Adamantortoise (Spheres)

Adamantortoise CR 7

XP 3,200
N Huge magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13

Defense

AC 25, touch 7, flat-footed 25 (-1 Dex, +12 natural, +6 shield, -2 size)
hp 99 (9d10+54)
Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +6
Defensive Abilities delayed damage pool (45), shielding shell; DR 10/adamantine

Offense

Speed 20 ft.
Melee Bite +15 (2d6+13), shield bash +15 (1d6+8; see shielding shell)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Might

Martial Tradition Great Defender (Guardian x2, Shield x2); PAM Wis

Guardian Sphere – Packages patrol; Talents Cold Iron Call, Durable, Endure Pain, Greater Delayed Damage (2), Guardian’s Focus; (zone) Stand Still

  • delayed damage pool (45 points)
    • Cold Iron Call; delay spells
    • Durable; delay extraordinary effects
    • Endure Pain; delayed damage is nonlethal
    • Greater Delayed Damage (2); pool increases +2/base attack bonus
  • patrol (patrol as full-round action; +15-ft. reach plus (zone))
  • Shield Sphere – Talents Battering Defense, Shielded Focus; (deflect) Forced Rebound, Jarring Block
    • Battering Defense; enemies who miss vs. active defense are battered when damaged that round
    • Shielded Focus; regain martial focus (move action) when fighting defensively, or (immediate action) on miss vs. active defense
  • active defense (+4 shield bonus to AC as an attack of opportunity plus (deflect) on miss)
    • Forced Rebound (deflect); bull rush (+25) vs. attacker on miss
    • Jarring Block (deflect); disarm (+19) vs. attacker on miss

Statistics

Str 26, Dex 8, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD +28 (+34 vs. trip)
Feats: Great Focus, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Muscular Reflexes, Vital Strike
Skills Perception +13
SQ buoyant

Special Abilities

Buoyant (Ex)

An adamantortoise that fails a Swim check by 5 or more does not sink.

Martial Practitioner: An adamantortoise is an Expert practitioner and gains a martial tradition and one combat talent for each Hit Dice it possesses. Adamantortoises use Wisdom as their practitioner modifier.

Shielding Shell (Ex)

An adamantortoise gains a shield bonus to their AC equal to 1/2 their natural armor bonus. The adamantortoise treats its shell as though it were a shield and may use its shell for the Shield sphere. The adamantortoise does not lose its shield bonus to AC when making an attack with its shell, and can make shield bash attacks with its shell as if it were a light shield (1d4 Medium).

About

Environment any warm
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure adamantine (500-3,000 gp if harvested from shell)

The massive, imposing tortoise sports a dark, emerald-green shell with a subtle metallic sheen.

The adamantortoise is renowned for its unparalleled defense, due in part to its namesake, its adamantine shell. The adamantortoise lives a relatively carefree existence due to its unparalleled defensive capabilities, and lacks any natural predators in its habitats. However, this does not mean they are not deadly and capable combatants, able to physically control their immediate space and shrug off massive and deadly blows.

A young adamantortoise’s shell starts off as hard as iron, but hardens as the creature matures to take on the full properties of adamantine. Adamantortoise are sometimes revered in small tribal communities as ancestral guardians, with some of the oldest adamantortoise having lived long enough to see multiple generations of those who would revere them pass.

Variants

Due to reasons such as ecological pressure or evolution by necessity, some adamantortoise varieties exhibit unique abilities not associated with the average adamantortoise.

Adamantortoise, Bullshelled (CR +0)

A bullheaded adamantortoise evolved in areas where its normally impenetrable defenses were not enough to protect itself or it found its territories encroached on by other adamantortoise, causing them to develop more alpha tendencies and aggressive-looking patterns on their shells.

A bullheaded adamantortoise is a variant adamantortoise which exchanges talents (Guardian sphere (Guardian’s Focus, Stand Still, Shield sphere (Battering Defense)) for the following:

Berserker Sphere – Talents (exertion) Heavy Swing, Leg-Smasher

  • berserking (12 temporary hit points, -2 AC)
    • brutal strike (special attack action; battered plus (exertion); martial focus, +18 damage); (exertion) DC 15
      • Heavy Swing (exertion); Fort save or staggered for 3 rounds, or dazed for 1 battered
      • Leg-Smasher (exertion); -3 AC and Ref while battered

Adamantortoise, Mystic-Shell (CR +0)

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Magic

Caster Level 6; MSB +7; MSD 18; Concentration +8
Tradition Natural (none); CAM Cha

Spell Points 11

Enhancement Sphere – Talents Deep enhancement; (enhance) Alter Movement, Emphasize Belief

  • enhance, close range (40 ft.), DC 15; (0 sp, boost the target’s capabilities)
  • Deep enhancement; linger 2 rounds after ending concentration; 10 minutes/CL duration with spell point
  • Alter Movement (enhance); increase target’s speed +20 ft., and +4 to skill associated with movement
  • Emphasize Belief (enhance); gain DR 2/chaotic, stacking with existing damage reduction

Protection Sphere – Talents (aegis) Mystic Shell (succor), Healing Aegis; Drawbacks (Alternate Aegis)

  • aegis, touch (1 sp, grant defensive effects for 1 hour/CL)
    • Mystic Shell (aegis); 2 layers that are dispelled first, treated as separate aegis for succor effects
  • succor, close (immediate action dismiss an aegis, gain effects)
    • Healing Aegis (succor); dismiss one or more aegis, heal for 8 per aegis dismissed)
    • ward, 40-ft. radius, centered on self; (create a ward)
      • Barrier (ward); physical ward with 12 hit points that can intercept attacks

Ability Scores Cha 14

Languages Celestial

Special Abilities

Blended Training

A mystic-shell tortoise is a practitioner and Mid-Caster, gaining a martial tradition and casting tradition as well as one combat or magic talent for each Hit Dice it possesses. A mystic-shell tortoise uses Wisdom as its practitioner modifier and Charisma as its casting ability modifier.

Mystic Defenses (Su)

A mystic-shell tortoise can spend 10 minutes to cast an aegis on itself without spending a spell point.

About

Environment any warm
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure adamantine (500-3,000 gp if harvested from shell)

The mystic-shell adamantortoise variant is more commonly found where leylines and sources of powerful magic are found.

The resulting adamantortoise variants possess spherecasting, and specialize in creating barriers and improved magical defenses. Monks and others who harness ki see the mystic-shell tortoise as a great symbol of inner perfection.

A mystic-shell tortoise is a variant adamantortoise which exchanges talents (Guardian (Stand Still), Shield (Battering Defense, Jarring Block, Shielded Focus)) and exchanges the martial practitioner special quality for the following:

The massive, imposing tortoise sports a dark, emerald-green shell with a subtle metallic sheen.

The adamantortoise is renowned for its unparalleled defense, due in part to its namesake, its adamantine shell. The adamantortoise lives a relatively carefree existence due to its unparalleled defensive capabilities, and lacks any natural predators in its habitats. However, this does not mean they are not deadly and capable combatants, able to physically control their immediate space and shrug off massive and deadly blows.

A young adamantortoise’s shell starts off as hard as iron, but hardens as the creature matures to take on the full properties of adamantine. Adamantortoise are sometimes revered in small tribal communities as ancestral guardians, with some of the oldest adamantortoise having lived long enough to see multiple generations of those who would revere them pass.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Spheres Bestiary: Magical Beasts and Climactic Encounters, © 2021, Drop Dead Studios; Author: Steven Alpert.

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