Ethereal Marauder

Instead of a head, this pear-shaped, purple beast possesses a giant mouth ringed with three eyes. The creature stands on two broad legs with three-toed feet.

Ethereal Marauder CR3

XP 800

N Medium magical beast

Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 15 touch 12, flat-footed 13(+1 Dexterity, +1 dodge, +3 natural)

hp 22 (4d10)

Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.

Melee bite +6 (1d6+3)

STATISTICS

Strength 14, Dexterity 13, Constitution 11, Intelligence 7, Wisdom 12, Charisma 10

Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 18

Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative

Skills Perception +8, Stealth +8; Racial Modifiers +2 to Perception and Stealth checks

SQ ethereal jaunt

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Ethereal Jaunt (Su) – As a free action, an ethereal marauder can move from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane and shift back as a move action. This ability otherwise mimics the effects of the ethereal jaunt spell.

Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about an Ethereal Marauder. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (name)

DC Result

• DC 8 Ethereal marauders are magical beasts that can move between the Ethereal and Material planes.
• DC 13 Spells that allow travel to the Ethereal Plane make a creature more likely to suffer an attack from an ethereal marauder.
• DC 18 Survivors of ethereal marauder attacks report the creature emits a high-pitched hum just before attacking.
• DC 23 A blink spell allows a creature to attack and harm an ethereal marauder even when it is no longer on the Material Plane.

ECOLOGY

Environment Ethereal Plane

Organization solitary

Treasure standard

Ethereal marauders are reptile-like animals native to the Material Plane that can move between the Material and Ethereal Planes as easily as a fish swims through water. While not evil or bent on destruction, ethereal marauders are predators and consider all living creatures prey. Whether or not one becomes a victim of a marauder is simply a matter of the creature’s hunger.

Marauders spend most of their time on the Ethereal Plane, invisibly stalking creatures on the Material. When a victim is found, the marauder strikes quickly, using its ability to attack and flee to the safety of the Ethereal Plane before the target counterattacks. Victims often believe, much to their dismay, that shutting themselves behind doors or magical wards will thwart a marauder. A marauder’s ability to shift planes means it bypasses such means of protection.

Travel in the Ethereal Plane attracts marauders. Spells such as blink and ethereal jaunt make the user stand out against the background of the Material Plane. This increases the likelihood an ethereal marauder will follow the creature back to its home and attack it when it is vulnerable.

Marauders are about 4 feet tall and weigh 200 pounds. Their coloring ranges from green to bluish yellow. It is unknown whether marauders possess a language or form social groups.

Section 15: Copyright Notice – Forgotten Foes

Forgotten Foes © 2010 Tricky Owlbear Publishing, Inc.; Authors Mark Gedak and Stefen Styrsky.