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Xenopterid

CR 7.00 Vermin N Medium HD 11

What appears to be this creature's cloak unfurls into bug wings, and its apparently human face is merely patterns on its head.

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Description

Xenopterids are human-sized predatory insects with the insidious ability to mimic the form of their favorite prey—humanoids. Xenopterids can be encountered nearly anywhere they can find food, quickly adapting their mimicry to resemble whatever humanoids are most common in a particular region. They can bend their wings to form cowls and cloaks, and they can fold their limbs to imitate humanoids' weapons and armor. A xenopterid's eeriest feature is its mouth—a crude chitinous beak that, when closed, resembles a human face. Up close, the xenopterid's unsettling nature is obvious, but from a distance or in dim light, the creature easily passes for its prey. Because their mimicking abilities require concealment, xenopterids commonly hunt their prey at night. Once a xenopterid captures and kills a victim, it liquefies the creature's remains in order to bring the putrid slurry back to the hive where it stuffs this substance into small spherical capsules the creatures use as food. Some evil races prize these capsules, and make gruesome liquors by fermenting the contents.

Xenopterids live in colonies in abandoned ruins, old castles, decrepit farmsteads, and similarly abandoned human structures. A colony typically consists of 19 to 28 sterile drones and a fertile hive king and hive queen (xenopterids with the advanced creature simple template). Each colony has only one fertile male, so xenopterids reproduce slowly. Still, the only way to destroy a xenopterid colony is to kill both the king and the queen, and neither one of them ever leaves the safety of the hive. Xenopterid drones become fiercely aggressive when defending the hive against invaders.

Combat Stats

93 (11d8+44)

21, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 natural)

Init

Speed

40 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy)

Fort

+11

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

+13 (+17 grapple)

CMD

26 (34 vs. trip)

Melee: 2 claws +13 (1d6+5 plus grab), bite +13 (1d6+5 plus poison)
Defensive Abilities: ferocity
Racial Modifiers: +8 Disguise (+16 when disguised as a humanoid), +8 Stealth

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

-2

Special Attacks

blood drain (1d2 Constitution)

Poison — Bite—injury; save Fort DC 19; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Special Qualities

Entangling Slime — A xenopterid can produce a sticky, slimy secretion it uses to protect its territory and eggs. The xenopterid can slime up to a 10-foot-square area per day at a rate of 1 square foot per minute. For 1 week thereafter, any creature coming in direct contact with the slime must succeed at a DC 19 Strength check or be entangled and glued to it as if it had failed its save against a tanglefoot bag. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Feats

Improved Critical (claw)

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Blood Drain (1d2 Constitution) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

The creature drains blood at the end of its turn if it grapples a foe, inflicting Constitution damage.

Ferocity Ex from Universal Monster Rule

A creature with ferocity remains conscious and can continue fighting even if its hit point total is below 0. The creature is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round. The creature still dies when its hit point total reaches a negative amount equal to its Constitution score.

Grab (claws) 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.

Poison (bite) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

A creature with this ability can poison those it attacks. The effects of the poison, including its save, frequency, and cure, are included in the creature's description. The saving throw to resist a poison is usually a Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 the poisoning creature's racial HD + the creature's Con modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature's descriptive text). Poisons can be removed through neutralize poison and similar effects.

Special Abilities

Entangling Slime from text

A xenopterid can produce a sticky, slimy secretion it uses to protect its territory and eggs. The xenopterid can slime up to a 10-foot-square area per day at a rate of 1 square foot per minute. For 1 week thereafter, any creature coming in direct contact with the slime must succeed at a DC 19 Strength check or be entangled and glued to it as if it had failed its save against a tanglefoot bag. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Feats, Traits & Items

Improved Critical (claw) from Feat

When using the weapon you selected, your threat range is doubled.

Skills

Climb +13, Disguise +6 (+14 when disguised as a humanoid), Fly –5, Stealth +11

Details

Type: Vermin
Alignment: N
Size: Medium
Environment: any land or underground
Organization: solitary, pair, or hive (3–30)
Treasure: none
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., lifesense; Perception +1
Source: Bestiary 4

Rules