Acidborn Monster
When a dungeon builder needs a deterrent, the only thing better than a giant pit of acid is a giant pit of acid with a shark in it. Until recently, this dream could not be realized because the shark always died after a short time in the acid. New breeding and rearing techniques, however, have yielded aquatic animals that can swim and breathe in acid as easily as their standard counterparts do in the ocean.
Creating an Acidborn Monster
"Acidborn" is an inherited template that can be applied to any living corporeal animal, magical beast, plant, or vermin of the aquatic subtype (referred to hereafter as the base creature). An acidborn monster uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: If the base creature is an animal, its type changes to magical beast (augmented animal).
Armor Class: The base creature's natural armor bonus increases by +2.
Special Attacks: An acidborn monster's natural weapons deal 1d6 points of acid damage in addition to their normal damage.
Special Qualities: An acidborn monster retains the special qualities of the base creature, and also gains the following qualities.
- - Immunity to acid and poison.
- - Breathe Acid (Ex): An acidborn monster is capable of breathing acid just as it once breathed water. It is in no danger of drowning if immersed in acid. However, the monster loses its ability to breathe in regular water, though it can hold its breath for as long as it is able.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Con +4.
Challenge Rating: As the base creature + 1.
Sample Acidborn Monster: Large Acidborn Shark.
Acidborn Variations
Some pioneering breeders have raised aquatic creatures that breathe pure molten rock, in defiance of all logic. To represent a lavaborn monster, replace the extra acid damage from its natural weapons with extra fire damage, replace the immunity to acid and poison with immunity to fire, and replace Breathe Acid with Breathe Lava.
Other variations on this template exist. Simply update the monster's extra damage, immunity, and breathe ability to reflect some other dangerous substance.