Tendrils Of Shadow (3.5e Monster)
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| Tendrils Of Shadow | Greater Tendrils Of Shadow | |
|---|---|---|
| Size/Type: | Medium Aberration (Extraplanar) | Large Aberration (Extraplanar) |
| Hit Dice: | 4d8+4 (27 hp) | 7d8+14 (52 hp) |
| Initiative: | +1 | +1 |
| Speed: | 0ft | 0ft |
| Armor Class: | 16 (-5 Dex, +11 Natural), touch 5, flat-footed 16 | 19 (-5 Dex, -1 Size, +15 Natural), touch 5, flat-footed 19 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +3/+9 | +5/+16 |
| Attack: | +5 Slam 1d6+2 or +6 Ray (Conjuraytion; See Below) | +8 Slam 1d8+4 or +9 Ray (Conjuraytion; See Below) |
| Full Attack: | One +5 Slam or +6 Ray per tendril | One +8 Slam or +9 Ray per tendril |
| Space/Reach: | 5ft/10ft | 10ft/15ft |
| Special Attacks: | Conjuraytion | Conjuraytion, Improved Grab |
| Special Qualities: | All-Around Vision, Hydra's Curse, Regeneration 0 | All-Around Vision, Hydra's Lament, Regeneration 2 |
| Saves: | Fort +5, Ref -, Will +6 | Fort +7, Ref -, Will +8 |
| Abilities: | Str 15, Dex -, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 17 | Str 19, Dex -, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 20 |
| Skills: | Bluff +10, Intimidate +10, Spot +9 | Bluff +15, Intimidate +15, Spot +13 |
| Feats: | Power Attack, Improved Grapple | Power Attack, Improved Grapple, Cleave |
| Environment: | ||
| Organization: | Single, Cluster (1d4+1, plus 1 Greater) or Grove (2d6+1, plus 1d4 Greater) | See Other Entry |
| Challenge Rating: | 5 | 8 |
| Treasure: | ||
| Alignment: | Chaotic Neutral | Chaotic Neutral |
| Advancement: | 5-6 Medium | 8-12 Large, 12+ Huge |
| Level Adjustment: |
What you thought, in the dim light, was a twisted tree slowly unwinds itself, revealing that it was several woody tentacles of inky blackness. You hear a sound like a thousand cicadas, as ghostly, misty light of different colors builds around the tip of each tendril.
Plantlike abberations from the Plane of Shadow, Tendrils of Shadow tend to be found rooted in places of great evil or in wastelands where shadow reigns, and can sometimes be summoned by spellcasters.
Combat[edit]
Tendrils of Shadow are immobile, but they make up for this with tough natural armor, long reach, and ray attacks. Each individual Tendril of Shadow monster actually consists of 1d4+2 individual tendrils, each possessing its own slam and ray attacks. Tendrils attempt slam attacks while their rays are on cooldown.
- All-Around Vision (Ex): Tendrils of Shadow, though they possess no true eyes, can "see" all the way around themselves, and thus cannot be flanked.
- Conjuraytion (Su): Each individual Tendril can fire a ray from its tip every 1d4 rounds with a ranged touch attack (Since they have no Dexterity, they use their Charisma modifier for the attack roll). Each ray deals damage, has a secondary effect, and allows a saving throw to negate the effect and halve the damage. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 HD + Charisma modifier, and each ray has a range of 60ft.
- To determine what Ray type each tendril uses, roll 1d4 for the lesser version and 1d6 for the Greater version. 1= Razor, 2= Chill, 3= Dark, 4= Draining, 5= Corrupting, 6= Havoc. These are Conjuration effects, and can be disabled by affecting the monster with a Dimensional Anchor effect.
- Razor Ray: This ray deals 1d6 Slashing and Piercing damage per 2 HD, counts as Magical, Silver and Adamantine, and applies one stack of Bleed per damage dice on a failed saving throw.
- Chill Ray: This ray deals 1d6 Cold damage per 2 HD, and Slows the target for 1d4 rounds on a failed save.
- Dark Ray: This ray deals 1d6 Cold damage per 2 HD, and Blinds the target for 1d4 rounds on a failed save.
- Draining Ray: This ray deals 1d6 Negative Energy damage per 2 HD, and deals 1 point of Strength damage per damage dice on a failed save. The Tendril of Shadow heals 5 HP for every point of Strength damage inflicted in this manner.
- Corrupting Ray: This ray deals 1d6 Negative Energy damage per 2 HD, and Confuses the target for 5 rounds on a failed save.
- Havoc Ray: This ray deals 1d6 Bludgeoning damage per 2 HD, counts as Magical, Silver and Adamantine, and forces the target to roll on the Havoc table for 1d4 rounds on a failed save.
- Hydra's Curse (Ex): Much like the heads of a Hydra, the tentacles of a Tendril of Shadow can be severed. To sever a tendril, an opponent must make a successful sunder attempt with a slashing weapon. (The player should declare where the attack is aimed before making the attack roll.) Making a sunder attempt provokes an attack of opportunity unless the foe has the Improved Sunder feat. An opponent can strike at a tendril from any position in which he could strike at the "plant" itself, because the tendrils writhe and whip about in combat. An opponent can ready an action to attempt to sunder a tendril when the creature attempts a slam attack against him. Each individual tendril has hit points equal to the creature’s full normal hit point total, divided by its original number of heads. Losing a tendril deals damage to the body equal to half the tendil’s full normal hit points. A natural reflex seals the base of the tentacle shut to prevent further ichor loss from the wound. A Tendril of Shadow can no longer attack with a severed tendril, but takes no other penalties.
- Each time a tendril is severed, two new tendrils spring from the stump, taking a full hour to grow. To prevent a severed tendril from growing back into two tendrils, at least 5 points of Fire, Acid or Radiant damage, or damage dealt by a Cold Iron weapon, must be dealt to the stump (A touch attack to hit) before the new tendrils appear. A Flaming weapon (Or similar effect) deals its energy damage to the stump in the same blow in which a tendril is severed. Damage of the appropriate type(s) from an area effect may sear multiple stumps, in addition to dealing damage to the main plantlike trunk. A Tendril of Shadow does not die from losing its tendril, until all its tendils have been cut off and the stumps seared by the appropriate damage type(s). Tendrils that grow from the stump of a severed tendril both possess the same Ray type (See Conjuraytion, above) as their parent stump, and can fire independently of each other (Including cooldown time), effectively doubling the severed tendril's dakka.
- A Tendril of Shadow's trunk can be slain just like any other creature’s, but they possess Regeneration (see below) and are difficult to defeat in this fashion. Any attack that is not (or cannot be) an attempt to sunder a tendril, instead affects the body. Targeted magical effects cannot sever tendrils (And thus must be directed at the body), unless they deal slashing damage and could be used to make sunder attempts.
- Hydra's Lament (Ex): This functions exactly as Hydra's Curse (Above), except that severed tendrils regrow into two tendrils within 1d4 rounds instead of 1 hour.
- Regeneration (Ex): A Tendril of Shadow possesses Regeneration 0, bypassed by Fire, Acid, and Radiant damage, as well as damage dealt by Cold Iron weapons. A Greater Tendril of Shadow instead possesses Regeneration 2, bypassed by the above effects.
- Improved Grab (Ex): A Greater Tendril of Shadow that lands a successful Slam attack can attempt to begin a Grapple as a free action, without provoking an attack of opportunity, as it possesses the Improved Grab ability.
- Darkvision (Ex): Tendrils of Shadow possess Darkvision out to 120 feet.
- Light Blindness (Ex): Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight, or a daylight spell) blinds Tendrils of Shadow for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.
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