Prideful Creature (CR +2)[3pp]

Pride is a sin, and the dark and fell fiends of damnation have ever rewarded sin. These dark powers transform some creatures who earn their attention though their hubris into prideful creatures. Sometimes it destroys their common sense; but remember: before their fall, they were great. Prideful creatures are always supple and regal, their bodies shimmer with light like a new dawn, they always appear as magnificent specimens of their species; though if one looks closely, one will always find a subtle flaw or weakness, a molted feather, a missing scale, a broken nail, a small scar, or a blemish on the skin.

Creating a Prideful Creature

“Prideful” is an acquired template that can be added to any creature with an Intelligence of 4 or higher (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

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

CR: +2

Alignment: Changes to any evil.

Defenses/Qualities: Regeneration equal to its Con modifier (see below); DR 5/special (see below, increase to 10 if the prideful creature’s CR is 10 or higher, increase to 15 if the prideful creature’s CR is 15 or higher); Immune charm, compulsion, entangled grappled, helpless, paralyzed, petrified, pinned.

Weakness: Special Vulnerability (Ex/Su): Choose a single special attack type (examples: acid, chaos, cold, electricity, evil, fire, force, good, lawful, and sonic, etc.), if it’s an alignment type it must match the alignment chosen for special damage reduction. This special attack type ignores all immunities, resistances and SR the prideful creature possesses, causes its regeneration to be suspended for 1 round, and the creature gains vulnerability to this damage type.

Special Abilities: A prideful creature retains all the special abilities of the base creature, plus the special abilities as described below:

Affronted Dignity (Su)

If a creature mentions the creature’s weakness, exposes it, or voices pity for the prideful creature, he enters a rage as the barbarian class feature; the prideful creature’s effective class level is equal to its CR.

Aura of Prostration (Su)

This special quality makes a creature within 30 ft. cower in fear for 1d4 rounds, most often kneeling or prostrating while babbling about their unworthy nature. A creature can resist the effects with a successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the prideful creature’s HD + the prideful creature’s Cha modifier). On a failed save, the creature gains the cowering condition. An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to that same creature’s aura of prostration for 24 hours. Aura of prostration is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Cat and Mouse (Ex)

Prideful creatures do not just fight, they fight to prove their superiority and entertain anyone watching. They can perform any combat maneuver without provoking an attack of opportunity and gain a bonus to their CMB to equal to half their CR.

Protective Conviction (Su)

A prideful creature’s dedication to self is so powerful that it actually manifests as a bonus to armor class and some saving throws. It adds a profane bonus to its armor class, Fortitude saves, and Reflex saves equal to its Charisma modifier.

Smite the Envious (Su)

A prideful creature is so confident that its arrogance manifests as a bonus in combat. Once per day it may add its Charisma bonus to a single attack and its CR to that attack’s damage roll against a creature that has attacked it.

Cult of Personality (Sp)

A prideful creature with a CR of 15 or higher can cast mass charm monster once per day (Will save DC 10 + 1/2 the prideful creature’s HD + the prideful creature’s Cha modifier), those creatures that fail their save regard the prideful creature as their living god or earthly manifestation of their deity. Its caster level is equal to its CR.

Special Damage Reduction (Ex/Su)

Choose a damage reduction type (except dash), only this type of weapon can be used to overcome the prideful creature’s damage reduction; damage dealt by this weapon cannot be regenerated and it takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from the weapon.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +4 (+2 to attack and damage, +2 to Climb and Swim skill checks, +2 to Strength, and CMB checks, +2 to CMD), Dex +4 ( +2 to Ranged attack rolls; AC and touch AC, Initiative, and Ref saves. +2 to Acrobatics, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks, add +2 to any of the base creature’s Dexterity-based DCs), Con +4 (+2 hp per HD, +2 to Fortitude saves, and any of the base creature’s Constitution-based DCs), Int +4 (add 2 bonus languages, add 2 skill points per HD, +2 to Appraise, Craft, Knowledge, Linguistics, and Spellcraft checks +2 to any of the base creature’s Intelligence-based DCs), Wis -10 (-5 to Will saves, -5 to Heal, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive and Survival checks, add -5 to any of the base creature’s Wisdom-based DCs), +4 Cha (+2 to Bluff, diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device; attempts to influence others, and Channel Energy DCs, +2 to any of the base creature’s Charisma-based DCs).

Skills: Prideful creatures gain a +8 racial bonus on Bluff and Perform checks; both of these skills are always considered class skills for prideful creatures.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

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

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