Bestiary: Grachoria

by Adam Frank and Tim Wallace

Standing guard at one of the gates to the celestial realms is a goliath. Its four arms end in razor sharp blades. Its face, like a giant black stone helmet, has a large vertical mouth filled with rows of giant teeth each as large as a man's head with pinchers on the side of the mouth used for feeding. Within the giant ring atop his head floats a large star-shaped stone with a glowing gem in its center.

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

GRACHORIA      CR 12

XP 19,200

Grachoria

LN Large outsider (earth, extraplanar)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20

Aura warbling aura (30ft., DC 20)

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DEFENSE

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AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 21 (+6 Dex, +12 natural, -1 size)

hp 170 (16d10+80)

Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +11

DR 10/adamantine

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OFFENSE

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Speed 50 ft.

Melee 2 claws +20 (1d8+5), 2 pincers +15 (2d6+2)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks burning paralysis, rage, rend (2 claws, 2d6+7)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 16th; concentration +18)

   At will—meld into stone

   3/day—raging rubble, spike stones (DC 16), stone shape

   1/day—earthquake

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STATISTICS

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Str 21, Dex 22, Con 20, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 15

Base Atk +16; CMB +22 (+26 disarm); CMD 38 (40 vs. disarm, 42 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Expertise, Greater Disarm, Greater Rending Fury, Improved Disarm, Improved Natural Attack (claw), Improved Natural Attack (pincer), Improved Rending Fury, Rending Fury

Skills Acrobatics +6 (+14 to jump), Escape Artist +25, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (planes) +20, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +20

Languages Celestial, Common, Terran

SQ death explosion

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ECOLOGY

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Environment any planar

Organization solitary

Treasure star stone plus 1d6­–1 minor magic items

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SPECIAL ABILITIES

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Rage (Ex) A grachoria that takes damage in combat flies into a rage on its next turn, clawing madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to AC. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily..

Burning Paralysis (Su) The grachoria can fire a ray from its gem up to 30 feet as a standard action. This is a ranged touch attack with no range increment. Any creature hit by this attack must make a successful save (DC 20) or become paralyzed. A successful Fortitude save means the creature is only staggered. In addition, whether or not its Fortitude save is successful, the creature takes 2d6 points of damage. The grachoria can choose to concentrate on this effect to continue to deal 2d6 points damage to the target creature each round. This is a death effect. The DC is Charisma-based.

Death Explosion (Su) Unless its star stone is removed, a grachoria explodes in a blast of stony shrapnel immediately upon dying. Any creature within a 30-foot radius of the grachoria must make a DC 23 Reflex save or take 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 3d6 points of piercing damage. A successful Reflex save reduces the damage taken by half. The DC is Constitution-based.

Warbling Aura (Su) A grachoria's gem emits sound on a frequency that causes a 30-foot aura of demoralization. The first time it ends its turn within the aura, a creature must make a DC 20 Will save or become demoralized for as long as it stays within the aura. If the creature succeeds at the saving throw, it cannot be affected again by the aura for another 24 hours. This is a fear effect. The DC is Charisma-based.

          The hulking stone grachoria stands guard to the locked gates of the heavens. The gods enlisted the very rocks themselves into guarding the gates. When imbued with the power of the gods the rocks took shape into a guard built specifically to protect the most vulnerable ways into the heavens.

          Grachoria are powerful foes. Their entire body is made of strong stone, making their entire body armor. The blades on their arms can shear through the toughest metals like they aren't even there. The stone floating above their head is both a strength and a weakness. With it they can paralyze any enemy they focus upon; slowly sapping their enemies' life force. It also gives off a constant warbling noise that disorients all who hear it. The downside is that if it leaves the ring near their head (requiring a DC 23 Disable Device check while the grachoria is pinned), the grachoria loses its connection with the gods and becomes inert. This does not kill the grachoria, it merely stops it from functioning.

          One major strength of the grachoria is that its power grows as it suffers damage. With each injury, it becomes quicker, stronger, and tougher. Should the grachoria be defeated, its body erupts into thousands of splinter-like rocks piercing everyone within several meters. One of these splinters becomes an obsidian key that may be used to open a nearby lock. There are also rumors too of a selfless sacrifice being needed to pass through the protected gates though none have confirmed these rumors and few even venture out to try.

          The star stone (treat as a gem of brightness), often called a god star, is desired for its rarity. Many wealthy individuals want the glowing gem to light their gardens. The entrances the grachoria guard are also known to house a few rare magical items, either stored there by the gods for safe keeping or gathered by the grachoria from the bodies for their foes.