Library / Bestiary

Behir

CR 8.00 Magical Beast N Huge HD 10

This slithering, multilegged blue reptile has a fearsome head crowned with two large, curling horns.

Description

Temperamental and avaricious, the behir spends most of its time slithering through the sandy hills and desert cliffs that make up its territory, preying upon all creatures who dare to enter its hunting grounds. The creature's six pairs of powerful, clawed legs remain folded against its sides most of the time, only extending in combat to grapple foes or carry the behir forward in a terrifying, low-slung gallop, or else when climbing the sheer cliff faces common to behir lairs.

The average behir is 40 feet long and weighs 4,000 pounds. In addition to the two prominent horns on its head, many have additional decorative spines at regular intervals along the central ridges of their backs.

While territorial and bestial in its fury, the behir is neither stupid nor necessarily evil, though its self-centeredness and tendency to lay claim to everything visible from its high lairs frequently bring it into conflict with other races. As such, a behir can often be bought off or reasoned with by those brave negotiators willing to get close enough to make their pitch. In these cases, a behir's tendency to attack first and ask questions later (or not at all) means that anyone seeking to strike a deal must bring powerful incentives and impress the behir immediately with his offer.

It's often been speculated that behirs are somehow related to blue dragons, but the exact nature of this link remains unknown. Most dragons deny any such association and look down on the behir for its relative lack of intelligence—a snubbing that infuriates the already short-tempered behir. Thanks to this casual disparagement, many behirs carry deep grudges against dragons, and attack without pause any who cross into their territories.

Combat Stats

105 (10d10+50)

21, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+1 Dex, +12 natural, -2 size)

Init

Speed

40 ft., climb 20 ft.

Fort

+12

Ref

Will

BAB

+10

CMB

+18 (+22 grapple)

CMD

29 (can't be tripped)

Melee: bite +15 (2d6+9 plus grab)
Space: 15 ft.
Reach: 10 ft.

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

-2

wis

cha

Special Attacks

breath weapon (20-foot line, 7d6 electricity damage, Reflex DC 20 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds)

constrict (2d6+9)

rake (6 claws +14, 1d4+6)

swallow whole (2d8+9 bludgeoning damage, AC 16, 10 hp)

Feats

Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Grab

Grab (bite) 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.

Constrict (2d6+9) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

A creature with this special attack can crush an opponent, dealing bludgeoning damage, when it makes a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage). The amount of damage is given in the creature's entry and is typically equal to the amount of damage caused by the creature's melee attack.

Rake (6 claws +14, 1d4+6) 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.

Swallow Whole (2d8+9 bludgeoning damage, AC 16, 10 hp) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

If a creature with this special attack begins its turn with an opponent grappled in its mouth (see Grab), it can attempt a new combat maneuver check (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, it swallows its prey, and the opponent takes bite damage. Unless otherwise noted, the opponent can be up to one size category smaller than the swallowing creature. Being swallowed causes the target to take damage each round. The amount and type of damage varies and is given in the swallowing creature's statistics. A swallowed creature keeps the grappled condition, while the creature that did the swallowing does not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon (the amount of cutting damage required to get free is equal to 1/10 the creature's total hit points), or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + 1/2 its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. If a swallowed creature cuts its way out, the swallowing creature cannot use swallow whole again until the damage is healed. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in the attacker's mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.

Breath Weapon (20-foot line, 7d6 electricity damage, Reflex DC 20 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds) Su from Universal Monster Rule

Some creatures can exhale a cone, line, or cloud of energy or other magical effects. A breath weapon attack usually deals damage and is often based on some type of energy. Breath weapons allow a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 the breathing creature's racial HD + the breathing creature's Con modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). A creature is immune to its own breath weapon unless otherwise noted. Some breath weapons allow a Fortitude save or a Will save instead of a Reflex save. Each breath weapon also includes notes on how often it can be used, even if this number is limited in times per day.

Feats, Traits & Items

Alertness from Feat

You get a +2 bonus on Perception and Sense Motive skill checks. If you have 10 or more ranks in one of these skills, the bonus increases to +4 for that skill.

Calculated: +2 Perception, +2 Sense Motive

Cleave from Feat

As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a foe within reach. If you hit, you deal damage normally and can make an additional attack (using your full base attack bonus) against a foe that is adjacent to the first and also within reach. You can only make one additional attack per round with this feat. When you use this feat, you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class until your next turn.

Great Cleave from Feat

As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a foe within reach. If you hit, you deal damage normally and can make an additional attack (using your full base attack bonus) against a foe that is adjacent to the previous foe and also within reach. If you hit, you can continue to make attacks against foes adjacent to the previous foe, so long as they are within your reach. You cannot attack an individual foe more than once during this attack action. When you use this feat, you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class until your next turn.

Power Attack from Feat

You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

Weapon Focus (bite) from Feat

You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.

Calculated: +1 Attack Bonus

Skills

Climb +14, Perception +8, Stealth +5

Details

Type: Magical Beast
Alignment: N
Size: Huge
Environment: warm hills and deserts
Organization: solitary or pair
Treasure: double
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
Languages: Common
Source: Bestiary

Rules