Shard Slag

Shard slags are living mounds of magic-infused iron. They dwell within the iron-rich molten cores of worlds, the hearts of active volcanoes, or any location where the borders of the Material Plane and the Plane of Fire are thin. Though they're not sentient, shard slags are skilled hunters and have developed a bizarre method of hunting and defending themselves. When a creature is near, a shard slag spontaneously alters its molten body to produce a number of razor-sharp blades. The shard slag then mindlessly attacks until the other creature is stabbed, burned, and then consumed.

Excruciating Burn — A living creature that takes fire damage from a shard slag must succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude save or be staggered for 1 round. This is a fire effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Molten Form — A shard slag's molten metal body is hot enough to melt stone. Creatures that begin their turn within 5 feet of a shard slag take 1d6 points of fire damage. Anyone striking a shard slag with a natural weapon or unarmed strike takes 2d6 points of fire damage. A creature that grapples a shard slag or is grappled by one takes 3d6 points of fire damage each round the grapple persists. A creature that strikes a shard slag with a weapon can attempt a DC 22 Reflex save; if it fails, it's unable to pull the weapon away from the shard slag's molten body quickly enough, and the weapon takes 2d6 points of fire damage. Unattended objects in contact with a shard slag take 2d6 points of fire damage per round. Damage caused to weapons and unattended objects is not halved, and ignores the first 5 points of hardness. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Slag Blades — Each round, a shard slag manipulates its molten metal form to create 1d4+2 blade-like protrusions it can extend to attack prey. The slag blades each strike as Medium longswords that deal an additional 2d6 points of fire damage. Additionally, the slag blades are natural weapons, so a shard slag can use them to attack creatures it grapples. Due to a shard slag's constantly roiling molten body, the slag blades melt away at the end of the shard slag's turn each round to be immediately replaced by 1d4+2 new slag blades.

no breath