Grell Philosopher (CR 5)
Medium Aberration
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Initiative: +5; Senses: blindsight 60 ft., sightless, Listen +9, and Spot +9
AC: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Hit Dice: 5d8+10 plus 4d4+8 (50 hp)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +9
Speed: 5 ft., fly 30 ft.(perfect)
Space: 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacle)
Base Attack +5; Grapple +17
Attack: Tentacle +7 melee or lightning lance +6 ranged touch
Full Attack: 10 tentacles +7 melee and bite +2 melee or lightning lance +6 ranged touch
Damage: Tentacles 1d4+2 plus paralyzation, bite 1d6+1 lightning lance 3d6 electricity
Special Attacks/Actions: Constrict 1d6+2, expert grappler, improved grab, paralysis, spells
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 12
Special Qualities: flight, immunity to electricity, immunity to paralyzation, sightless, 4th-level Grell Wizard
Feats: Combat Casting; Flyby Attack; Grell Alchemy; Improved Initiative; Scribe Scroll
Skills: Concentration +11 (+15 casting defensively), Hide +11, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +9, Move Silently +11, and Spot +9
Advancement: By class
Climate/Terrain: Underground
Organization: Patrol (3-6 grell plus 1 philosopher) or colony (20-40 grell plus 3-5 philosophers plus patriarch)
Treasure/Possessions: Standard (plus lightning lance)
Source:
Lords of Madness
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a grell deals 1d6+1 points of damage.
Expert Grappler (Ex): A grell that chooses to grapple with one tentacle and remain ungrappled itself takes a -10 penalty on its grapple checks instead of the normal -20 penalty.
Grell other than hatchlings have a +10 racial bonus on grapple checks. (Paralyzed foes automatically lose grapple checks.)
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a grell must hit an opponent of its size or smaller with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Paralysis (Ex): A grell's tentacles are lined with small spiny barbs, much like a squids. Any creature hit by a grell's tentacle must make a DC 10 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a -4 racial penalty.
Creatures struck by multiple tentacle attacks in the same round do not make multiple saving throws; instead, they make a single saving throw, but the DC increases by 1 for every additional tentacle that hit in the same round. For example, a creature hit by four of a grells tentacle attacks must succeed on a single DC 13 Fortitude save to avoid paralysis, instead of four DC 10 saving throws.
Blindsight (Ex): A grell is blind, but it maneuvers and fights as well as a sighted creature by using scent and vibration to ascertain its surroundings. This ability enables it to discern objects and creatures within 60 feet. The grell does not need to make Spot or Listen checks to notice creatures within range of its blindsight.
Flight (Ex): A grell's body is unusually buoyant. The creature continuously produces an effect like that of the fly spell, which it can use to move at a speed of 30 feet (perfect maneuverability). This buoyancy also grants the grell a permanent feather fall effect with personal range.
Sightless (Ex): A grell is immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.
Skills: A grell gains a +2 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks.
Spells: A grell philosopher is a 4th-level wizard with 16 Intelligence.
Typical Wizard Spells Prepared (caster level 4th): 0 - daze (DC 13), detect magic, mage hand, touch of fatigue (+7 melee touch, DC 13); 1st - charm person (DC 14), mage armor, obscuring mist, ray of enfeeblement (+6 ranged touch); 2nd - invisibility, protection from arrows, summon monster II.
Grell philosophers share the special qualities and abilities of the standard grell, but are armed with formidable wizard spells in addition to their special abilities. They like to use spells such as invisibility and obscuring mist against sighted creatures, turning their blindsight into a deadly tactical advantage.
In melee combat, a grell can attack as many foes as it can reach, using as many of its tentacles as it wishes against any single opponent. It uses its bite only against paralyzed prey or as a last resort.
An opponent can attack a grell's tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A grell's tentacles have 5 hit points each. If a grell is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of a grell's tentacles deals 2 points of damage to the creature. The creature regrows severed tentacles in 1d6 days.
Grell that belong to a nest or colony might be armed with lightning lances. Feral grell do not make or use any weapons, relying on their own natural armament.