 Hit Dice: 8d8-21 (19 hp) Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, Improved Initiative) Speed: 40 ft., burrow 10 ft. AC: 28 (+2 Dex, 16 natural) Attacks: Sting +5 melee Damage: 1d4-1+poison Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 10 ft. / 5 ft. Special Attacks: Dark swarm, corrosive spores, magic, burrow Special Qualities: Regeneration 2, spell resistance 28, damage reduction 15/+4, tremorsense, consume Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +24 Abilities: Str 8, Dex 15, Con 5, Int 25, Wis 23, Cha 30 Skills: Spot +21, Listen +21, Hide +17, Intuit Direction +21, Sense Motive +21, Concentration +17, Spellcraft +22 Feats: Improved Initiative, Spell Penetration (Evocation), Maximize Spell, Empower Spell, Spell Focus (Evocation) ---------------------------------------------------- Climate/Terrain: Any land or underground Organization: Pending Challenge Rating: 14 Treasure: Nil Alignment: Always lawful evil Advancement: Pending The dreaded defiler is a horrid creature that looks similar to a large scorpion. It serves in the swarm with its powerful magical attacks and debilitating diseases. A single defiler can decimate entire forces of enemies when sent with a group of zerglings or other members of the swarm. The defiler has a number of abilities that offer support to the swarm, like the queen, but also has devastating attacks as well. While the queens direct the swarm and the overlords control it the defilers lie in the background, offering advice and assistance where needed. They are incredibly intelligent and wise and have indomitable forces of will. They have two weaknesses however, first is the difficulty the swarm has in mutating other zerg into defilers and the second is their physical frailty. Defilers are well aware of their weaknesses however and work to minimize them as often as possible. With their great mental aptitude they often succeed quite effectively. Furthermore, though they are physically weak their carapace is incredibly difficult to penetrate and their high magical resistance further frustrates attackers. Combat When forced into physical combat a defiler can strike out at opponents with its tail stinger. This attack does little physical damage but does inject a horrible poison. Many defilers go through the entire course of their life without using this attack against active opponents however, understanding that if they have been forced to combat than they have already lost. They choose instead to strike from afar or hidden through magic. Magic (Su): Defilers act in all ways as level 10 sorcerers. They favor destructive spells, such as those of evocation, and those spells which cause disease and pestilence. Poison (Ex): The defiler's body generates poison in small sacks near its stinger. This poison is identical to wyvern poison (Injury DC 17, 2d6 Con/2d6 Con). Dark Swarm (Ex): A defiler's body is covered with tiny organisms that it can project at opponents. This swarm acts as an insect plague. A defiler typically has enough diminutive organisms on it to use this attack 4 times a day. Once used the organisms slowly replace those lost (they actually spawn within the defilers body) and every 6 hours enough replace those lost to the swarm to launch another dark swarm attack. Corrosive Spores (Ex): A defiler can expel a cloud of corrosive spores from its mouth. This spore cloud fills an area with a 30 foot radius and inflicts 10d6 points of acidic damage as well as exposing the victim to the filth fever disease (see page 75 of the DMG for a description of the disease). Consume (Ex): Defilers are able to consume other zerg of their swarm, replenishing spent energies. For every HD a defiler consumes it recovers 1 spell level that it has used. There is no limit to the amount of energy that can be recovered in this manner but any zerg consumed is utterly destroyed. Defilers often travel with large numbers of zerglings that are kept nearby for the sole purpose of consumption. Regeneration (Ex): A defiler is the only member of the swarm to actually regenerate. Fire and cold do normal damage to a defiler but must first overcome the creatures natural resistance to these attack forms. Burrow (Ex): The defiler is the only greater zerg able to burrow beneath the ground, striking out at unsuspecting opponents. Erupting from the ground to strike opponents is a move equivalent action. A defiler can burrow through rock or stone. Tremorsense (Ex): A defiler is able to automatically detect the presence of any creature within 60 feet that is in contact with the ground. |