Bestiary: Haphnax

by Tim Wallace

Haphnax

This large, blind reptile looks something like a cross between a dragon and a grasshopper. A large, reptilian eye can be seen within the tip of the barbed tail.

© Nicholas Cloister, Monsters by Email, licensed to Timothy Wallace

HAPHNAX      CR 15

XP 51,200

NE Large magical beast

Init +6; Senses arcane sight, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +30

Aura suppressive aura (DC 23)

--------------------

DEFENSE

--------------------

AC 30, touch 16, flat-footed 23 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +14 natural, -1 size)

hp 234 (20d10+120)

Fort +18, Ref +18, Will +13

DR 10/non-magic; SR 26

Weaknesses blindness

--------------------

OFFENSE

--------------------

Speed 40 ft.

Melee gore +24 (6d6+5), sting +25 (6d6+5 plus grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with sting)

Special Attacks dispelling grapple, target quarry

--------------------

STATISTICS

--------------------

Str 20, Dex 23, Con 22, Int 19, Wis 24, Cha 17

Base Atk +20; CMB +26 (+30 grapple); CMD 43 (47 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display (sting), Disruptive, Dodge, Improved Natural Attack (gore), Improved Natural Attack (sting), Shatterspell, Spellbreaker, Teleport Tactician, Weapon Focus (sting)

Skills Acrobatics +19 (+23 to jump), Climb +18, Intimidate +23, Knowledge (arcana) +24, Perception +30, Spellcraft +24, Survival +27

Languages Aklo, Draconic, Gnome, Sylvan

SQ vicious grapple

--------------------

ECOLOGY

--------------------

Environment any wilderness

Organization solitary or pair

Treasure double

--------------------

SPECIAL ABILITIES

--------------------

Arcane Sight (Ex) The eye at the end of the haphnax's tail emits a continuous arcane sight effect in a 60-foot cone-shaped emanation. A haphnax does not incur the penalties from being blind when targeting an opponent it has perceived through its arcane sight.

Blindness (Ex) A haphnax perceives solely through its tremorsense ability. It is immune to all sight-based effects and attacks, including gaze attacks.

Dazzling Display (Ex) A haphnax can perform a bewildering show of prowess with its tail as a full-round action. It must make an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet who can see its display.

Dispelling Grapple (Su) One per round, as a swift action, a haphnax can affect an opponent it has grappled with its sting with a targeted greater dispel magic. The caster level for this ability is equal to the haphnax's challenge rating.

Disruptive (Ex) The DC to cast spells defensively increases by +4 for all enemies that are within a haphnax's threatened area. This increase to casting spells defensively only applies if it is aware of the enemy's location and is capable of taking an attack of opportunity. If it can only take one attack of opportunity per round and has already used that attack, this increase does not apply.

Martial Training (Ex) A haphnax counts its racial hit dice as fighter levels for the purpose or qualifying for feats.

Shatterspell (Su) As a standard action, a haphnax can attempt to sunder an ongoing spell effect as if it had the spell sunder rage power. It may use this feat three times per day.

Spellbreaker (Ex) Enemies in a haphnax's threatened area that fail their checks to cast spells defensively provoke attacks of opportunity from it.

Suppressive Aura (Su) A haphnax creates a field around it that makes concentrating difficult for those without this ability. Creatures within 30 feet must succeed at a DC 23 concentration check to cast spells. Failing this check causes the spell to be lost with no effect. The DC is Charisma-based.

Target Quarry (Su) A haphnax is assigned a quarry by anointing its tusks with a drop of the intended quarry's blood. If the haphnax has no current quarry, it automatically gains the next spellcaster it damages as its quarry. Once attuned to a target, it becomes aware of the target's location as if under the effect of a continuous find quarry spell. The haphnax gains a +1 bonus on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and skill checks made to seek out and destroy the marked quarry. The target quarry ability lasts until the quarry or the haphnax is slain. The caster level for this ability is equal to the haphnax's challenge rating.

Teleport Tactician (Ex) Any creature using a teleportation effect to enter or leave a square threatened by a haphnax provokes an attack of opportunity, even if casting defensively or using a supernatural ability.

Vicious Grapple (Ex) A haphnax does not gain the grappled condition if it grapples an opponent with its sting.

Often thought to be the creation of a jealous deity or an insane mage, the haphnax is a relentless hunter of sorcerers, wizards, witches and the like. Not even clerics and oracles are safe from the haphnax’s insatiable need to hunt down and kill spellcasters and bearers of magic. Luckily, haphaxes rarely venture out of their territories to hunt.

While usually encountered alone, adventurers will occasionally find a mated pair, which is truly a terrifying prospect if they have any magic items or ongoing spells. However, haphnaxes largely ignore creatures smaller than themselves as long as there is no hint of magic about them.