Eurypterid, Spitting

Two large pincers grasp at the air before this gargantuan scorpionlike creature, while a finned tail bristling with a long, vicious stinger rises from behind.

Spitting Eurypterid CR 12

XP 19,200
N Gargantuan vermin (aquatic)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +1

DEFENSE

AC 26, touch 6, flat-footed 26 (+20 natural, –4 size)
hp 184 (16d8+112)
Fort +17, Ref +5, Will +6
Immune mind-affecting effects

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +20 (1d8+12), sting +20 (2d6+12 plus poison)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. (30 ft. with sting)
Special Attacks spit

STATISTICS

Str 34, Dex 10, Con 24, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 2
Base Atk +12; CMB +28; CMD 38
Feats Improved InitiativeB
Skills Swim +20
SQ amphibious

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex)

Sting—injury; save Fort DC 25; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Con and 1d4 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Spit (Ex)

A spitting eurypterid can expel a high-pressure jet of water from a vent just below its mouth with startling accuracy and force. This spit attack is equally effective above or below water, creating a 40-foot line that inflicts 10d6 points of nonlethal damage to all creatures in the area of effect. In addition, creatures that take damage from this jet of water are stunned for 1 round. A DC 25 Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the stun effect. Once a spitting eurypterid uses this ability, it cannot use it again until it takes a full-round action while completely submerged to draw more water into its body. The save DC is Constitution-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate or warm ocean
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Known to some as sea scorpions, eurypterids are aquatic crustaceans that blur the line between their terrestrial cousins and lobsters. Primeval and voracious, these vermin range in size from relatively harmless ochre eurypterids the size of a dog up to the truly immense spitting eurypterids. There are even rumors of yet larger beasts, called whale eating eurypterids by sailors. Regardless of their size, all share one thing in common—an aggressive attitude. Eurypterids lash out at anything that might be food, and once they’ve tasted prey, are single-minded in their pursuit. Although quite at home in the open sea, most eurypterids are capable of scuttling around on land and can exist out of water indefinitely. Unlike rats, eurypterids don’t spread disease or cause much damage to most cargos—traits that have led some captains to experiment with seeding colonies of ochre eurypterids in their holds to keep rodent populations under control. Alas, one can often tell the ships that use this tactic by the unusually high number of crewmen with missing fingers.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Adventure Path #37: Souls for Smuggler’s Shiv. © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: James Jacobs.

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