Library / Bestiary

Ahuizotl

CR 6.00 Magical Beast NE Large HD 8

This bear-sized beast has a body like a squat simian, a dog's face, and a long tail that ends in a clawed hand.

Description

A carnage-hungry denizen of swamps, the ahuizotl is a ferocious-looking predator, even before one takes into consideration its most distinctive feature—a long tail that ends in a clawed but all-too-humanoid hand. Whether from the entrance of its aquatic home (typically a sunken mass of trees or a flooded cavern) or the thick reeds and flora that grow at the water's edge, an ahuizotl remains watchful for any intruder that might trespass into its territory. Upon sighting such prey, the beast uses its uncanny ability to mimic the sound of a humanoid in distress to lure victims near, so it can snatch them with its tail claw. Ahuizotls are particularly fond of feasting upon a victim's eyes, and their tail claws are particularly adept at swiping away such organs for the beasts to feed upon. Teeth and fingernails are another of the creature's favorite meals, and the appearance of mutilated bodies missing eyes, teeth, and nails along a river's banks is sure evidence of an ahuizotl attack.

Despite its preference for cruelty, an ahuizotl might come to mutually advantageous arrangements with other pernicious denizens of the swamps. Will-o'-wisps and ahuizotls often find themselves in such cooperative relationships, with the will-o'-wisp coaxing creatures near the ahuizotl's lair and then lingering to feed upon the victims' fear as the ahuizotl drags them into the depths. Some wily humanoids who fall into an ahuizotl's clutches—typically lizardfolk, boggards, or swamp-dwelling humans—have successfully managed to bargain away the lives of others in exchange for their own. Such arrangements always lead to a series of vicarious murders, as the aquatic predator's proxy coaxes new victims into the swamp for its fearsome partner to dine upon.

Ahuizotls are exceptionally long-lived, and a single individual might live and feed in a particular area for several human generations. An ahuizotl is 9 feet long and weighs 1,200 pounds.

Combat Stats

68 (8d10+24)

19, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size)

Init

Speed

30 ft., swim 50 ft.

Fort

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

+14 (+18 grapple)

CMD

27 (31 vs. trip)

Melee: bite +12 (2d6+5), claw +12 (1d8+5/19-20 plus grab)
Space: 10 ft.
Reach: 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail)
Racial Modifiers: +6 Bluff

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

-1

wis

cha

Special Attacks

rake (2 claws +12, 1d4+12)

Special Qualities

amphibious

Tenacious Grapple — An ahuizotl does not gain the grappled condition when it grapples a foe.

Voice Mimicry — An ahuizotl can perfectly mimic the sound of humanoid sobbing and can even attempt to mimic voices it has heard. When mimicking a voice, an ahuizotl must make a Bluff check opposed by its listener's Sense Motive check. If the listener has never heard the voice the ahuizotl is attempting to mimic, the listener takes a –8 penalty on the Sense Motive check.

Feats

Blinding Critical, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Stealth), Stand Still

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Grab

Grab (claw) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

If a creature with this special attack hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply to use the part of its body it used in the grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on its combat maneuver check to make and maintain the grapple, but does not gain the grappled condition itself. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature's descriptive text). Creatures with grab receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple. Unless otherwise noted, grab works only against opponents no larger than the same size category as the creature. If the creature can use grab on sizes other than the default, this is noted in the creature's Special Attacks line.

Rake (2 claws +12, 1d4+12) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

A creature with this special attack gains extra natural attacks under certain conditions, typically when it grapples its foe. In addition to the options available to all grapplers, a monster with the rake ability gains two free claw attacks that it can use only against a grappled foe. The bonus and damage caused by these attacks is included in the creature's description. A monster with the rake ability must begin its turn already grappling to use its rake—it can't begin a grapple and rake in the same turn.

Amphibious Ex from Universal Monster Rule

Creatures with this special quality have the aquatic subtype, but they can survive indefinitely on land.

Special Abilities

Tenacious Grapple from text

An ahuizotl does not gain the grappled condition when it grapples a foe.

Voice Mimicry from text

An ahuizotl can perfectly mimic the sound of humanoid sobbing and can even attempt to mimic voices it has heard. When mimicking a voice, an ahuizotl must make a Bluff check opposed by its listener's Sense Motive check. If the listener has never heard the voice the ahuizotl is attempting to mimic, the listener takes a –8 penalty on the Sense Motive check.

Feats, Traits & Items

Blinding Critical from Feat

Whenever you score a critical hit, your opponent is permanently blinded. A successful Fortitude save reduces this to dazzled for 1d4 rounds. The DC of this Fortitude save is equal to 10 + your base attack bonus. This feat has no effect on creatures that do not rely on eyes for sight or creatures with more than two eyes (although multiple critical hits might cause blindness, at the GM's discretion). Blindness can be cured by heal, regeneration, remove blindness, or similar abilities.

Combat Reflexes from Feat

You may make a number of additional attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus. With this feat, you may also make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.

Improved Critical (claw) from Feat

When using the weapon you selected, your threat range is doubled.

Improved Initiative from Feat

You get a +4 bonus on initiative checks.

Calculated: +4 Initiative

Skill Focus (Stealth) from Feat

You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving the chosen skill. If you have 10 or more ranks in that skill, this bonus increases to +6.

Calculated: +3 Skill Bonus

Stand Still from Feat

When a foe provokes an attack of opportunity due to moving through your adjacent squares, you can make a combat maneuver check as your attack of opportunity. If successful, the enemy cannot move for the rest of his turn. An enemy can still take the rest of his action, but cannot move. This feat also applies to any creature that attempts to move from a square that is adjacent to you if such movement provokes an attack of opportunity.

Skills

Bluff +9, Stealth +9, Swim +20

Details

Type: Magical Beast
Alignment: NE
Size: Large
Environment: warm lakes, rivers, or swamps
Organization: solitary
Treasure: standard
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +2
Languages: Common
Source: Bestiary 3

Rules