Gorgon

This bull-like creature seems to be made of interlocking metallic plates. Faint plumes of green smoke puff from its mouth.

Gorgon CR 8

XP 4,800
N Large magical beast
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +17

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+11 natural, –1 size)
hp 100 (8d10+56)
Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +7

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee gore +14 (2d8+7), 2 hooves +9 (1d6+3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (60-foot cone, turn to stone, Fortitude DC 21 negates), trample (2d8+10, DC 21)

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 9
Base Atk +8; CMB +16; CMD 26
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +17

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Breath Weapon

A gorgon can use its breath weapon once every 1d4+1 rounds to create a 60-foot cone of green gas. Those caught in the area of the gas can attempt a DC 21 Fortitude save to resist the effects, but those who fail the save are immediately petrified. This petrification is temporary—each round, a petrified creature can attempt a new DC 21 Fortitude save to recover from the petrification as long as it is not caught within the area of effect of the gorgon’s breath weapon a second time while petrified. A creature exposed to the gorgon’s breath a second time while already petrified becomes permanently petrified, and can no longer attempt to make additional Fortitude saves to recover naturally. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Examples and Variants

Elite Gold-Clad Gorgon (CR 10)

Variant: Gorgon, Brazen Bull (CR 8)

[Source]

This bull-like creature seems to be made of interlocking bronze plates, a glow bright red light escapes from between the gaps. Faint plumes of black smoke puff from its mouth and nostrils. Brazen bulls are sadistic creatures often mistaken for bronze constructs.

They like to target smaller and weaker creatures, absorbing them, and fleeing until that creature suffers a horrible painful death. Brazen bulls derive nutrients from the pain and death of those they absorb.

Alignment LE.

Immune fire, cold; this replaces a gorgon’s 2 hooves melee attacks.

Absorb Foe (Su)

A brazen bull can try to absorb an opponent it successfully hits with a gore attack, up to one size smaller than itself, into its interior by making a successful grapple check (it gains a +4 bonus, this does not provoke an attack of opportunity). This creature is only partially absorbed and can still escape as a standard action with a successful combat maneuver (grapple) or Escape Artist check (DC equal to the brazen bull’s CMD). An opponent partially absorbed into the brazen bull’s interior suffers from the grappled condition (the brazen bull is not considered grappled) and suffers from its heat ability. If a brazen bull begins its turn with an opponent partially absorbed (or fully absorbed) in its body, the creature suffers from its heat ability and it can attempt a new combat maneuver check as a swift action (as though attempting to pin the opponent). If it succeeds, that opponent is paralyzed (or pinned if it is immune to paralyzation) and begins to suffocate.

A Large brazen bull’s interior can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, or 8 Tiny or smaller creatures.

This replaces a gorgon’s breath weapon special attack.

Heat (Su)

An enraged brazen bull generates heat so intense that anything touching its body takes 8d6 points of fire damage. Creatures striking a brazen bull with natural attacks or unarmed strikes are subject to this damage, but creatures striking with melee weapons are not. The heat can melt or burn weapons; any weapon that strikes a brazen bull is allowed a DC 19 Fortitude save to avoid taking damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

This ability replaces a gorgon’s trample special attack.

CMB +16 (+20 grapple)

Environment any; this replaces a gorgon’s temperate plains, rocky hills, and underground.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate plains, rocky hills, and underground
Organization solitary, pair, pack (3–4), or herd (5–12)
Treasure none

Gorgons are magical, foul-tempered creatures—while they might appear to be constructs at first glance, beneath their artifical-looking armor plates they are made of flesh and bone. Like aggressive bulls, they challenge any unfamiliar creature they encounter, often trampling their opponent’s corpse or shattering its stony remnants until the creature is unrecognizable. The females are just as dangerous as the males, and the two sexes appear identical. A typical gorgon stands 6 feet tall and 8 feet long. It weighs 4,000 pounds.

Gorgons derive nutrients from the consumption of minerals, particularly the stone of their petrified victims, and any statues they create are likely to be gnawed thoroughly. They cannot digest metal or gems, so their dung (which resembles bitter-smelling gray powder) often contains small, raw crystals and nuggets of ore. Their aggression toward all other creatures means that there are few to no predators or other prey animals in their grazing grounds. Each herd is led by a dominant bull; solitary gorgons are usually adolescent bulls driven out of their herd by the lead bull.

Their flesh is tough but beefy (once the armored hide is removed), and to those who acquire the taste, quite filling. Many stone giant tribes believe eating gorgon meat enhances their own natural armor. Powdered gorgon horn is worth 250 gp as an alternate material component for magic items using bull’s strength, stoneskin, flesh to stone, statue, and similar magic.

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