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Shredskin

CR 2.00 Undead NE Small HD 4

This floating creature looks like an orc's animate, hollow skin. Its upper half is intact, but its lower half is in tatters.

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Description

A shredskin is a wretched undead creature created either when a humanoid is skinned alive to be preserved as a trophy or otherwise killed in a terrifying way that leaves much of its upper half unharmed, such as being dissolved feet-first in acid. A fragment of the creature's soul animates the skin and seeks vengeance on those who created it, all the while trying to find a comfortable body for it to use as it did when it was alive. A shredskin may attack on its own and try to squeeze the life out of a living humanoid to use it as a body, or it might control another undead such as a skeleton, zombie, or ghoul, covering it like a morbid costume. In either case, it abandons its borrowed body if it finds a better one or the old one is destroyed. A shredskin is usually recognizable by creatures who knew it in life.

Because it lacks a lower half, a shredskin is 3-4 feet tall and weighs only 10-15 pounds.

Combat Stats

22 (4d8+4)

14, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +1 size)

Init

Speed

fly 40 ft. (average)

Fort

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

+4 (+8 grapple)

CMD

14 (can't be tripped)

Melee: bite +6 (1d4), 2 claws +6 (1d4 plus grab)
Defensive Abilities: amorphous

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

-2

wis

cha

Proficiencies

Weapons: Simple

Special Attacks

constrict (1d4)

Control Body — A shredskin can wrap itself around a corpse (or a corporeal undead it controls using command undead). When wrapping a host body in this way, the shredskin gains Strength 14 or the host body's Strength, whichever is higher, but cannot use its grab or enshroud abilities which doing so. Attacks targeted at the shredskin deal half damage to it and half damage to the host body; area attacks deal normal damage to both the shredskin and its host. If the host is destroyed, the shredskin unwraps itself as a free action on its next turn. A typical Medium corpse has 15 hit points for this purpose, while a Small corpse has 10 hit points. A shredskin can only use this ability on a generally humanoid-shaped creature (two arms, one head, humanoid torso) of Medium or Small size.

Enshroud — A shredskin that successfully pins a creature can wrap itself around that target like a shirt. The target gains the pinned condition, but the shredskin has neither the grappled or pinned condition, and can move itself and the target as if it controlled the target's body. The shredskin deals constrict damage to the target on its turn each round (no combat maneuver check needed). Attacking the shredskin while it's using this ability damages both it and the target as described in the control body ability. The shredskin can release the target as a free action.

grab (Medium)

Special Qualities

compression

Feats

Agile Maneuvers, Weapon Finesse

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Grab

Grab (Medium) 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) 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.

Amorphous Ex from Universal Monster Rule

The creature's body is malleable and shapeless. It is immune to precision damage (like sneak attacks) and critical hits.

Compression Ex from Universal Monster Rule

The creature can move through an area as small as one-quarter its space without squeezing or one-eighth its space when squeezing.

Special Abilities

Control Body from text

A shredskin can wrap itself around a corpse (or a corporeal undead it controls using command undead). When wrapping a host body in this way, the shredskin gains Strength 14 or the host body's Strength, whichever is higher, but cannot use its grab or enshroud abilities which doing so. Attacks targeted at the shredskin deal half damage to it and half damage to the host body; area attacks deal normal damage to both the shredskin and its host. If the host is destroyed, the shredskin unwraps itself as a free action on its next turn. A typical Medium corpse has 15 hit points for this purpose, while a Small corpse has 10 hit points. A shredskin can only use this ability on a generally humanoid-shaped creature (two arms, one head, humanoid torso) of Medium or Small size.

Enshroud from text

A shredskin that successfully pins a creature can wrap itself around that target like a shirt. The target gains the pinned condition, but the shredskin has neither the grappled or pinned condition, and can move itself and the target as if it controlled the target's body. The shredskin deals constrict damage to the target on its turn each round (no combat maneuver check needed). Attacking the shredskin while it's using this ability damages both it and the target as described in the control body ability. The shredskin can release the target as a free action.

Feats, Traits & Items

Agile Maneuvers from Feat

You add your Dexterity bonus to your base attack bonus and size bonus when determining your Combat Maneuver Bonus (see Combat) instead of your Strength bonus.

Weapon Finesse from Feat

With a light weapon, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls.

Skills

Fly +4, Perception +7, Stealth +13

Spells

spell-like abilities:

Constant—Detect Undead, 1/day—Command Undead (DC 13)

Details

Type: Undead
Alignment: NE
Size: Small
Environment: any land
Organization: solitary or pack (2–5)
Treasure: incidental
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., detect undead; Perception +7
Languages: Common (can't speak)
Source: Bestiary 4

Rules