This bright-red crab towers over everything. One of its two mismatched claws looks like a normal crab claw, albeit oversized, and the other, smaller claw seems sword-like.Headhunter Crab CR 11XP 12,800N Gargantuan vermin (aquatic)INIT -2; SENSES darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8 DEFENSEAC 24, touch 4, flat-footed 24 (-2 Dex, +20 natural, -4 size)HP 152 (16d8+80)FORT +15, REF +3, WILL +5IMMUNE mind-affecting effects OFFENSESPEED 50 ft., swim 80 ft.MELEE claw +19 (4d6+11/19-20 plus vorpal claw), claw +19 (3d6+11 plus grab)SPACE 20 ft.; REACH 15 ft.SPECIAL ATTACKS constrict (3d6+11), vorpal claw STATISTICSSTR 32, DEX 6, CON 21, INT -, WIS 11, CHA 7BASE ATK +12; CMB +27 (+31 grapple); CMD 35 (43 vs. trip)FEATS Improved Critical (claw)(B)SKILLS Perception +8, Swim +19; RACIAL MODIFIERS +8 PerceptionSQ water dependency ECOLOGYENVIRONMENT any aquaticORGANIZATION solitary, pair, or cast (3-12)TREASURE none SPECIAL ABILITIESVORPAL CLAW (EX) One of the headhunter crab's claws is honed to razor-sharpness. This claw deals more damage and benefits from the Improved Critical feat. If the claw makes a successful critical hit, it decapitates and instantly slays a Huge or smaller victim (DC 29 Fortitude save negates decapitation). If the victim has no head or makes the Fortitude save, it still takes critical damage. The save DC is Strength-based. To the relief of many surface dwellers, a headhunter crab spends the majority of its time terrorizing denizens of the deep and leaving headless corpses of sharks and whales in its wake. On the rare occasions when a headhunter crab emerges from the water, it attempts to decapitate any creature it crosses. The crab seems to enjoy the sensation of chopping off heads, so much so that it oftentimes chooses not to constrict an opponent in its larger claw; rather it holds the victim in place so it can cut with its smaller claw. Many undersea societies hunt down an active headhunter crab, and this usually entails a large armed force. Only insane creatures, or those who do not fear decapitation, employ one in their attacks on or schemes against others. A headhunter crab weighs a relatively modest 5,000 pounds and measures 25 feet across.
This crab is slightly larger than the typical specimen, but the pair of stingers protruding from its abdomen and the apparent cranial bulge truly set it apart from other crabs.Neural Crab CR 13XP 25,600NE Tiny aberration (aquatic)INIT +9; SENSES darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +32 DEFENSEAC 28, touch 22, flat-footed 18 (+9 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, +2 size)HP 161 (19d8+76)FORT +10, REF +15, WILL +17DR 10/adamantine or bludgeoning; IMMUNE cold, electricity; RESIST sonic 10; SR 24 OFFENSESPEED 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect), swim 40 ft.MELEE 2 claws +25 (1d6-1), 2 stings +25 (1d4-1 plus paralysis)SPACE 2.5 ft.; REACH 0 ft.SPECIAL ATTACKS paralysis (1d4 rounds, DC 23), puppeteer, skull crackerSPELL-LIKE ABILITIES At will-dominate vermin 3/day-"dominate person" (DC 21) 1/day-"mass hold person" (DC 23) STATISTICSSTR 9, DEX 28, CON 18, INT 25, WIS 23, CHA 22BASE ATK +14; CMB +21; CMD 36 (44 vs. trip)FEATS Alertness, Combat Expertise, Deceitful, Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Greater Feint, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Feint, Spell Penetration, Weapon FinesseSKILLS Bluff +29, Disguise +29, Fly +25, Intimidate +22, Knowledge (arcana) +29, Knowledge (geography) +24, Knowledge (history) +24, Knowledge (planes) +29, Knowledge (religion) +24, Perception +32, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +29, Stealth +32, Swim +18LANGUAGES Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 120 ft.SQ amphibious ECOLOGYENVIRONMENT any aquaticORGANIZATION solitary, pair, or conspiracy (3-6)TREASURE none SPECIAL ABILITIESDOMINATE VERMIN (SP) A neural crab can control mindless vermin with a total HD limit equal to 3 times its HD. This spell-like otherwise works like "animate dead".PUPPETEER (SU) A neural crab that slays a victim can take control of the victim's body and mind, which forces it to lose its sting attacks. The victim is treated as if it gained 2 negative levels, but the crab has access to all the victim's memories and skills. The controlled body can cast spells (but the crab cannot replenish expended spell slots) and use all abilities and feats possessed by the victim. This control persists for 24 hours, after which the body decomposes beyond use.SKULL CRACKER (EX) If a neural crab uses a coup de grace against a defenseless opponent, its claws deal 4x damage. It also deals 1d6 points of damage to each of the foe's mental abilities. A shadowy competitor with dread krakens for oceanic-and eventually worldwide-domination, the neural crab also employs agents to do its will. Rather than creating magic items and strange new creatures like dread krakens prefer, a neural crab uses crabs and other mindless vermin as its foot soldiers and takes direct command of humanoids to do its bidding when it requires finesse. Despite its crab-like appearance and its ability to control crabs, a neural crab is unrelated to creatures. A neural crab prefers to find solitary, but reasonably competent, victims it can kill and take over to infiltrate communities. It uses its powerful claws to crack open a victim's head-in a weird mockery of someone cracking a crab shell to get at crabmeat-after it has immobilized the victim. Once it has killed its prey, it then wedges itself inside the victim's cranium to take control of the body. The neural crab uses several techniques to disguise the odd appearance, but usually the expedient of a hat or cloak's hood suffices. If the crab does not wish to go through the bother of controlling a body, especially if no desirable victims present themselves, it dominates a simple-minded person to transport it where better choices live. Considering the 400-year life span typical for a neural crab, it is fair to note that it has a long-term goal for all its actions. While a neural crab prefers to work alone, it occasionally teams up with other neural crabs to control national governments. Posted with Blogsy
