Giant Orthocone

The majority of this creature’s body is made up by an enormous, conical shell the color of ivory. From the larger end erupts a mass of tentacles; at the center of this mass is the creature’s tiny head.

Originally Posted by Dracomortis of the Wizards Community forums.

On this Thread

Giant orthocones are prehistoric relatives of squid and other cephalopods. Though they feed mostly on fish and other marine animals smaller than themselves, they may mistake humanoid creatures or even boats as prey and become a large nuisance for shipping lanes. Most specimens are between 12 to 15 feet in length and weigh about 300 pounds, but much larger individuals measuring as 30 feet or more in length are not unknown.

Giant Orthocone
Large animal (Aquatic)
Hit Dice	6d8+18 (39 hp)
Initiative	+0
Speed	Swim 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class	18 (–1 size, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple	+4/+15*
Attack	Tentacles +7 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack	Tentacles +7 melee (1d6+3) and bite +2 melee (1d8+1)
Space/Reach	10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacles)
Special Attacks	Constrict 1d6+3, improved grab
Special Qualities	Jet, Low-Light Vision
Saves	Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities	Strength 16, Dexterity 10, Constitution 15, Intelligence 1, Wisdom 12, Charisma 4
Skills	Hide –4, Listen +7, Spot +8, Swim +11
Feats	Alertness, Toughness (2)
Environment	Any aquatic
Organization	Solitary
Challenge Rating	3
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always true neutral
Advancement	7–12 HD (Large); 13–18 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment	—

Combat

Giant orthocones rely on their size and brute strength in combat, grabbing a single creature in its tentacles and pulling it close enough to bite. If badly wounded, they will attempt to flee by jetting away from their opponents.

Constrict (Ex): A giant orthocone deals 1d6+3 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a giant orthocone must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle 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 constrict. *A giant orthocone has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

Jet (Ex): A giant orthocone can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 240 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

Skills: A giant orthocone has a +8 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. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.