Spitting Drake

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Drake, Spitting (CR 4)

Drakes are reptilian beasts that compete in the wild against wolves, bears, and other modest predators. They are omnivores when required (although they prefer meat) and their slow, efficient metabolisms mean an amazing number of them can live in a given area.

Spitting drakes are usually avoided by anything smart enough to do so. They are fiercely territorial, hunt in packs, and have been known to employ clever tactics such as "the (not really) wounded and alone drake that looks tasty" to draw in prey. Spitting drakes use flanking tactics and have even been known to dig holes in an ambush area and hide them with foliage to trip up enemies during a fight.

GENERAL

CR 4 Hit Dice 5

XP 1,200

N Medium Magical Beast

Init +2; Senses Low-Light Vision 120 ft., Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+4 armor, +3 dex, +3 natural, +0 deflection)

hp 50

Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3

Aura: Intimidating Presence, 5 feet

SR: -

Special Defenses: ER 10/Acid

Immunities: -

Weaknesses: -

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., Swim 20 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee Bite +8 (1d8+4/x2)

Full Melee Bite +8 (1d8+4/x2)

Ranged Caustic Spit +8 (1d8+4/x2) ranged touch acid damage, plus blindness

Special Attacks Pack Ferocity

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 5, Wis 11, Cha 13

Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 18

Feats -

Skills Stealth +6

Languages -

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Intimidating Presence (Aura)

The first time any spitting drake ends its move adjacent to an enemy, that enemy must make a Will save, DC 13 or become Shaken. Creatures which fail this save may make a new save at the end of each of their turns to end it, at the same DC. Once a creature succeeds on this save, they may not be affected by this, or any other spitting drake's Intimidating Presence ability for 24 hours.

Caustic Spit

A Spitting Drake's spit attack deals acid damage as a ranged touch attack. Any creature damaged by this acid must also make a Fortitude save, DC 13, or be Blinded for 1 round. Spitting Drakes go for the eyes!

Pack Ferocity

If a Spitting Drake hits with a bite attack while it is within 2 squares of any other creature it considers an ally, its innate ferocity grants it +3 points of damage to all of its attacks. This bonus does not stack with itself, regardless of how many allies are within range.

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 1,125 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Spitting drakes like to set up ambushes, and will even modify the terrain to create one or two hidden patches of rough terrain to hinder foes. They will employ 'bait' in the form of a wounded drake, and sometimes even leave the carcass of a mostly eaten creature to attract new scavengers or predators.

Spitting drakes hunt in packs, and make use of their caustic spit to blind opponents. They love to flank, and use their pack ferocity ability to maximize their damage. While the spit attack is ranged touch, spitting drakes do not have precise shot, so often take a -4 penalty on these attacks.

Another favored tactic of a spitting drake pack is to rush in and attack a small group of creatures, injure them and then run away to wait. When the creatures try to regroup and tend their wounds, the drakes will swoop back in to finish them off.

Spitting Drakes aren't really aware of their Intimidating Presence aura, and don't really alter their tactics to make optimal use of it.