Slithering Ooze (CR +1)[3pp]

Not all oozes look like puddles of liquid at rest. One of the most bizarre creatures known is the slithering ooze, which often looks more like a coating of slime than a true creature. Less than 2 inches thick at most times, a slithering ooze moves like water over surfaces and climbs them as quickly as a wave splashing up the side of a ship.

Creating a Slithering Ooze

Slithering” is an inherited template that can be added to any ooze (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A slithering ooze uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.

Size: The slithering ooze’s size increases by one category over that of the base creature (maximum Colossal).

Armor Class: A slithering ooze’s natural armor class increases over that of the base creature by the amount indicated on Table 2-37: Slithering Ooze Abilities.

Speed: Each of a slithering ooze’s speeds is double the corresponding speed of the base creature. If the base creature lacks a climb speed, it gains a climb speed equal to its highest speed.

Attacks: The base damage for each of a slithering ooze’s natural attacks increases by one step due to the change in size.

Space/Reach: Because the slithering ooze’s body is a few inches thick at most, it covers a vast area—a larger space than usual for a creature its size, as given on Table 2-37: Slithering Ooze Abilities. However, it has a very short reach.

Special Attacks: A slithering ooze retains all of the base creature’s special attacks except engulf and gains the following.

Table 2-37: Slithering Ooze Abilities
Original Size Natural AC Bonus Change Space/Reach Str Dex Con
Fine +0 5 ft./0 ft. +0 +6 +2
Diminutive +0 5 ft./0 ft. +2 +6 +2
Tiny +0 10 ft./0 ft. +4 +6 +2
Small +0 15 ft./5 ft. +4 +6 +2
Medium +2 20 ft./5 ft. +8 +6 +4
Large +3 30 ft./5 ft. +8 +6 +6
Huge +4 40 ft./5 ft. +8 +4 +6
Gargantuan +5 60 ft./5 ft. +8 +4 +6
Colossal +5 60 ft./5 ft. +0 +4 +2

Flow (Ex)

A slithering ooze can enter the space of any creature though doing so provokes an attack of opportunity as normal. Neither the slithering ooze nor the other creature takes any penalty for fighting in the same space. Each provokes attacks of opportunity for movement normally.

Pseudopodia (Ex)

A slithering ooze can make a number of attacks of opportunity equal to its Dexterity score in a single round. Additionally, as a full-round action a slithering ooze may choose to make a single melee attack against every foe it detects within reach.

Abilities: The slithering ooze’s abilities change based on its size, as given on Table 2-37: Slithering Ooze Abilities.

Feats: A slithering ooze gains Mobility as a bonus feat.

Special Qualities: The slithering ooze retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described here.

Diminished Space/Reach (Ex)

A slithering ooze does not occupy a cube. Instead, it covers the area within its space as a spread, even sloughing up walls and around corners. A slithering ooze is considered to occupy all the squares its body covers in a plane of 5-foot tall cubes, and it has a maximum vertical reach of 5 feet from where its body pools.

If the slithering ooze is not on a surface (when it is swimming underwater or flying, for example), it naturally orients itself as a plane of ooze.

Incredible Compression (Ex)

A slithering ooze can fit into any space, and its body is as flowing and mutable as water. It takes no penalties for squeezing into a space smaller than its own space rating, and it can pass through any hole, crack, or barrier through which liquid can pass.

Slick (Ex)

An area covered by a slithering ooze functions like an area covered by ice for the purpose of movement and Acrobatics checks, and it counts as slippery for the purpose of Climb checks. Furthermore, if the base creature had the engulf attack, the slithering ooze can make an attack of opportunity against any creature that rises from prone within its space. Creatures that do not take penalties for moving on ice or slippery surfaces aren’t immune to the penalties for moving over a slithering ooze.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

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

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