Frumious Creature

'Frumious Creature' is a pattern that can be added to any creature to give them a nasty defensive capability. Their Deadly Aura might be a cloud of psychic flames emitted by their mutated brains, or perhaps some alchemical terror that smites down foes and attackers. Maybe they have some sentient tentacle that whip-strikes out toward enemies, or they spit wads of dire ichor, or they possess ethereal spines, or they have a fetch, or are haunted by angry ghosts. There are a thousand ways the GM can use this pattern to create monsters that are dangerous simply to oppose, and the players will have to find new tactics and methods, or just endure the punishment.

A Frumious Creature uses all of the base creature's statistics and abilities except as noted below.

CR (challenge rating)

Same as base creature +2.

Size and Type

The creature's Size does not change. Its Type remains the same but it gains the subtype Frumious.

Initiative Modifier

The creature's initiative modifier increases by +1.

Senses

All senses such as scent, tremorsense, keen hearing, etc are unchanged. A Frumious Creature gains +3 on Perception skill rolls.

Armor Class

Frumious Creatures gain +2 AC.

Hit Dice

Frumious Creatures gain +2 hp per Hit Die of their adjusted CR.

Defensive Ability

The Frumious Creature gains the following abilities, which may be added to their Bestiary entry:

Deadly Aura (Su) The frumious creature is surrounded by a supernatural damage aura. This aura affects all squares within two square of the frumious creature's space, plus one square per fifteen of their adjusted CR, dropping fractions. (Thus 2 to 5 squares.) Choose an energy damage type from fire, cold, acid, electricity, force, or stellar, or a physical damage type from bludgeoning, piercing, drilling, rugosic, or mutilation. Any enemy creature which begins its turn within the area of the aura takes a number of points of damage equal to the frumious creature's adjusted CR of that damage type. Up to once per round per attacking creature, if an enemy creature attacks the frumious creature from anywhere beyond its reach, regardless of range, it also takes this damage.

SR: - Same as Base Creature

Special Defenses: Same as Base Creature

• Frumious Creatures gain a +1 untyped bonus on all Saving Throws.

Immunities: Same as Base Creature.

Weaknesses: Same as Base Creature

Out of Combat

Same as Base Creature.

Speed

A Frumious Creatures base speed improves by ten feet in all movement categories it has.

Melee Attacks

The Frumious Creature retains all the base creature's attacks . It gains a +2 untyped bonus to-hit with all attacks.

Damage

The Frumious Creature does the same damage and effects as the base creature. It gains a +2 untyped bonus to all damage it inflicts, and all DC's are raised by +1.

Space and Reach

No Changes.

Offensive Ability

No Changes.

Ability Scores

No Changes.

Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense

The Frumious Creature gains a +2 untyped bonus to Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense rolls.

Feats

Optionally, add one non-combat oriented feat, for flavor. Or just wing it! DM fiat is a wonderful thing.

Skills

Optionally, add one skill at CR+10.