Ghargatula (CR 16)

Huge Outsider (Baatezu, Evil, Extraplanar, and Lawful)
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: scent, Listen +24, and Spot +24
Languages: Telepathy 100 ft.


AC: 20 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18
Hit Dice: 24d8+288 (396 hp); DR: 25/magic
Fort +26, Ref +16, Will +16
Speed: 50 ft.
Space: 10 ft./15 ft.
Base Attack +24; Grapple +28
Attack: Bite +36 melee and 2 claws +31 melee and tail stinger +31 melee
Full Attack: Bite +36 melee and 2 claws +31 melee and tail stinger +31 melee
Damage: Bite 5d8+14, claw 3d6+7, tail stinger 2d6+7 plus poison
Special Attacks/Actions: Improved grab, poison, swallow whole
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 14, Con 35, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 10
Special Qualities: Baatezu traits, regeneration 10, SR 25, summon baatezu
Feats: Cleave; Combat Reflexes; Great Cleave; Improved Initiative; Iron Will; Lightning Reflexes; Power Attack
Skills: Climb +38, Intimidate +24, Jump +38, Listen +24, Move Silently +26, and Spot +24
Advancement: 25-36 HD (Huge)
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Treasure/Possessions: None

Source: Book of Vile Darkness

Improved Grab (Ex): If a ghargatula hits a Large at smaller opponent with a bite attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +46). If it successfully grabs a creature that it can also swallow whole (see below), it can attempt to do so in the next round. The ghargatula has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its jaws to hold the opponent (--20 penalty on grapple check, but the ghargatula is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite damage.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A ghargatula can try to swallow a Medium-size or smaller opponent that is already in its mouth by making a successful grapple check (grapple bonus +46). The swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of crushing damage per round and 8 points of acid damage from the ghargatula's innards. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using claws or a Small or Tiny slashing points of damage to the innards (AC 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must again cut its own way out. The ghargatula's innards can hold 2 Medium-size, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Poison (Ex): Each successful tail stinger attack delivers a ghargatula's poison (Fort DC 34). The initial and secondary damage is the same (2d6 points of Dexterity damage).

Baatezu Traits: A ghargatula can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet that has a language. In addition, it can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell. A ghargatula is immune to fire and poison, and it has acid resistance 20 and cold resistance 20.

Regeneration (Ex): A ghargatula takes normal damage from holy and blessed weapons of at least +2 enhancement.

Scent (Ex): A ghargatula can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell.

Outsider Traits: A devil has darkvision (60-foot range). It cannot be raised or resurrected.

Summon Baatezu (Sp): Once per day a ghargatula can attempt to summon 1 cornugon with a 25% chance of success. Summoned creatures automatically return whence they came after 1 hour. A baatezu that has just been summoned cannot use its own summon ability for 1 hour. Most baatezu do not use their summon ability lightly, since it leaves them beholden to the summoned creatures. In general, they use it only when necessary to gain victory or to save their own lives.

Baatezu Subtype

Many devils belong to the race of evil outsiders known as the baatezu.

Traits: A baatezu possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry).

Evil Subtype

A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the evil-aligned Outer Planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most creatures that have this subtype also have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A creature with the evil subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were evil-aligned (see Damage Reduction).

Extraplanar Subtype

A subtype applied to any creature when it is on a plane other than its native plane. A creature that travels the planes can gain or lose this subtype as it goes from plane to plane. This book assumes that encounters with creatures take place on the Material Plane, and every creature whose native plane is not the Material Plane has the extraplanar subtype (but would not have when on its home plane). An extraplanar creatures usually has a home plane mentioned in its description. These home planes are taken from the Great Wheel cosmology of the D&D game (see Chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). If your campaign uses a different cosmology, you will need to assign different home planes to extraplanar creatures.

Creatures not labeled as extraplanar are natives of the Material Plane, and they gain the extraplanar subtype if they leave the Material Plane. No creature has the extraplanar subtype when it is on a transitive plane; the transitive planes in the D&D cosmology are the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, and the Plane of Shadow.

Lawful Subtype

A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the lawful-aligned Outer Planes. Most creatures that have this subtype also have lawful alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has a lawful alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A creature with the lawful subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were lawful-aligned (see Damage Reduction).