Trihorn Terror
Obviously there are a lot of different monsters out there—from the infectious plants to the squirming oozes to the dread aberrations—but I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen something traditional, a big furry teeth-and-claws sort of beast. To scratch that itch, I created this week’s new monster, which represents to me all things traditional about monsters. This beast is all about the basics and has abilities relating to the simple things that make monsters terrible.
Trihorn Terror
This hulking mound of fur-covered muscle walks upright like a man and has humanoid proportions, with well-muscled limbs ending in huge curving claws. Its head is dominated by an oversized mouth, filled with triangular teeth and topped by three arrow-straight spiky horns.
TRIHORN TERROR CR 12
XP 19,200
CE Large monstrous humanoid
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +11 natural, -1 size)
hp 175 (14d10+98)
Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +13
Defensive Abilities absorb magic; SR 23
OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +20 (1d8+7), 2 claws +20 (1d8+7), gore +15 (2d6+3)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks impale, powerful charge (gore, 4d6+10), rend (2 claws, 2d8 +10), shred magic, sickening saliva
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +14; CMB +22; CMD 35
Feats Cleave, Deflect ArrowsB, Dodge, Improved Critical (gore), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Toughness
Skills Climb +24, Perception +19, Swim +24
Languages Sylvan
ECOLOGY
Environment forest
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Absorb Magic (Ex): A trihorn terror’s fur absorbs magical energy. Whenever the trihorn terror resists a spell with its spell resistance, it gains a +2 bonus to its natural armor for 1 minute.
Impale (Ex): A trihorn terror can impale a creature with its horns, causing terrible wounds. Whenever the trihorn terror confirms a critical hit with its gore attack, it deals an additional 2d6 points of bleed damage to the target.
Shred Magic (Su): A trihorn terror’s claws have the ability to dispel magical effects. Whenever a trihorn terror deals damage with its claw attack, it automatically dispels the magical effect affecting the target with the highest caster level. If multiple effects are tied for the highest caster level, one is dispelled at random.
Sickening Saliva (Ex): A trihorn terror’s saliva causing can cause horribly illness. Any creature that takes damage from the trihorn terror’s bite attack must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 22) or become nauseated for 1 round. Even a creature that succeeds on this saving throw is sickened for 1 round.
Ecology
Named for the obvious three horns atop its head, the trihorn terror is a massive monster that lurks in the woods and viciously attacks anything that enters its territory. These fearsome monsters are born with numerous natural gifts that enable it quickly overwhelm and kill most creatures with ease, and are apex predators in the areas they inhabit. Their bad habit of killing and eating their mates and children is the only thing that keeps these terrors from overwhelming their ecosystems.
Highly antisocial, each trihorn terror takes a large swath of woodland to be its territory, mercilessly seeking out and destroying any creature it deems a threat, while carefully preserving and even cultivating a large supply of prey animals to sate its endless hunger. Typically, these monsters stick close to home, never venturing far from their territory, but rather keeping anything that travels too close far at bay. These creatures only leave their territories to mate, something they do about once every 3 years. During this time, trihorn terrors exude a potent pheromone that attracts others of their kind and lessens their natural aggressive tendencies enough to allow them to mate. Still, such affairs are short-lived, as the creatures’ aggression soon takes over, leading to new trihorn terrors being born only when the pregnant beast survives the conflict. Trihorn terror litters tend to be about 8 to 10, and only a few of these are likely to survive, as the mother’s hunger often overwhelms her maternal instinct. Those that do survive mature supernaturally quickly (assuming they are well fed), reaching adulthood within a few months of birth. Again, conflicts with nearby trihorn terrors tend to result in bloody encounters, keeping the population small. A typical trihorn terror reaches 15 feet tall and weighs 900 lbs., and they can live 10 years, though few reach such advanced age.