The Great Salamander of Zurkir
Huge Magical Beast (Fire)
Hit Dice: 5d10+28 (body: 78 hp; heads 15 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 19 (–2 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+16
Attack: 5 bites +6 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: 5 bites +6 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath Weapon, Burn
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 15, immunity to fire, low-light vision, scent, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 12, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 9
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +7, Swim +11
Feats: Combat Reflexes B, Iron Will, Toughness
Environment: Zurkir Holdfast Ruins
Organization: Unique
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: See Below
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
The Great Salamander is a reptile-like monster with five heads.
It is red with dark brown dots and stripes, with a light tan underbelly. The eyes are amber and the teeth are yellow-white. It is about 20 feet long and weighs about 4,000 pounds.
The Great Salamander does not speak.
COMBAT
The Great Salamander can attack with all its heads at no penalty, even if it moves or charges during the round.
The Great Salamander can be killed either by severing all its heads or by slaying its body. To sever a head, an opponent must make a successful sunder attempt with a slashing weapon. (The player should declare where the attack is aimed before making the attack roll.) Making a sunder attempt provokes an attack of opportunity unless the foe has the Improved Sunder feat. An opponent can strike at the Great Salamander’s heads from any position in which he could strike at the creature itself, because the heads writhe and whip about in combat. An opponent can ready an action to attempt to sunder a head when the creature bites at him. Each head has 15 hit points. Losing a head deals damage to the body equal to half the head’s full normal hit points. A natural reflex seals the neck shut to prevent further blood loss. The Great Salamander can no longer attack with a severed head but takes no other penalties.
Each time a head is severed, two new heads spring from the stump in 1d4 rounds. The Great Salamander can never have more than twice its original number of heads at any one time, and any extra heads it gains beyond its original number wither and die within a day. To prevent a severed head from growing back into two heads, at least 5 points of cold or acid damage must be dealt to the stump (a touch attack to hit) before the new heads appear. A cold weapon (or similar effect) deals its energy damage to the stump in the same blow in which a head is severed. Cold or acid damage from an area effect may burn multiple stumps in addition to dealing damage to the Great Salamander’s body. The Great Salamander does not die from losing its heads until all its heads have been cut off and the stumps seared by cold or acid.
The Great Salamander’s body can be slain just like any other creature’s, but it has fast healing (see below) and is difficult to defeat in this fashion. Any attack that is not (or cannot be) an attempt to sunder a head affects the body.
Targeted magical effects cannot sever a head (and thus must be directed at the body) unless they deal slashing damage and could be used to make sunder attempts.
Breath Weapon (Ex): The Great Salamander can breathe jets of fire 10 feet high, 10 feet wide, and 20 feet long. All heads breathe once every 1d4 rounds. Each jet deals 3d4 points of fire damage. A successful Reflex save halves the damage. The save DC is 17.
Burn (Ex): Those successfully hit by the Great Salamander’s breath weapon also must succeed on a Reflex save or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is 17. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution- based.
Fast Healing (Ex): Each round, the Great Salamander heals damage equal to 15.
Skills: The Great Salamander has a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks, thanks to its multiple heads.
The Great Salamander 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.
Feats: The Great Salamander’s Combat Reflexes feat allows it to use all its heads for attacks of opportunity.
Treasure: Everburning Torch, Heart of the Labyrinth, gems (37 totaling 1500 gp).
Author: Nifelhein
