Sand Slime
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Size/Type | Medium Ooze |
| Hit Dice | 2d10+14 (25 hp) |
| Initiative | -5 |
| Speed | 15 ft. (3 squares) |
| Armor Class | 5 (-5 Dex), touch 5, flat-footed 5 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +1/+1 |
| Attack | Slam +1 melee (1d6 plus petrify) |
| Full Attack | Slam +1 melee (1d6 plus petrify) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Improved grab, petrify |
| Special Qualities | Blindsight 60 ft., camouflage, ooze traits, colony |
| Saves | Fort +7, Ref -5, Will -3 |
| Abilities | Str 11, Dex 1, Con 24, Int ―, Wis 4, Cha 1 |
| Skills | ― |
| Feats | ― |
| Environment | Underground |
| Organization | Solitary or colony (4–200) |
| Challenge Rating | 3 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Usually neutral |
| Advancement | 3–4 HD (Medium); 5–6 HD (Large) |
| Level Adjustment | ― |
Description
A glistening mass of coarse gray material slithers noisily across the ground, its quivering, shifting form resembling a moving pile of wet sand.
This mottled, tan-hued ooze resembles a mass of wet stone. Due to its appearance it is readily able to blend into the surrounding rock, appearing as a seam of sandstone that has been dampened by a water seep. Individually these slimes exist only to consume organic matter. They dwell deep underground in warm passages, sliding along tunnels or squeezing through narrow cracks in search of food, whether alive or dead.
A sand slime replicates by forming buds that split off and form new sand slimes. As long as a bud remains within a five-mile radius of its relatives, it forms part of a colony of slimes that can gain a collective intelligence. The slimes in such a colony are linked together and operate as a single being. Their mind is utterly alien in nature, and it shares all the immunities of the individual stone slimes.
Combat
Sand slimes move slowly along passages, using their natural camouflage to ambush victims. It attacks any creature it encounters, seeking to petrify the form using its mineral secretions. Once the target is hardened, the sand slime will slowly absorb the organic matter over the course of several days.
A sand slime will completely consume the organic matter from a petrified form in 3–5 days, absorbing the minerals back into its body in the process. The remains will form a mummified husk that is brittle and light.
Colonies possess a collective intelligence and can cooperate to attack foes and utilize tactics. They will sacrifice individual members for the greater good, when necessary.
Petrify (Ex): A sand slime secretes an insidious mineral substance that immobilizes flesh. A target hit by a sand slime's melee attack must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or receive 1d4 Dex damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.
If the Dexterity is reduced to zero by these secretions, the target becomes petrified as the flesh to stone spell. (Effective caster level 12th.) However this process of petrification requires a full hour to consummate. Raising the Dexterity score above zero will effectively disrupt the petrification.
Constrict (Ex): A sand slime deals 1d6 points of damage and can petrify with a successful grapple check.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the sand slime must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it established hold and can constrict.
Colony (Ex): A colony of sand slimes, with all its members within 120 feet of each other, gains a bizarre form of collective intelligence. A colony of four slimes has a combined Intelligence of 1. Each doubling of the numbers of slimes thereafter increases the Intelligence by one point. Thus the Intelligence increases to 2 with eight slimes; to 3 with sixteen slimes, and so forth.
As the collective intelligence increases, the colony is better able to coordinate its attacks and to react to opponents. It will readily sacrifice a few of its members in order to gain a large feast.
Camouflage (Ex): A motionless sand slime on natural rock is hard to identify, and it takes a DC 15 spot to notice one. Creatures who fail to notice a sand slime and walk into it are automatically hit with a melee attack for slam and petrify damage.