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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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Primeval Cryptid

Source Dark Archives (Remastered) pg. 60
Scholars dream of discovering primeval creatures: remnants of an older age, long thought extinct. The immense bodies and vicious instincts that staved off death in the brutal world before still thrive in their intimidating forms. Primeval cryptids are resilient survivors of their kind or particularly clever individuals that find ways to extend their already prodigious lifespans.

Primeval Cryptid Adjustments

You can turn an existing, living creature into a primeval cryptid by completing the following steps. Increase the creature's level by 1 and change its statistics as follows.
  • Increase the creature's rarity to uncommon if it was common or rare if it was uncommon. If the creature was an animal, it loses the animal trait and gains the beast trait.
  • Increase the creature's size by one size. If this makes the creature Huge or Gargantuan, increase the reach of all its Strikes by 5 feet.
  • If the creature's Intelligence modifier is –4 or lower, increase it to –3.
  • Increase the creature's AC, attack bonuses, DCs, Primeval Witchwarg Perception modifier, saving throws, and skill modifiers by 1.
  • Increase the damage of the creature's Strikes and other offensive abilities by 1. If an ability can be used only a small number of times (such as a dragon's breath), increase the damage by 2 instead.
  • Increase the creature's HP by the amount listed on the table.

    Starting LevelHP Increase
    1 or lower10
    2–415
    5–1920
    20+30

Primeval Cryptid Abilities

Primeval cryptids gain two abilities from the list below. You can add more than two abilities if you wish to make an especially tough primeval cryptid, but you might need to weaken it in some other way to avoid making it too powerful.

Stench (aura, olfactory) 30 feet. A creature entering the aura or starting its turn in the area must succeed at a Fortitude save against the standard DC for the creature's level or become sickened 1 (plus slowed 1 as long as it's sickened on a critical failure). A creature that succeeds at its save or recovers from being sickened is temporarily immune to all stench auras for 1 minute.

Broken Arsenal Fragments of broken blades and spears, the remnants of countless failed attempts to fell the primeval cryptid, remain lodged in its flesh. When an adjacent creature hits the primeval cryptid with a melee attack or otherwise touches it, that creature takes piercing damage equal to half the primeval cryptid's level (minimum 1 damage).

Grasp for Life [free-action] (healing) Frequency once per week; Trigger The primeval cryptid would be reduced to 0 Hit Points; Effect The cryptid's will to live is second nature, and its second wind has allowed it to survive when others of its kind went extinct. The creature shrugs off death. Instead of being reduced to 0 Hit Points, its Hit Points become equal to four times its level (or 4 Hit Points for a level 0 creature).

Shockwave [two-actions] Effect The primeval cryptid creates a shock wave by stomping on the ground, beating its tail on the ground, or making another similarly violent, percussive slam. Creatures on the ground within 30 feet of the primeval cryptid take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per level of the primeval cryptid (minimum 2d6 damage), with a basic Reflex save. On a critical failure, a creature is also knocked prone.