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Choker

CR 2.00 Aberration CE Small HD 3

This hunched-over wretch has long, pliable arms like tentacles capped with five wide, spiny claws.

Description

Underground predators that often dwell on the outskirts of subterranean ruins or in the deep shadows of nameless cavern outposts, chokers lurk in the darkness and lash out with their long, rubbery arms to grasp prey as it passes by. They seldom attack multiple enemies at once, stalking their quarry until they can isolate a weaker victim from its pack.

Chokers walk with a disturbing, almost comical gait due to their extremely limber legs. Weighing only 35 pounds and standing no taller than a halfling, chokers have no problem skittering across walls and ceilings, often lodging themselves into shadowy corners, tunnel intersections, walls, or staircases. A choker will attempt to grasp creatures of almost any size, but prefers lone prey of its size or smaller.

Chokers appear to have little culture of their own, gathering only briefly to mate before their wanderlust and hunger spurs them again to a solitary existence. Their just-better-than-animalistic intelligence grants them a fascination with the trappings of society even if they do not truly understand it. Accordingly, the grubby lair of a choker (often situated in a difficult-to-reach nook or cranny) usually contains valuable objects such as rings, brooches, cloak clasps, and loose coins gathered from devoured victims.

This fascination occasionally compels a choker to abandon its subterranean home for a closer study of the sunlit world's many civilizations. These chokers feel most at home in the darkened narrow alleyways of human cities, squeezing themselves into sewers, forgotten alcoves, barrels, and similar cramped, overlooked spaces. Chokers prefer to keep hidden during the light of day, emerging from their hidey-holes under cover of darkness to hunt for food and cruel pleasure. Favorite tactics include using their long arms to scoop prey off the street from the safety of a nearby rooftop, attacking sleeping families by squeezing through an open chimney, or tapping on a window to bring their curious food within grasping distance.

Combat Stats

16 (3d8+3)

17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

Init

Speed

20 ft., climb 10 ft.

Fort

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

+4 (+8 grappling)

CMD

Melee: 2 tentacles +6 (1d4+3 plus grab)
Space: 5 ft.
Reach: 10 ft.

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

-3

wis

cha

-2

Special Attacks

constrict (1d4+3)

Strangle — Chokers have an unerring talent for seizing their victims by the neck. A creature that is grappled by a choker cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components.

grab (Large)

Special Qualities

Quickness — A choker is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra move action during its turn each round.

Feats

Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Stealth)

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Grab

Grab (Large) 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 (1d4+3) 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.

Strangle Ex from Universal Monster Rule

An opponent grappled by the creature cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components.

Special Abilities

Quickness from text

A choker is supernaturally quick. It can take an extra move action during its turn each round.

Feats, Traits & Items

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

Skills

Climb +16, Stealth +13

Details

Type: Aberration
Alignment: CE
Size: Small
Environment: any underground
Organization: solitary, pair, or clutch (3-8)
Treasure: standard
Senses: darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1
Languages: Undercommon
Source: Bestiary

Rules