Giant Shrew
by Jamie BatyBA, RC 203
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8 (5 hp)
Initiative: +4 (+3 Dex, +1 Misc.)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10ft
Armour Class: 14 (+1 size, +3 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-6
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d2 -3)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6 -2) and bite -1 melee (1d6 -3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Furious Assault
Special Qualities: Blindsense 60ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will -1
Abilities: Str 6, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 8, Cha 2
Skills: Climb +8, Hide +12, Jump +11, Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any Underground or Forest
Organisation: Solitary, Pair or Pack (2-8)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: -
Giant shrews look like large, brown-furred rats with long snouts. They can burrow, climb, or jump. The eyes of a giant shrew are so weak that the creature is not affected by light or the lack of it. A shrew uses radar-like squeaks to "see" its surroundings (as bats do), and can "see" things within 60ft as well as a creature with normal sight. Since it relies on echoes to see, it dislikes open areas and will remain underground most of the time.
Shrews only eat insects and vegetable matter, but they are so nervous and aggressive that they are likely to attack anything that comes within 20ft of them.
Combat
Shrews are nervous creatures, and are prone to panic and getting agitated easily. When this occurs, they will attack anything nearby with their vicious bite. They like to jump at their foes in order to panic them.
Furious Assault (Ex): When giant shrews fight, they attack with reckless abandon at their enemies' necks, heads and shoulders. This gives the shrew a +1 bonus to Initiative. It also allows the giant shrew a second bite attack (as a secondary attack) during a full attack. Lastly, the shrews attacks are so unnerving that any creature attacked by the shrew with 3HD or less must make a DC 13 (Dex based) Will save or become panicked for 1d2 rounds.
Blindsense (Ex): A giant shrew notices and locates creatures within 60 feet. Opponents still have 100% concealment against a creature with blindsense.
Skills: Giant shrews have a +4 racial bonus on Climb and Hide checks and a +8 racial bonus on Jump checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks. They also have a +4 racial bonus to all Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsense is negated.