Gallows Creature (CR +2)

The creation of a gallows creature is a ritual curse. It requires a great many people to develop an overwhelming hated for an innocent creature that they believe is guilty of some horror or outrage that they cannot comprehend. Then they must hang an innocent from a gallows until dead. At dusk of the next day, the gallows creature will animate and begin to seek out the scapegoat of the nearest occurrence of such hatred, regardless of distance. It has now become the embodiment of mob justice caring not for innocence or truth. The target of hatred will soon meet a grisly end, unless the hatred is changed to some other emotion. Splintered weathered wood, rusty bits of metal, and what appear to be lengths of rope makes up the form of gallows creatures.

Creating a Gallows Creature

“Gallows” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid who could die from hanging.

A gallows creature uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

CR: +2

Alignment: always lawful evil.

Size and Type: The base creature’s size changes by one category upward (See monster advancement) and the base creature’s type changes to construct with the augmented subtype. Do not make changes to the creature’s HD, Saves, BAB, or Skills. Senses: A gallows creature gains darkvision +60 ft. and low-light vision.

Armor Class: Natural armor class increases by 1 for every 2 racial Hit Dice the base creature has. But loses all proficiency and cannot where armor or shields. Defensive Abilities: A gallows creature gains construct traits, and fast healing equal to its Charisma Score (not modifier), this fast healing cannot heal damage dealt by fire or attacks that can overcome its DR. It loses any existing DR but gains a new type of DR based on the chart below. If the base creature has immunity or resistance to fire, it loses it. It also loses any existing SR (but gains selective anti-magic, see below). Weakness: the gallows creature gains Vulnerability to Fire and Axe (The creature takes +50% damage from adamantine slashing and fire damage, it also suffers a -4 penalty to saving throws from fire based spells and effects, it loses its damage reduction.

Gallows Creature DR
Total HD Damage Reduction
1-5 5/adamantine slashing
6-10 10/adamantine slashing
11-15 15/adamantine slashing
16-20 20/adamantine slashing
21+ 25/adamantine slashing

Special Abilities: A gallows creature retains all the special abilities of the base creature, and gains the special abilities as described below.

Grab (Ex)

A gallow’s creature gains the grab special attack with all of its natural attacks.

Hangman’s Noose (Ex)

A gallows creature can attempt to strangle an opponent as a free action with its noose as part of a grapple or a successful lyncher’s attack (see below). This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the opponent is not flat-footed she also able to hold her breath. Opponents add +4 to their CMD if wearing Full Plate or a Leather Collar –or– +10 if wearing a Gorget. If the gallows’ grapple check is successful, it begins doing bludgeoning damage (1d10 for a Medium-sized creature, plus your Strength Modifier) and 2 points of Con damage each round. In addition, a target that was not able to hold their breath must make a DC 10 Con check. The check must be repeated each round, with the DC increasing by +1 for each previous check. If the target fails one of these Constitution checks, she begins to suffocate. In the first round, she falls unconscious (0 hit points). In the following round, she drops to –1 hit points and is dying. In the third round, she suffocates and dies.

Jagged Blows (Ex)

Due to the terrible spikes and protrusions found throughout the gallows creature’s form, its natural attacks deal bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. If it possess no natural attacks, it gains a slam melee attack (1d6 if Large).

Lyncher (Ex)

As a standard action, a gallows creature can extend its hangman’s noose from its body, launching it to a maximum range of its reach + 40 feet. A gallows creature’s attack with its noose resolves as a ranged touch attack. This rope is quite strong, but can be severed by any amount of slashing damage that can overcome its DR (the rope is AC 20). And gains the pull special attack with this equal to its reach.

Selective Anti-Magic (Ex)

As anti-magic field except it has a radius equal to the creature’s reach +40 feet. Spells and abilities with the fire descriptor or that deal fire damage are unaffected by this aura.

Abilities: Unlike most constructs, a gallows creature may have an Intelligence score. As a construct, a gallows creature does not have a Constitution score.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathways Bestiary (c) 2017, Rite Publishing LLC.; Author: Steven D. Russell.

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