Sea Serpent, Crested, Very young (CR 4)

Medium Dragon (Water)
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Initiative: +2 (Dex)


AC: 18 (+2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16
Hit Dice: 8d12+24 (76 hp)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +6
Speed: 40 ft., swim 100 ft.
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +8; Grapple +10
Attack: 1 bite +10, 2 claws +5
Damage: 1 bite 1d8+2, 2 claws 1d6+1
Special Attacks/Actions: Breath weapon 2d6 (17), Constrict, Improved Grab, Swallow Whole
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 16
Special Qualities: Amphibious, hypnotism, Charm person, SR -, Fear aura (DC -), Crest Harmonics (CL 8)
Feats: #Feats: 3
Skills:
Class Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Perform(crest harmonics), and Skill points: 1
Advancement: 9-10 HD
Climate/Terrain: Temperate Aquatic
Organization: Solitary (1 dragon, any age), clutch (1d4+1 wyrmlings, very young, young, juvenile, or young adults), family (pair of mature adults and 1d4+1 offspring)
Treasure/Possessions: Double standard

Source: Dragon #345

Amphibious (Ex): Sea serpents can breathe air as easily as they breathe water.

Constrict (Ex): A sea serpent of Medium size or larger deals damage with a successful grapple check. The amount of damage dealt depends upon the creature's size, as indicated on the following chart. The sea serpent adds 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus on damage rolls made to constrict.

SizeConstrict Damage
Medium1d8
Large2d8
Gargantuan4d8
Colossal6d8

Unlike their dragon kin, crested sea serpents prefer to lure their prey into traps. Using suggestion to trick a ship's pilot into smashing his ship on submerged rocks is a favored tactic, as is using thralls to do the fighting for them.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the sea serpent must hit with its bite or tail slap attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins a grapple check, it establishes a hold. If it gets a hold with its bite it can attempt to swallow the foe the following round. If it gets a hold with its tail slap it can constrict.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A sea serpent can attempt to swallow an opponent at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes bite damage plus 1d8 points of acid damage every round from the serpent's digestive tract. A swallowed creature can attempt to cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 3 points of damage per age category of the sea serpent to its digestive tract (AC 15). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; other swallowed opponents must cut their own ways out.

A sea serpent's digestive tract can hold up to one opponent of two size categories smaller than itself and four times as many of each size category below that. For example, a Huge sea serpent's digestive tract can hold 1 Medium, 4 Small, 16 Tiny, or 64 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Breath Weapon (Su): A crested sea serpent has one kind of breath weapon, a line of sonic energy. Creatures caught in the line of sonic energy receive a Reflex save for half damage.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - hypnotism; 3/day - charm person. These abilities are all as cast by a bard of level equal to the sea serpent's hit dice. The save DC, however, is equal to a Perform (crest harmonics) skill check made by the crested sea serpent when the spell is cast.

Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, and Perform (crest harmonics) are considered class skills for crested sea serpents.

Water Subtype

This subtype usually is used for elementals and outsiders with a connection to the Elemental Plane of Water. Creatures with the water subtype always have swim speeds and can move in water without making Swim checks. A water creature can breathe underwater and usually can breathe air as well.