With the PDF being released in a mere 2 weeks, it is time to start the previews for the Book of Beasts: Legendary Foes. We are starting off today with one of the lowest level monster in the book, a CR 15 creature. That’s right, this book starts at CR 15. So if you like your games at high levels, this is the monster book for you. This monster book is exactly what you need to run a high level game. It has a total of 34 vicious monsters and 11 hard to construct NPCs you can use in your game right away. Today’s monster is the blightrat. This monster is particularly scary to dwarves since it can make all your hair fall out. That’s right dwarves, so proud of your braids and beards. We bring you the “rust monster” of hair. Happy hunting.
Blightrat
This brown, four-legged creature has a nearly-hairless, eleven-foot tall body with bulging eyes, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and a rat-like tail.
Blightrat CR 15
XP 51,200
NE Huge aberration (earth)
Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 120 ft.; Perception +28
Aura aura of disease vulnerability (30 ft., DC 23)
Defense
AC 30, touch 18, flat-footed 20 (+10 Dex, +12 natural, –2 size)
hp 225 (18d8+144); regeneration 10 (electricity)
Fort +14,
Ref +16,
Will +18; +4 vs mind-affecting
Immune acid, disease;
SR 26
Offense
Speed 60 ft., burrow 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
Melee bite +23 (2d6+12/18–20 plus blightbite disease), 2 claws +23 (1d8+12 plus nauseating disease), tail +21 (1d8+6)
Space 15 ft.;
Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks powerful bite
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th, concentration +21)
At will—
contagion (blinding sickness only, DC 18)
Statistics
Str 34,
Dex 31,
Con 26,
Int 16,
Wis 24,
Cha 19
Base Atk +13;
CMB +27;
CMD 47 (51 vs overrun, trip)
Feats Acrobatic Steps, Cleave, Cleaving Finish UC, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Multiattack, Nimble Moves, Power Attack (–4/+8)
Skills Acrobatics +31 (+43 when jumping), Climb +41, Intimidate +37, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +24, Perception +28, Stealth +23 (+31 when underground), Survival +28; Racial Modifiers +8 Steath when underground
Languages Aklo, Undercommon
Ecology
Environment cold or temperate underground
Organization solitary, plague (2–5), pox (30–70)
Treasure standard (all gems and magic items)
Special Abilities
Aura of Disease Vulnerability (Su) A creature within a blightrat’s 30-foot aura of disease vulnerability that is not immune to disease must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 23) or suffer a –8 penalty to all saving throws against disease for 1d4 minutes. A creature affected by this ability multiple times increases the penalty by –2 each time. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Blightbite Disease (Su) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 27, onset 1d2 days, frequency 1 day, effect 1d4 Charisma damage, cure 2 consecutive saves. The diseased creature’s hair falls out in small clumps every day the save is failed. A creature with little hair, such as an elf or human, loses all of its hair after 2d3 days of failed saving throws. Hairier creatures, such as dwarves, lose all their hair after 2d6 days. Creatures with fur, such as catfolk and ratfolk, have no hair left after 2d10 days.
Remove disease has no effect on this ability; only
limited wish or more powerful magic will remove the disease. A creature that loses hair or fur from this disease begins to regrow its hair 1d2 weeks after the disease ends. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Nauseating Disease (Su) Claw—injury; save Fort DC 27, onset 1d3 days, frequency 1 day, effect 1d3 Constitution damage plus nauseated, cure 2 consecutive saves. A successful
remove disease attempt removes the nauseated condition for the day; it has no other effect on this ability. Only
limited wish or more powerful magic will remove the disease. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Poweful Bite (Ex) A blightrat’s bite attack naturally has a critical threat range of 18–20.
Even the drow know to stay away from a blightrat and the region where a full pox nests. This creature is a nightmare for those that are vulnerable to disease and value their hair, such as duergars and other dwarves, who think twice before facing a blightrat.
Highly aggressive and fiercely territorial, a blightrat will attack any creature that enters its territory unless the creature comes bearing tribute. Leaving a token of good will, such as moldy cheese or a mound of maggot-filled, spoiled meat about the size of a Medium creature, at the edge of the blightrat’s territory will often appease the creature. Blightrats also value gemstones and magic items, which they add to their hoards. Providing such gifts earns favor with a blightrat, paving the way for negotiations with it.
A blightrat stands 11 feet tall when on its hind legs and weighs about 3,000 pounds.
The Book of Beasts: Legendary Foes will be available for download on July 16th from DriveThruRPG/RPGNow, Paizo.com or d20PFSRD. Also, the print book will be available at your Local Game Store, Paizo and DriveThruRPG/RPGNow.
