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“Buru: The Swamp Sovereign”

Buru
My Images (midjourney.com)

Appearance: The Buru resembles an elongated crocodile, boasting a robust tail and formidable tusked jaws. Its slate-blue hue blends seamlessly with its swampy surroundings, while three rows of scutes adorn its back and tail, adding to its intimidating appearance.

Behavior: Solitary and territorial by nature, the Buru stakes claim to isolated swamps and highland valleys, often shunning the presence of humanoids. While primarily aquatic, it navigates land with ease, dwelling in burrows dug along riverbanks or in remote dens away from the water’s edge. Despite its fearsome visage, it typically regards humans as intruders rather than prey, unless provoked.

Habitat: Preferring cooler regions unsuitable for crocodiles, they inhabit secluded swamps and valleys, finding solace in the tranquility of their remote surroundings. They are most at home in the water, utilizing their burrows for shelter and hibernation during harsh winters.

Modus Operandi: As omnivores, they sustain themselves on a diet of fish, freshwater invertebrates, roots, and tubers. Their formidable teeth, equipped for both crushing vegetation and piercing flesh, serve them well in hunting and foraging. Fiercely territorial, they defend their domains vigorously, especially during mating season when males roam in search of potential mates.

Motivation: The Buru’s primary motivation lies in securing its territory and ensuring its survival in the secluded realms it calls home. It seeks sustenance and shelter, driven by instinct to perpetuate its species and maintain dominance over its domain.


  • Buru 5e
  • Buru Pathfinder
Buru
My Images (midjourney.com)

Large monstrosity, neutral


Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 136 (16d10 + 48)

Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.


STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
18 (+4)14 (+2)16 (+3)10 (+0)12 (+1)10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +5

Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages: understands Common but can’t speak

Challenge: 7 (2,900 XP)


Amphibious. It can breathe air and water.

Keen Smell. It has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Multiattack. It makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.


Actions

Swallow. The buru makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the buru, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the buru’s turns.

If the buru takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the buru must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the swallowed creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the buru. If the buru dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.


Reactions

Tail Swipe. When a creature misses the buru with a melee attack, the buru can use its reaction to make a tail attack against that creature.

Buru
My Images (midjourney.com)

This creature resembles an elongated crocodile, with a powerful tail and tusked jaws. It is slate-blue in color, and three rows of scutes line its back and tail.

Taken from the Creature Codex

The burus are a species of large salamanders that closely resemble crocodiles. They tend to live in isolated swamps and highland valleys in regions too cool for crocodiles to comfortably inhabit. They are omnivores, feeding mostly on fish and freshwater invertebrates but supplementing this diet with roots and tubers.  Its teeth are well adapted to this mixed diet—most of its teeth are low crushing molars, but it has a pair of sharp fangs in front for piercing flesh. Unlike crocodiles, they rarely see humanoids as prey, but they are fiercely territorial.

They are most comfortable in the water, but are capable of moving about on land. They dwell in burrows dug into the riverbank, but in areas where burus are common some might lair in dens far from the water. They are not social creatures, but may gather in large groups when resources are common.

Females tend to be larger than males, and during mating season the males move over long distances to court as many females as possible. Burus lay only a small clutch of eggs that are born as tadpoles the size of a human arm—it can take several years for the young to reach full size. During the winter, burus hibernate, curling up inside of their dens to wait out the snow and ice.

A buru weighs up to 400 pounds and grows between 12 and 15 feet long.

Buru      CR 3
XP 800
N Large animal (aquatic)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, Perception +6

Defense
AC 
14, touch 12, flat-footed 11(-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 
39 (6d8+12)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +3

Offense
Speed 
20 ft., swim 40 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Melee 
bite +6 (1d6+3), tail slap +2 (1d12+1 plus trip)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail slap)

Statistics
Str 
17, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 1, Wis13, Cha 6
Base Atk 
+4; CMB +8; CMD 21 (25 vs. trip)
Feats 
Combat Reflexes, Skill Focus (Stealth), Weapon Focus (tail slap)
Skills 
Perception +6, Stealth +9, Swim +11
SQ 
amphibious, slink

Ecology
Environment 
temperate marshes
Organization 
solitary, pair or wallow (3-8)
Treasure 
none

Special Abilities
Slink (Ex)
It can take two 5 foot steps a round. If a buru uses this ability, its speed is reduced by 5 ft. on its next turn.

Burus as Animal Companions
Size Medium; Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft., burrow 10 ft.; Attack bite (1d4), tail slap (1d8 plus trip); Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail slap); Ability Scores Str 9, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 6; Special Qualities amphibious, slink, low-light vision

7th level advancement
Size Large; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), tail slap (1d12 plus trip); Ability Scores Str +8, Dex –2, Con +4

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