 Argorth
An avalanche of gnashing teeth, bone hooks, and worm coils roils forward in a wave of sundering parts. At the forefront of this thrashing, tentacular body yawns a howling pit of a mouth, ringed with a spiral of churning teeth and three massive, spiked mandibles.Argorth CR 11Source Pathfinder #3: The Hook Mountain Massacre pg. 86
Always CE Huge aberration
Init +3; Senses blindsight 120 ft.; Listen +3, Spot +3DefenseAC 26, touch 11, flat-footed 23 (+3 Dexterity, +15 natural, -2 size)
hp 138 (12d8+84); Diehard
Fort +15, Ref +7, Will +11
DR 10/cold iron; Immune gaze attacks, mind-affecting effects, visual effects; Resist acid 10, cold 20; SR 21OffenseSpeed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee bite +19 (3d6+11) and tail slam +13 (2d6+5)
Space 15 ft., Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks constrict 2d6+16, fearful shriek, ground slam, improved grab, swallow wholeStatisticsStr 32, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 20
Base Atk +9; Grapple +28
Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Die Hard, Endurance, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +19, Spot +18, Swim +19
Languages Abyssal
SQ death throesEcologyEnvironment temperate or cold mountains
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Advancement 13-24 HD (Huge), 25-36 (Gargantuan)Special AbilitiesBlindsight (Ex) An argorth can ascertain the location of all creatures within 120 feet. Beyond that range it is considered blinded. Argorths are invulnerable to gaze attacks, visual effects of spells such as illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.
Constrict (Ex) An argorth deals 2d6+16 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Death Throes (Ex) When an argorth is reduced to –10 hit points, it collapses to the ground and thrashes wildly. It gets one final tail slam attack on every creature within 10 feet, after which it dies. It cannot grapple or constrict with this final attack.
Fearful Shriek (Su) An argorth can emit a wholly unnatural shriek, a howl not of the mortal world. When an argorth uses this ability, all creatures within 100 feet must succeed on a DC 21 Will save or be shaken for as long as the monster remains in sight. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. This ability does not affect creatures with more Hit Dice than the argorth. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same argorth’s fearful shriek for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Ground Slam (Ex) As a full-round action, an argorth can lift its entire body into the air and slam it against the ground in a single, reckless attack. This attack deals 1d10 points of damage to the argorth, but all creatures within 5 feet of the monster are targeted by this +13 melee attack which deals 2d8+16 points of damage. Any creature standing within 10 feet of an argorth when it makes this attack (including those who might be damaged) must make a DC 23 Reflex save or be knocked prone by the sheer force of the blow. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Improved Grab (Su) To use this ability, an argorth must hit a creature at least one size category smaller than itself with its tail. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Swallow Whole (Ex) An argorth can try to swallow a grabbed Medium or smaller opponent by making a successful grapple check. An argorth that swallows an opponent can use its Cleave feat to bite and grab another opponent.
A swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of bludgeoning damage and 8 points of acid damage per round from the argorth’s gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 15). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
An argorth’s gizzard can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.DescriptionThe horrifying, incomprehensible spawn of the Mothers of Oblivion, these titans of destruction are weaned on bloodshed and the dark dreams of Lamashtu herself. Nearly 30 feet tall, these marauding tentacles know only rage and slaughter, laying waste to whole regions, paving the way for their dark mistresses’ hordes of ravening monsters. Unnatural disasters, argorths have more in common with hurricanes and volcanos than the beasts of the natural world.VariantsThe argorth presented here is but the most common variety. As each argorth is the spawn of a Mother of Obvlivion—creatures known for the destructive irregularity of their forms—many exist that possess traits passed on by their horrifying progenitors.
br />Cinder Scourge: This argor th once ter rorized the nor thern reaches of the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, where—until it vanished in 4699 ar—it was oft mistaken for the malformed offspring of Nidhogg himself. In addition to the abilities of a typical argorth, it possessed immunity to cold, fire resistance 20, and a flaming breath weapon: cloud of smoke and cinders, 60-foot cone, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 14d6, Reflex DC 23 half. The save DC is Constitution-based. An argorth with these abilities has CR +1.
|