Cetus

“Unleash the Terror of the Deep: Encounter the Legendary Sea Monster, Cetus!”

Cetus

Huge monstrosity (titan), chaotic evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 230 (20d12 + 100)

Speed 50 ft., swim 60 ft.

	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
+	22 (+6)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	8 (-1)

Skills Perception +5

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages —

Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)

Amphibious. It can breathe both air and water.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If itfails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Siege Monster. It deals double damage to objects and structures.

Actions

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

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 6) piercing damage.

Tail Slap. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Frightful Presence. Each creature of Cetus’ choice within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Swallow. Cetus 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, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside Cetus, and takes 16 (3d10) acid damage at the start of each of Cetus’ turns. Cetus can have only one target swallowed at a time.

Legendary Actions

Cetus can take 3 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. Cetus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Tail Swipe. It makes a tail slap attack.

Roar. Cetus emits a terrifying roar. Each creature of Cetus’ choice within 60 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Legendary Move. Cetus moves up to half its speed.

Description

Cetus is a colossal sea monster with a serpentine body covered in thick, scaly armor. Its dark, mottled skin blends seamlessly with the depths of the ocean, allowing it to remain hidden until it strikes. Its enormous head is adorned with rows of razor-sharp teeth, and its glowing eyes exude an eerie malevolence. The creature’s sheer size and raw power make it a force to be reckoned with.

As it moves through the water, Cetus creates a wake of turbulent currents, and its tail leaves a trail of churning waves in its wake. Its deep rumbling growls and resonating roars can be heard from great distances, striking fear into the hearts of sailors and creatures alike.

Cetus, driven by its insatiable hunger, emerges from the depths to hunt its prey. It uses its massive jaws to snap up unfortunate victims and its powerful tail to smash ships and structures. Its relentless pursuit and devastating attacks have earned it a fearsome reputation, and tales of its encounters have become the stuff of legends among seafarers.

Encountering Cetus is a harrowing experience, as its mere presence can turn calm waters into a maelstrom of chaos and destruction. Those who dare to face this mythical sea monster must steel themselves for a battle against one of the most formidable creatures the ocean has ever known.

Pathfinder Stat Block

This enormous scaled serpent has the head of a shark, powerful claws, and a maw wide enough to swallow a small ship.

Masters of the oceans, the enigmatic cetuses are mighty but slow-witted dragons who demand tribute of any who would dare enter their domain. A cetus’s length and weight are immense, their dizzying coils proving almost impossible to count. Sailors have long told tales of these great creatures, noting that they are almost unstoppable unless they can be turned to stone and left to sink into the ocean depths.

Cetuses prefer to fight their enemies on or under the water, but can leap unexpectedly high to attack foes who dare to take to the air.

Cetus CR 13

XP 25,600
CN Colossal dragon (aquatic, water)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 120 ft.; Perception +23; Aura mariner’s misfortune (30 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 22 (+8 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, –8 size)
hp 184 (16d12+80); regeneration 10 (petrification)
Fort +17, Ref +15, Will +14; –4 vs. petrification
Defensive Abilities ocean’s aegis; DR 5/—; Immune paralysis, sleep; SR 24
Weaknesses vulnerable to petrification

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., swim 120 ft.
Melee bite +26 (6d6+27 plus grab)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft.
Special Attacks constrict (6d6+27), dispelling bite, fast swallow, impossible leap, rake (2 claws +26, 4d6+18), swallow whole (8d6+24 damage, AC 17, 20 hp)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15; concentration +23)

At will—quickened control water, control winds
1/day—control weather

STATISTICS

Str 46, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 27
Base Atk +16; CMB +42 (+46 grapple); CMD 66 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows B, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (control water), Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +15, Intimidate +16, Perception +23, Stealth +3, Survival +12, Swim +30
Languages Aquan, Draconic
SQ amphibious

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dispelling Bite (Su)

The magically infused sea salt in a cetus’s bite tears at some types of magic. Any time a cetus bites a creature under an effect or using a magic item that prevents that creature from being grappled—such as freedom of movement—or that holds the creature aloft— such as fly or air walk—each such effect is affected by a targeted dispel magic. The cetus treats its Hit Dice as its caster level for this effect.

Impossible Leap (Su)

A cetus can uncoil upward, revealing more length than it seems it could possibly possess while soaring to great heights. As a full-round action, it can leap out of the water toward a creature up to 1,200 feet in the air and make a bite attack against that creature before coiling down and returning to its original space. This leap provokes attacks of opportunity.

Mariner’s Misfortune (Su)

Being near a cetus is bad luck for nonaquatic creatures. Any such creature in the cetus’s aura must attempt a DC 26 Will save, rolling twice and taking the lower result. On a failed save, that creature must continue to roll twice and take the lower result on all ability checks, attacks rolls, savings throws, and skill checks for as long as it remains within the cetus’s aura and for 1 minute thereafter. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to that cetus’s mariner’s misfortune for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Ocean’s Aegis (Su)

The sea itself protects a cetus. A cetus gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma bonus while any part of it is in water.

Vulnerable to Petrification (Su)

A cetus takes a –4 penalty on saving throws against petrification, and even on a successful save against petrification takes 1d4 points of Dexterity damage. If its Dexterity damage from petrification ever exceeds its Dexterity, a cetus becomes petrified. Being targeted with a petrification effect suppresses a cetus’s regeneration for 1 minute, even if the creature succeeds at its save.

ECOLOGY

Environment any oceans
Organization solitary
Treasure triple

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Creighton Broadhurst, Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Joe Homes, James Jacobs, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, Thom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Wes Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Mike Shel, James L. Sutter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.