Strifeborn Ravager

Strifeborn Ravager

Alexander mosaic photographed in Museo Archaeologico Naples (Provided by Magrippa and Piero)A rocky shape bursts from the ground in an eruption of bloody mud. Broken weapons jut from its massive body, and shards of shattered helmets encircle its head.

The strifeborn ravager is an elemental spirit corrupted and driven mad by the death and destruction of large-scale battle. Already impressive in size, truly gigantic specimens could exist if the battle that spawned it were expansive enough.

Strifeborn Ravager (CR 11)

XP 12,800
CN Huge outsider (earth, elemental)
Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +15
Aura visions of glory

DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 6, flat-footed 24 (-2 Dex, + 4 armor, +14 natural, -2 size)
hp 161 (14d10+84)
Fort +15, Ref +2, Will +7
DR 10/; Immune elemental traits
Defensive Abilities broken blades

OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., earth glide
Melee 2 slams +24 (2d10+10)
Space 15 ft; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks earth mastery, trample (2d10+15, DC 27) plus broken blades

STATISTICS
Str 30, Dex 6, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 6, Cha 14
Base Atk +14; CMB +26; CMD 34
Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Greater Bull Rush, Greater Overrun, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Power Attack
Skills Climb +20, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (local) +16, Knowledge (planes) +9, Perception +15
Languages Terran

ECOLOGY
Environment any battlefield
Organization solitary
Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Visions of Glory (Su) The strifeborn ravager emits a 60-ft.-radius aura that fills the minds of those in it with thoughts of glorious victory in battle. Opponents within the area must make a DC 19 Will save or be affected. An opponent that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to that strifeborn ravager’s aura for 24 hours. On a failed save, the opponent gains a +1 morale bonus to hit and damage and must engage in melee combat with the strifeborn ravager as soon as possible. This is a mind-affecting effect that persists until the opponent is no longer within the aura or the strifeborn ravager is destroyed. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Broken Blades (Ex) The ravager’s body is studded with broken weapons gathered from its battlefield. Anyone striking a strifeborn ravager with a natural weapon or unarmed strike takes 1d6 slashing and piercing damage. Foes who are successfully trampled by a strifeborn ravager take 2d6 slashing and piercing damage in addition to the trample damage. A creature that grapples a strifeborn ravager or is grappled by one takes 3d6 slashing and piercing damage each round the grapple persists.

Ecology

Strifeborn ravagers are rare, and the conditions under which they come into being are not fully understood. Some sages speculate that when a summoned earth elemental is on the verge of destruction during a large-scale battle and its summoner is killed, the elemental plunges into the ground and is driven mad by the carnage around it. This, of course, is difficult to prove. No matter its origins, the strifeborn ravager exists only within the boundaries of a specific battlefield. Attempts to communicate are met with nonsensical battle cries and the creature’s best imitation of screaming mounts and warriors.

Habitat and Society

Battlegrounds of any age can host a strifeborn ravager, and the creature endlessly patrols the area in search of intruders. These battlegrounds are picked clean of weapons and armor since the creature scours the place and incorporates these treasures into its body. Solitary and insane, it attacks anything it detects, defending against all who would enter.

Tactics

Once the strifeborn ravager senses intruders, it waits below ground until they move deep into the battlefield so they cannot easily escape. The creature’s first action when it emerges is often to trample as many foes as it can at once, its rocky body momentarily taking the shape of a group of charging cavalry. It frequently splits its attacks between foes as the combat continues. If any combatant appears to be a more difficult foe, the strifeborn ravager focuses its attention upon that individual as the air rings with mimicked horns.

2 thoughts on “Strifeborn Ravager”

  1. I don’t know about Visions of Glory. If it appears randomly, attacks everything, and its a threat to everyone why wouldn’t everyone on a given battlefield willingly fail their save and beat the crap outta this monster? Make everyone within the aura ‘confused’ so they’ll attack it AND each other.

  2. Brian Duckwtiz

    Great alternative, Doomedpaladin. Note that it requires those who fail to engage in melee specifically. Not so good for the archer types, and even worse for the wizard/sorcerer. Still, doing it your way would certainly create more havoc!

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