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Arachno Axocuttle 419

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by

Dale
in
  • Original Life Forms: Goliath Birdeater (Arachnida), Secretary Bird (Aves), Axolotl (Amphibia), and Giant Cuttlefish (Cephalopoda).

Biological and Behavioral Profile

  • Appearance: The creature possesses the long, powerful legs of a secretary bird, though they are covered in dense, bristly urticating hairs. Its torso is broad and squat, featuring the external feathery gills of an axolotl protruding from its “neck” area. Instead of a beak or face, it has the head of a cephalopod with a ring of eight muscular tentacles surrounding a parrot-like beak. Its skin is a marvel of biological engineering, capable of shifting colors and textures instantly like a cuttlefish, allowing it to vanish against its surroundings.
  • Size: Medium (Standing 5 feet tall; 6 feet in length including tentacles).
  • Speed: 40 feet (Land), 30 feet (Swimming).
  • Stat Modifiers: +3 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +3 Stealth, -2 Charisma.
  • Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics (Jumping), Stealth (Camouflage), Perception.
  • Behavior: The Arachno-Axocuttle 419 is a nomadic stalker. It uses its secretary bird legs to deliver devastating stomps to ground-prey, but switches to its cuttlefish camouflage to drift through shallow waters or dense undergrowth unseen. It is highly inquisitive but lacks social bonds; it views all other living things as either obstacles or sustenance. It frequently “pulses” its skin colors to hypnotize smaller creatures before striking.
  • Diet: Carnivorous. It feeds on small mammals, large insects, and aquatic crustaceans. It uses its tentacles to pull prey into its beak after disabling them with a series of rapid kicks.
  • Emotions: It displays a state of “patient hunger.” It does not experience fear in the traditional sense, but rather a “tactical retreat” instinct. It shows a peculiar fondness for shiny objects, often decorating its temporary burrows with polished stones or discarded metal.
  • Environment: Found in subtropical wetlands, misty marshes, and the “Intertidal Ruins” where the tide regularly floods ancient structures.
  • Tags: Feral, Monstrosity, Amphibious, Camouflaged, Multi-limbed, Avian, Cephalopodic, Regenerative, Hypnotic, Nomadic, Bristled, Tentacled, Wetland-Dweller, Inquisitive, Ambidextrous

Gameplay Implications

  • Active Camouflage: Because of its cuttlefish DNA, the creature gains a massive bonus to Stealth rolls when it remains stationary. In the world of Saṃsāra, this often confuses the “Mind’s Eye” of low-tier characters, making the creature appear as a “stat-less” part of the terrain until it moves.
  • Regenerative Gills: So long as the creature is in a damp environment or submerged, it heals a small amount of HP at the start of its turn.
  • Urticating Stomp: When the creature kicks, it releases a cloud of irritating hairs (Arachnida trait). Any avatar within 5 feet must succeed on a saving throw or suffer a penalty to their next attack roll due to eye and skin irritation.

Life Cycle

  • The life cycle begins in large, gelatinous clusters of black eggs attached to submerged ruins or the undersides of lily pads.
  • Hatchlings are born as “tentacle-poles,” possessing only the cephalopod head and the axolotl tail; they are purely aquatic and stay in the mud for the first six months.
  • As they enter the juvenile stage, they undergo a rapid “stilt-growth,” where the bird-like legs erupt from the torso and the tail is absorbed to provide nutrients for the developing arachnid bristles.
  • During the sub-adult phase, the creature learns to master its color-shifting skin, practicing camouflage against different backdrops.
  • Adulthood is achieved at three years, marked by the gills turning a deep crimson color. They live for approximately 15 to 20 years in the wild.

Mating

  • Mating occurs during the “Misty Moon” season when the wetlands are at their deepest.
  • The male initiates a “Hypnotic Dance,” rapidly flashing neon patterns across its skin while performing high-velocity leaps on its bird-like legs.
  • If the female is impressed, she responds by changing her skin texture to match the male exactly, a sign of biological synchronization.
  • After the eggs are fertilized and placed in a safe crevice, both parents depart; there is no parental care, and the young are entirely self-sufficient upon hatching.

Tactics

  • The Arachno-Axocuttle 419 utilizes its “Mind’s Eye” to observe the movement patterns of a party, identifying who is the most “shiny” or metal-clad, as it perceives them as high-value decorations for its lair.
  • It prefers a “Stomp-and-Snatch” approach: it leaps from a camouflaged position to deliver a heavy blow with its legs, then uses its tentacles to drag the dazed target into the water or thick brush.
  • If it feels overwhelmed, it pulses its skin in a dizzying “Strobe Pattern” to distract attackers while it uses its avian legs to jump into the safety of the canopy or deep water.

Actions

  • Stilt-Stomp: A powerful downward kick using its avian legs. This deals heavy bludgeoning damage and has a chance to knock the target prone.
  • Tentacle Grapple: The creature uses its eight tentacles to restrain a target. Once grappled, it can use its beak as a bonus action to deal piercing damage.
  • Urticating Cloud: As a reaction to being hit, the creature shakes its legs, releasing a cloud of barbed hairs. This forces a Constitution saving throw to avoid being “Dazzled” by eye irritation.
  • Chameleon Veil: The creature blends perfectly into its surroundings. If it does not move or attack, it is virtually invisible to the naked eye and requires a high Perception check to detect.
  • Hypnotic Pulse: The creature’s skin ripples with undulating colors. Any creature looking at it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be “Charmed” or “Stunned” for one round as they are mesmerized by the display.

Other Interesting Information

  • Despite their feral nature, their external feathery gills are highly sensitive to “Magic Flow.” When magic is being cast nearby, the gills vibrate and glow, making the creature an unintentional early-warning system for travelers.
  • The “shiny objects” it collects in its burrow are often misplaced Tier 1 or Tier 2 items. An adventurer who finds an Arachno-Axocuttle lair may find a hoard of copper coins, brass gears, and discarded attuned trinkets.
  • Because of their cephalopod intelligence combined with the instincts of a secretary bird, they have been known to “toy” with their prey, leading hunters into circles before disappearing into a marsh.
  • Some “Rule Breakers” have discovered that the ink produced by the creature’s cephalopod half, when mixed with alchemical reagents, creates a “Shadow Ink” that can be used to write messages only visible under the light of a specific magic crystal.
  • In the city-states of Saṃsāra, the skin of a deceased Arachno-Axocuttle is a luxury material used to create “Living Capes” that change color based on the wearer’s mood or the ambient light.

Adventurers in the world of Saṃsāra might pursue or encounter the Arachno-Axocuttle 419 for several reasons tied to the unique economy and environmental hazards of the 73 Island nations.

  • Lair Salvaging: Because these creatures have a behavioral compulsion to collect “shiny objects,” their nesting sites in Intertidal Ruins are essentially natural treasure hoards. A party might search for a specific nest to recover lost heirlooms, brass mechanical components, or discarded magic crystals used in steam-industry.
  • Alchemical Harvesting: The “Shadow Ink” produced by their cephalopod heritage is a critical ingredient for spies and diplomats. This ink allows for the creation of secret documents that only react to specific magical frequencies. Furthermore, their regenerative gills are highly sought after by healers for crafting potions that accelerate HP recovery.
  • Textile Luxury Trade: The color-shifting skin of a deceased Arachno-Axocuttle is one of the most expensive raw materials in Saṃsāra’s metropolises. Tailors use the preserved hide to create “Living Capes” and high-fashion garments that respond to the wearer’s emotions or ambient magic levels.
  • Pest Control in Wetlands: As cities expand into misty marshes, these creatures can become a significant threat to livestock and low-tier workers. A party may be hired by a local governor to cull a population that has become too bold, particularly if the creatures have started “mimicking” the calls of village children to lure them into the reeds.
  • Magic Flow Detection: Since their gills vibrate in the presence of active magic, “Rule Breakers” or scientific gestalts may search for them to use as biological sensors. A captured, well-fed Arachno-Axocuttle can act as a living “Geiger counter” for magic ebbs and flows in uncharted jungle ruins.
  • Urticating Hair Acquisition: Assassins and trappers value the bristled hairs on the creature’s legs. These can be processed into irritant powders that bypass many standard magical defenses, as the effect is biological rather than purely enchanted.
  • Ruined Intertidal Exploration: Adventurers exploring ancient flooded temples may encounter these creatures as accidental guardians. Having established lairs within the crumbling stone architecture, the Arachno-Axocuttles defend these “decorated” territories with lethal efficiency.
  • The “Misty Moon” Phenomenon: During this specific celestial event, the creatures become hyper-active and highly visible due to their hypnotic dances. Adventurers might be hired to protect travelers or “Zeppelin” landing zones during this season when the marshes become a chaotic strobe-light field of territorial predators.
  • Scientific Gestalt Research: Scholars studying the integration of multiple animal classes often pay handsomely for a live specimen. They seek to understand how the avian respiratory system interacts with the amphibian gills, hoping to replicate this efficiency in high-altitude airship life-support systems.

Beyond the primary hides and ink, the complex biology of the Arachno-Axocuttle 419 offers a variety of specialized components that fuel the alchemical and mechanical industries of Saṃsāra.

Specialized Biological Harvests

  • Regenerative Gills: The external feathery gills are rich in a unique hormone that facilitates tissue regrowth. When dried and powdered, they serve as the base for “Regrowth Salts,” which allow an avatar to add their Tier die twice during a long rest instead of once.
  • Hypnotic Skin Pigments: The cells responsible for the color-shifting (chromatophores) can be extracted. In liquid form, this pigment is used to coat the lenses of specialized goggles. These goggles allow the wearer to see through standard magical illusions or “glamour” by filtering out rhythmic light patterns.
  • Parrot-like Beak Plates: The beak is made of a reinforced calcium-chitin hybrid. It is harder than silver and is often fashioned into “Beak-Knives.” These blades are favored by “Rule Breakers” because they do not conduct electricity or magic, making them ideal for cutting through magical traps or circuits without triggering them.
  • Secretary-Bird Tendons: The tendons in the long legs are exceptionally elastic. In the world of steam-magic, these are used as “Biological Springs” in high-precision mechanical clocks or as the drawstring for masterwork bows, providing a high velocity to projectiles.
  • Stomach Acid (Enzymatic): Because the creature must digest both avian bone and arachnid chitin, its stomach acid is incredibly potent. It is used as a “Universal Solvent” in workshops to clean corroded steam pipes or to dissolve cursed bindings on Tier 1 and Tier 2 items.
  • Bristle-Hair Vials: The urticating hairs can be harvested in bulk. When packed into breakable ceramic spheres, they create “Itch-Bombs.” When thrown, these create a 10-foot cloud of irritation that forces any creature within to make a Constitution check or suffer disadvantage on all physical actions for two rounds.
  • Nervous System “Nodes”: The cephalopod-derived nervous system is highly localized in clusters. These nodes can be used as “Logic Gates” in the construction of advanced magic-circuitry, helping to automate the flow of steam and mana in larger factory systems.
  • Vocal-Sac Membranes: These membranes allow for the creature’s mimicry. When harvested and stretched over a resonance chamber, they can be used to create “Echo-Boxes” that can record and playback up to 10 seconds of speech or sound, useful for distractions or evidence gathering.
  • Ocular Fluid: The fluid from the large, inquisitive eyes is used as a lubricant for high-tier telescopes and microscopes. It has a natural “clarifying” property that reduces the blur caused by the shimmering mana atmosphere of Saṃsāra.
  • Tentacle Suction Cups: The individual cups can be removed and treated with alchemical resins to create “Climbing Gloves.” These gloves provide an advantage on Athletics checks when climbing smooth surfaces like the glass or polished stone found in Saṃsāra’s skyscrapers.

Alchemical and Crafting Uses

  • Shadow-Stealth Oil: A mixture of the skin pigments and the ocular fluid creates an oil that, when rubbed onto armor, reduces the penalty to Stealth checks caused by heavy metal or bulky Tier 2 gear.
  • Mana-Sensitive Dye: The gill powder can be woven into clothing to create garments that change color when a high-level spell is cast nearby, providing a visual warning to the wearer.

Stilt-Walker with Changing-Face

In the time when the Sky-fire was young and the 73 Lands were but a single mud-heap, there was the Arachno-Axocuttle, whom the scrolls of the Un-Language call “The Many-Grip-Stalker-Upon-Thick-Pins.” It was a creature born from the weeping of the Cloud-Sea into the cracks of the Great Ruins.

The Story-Fragment says the Beast stood upon the long-legs of the Sky-Runner, but its head was a bundle of writhing snakes that were not snakes. It sat in the Mist-Wet-Place, where the water is neither here nor there. Its skin was a theft of colors; it stole the green of the leaf and the grey of the stone until it was a Nothing-Ghost.

There came a King of the Gestalt-Mind, a man whose head held the thoughts of a thousand bees. He sought the “Shiny-Power-Crystals” to feed his great steam-loom. The King used his Mind’s Eye, but the Beast was a “Liar-to-the-Sight.” It looked like a moss-rock, for its skin-paint was too perfect for the King’s weak-tier-lens.

The Stalker-Upon-Thick-Pins did the “Pattern-Dance.” Its skin rippled like the wind on the lake, flashing the “Pattern-of-Wait-a-Minute.” The King-of-Bees was made into a “Person-of-Staring.” His legs would not move, for his mind was trapped in the swirling colors of the Beast’s hide.

Then the Beast did the “Stomp-of-Dust.” It kicked the King with its bird-pins, and from its legs came the “Cloud-of-Itching-Spikes.” The King could not see with his Bee-Eyes, for they were filled with the stinging-hair-needles. The tentacles, which are the “Arms-of-the-Sea-Shadow,” reached out and pulled the King into the deep-wet.

But the King had the “Memory-of-Past-Lives.” He called upon the Rule-Breaker’s hand-motions. He did the “Chant-of-No-Voice” and cast the “Silver-Fire” from his fingertips. The water boiled, and the Beast was made to be a “Creature-of-Running-Away.” It jumped with its stilt-legs into the high-canopy, leaving behind a single “Shiny-Blue-Stone” it had stolen from the King’s own pocket.

The King returned to his city of gears, but he was forever “The-One-Who-Scratches,” for the stinging hairs of the Stalker-Upon-Thick-Pins never truly leave the skin. He told his Bee-Children that the marshes are full of “Rocks-that-Eat” and “Trees-that-Kick.”

The Story-Moral: The eye may tell you the stone is grey, but if the stone has the gills of a fish and the legs of a crane, it is better to walk the long-path around the mud than to lose your shiny-crystals to the hunger of the Changing-Face.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Shifting Wetland Horror

  • STR: 60
  • CON: 80
  • SIZ: 70
  • DEX: 85
  • INT: 65
  • POW: 50
  • HP: 15
  • Damage Bonus: +1D4
  • Build: 1
  • Move: 8 / 7 Swimming
  • Attacks per round: 1 (Tentacle Grab) or 2 (Secretary Stomp)
  • Tentacle Grab (mnvr): 60% (30/12), damage 1D4 + DB + Grapple. Target is held close to the beak.
  • Beak Snap: 50% (25/10), damage 1D8 + DB (Only against grappled targets).
  • Secretary Stomp: 50% (25/10), damage 1D6 + DB.
  • Urticating Cloud (Reaction): When struck in melee, 40% chance to release hairs. All adjacent must pass a CON roll or suffer -20% to all rolls for 1D4 rounds.
  • Hypnotic Pulse: Costs 4 MP. All who see it must pass a Hard POW roll or be mesmerized (immobilized) for 1 round.
  • Armor: 1-point bristled skin.
  • Skills: Stealth 90%, Swim 60%, Jump 70%.
  • Sanity Loss: 1/1D6+1 Sanity points to see the Arachno-Axocuttle 419.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Stilt-Legged Mimic

  • Tier: II
  • Threat Level: Dangerous
  • Attributes:
    • Insight: 2 (Detects movement and magic flow)
    • Prowess: 3 (Explosive jumping and kicking)
    • Resolve: 1
  • Quality: Adaptive Camouflage (Fine), Urticating Bristles (Level 2), Hypnotic Skin (Level 2).
  • Abilities:
    • Chameleon Hide: The creature is invisible until it strikes. A “Survey” action to find it is Desperate.
    • The Stomp: It can leap from a distance to initiate an attack. Resistance requires Prowess to avoid being “Prone” or “Dazed.”
    • Strobe Pulse: It can expend its “Mana” to force a group to freeze. Victims take Level 1 Harm “Hypnotized” unless they resist with Resolve.
  • Clock: “Lost in the Marsh” (4 segments). If the creature grapples a scoundrel, it moves away into the mist.
  • Note on Harvesting: The skin provides 2-coin worth of “Fine Luxury Material.”

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Unique Name: Axocuttle Stilt-Walker

  • Medium Monstrosity, Unaligned
  • Armor Class: 15 (Natural Armor)
  • Hit Points: 78 (12d8+24)
  • Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft.
  • STR: 14 (+2) | DEX: 18 (+4) | CON: 15 (+2) | INT: 8 (-1) | WIS: 12 (+1) | CHA: 10 (+0)
  • Skills: Stealth +8, Perception +3, Acrobatics +6
  • Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
  • Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)
  • Amphibious: The creature can breathe air and water.
  • Adaptive Camouflage: While the creature remains motionless, it has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can Hide even when only lightly obscured.
  • Regenerative Gills: If the creature is in water or rain, it regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
  • Actions:
  • Multiattack: The creature makes two Stomp attacks.
  • Stomp: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
  • Tentacle Grapple: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 13).
  • Hypnotic Strobe (Recharge 5–6): The creature flashes its skin. Each creature within 20 feet that can see it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
  • Reactions:
  • Urticating Hairs: When hit by a melee attack, the creature releases bristles. The attacker must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or have disadvantage on attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Marsh-Cuttle Stalker

  • Level: 4
  • Armor: 14
  • Hit Points: 18
  • Attack: 2 kicks (1d6) or 1 tentacle grab (1d4 + Grapple)
  • Movement: 40 ft.
  • Morale: 8
  • Exploration Bonus: +3
  • Adaptive Camouflage: Only spotted on a 1-in-6 chance if stationary.
  • Special Ability (Regeneration): Heals 2 HP per round while in water.
  • Special Ability (Hypnosis): Once per day, flashes skin. Save vs. WIS or be paralyzed for 1 round.
  • Reactions (Bristles): When hit, attacker must Save vs. CON or suffer -2 to all rolls for 1 turn.
  • Loot: Shifting Hide (300 copper), Shadow Ink (1 vial).

Fate Core

Unique Name: The Iridescent Marsh-Walker

  • Aspects:
    • High Concept: Chimera of the Misty Wetlands
    • Trouble: Shiny Object Obsession
    • Aspect: “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t” Camouflage
    • Aspect: Fragile but Fast
  • Approaches (Skills):
    • Great (+4): Stealth
    • Good (+3): Athletics, Notice
    • Fair (+2): Fight, Physique
    • Average (+1): Will, Lore
  • Stunts:
    • Urticating Defense: Because I am covered in irritating bristles, once per scene when I am hit by a melee attack, I can automatically place the “Itchy and Distracted” aspect on my attacker with one free invoke.
    • Hypnotic Skin-Shift: I gain a +2 when I use Stealth to create an advantage related to distracting or mesmerizing an opponent with my color-shifting skin.
    • Powerful Stilt-Leap: I can use Athletics to move two zones for free instead of one, provided there is a clear vertical path.
  • Stress:
    • Physical [ ] [ ]
    • Mental [ ] [ ]
  • Consequences:
    • Mild (2):
    • Moderate (4):

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: The Scintillating Stilt-Beast

  • Level: 4 (12)
  • Health: 15
  • Damage Inflicted: 4 points
  • Armor: 1
  • Movement: Long (Land and Water)
  • Motivations: Defending its “shiny” hoard and hunting for soft-bodied prey.
  • Combat / Interactions:
    • Adaptive Camouflage: Tasks to detect the creature while it is stationary are two steps more difficult.
    • Regeneration: If the creature is in a wet environment, it regains 2 points of health per round.
    • Hypnotic Pulse: Instead of attacking, the creature can flash its skin. All targets in immediate range must succeed on a Difficulty 4 Intellect defense roll or be stunned for one round.
  • Loot: The creature’s carcass can be salvaged for 1d6 Shins and a “Shadow Ink” Cypher (Level 4): Allows the user to become nearly invisible for 10 minutes while stationary.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Arachno-Axocuttle (Creature 4)

  • N, Medium, Animal, Amphibious
  • Perception: +11; Low-Light Vision, Scent (Imprecise) 30 feet.
  • Skills: Acrobatics +12, Athletics +10, Stealth +13 (+15 in wetlands).
  • Str: +2, Dex: +5, Con: +3, Int: -4, Wis: +2, Cha: +0.
  • AC: 21; Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +8.
  • HP: 60; Regeneration: 5 (while submerged in water).
  • Speed: 40 feet, swim 30 feet.
  • Melee [One-Action]: Secretary Kick +13, Damage 2d6+4 bludgeoning plus Knockdown.
  • Melee [One-Action]: Tentacle +13 (Reach 10 feet), Damage 1d8+4 bludgeoning plus Grab.
  • Hypnotic Pattern [Two-Actions] (Visual): The creature flashes its skin. Creatures in a 20-foot emanation must attempt a DC 21 Will save. On a failure, they are Fascinated (1 round); on a Critical Failure, they are Stunned 1.
  • Urticating Hairs [Reaction]: Trigger: A creature hits the Arachno-Axocuttle with a melee attack. Effect: The attacker must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or become Sickened 1 from skin and eye irritation.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: Marsh-Stalker 419

  • Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8.
  • Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d12, Survival d6.
  • Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Toughness: 7 (1)
  • Edges: Fleet-Footed, Quick.
  • Special Abilities:
    • Armor +1: Bristled skin and thick hide.
    • Amphibious: Can breathe in water and land; Pace 6 in water.
    • Kick: Str+d6. On a Raise, the target is knocked Prone.
    • Tentacles: Str+d4, Reach 1. The target is Entangled on a hit.
    • Camouflage: Stealth rolls are made at +2 in wetlands.
    • Hypnosis: As an action, the creature can make an Opposed Spirit roll against all targets in a Medium Blast Template. Success makes the targets Distracted. A Raise makes them Stunned.
    • Regeneration: The creature makes a Vigor roll every round it is in water to heal one Wound.
    • Urticating Hairs: Melee attackers must make a Vigor roll or take a –2 penalty to all Trait rolls until the end of their next turn.

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: Wetland Chromatophore Chimera

  • B: 5, A: 7, R: 5, S: 4, W: 3, L: 2, I: 5, C: 3, ESS: 6, EDG: 2
  • Initiative: 10 + 2D6
  • Condition Monitor: 11/10
  • Armor: 2
  • Skills: Athletics 5 (Jumping +2), Close Combat 4, Perception 5, Stealth 7 (Camouflage +2)
  • Powers:
    • Adaptive Camouflage: The creature gains a +3 dice pool bonus to Stealth tests when stationary. It can effectively become “Invisibility” (as the spell) against observers using purely visual senses if it remains still for more than one Combat Round.
    • Regeneration (Amphibious): When submerged in water, the creature heals 1 box of damage per Combat Round at the end of the round.
    • Urticating Defense: Any successful melee attack against the creature triggers an automatic counter-test. The attacker must roll Body + Willpower (3) or suffer a -2 dice pool penalty to all actions for 3 rounds due to intense irritation.
    • Strobe Pulse (Complex Action): The creature flashes its skin. Anyone within 10 meters must roll Intuition + Willpower (4). Failure results in the “Stunned” status for 1 round.
  • Movement: 15/30 (Land), 10/20 (Water)

Starfinder (2nd Edition / Playtest)

Unique Name: Arachno-Axocuttle 419 (Xenobestia)

  • Level: 4
  • Perception: +11; Low-Light Vision, Scent (Imprecise) 30 ft.
  • Skills: Acrobatics +12, Athletics +10, Stealth +13 (+15 in marshland)
  • Str: +2, Dex: +5, Con: +3, Int: -4, Wis: +2, Cha: +0
  • AC: 21; Fort: +9, Ref: +13, Will: +8
  • HP: 55; Hardness: 0
  • Speed: 40 ft., swim 30 ft.
  • Melee [One-Action]: Secretary Kick +13, Damage 2d6+4 bludgeoning plus Knockdown.
  • Melee [One-Action]: Tentacle +13 (Reach 10 ft.), Damage 1d8+4 bludgeoning plus Grab.
  • Hypnotic Pattern [Two-Actions]: (Visual, Illusion) The creature ripostes its skin colors. Creatures in a 20-foot emanation must attempt a DC 21 Will save. On a failure, they are Fascinated (1 round); on a Critical Failure, they are Stunned 1.
  • Urticating Reaction [Reaction]: Trigger: A creature hits the 419 with a melee attack. Effect: The attacker must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or become Sickened 1.
  • Amphibious: The creature can breathe in both water and air.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Stilt-Walking Marsh Cephalopod

  • Animal: Chaser (Amphibious)
  • Characteristics: STR 8 (+0), DEX 11 (+1), END 9 (+1), INT 2 (-2), INST 9 (+1), PACK 0 (-3)
  • Skills: Athletics (Dexterity) 2, Melee (Natural) 2, Recon 1, Stealth 3, Survival 2
  • Armor: 1 (Bristled Hide)
  • Attacks: Kick (2D), Tentacles (1D+2 and Grapple)
  • Special Traits:
    • Amphibious: Operates without penalty in water or on land.
    • Chameleon: The creature’s skin shifts to match its background. All Recon or Sensors checks to detect it suffer a DM-4 penalty if it is stationary.
    • Regeneration: If injured but not killed, the creature recovers 1 Hit per round while submerged in water.
    • Hypnotic Pulse: Instead of an attack, the creature can flash its skin. Any human within 5 meters must pass a DEX or INT check (8+) or be unable to take any actions for the following round.

Warhammer (Age of Sigmar: Soulbound)

Unique Name: Ghyranite Stilt-Stalker

  • Size: Medium
  • Type: Monstrosity
  • Attributes: Body 3, Mind 3, Soul 2
  • Skills: Athletics +2, Awareness +1, Reflexes +2, Stealth +3
  • Toughness: 8
  • Armor: 1
  • Mettle: 1
  • Speed: Fast (Land), Normal (Swimming)
  • Attacks:
    • Secretary Kick: Melee (Average), 5 Dice, 1 + S damage. Traits: Crushing, Knockdown.
    • Tentacle Snatch: Melee (Average), 5 Dice, 1 + S damage. Traits: Grapple.
  • Abilities:
    • Nature’s Perfect Mask: While in terrain with heavy cover or water, the Stalker is considered to have Total Concealment until it moves or attacks.
    • Urticating Bristles: When an enemy in Close Range hits the Stalker with a Melee attack, they must pass a DN 4:2 Body (Fortitude) Test or have their Melee and Accuracy dice pools reduced by 2 until the end of their next turn.
    • Rhythmic Hypnosis: As an Action, the Stalker can spend 1 Mettle to pulse its skin. Enemies in the same Zone must pass a DN 4:2 Mind (Determination) Test or be Stunned until the end of their next turn.
    • Wetland Recovery: At the start of its turn, if it is in water, the Stalker regains 2 Toughness.