Thursday, November 25, 2010

Savage Menagerie: Ursine Gobbler

No. Enc.: 2-5 (1d4+1)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 3 (2 claws, bite)
Damage: 2d6/2d6/3d6
Save: L4
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: VI

An Ursine Gobbler (nicknamed "Turkeybear") is a 10-foot-tall, 500-pound crossbreed of a large land mammal and a large land bird. An Ursine Gobbler has the body, claws, and head of a bear, and the beak and tail of a turkey. Some adventurers have mistakenly referred to it as an "owlbear," having read about these creatures in an Ancient tome titled "Add Monster Manual."

Ursine Gobblers are usually found residing in cave entrances or large Ancient ruins. They are violently protective of their young and their homes and will charge anyone who approaches either of these. They attack with a claw/claw/bite for 2d6/2d6 and 3d6 damage respectively. Ursine Gobblers have a minor form of gigantism, giving them their formidable size. They also receive a damage bonus when attacking (as reflected in the previous stats). However, they also receive a -1 to hit penalty on any target 3 feet tall or smaller.

Ursine Gobblers have developed a mental barrier against mental attacks, giving attackers a -4 penalty when attacking mentally. They can also sense others with a mental mutation and will try to avoid them in combat. Ursine Gobblers can also cause the air around a target to gradually increase to unbearable limits with their temperature control mutation. When triggered, the air will shimmer around a target as the air becomes super-heated. The target will suffer 1d6 points of damage per round until the Ursine Gobbler's concentration is broken or once the target has taken 10d6 points of damage -- whichever comes first.

Ursine Gobbler pelts are highly valued by traders as they are very soft and warm, as well as being nearly impossible to secure due to the dangerous nature of the creature. The meat of an Ursine Gobbler is also quite tasty, and a trader will pay a premium for a good supply of it. (Although eating the flesh of an Ursine Gobbler tends to make the eater a bit sleepy.)

Mutations: gigantism, mental barrier, temperature control (heat)

NOTE: This creature is in honor of the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.

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