches himself at a creature within 20 feet. The creature takes 4d12 bludgeoning damage (DC 22 basic Reflex save). If Blanka launched himself at a creature in the air with this attack, he reduces the distance of his fall by 15 feet. Blanka becomes stunned 1.

Blanka was originally a boy named Jimmy that found himself involved in a plane crash in the Amazon rainforest. Jimmy survived the crash and mutated after exposure to a swarm of electric eels. This mutation caused his skin to become green and gave him the amazing ability to generate electricity. After surviving for years on his own, he eventually returned to civilization and learned to speak. He has since reunited with his mother and even entered worldwide fighting tournaments to prove his skill and impress his mother. Fighting under the name Blanka, he uses his amazing abilities and skills gained in the wilderness to hold his own against some of the greatest warriors in the world.

Zangief                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +18, Pro Wrestling Lore +15
Str +7, Dex +0, Con +7, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +4

AC 21; Fort +18, Ref +11, Will +14
HP 160
Attack of Opportunity [reaction] Zangief gains an additional reaction at the beginning of every enemy’s turn that he can only use on that turn to either use for an Attack of Opportunity or a Banishing Flat.
Banishing Flat [reaction] Trigger Zangief is hit with a ranged attack and he is aware of the attacker. Effect Zangief reduces the damage by 10 and Strides up to half his speed.

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +17 (agile), Damage 2d8+8 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d12+9 bludgeoning
Constrict [one-action] 2d12+9 bludgeoning, DC 24
Charging Grapple [two-actions] Zangief charges at an opponent in hopes of grabbing them. Zangief Strides twice. If he ends his movement within melee reach of at least one creature, he can attempt to Grapple the creature. He rolls twice and takes the better result when attempting to Grapple in this way. This is a fortune effect.
Double Lariat [two-actions] Zangief spins with both of his arms out. He makes a fist Strike against all adjacent enemies. Zangief’s multiple attack penalty doesn’t increase until he has made all the fist Strikes that are part of the Double Lariat. Zangief becomes stunned 1.
Spinning Pile Driver [three-actions] Zangief attempts to Grapple an adjacent creature. If the Grapple is successful, Zangief leaps into the air with his target and slams them on the ground. The grapple immediately ends. The creature takes 4d12+14 damage (DC 24 basic Fortitude save) and is knocked prone. A successful save prevents the creature from being knocked prone. Regardless of the result of the save, Zangief becomes stunned 1.

Zangief is a pro wrestler hailing from Russia. He wrestles under the moniker of the Red Cyclone and has become a Russian national hero. He was tasked by the President of the then U.S.S.R, Mikhail Gorbachev, to investigate the criminal organization Shadoloo. The organization’s corruption had begun to seep into Mother Russia and it was up to Zangief to combat Shadoloo’s wicked ways. During his journey, Zangief encountered other great warriors and even befriended the likes of E. Honda and the up and coming wrestler, Rainbow Mika. Zangief made his country proud with his efforts at showing that the Russian spirit can overcome all obstacles. When not fighting on behalf of Russia or celebrating with his President, Zangief is typically training to maintain his physique. He is particularly fond of wrestling bears, which is the cause for his various scars.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Blanka and Zangief into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Hey there! I’m continuing my playthrough of Street Fighter 2 this week. Last time we covered the classic fighters Ryu and Ken. The next two on the list are our characters from east Asia, the first lady of fighting Chun Li and the greatest sumo in the world E. Honda! Let’s a have a look at these fighters!

Chun Li                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics +15, Legal Lore +13, Martial Arts Lore +13
Str +4, Dex +7, Con +2, Int +3, Wis +4, Cha +3

AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14
HP 100

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +17 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] kikoken +17 (magical, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 force
Throw [two-actions] Chun Li attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Chun Li immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage.
Lightning Kick [one-action] to [three-actions] Chun Li makes a dizzying amount of kicks. Chun Li deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage to all adjacent creatures. For each additional action she uses as part of Lightning Kick, the damage increases by 1d4. A successful DC 22 basic Reflex save can halve this damage.
Spinning Bird Kick [three-actions] Chun Li spins through the air, kicking opponents in her path. Chun Li Strides up to 30 feet. During this movement, Chun Li can make a foot Strike against any creature that is within reach as soon as they are in reach, including creatures adjacent to Chun Li at the start and end of the movement. Making a Strike in this way does not stop Chun Li ‘s movement. Chun Li becomes stunned 1.

Trained as a fighter from a young age, Chun Li eventually went on to become a police officer. Her time as a detective soon earned her a position among the ranks of Interpol where she used both her fighting and investigative skills to combat the deadly criminal organization known as Shadoloo. It’s through these investigations that she learned of Shadoloo’s involvement in the disappearance and subsequent death of her father. Since then, Chun Li has commited herself to bringing an end to the organization and bringing peace to her father’s legacy. Chun Li is a highly disciplined and courageous woman with a great sense of justice and a kind heart. Outside of combat, she is an elegant and sweet person.

E. Honda                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +18, Athletics +15, Martial Arts Lore +13, Sumo Lore +13
Str +4, Dex +1, Con +7, Int +3, Wis +3, Cha +2

AC 22; Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +14
HP 130

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +17 (agile), Damage 2d6+8 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +17, Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Oicho Throw [two-actions] E. Honda attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, E. Honda immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage. On a critical success, the creature also becomes stunned 1.
Flying Headbutt [three-actions] E. Honda flies through the air to headbutt an opponent. E. Honda Strides in a straight line, ignoring any difficult terrain or greater difficult terrain. At the end of the movement, E. Honda can make a Strike. A creature hit by this Strike must attempt a DC 22 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, E. Honda becomes stunned 1.
Success No further effect.
Failure The creature is pushed away 5 feet.
Critical Failure The creature is knocked prone and is pushed away 5 feet.
Flying Sumo Slam [two-actions] E. Honda leaps into the air and slams down on a foe. E. Honda makes a Strike. On a success, the creature is knocked prone. On a critical success, the creature also becomes stunned 1. E. Honda becomes stunned 1.
Hundred Hand Slap [one-action] to [three-actions] E. Honda makes a dizzying amount of palm strikes. E. Honda deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage to all adjacent creatures. For each additional action he uses as part of Hundred Hand Slap, the damage increases by 1d4. A successful DC 22 basic Reflex save can halve this damage.

Edmond Honda is a great sumo wrestler who takes pride in his sport. His love of sumo was so great that he even entered the international World Warrior tournament to prove the might of sumo and showcase the sport for the entire world. The tournament also served as an opportunity for Honda to improve his own technique. Honda is a kind and honorable man who is welcoming to those he respects. In addition to his prowess as a sumo wrestler, Honda is also the owner of a bath house which he uses regularly to relax between training sessions.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Chun Li and E. Honda into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Street Fighter is one of my favorite video game series of all time. I think Street Fighter 2 is one of the most influential games in my life alongside Majora’s Mask. Now that I have a chance to properly stat up the characters from the series, I think it’s time to do so! This time around, I’m statting up the two classic World Warriors, Ryu and Ken. Let’s do it!

Ryu                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +18, Martial Arts Lore +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +0

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 120
Parry [reaction] Trigger Ryu is hit with an attack and he is aware of the attacker. Effect Ryu attempts a Reflex save against the creature’s attack DC. On a success, Ryu takes only half of the damage from the attack. On a critical success, he takes no damage.

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +19, Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] hadouken +17 (magical, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 force
Rolling Throw [two-actions] Ryu attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Ryu immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage.
Shakunetsu Hadouken [two-actions] Ryu charges a powerful version of his hadouken, imbuing it with greater energy. Ryu uses a hadouken Strike. On a hit, the hadouken deals an additional 1d8 fire damage.
Shoryuken [two-actions] Ryu leaps up with a powerful uppercut. Ryu makes a fist Strike. On a hit, the fist deals an additional 1d12 bludgeoning damage and the target must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, Ryu becomes stunned 1.
Success No further effect.
Failure The creature takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Critical Failure The creature is knocked prone and takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Tatsumaki Senpukyaku [three-actions] Ryu spins through the air, kicking opponents in his path. Ryu Strides up to 20 feet. During this movement, Ryu can make a foot Strike against any creature that is within reach as soon as they are in reach, including creatures adjacent to Ryu at the start and end of the movement. Making a Strike in this way does not stop Ryu’s movement. Ryu becomes stunned 1.

Ryu is a highly talented martial artist who trained under Shotokan master Gouken. During his time in training, Ryu met Ken Masters and the two grew to have a long-lasting friendship as they trained together. Eventually, Ryu took to traveling the world in hopes of learning more as a martial artists and pushing his own skills to their limits. Ryu is constantly in search of the next great fight, but Ryu remains a humble warrior, always willing to learn and improve.

Ken                            Creature 6
N, Medium, Humanoid, Human
Perception +14
Languages Common
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +18, Martial Arts Lore +13
Str +7, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4

AC 23; Fort +17, Ref +14, Will +11
HP 120
Parry [reaction] Trigger Ken is hit with an attack and he is aware of the attacker. Effect Ken attempts a Reflex save against the creature’s attack DC. On a success, Ken takes only half of the damage from the attack. On a critical success, he takes no damage.

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +19 (agile), Damage 2d8+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] foot +19, Damage 2d12+10 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] hadouken +17 (magical, range 30 feet), Damage 2d6+8 force
Rolling Throw [two-actions] Ken attempts an Athletics check to Grapple a creature. On a success, Ken immediately throws the creature into a space within 10 feet. The creature does not become grabbed and takes 3d12 bludgeoning damage.
Shoryuken [two-actions] Ken leaps up with a powerful uppercut. Ken makes a fist Strike. On a hit, the fist deals an additional 1d6 fire damage and 1d4 persistent fire damage. The target must attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save. Regardless of the result, Ken becomes stunned 1.
Success No further effect.
Failure The creature takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Critical Failure The creature is knocked prone and takes a –1 circumstance penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Tatsumaki Senpukyaku [three-actions] Ken spins through the air, kicking opponents in his path. Ken Strides up to 30 feet. During this movement, Ken can make a foot Strike against any creature that is within reach as soon as they are in reach, including creatures adjacent to Ken at the start and end of the movement. Making a Strike in this way does not stop Ken’s movement. Ken becomes stunned 1.

Ken Masters is the son of an oil tycoon and grew up enjoying the life that came with wealth. In order to instill a sense of discipline in his son, Ken’s father shipped him out to Japan to study under Gouken. After years of training, Ken finally learned humility and became a better person as a result. Once Ryu set off into the world, Ken returned home and eventually meeting his future wife Eliza. Ken has since become a successful businessman in his own right, but continued his training. Compared to Ryu, Ken is a far more brash and far less reserved, but he remains a humble man. On the rare occasion that Ryu and Ken cross paths again, the two take to sparring to push themselves to be the greatest fighters they can be.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Ryu and Ken into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Pharah                 CR 8
XP 6,400
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Perception +16
DEFENSE
hp 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +10, Ref +12, Will +7
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (Ex, perfect)
Melee slam +19 (3d4+10 B)
Ranged rocket launcher +19 (3d6+8 B & F)
Offensive Abilities concussive blast, jump jet, rocket barrage
STATISTICS
Str +2, Dex +6, Con +4, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +2
Skills Acrobatics +22, Engineering +16, Piloting +16
Languages Common
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Concussive Blast (Ex) Pharah fires a small rocket at a grid intersection within 100 feet as a swift action. Creatures within 10 feet of the intersection are pushed 10 feet away from the intersection. Pharah must wait 1d4 rounds before using this ability again.
Jump Jet (Ex) Pharah can use her jets to launch her 40 feet straight up as a swift action. Pharah must wait 1d4 rounds before using this ability again.
Rocket Barrage (Ex) Once per day as a full action, Pharah can unleash a volley of small rockets. She fires the volley in a 30-foot cone. All creatures in the cone take 20d6 bludgeoning and fire damage. This damage decreases to 10d6 for creatures at least 10 feet away from Pharah and down to 5d6 for creatures at least 20 feet away from Pharah. Regardless of distance, a successful DC 16 Reflex halves the damage,
Rocket Launcher (Ex) Pharah’s rocket launcher has a range of 100 feet. All creatures adjacent to a target hit by a rocket must succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude or be knocked back 5 feet. Regardless of whether they are knocked back or not, adjacent creatures also take 8 points of fire damage.

As a child, Fareeha Amari dreamed of following in her mother’s footsteps and joining the global peacekeeping force, Overwatch. She enlisted in the Egyptian army, and her dogged persistence and tactical prowess caused her to rise up through the officer ranks. She was a courageous leader and earned the loyalty of all who served under her. With her exemplary record, Fareeha was well placed to join the ranks of Overwatch, but before she had that opportunity, Overwatch was disbanded.

After leaving the army with a commendation for distinguished service, she was offered employment with Helix Security International, a private security firm contracted to defend the artificial intelligence research facility beneath the Giza Plateau. The top-secret facility was touted as vital to the safety of not only the region but countries across the globe. Fareeha gladly accepted the choice assignment and received training in the Raptora Mark VI, an experimental combat suit designed for rapid mobility and devastating firepower.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Pharah into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Catrina                            Creature 5
N, Medium, Monitor, Psychopomp
Perception +15; darkvision, lifesense 60 feet
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Requian; tongues, telepathy 100 ft.
Skills Diplomacy +13, Boneyard Lore +12, Medicine +10, Occultism +12, Stealth +12
Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4, Int +3, Wis +4, Cha +5
Lifesense (divination, divine) A psychopomp senses the vital essence of living and undead creatures within the listed range.

AC 19; Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +15; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 60; Immunities death effects, disease; Resistances negative 5, poison 5
Calm Emotions Aura (aura, emotion, enchantment, incapacitation, mental) 30 feet. The catrina emanates a calming aura. Creatures within the aura must save against the effects of a 2nd-level calm emotions (Will DC 22). Whether or not a creature fails its save, it becomes temporarily immune to the aura for 1 hour.

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] fist+11, Damage 2d4+6 bludgeoning and Grab
Divine Innate Spells DC 22; 6th teleport (self only); 5th illusory scene; 4th talking corpse (at will); 2nd invisibility (at will; self only); Cantrips (6th) dancing lights
Compel Condemned [two-actions] (enchantment, incapacitation, mental) The catrina casts 6th-level dominate (Will DC 22). The catrina can only command an affected creature to approach and kiss her. This action is not considered to be self-destructive. Any damage taken by the target (other than damage the catrina deals) immediately ends this effect. Whether or not a creature fails its save, it becomes temporarily immune to Compel Condemned for 24 hours.
Kiss of Death [two-actions] (death effect) The catrina kisses a grabbed or willing creature. The creature takes 4d6 damage (DC 22 basic Fortitude save). Any creature damaged by the same catrina’s kiss for three consecutive rounds instantly dies, regardless of how many hit points it has remaining.

Catrinas welcome the dead into the afterlife, doing what they can to lessen the shock and terror experienced by mortals who haven’t accepted their own deaths or who still grieve for themselves. Eschewing the funereal themes and colors preferred by most other psychopomps, catrinas dress in festive shades, surrounding themselves with light and color to dispel a measure of death’s gloom. However, they don’t disguise their skeletal bodies, for despite any gilding they might put on the moment, they don’t seek to disguise the finality of death.

A catrina’s motivation for easing the transition from life to death has more to do with making the soul’s progression calm than compassion for the soul—after all, screaming and outrage disrupts the processing of the dead. Catrinas rarely ever visit the Material Plane, but when they do so it’s typically at the command of a more powerful psychopomp or deity of death who seeks to ease the passing of a mortal of singular importance—such as a high-ranking priest of a death goddess. In such instances they serve as companions and ushers into the realm of the dead, not executioners. However, they’re capable of serving in both capacities, especially if misguided mortals try to keep them from their duty, using their deadly but painless kisses to end a life in an instant.

Catrinas always appear as festively dressed skeletons—usually in women’s garb but sometimes in colorful men’s formal wear, and usually decorated with or carrying f lowers. They do not have true genders, but an individual catrina may have a more masculine or feminine voice and personality. They typically stand between 5 and 6 feet tall and weigh about 20 to 30 pounds.

Calaca                            Creature 9
N, Medium, Monitor, Psychopomp
Perception +18; darkvision, lifesense 60 feet
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Requian; tongues
Skills Deception +19, Diplomacy +20, Intimidation +19, Occultism +16, Performance +21
Str +3, Dex +5, Con +4, Int +3, Wis +5, Cha +6
Lifesense (divination, divine) A psychopomp senses the vital essence of living and undead creatures within the listed range.

AC 26; Fort +15, Ref +20, Will +21
HP 145; Immunities death effects, disease; Resistances negative 10, poison 10

Speed 30 feet
Melee [one-action] guitar +19, Damage 2d6+9 bludgeoning
Melee [one-action] fist+19, Damage 2d4+5 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] pistol +19 (range increment 60 feet, reload 2), Damage 2d10+13 bludgeoning
Divine Innate Spells DC 25; 8th uncontrollable dance, 6th heroism, modify memory, teleport (self only); 2nd invisibility (at will; self only)
Occult Spontaneous Spells DC 25; Cantrips (8th) allegro, dirge of doom, inspire competence, inspire courage, inspire defense, triple time
Antique Weapon Each calaca carries a single antique weapon, typically a pistol. Only the calaca knows how to use its antique weapon properly and does not work for any creature other than the calaca.
Show Stopper [two-actions] (auditory, enchantment, incapacitation, mental, sonic) The calaca smashes its guitar, creating a deafening boom of sound. All creatures within 30 feet must attempt a DC 25 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is deafened for 1 minute and stunned 1.
Failure The creature is deafened for 10 minutes and paralyzed for 1 round.
Critical Failure The creature is deafened permanently and paralyzed for 4 rounds. At the end of each of its turns, it can attempt a new Will save to reduce the remaining duration by 1 round, or end it entirely on a critical success.
Smashing the guitar destroys it. Without the guitar, the calaca cannot use any of its occult spells. A calaca who returns to the Boneyard for 24 consecutive hours acquires a new guitar to replace the one that it has destroyed.

Calacas are unusual psychopomps in that their purview is not the dead, but the survivors who must carry on in the dead’s absence. A calaca’s purpose is to abate the sorrow of family members and loved ones of the recently departed. It accomplishes this by way of soothing wisdom and its celebration of the deceased’s life through song. Although mortals who know calacas’ true nature may think them simply magnanimous spirits, these psychopomps have a very pragmatic reason for soothing the aggrieved, which is to dissuade any with the know-how or desire from attempting to raise the dead using necromancy or other foul means.

In order to mingle with mortals without alerting them to its nature, a calaca disguises itself from head to toe in local finery, wearing gloves and colorful masks to hide its true nature. Beneath its facade, a calaca resembles a large skeleton, its bones a somber gray. A typical calaca stands around 6 feet tall and weighs only 40 pounds.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing these psychopomps into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Robot, Annihilator                            CR 16
XP 76,800
N Gargantuan construct (technological)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +28
DEFENSE
hp 200, force field (100 hp, fast healing 20)
EAC 30; KAC 32
Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +12
Defensive Abilities hardness 10; Immunities cold, construct immunities; Resistances electricity 15, fire 15
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.; booster jets (fly 60 ft. [Ex, poor])
Melee claw +31 (6d10+26 S)
Ranged chain guns +31 (6d10+16 P)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Offensive Abilities plasma lance, suppressing fire
STATISTICS
Str +10, Dex +7, Con —, Int +2, Wis +1, Cha –5
Skills Acrobatics +28, Athletics +33, Intimidate +28
Languages Common
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Booster Jets (Ex) As a swift action, the annihilator robot gains a fly speed for 1 minute. It can use this ability up to 10 times per hour.
Chain Guns (Ex) The annihilator robot’s integrated firearms have a range increment of 200 feet. These weapons can’t be disarmed.
Force Field (Ex) The annihilator robot’s force field functions much like a standard force field, except it remains inactive for 24 hours when reduced to 0.
Plasma Lance (Ex) The annihilator robot can fire a 120-foot long line of plasma from its tail as a standard action. Creatures in the area take 20d6 electricity and fire damage. A successful DC 22 Reflex save halves this damage. The annihilator robot cannot use the plasma lance again for 1d4 rounds.
Suppressing Fire (Ex) The annihilator robot fires a large spray of fire in a 100-foot cone as a full action. It makes a single attack roll with its chain guns and compares it against the AC of all creatures within the cone. Creatures who are hit take 6d6+13 piercing damage.

The enormous and formidable annihilator robots roam old ruins and wastelands, ridding them of all life and civilization. They smash structures, slaughter creatures both sentient and bestial, and scorch plant life to ashes. When rampaging, an annihilator indiscriminately destroys rather than following the meticulous approach many other robots take with their work. Despite the destruction they wreak, annihilators often gather up those who survive their assaults, collecting the dying and unconscious from battlefields and bringing them to a set location. Their purpose for keeping these battered still-living prisoners is unknown.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the annihilator robot into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

I want to talk about the process for the conversion much like Ryan did last time. I think it can be helpful to see the steps of the conversion and understand the reasoning for the choices made.

First off, I needed to find a level 9 creature that worked as a good starting point. Luckily for me, the roc is a level 9 creature that covers so much of what we need. In fact, the roc was such a good starting point that I got to use most of what it had with very little change. I kept the same base stats (AC, saves, attack bonuses, etc.) and worked on providing the abilities that make the yrthak what it is.

More than it’s attacks, I think the yrthak’s blindness helps make it distinct. Very few creatures work with such specific senses as echolocation and the yrthak relies on it almost entirely. It was easy enough to snag the echolocation mechanics from the giant bat and bat swarm, but I needed to explain its blindness as well. The 1E yrthak’s blindness granted it immunity to illusions and gaze attacks and the like. While I could have added an immunity that called out illusions and gaze attacks, 2E’s trait system made it easier to cover those and any other similar effects that I felt would be covered by the blindness. I just stated it was immune to visual effects, that is, all effects with the visual trait. Suddenly, I can be sure that the yrthak is immune to effects that would be logical without having to anticipate or future-proof it in the ability. The trait does all the heavy lifting for me.

The yrtahk does have two unique attacks: its sonic lance and explosion. Sonic lance was originally limited to once per round, but I eased up on the restriction and just made it the standard ranged Strike for the yrthak. I didn’t even need to mess with the damage, because I just converted roc’s wing attack into the sonic lance. By doing it this way, I know that the damage value is in a good spot. The explosion needed a bit more bite, however. It originally dealt 2d6 piercing damage to nearby creatures, but required a standard action. Even if you catch a lot of creatures, it felt kind of weak, especially for a CR 9 creature. Instead, I chose to make it more potent in the damage department, increasing it by quite a bit, but limiting its repeated use, much like a dragon’s breath weapon. I also chose to make it a basic Reflex save to make it as simple as possible. Unfortunately, the roc had no DC as part of its stats, so I had to go find one. Rather than use the standard DCs in the GM chapter, I looked at a different level 9 monster. The nessian warhound proved the perfect candidate, as it had a breath weapon that served much of the same purpose. I snagged the DC and the damage value and I was good to go!

I considered coming up with more abilities for the yrthak to follow in the 2E tradition of interesting and memorable abilities, but I felt that it had enough to work with. It has a unique sense that can be beaten with the right condition and it has a big memorable attack in the form of its Explosion. There’s something to be said about the simplicity at play here. All that was left to do is follow Ryan’s lead an snag the yrthak lore form 1E to explain the yrthak. I think after getting this done, I grew an appreciation for the yrthak and I hope you decide to make use of it in your game.

I’ll be taking a short break for the next two weeks during our Guest-tober block, but I will return with more monsters for you soon! If you have any requests for more 2E conversions or Starfinder monsters, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Yrthak                            Creature 9
N, Huge, Beast
Perception +18; echolocation (precise) 120 feet
Skills Acrobatics +15, Athletics +21
Str +8, Dex +2, Con +5, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha +0

AC 27; Fort +20, Ref +17, Will +16
HP 180; Immunities sonic
Blind A yrthak is almost entirely blind and relies exclusively on its echolocation to discern its surroundings. It is considered blind to anything beyond the range of its echolocation. A deaf yrthak is also effectively blind, except against adjacent creatures. A yrthak has weak eyesight that allows it to sense adjacent creatures, though such creatures are always considered concealed. Due to its blindness, a yrthak is immune to all visual effects.

Speed 20 feet, fly 60 feet
Melee [one-action] beak +21 (reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+12 piercing
Melee [one-action] talon +21 (agile, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d8+12 slashing
Ranged [one-action] sonic lance +21 (range increment 60 feet), Damage 2d6+10 sonic
Explosion [two-actions] The yrthak fires a sonic lance at the ground, a large rock, a stone wall, or a similar nonmagical object that can shatter into smaller pieces within 60 feet. The object shatters into shrapnel that deals 10d6 piercing damage (DC 28 basic Reflex save) to all creatures within 10 feet of the object. The yrthak can’t use Explosion again for 1d4 rounds.

Swift, cunning, and perpetually ravenous, the yrthak terrorizes the barren wastelands in which it makes its home, swooping down from on high to blast prey with bursts of pure sound. Though technically blind, as its eyes are tiny and barely capable of vision beyond a few feet, the yrthak senses its surroundings via acute hearing and echolocation. While its powerful jaws and claws are equally capable of taking down opponents, the yrthak generally prefers to wheel through the sky on its membranous wings, firing bolt after bolt of sound into its prey, and exulting in the thrill of the hunt. An adult yrthak is 20 feet long and weighs 1,500 pounds. Yrthaks spend most of their time aloft—a yrthak hunt often lasts several days, with the yrthak skimming roughly 100 feet over the ground in its wide-ranging search for live prey, only resorting to grazing on carrion in direst need. While they have near-human intelligence, yrthaks generally do not seem interested in forming societies of their own—although the sight of a clutch of yrthaks tormenting a captured morsel might seem to indicate otherwise.

Looking over Luis’ Converting 2E Monsters, Part 1 and Part 2, most of his advice starts with Paizo’s Pathfinder Second Edition Conversion Guide, written by Jason Bulmahn and fleshes it out.

WHY?

Life as an adult gamer means owning every hardcover without a second thought, but when I started gaming in high school, disposable income was a commodity. My D&D friends as a group had a decent chunk of D&D 2e books (some Advanced, some straight D&D, but we made do because purchasing a sourcebook was understood to be a significant sacrifice on that person’s part), but individually, we each owned only a few. I don’t even remember if I owned a Monster Manual, but I definitely owned Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two.

This softcover sourcebook populated many of my games with monsters, and I spent hours of free time reading it over, over and over. One of the creatures that stood out was the froghemoth.

This aberration was equal parts self-explanatory and absurd. It’s a common monster making trick to take an animal and change its scale. Usually this is done with insects, but when you scale up a small animal of unusual composition like a frog to the size of an elephant, suddenly you have a terrifying beast.

On top of the concept, which was excellently executed, the name perfectly fits the creature’s combination of “so it’s a big frog?” and “frogs of that size could eventually swallow all of humanity!” The froghemoth.

CONVERSION

It’s apropos that I bring this monster from my D&D 2e days over to the second edition of Pathfinder.

Step 1

From the conversion guide:

The first step is finding an existing creature with a level equal to the CR of the creature or NPC you’re trying to emulate.

I followed Luis’ example converting the Chicome Couatl by expanding the level range by 1 in either direction. The froghemoth is, appropriately, level 13. loaded up the Archives of Nethys 2e Monster filter and looked for a monster between levels 12-14. I considered also filtering for a Huge monster, but decided to see how many results I got from a purely level-based search before narrowing it down.

30 results, including six dragons, four outsiders, a couple of giants, and then unique creatures. My instinct was to convert the Astral Deva because, as a good outsider, the odds that players would recognize the mechanics at play were the lowest. However, a medium, humanoid in shape, spellcaster was too far from the huge frog monster I wanted to make, even with the similar spell level.

Instead, I took the path of least resistance: Glabrezu, the treachery demon.

Step 2

From the conversion guide:

Take the statistics from that creature and copy them over to your new creation.

Done!

Step 3

From the conversion guide:

Add or subtract various statistics, such as movement speeds, resistances, weaknesses, and immunities, as needed to make the creature feel similar

I compared the 1e glabrezu to the 1e froghemoth to see the key areas these creatures differed: Alignment, type, senses, languages, skills, ability scores weaknesses, speed, and special attacks. A surprisingly short list. But a good surprise!

Alignment: Changed a CE to an N. Done!

Type: Removed Demon and Fiend. Added Aberration

Senses: Kept Perception the same (1e glabrezu had much better Perception but 1e froghemoth had much better Initiative, so I split the difference). All-Around Vision is still a thing, but blindsight isn’t. I replaced it with wavesense, although I considered keeping glabrezu’s true seeing. I had to figure out why the froghemoth had blindsense, and assumed it was to see when submerged, not because it was immune to blindness. Wavesense felt right.

Ability Scores: Needs more Dex, Int dropped to animal level, Charisma neutralized.

Languages: Removed them all (even though I wanted to leave glabrezu’s tongues).

Skills: This is an area where top down design makes more sense. 1e froghemoth only had Perception, Stealth, and Swim. Its Stealth was +14, +22 in marshes. That’s because racial bonuses to skills capped at +8, so for the frogehemoth to be the swampland ambusher it was intended to be, the system required it to be comparably good at skulking in alleyways as a reasonably talented rogue. With no such systematic cap, I can simply double its Stealth in marches, giving it a more reasonable Stealth outside of its element and a boss Stealth in its element.

Swim was one of the 1e skills blended into Athletics, and giving the frogehemoth a high athletics (I went with 24 based on the glabrezu’s physical skills) achieves a lot: swimming, jumping, grappling, shoving, tripping. By virtue of being athletic, the 2e froghemoth can burst from the swamp, trip the paladin covering the wizard, and then jump to position to grab the wizard with its tongue, swallow them whole. It’ll take a couple of turns, but what a terrifying couple of turns!

Saves: Not on the list of changes needed, but I swapped the numbers around, giving it Fort +24, Ref +26, and Will +19.

Weakness: The 1e froghemoth has the unique weakness of being slowed by electricity. Not even sure why. It’s an easy ability to port over to 2e, although I’m not sure if I formatted it properly in the stat block. When I get a chance, I’ll research unique monster weaknesses in 2e and see if it needs a tweak.

Attacks: The glabrezu was an even better template for the frogehemoth than I thought. It has a powerful attack with a lot of reach and grab, an agile secondary attack with OK reach, and a bite attack. That’s perfectly in line with the froghemoth’s tongue, tentacles, and bite. I mostly kept the to hit and damage the same and just changed the traits and riders. After that, I used the tyranosaurus’ swallow whole ability as a template for damage and DCs.

They have a complex relationship

Since the t-rex is only level 10, I bumped everything up. Hopefully not too high. This was the step where I felt least supported, so even though the guideline we have got me pretty far, the Game Mastery Guide monster creation rules (and the forthcoming PDF preview of those rules) is still a necessity.

Step 4

We’re done! I copied and pasted the 1e froghemoth lore (realizing the froghemoth is called out as rare, so at the last second I added the Rare trait to the stat block). Now I just need to run a 9th level adventure to run a froghemoth as an extreme-threat solo boss.

FROGHEMOTH

Thankfully rare, the froghemoth is one of the deep swampland’s most ferocious and monstrous predators. Capable of catching and eating dinosaurs and even dragons, the froghemoth is a frighteningly effective ambush hunter. When lying in wait for prey, the immense creature secrets itself in deep marsh pools and mud so that only the top of its eyestalk emerges from the surface. The froghemoth’s eyes are incredibly keen, but even more impressive is the monster’s tongue. Like a snake, a froghemoth can “taste” its surroundings with extraordinary accuracy.

Scholars have long debated the origin of this strangely immense predator, arguing that its unusual senses, physiology, and resistances make it something more than an animal. Druids and other servants of the natural world agree—the froghemoth may act like an animal, but it never seems fully “comfortable” in its environs. Perpetually ill-tempered, a froghemoth often seems to kill simply for the sake of killing—vomiting up partially digested meals in favor of new prey when it encounters such. It’s not unheard of to find these strange creatures far from their normal habitations, as if the marsh didn’t agree with them and sent them wandering in search of a new home. Some sages argue that the froghemoth isn’t from this world at all, and that these wanderings are instinctual urges to seek out its true home—a home not represented by the strange world in which the beast finds itself trapped.

A froghemoth is 22 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs 16,000 pounds.

Froghemoth       Creature 13
Rare N Huge Aberration
Perception +24; All-Around Vision, wavesense (imprecise), darkvision
Skills Athletics +24, Stealth +12 (+24 in in marshes)
Str +7, Dex +7, Con +7, Int -4, Wis +3, Cha +0

AC 34, Fort +24, Ref +26, Will +19;
HP 280; Weaknesses When a frogehemoth takes electricity damage, it gains Slowed 1

Speed 20 feet, swim 40 feet
Melee Single Action tongue +27 (reach 25 feet), Damage 4d10+13 bludgeoning plus Grab
Melee Single Action tentacle +27 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage 3d6+13 bludgeoning plus Trip
Melee Single Action jaws +27 (reach 10 feet), Damage 3d12+13 piercing
Swallow Whole Single Action (attack) Large, 3d12+13 bludgeoning, Rupture 30

As with the previous articles, I want to point you to Paizo’s conversion document. It has a few bits of basic information to get you started.

The first thing to keep in mind with the conversion of an adventure is understanding just how much you actually need to convert. If you’ve been following along, you’ll realize that you can very easily grab the stats for a number of different options by just approximating them with existing material. Depending on your level of expertise with the 2E rules and comfort with conversions, you can even do this on the fly! Instead of taking the time to convert in advance, you can just grab appropriate stats right there at the table and adjust it as needed. However, if you prefer to do the conversion in advance, that’s great too!

Beyond the basics of monsters and magic items, the big things that are important to convert are the DCs in the adventure. Adventures are chock full of skill checks and the like and while it’s easy enough decide which to skill to use in most cases, it might not be as obvious as to which to DC to use. Here’s a secret: You can leave the DCs as they are! For the most part, DCs in 1E are very similar to the DCs in 2E. I’m basing this on a set of tables in Ultimate Intrigue, specifically Table 4-1: Freeform DCs by Level. That table is intended to provide a guideline for DCs to work with in case you ever need to make up a DC on the fly. It has a listing for easy, medium, and hard DCs, with the medium DCs being the more common, everyday DCs. When you compare this table with table 10-5: DCs by Level in the 2E Core Rulebook, they are pretty close. The 1E table starts off a little higher, but they eventually line up pretty well. This suggests that you can keep all of the skill DCs pretty much the same! Of course, feel free to adjust the DC when you feel necessary, but for the most part you don’t need to sweat the DCs.

One thing I would recommend keeping an eye on is treasure. The first rule of treasure is to reduce the value of all gold piece treasure to 1/10th of the value. If an adventure gives out 100 gp worth of gems, you should reduce to 10 gp, as the new 2E economy is build around the silver piece as the main coin. You don’t want to accidentally give players something that’s worth ten times than what they should receive! Next, keep an eye on item levels. A lot of items already exist in 2E, but may have a different value now. For example, a ring of swimming was worth 2,500 gp in 1E and would be an item you would generally start giving out around 3rd level on. However, the ring is a 12th-level item in 2E and worth 1,750 gp, a significant value even 12th level, but way too much for 3rd level. So, if pre-written adventure is giving you lots of rings of swimming early on (*ahem* Ruins of Azlant) you have to make sure that the treasure won’t ruing your game by giving players too much wealth. In cases like this, you might consider finding a lower level item with similar effects or creating a new item yourself if all else fails.

And… I think that covers all of the important points. A lot of the work is finding the right monsters, magic items, and spells, which we’ve already gone in depth about! You can follow the conversion guide for most everything else. Also, Ediwir posted a very useful in-depth guide to conversion which covers topics like subsystems and calculating appropriate amounts of treasure. Check out the link to the guide here! If you have any other questions on conversion, feel free to drop me a line  at KnowDirection@hotmail.com or swing by the Know Direction Discord channel! I’m happy to answer any questions you might have. Happy converting!

Before we do anything else, make sure to take a look at Paizo’s conversion document. It has a bit of advice to get you started.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you may not even need to convert a spell over to the new edition in the first place. Some spells have been renamed, had their effects folded into other spells, or been converted into rituals. Are you missing speak with dead? It’s now renamed to talking corpse! Don’t know what happened to tongues? It’s now the 3rd-level effect of comprehend language. Can’t find animate dead? Take a look at the create undead ritual! Before you do the work of converting a given spell, take some time to look through the Core Rulebook and see if it doesn’t exist already, or at least something very similar to the spell. It might save you some trouble! Unfortunately, getting a list of all the changes in spells is way beyond the scope of this article, so there’s not going to be a quick an easy way to search.

Let’s say you’ve done the work and found that the spell you want is just not there yet. Is there some other spell that you can reflavor to get close? If not, then it’s probably time to get converting. Create pit won’t just magically appear on its own, darn it! I think the first thing to consider is the level of the spell. A spell’s original level is a good starting point, but some spells were either too weak for their own level or too strong for their level. In that case, you might consider changing the level of the spell. A spell that only deals damage is easy enough to convert because you can just line it up with the damage of other spells of its level. In fact, pure damage spells can kind of land at whatever level you want. Fiery shuriken was a 2nd-level spell originally, but could work just as well as a 6th-level spell, so long as the damage is in line with other 6th-level spells. It’s once a spell has effects beyond pure damage that you need to start considering the appropriate level. A spell that imparts a simple condition like clumsy or sickened can land pretty much wherever as well, so long as the value isn’t excessive. Once you start imparting slowed, stunned, or any other conditions that can potentially limit a character’s actions, you should be very careful about the level. Low level spells rarely do worse than frightened, so a slowing spell is probably not a good 1st-level spell. When in doubt, take a look at some classic spells like charm, fear, paralyze, slow, and so on to get a good idea what level is a good fit for the effect you’re looking to use.

Once you have a good idea for the level, think about the number of actions the spell should use. The default is two actions, which is equivalent to a standard action in 1E. If a spell was a swift action cast, it’s probably a one action spell while a full-round or 1 round spell is a three action spell. Anything that took longer to cast probably takes the same amount of time. 1 minute and 10 minute castings still exist in 2E, so they are not out of the questions. However, once a spell starts taking longer than a minute to cast, consider if it would work better as a ritual. Not only do they serve a different role narratively and within the game itself, but they also allow non-spellcasters to join in on the fun. I think it’s cool that anyone can take the time to summon an angel to help out and it might be cool if create demiplane became a ritual to allow anyone to have fun with their own pocket dimension.

As your spell is coming together, think about how the spell will play with the new mechanics of 2E. A damage spell obviously has a basic saving throw to work with, but other spells can also flourish with the new degree of success system. Ear-piercing scream could now both deal damage and add the stunned 1 condition on a critical failure. Magic missile and heal get to play with the new action economy, so maybe your spell could have additional effects based on how many actions you use to cast it. Ear-piercing scream might increase the size of the area based on how many actions you use—a single adjacent creature on one action, all adjacent creatures with two actions, and all creatures within 15 feet on three actions. Heightened versions of the spell can not only deal more damage but also gain extra effects. Maybe ear-piercing scream doesn’t have the stunned condition right away, but gains it and improves it as we heighten the spell.

Finally, one thing to consider is how the spell will actually feel in play. Take some time to think how the spell would feel if an enemy spellcaster used it against your character every round of combat. Does it become extremely aggravating or grind gameplay to a halt while everything resolves? Alternatively, how would you feel if you used the spell, but everyone succeeded (but not critically succeeded) the spell’s save every time. Does it still feel worth the spell slot you cast? It’s easy enough to look at numbers and effects and get things where they look right, but until they hit the table, it might not play out how you expect, for ill or for good.

As always, to showcase this advice I’m going to convert a spell! As I mentioned, create pit isn’t going to convert itself! The first thing I’m going to do is increase it’s level by 1. A level 2 create pit was too good and dominated a lot of combats at its level, mostly because of how potent its battlefield control was. I think bumping it up to 3rd-level will still let it shine but not be the go-to control spell for its level. I also get to play a bit with the degrees of success and the heightening system to both keep the spell in check and also allow it to remain viable at higher levels. Let me know what you think! Next week, I’ll be working on the conversion of adventure material. I hope you’ll join me then!

Create Pit                            Spell 3
Conjuration
Traditions arcane, primal
Cast [three-actions] (material, somatic, verbal)
Range 120 feet; Area 10-foot burst
Saving Throw Reflex; Duration sustained up to 1 minute
You create an extradimensional hole with a depth of 10 feet. You must create the pit on a horizontal surface of sufficient size. Since it extends into another dimension, the pit has no weight and does not otherwise displace the original underlying material. You can create the pit in the deck of a ship as easily as in a dungeon floor or the ground of a forest. Creatures standing in the area where you conjure the pit and any creatures that end their turn adjacent to the pit must attempt a Reflex save. Creatures that are pushed, pulled, or otherwise moved into the pit via forced movement also attempt a Reflex save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected and moves to an open space adjacent to the pit, if it wasn’t at one already.
Success The creature moves to an open space adjacent to the pit, if it wasn’t at one already, and is flat-footed until the start of its turn.
Failure The creature falls into the pit and takes damage from the fall. The creature can’t attempt to Grab an Edge to catch itself.
Critical Failure As failure, but the creature takes twice the normal damage from the fall.
Creatures that fall into the pit can attempt to climb out. The pit’s coarse stone walls require a successful DC 20 Athletics check to Climb. When the duration of the spell ends, creatures within the hole rise up with the bottom of the pit until they are standing on the surface over the course of a single round.
Heightened (+3) The pit’s area and depth increases by 10 feet. The DC to Climb the pit’s wall increases by 10.

Before I get started, don’t forget to take a look at Paizo’s conversion document.  It has some great information on getting a magic item to about the level it should be in 2E. 

Beyond knowing the basic level of the item and an appropriate price for the item, it’s also important to understand how to translate things over to the new 2E action economy. The first thing to determine is how many action using an item, if any, it should take. A good rule of thumb is that anything that originally required a swift action or a move action, should now require one action. Anything that required a standard action, should now require two actions and anything that requires a full-round action can be three actions. In addition, think about what kind of traits these actions should have. For the most part, this is a matter of whether or not the item should trigger reactions when activating, specifically Attacks of Opportunity. The design team did a great job with translating the activation components to make this a simple matter. The Command component replicates command words and does not have the manipulate trait, for example. If something should provoke an Attack of Opportunity, go ahead and give it the Interact component.

In addition to the basic actions, consider whether or not the item should have any other limiting factors on its activation. Many items had limits that only allowed their use once per day or a few times per day. These can be replicated pretty easily with a frequency line. However, a frequency of “three times per day” isn’t really a thing anymore. (Actually, there is an item with a “twice per day” activation, but it’s limited to a 10-minute activation.) What frequency breaks down to is how often a character should be able to use it per combat. If the magic item’s ability is akin to a cantrip or a very low level spell compared to its level, it can probably safely be a “once per round” frequency. This also applies to magic items that should be easy to activate (read: one action items), but shouldn’t be used multiple times in a round. If the item should be used with regular frequency, it can be a “once per minute” item, while something that is close to a focus spell in power should be “once per 10 minutes.” If something should only be used every once in a while, then make it “once per hour,” but recognize that particularly powerful items should totally be “one per day.” It will take a gut check to know what these should be and you may need to tweak these here and there.

Finally, let me cover some general tips. Consider what type of item this should be under the new rules. Magic items come in a great variety from consumables to structures to held items to worn items. Each of these has specifications that make them unique, such as the investment requirements for armor, weapons, and worn items. Make sure to consider whether the item should require investment. Ten invested items can seem like a lot, but those available investments will definitely start wearing thin at higher levels. For the purposes of magical effects, don’t be afraid to make “spells in a can” to replicate the effects of the original magic items. Spells are also a great benchmark for the power of an item. Items shouldn’t invalidate a spellcaster, though, at least not at first. Avoid having an item that can take the place of a spellcaster at the same level as that will probably make the party mage feel kind of cruddy. Rather than having an item that can grant the effects of invisiblity as a 3rd-level item, consider holding off a few levels to allow the resident mage some time to shine with their casting of the spell. Such an item would probably be better as a 5th-level or higher item. Also, try to make the item more interesting if you can. An item can totally grant a simple item bonus to a save, skill, or other check, but the Core Rulebook does a great job of covering most of the basics. Try to include interesting activation abilities or passive abilities to justify the item’s mechanical niche and encourage players to take it.

I think to properly display these tips in action, I should convert an item over for you! The 2E core rules surprisingly don’t have the handy haversack, which is such a classic I had to have it right away. There were a few things that I had to keep in mind here. First, I didn’t want to invalidate the bag of holding. To avoid that, I made sure that the handy haversack couldn’t hold as much as the bag of holding. Second, I wanted to make sure that replicating the drawing of an item didn’t provoke Attacks of Opportunity but was also limited to once per round. Finally, I wanted to make sure the item had an interesting wrinkle to make it more than just a direct port, which is why I added what I call the “item launcher” portion of the item. I hope you like it! Next week, I’ll be covering the conversion of spells. I hope you’ll join me then!

Handy Haversack                            Item 4
Conjuration Extradimensional Magical Invested Worn
Usage worn; Bulk 1
This well-made backpack appears to be ordinary and has the typical wear and tear for packs of its type. The pack has two side pouches which each appear to hold about a quart of material. However, each pouch functions much like a bag of holding and can hold up to 2 cubic feet in volume in material or 2 bulk. The large central pocket of the pack can contain up to 8 cubic feet of material or 8 bulk. Regardless of how much it holds, the handy haversack only counts as 1 bulk. You can Interact with the handy haversack to put items in or remove them as you would with a mundane backpack.
Activation [one-action] (Envision) Frequency Once per round; Effect You imagine a specific item within the handy haversack and the pack immediately opens, producing the item and allowing you to grab the item as part of the action.
Activation [three-actions] (Command, Interact) Effect You order the handy haversack to produce an item of 1 bulk or less and deliver it to a creature within 30 feet. The handy haversack throws the requested item, allowing the designated creature to catch it with ease. If the designated creature does not have a hand free to catch the item, it lands harmlessly in the creature’s space and can be picked up with an Interact action. You can instead use this ability to fire an appropriate item to attack a nearby creature, such as throwing an alchemist’s fire at a nearby foe. In this case, you make a standard attack roll as if you were making a Strike with the chosen item. The GM can determine if a thrown item is appropriate to attack a creature based on the properties of the thrown item.

I guess, before I kick things off, I want to point to two resources. The first is the 1E to 2E Conversion Guide that Paizo released a few weeks ago. The second is the stat block for the monster that I’m converting. It’s a member of the couatl family named the chicome couatl. I chose this one for a number of reasons, including that it’s a rather complicated stat block and that I wrote it myself! Rather than replicate the original stat block here, I’ll just point you to the creature on the Archives of Nethys. Now that we have those in place, let’s actually get started!

To convert things over, there are a few basics we can start with. A creature’s CR easily translates to its level. Since the chicome is a CR 16 native outsider, we can look at other level 16 creatures to try to find something we can use as our basis for the stat block. Unfortunately, there’s not a good monster we can use as our starting point, so I settled on the the level 15 phoenix and added the elite adjustment to bring it up to level 16. In a pinch, this would cover most of what you need. You could reflavor and retype the damage as needed and use its spells on the fly, finding equivalents on the primal spell list. I want to get a proper stat block in place, though, so we’ll continue. The chicome’s senses are easy enough bring over with its darkvision coming over as is. Its constant detect abilities will become a constant detect alignment.

After that, let’s look at the chicome’s defensive abilities. Instead of damage reduction, I’ll convert that to a weakness to cold iron and evil. It has a lot of immunities, but acid is our only real concern. In a typical case, you want to trim immunities down to just two or so, unless the creature is a construct or undead, but we can keep all three here. PCs won’t be throwing diseases around and poison damage is a bit less common than acid, so we should be good. We can drop the resistances as it already has a few immunities. If we wanted to keep them, I would drop them down to a value of 10, as 15 is very high. I’m choosing to drop them entirely though, mostly to keep things simple. The chicome had spell resistance, which is now represented as a bonus to saves versus spells, which the phoenix conveniently has already.

From here, let’s start adding some of the unique abilities to make up the chicome. First is its aura, which normally grants the effects of the plant growth spell, which has now become a ritual. This is easy enough to bring over.

Resplendence Aura A chicome constantly radiates the effects of a successful plant growth ritual. The chicome can suppress or resume the effects of this aura as an action, which has the concentrate trait.

Thankfully, the language and effects for the ritual are pretty similar. The only change I made is to swap the free action activation of the aura to a single action. I could have created a free action version, but that requires a trigger and I figured the one action version is simpler. The constrict ability already exists so we can keep that as is, though we may want to eyeball the damage a bit. Its poison will be a bit harder to replicate and may require recreating whole cloth. Thankfully, the purple worm has poison that covers most of the thematic effects (Strength damage replicated as the enfeebled condition) so we’ll just nab that and tweak the numbers a bit.

The chicome’s spellcasting is going to be a bit of work. We can look through most of the primal spell list to find the equivalent to previous spells to cover what we want. One thing to note is that you should avoid having too many spells for the creature. This helps keep the workload down for a GM. Also, most monsters will have very few chances to use more than a handful of the spells in combat anyway, so the extra work would typically go to waste. The chicome happens to be a great ally for PCs, so we’ll keep as much of the original list as possible within these parameters as GMs may wish to use the spell list outside of combat. For the purposes of our spell casting, we can keep all of our spells as innate spells rather than prepare them as druids. They are effectively the same when it comes to a monster and it will be easier to keep track of things.

Finally, we have the natural form ability. Luckily, we can look at the druid’s wild shape ability to guide us. It points to pest form and animal form by default. Higher level feats also point us at aerial form, dinosaur form, dragon form, and monstrosity form. This should cover everything we need for the effect!

Natural Form [two-actions] (polymorph, transmutation) Frequency Once per day; Effects The chicome transforms into a different creature, gaining the effects of 8th-level aerial form, animal form, dinosaur form, dragon form, monstrosity form, or pest form. It can Dismiss the Spell to revert to its original form.

We’re on the home stretch! All that’s really left are the last few details. For its skills, we can grab the existing values and map them to corresponding 2E skills. Try to avoid having more than five or six skills unless it’s a really high level creature as things can get kind of unwieldy. Languages are easy enough to port over. The only big ability left is wild empathy, which we can just snag from the druid again. And, I think that’s it!

As you can see, things can get pretty involved when it comes to translating things over. You don’t typically have to go this in depth, but I think it’s good to understand what kind of steps you can take to decide what steps you do take when the time comes. We are just a few steps away from creating a stat block from scratch. Once the rules are released in the Gamemastery Guide, I’ll walk though those as well. But, for now, I think we can be pretty satisfied with what we have here. I’ll wrap up today’s entry with the final stat block I created. Next week, I’ll be covering the conversion of magic items. I hope you’ll join me then!

Couatl, Chicome                            Creature 16
Rare NG Huge Couatl
Perception +29; darkvision, detect alignment
Languages Celestial, Common, Draconic, Druidic; telepathy 100 feet
Skills Acrobatics +32, Deception +29, Diplomacy +33, Intimidation +29, Nature +27, Survival +29
Str +6, Dex +7, Con +5, Int +7, Wis +6, Cha +6
AC 38; Fort +29, Ref +33, Will +30; +1 status to all saves vs. magic
HP 320; Immunities acid, disease, poison; Weaknesses cold iron 10, evil 10
Resplendent Aura (aura, necromancy, primal) 1/2 mile. A chicome constantly radiates the effects of a successful plant growth ritual. The chicome can suppress or resume the effects of this aura as an action, which has the concentrate trait.
Speed 25 feet, fly 100 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +32 (magical, reach 15 feet), Damage 4d8+11 piercing plus Grab and Chicome Venom
Constrict [one-action] 4d8+16 bludgeoning, DC 39
Primal Innate Spells DC 41; 8th faerie fire (at will), freedom of movement, gust of wind (x3), heal (x3), obscuring mist (x3), regeneration, remove disease (x3), shape wood (x3), speak with animals (at will), summon animal (x2), summon plant (x2), wall of thorns (x2); Cantrips (8th) detect magic, know direction ; Constant (8th) detect alignment
Chicome Venom (poison); Saving Throw DC 39 Fortitude, Maximum Duration 10 minutes; Stage 1 6d6 poison damage and enfeebled 2 (1 minute), Stage 2 8d6 poison damage, and enfeebled 2 (1 minute); Stage 3 8d6 poison damage and enfeebled 2 (1 round).
Natural Form [two-actions] (polymorph, transmutation) Frequency Once per day; Effects The chicome transforms into a different creature, gaining the effects of 8th-level aerial form, animal form, dinosaur form, dragon form, monstrosity form, or pest form. It can Dismiss the Spell to revert to its original form.

If you haven’t checked it out already, make sure to go look at the recently released 2E Conversion Guide. A cool fella by the name of Jason Bulmahn has taken the time to give a lot of advice on how to get you up and running with converting material. I highly recommend checking that out before reading this blog, but the most important rules are as follows:

1. Understand that there isn’t a perfect formula that gets you a direct 1 to 1 conversion.
2. Look at existing material to help you land as closely as possible to what you’re looking to achieve.
3. Take advantage of the new 3-action system to represent abilities in ways that make sense.

Seeing this advice in action will help you better understand them and I will give specific examples when I get the chance, but I want to spend this week to explain these fundamentals as they will come into play throughout this series. I feel that the first rule is pretty self-explanatory. Pathfinder 2E is a completely different beast from 1E and expecting to be able to just increase or reduce some numbers here and there to get what you want will just frustrate you. Converting takes some effort, but you can eventually get to a point where you can eyeball a lot of what you want to do. Jason did so as part of several demonstrations leading up to the release of 2E and I got pretty good at it myself, so I’m sure you can do it too! Rule two is something that is noted in the conversion guide. If you want to bring over the nabasu demon, for example, you can probably get by with looking at the vrock, which is off by one level (level 9 to the nabasu’s CR 8) and apply the weak adjustment. You might also consider looking at the erinyes, which is level 8, and tweaking things as needed. The Bestiary has a huge selection of monsters and they serve as great jumping off points for a lot of the work. I could typically decide on a few things like level, role (combat, skill, or spellcaster), and creature type (construct, fiend, undead, etc.) and get something that covered things pretty close. If you don’t find the creature type you want, having the right level and role is usually more than enough to get you started.

The conversion guide has a good example with the troll king conversion, but I wanted to add some extra advice to that. A lot of the work is already done with the existing stat block. At its simplest, all you need to do is get the stat block and reskin things! Your players will never know that the golem’s fist attack is actually a longsword in the statblock you’re using. If you end up using a statblock that has elemental damage, let’s say 3d6 slashing plus 1d6 fire, you can always ‘collapse’ that damage into the main portion of the damage and just have it deal 4d6 damage. Even in cases where the additional damage has different dice, you can roll them together and instead of dealing 3d8 slashing plus 1d6 fire, you can say it’s 3d6 bludgeoning plus 1d6 piercing or precision as the monster’s attack really digs in deep. Reskinning and reflavoring abilities can really get you far. The manticore’s spike volley? Suddenly it’s two different shots from a bow. The owlbear’s bloodcurdling screech? It’s suddenly a dazzling display! Your players won’t see the stat block you’re using and shouldn’t really mind you expressing abilities and attacks with a different flavor. This is especially the case with mooks or other monsters that you don’t expect to see for too long. These monsters are here to provide a fun encounter and then be done, so knowing that the human assassin actually used the ratfolk grenadier’s stats isn’t a big deal and won’t break immersion.

Though it might take a lot of work, Treerazer actually serves as a great base for lots of high level monsters.

Finally, you should get a good feel for ways to bring things over into the new action economy. Basic actions like attacks and movements are easy enough. Most spells are pretty easy, too. You can reliably expect any spell to require two actions at least. Some spells might be three actions, but rarely should anything but a quickened spell require only one action to cast. The kind of tricky thing is converting other abilities that don’t have an immediately obvious conversion. I would take a look at what the original action type was as a basis. Abilities that required standard actions should be a two action ability. Swift and move actions should be one action and full-round actions should of course be three actions. Immediate action abilities should be reactions.

If things don’t feel as obvious, take some time to think how often your creature should be using the ability in combat. If something is its bread and butter, it should be one action, but it should also never be better than the creature’s basic Strikes. If I have the option to use a normal jaws attack or an ability that lets me move five feet and then use my jaws Strike, I will be choosing the latter the majority of the time. That means that the ability is too powerful for a single action and should probably be changed to a two action ability or gain the open or flourish traits to prevent their repeated use. When all else fails, imagine that you were a player whose character is fighting the creature. Would it be frustrating if the creature used the ability multiple times in one round? If so, it’s probably time to change it to a two or three action ability.

So, with those three basics and the conversion guide, you can get pretty far! Give it a try and see where you end up. However, there are lots of little things to consider as well beyond the fundamentals. So, next week, I’m going to take an existing monster and convert using the advice here, pointing out helpful information along the way. I hope you’ll join me then!

T-1000 Terminator                            CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium construct (shapechanger, technological)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +19
DEFENSE
hp 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +7
Defensive Abilities regeneration 10 (acid or fire); Immunities construct immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam+23 (2d10+18 B)
Ranged handgun +23 (2d10+10 P)
Offensive Abilities weapon transformation
STATISTICS
Str +8, Dex +5, Con —, Int +2, Wis +4, Cha +3
Skills Athletics +24, Computers +19, Intimidate +24, Life Science +19
Languages Common
Other Abilities change shape, liquefy
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Change Shape (Ex) The Terminator can assume the appearance of any Medium humanoid. The Terminator gains a +10 racial bonus to Disguise checks to appear as a specific humanoid. This ability otherwise functions as per disguise self. The Terminator can remain in an alternate appearance indefinably.
Handgun (Ex) The Terminator’s pistol has a range increment of 90 feet.
Liquefy (Ex) The Terminator can become malleable, allowing it to pass through small spaces as if it had the compression ability. It can also use this ability to spread its body as thin as a sheet of paper as a move action.
Weapon Transformation (Ex) The Terminator can transform a part of its body, typically a hand, into a rudimentary weapon such as a blade or hammer as a swift action. This allows the Terminator to change the damage type of its slam attack between bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.

The T-1000, mid-transformation

The T-1000 is a specialized robot designed for the termination of other life forms and builds off of the technology used in the T-800 series. Much like the T-800 series, the T-1000 is particularly resilient and features advanced scanning and tracking systems to better seek out targets. Rather than rely on a metallic endoskeleton, the T-1000 features a mimetic polyalloy which allows it to repair itself when damaged and transform its shape as needed for its missions. This polyalloy allows the T-1000 to reshape itself to mimic the appearance of any person it encountered and, using its advanced systems, even replicate their mannerisms and voice. The T-1000 can use this reshaping ability to even shape its body into simple weapons, but limitations on the polyalloy prevented it from creating complicated machines such as firearms. All of these factors make the T-1000 a superior machine compared to the T-800 and its regenerative nature makes it nigh indestructible as even breaking the T-1000 apart was not enough to prevent repairs. The only way to prevent the T-1000 from repairing itself is to use extreme heat or extremely corrosive reagents such as hydrochloric acid.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Terminator into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

T-800 Terminator                            CR 8
XP 4,800
N Medium construct (technological)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
DEFENSE
hp 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +5
Defensive Abilities hard to kill; Immunities construct immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam+20 (3d4+14 B)
Ranged battle rifle +20 (2d8+8 E and F)
STATISTICS
Str +6, Dex +5, Con —, Int +2, Wis +3, Cha +3
Skills Athletics +21, Computers +16, Intimidate +21, Life Science +16
Languages Common
Other Abilities ocular implant
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Battle Rifle (Ex) The Terminator’s plasma weapon can fire a deadly energy beam with a range increment of 120 feet.
Hard to Kill The Terminator is not automatically destroyed when reduced to 0 or fewer Hit Points. Every turn the Terminator is at 0 Hit Points or fewer Hit Points, it must attempt a DC 10 Fortitude save or be destroyed. The DC increases by 1 for every round that the Terminator is at 0 or fewer Hit Points.
Ocular Impact A Terminator is designed with a targeting matrix and a tactical database that allows it to assess the battlefield in an instant. The Terminator can attempt to identify any creature as a swift action with a +15 bonus. The Terminator can spend a swift action to target a creature within 30 feet. The Terminator gains a +1 bonus to attack the targeted creature until the start of its turn.

The T-800 series of Terminator is a specialized robot designed to terminate other life forms. Thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, the computer network known as Skynet was able to achieve a state of self-awareness. This self-awareness led Skynet to create various robots and defenses to defend itself from threats, with the T-800 among them. The T-800 is the first series of Terminator capable of supporting living tissue, allowing it to be sent through time to deal with any threats to Skynet. The T-800 Terminator is made of a hyperalloy endoskeleton, making it particularly resilient. It is equipped with advanced scanning and tracking systems, allowing it to track and dispatch a target with unmatched skill. This, in combination with the living tissue surrounding its endoskeleton, allows the T-800 to infiltrate human settlements to find its target. Once set against a target, stopping the T-800 is nigh impossible.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the Terminator into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Ryan here, filling in for Luis. Last week we shared an image on Facebook of a 28mm scale miniature of a sword-wielding banana with legs. I thought it was delightful, and apparently it was not just my brand of weirdness. That post was one of our most popular ever, and it’s all thanks to talented designer MrBigTong. Check out MrBigTong’s Thingiverse collections for this and other wonderfully bizarre fruit-based fantasy miniatures that you can purchase yourself!

Banaknight                CR 5
XP 1,600
LN Diminutive fey
Init +6; Senses blindsight 30 ft.; Perception +11
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 21, flat-footed 17 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +1 shield, +4 size)
hp 45 (6d6+24)
Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +7
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee scimitar +5 (1d2–2/18–20 plus trip)
Ranged returning boomerang +13 (1–2 plus trip)
Special Attacks slippery, sneak attack +2d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)
3/day—expeditious retreat
STATISTICS
Str 6, Dex 22, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Atk +3; CMB +5 (+10 to trip); CMD 14
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse(B)
Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +11, Disable Device +11, Intimidate +8, Perception +11, Stealth +26
SQ Unappealing
Other Gear light steel shield, scimitar, returning boomerang
ECOLOGY
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, pair, bunch (3–8), or branch (10–40)
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Slippery (Ex) A banaknight specializes in toppling larger foes. It counts as a Large creature for the purpose of determining its size bonus to Trip attacks and the size of opponents the banaknight can trip.
Unappealing (Ex) The banaknight is protected by a dry, tough natural armour that most creatures find unpalatable. Creatures attacking the banaknight with a bite attack take a -2 penalty on attacks. Creatures cannot swallow a banaknight whole. Primates and creatures with primate qualities are immune to the banaknight’s unappealing ability.

This bipedal banana man, the size of a banana, wields a shield with banana iconography and a short, banana-like blade.

Banaknights are loyal defendors, protectors of plantations of banaknights and inanimate bananas alike. They attack at will, targetting large targets and fleeing before they are seen.

Because of their small size, they are particularly weary of carts that enter their territory. Banaknights are known to sabotage wheels, sending carts spinning out of control and into ditches.

A banaknight weighs 183 grams, 116 grams peeled.

Banaknight, Big Mike      CR 5
XP 1,600
LN Medium fey
Init +3; Senses blindsight 30 ft., Perception +11
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +1 shield)
hp 59 (7d6+35)
Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +7
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee scimitar +8 (1d6+5/18–20 plus trip)
Ranged returning boomerang +6 (1d6+5 plus trip)
Special Attacks slippery
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)
3/day—expeditious retreat
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Atk +3; CMB +8 (+16 to trip); CMD 22
Feats Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Toughness
Skills Acrobatics +12, Bluff +12, Disable Device +9, Intimidate +9, Perception +12, Stealth +12
SQ Unappealing
Gear light steel shield, scimitar, returning boomerang
ECOLOGY
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, mixed bunch (1 Big Mike and 2-10 banaknights)
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Slippery (Ex) A banaknight specializes in toppling larger foes. It counts as a Colossal creature for the purpose of determining its size bonus to Trip attacks and the size of opponents the big mike banaknight can trip.
Unappealing (Ex) The banaknight is protected by a dry, tough natural armour that most creatures find unpalatable. Creatures attacking the banaknight with a bite attack take a -2 penalty on attacks. Creatures cannot swallow a banaknight whole. Primates and creatures with primate qualities are immune to the banaknight’s unappealing ability.

Occasionally a banaknight tree spawns a single massive banaknight called a big mike. This rare, larger variety of banaknight stands seven feet tall at the tallest and weighs 200 lbs (125 lbs peeled). Although more imposing, a big mike is not considered much more dangerous than a standard banaknight. This is more a reflection of the unexpected threat the typical banaknight poses.

That’s it for this week! If some variety of banaknight finds its way to your table or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

As always, before we get started, here’s the zerg subtype for those who need it.

Zerg
Zerg are a collection of creatures integrated into one collected hive mind by a being known as the Overmind. They are capable of metamorphosis into a variety of creatures via a shared repository of genetic information.
Traits: Fast healing 2; Zerg with a fly speed do not suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.

Roach                                         CR 4
XP 1,200
N Medium aberration (zerg)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
DEFENSE
HP 50
EAC 16; KAC 18
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +5
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Ranged acid spit +12 (1d6+4 acid)
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +5, Con +3, Int –3, Wis +0, Cha –1
Skills Perception +15
Languages Zerg
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or squad (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acid Spit (Ex) A roach sprays acid at a range increment of 60 feet. A roach cannot attack flying targets with this attack.
Burrow (Ex) A roach can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The roach can move at half its speed and is treated as invisible while burrowed, but it cannot attack. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed roach. While burrowed, the roach gains blindsight (sound) 30 feet.

Roaches are particular hardy Zerg with the capability of producing large amounts of acid. A roach can use this acid offensively, spraying its foes to burn them away. The roach’s rigid body makes it incapable of aiming its attacks upwards. As such, roaches tend to fight alongside hydralisks due to the hydralisks’ anti-air capabilities. Roaches tough claws also allow them to dig through the ground while they are burrowed. This allows roaches to move discreetly through the ground and ambush its enemies.

Roach Strains

Roaches can mutate to create different forms of acid. These mutations lead to the parasitic corpser roach and the slowing vile roach.

Corpser                                         CR 4
XP 1,200
N Medium aberration (zerg)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
DEFENSE
HP 50
EAC 16; KAC 18
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +5
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Ranged necrotic spit +12 (1d4 acid)
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +5, Con +3, Int –3, Wis +0, Cha –1
Skills Perception +15
Languages Zerg
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or squad (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) A corpser can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The corpser can move at half its speed and is treated as invisible while burrowed, but it cannot attack. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed corpser. While burrowed, the corpser gains blindsight (sound) 30 feet.
Necrotic Spit (Ex) A corpser sprays acid at a range increment of 60 feet. A corpser cannot attack flying targets with this attack. The attack creates a single roachling in a space adjacent to the target which acts immediately.

Corpsers are full of parasitic life forms known as roachlings. When a corpser sprays its acid, it also launches a handful of roachlings with the spray. Most of these roachlings die upon impact, but a few tend to survive to attack the corpser’s foe. Groups of corpsers can create dozens of roachlings at once and they use these parasites to quickly overwhelm their enemies.

Roachling                                     CR 1/3
XP —
N Tiny aberration (zerg)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3
DEFENSE
HP 6
EAC 9; KAC 11
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +2
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d6+1 piercing)
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +0, Con +3, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Other Abilities decayed life, swarming
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Decayed Life (Ex) A roachling immediately dies at the start of its next turn.
Swarming (Ex) Roachlings are compact, allowing multiple roachlings to share a square without impediment. Up to 4 roachlings spawn can share the same square.

The unstable nature of the corpser’s acid prevents a roachling from living for more than a few seconds. Roachlings are born with a ravenous appetite and they will attack anything in their site until their bodies collapse due to the instability.

Vile                                         CR 4
XP 1,200
N Medium aberration (zerg)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
DEFENSE
HP 50
EAC 16; KAC 18
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +5
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Ranged sluggish spit +12 (1d4+3 acid)
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +5, Con +3, Int –3, Wis +0, Cha –1
Skills Perception +15
Languages Zerg
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or squad (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) A vile can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The vile can move at half its speed and is treated as invisible while burrowed, but it cannot attack. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed vile. While burrowed, the vile gains blindsight (sound) 30 feet.
Sluggish Spit (Ex) A corpser sprays acid at a range increment of 60 feet. A corpser cannot attack flying targets with this attack. A creature struck by the spit becomes entangled unless it succeeds at a DC 13 Reflex save. An entangled creature can remove the slowing acid as a standard action.

The vile roacher’s caustic acid does not immediately burn its enemies. Instead, this acid has major adhesive properties. The acid clings to the vile’s foes, making it difficult for the foe to move. Vile roachers use this property to help slow enemy troops en masse, making them sitting ducks for other Zerg creatures.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the zerg into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

As always, before we get started, here’s the zerg subtype for those who need it.

Zerg
Zerg are a collection of creatures integrated into one collected hive mind by a being known as the Overmind. They are capable of metamorphosis into a variety of creatures via a shared repository of genetic information.
Traits: Fast healing 2; Zerg with a fly speed do not suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.

Baneling

Banelings are an explosive strain of Zerg, derived from the zergling strain.

Baneling                                       CR 1
XP 400
N Small aberration (zerg)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
HP 20
EAC 11; KAC 13
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3
Defensive Abilities burrow, death burst, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Offensive Abilities acidic detonation
STATISTICS
Str +2, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +10, Stealth +5
Languages Zerg
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acidic Detonation (Ex) A baneling can rupture in an explosion of acid as a standard action. All creatures adjacent to the baneling take 2d4+2 acid damage. A successful DC 10 Reflex save halves this damage. A baneling can detonate while burrowing. Detonating in this way kills the baneling and does not trigger the baneling’s death burst.
Burrow (Ex) A baneling can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The baneling cannot attack or move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed baneling. While burrowed, the baneling gains blindsight (vibration) 30 feet.
Death Burst (Ex) If a baneling dies, it sprays acid around it in its death throes. All creatures adjacent to the baneling take 1d4 acid damage. A successful DC 10 Reflex save ignores this damage.

After a brief chrysalis phase, zerglings can mutate into a baneling. This new form loses the zergling’s signature claws and is filled with a mass of chemicals that fill its body. These chemicals stretch the baneling’s skin, creating large, bulbous sacs of the dangerous, acidic mix. These sacs are particularly volatile and are prone to explosive detonation. Once a baneling is close to an enemy, it can trigger an explosive reaction, setting off parts of its body to erupt. This eruption sprays most of the baneling’s payload of acid onto nearby foes. Even killing a baneling is not entirely safe, as the unstable chemical mixture still erupts upon the baneling’s death, albeit at a reduced capacity. Baneling swarms are notorious for rushing foes or enemy structures and reducing them to burning piles of melted mass in just a few seconds.

Baneling Strains

Banelings are capable of further modification during their chrysalis stage, allowing them to mutate into the leaping hunter baneling or the spawn producing splitter baneling.

Hunter                                       CR 1
XP 400
N Small aberration (zerg)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
HP 15
EAC 11; KAC 13
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3
Defensive Abilities burrow, death burst, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Offensive Abilities acidic detonation
STATISTICS
Str +2, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +10, Stealth +5
Languages Zerg
Other Abilities leaping
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acidic Detonation (Ex) A hunter can rupture in an explosion of acid as a standard action. All creatures adjacent to the hunter take 1d6+2 acid damage. A successful DC 10 Reflex save halves this damage. A hunter can detonate while burrowing. Detonating in this way kills the hunter and does not trigger the hunter’s death burst.
Burrow (Ex) A hunter can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The hunter cannot attack or move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed hunter. While burrowed, the hunter gains blindsight (vibration) 30 feet.
Death Burst (Ex) If a hunter dies, it sprays acid around it in its death throes. All creatures adjacent to the hunter take 1d4 acid damage. A successful DC 10 Reflex save ignores this damage.
Leaping (Ex) As a move action, a hunter can leap horizontally or vertically up to 20 feet. When leaping horizontally, a hunter automatically leaps over any Medium or smaller creatures, but it cannot leap over any creatures larger than Medium. This leap does not provoke attacks of opportunity. As a full action, a hunter can make a leaping attack. The hunter leaps up to 20 feet as normal and detonate at any point during its movement, as if using its acidic detonation ability. If it does not detonate while moving, it immediately detonates when it lands.

A hunter baneling’s unique mutations lead to stronger legs than that of a typical baneling. This development allows hungers to leap past enemy front lines and detonate in the middle of enemy forces where they can deal the most damage. Hunters make great ambushers, not only detonating while burrowed, but also jumping from cliff sides or out of trees to catch foes unawares.

Splitter                                       CR 1
XP 400
N Small aberration (zerg)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
HP 18
EAC 10; KAC 12
Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3
Defensive Abilities burrow, death burst, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Offensive Abilities acidic detonation
STATISTICS
Str +2, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Acrobatics +5, Perception +10, Stealth +5
Languages Zerg
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acidic Detonation (Ex) A splitter can rupture in an explosion of acid as a standard action. All creatures adjacent to the splitter take 1d8 acid damage. A successful DC 10 Reflex save halves this damage. A splitter can detonate while burrowing. Detonating in this way kills the splitter and does not trigger the splitter’s death burst. Once the splitter detonates, it creates two splitter spawn in its space.
Burrow (Ex) A splitter can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The splitter cannot attack or move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed splitter. While burrowed, the splitter gains blindsight (vibration) 30 feet.
Death Burst (Ex) If a splitter dies, it sprays acid around it in its death throes. All creatures adjacent to the splitter take 1d4 acid damage. A successful DC 10 Reflex save ignores this damage.

During mutation, a baneling can set aside a portion of its genetic material to create a miniaturized baneling. This small spawn remains in a suspended chrysalis phase, just on the verge of completion. When the splitter detonates, it completes the mutation of the spawn, releasing the miniaturized baneling to immediately attack a foe.

Splitter Spawn                                       CR 1/3
XP —
N Tiny aberration (zerg)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3
DEFENSE
HP 6
EAC 9; KAC 11
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +2
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Offensive Abilities acidic detonation
STATISTICS
Str +1, Dex +0, Con +3, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Other Abilities swarming
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary or pair
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Acidic Detonation (Ex) A splitter spawn can rupture in an explosion of acid as a standard action. All creatures adjacent to the spawn take 1d4 acid damage. A successful DC 8 Reflex save halves this damage. Detonating in this way kills the splitter spawn.
Swarming (Ex) Splitter spawn are compact, allowing multiple splitter spawn to share a square without impediment. Up to 4 spawn can share the same square.

These terrifying creatures are able to slip past defenses to detonate. They take advantage of already damaged defenses to deal greater damage to structures and enemy lines. Entire waves of splitter spawn can overwhelm unprepared forces in an instant.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the zerg into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Before we get started, here’s the Zerg subtype, in case you need a reminder.

Zerg
Zerg are a collection of creatures integrated into one collected hive mind by a being known as the Overmind. They are capable of metamorphosis into a variety of creatures via a shared repository of genetic information.
Traits: Fast healing 2; Zerg with a fly speed do not suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.

Ultralisk Strains

The ultralisk was already a pretty tough foe last time around. This time, its even tougher. The noxious strain is all about dealing additional damage to creatures in an area while the torrasque deals less damage, but is significantly hardier.

Noxious                                           CR 8
XP 4,800
N Huge aberration (zerg)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21
Aura frightful presence (60 ft., DC 16)
DEFENSE
HP 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +9
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2, ferocity; DR 10/adamantine
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee blades +19 (2d4+10 slashing plus 1d6 acid)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
STATISTICS
Str +6, Dex +2, Con +4, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Perception +21
Languages Zerg
Other Abilities kaiser blades
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–6)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Kaiser Blades (Ex) A noxious’s blades ignore up to 30 points of hardness and are treated as adamantine alloy and magic for the purposes of damage reduction.
Noxious Blades (Ex) A noxious deals 1d6 damage to all creatures adjacent to its target on a hit. This damage is doubled if the attack is a critical hit.

The noxious ultralisk is a variant of the standard ultralisk. The ultralisk bonded to a toxic compound, which alters the ultralisk at a genetic level. The genetic changes infuse the ultralisk with toxic glands that allow it to emit a dangerous, acidic cloud as part of its attacks. This ability makes the noxious ultralisk particularly dangerous as it can harm multiple creatures at once, even while focusing on a specific target.

Torrasque                                           CR 8
XP 4,800
N Huge aberration (zerg)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21
Aura frightful presence (60 ft., DC 16)
DEFENSE
HP 125
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +9
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2, ferocity, reincarnation; DR 10/adamantine
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.
Melee blades +19 (2d4+10)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
STATISTICS
Str +6, Dex +2, Con +4, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Perception +21
Languages Zerg
Other Abilities kaiser blades
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–6)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Kaiser Blades (Ex) An torrasque’s blades ignore up to 30 points of hardness and are treated as adamantine alloy and magic for the purposes of damage reduction.
Reincarnation (Ex) Upon death, the torrasque enters a regenerative cocoon. The cocoon has 200 Hit Points and DR 10/adamantine. The cocoon hatches in 2d4+2 rounds, after which, the torrasque emerges with full Hit Points. If the cocoon is destroyed, the torrasque is fully destroyed and will not regenerate.

The torrasque ultralisk is a hardier strain of the ultralisk that is especially difficult to kill. The torrasque has a special ability to revert into a regenerative state when brought to the brink of death. The regenerative state allows the torrasque to return to full fighting form when defeated in combat. Only those with the firepower and capacity to destroy the torrasque in this regenerative state will be able to fully destroy this terror.

Zerg Queen Strain

The queen is significantly different in its Starcraft 2 iteration compared to the original unit. As such, I chose to create a variant of the queen with the new abilities found in the new game. This variant is known as the swarm queen.

Swarm Queen                                               CR 6
XP 2,400
N Large aberration (zerg)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18
DEFENSE
HP 90
EAC 18; KAC 20
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8
Defensive Abilities fast healing 2, transfusion
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.
Ranged chitin missile +16 (2d6+6 piercing)
Offensive Abilities create creep tumor, creep stride
STATISTICS
Str –1, Dex +2, Con +5, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +3
Skills Perception +18
Languages Zerg
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or cluster (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) A swarm queen can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The queen cannot attack or move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed swarm queen. While burrowed, the queen gains blindsight (vibration) 30 feet.
Chitin Missile (Ex) A swarm queen’s missiles have a range of 60 feet.
Create Creep Tumor (Ex) As a move action, a swarm queen fires a small tumor at a point within 60 feet. The tumor instantly creates an area of creep in a 10-foot radius. The creep’s area increases by 5 feet every round on the swarm queen’s initiative, up to a total of a 40-foot radius. The creep is difficult terrain for all non-Zerg creatures. The creep tumor has an EAC and KAC of 15, hardness 5, and 25 Hit Points. Destroying the tumor instantly destroys the creep. The swarm queen can produce a new creep tumor once every 1d6 rounds.
Creep Stride (Ex) A swarm queen is empowered by creep. While moving through creep, the swarm queen gains a +1 bonus to EAC and KAC, a +2 bonus to Reflex saves, and a +20-foot bonus to speed.
Transfusion (Ex) As a standard action, a swarm queen can fire regenerative micro-organisms at a living creature within 30 feet. The creature instantly recovers 20 Hit Points. A swarm queen can use this ability once ever 1d4 rounds.

Queens are the wardens of the various Zerg hives, watching over Zerg eggs and maturing Zerg as they grow into living nightmares. Queens use their abilities to expand the vital creep that Zerg hives rest on, allowing the Zerg to expand into further territories. In addition, queens have the ability to heal fellow Zerg to allow them to keep fighting, making them particularly useful when traveling with other Zerg troops They have since evolved the ability to attack their enemies, though they prefer to defend their hives and fellow troops first, over entering the fray on their own.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing these zerg into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Before we get started, I think I should present the Zerg subtype!

Zerg
Zerg are a collection of creatures integrated into one collected hive mind by a being known as the Overmind. They are capable of metamorphosis into a variety of creatures via a shared repository of genetic information.
Traits: Fast healing 2; Zerg with a fly speed do not suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.

Zergling Strains

The zergling is the common foot soldier for the zerg. As the zergling is particularly common, it was inevitable that the zergling be mutated into alternate strains with specific functions for the battle field. The raptor is a highly mobile strain of zergling and the swarmling is designed for greater cooperation for its overwhelming numbers.

Raptor                                       CR 1/2
XP 200
N Small aberration (zerg)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
HP 13
EAC 10; KAC 12
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee sickle +6 (1d6+2 slashing)
STATISTICS
Str +2, Dex +3, Con +1, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +9, Stealth +4
Languages Zerg
Other Abilities leaping
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) A raptor can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The raptor cannot attack or move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed raptor. While burrowed, the raptor gains blindsight (vibration) 30 feet.
Leaping (Ex) As a move action, a raptor can leap horizontally or vertically up to 20 feet. When leaping horizontally, a raptor automatically leaps over any Medium or smaller creatures, but it cannot leap over any creatures larger than Medium. This leap does not provoke attacks of opportunity. As a full action, a raptor can make a leaping attack. The raptor leaps up to 20 feet as normal and immediately makes a sickle attack against a creature within reach. This attack deals 1d6+5 slashing damage instead of the normal amount.

The raptor strain of zergling is entirely focused on battlefield mobility. A raptor’s wings allow it to jump great distances. This allows a raptor to leap over enemy front lines to both reach back line troops and also to flank those in the front line. A raptor can also use its wings to leap up on cliffs or onto buildings, which is particularly useful for ambushes. Many troops have met their end due to these great leaps, as soldiers accustomed to fighting zerglings are caught off guard by this extra mobility.

Swarmling                                       CR 1/2
XP 200
N Small aberration (zerg)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
HP 13
EAC 10; KAC 12
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee sickle +6 (1d6+2 slashing)
STATISTICS
Str +2, Dex +3, Con +1, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Acrobatics +4, Perception +9, Stealth +4
Languages Zerg
Other Abilities swarming
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) A swarmling can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The swarmling cannot attack or move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed swarmling. While burrowed, the swarmling gains blindsight (vibration) 30 feet.
Swarming (Ex) Swarmlings are compact, allowing multiple swarmlings to share a square without impediment. Up to 6 swarmlings can share the same square. Swarmlings gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls for every other swarmling that shares its space, up to a total bonus of +5.

Zerglings use their great numbers to overwhelm their enemies and swarmlings are exemplars of this tactic. Swarmlings have a greater innate connection with each other, allowing them to weave in and around each other without interfering with each other’s movement. Swarmlings move in mobs that appear shift and roll as they move. This movement makes it difficult to anticipate any given swarmling’s attack and thus, makes them particularly dangerous.

Hydralisk Strains

Hydralisks swoop in after zerglings and serve the zerg as medium assault troops. Compared to the zergling strains, hydralisk strains create greater deviations from the base hydralisk. These strains are more focused to attacking from hidden positions underground. The lurker is focused attacking large numbers at once while the impaler dedicates itself to attacking single targets, but with deadlier power and precision.

Lurker                                               CR 5
XP 1,600
N Large aberration (zerg)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16
DEFENSE
HP 70
EAC 17; KAC 19
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +6
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Space 5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Offensive Abilities subterranean spines +12 (1d6+4 piercing)
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +3, Con +2, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Perception +16, Stealth +11
Languages Zerg
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) A lurker can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The lurker cannot move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed lurker. While burrowed, the lurker gains blindsight (vibration) 60 feet.
Subterranean Spines (Ex) A lurker can fire a 30 foot line of spikes as a ranged attack. The lurker rolls once for all creatures in the line. It can only attack with these spines while burrowed. A lurker can only attack creatures in squares on the ground. Flying creatures in squares above the ground or creatures on higher ground are unaffected by these attacks.

Lurkers act as heavy defense troops for the zerg. They were created by further development of the hydralisk genus. The mutation pushed the hydralisk body into something more resembling an arthropod. The hydralisk spines become reinforced with a thick chiton and grow attached to the lurker’s body with elastic tissue and membranes. These supra-dense spines are capable of piercing though almost all forms of earth to impale a lurker’s enemies. A lurker can only emit these spines while underground, however, and a lurker is especially vulnerable while above ground. As such, most lurkers act as defenders of zerg hive clusters.

Impaler                                               CR 5
XP 1,600
N Large aberration (zerg)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16
DEFENSE
HP 70
EAC 17; KAC 19
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +6
Defensive Abilities burrow, fast healing 2
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Space 5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Offensive Abilities impaling spike +12 (1d8+4 piercing)
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +3, Con +2, Int –3, Wis –1, Cha –2
Skills Perception +16, Stealth +11
Languages Zerg
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Burrow (Ex) An impaler can burrow into the ground as a standard action. The impaler cannot move while burrowed and is treated as invisible. Any abilities or effects that can see invisible creatures or dispel invisibility reveal a burrowed impaler. While burrowed, the impaler gains blindsight (vibration) 60 feet.
Impaling Spike (Ex) An impaler can fire a powerful spike as a ranged attack with a range of 60. The spike ignores up to 5 points of damage reduction or hardness. It can only attack with this spike while burrowed. An impaler can only attack creatures in squares on the ground. Flying creatures in squares above the ground or creatures on higher ground are unaffected by these attacks.

Much like their lurker cousins, impalers are heavy troops for the zerg. While they can also function as defensive troops, they excel as assault troops. An impaler possesses a larger, denser spike that can pierce through even the toughest of armors to deal devastating damage. Impalers have only a few spikes however, and thus they can only effectively attack individuals. A mass of impalers are a force to be reckoned with, however, as they can focus all of their attacks on large armored troops or important structures and destroy them in an instant. Like lurkers, impalers can only attack while underground and are completely exposed while above ground. When not actively deployed to combat, many impalers are tasked with defending choke points.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing the zerg into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Godzilla                        CR 30
XP 9,830,400
N Colossal magical beast (amphibious, kaiju)
Init +10; Senses darkvision 600 ft., low-light vision; Perception +47
DEFENSE
AC 48, touch 8, flat-footed 42 (+6 Dex, +40 natural, –8 size)
hp 779 (38d10+570); fast healing 30
Fort +36, Ref +29, Will +24
Defensive Abilities absorb energy, ferocity, recovery; DR 20/epic; Immune ability damage, ability drain, death effects, disease, energy drain, fire, and fear; Resist acid 30, cold 30, electricity 30, negative energy 30, sonic 30
OFFENSE
Speed 100 ft., swim 100 ft.
Melee bite +50 (8d12+20/19–20 plus grab), 2 claws +50 (8d10+20/19–20), tail slap +48 (10d10+10/19–20)
Space 60 ft.; Reach 60 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon, ferocity, hurl foe, trample (8d10+30, DC 49)
STATISTICS
Str 50, Dex 23, Con 41, Int 3, Wis 30, Cha 26
Base Atk +38; CMB +66 (+70 bull rush, +70 grapple, +70 sunder); CMD 84 (86 vs. bull rush, 86 vs. sunder)
Feats Awesome Blow, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Greater Bull Rush, Greater Sunder, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Improved Sunder, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Staggering Critical, Vital Strike
Skills Perception +47, Swim +51; Racial Modifiers +16 Perception
Languages Aquan (can’t speak)
SQ amphibious, massive
ECOLOGY
Environment water or urban
Organization solitary (unique)
Treasure incidental
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Breath Weapon (Su) Once every 4 rounds, Godzilla can breathe out a beam of atomic energy. When Godzilla uses this attack, he can choose to focus the breath weapon into a single 200-foot-long line, or he can shorten the range and turn his head and body while breathing, effectively affecting a 100-foot long cone. All creatures caught in this area of effect take 20d8 points of fire damage, 20d8 points of force damage, and are staggered for 1d6 rounds from the devastating energy (Reflex DC 44 halves the damage and prevents the staggered effect). A creature slain by this effect is disintegrated, whether the saving throw was successful or not. This breath weapon is particularly effective at blasting through cover—cover does not grant any bonuses on Reflex saves against Godzilla’s breath weapon. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Godzilla is an enormous creature believed to have survived from prehistoric times. The massive creature stands nearly 400 feet (121 meters) tall and weighs nearly 100,000 tons. Godzilla is a mostly aquatic-based creature, but is capable of traveling on land thanks to its amphibious adaptations. Seemingly, Godzilla has been slumbering for centuries until a nuclear testing in the ocean awoke the creature. Godzilla was able to withstand the force of an atomic blast and seemingly absorbed the energy of the blast, allowing him to breath a destructive breath of atomic energy. Once awake, Godzilla began an unstoppable rampage on the surface. Leaving catastrophe in its wake, Godzilla eventually returned to slumber in the sea. Since then, Godzilla will rise again when threatened by other monstrous beasts or sometimes when called upon by unique individuals with the ability to call upon him in times of need. Regardless of how he rises, Godzilla is an uncontrollable force with a terrifying destructive potential.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Godzilla into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Also, with PaizoCon next week, Monstrous Physique will be taking a break. If you happen to be at the convention, come say hi or even give me a request!

Ant-Man                           CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
HP 165
EAC 23; KAC 25
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11
Defensive Abilities ant-man suit; DR 5/—
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee punch +22 (2d10+15)
Special Attacks Pym Particle disk
STATISTICS
Str +5, Dex +8, Con +3, Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +6
Skills Acrobatics +24, Athletics +24, Bluff +19, Engineering +19
Languages Common
Other Abilities ant control
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ant Control (Ex) Ant-Man can directly communicate with ants as if he shared a language with them. He can issue orders to them and they will follow simple commands.
Ant-Man Suit (Ex) Ant-Man’s unique suit allows him to alter his size at will. He can choose to alter his size as a swift action. When he does, he chooses to either grow or shrink. If he grows, his size becomes Huge and he gains a +8 bonus to damage rolls. If he shrinks, his size becomes Diminutive and he gains a +4 bonus to AC. In either state, his speed drops to 20 feet. Ant-Man can return to his original size as a swift action and must do so before changing to a different size; he can’t change from Huge and shrink to Fine with a single swift action, for example. He can choose to alter his size as part of movement to propel himself a great distance, allowing him to travel up to twice his current speed in a single move action and changing his size in the process. As a full action, he can make an attack in his current size as he changes to a new size, if he does, he gains a +4 bonus to the attack roll. Regardless of how he changes, Ant-Man can only change size once per round.
Pym Particle Disk (Ex) Ant-Man can throw a disk at a target within 60 feet. This attack targets KAC. A creature struck by the a disk will have its size drastically altered, determined by what type of disk is thrown. Regardless of which disk is used, the effects wear off after 1 minute. Ant-Man can only maintain the effects of one disk at a time. If he uses a second disk on another target, the effects on any previous targets immediately end.

• Red: The target shrinks in size by two size categories. The creature takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls and a –8 penalty to damage rolls. The target also reduces its speed by 10 feet. The target gains a +2 bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
• Blue: The target grows in size by two size categories. The creature gains a +2 penalty to attack rolls and a  +8 penalty to damage rolls. The target also reduces its speed by 10 feet. The target takes a –2 penalty to AC and Reflex saves.

Former criminal Scott Lang who took on the mantle of Ant-Man from claimed scientist Hank Pym. Pym’s amazing invention, the Pym Particle, allowed him to manipulate the space between atoms to shrink or expand objects by enormous magnitudes. With this invention, he created a unique suit that allowed him to manipulate his own size and becoming the original Ant-Man in the process. When Scott Lang took on the title, he was able to use the suit to now only shrink himself, but eventually cause himself to grow to a tremendous size. The suit also features a communication device that allows Lang to communicate with ants and issues commands to them telepathically. Scott makes use of the suit’s abilities and his natural skill at planning and electrical engineering to undertake great heists and other endeavors.

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Ant-Man into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.

Squirrel Girl                     CR ???
XP ???
NG Medium humanoid (human, mutate)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 22, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +9 deflection, +1 dodge)
hp 102 (12d8+48); fast healing 10
Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +6
DR 10/—; SR 24
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 60 ft.
Melee bite +14 (3d12+14) or
2 slams +14 (2d6+7)
Special Attacks powerful jaw
STATISTICS
Str 25, Dex 20, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 21
Base Atk +9; CMB +14; CMD 36
Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Mobility, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Shot on the Run
Skills Acrobatics +18, Diplomacy +22, Fly +12, Intimidate +22, Perception +19, Sense Motive +16, Use Magic Device +22
Languages Common
SQ prehensile tail, squirrel communication, unbeatable
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Prehensile Tail (Ex) Squirrel Girl has a long, powerful tail that she can use to carry objects. She cannot wield weapons with their tail, but her tail does allow her to retrieve small objects stowed on her person as a swift action.
Powerful Jaw (Ex) Squirrel Girl applies twice her Strength modifier to her bite damage. Her bite can ignore up to 15 points of damage reduction and hardness.
Squirrel Communication (Ex) Squirrel Girl can speak to squirrels as if she were constantly under the effects of speak with animals.
Unbeatable (Ex) So long as she’s not in active combat and seen by players (off-screen), Squirrel Girl cannot be defeated by any means and will always win any fight in which she is a part. Even when “on-screen,” Squirrel Girl is still pretty neat and probably wins.

Doreen Green was born with a unique modification in her genes that gave her several squirrel-like abilities. This was most obvious with the large, prehensile, squirrel tail that she grew. Later in life, Doreen learned that she was able to communicate with squirrels. After saving the life of local squirrel Monkey Joe, Doreen believed she would grow to become a superhero. After an encounter with Iron Man where Squirrel Girl rescued the iron-clad hero from the likes of Doctor Doom, she started on the proper course to becoming a true superhero. Years later, Squirrel Girl joined the Great Lake Avengers and went on to tussle with such villains like MODOK, Terrax, and Thanos. Since then, she’s continued her heroics as the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl with the help of her squirrel friends like Monkey Joe and Tippy-Toe. Doreen remains a peppy and energetic hero that is always ready to help others and save the day!

That’s it for this week! If you end up introducing Squirrel Girl into your game or you have any request for a future Monstrous Physique, please drop me a line at KnowDirection@hotmail.com.