Cockatrice
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 Numbing Bite +11 (1d8+4/x2), +1d2 Dex Drain, Fort save DC16 for half, 2x Numbing Claws +11 (1d6+2/x2) +1 point Dex drain,Fort save DC16 to negate
Ranged None, but see Flailing Frenzy
Special Attacks Flailing Frenzy, Stone Prison, Tail Slap
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
- Flailing Frenzy
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 feathers soaked in cockatrice blood is an effective antidote for the petrified state, although for the ability drain, you're on your own.... One cockatrice can supply enough blood and feathers to break up to ten Stone Prison effects.
- Tail Slap
Once per encounter, as a move action, the cockatrice may slap an opponent with its long scaly tail. This is a touch attack rolled at +8 to-hit, and it inflicts (1d6+4/x2) points of damage, along with +1d2 Dex Drain, Fort save DC16 for half damage.
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 use their Numbing Bite on 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 Flailing Frenzy as early as possible, both to drain their foes and set themselves up for flanks. If they are only able to reach one foe they will use Tail Slap instead and use Flailing Frenzy as soon as they have more victims.
Once in combat, Cockatrices are far too mean to even consider withdrawal. They fight to the death.