Teratocephalos Creature (CR +1)[3pp]

Teratocephaloi (loosely translated as “monster headed”) are creatures with a head different from their body. They are often the result of strange breeding, powerful spells, or animals living near areas with strong magic leaks. Most of the time, a teratocephalos is no better neither worse than other creatures of its species. Humanoid teratocephaloi can be regarded as deities or divine agents in some primitive lands. Elsewhere they can be mistaken for lycanthropes or similar monsters, and feared.

Creating a Teratocephalos

Teratocephalos” is an inherited or acquired template that can be added to any animal, humanoid or monstrous humanoid (hereafter referred to as the base creature). A teratocephalos replaces the base creature’s head, which is appropriately shrunk or enlarged to fit the base creature’s size, with that of any other animal or humanoid (hereafter referred to as the head creature). A teratocephalos creature retains the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +1.

Type: An animal with the teratocephalos template changes its type to magical beast. A humanoid with this template changes its type to monstrous humanoid. A monstrous humanoid’s type does not change. In the case of an animal or humanoid the base creature gains the appropriate augmented subtype. Do not recalculate base attack bonuses or saves.

Senses: The base creature acquires the senses of the creature its new head belongs to if they’re better than its own. For example, a tiger-headed human would gain low-light vision and scent, while a human-headed tiger would not lose them.

Armor Class: Natural armor class improves by +1.

Attacks: A teratocephalos gains the bite and gore attacks of the creature its new head belongs to, and loses the bite and gore attacks of the base creature. If the head creature is the same size of the base creature, the damage will be the same of that creature, even if it’s weaker than the base creature’s normal attack. If the head belongs to a bigger or smaller creature, scale the damage according to its new size.

Special Attacks: A teratocephalos keeps the special attacks form its body that depend on its body or limbs. Similarly, it keeps the special attacks of the head creature that originate from the head, such as a poisonous bite or gaze ability. Additionally, a teratocephalos gains certain special attacks depending on the head creature. Each of these attacks is the same type (supernatural, extraordinary, etc. ) as the head creature.

Quills: A porcupine-headed teratocephalos delivers the head creature quill damage to anyone attacking its head.

Tongue: Frog-headed teratocephaloi gain the tongue attack and the pull special attack of a giant frog if their size is Medium or bigger. A teratocephalos can’t swallow his prey whole.

Abilities: A teratocephalos gains specific bonuses to its mental ability scores depending on the head creature as follows:

Charisma: If the new head comes from a creature with a higher Charisma than the base creature, the teratocephalos gains +2 Charisma.

Intelligence: If the new head comes from a creature with a higher Intelligence than the base creature, the teratocephalos gains the same Intelligence of its head –2 (minimum 2) even if the new Intelligence score is lower than that of the base creature.

Wisdom: If the new head comes from a creature with a higher Wisdom than the base creature, the teratocephalos gains the same Wisdom of its head –2 (minimum 2) even if the new Intelligence score is lower than that of the base creature.

Feats: A teratocephalos can select feats that have its base and head creature as prerequisites.

Special Qualities: A teratocephalos gains certain special qualities depending on the head creature. Each of these attacks is the same type as the head creature.

Breathe Water

A fish-headed teratocephalos breathes water instead of air. It can’t breathe air even if the base creature did.

Gift of Speech (Ex)

If the new head comes from a creature able to speak, the teratocephalos can speak the Common language, plus one or more other languages according to its Intelligence.

Hold Breath

A cetacean-headed teratocephalos can hold its breath as long as the creature its head belongs to.

Speak with Species (Ex)

An animal-headed teratocephalos can always communicate with both its body and head species.

Trunk

The teratocephalos can use an elephant’s or other creature’s trunk the same way of that creature if its head fits this description.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Advanced Bestiary, Copyright 2014, Green Ronin Publishing, LLC; Author Jeff Hersh, Developer Owen K.C. Stephens

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