As for the dragon itself, I had originally planned to create a one-off, like many other draconic creatures, but then I decided it really needed a full write up with age categories. As it grows older, it sprouts more tentacles, making it a grappling machine.
I hope you enjoy the octopus dragon, and I'll see you next time with another monster. Thanks for reading!
This creature combines
the awe-inspiring presence of a terrestrial dragon with the rubbery and
tentacular nature of an octopus.
Octopus Dragon
NG dragon (water)
BASE STATISTICS
CR 5; Size Small; Hit Dice 6d12
Speed 20 ft.,
swim 60 ft.
Natural Armor +4;
Breath Weapon cloud, 2d8 cold
Str 13, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17
ECOLOGY
Environment any
water
Organization
solitary
Treasure triple
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Aberrant Hunter (Su)
Once per day as a swift action, an adult or older octopus dragon can grant all
its natural weapons the bane
(aberrations) weapon special ability. This effect lasts for 2 rounds per age
category.
Animal Companion (Ex)
A young octopus dragon gains an octopus as an animal companion as if it were a
druid equal to its caster level.
Cephalopod Speaker
(Su) An octopus dragon benefits from a constant speak with animals effect, but only for cephalopods.
Crush of the Deep
(Su) Once per day as a standard action, a great wyrm octopus dragon can
cause a 60-foot-radius area of water within its line of sight to greatly increase
its pressure. Creatures caught within the area at the beginning of their turn suffer
14d6 points of bludgeoning damage and are stunned (Fortitude save halves and
reduces the stunned effect to staggered). The area of intensified pressure
lasts for as long as the dragon concentrates on it plus 10 rounds after its
stops concentrating.
Fast Swimmer (Ex)
A juvenile octopus dragon increases its swim speed by 30 feet. When the dragon
increases its size category, its swim speed increases by a further 30 feet.
Inky Breath (Su) A
very young or older octopus dragon’s breath weapon creates a cloud of ink. In
addition to the cold damage it inflicts, the cloud acts as an area of darkness for 1 round. The duration
increases by 1 round per additional age category beyond very young, and the
octopus dragon can use a move action to move the cloud 60 feet. The cloud deals
no additional damage beyond the initial effect. When an octopus dragon reaches
the adult age category, the cloud acts as an area of deeper darkness, and it can move the cloud as a free action. The
dragon is unaffected by the darkness
or deeper darkness created by its
inky breath.
Land Walker (Ex)
A young adult octopus dragon becomes more comfortable on land and increases its
base speed by 10 feet. For every increase in size category, its base speed
increases by a further 10 feet.
Multi-Grab (Ex)
An old or older octopus dragon can grapple multiple opponents with its
tentacles. Instead of the –20 penalty on its CMB check to make and maintain the
grapple to avoid gaining the grappled condition, it takes a –5
penalty per target grappled. To use this ability, the dragon must grapple
opponents at least one size category smaller than itself.
Spells (Sp) An
octopus dragon casts spells as a druid with the indicated caster level. It uses
Wisdom as its spellcasting ability score.
Watery Ally (Sp)
Once per day, an ancient or older forest dragon can summon a greater water
elemental. The caster level for this effect is the same as the dragon’s caster
level.
|
Age Category
|
Special Abilities
|
Caster Level
|
|
Wyrmling
|
Cephalopod speaker, immunity to cold
|
—
|
|
Very young
|
Amphibious, inky breath
|
—
|
|
Young
|
Animal companion, purify
food and drink
|
1st
|
|
Juvenile
|
Fast swimmer, frightful presence, protection from chaos
|
3rd
|
|
Young adult
|
DR 5/cold iron, land walker, spell resistance
|
5th
|
|
Adult
|
Aberrant hunter, black
tentacles
|
7th
|
|
Mature adult
|
Amorphous, DR 10/cold iron
|
9th
|
|
Old
|
Multi-grab, wall of
force
|
11th
|
|
Very old
|
DR 15/cold iron and magic
|
13th
|
|
Ancient
|
Freezing sphere,
watery ally
|
15th
|
|
Wyrm
|
DR 20/cold iron and magic
|
17th
|
|
Great wyrm
|
Crush of the deep, tsunami
|
19th
|
Young Octopus Dragon CR 9
XP 6,400
NG Large dragon (water)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision; Perception +16
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 12,
flat-footed 19 (+3 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 115 (10d12+50)
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +10
Immune cold,
paralysis, sleep
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly
100 ft. (poor), swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +14
(2d6+5/19–20),
3 tentacles +15 (1d8+5 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks
breath weapon (40-ft. cloud, 6d8 cold damage, DC 19), inky breath
Spell-Like Abilities
(CL 10th; concentration +14)
At will—purify food and drink
Druid Spells Prepared
(CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st—entangle (DC 14), hydraulic pushAPG
0 (at will)—detect magic, know direction, stabilize
STATISTICS
Str 21, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 19
Base Atk +10; CMB
+16 (+18 bull rush, +20 grapple); CMD 29 (31 vs. bull rush, can't be tripped)
Feats Improved
Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Power Attack, Toughness, Weapon Focus
(tentacle)
Skills Acrobatics
+3 (–1 to jump), Fly –3, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge
(dungeoneering) +16, Knowledge (nature) +16, Perception +16, Spellcraft +16,
Stealth +12, Swim +26, Use Magic Device +17
Languages Aquan,
Common, Draconic; cephalopod speaker
SQ amphibious
--------------------
Adult Octopus Dragon CR 13
XP 25,600
NG Huge dragon (water)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision; Perception +24
Aura frightful
presence (180 ft., DC 24)
DEFENSE
AC 29, touch 10,
flat-footed 27 (+2 Dex, +19 natural, –2 size)
hp 216
(16d12+112)
Fort +16, Ref +12, Will +15
DR 5/cold iron; Immune cold, paralysis, sleep; SR 24
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly
100 ft. (poor), swim 90 ft.
Melee bite +22
(2d8+8/19–20),
4 tentacles +23 (1d8+8 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks aberrant
hunter, breath weapon (50-ft. cloud, 12d8 cold damage, DC 24), constrict
(1d8+8), crush (Small creatures, DC 24, 2d8+12), inky breath
Spell-Like Abilities
(CL 16th; concentration +22)
At will—black tentacles, protection from chaos, purify
food and drink
Druid Spells Prepared
(CL 7th; concentration +12)
4th—ball lightningAPG (DC 19), dispel magic
3rd—neutralize poison, remove disease, water
breathing
2nd—barkskin, bull's strength, chill metal
(DC 17), unshakable chillUM
(DC 17)
1st—entangle (DC 16), faerie fire, hydraulic pushAPG
(2), magic fang, speak with animals
0 (at will)—detect magic, know direction, resistance,
stabilize
STATISTICS
Str 27, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 23
Base Atk +16; CMB
+26 (+28 bull rush, +30 grapple); CMD 38 (40 vs. bull rush, can't be tripped)
Feats Critical
Focus, Exhausting Critical, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Power
Attack, Tiring Critical, Toughness, Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Skills Appraise
+24, Fly +13, Intimidate +25, Knowledge (arcana) +24, Knowledge (dungeoneering)
+24, Knowledge (nature) +24, Perception +24, Spellcraft +24, Stealth +13, Swim
+35, Use Magic Device +25
Languages
Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Common, Draconic; cephalopod speaker
SQ amphibious
--------------------
Ancient Octopus
Dragon CR 18
XP 153,600
NG Gargantuan dragon (water)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision; Perception +34
Aura frightful
presence (300 ft., DC 30)
DEFENSE
AC 38, touch 7,
flat-footed 37 (+1 Dex, +31 natural, –4 size)
hp 372
(24d12+216)
Fort +22, Ref +17, Will +21
Defensive Abilities
amorphous; DR 15/cold iron and
magic; Immune cold, paralysis,
sleep; SR 29
OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft., fly
120 ft. (clumsy), swim 150 ft.
Melee bite +33
(4d6+12/19–20),
6 tentacles +33 (1d8+12 plus grab)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks
aberrant hunter, breath weapon (50-ft. cloud, 20d8 cold damage, DC 30),
constrict (1d8+12), crush (Medium creatures, DC 30, 4d6+18), inky breath,
multi-grab
Spell-Like Abilities
(CL 24th; concentration +32)
At will—black tentacles, freezing sphere (DC 24), protection
from chaos, purify food and drink,
wall of force
1/day—summon (level
9, 1 greater water elemental 100%)
Druid Spells Prepared
(CL 15th; concentration +22)
8th—stormboltsAPG (DC 25)
7th—control weather, creeping doom (DC 24), vortexAPG
(DC 24)
6th—antilife shell, epidemicUM (DC 23), repel
wood, swarm skinAPG
5th—baleful polymorph (2, DC 22), blessing of the salamanderAPG
(DC 22), insect plague (summons jellyfish
with the same effect), stoneskin
4th—ball lightningAPG (DC 21), control water, dispel magic, geyserAPG
(DC 21), rusting grasp
3rd—hydraulic torrentAPG (2), greater magic fang, neutralize poison, remove
disease, water breathing
2nd—barkskin, bear's endurance, bull's
strength, chill metal (2, DC 19),
unshakable chillUM (DC 19)
1st—entangle (DC 18), faerie fire, hydraulic pushAPG
(3), speak with animals
0 (at will)—detect magic, know direction, resistance,
stabilize
STATISTICS
Str 35, Dex 12, Con 27, Int 24, Wis 24, Cha 27
Base Atk +24; CMB
+40 (+42 bull rush, +44 grapple); CMD 51 (53 vs. bull rush, can't be tripped)
Feats Awesome
Blow, Critical Focus, Exhausting Critical, Flyby Attack, Improved Bull Rush,
Improved Critical (bite), Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Tiring Critical,
Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Skills Acrobatics
+1 (+13 to jump), Appraise +34, Bluff +35, Diplomacy +35, Fly +14, Intimidate
+35, Knowledge (arcana) +34, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +34, Knowledge (nature)
+34, Perception +34, Spellcraft +34, Stealth +16, Swim +47, Use Magic Device
+35
Languages
Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; cephalopod speaker
SQ amphibious
Ancient foes to aboleths and other underwater abominations, octopus
dragons were nearly driven to extinction before retreating to the Plane of Water.
There they regrew their numbers and allied themselves with native water
elementals. When they returned, they began their war with the aboleths anew,
but this time they have learned not to make a frontal assault. When they can, they
use water elemental allies to soften up their foes, and they have taken to
asking for return favors from creatures they have rescued from watery doom. While
they have taken care not to become as deceitful as their major antagonists,
their unquestioning benevolence now potentially comes with a price, especially for
those who have proven themselves adept in other areas.
