The Fearsome Werescorpion
By Robert Wiese
Miala stopped on the path, listening to the sounds of the wind and of the rocks falling far below. "The mountains are treacherous, full of giants and dragons," went the warning from the nearby village. Miala took the warning to heart and proceeded with caution. She sought a type of mountain fey that a dying wizard had described to her, but she had found no trace of it so far. As she resumed her walk, the ground shook and a burly hill giant stepped around from behind a rock. Almost as surprised at seeing her as she was at seeing it, the giant stopped for a moment. Then it bellowed and started to change. As its body grew large scorpionlike claws and its head and body took on more of a scorpion's visage, Miala decided that a change of her own form, followed by a speedy retreat, was the best course of action. She morphed into an eagle and dodged the rock thrown by the enraged half-scorpion entomanothrope. It howled in rage, but could not follow.
| Hill Giant Werescorpion | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Werescorpion, Hill Giant Form | Werescorpion, Hybrid Form | Werescorpion, Huge Monstrous Scorpion Form | |
| Large Giant (Shapechanger) | Large Giant (Shapechanger) | Huge Giant(Shapechanger) | |
| Hit Dice: | 12d8+84 plus 10d8 +70 (253 hp) | 12d8+84 plus 10d8 +70 (253 hp) | 12d8+84 plus 10d8 +70 (253 hp) |
| Initiative: | -1 | -1 | -1 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. | 40 ft. | 50 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 22 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +11 natural, +3 hide), touch 8, flat- footed 22 | 22 (-1 size, -1 Dex, + 14 natural), touch 8, flat- footed 22 | 21 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +14 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 21 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +16/+28 | +16/+34 | +16/+38 |
| Attack: | Greatclub +24 melee (2d8+12), or slam +23 melee (1d4+8), or rock +15 ranged (2d6+8) | Greatclub +30 melee (2d8+21) or claw +29 melee (1d8+14) or rock +14 ranged (2d6+14 | Claw +28 melee (1d8+14) |
| Full Attack: | Greatclub +24/+19/+14/+9 melee (2d8+10), or 2 slams +23 melee (1d4+8), or rock +15 ranged (2d6+8) | Greatclub +30/+25/+20/+15 melee (2d8+21) or 2 claws +29 melee (1d8+14) and sting +24 melee (2d4+7 plus poison) or rock +14 ranged (2d6+14) | 2 claws +28 melee (1d8+14) and sting +23 melee (2d4+7 plus poison) |
| Space/Reach: | 10 ft./10 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Rock throwing | Poison | Constrict 1d8+14, improved grab, poison |
| Special Qualities: | Alternate form, darkvision 60 ft., entomanothropic command, entomanothropic immunities, low-light vision, rock catching, tremorsense 60 ft. | Alternate form, damage reduction 5/silver, darkvision 60 ft., entomanothropic command, entomanothropic immunities, low-light vision, rock catching, tremorsense 60 ft. | Alternate form, damage reduction 5/silver, darkvision 60 ft., entomanothropic command, entomanothropic immunities, low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft. |
| Saves: | Fort +19, Ref +6, Will +10 | Fort +22, Ref +6, Will +10 | Fort +22, Ref +6, Will +10 |
| Abilities: | Str 27, Dex 8, Con 19 Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 7 | Str 39, Dex 8, Con 25 Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 7 | Str 39, Dex 8, Con 25 Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 7 |
| Skills: | Climb +12, Hide -5, Jump +8, Listen +6, Spot +12 | Climb +21, Hide -2, Jump +21, Listen +6, Spot +12 | Climb +21, Hide -6, Jump +25, Listen +6, Spot +12 |
| Feats: | Alertness, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub) | Alertness, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub) | Alertness, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (greatclub) |
| Environment: | Temperate hills | Temperate hills | Temperate hills |
| Organization: | Solitary or band (6-9 normal hill giants) | Solitary or band (6-9 normal hill giants) | Solitary or band (6-9 normal hill giants) |
| Challenge Rating: | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Treasure: | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Alignment: | Often chaotic evil | Often chaotic evil | Often chaotic evil |
| Advancement: | By character class | By character class | By character class |
| Level Adjustment: | +6 | +6 | +6 |
This almost feral giant has the head of a large scorpion. Natural plates cover its body, and it has wicked-looking pincerlike claws that somehow hold a greatclub with confidence and power.
The hill giant werescorpion is a brutish creature, and it usually serves as the thrall of some smarter hill giant or even of an ogre mage or clever orc. It revels in combat, and it must be restrained from charging at opponents upon sight. It prefers its hybrid form, which is its most frightening.
This creature is a standard hill giant with entomanothropy as an affliction.
Combat
With intelligence bordering on that of animals, this werescorpion rushes into melee without any real strategy, wielding its club and claws to do the most damage possible. On an initial rush into battle the creature attempts to overrun or bull rush smaller targets. Its claws have fingers, but it also has razor-like ridges on the insides like those of a scorpion's pincers.
Constrict (Ex): A werescorpion in vermin form deals automatic claw damage on a successful grapple check.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the werescorpion in vermin form must hit with a claw attack.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fort DC 28, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con.
Rock Throwing (Ex): The range increment is 120 feet for a werescorpion's thrown rocks.
Alternate Form (Su): An entomanothrope can shift into vermin form as though using the polymorph spell on itself, though its gear is not affected, it does not regain hit points for changing form, and only the specific vermin form indicated for the entomanothrope can be assumed. It does not assume the ability scores of the animal, but instead adds the animal's physical ability score modifiers to its own ability scores. An entomanothrope also can assume a bipedal hybrid form with two humanoid (or giant) arms and legs, and a face like the base vermin. The hybrid body is basically humanoid, but with fur or hair or skin/plates like that of the base vermin. Werescorpions have clawed hands. Changing forms is a standard action (see Lycanthropy as an Affliction for information about afflicted entomanothropes controlling their change). An entomanothrope can maintain its new form indefinitely.
Entomanothropic Command (Su): In any form, entomanothropes can command vermin of its type (any size) as if using a command undead spell on mindless undead. This ability affects 2 Hit Dice of the vermin type per Hit Die of the entomanothrope, and it lasts for 1 hour.
Entomanothropic Immunities (Ex): Entomanothropes have immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) in any form.