Cockatrice

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Cockatrice (CR 7)

Misbegotten is a word perfectly suited to the cockatrice. They are small things, despite the terror they inspire, and look like large, emaciated chickens with extravagant wattles and large batwings instead of feathered wings. Honestly, they look a bit ridiculous.

The potent magical abilities of the cockatrice, however, ensure that no matter how silly it looks, it gets a lot of respect.

The cockatrice is feared because the touch of a cockatrice is inimical to all living things. The touch of a cockatrice is cold and numbing, according to everyone who has encountered one and lived, and every touch, every brush, leeches the vitality an mobility out of those touched.

Cockatrices are well-aware of their deadly touch and use it in combat, so that despite their small size and ridiculous appearance, their lairs tend to be decorated with the paralyzed remains of victims large and small. Oddly enough, cockatrices eat mainly seeds, berries, vegetation, and insects. They only attack larger creatures due to their utter, intractable viciousness. A cockatrice that has seen you is going to attack you, and they don't need such excuses as 'defending their lair' to do it.

Cockatrices can be found nearly anywhere there are bugs and plants, and they thrive, being hardy, fecund, and adaptable. They will nest in fallen logs, gulleys, caves, ruins, overhangs, river banks, nearly anywhere. They are ardent burrowers, albeit slow, so they tend to like areas with soft ground for their burrows.

GENERAL

CR 7 Hit Dice 10

XP 3,200

S, NE, Monstrous Beast

Init +3; Senses low-light, Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 21 (+5 armor, +4 dex, +5 natural, +1 deflection)

hp 102

Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +6

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: -

Immunities: Energy Drain and Petrification

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., Fly 60 (good)

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Numbing Bite +11 (1d8+4/x2) + 1d2 Dex Drain, Fort save DC16 for half

Full Melee Bite +11 (1d8+4/x2), +1d2 Dex Drain, Fort save DC16 for half, 2x Claws +11 (1d6+2/x2) +1 point Dex drain,Fort save DC16 to negate

Ranged None, but see Buffeting Wings

Special Attacks Buffeting Wings, Stone Prison

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 8

Base Atk +7; CMB +11; CMD 21

Feats Fly-By Attack (EFFECT: As Spring Attack but with flight)

Skills -

Languages -

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Buffeting Wings

Once per encounter, as a move action, the cockatrice may erupt in a frenzied outburst, its long, leathery batwings flapping all around. It may make a melee touch attack against all creatures adjacent to it (+8 to-hit versus touch AC). Once it has rolled to-hit against all foes it can reach, it may shift one square. If it can now target new enemies that are adjacent to it, it may roll a touch attack against all of those foes as well. It may never target a foe more than once using this ability. All creatures that are struck by this Buffeting Wings attack suffer 1d4 of Dex drain.

Stone Prison

In addition to the usual effects of Dex drain, enemies of the cockatrice who are drained to zero Dex are Petrified. Anyone who makes a Knowledge Nature roll against a target of 15 may learn that cockatrice blood soaked in cockatrice feathers is an effective antidote for the petrified state, although for the ability drain, you're on your own....

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 2,375 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Cockatrices are mean, aggressive, territorial, and vicious. They are also surprisingly good fliers. If they are able to, they will swoop past their enemies, squawking loudly and using Fly-by Attack to bite as many foes as possible, to soften them up. they will continue using Fly-by Attack for as long as the tactic is working well for them. If their enemies have effective ranged attacks, or seek cover against flight mobility, Cockatrices will fly into melee and fearlessly engage, despite their small size.

Once in melee, they will use Buffeting Wings as early as possible, both to drain their foes and set themselves up for flanks.

Once in combat, Cockatrices are far too mean to even consider withdrawal. They fight to the death.