Oil Shark

An immense, eyeless shark over 20 feet long feet darts through the flames, its blackish-blue, metallic scales gleam with blackish oil.

Oil Shark CR 7

XP 3,200
N Huge magical beast (aquatic, extraplanar, fire)
Init +6; Senses Blindsense 30 ft., keen scent 180 ft.; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +9 natural, -2 size)
hp 85 (10d10+30)
Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +6
DR 5/ -; Immune fire
Weakness vulnerability to cold

OFFENSE

Speed Swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +14 (2d6+9)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

STATISTICS

Str 23, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Base Atk +10 CMB +18; CMD 31
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Vital Strike
Skills Escape Artist +13 (+21 vs. grapple), Perception +8, Swim +20; Racial Modifiers +8 Escape Artist to escape a grapple

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Keen Scent (Ex)

An oil shark can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in oil or water at ranges of up to one mile.

ECOLOGY

Environment Sea of Fire (Plane of Fire and Plane of Molten Skies)
Organization solitary, school (2-5), or pack (6-11)
Treasure none

The Sea of Fire, located on the Plane of Molten Skies and the Plane of Fire, is home to strange aquatic life (if they can be called that), but perhaps none is stranger than the mighty oil shark. These creatures spend their days swimming beneath the burning surface of the Sea of Fire, searching for prey. Their diet consists of other aquatic creatures found in the Sea of Fire such as fire crabs, oil worms, and the great fire whales. The latter is a particular favorite of the oil shark, and while the typical great fire whale outweighs (and is generally larger) than the typical oil shark, an oil shark pack has been known to attack and kill with ease a lone fire whale. Oil sharks have never been encountered outside the Plane of Molten Skies or Plane of Fire though sages believe the oil shark can exist in normal water.

Oil sharks are completely blind and rely completely upon their “sonar” to hunt their prey. Oil sharks generally behave as other sharks; circling their prey before striking with their powerful jaws. Non-aquatic prey (i.e., creatures that breathe air) are often grasped in its jaws and dragged below the surface of the burning sea where it drowns in the oily waters. Their oily hides allow them to glide smoothly and quickly through normal water.

Oil sharks are a delicacy of volcano giants and are often hunted by such creatures. The thick, metallic hide of an oil shark is prized by salamanders and they often hunt these creatures, kill them, and sculpt oil shark armor from the hide.

Oil Shark Armor (Medium Armor)

Because of the natural oily nature of the metal in an oil shark’s scales (which retain these properties even after its death), a creature suffers no penalty to Swim checks for wearing this armor and also adds a +5 bonus to all Escape Artist checks. In addition, a creature wearing oil shark armor is unaffected by obstructions such as webs (magical or otherwise).

Cost 1,000 gp (usually can’t be bought); Armor Bonus +6; Maximum Dex Bonus +2; Armor Check Penalty –4; Arcane Spell Failure 30%; Speed 20 ft. (Base 30 ft.), 15 ft. (Base 20 ft.); Weight 40 lbs.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Oil Shark from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.

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