Buy me a coffee“Great White Shark: Apex Predator of the Deep”
“A living torpedo of steel-white teeth and abyssal hunger, the Great White Shark prowls coastal waters with unmatched precision, striking fear into any who dare swim within its domain.”
A titanic fish cloaked in slate-gray above and bone-white beneath, the Great White Shark exudes raw menace. Its torpedo-shaped body is crowned with a triangular dorsal fin slicing through the waves, while rows of serrated, razor-sharp teeth gleam from a gaping maw capable of rending flesh and bone. Its black, unblinking eyes give it an alien, merciless gaze, leaving a lasting impression of lethal precision.
Behaviour:
Silent, calculating, and relentless, the Great White drifts with an eerie patience, often circling prey before striking. It rarely attacks without cause, yet when provoked or hungry, it becomes a whirlwind of unstoppable aggression. Solitary by nature, it may tolerate others of its kind only during brief breeding encounters.
Habitat:
Found in temperate coastal waters worldwide, the Great White favors regions rich in seals, sea lions, and large fish. It patrols the surf and continental shelves, often near rocky outcroppings or kelp forests, and maintains defined hunting territories that it defends with fierce tenacity.
Modus Operandi:
The Great White Shark hunts with a combination of stealth, speed, and brute force. Approaching from below, it leverages the element of surprise before delivering a devastating bite. In combat, it thrashes with its muscular tail, uses its jaws to tear and incapacitate, and retreats only to strike again if necessary.
Motivation:
Driven by hunger and survival instincts, the Great White Shark seeks nourishment with single-minded focus. Its actions are guided by the need to feed efficiently, maintain dominance over its territory, and reproduce, leaving fear and carnage in its wake.
Cinematic Great White Shark
Great White Shark 5e 2024
Great White Shark, Pathfinder
Great White Shark
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 126 (12d10 + 60)
Speed: 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 12 (+1) | 21 (+5) | 1 (-5) | 11 (+0) | 4 (-3) |
Saving Throws: Dex +3, Con +7
Skills: Perception +2, Stealth +3
Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: cold
Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages: —
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
Traits
Keen Smell. The shark has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Water Breather. The shark can breathe only underwater.
Stealthy Hunter. While mostly submerged and unseen, the shark can attempt to hide, granting advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are unaware of its presence.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15). While grappled, the target is restrained, and the shark cannot bite another target.
Blood Frenzy. The shark has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are below their maximum hit points.
Tactics
The Great White is a solitary, patient predator. It stalks prey from beneath the waves, using stealth to isolate weak or unaware targets. It attacks suddenly with powerful bites and withdraws if threatened, avoiding extended combat unless desperate.
Great White Shark
This immense silvery beast oozes strength, power, and speed. Its gigantic maw is lined with rows of ragged-looking teeth, and its pitch-black, emotionless eyes give nothing away.
Great White Shark CR 4
XP 1,200
N Huge animal (aquatic)
Init +6; Senses blindsense 30 ft., keen scent, low-light vision; Perception +11
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +9 natural, –2 size)
hp 42 (5d8+20)
Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +9 (2d8+10 plus bleed)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks bleed (1d6)
STATISTICS
Str 25, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 1, Wis 16, Cha 4
Base Atk +3; CMB +12; CMD 24 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Perception +11, Swim +15
ECOLOGY
Environment any ocean
Organization solitary, pair, school (3–6), or pack (7–13)
Treasure none
Among the largest of predatory fish, these sharks speed through the world’s oceans, perpetually hunting.
One of the most notorious maneaters of the sea, the truly immense great white shark can reach lengths of more than 20 ft. and weigh up to 5000 lbs. The great white shark is a predator with a well known taste for human flesh.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 4 © 2013, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, Savannah Broadway, Ross Byers, Adam Daigle, Tim Hitchcock, Tracy Hurley, James Jacobs, Matt James, Rob McCreary, Jason Nelson, Tom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Tork Shaw, and Russ Taylor.
Ecology from Pathfinder Adventure Path #57: Tempest Rising © 2012, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Author: Matthew Goodall.
Cinematic Great White Shark
Huge predator of coastal waters
Huge beast, unaligned
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 189 (18d12 + 72)
Speed: 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 14 (+2) | 19 (+4) | 1 (-5) | 12 (+1) | 4 (-3) |
Saving Throws: Dex +5, Con +7
Skills: Perception +5, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: cold
Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages: —
Challenge: 8 (3,900 XP)
Traits
Stealthy Ambusher. While mostly submerged and unseen, the shark can attempt to hide, granting advantage on attacks against creatures that are unaware of its presence.
Fin Sight (Psychological Presence). When a creature sees the shark’s fin or senses its presence nearby, it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn. This reflects the terror of a predator lurking just below the surface.
Keen Smell. The shark has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Water Breather. The shark can breathe only underwater.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 7) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the shark cannot bite another target.
Boat Ram (Recharge 5–6). The shark rams a small or medium boat within 10 ft., dealing 2d10 + 7 bludgeoning damage to the vessel. Creatures aboard must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and possibly thrown overboard. Large vessels take minimal damage (1d6).
Blood Frenzy. The shark has advantage on attack rolls against creatures below full hit points.
Legendary Actions
The Cinematic Great White can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Lunge. The shark moves up to its swim speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Bite. The shark makes one bite attack.
Tactics
This predator is patient, stealthy, and suspenseful, lurking just below the surface. It uses stealth when fully submerged to ambush swimmers or small boats. When partially visible, its fin inspires fear, creating psychological pressure on potential prey. Attacks are sudden and focused: bite to isolate, ram to disrupt, then retreat if necessary. It avoids prolonged combat unless desperate, emphasizing suspense, tension, and the raw terror of an apex predator in its domain.