View source for Chiropteryx (3.5e Monster)

=== Combat ===

A vampire bat prefers to hunt with cunning and patience instead of direct confrontation. Easily smart enough to lay ambushes and wise enough to wait for the opportune moments to strike, they dive in to attack their prey when they least suspect it only to immediately disappear again into the darkness afterwards. Exercising this ingrained sense of sadism, chiropteryx like to whittle down their victims' strength in an exhausting game of cat and mice before finally swooping in for the kill.

Using their intelligence, highly honed senses and predatorial instincts, a chiropteryx is more than capable of setting traps, often involving blocking off the entrance leading to their lair to ensure that their prey is left at their mercy. From thence on, every bite drains the victim's blood and weakens them bit by bit until the curtain closes.

Most of the time, vampire bats are solitary hunters, but they will occasionally unify under the leadership of a particularly powerful exemplar of their race (usually advanced to at least 15 [[SRD:Hit Dice|HD]]). Such a gathering is often referred to as a conclave. Regardless of their number however, they always hunt alone and will only respond in numbers if the conclave falls under direct attack.

'''{{Anchor|Blood Drain}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|Su]]):''' When a chiropteryx damages a creature with its [[SRD:Bite|bite]] attack, it drains 1d6 points of its [[SRD:Constitution|Constitution]]. Blood lost from a chiropteryx bite cannot be naturally replenished, and the wounds from the chiropteryx bite is persistent and cannot be naturally healed (although the [[SRD:Hit Points|hit points]] lost may be recovered with magic). This is [[SRD:Ability Score Loss#Ability Drain|ability drain]] and is permanent until restored. Creatures that don't have blood (or a [[SRD:Constitution|Constitution]] score) are immune to this ability.

'''{{Anchor|Deathwatch}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|Su]]):''' A chiropteryx can determine the physical condition of any living or dead creature or unliving object within the range of its [[SRD:Blindsight|blindsight]]. This functions as the ''[[SRD:Deathwatch|deathwatch]]'' spell, except that the chiropteryx can accurately gauge the amount of health and [[SRD:Constitution|Constitution]] any living creature has left. As this ability is [[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|supernatural]], spells and effects that block magical scrying do not block a chiropteryx' deathwatch ability, but an ''[[SRD:Antimagic Field|antimagic field]]'' does.

'''{{Anchor|Improved Evasion}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Extraordinary|Ex]]):''' Whenever a chiropteryx is subject to a spell or effect that allows a [[SRD:Reflex Save|Reflex]] save for half damage, it takes no damage on a successful save, and only half damage on a failed save.

'''{{Anchor|Light Weakness}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Extraordinary|Ex]]):''' When exposed to sources of bright light, a chiropteryx may be rebuked or even physically harmed. It takes damage like an [[SRD:Undead Type|undead]] creature from any damage dealing spell with the [[SRD:Light Effect|Light]] descriptor and upon exposure to such forces or within the area of a light spell or effect, it becomes [[SRD:Sickened|sickened]] and must make a [[SRD:Fortitude Save|Fortitude]] save or be [[SRD:Nauseated|nauseated]] for as long as it remains within the light source.

More than anything, the sun is the chiropteryx' bane. Sunlight deals 2d6 points of damage to it every [[SRD:Round|round]], [[SRD:Sickened|sickening]] it and requiring it to make a DC 20 [[SRD:Fortitude|Fortitude]] save to prevent [[SRD:Nauseated|nausea]]. Furthermore, direct exposure to sunlight suppresses the chiropteryx' [[SRD:Damage Reduction|damage reduction]], greatly weakening it in combat. As such, it only travels overland at night and ventures out during daytime only when sufficient cloud cover is present, or if it has no other choice.

Cantrips such as ''[[SRD:Light|light]]'' and non-magical sources of bright illumination are generally too weak to [[SRD:Nauseated|nauseate]] a chiropteryx, but they can still [[SRD:Sickened|sicken]] it.

'''{{Anchor|Uncanny Dodge}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Extraordinary|Ex]]):''' A chiropteryx retains its [[SRD:Dexterity|Dexterity]] bonus to [[SRD:Armor Class|AC]] even if caught [[SRD:Flat-Footed|flat-footed]] or struck by an [[SRD:Invisible|invisible]] attacker. However, it still loses its [[SRD:Dexterity|Dexterity]] bonus to [[SRD:Armor Class|AC]] if immobilized.

'''{{Anchor|Sanguine Bond}} ([[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Supernatural|Su]]):''' Whenever a chiropteryx draws and tastes the blood of a particular creature, it establishes a strong connection to that creature. From the moment of injury onwards, the chiropteryx is completely aware of that creature's condition and location as per the ''[[SRD:Status|status]]'' spell as long as the chiropteryx and the creature are on the same plane of existence. This connection persists even if the chiropteryx' [[#Blood Drain|blood drain]] is countered and restored, and only disappears upon the chiropteryx' death. After tasting particularly tasty blood, a chiropteryx may actively pursue such a surviving victim wherever they go in attempts to gorge upon them once more.

'''[[SRD:Special Abilities Overview#Spell-Like|{{Anchor|Spell-Like Abilities}}]]:''' At will—''[[SRD:Darkness|darkness]]'', ''[[SRD:Death Knell|death knell]]'' (DC 17), ''[[SRD:Silence|silence]]'' (DC 17); 3/day&mdash;''[[SRD:Vampiric Touch|vampiric touch]]''; 1/day—''[[SRD:Waves of Fatigue|waves of fatigue]]''. [[SRD:Caster Level|Caster level]] 10th. Save DCs are [[SRD:Charisma|Charisma]]-based.

'''Skills:''' Chiropteryx have a +8 racial bonus to [[SRD:Hide Skill|Hide]] and [[SRD:Move Silently Skill|Move Silently]] checks.


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{{3.5e Monsters Breadcrumb}}
[[Category:3.5e]]
[[Category:User]]
[[Category:Monster]]

{{Navboxes}}
Alignment	Always neutral evil +
Author	Sulacu +
Challenge Rating	7 +
Environment	Caves and subterranean crevices +
Identifier	3.5e Monster +
Level Adjustment	— +
Rated By	Leziad +, Ganteka Future +, Aarnott + and MisterSinister +
Rating	Rated 3.5 / 4 +
Size	Medium +
Title	Chiropteryx +
Type	Magical Beast +