Sentinel Slime

Description

An area of dank gray rock suddenly begins to move, with quivering polyps extending outward to grasp at nearby structures. It is a shapeless, featureless mass that closely resembles granite.

In a time long past this strange creature was created as a type of construct. Through an act of purest evil, however, the sentinel slime was transformed into a horrific life form that has became the stuff of nightmares. It came to be banished to the prison plane, where it continues to terrorize even the most formidable denizens of that dark place.

In its normal form, the sentinel slime appears as an area of granite. The slime is difficult to see against rock, and many of its victims simply blunder into the creature. The sentinel slime wraps itself about its prey, forming a grey coating across the skin. The slime has a numbing effect upon its victim, leading to paralysis and eventually complete control of the opponent's actions.

Once a sentinel slime has control of a creature, it uses this possession to hunt for its next victim. The possessed creature slowly wastes away, so the sentinel slime typically has a few days or weeks to take advantage of its abilities. If the sentinel slime is unable to find another victim before the possessed creature succumbs, it can assume the form of a giant bat-like creature and fly until it finds a suitable pool of water in which to float.

A sentinel slime continues to grow until it attains size Huge, then immediately sub-divides into 3–5 sentinel slimes of size Large.

Combat

The sentinel slime relies on surprise to capture a living victim, either lying quietly in a pool of water or hunting at night in its bat form. If it is unable to entangle its foe it will normally seek to escape.

Envelop (Ex): A sentinel slime that succeeds on a grapple check against a Medium or larger creature can envelop its target. It cannot make a slam attack during a round in which it envelops. The opponent must succeed on a DC 24 Reflex save or be enveloped. Enveloped creatures are subject to the sentinel slime's paralysis and possession, and are considered to be grappled and trapped within its body. The save DC is Strength-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

If the envelopment succeeds, the sentinel slime forms a coating all across the body of its victim. The slime gains the armor class of the enveloped creature. It receives the first 5 points of damage from any weapon or energy attack, and the remainder is carried through to the enveloped creature.

Paralysis (Ex): A sentinel slime secretes an anesthetizing ooze. A target hit by a sentinel slime's melee or engulf attack must succeed on a DC 24 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 2d6 minutes. The sentinel slime can automatically envelop a paralyzed opponent. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Possession (Ex): After a creature has been enveloped for a round, a sentinel slime can begin to take possession of the opponent. Controlling strands penetrate the body and begin to assimilate themselves into the nervous system. Each round the enveloped opponent must succeed on a DC 24 Fortitude save or become possessed. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Possession gives the engulfing sentinel slime complete control over the bodily functions of the creature. The victim is unable to speak or move except as commanded by the slime. However the creature retains complete control of its own mind, and can use any ability that does not require actions by the body.

Initially the possessed creature has the same Dexterity score as the sentinel slime. As the slime becomes better integrated with the body, the Dexterity score improves at the rate of +1 point per hour of possession until it reaches the Dexterity score of the possessed creature.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a sentinel slam 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 establishes a hold and can engulf.

Transparent (Ex): While in water a sentinel slime is hard to identify, even under ideal conditions, and it takes a DC 15 Spot check to notice one. Creatures who fail to notice a sentinel slime and swim into it are automatically hit with a melee attack for slam damage.

Change Shape (Su): A sentinel slime can assume the form of a dire bat. While in dire bat form the sentinel slime loses its slam attack and the special abilities, but gains the bite attack and other abilities of the dire bat.

The sentinel slime can shift between its ooze and dire bat forms as a standard action. It remains in one form until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but the sentinel slime reverts to its ooze form when killed. A true seeing spell reveals both forms simultaneously.

Skills: In its ooze form, a sentinel slime has a +4 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.

Advanced Benefits

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

• The save DC of the envelop special attack is equal to 12 + ½ HD + Strength modifier.
• The save DC of the paralysis special attack is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.
• The save DC of the possession special attack is equal to 10 + ½ HD + Constitution modifier.

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