Otyugh

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Otyugh (CR 7)

Otyughs are particularly vile and horrid creatures that lurk in places most sane creatures avoid. Their lairs are middens, cesspools, offal pits, toxic swamps, and sewers—the greater a lair's filth, the greater the draw to the refuse-eating otyugh. They glory in the role of scavenger, wandering through vast underground caverns in search of the choicest cuts of garbage and waste. Upon finding such refuse, they gorge upon it, gathering what cannot be consumed in one debauch to bring back to their foul-smelling lairs. Otyughs spend most of their time in these filthy dens, which they keep constantly filled with carrion, dung, and worse sorts of stinking effluvia.

Intelligent creatures dwelling in subterranean areas near an otyugh often form a partnership of convenience with the disgusting beast. These creatures gladly provide their refuse and piles of raw meat to the otyugh, transforming the creature into an effective form of trash disposal. In return, the otyugh leaves its benefactors alone, and does not attack them, possibly even acting as a guardian.

The most horrifying thing to most races about the notorious otyugh is not the nature of its diet or its choice of lairs, but rather that a creature with an otyugh's tastes can be anything other than a mindless scavenger. In fact, otyughs are surprisingly intelligent, and often quite eager to form alliances with those who offer them a steady supply of delicious diversions in the form of offal and waste. Most otyughs understand the fact that other creatures find them unpleasant and hideous, but few really care.

Otyughs also have the peculiar habit of venerating certain pieces of trash above others in their lairs. Often, they will build shrines to a collection of broken glass shards, or a bent tea kettle, placing it somewhere it can easily regard it when it takes its ease amid the filth and refuse of its lair. While these shrines are not, themselves, particularly clean, they demonstrate an inscrutable reverence and spirituality to the otyugh's nature.

GENERAL

CR 7 Hit Dice 10

XP 3,200

N Large Aberration

Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Scent, Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 15, flat-footed 20 (+5 dex, +10 armor)

hp 82

Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +10

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: -

Immunities: Disease, Poison

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.

Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft. (15 ft. for tentacles)

Single Melee Bite +11 (2d6+2/x2), 2x Tentacles +11 (2d4+2/x2) plus Grab

Full Melee Bite +11 (2d6+2/x2), 2x Tentacles +11 (2d4+2/x2) plus Grab

Ranged -

Special Attacks Grab, Constrict

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6

Base Atk +7; CMB +13; CMD 25

Feats -

Skills Stealth +3

Languages Boggard, Gàbhach. Otyughs often understand Common, though they find it very painful to vocalize.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Grab

Any time the otyugh hits a creature with a tentacle, it may make a free grab attack against the creature in addition to dealing damage. If the grab is successful, the creature is Grappled, though the otyugh is not. While grappling a creature with a tentacle, the otyugh may not use that tentacle to attack any creature other than the one grabbed (see Constrict below). Grappled creatures may attempt to escape the grapple on their turns, per the normal grappling rules.

Constrict

An otyugh that has a creature grappled with a tentacle may use that tentacle to constrict the creature on its turn. Constrict deals 2d6+1 damage to the creature, and the creature must make a Fortitude save, DC 16, or become Bruised. Constrict may be used once per tentacle, assuming the otyugh has two different creatures grabbed, but a given tentacle cannot use Constrict on the same round that it used Grab.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 2,375 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Often, otyughs will merely observe strangers, rather than immediately attacking. Other times, otyughs will engage in combat with strangers to defend its lair, or because it feels some loyalty to a local denizen and wants to guard them against intruders. Or the otyugh could just be in a bad mood. Regardless, once engaged in combat, otyughs are fearsome opponents.

Using their significant reach, otyughs will batter and bite their opponents until they identify one or two who seem particularly dangerous. This will be any creature whose damage stands out as being significantly greater than its allies, often a rogue, brawler or sorcerer, etc. These creatures will be singled out for grabs and constrict attacks, while the other creatures are relegated to bite attacks.

The otyugh will maintain a grab on a creature until the creature escapes, the creature dies, or the otyugh dies.

Otyughs aren't particularly stealthy, and their unusual shape makes them fairly easy to identify. However, they are fairly smart, and will make use of walls, corners and rough terrain to minimize flanks on themselves while they steadily crush their chosen victims.