Mercurial Mimic

Description

This is a well-crafted weapon that is free of tarnish or wear, and appears to have been crafted by a master artisan.

When found these creatures typically appear as a solid piece of metal shaped in a useful and finely-crafted form. More often than not they are shaped as a metal sword of exceptional workmanship, but their many forms also include the a mace, gauntlet, helm, flail, light shield, or even a more utilitarian item such as a pitcher.

A mercurial mimic is a creature formed of magic. Its body is composed of metal, but it is infused with magical energies that endow it with a particularly deadly nature. It was once been formed to serve as an implement of assassination, but since being banished to the prison plane it has since become an independent creature with a will of its own.

This creature can change itself into a pool of silvery metal, and can move about with surprising speed. In this form it is amorphous and can squeeze through tiny cracks or under narrow openings. If it fails to find a creature from which it can draw energy, it will craft itself into an appealing metal object and wait for an intelligent being to grasp it. Once grasped, the mercurial mimic melts its body onto the surface of the creature, and begins to drain away energy, inflicting electrical damage in the process.

It is possible to control and use the mercurial mimic by feeding it a steady supply of electrical energy. However this electricity must be supplied once per minute, or the mercurial mimic becomes predatory again.

Combat

The mercurial mimic is a passive predator that waits in a solid form for prey to come to it. Once it is being held, the mimic liquifies its body in such a manner as to coat the flesh of the creature and then begins to drain life energy. Against an intelligent opponent, it will use its spell-like ability to appear as an appealing piece of magical treasure.

Envelop (Ex): To use this ability, a mercurial mimic must be grasped while using mimicry. The opponent must succeed on a DC 19 Reflex save, or the mercurial mimic assumes its liquid form and oozes across the flesh to envelop a portion of the creature. The mercurial mimic then automatically inflicts 2d6 electricity damage to the opponent each round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Any attacks targeting the mercurial mimic split any damage between the mimic and the enveloped creature. The enveloped creature can attempt to break free on a successful DC 23 Strength check, or to wriggle away with a DC 19 Escape Artist check. The save DCs are Constitution-based, and the Strength check includes a +4 racial modifier.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day―greater magic weapon (self only). Caster level 12th. The spell-like abilities only affect a mercurial mimic when it is wielded as a weapon.

Mimicry (Ex): At will as a free action a mercurial mimic can assume the form of any metal object of similar size that it has previously had an opportunity to examine. In this shaped form it is completely immobilized, and it can be picked up and even used as the tool it resembles. It can also be affected by spells intended to enhance the utility of the tool it is mimicking (including magic weapon spells when it is in the shape of a weapon.)

It requires a successful Spot check to notice that the object is not what it appears. If a mercurial mimic is grasped while employing mimicry, it can automatically envelop.

A mercurial mimic can return to its liquid form at will as a free action.

Regeneration (Su): Fire and cold deal normal damage to a mercurial mimic.

Immunities (Su): A mercurial mimic is immune to electricity, sonic, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, and polymorph. It is not subject to critical hits or death by massive damage.

Skills: A mercurial mimic has a +12 racial bonus on Disguise checks when using the mimicry ability to appear as a metal object.

Advanced Benefits

In addition to the standard changes due to Hit Dice advancement, mercurial mimics also gain the following special benefits.

• The caster level of the spell-like abilities is equal to the Hit Dice.
• The save DC to avoid the envelop special attack is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.
• The save DC of the Escape Artist check to escape the envelop special attack is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Strength modifier. The DC of the Strength check to escape is modified by +4.
• 13+ HD ― When wielded as a weapon, a mercurial mimim is treated as evil-aligned and chaotic-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
• 14–17 HD ― The regeneration improves to 8.
• 15+ HD ― Add 3/day―keen edge (self only) to spell-like abilities.
• 16+ HD ― The fast healing improves to 2.
• 17+ HD ― Gain resistance to acid 5.
• 18 HD ― The regeneration improves to 10.

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