Sporacle
by Jamie BatyMA, RC 208
Medium Aberration
Hit Dice: 7d8+28 (59 hp)
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armour Class: 20 (+2 Dex, +8 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+11
Attack: Tentacle +7 melee (1d2 +2 plus paralysis)
Full Attack: 12 Tentacle +7 melee (1d2 +2 plus paralysis) and bite +2 melee (2d10 +1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Death Throes, Paralysis
Special Qualities: All-around vision, Damage reduction 15/slashing or piercing, darkvision 60ft., flight, sporacle immunities, watery regeneration
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13
Skills: Hide +7, Listen +9, Search +9, Spot +13, Survival +2
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative
Environment: Any land
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, or Cluster (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Large); 15-21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
The sporacle appears identical to a beholder at first glance: a floating ball-like creature, 5ft in diameter, with a huge gaping mouth and a large central eye above it. Tentacles spout from its entire body. It has six eyes, positioned evenly about the surface of the body (top, bottom, front, back, sides). It normally keeps all but a few tentacles retracted when not in combat.
Sporacles are often found near sources of fresh water because the creature can heal and regenerate while immersed in freshwater. They can regrow lost body parts, and a severed tentacle placed in water will create a new sporacle. This is their only way to reproduce.
Sporacles prefer humanoids for food, but will eat anything living if need be.
They speak beholder and Common
Combat
Sporacles attack anything coming near them. If the victim is suitable for eating, they will only attack with their tentacles, preferring to paralyse their foes before dining on them. Against less tasty fare, they will bite as well. They focus their attacks on one to two targets at a time to quickly disable their foes.
A sporacle's individual tentacles maybe attacked (AC 16). A successful hit will sever a tentacle, but does not affect the creatures hp total. If a sporacle has all of its tentacles severed, will attack with its bite, but will look for an opportunity to flee into water to heal.
Death Throes (Ex): When killed, a sporacle spins rapidly and explodes, sending chunks of its body in a 30ft radius. Every creature within the radius must make a DC 12 Reflex save to avoid the flying body parts. Those that fail are paralysed as if hit by a tentacle (see below).
Paralysis (Ex): Any creature hit by the sporacle's tentacle must make a Fortitude save vs DC 17 (Con based) or be paralysed. The paralysis takes hold on the victim's next turn and lasts for 10 minutes.
All-Around Vision (Ex): Sporacles are exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their eyes give them a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Search checks, and they can't be flanked.
Damage Reduction (Su): A sporacle has damage reduction of 15/slashing or piercing.
Flight (Su): A sporacle can cease or resume flight as a free action. This also grants it a permanent feather fall effect.
Sporacle Immunities (Ex): A sporacle has many immunities. They have 100% immunity to sonic damage and effects. They are immune to poisons and paralysis. They are immune to all mind-affecting spells and spell-like abilities. Sporacles are immune to all spells and spell-like abilities that do not cause direct damage. Damage-causing spells cast at the sporacle simply destroy one tentacle and have no other effect. After the creature's tentacles are gone, damage causing spells no longer harm the sporacle.
Watery Regeneration (Su): A sporacle immersed in fresh water heals wounds at the rate of 3 hp per round. This immersion in water allows the sporacle to regrow its lost tentacles (tentacles regrow in 3 rounds). A severed tentacle placed in water will grow a new sporacle in 60 minutes.