Vermin Druid (Gnome Druid 9)

Vermin Druid CR 8

XP 4,800
Male bleachling gnome druid 9
CN Small humanoid (gnome)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +4 natural, +2 shield, +1 size)
hp 67 (9d8+27)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +9; +2 vs. illusions
Defensive Abilities defensive training, resist nature’s lure; Immune fire (108 points), poison

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk club +10/+5 (1d4+2) or flame blade +9/+4 touch (1d8+4 fire)
Ranged sling +9 (1d3+2)
Special Attacks hatred, wild shape 3/day
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +9)

1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 10), prestidigitation, speak with animals

Spells Prepared (CL 9th; concentration +12)

5th—stoneskin
4th—air walk, dispel magic
3rd—call lightning (DC 16), greater magic fang, poison (DC 16), protection from energy
2nd—animal messenger, barkskin, bull’s strength, flame blade, flaming sphere (DC 15)
1st—calm animals (DC 14), charm animal (DC 14), longstrider, produce flame, shillelagh
0th (at will)—detect poison, know direction, mending, resistance

TACTICS

Before Combat If his vermin companion warns him of the PCs’ approach, he casts bull’s strength, barkskin, protection from energy (fire), and longstrider on himself, in that order.

During Combat He casts air walk on the first round, using his improved speed with longstrider to rise well above his swarming bees. From there, his Vermin Heart feat enables him to cast greater magic fang on his vermin companion, sending the giant bee and his swarm after opposing spellcasters. He then casts ranged spells like call lightning, flaming sphere, and dispel magic to soften up his opponents. He casts stoneskin before closing with his flame blade or shillelagh.

Morale If his vermin companion and the bee swarms perish, the gnome visibly loses his resolve and curses the fey-queen, blaming her for costing him all he ever loved.

Savvy PCs may use Diplomacy to convince him to abandon the fight. His attitude begins as Unfriendly rather than Hostile for such a check. If they persuade him to become Friendly, he surrenders. If they make him Helpful, he willingly aids their quest, hoping to undo the damage he caused. He gives them his scroll of antiplant shell and scroll of neutralize poison in the hopes they can use them.

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Combat Casting, Natural Spell, Toughness, Vermin Companion (allows him to have a vermin animal companion), Vermin Heart (allows him to affect vermin with spells and wild empathy)
Skills Climb +6, Craft (alchemy) +9, Fly +9, Handle Animal +8, Heal +8, Knowledge (geography) +4, Knowledge (local) +3, Knowledge (nature) +10, Perception +10, Profession (beekeeping) +17, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +8, Survival +10, Swim +7
Languages Common, Druidic, Gnome, Sylvan
SQ nature bond (giant bee vermin companion), nature sense, trackless step, wild empathy +9, woodland stride
Combat Gear goodberries (8), pearl of power (1st), potion of cure moderate wounds, scrolls of antiplant shell and neutralize poison; Other Gear +1 leather armor, +1 light wooden shield, masterwork club, sling and 20 bullets, handy haversack, granite and diamond dust worth 250 gp (for stoneskin), 162 gp

Base Statistics

Without barkskin, bull’s strength, and longstrider, his statistics are AC 18, flat-footed 16; Speed 20 ft.; Melee mwk club +8/+3 (1d4) or flame blade +7/+2 touch (1d8+4 fire); Ranged sling +9 (1d3); Str 11; CMB +6; CMD 17

Vermin Companion CR –

Giant bee vermin companion
N Medium vermin
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +9 natural)
hp 52 (8d8+16)
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4 (+8 vs. enchantment)
Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune vermin traits

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee bite +11/+6 (1d6+5) or sting +11 (1d4+5 plus poison)

TACTICS

During Combat It attacks whomever its druid commands it to, using bite attacks.

Morale If brought to 15 hp or fewer, he switches to sting attacks. Once it successfully stings, it continues with bite attacks until it is dead or his druid directs it to stop fighting.

STATISTICS

Str 20, Dex 18, Con 15, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 25 (33 vs. trip)
Skills Fly +8, Perception +10
SQ devotion, link, share spells, tricks (attack, down, guard, seek)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex)

Sting—injury; save Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dexterity damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus.

He can sting only once; once it makes a successful sting attack, it loses 5 hp per round as if it were experiencing a bleed effect. If this bleed is stopped, it does not regain its stinger.