Laraken (CR -)
Large Outsider (Extraplanar)
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Initiative: +5; Senses: darkvision 60 ft., sense magic, Listen +19, and Spot +19
AC: 14 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Hit Dice: 15d8+75 (142 hp)
Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +8
Speed: 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Space: 10 ft./10 ft.
Base Attack +15; Grapple +24
Attack: Tentacle +19 melee or absorbed magical power (see below)
Full Attack: 2 tentacles +19 melee or absorbed magical power (see below)
Damage: Tentacle 1d6+5 plus absorption
Special Attacks: Absorb magic
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 3, Wis 8, Cha 10
Special Qualities: dimension door, sense magic, SR 35
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Great Cleave, Improved Initiative, Power Attack,
Skills: Escape Artist +19, Listen +19, Spot +19, and Swim +31
Advancement: 16-20 HD (Large); 21-45 HD (Huge)
Climate/Terrain: Warm marshes or Nishrek
Organization: Solitary
Treasure/Possessions: None
Source:
Shining South
This yellow sphere glistens from moisture as it undulates through the muck. Two thick, twitching tentacles protrude from opposite sides of its body.
A laraken is a magic-absorbing creature from the plane of Nishrek, home of the orc pantheon, that hates all other living things and attacks any that approach. It prefers to lurk in wet places such as marshes and swamps where it can stay moist. Indeed, a laraken will not willingly come onto dry land, except to pursue its food-magic.
Also known as a magic-drainer, a laraken appears as a glistening, yellow sphere with two long tentacles protruding from opposite sides of its fleshy body. A full-size laraken is about 10 feet in diameter and can weigh as much as 2,500 pounds.
Larakens do not speak.
Combat
A laraken lashes out with both of its tentacles each round. In addition to dealing bludgeoning damage, the touch of a laraken's tentacle drains magic. Larakens sometimes use magical abilities they have absorbed.
Absorb Magic (Su): A laraken absorbs magic in the form of spells cast at it, magic items it contacts, or the spells of spellcasters the creature strikes. Larakens prefer to drain spells, but they settle for the powers of magic items.
Spellcasters struck by a laraken must make a DC 22 Fortitude save or lose their highest-level spell slot or prepared spell. The laraken can then use that spell on its next turn if it so chooses. If the victim possesses two or more spells of the same level, the drained spell is randomly chosen.
If a spell cast at a laraken fails to overcome the creature's spell resistance, it absorbs the spell and has the ability to cast that spell on its next turn as a standard action.
Each time a laraken is struck by a magic item with charges, bonuses, or other special powers (or it strikes the item using the rules for sundering), the item must make a DC 22 Fortitude save or be permanently drained of one charge, power, or bonus. Larakens first drain charges the item has, then powers (most potent first), then each individual point of enhancement bonus the item possesses.
A laraken gains 1 temporary hit point for every charge it absorbs, gains a +1 bonus on its attack rolls until the end of its next turn each time it absorbs a point of enhancement bonus, and it can use any power it drains from an item until the end of its next turn.
Temporary hit points fade in 1 hour.
Absorbed powers, spells, and enhancement bonuses last only until the end of the laraken's next turn - a laraken cannot cast a spell it absorbed 2 rounds ago.
These magic-absorbing abilities do not function against arcane spells (or items) utilizing the Shadow Weave. The save DCs are Constitution-basod.
Dimension Door (Sp): As a standard action, a laraken can use dimension door as an 8th-level caster.
Sense Magic (Su): A laraken can discern magical auras and their strengths, as well as remaining spell slots within a spellcaster, choosing its targets based on this perception. Even without the aid of sight, the creature can sense a spellcaster with remaining spell slots, a functioning spell, or magic item within 60 feet. This ability functions automatically and is always active.
Skills: A laraken has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.