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Pathfinder Unchained / Simple Monster Creation / Step 7: Monster Options

Combat Options

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 228
Though these options are geared primarily toward combatants, consider giving every monster at least one combat option, unless you intend the monster to never fight in any battle.

Cunning

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 228
Thematically, monsters with higher mental ability modifiers are the most likely to have cunning combat options.

Ability Damage: Attacks by this monster deal 1d2 points of damage to one ability score. This can apply to all the monster’s attacks, apply only to its weapons, or function as a melee touch attack. This damage increases to 1d4 at CR 5, 1d6 at CR 10, 1d8 at CR 15, and 2d6 at CR 20. Alternatively, the attack can deal damage to two ability scores, but uses the damage value for a creature 5 CR lower. The attack could instead deal ability drain (rather than ability damage), but uses the damage value for a creature 5 CR lower.

Blind-Fight: The monster rolls miss chances due to concealment twice and takes the higher result.

Bombs: As a standard action, the monster creates a bomb and throws it with a range of 20 feet. Use the throw splash weapon special attack. On a direct hit, the bomb deals fire damage equal to the monster’s low weapon damage, using 3d6 damage dice. Splash damage is 6 + 1/2 the monster’s CR.

Challenge: Once per day as a swift action, the monster can challenge one target within sight. The monster gains a bonus on melee damage rolls equal to its CR (minimum 1) against that creature, but takes a –2 penalty to AC against attacks made by creatures other than the target. The target remains challenged until it is killed, falls unconscious, or the combat ends. The monster can use this ability three times per day at CR 5, and at will at CR 14.

Combatant’s Touch: As a standard action, the monster can touch a creature to grant that creature a bonus equal to 1 + 1/2 the monster’s CR on melee attack rolls. Additionally, choose one physical ability modifier. This bonus applies on combat maneuver checks, skill checks, and ability checks that use that ability modifier.

Constant Invisibility: Because of its natural appearance or an exterior effect, such as a cloak of invisibility, this monster is invisible at all times. If this ability is used below CR 10, it should be for monsters that aren’t focused on combat.

Fast Feint: The monster can attempt a Bluff check to feint as a move action.

Favored Enemy: Choose a creature type, or a single subtype of humanoid or outsider. The monster gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures of that type. Increase the bonus and number of creature types chosen based on the monster’s CR: +4 and two types at CR 4, +6 and three types at CR 9, +8 and four types at CR 14, and +10 and five types at CR 19.

Improved Combat Maneuver: Choose a type of combat maneuver. The monster doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity when using that maneuver, its CMB for that type of maneuver increases by 4, and its CMD increases by 4 against that type of maneuver. You can choose one of the monster’s attack types. If you do, whenever the monster hits with an attack of that type, it can automatically attempt a combat maneuver of the type chosen with this option.

Mage Killer: The DC to cast defensively when threatened by this monster increases by 4. Casters that fail attempts to cast defensively provoke attacks of opportunity from this monster.

Mage Punisher: Whenever an enemy within the monster’s reach successfully casts a spell defensively, that enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from the monster after the spell is complete.

Poison: The monster uses poison with its attacks, either through a natural weapon or by applying the poison to a particular manufactured weapon. The target of a successful attack with the chosen weapon must attempt a Fortitude save to resist the poison. The basic poison is type injury,

onset 1 minute, frequency 1/minute for 6 minutes, effect 1d2 points of damage to any one ability score (chosen when the monster gains this option), cure 1 save. Choose two of the following additional advantages, plus one advantage for every 3 CR the monster possesses: decrease onset to —, change the frequency to 1/round for 6 rounds, increase the ability damage to 1d3 points of damage (this option can be chosen multiple times to increase the damage to 1d4, 1d6, and 1d8), damage an additional ability score (using the same damage die as the primary ability damage effect), increase the cure to 2 consecutive saves.

Repositioning Attack: When it hits a creature of its size or smaller with a certain type of attack, the monster can immediately attempt a reposition combat maneuver check to push or pull that creature. Its CMB for this check increases by 4. The distance the monster pushes or pulls the creature can increase under certain conditions, such as if the monster has special appendages.

Sneak Attack: When flanking or attacking a foe denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, this monster deals an additional 1d6 points of damage. This damage increases by 1d6 for every 2 CR the monster possesses. Decrease the base damage of the monster’s attacks by 2 points for every 1d6 of sneak attack it has.

Team Fighter: The monster gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against targets that are threatened by one of the monster’s allies (other than itself ). This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 CR the monster possesses.

Trap Squares: The monster can trap any square adjacent to it as a standard action. Any creature that enters the trapped square takes an amount of damage equal to 1d6 + 1/2 the monster’s CR of a damage type chosen by the monster while setting the trap. The trap is invisible and lasts for a number a rounds equal to the monster’s CR. It can be found with a successful DC 25 Perception check and disarmed with a successful DC 25 Disable Device check. The monster can create three traps per day; at CR 10, this increases to five traps per day. This ability can be used for mundane or magical traps. For mundane traps, choose bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage; for magical traps, choose acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage.

Unflankable: The monster can’t be flanked.

Monstrous

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 232
These abilities are typically supernatural or inhuman in nature. If a monster is meant to be more like an NPC—and especially if it uses a PC race—avoid choosing monstrous combat options.

Blood Drain: This monster deals Constitution damage as the ability damage option, but does so automatically at the end of the monster’s turn to any creature it’s grappling.

Breath Weapon: The monster gains a breath weapon that deals 1d6 points of damage + 1d6 per CR. A target can attempt a Reflex saving throw to take half damage. If the breath weapon is a cone, it’s 30 feet long, increasing by 10 feet for each size category above Medium, and decreasing by 5 feet for every size category below Medium. If the breath weapon is a line, its area of effect is twice as long as a cone would be.

Channel Resistance: The monster gains channel resistance +4.

Confusion Aura: Any creature that comes within 30 feet of the monster must attempt a Will save (DC = the monster’s ability DC – 5). If it fails, it is confused for a number of rounds equal to the monster’s CR. If it succeeds, it can’t be affected again by this aura for 24 hours. The range increases to 60 feet at CR 10 and to 120 feet at CR 20.

Corrupting Gaze: The monster has a gaze attack (as the universal monster rule) with a range of 30 feet. The attack deals 2d10 points of damage and 1d4 points of Charisma damage. A successful Fortitude save negates the Charisma damage.

Corrupting Touch: A monster must be incorporeal to have this ability. The monster can make a touch attack. If it hits, the target supernaturally ages and takes 1d6 points of damage per CR the monster possesses (Fortitude half ). Targets immune to magical aging are immune to this damage.

Create Spawn: The monster can create spawn out of those it slays. The victim rises from death as the kind of monster that created it in 1d4 days and is under the command of the monster that created it, remaining enslaved until its master’s destruction. The monster can have enslaved spawn whose HD total no more than 2 × the monster’s CR; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit become free-willed. The monster can free an enslaved spawn in order to create a new enslaved spawn, but once freed, a creature cannot be enslaved again.

Curse of Lycanthropy: The monster bears the curse of lycanthropy. When the monster is in animal or hybrid form and hits a humanoid target with a bite attack, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = the monster’s ability DC – 5) or become infected by the curse. If the target’s size category is not within one size category of the lycanthrope’s, this ability has no effect.

Damaging Body: When the monster is hit with an unarmed strike or melee weapon without reach, the attacker takes an amount of damage equal to 1d6 + 1/2 the monster’s CR. Choose an appropriate damage type for this option, such as fire if the monster’s body is burning or piercing if it’s covered in spines.

Disease: One of the monster’s attacks causes disease unless the target succeeds at a Fortitude save. The basic disease has onset 1d3 days, frequency 1/day, effect 1 point of damage to any one ability score (chosen when the monster gains this option), cure 2 consecutive saves. Choose two of the following additional advantages, plus one advantage for every 5 CR the monster has: decrease the onset to 1 day (can be chosen multiple times to reduce the onset to 1 hour, then to —), change the frequency to 1 hour, increase the effect to 1d3 points of damage (this option can be chosen multiple times to further increase the damage to 1d4, then to 1d6), damage an additional ability score (using the same amount of damage as the primary ability damage effect), or change the cure to —.

Distraction: A creature damaged by this monster is nauseated for 1 round (Fortitude negates).

Draining Touch: The monster can make a melee touch attack as though it had the ability damage option dealing ability drain. Each time the monster drains an ability score in this way, it heals 5 points of damage to itself.

Energy Drain: This monster bestows 1 negative level with its attacks (or attacks of a particular type) and gains 5 temporary hit points for each negative level bestowed. The number of negative levels bestowed increases to 2 at CR 10 and 3 at CR 20.

Engulf: This functions as the universal monster rule, but uses the monster’s ability DC from its array. The monster can either deal its high weapon damage to engulfed creatures, or deal its low weapon damage and inflict one of the following conditions: bleed (as the option), blinded (Fortitude negates), deafened, energy drain (as the option; see above), frightened (Will negates), nauseated (Fortitude negates), or paralyzed (Fortitude negates).

Fast Healing: This monster regains 2 hit points per round. This healing increases to 5 hit points per round at CR 4, 10 at CR 11, 15 at CR 16, and 20 at CR 21.

Fear Attack: This ability functions as the fear aura option (see below), but requires a standard action to activate, uses the monster’s full ability DC, and affects creatures in a cone, burst, or ray. If used as a ray, it affects only one creature and requires a ranged touch attack to affect the creature. The size of the effect appears on the table below.

CR	Cone	Burst	Ray
0-9	60 ft.	30 ft.	120 ft.
10-19	120 ft.	60 ft.	240 ft.
20+	240 ft.	120 ft.	480 ft.

Fear Aura: Any creature that comes within 30 feet of the monster must attempt a Will save (DC = the monster’s ability DC – 5). If it fails, it is panicked for a number of rounds equal to the monster’s CR; if it succeeds, it is shaken for 1 round. The range increases to 60 feet at CR 10 and 120 feet at CR 20.

Fling: When the monster has a creature grappled, it can fling that creature as a standard action. The flung creature travels 1d6 × 10 feet and takes 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet traveled. If the monster can fly, it can instead fling the creature as a free action while airborne. If it does, the flung creature takes damage as specified above or the appropriate falling damage, whichever is greater.

Frightful Presence: This ability functions as fear aura (see above), but affected creatures are shaken for 15 rounds (or panicked if they have 4 or fewer HD). This ability doesn’t affect creatures of a level equal to or higher than the monster’s CR + 4, and a creature that succeeds at its save can’t be affected by the monster’s frightful presence for 24 hours.

Gaseous Form: As a standard action, the monster can use gaseous form at will, and it can remain in this form indefinitely. While it does, it has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.

Incorporeal: This functions as the universal monster rule, without adjusting AC, attack bonuses, or CMB.

Malevolence: Once per round, the monster can attempt to merge its body with a creature within its reach. The target can resist the attack with a successful Will save. A target that succeeds at its save becomes immune to the monster’s malevolence for 24 hours. This ability is similar to magic jar, except that it doesn’t require a receptacle.

Negative Healing: You heal damage instead of taking damage from negative energy.

Paralysis: The monster’s attacks paralyze a target for 1d2 rounds unless it succeeds at a Fortitude save. For every 3 CR, improve this ability by increasing the number of rounds (to 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, and finally 2d6). At CR 18, targets are paralyzed for 1 round even on a success.

Paralyzing Touch: The monster gains a touch attack. A living creature hit by this attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = the monster’s ability DC – 5) or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim. The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by this attack seems dead, though a successful DC 20 Perception check or a successful DC 15 Heal check reveals that the creature is still alive.

Poisonous Blood: This functions as the poison option (see above), but affects any creature that confirms a critical hit against the monster using a piercing or slashing melee weapon (unless the weapon has reach).

Rake: If the monster begins its turn grappling a creature, it can make two free claw attacks on its turn against that creature, dealing its low weapon damage. If it has pounce, it also gains these rake attacks when it pounces.

Regeneration: This functions as the fast healing option (see above), but the monster can’t die while its regeneration still functions. Choose two or more damage types (typically acid and fire damage); these types suppress the regeneration for 1 round.

Rejuvenation: Once destroyed or killed, the monster restores itself after a set period of time (typically 1d10 days). The specific means for permanently destroying the monster and the time it takes before reforming vary between monsters.

Rock Throwing: The monster can throw and catch rocks. The thrown rock is a ranged attack with a range increment of 120 feet, and deals the monster’s low weapon damage. Once per round as a free action, the monster can catch a rock that would hit it, taking no damage.

Snatch: When the monster is grappling a creature three or more size categories smaller than itself that it grabbed after hitting with a bite or claw attack, it deals damage as though it had hit with the attack again each time it successfully rolls to maintain the grapple. If the monster’s holding a creature in its mouth, that creature can’t save against the monster’s breath weapon (if any). The monster can fling a creature it has snatched as though it had the fling option (see above). A monster must have the improved combat maneuver (grab) option to select this option.

Stench: Any living creature within 30 feet of the monster must succeed at a Fortitude save or be sickened for 10 rounds. Creatures that succeed can’t be affected by the monster’s stench for 24 hours. Stench counts as a poison for effects that resist or remove poisons.

Vampiric Attack: Once per day, the monster can leech health from one target as a melee touch attack or as a ranged touch attack with a range of 30 feet. This deals 1d6 points of damage per CR the monster possesses (Fortitude half ). The monster gains temporary hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt.

Powerful

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 234
These options are most appropriate for monsters with high Strength or that rely on overwhelming physical attacks.

Awesome Blow: As a standard action, the monster can attempt an awesome blow combat maneuver. If it succeeds, the target takes damage as if it had been hit by one of the monster’s attacks, is knocked 10 feet in a direction of the monster’s choice, and falls prone. The target must be moved in a straight line; if it hits an obstacle, both it and the obstacle take 1d6 points of damage.

Bleed: The monster’s attacks deal 1d6 points of bleed damage. This increases to 1d8 at CR 6, 1d10 at CR 11, 2d6 at CR 16, and 3d6 at CR 21. Bleeding can be stopped by a successful DC 15 Heal check or with any magical healing.

Burn: This uses the same damage values as the bleed option (see above), but deals fire damage and requires the target to succeed at a Reflex save or catch fire.

Constrict: Whenever this monster succeeds at a grapple combat maneuver, it deals its high weapon damage.

Critical Striker: The monster gains a +4 bonus on rolls to confirm critical hits. This monster also doubles its critical threat range with one of its attacks.

Defense Breaker: When this monster hits an opponent, that opponent is flat-footed for the next attack made against it. If the monster makes a full-round attack, this takes effect after all its attacks and affects all targets hit.

Power Attack: The monster’s main attack uses the low attack value, but deals 50% more damage.

Powerful Charge: The monster’s charge attacks deal 50% more damage.

Quivering Palm: Once per day, the monster can use this option when it makes an attack against a target that is not immune to critical hits. On a hit, the target is affected by the monster’s quivering palm. At any point within a number of days equal to the monster’s CR, the monster can force the target to attempt a Fortitude save (DC = the monster’s ability DC – 5). The target dies on a failure, and ends the quivering palm effect on a successful one.

Rage: This monster can fly into a rage as a free action, either at its choice (as the barbarian class feature) or on the turn after it takes damage in combat (as the blood rage universal monster rule). While raging, the monster gains additional hit points equal to double its CR, and deals 3 extra points of damage on Strength-based attacks. The monster also gains a +2 bonus on Will saves and takes a –2 penalty to AC. The rage lasts until the end of the battle or for 1 minute, whichever comes first.

CR 10: The monster instead gains hp equal to triple its CR, deals 4 extra points of damage on Strength-based attacks, and gains a +3 bonus on Will saves.

CR 19: The monster instead gains hp equal to quadruple its CR, deals 6 extra points of damage on Strength-based attacks, and gains a +4 bonus on Will saves.

Rend: If the monster hits the same target with two or more attacks in 1 round, it rends—dealing its high weapon damage. It can do this once per round.

Slaying Attack: Once per day as a standard action, the monster can make a single attack that can kill a creature outright. On a hit, the attack deals normal damage and the target must succeed at a save or die. The type of save is either Fortitude or Will, chosen when the monster gains this option. This option typically appears only on monsters of CR 19 or higher.

Stun Attack: The monster can make one of its attacks a stun attack once per round. On a hit, the target takes damage normally and must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = the monster’s ability DC – 5) or become stunned for 1 round. A creature is immune to this ability if it is a construct, ooze, plant, or undead, or if it is incorporeal or immune to critical hits. The monster can use this option a number of times per day equal to its CR.

Trample: The monster can automatically overrun creatures smaller than itself as a full-round action. It automatically deals its high weapon damage to each creature it runs over in this way (dealing damage only once per round to any given creature). A creature being trampled can either attempt an attack of opportunity at a –4 penalty or attempt a Reflex save (DC = 2 × the monster’s ability DC – 10) to take half damage.

Quick

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 234
Monsters with high Dexterity tend to take quick combat options, many of which increase mobility.

Accuracy: Increase the monster’s attack bonuses by 2.

Combat Reflexes: The monster can make up to five attacks of opportunity each round, and can make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed.

Deflect Projectiles: When not flat-footed, the monster deflects one ranged attack per round.

Dodge Expert: Increase the monster’s AC by 2 and its touch AC by 4. Decrease its flat-footed AC by 6.

Evasion: When the monster succeeds on a Reflex saving throw against an effect that normally deals half damage on a successful save, the monster instead takes no damage. At CR 8, it also takes only half damage if it fails its save.

Extra Attack: The monster gains one additional melee or ranged attack at its highest bonus, but reduces its attack bonus by 2 with all attacks of that type. Use this option for monsters that use two-weapon fighting.

Far Shot: Double all the monster’s range increments and reduce the monster’s penalties on ranged attacks from range increments by half.

Fast Reload: The monster can reload a ranged weapon that normally takes a move or standard action to reload as a free action. When it reloads a ranged weapon, it doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.

Firearm Savvy: The monster’s firearm attacks target touch AC when firing beyond the first range increment. As a move action, the monster can remove the broken condition from a firearm caused by a misfire.

Improved Initiative: Increase the monster’s initiative bonus by 4.

Mobile Attack: The monster can move its speed and make an attack (either melee or ranged, chosen when the monster gains this option) at any point during its movement as a full-round action. The monster can use this ability with any of its movement modes.

Mobility: The monster gains a +4 bonus to AC against attacks of opportunity.

Mounted Master: The monster deals double damage on a mounted charge, halves its penalties on ranged attacks for being mounted, and grants its mount a +4 bonus to AC.

Precise Shot: When making a ranged attack, the monster ignores the –4 penalty for attacking an opponent engaged in melee as well as the target’s AC bonuses from cover and concealment (except total cover or total concealment).

Swap Places: The monster can swap positions with an adjacent ally as a move action without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Uncanny Dodge: The monster can’t be caught flat-footed.

Whirlwind Attack: The monster can make an attack against each creature within reach at its highest attack bonus as a full attack.

Tough

Source Pathfinder Unchained pg. 235
High-Constitution monsters beef up their resistance to being hurt with tough combat options.

Damage Reduction: The monster gains damage reduction. Cross-reference the monster’s CR band and the type of damage that bypasses the reduction to find the value of the monster’s DR on the table below. For DR that requires more than one damage type to bypass, the DR equals the lower value – 5. (If this reduces it to 0, this type of DR is probably too strong.)

CR	Type*	Material	Magic	Alignment	None
0-5	5	5	5	5	1
6-10	10	10	10	5	3
11-15	15	15	10	10	5
16-20	20	20	20	15	10
21+	30	30	30	20	15

* A bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing weapon.

Diehard: When reduced to below 0 hit points, this monster automatically stabilizes and can remain conscious.

Energy Resistance: The monster gains resistance 10 against two energy types. For every 5 CR the monster has, increase the amount of energy resistance by 5, or increase the number of resistances by one. For example, a CR 17 monster might have three resistances at 10 or two resistances at 15.

Extra Armor: Increase the monster’s AC by 2 and its flat-footed AC by 4. Decrease its touch AC by 6. Reduce the monster’s speed by 10 feet if this change comes from manufactured armor.

Extra Hit Points: Increase the monster’s hit point total by 20%.

Immunity: The monster gains immunity from one energy type, affliction, condition, or spell of your choice, plus one additional immunity for every 5 CR it has.

Spell Resistance: The monster gains spell resistance equal to its CR + 11.

Stalwart: When the monster succeeds at a Fortitude or Reflex saving throw against an effect that normally has a reduced effect on a successful save, the monster instead avoids the effect entirely. At CR 8, it also takes only the reduced effect if it fails its save.