Library / Bestiary

Gorgon

CR 8.00 Magical Beast N Large HD 8

This bull-like creature seems to be made of interlocking metallic plates. Faint plumes of green smoke puff from its mouth.

Back to Bestiary

Description

Gorgons are magical, foul-tempered creatures—while they might appear to be constructs at first glance, beneath their artifical-looking armor plates they are made of flesh and bone. Like aggressive bulls, they challenge any unfamiliar creature they encounter, often trampling their opponent's corpse or shattering its stony remnants until the creature is unrecognizable. The females are just as dangerous as the males, and the two sexes appear identical. A typical gorgon stands 6 feet tall and 8 feet long. It weighs 4,000 pounds.

Gorgons derive nutrients from the consumption of minerals, particularly the stone of their petrified victims, and any statues they create are likely to be gnawed thoroughly. They cannot digest metal or gems, so their dung (which resembles bitter-smelling gray powder) often contains small, raw crystals and nuggets of ore. Their aggression toward all other creatures means that there are few to no predators or other prey animals in their grazing grounds. Each herd is led by a dominant bull; solitary gorgons are usually adolescent bulls driven out of their herd by the lead bull.

Their flesh is tough but beefy (once the armored hide is removed), and to those who acquire the taste, quite filling. Many stone giant tribes believe eating gorgon meat enhances their own natural armor. Powdered gorgon horn is worth 250 gp as an alternate material component for magic items using bull's strength, stoneskin, flesh to stone, statue, and similar magic.

Combat Stats

100 (8d10+56)

20, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+11 natural, -1 size)

Init

Speed

30 ft.

Fort

+13

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

+16

CMD

Melee: gore +14 (2d8+7), 2 hooves +9 (1d6+3)
Space: 10 ft.
Reach: 5 ft.

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

-4

wis

cha

-1

Special Attacks

breath weapon (60-foot cone, turn to stone, Fortitude DC 21 negates)

trample (2d8+10, DC 21)

Feats

Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Breath Weapon (60-foot cone, turn to stone, Fortitude DC 21 negates) 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.

Trample (2d8+10, DC 21) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

As a full-round action, a creature with the trample ability can attempt to overrun any creature that is at least one size category smaller than itself. This works just like the overrun combat maneuver, but the trampling creature does not need to make a check—it merely has to move over opponents in its path. Targets of a trample take an amount of damage equal to the trampling creature's slam damage + 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier. Targets of a trample can make an attack of opportunity, but at a –4 penalty. If targets forgo an attack of opportunity, they can attempt to avoid the trampling creature and receive a Reflex save to take half damage. The save DC against a creature's trample attack is 10 + 1/2 the creature's HD + the creature's Strength modifier (the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). A trampling creature can only deal trampling damage to each target once per round, no matter how many times its movement takes it over a target creature.

Feats, Traits & Items

Improved Initiative from Feat

You get a +4 bonus on initiative checks.

Calculated: +4 Initiative

Iron Will from Feat

You get a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws.

Calculated: +2 Will

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.

Skill Focus (Perception) 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

Perception +17

Details

Type: Magical Beast
Alignment: N
Size: Large
Environment: temperate plains, rocky hills, and underground
Organization: solitary, pair, pack (3-4), or herd (5-12)
Treasure: none
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +17
Source: Bestiary

Rules