Spheres of Power

Eldritch Spawn Creature (CR +3)

Lurking in the black spaces between the stars, unspeakable abominations wait and watch. At times, the veil separating them from us grows so thin that dark essences may enter into the seed and souls of earthly creatures. From such unnatural confluences eldritch spawn are born: powerful, evil creatures given to vile rites and dark passions. Eldritch spawn lose any hair, fur, ears, noses, and horns they possessed. Their skin obtains a rubbery, almost fungal, nature. Their eyes become alien in appearance, and their mouth is replaced with tentacles.

Creating an Eldritch Spawn Creature

“Eldritch Spawn” is an acquired or inherited template that can be added to any living, non-aberration type creature

CR: +3

Type: The creature's type changes to aberration with the augmented subtype. Do not recalculate HD, BAB, or saves.

Alignment: Any evil

Armor Class: Increase natural armor bonus by 4.

Defense/Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft. (If the base creature already possessed darkvision, the range of its darkvision increases by 60 ft.); SR equal to 11+CR; Insane.

Attack: The base creature loses any horn or bite attacks it possessed (and any other attack dependent on a mouth, such as breath weapons) and instead gains tentacle attacks (3 tentacles plus 1 for each attack lost, including special attacks). These count as a primary weapons and possess grab. The reach of the tentacles is equal to the reach of any bite attack the base creature could have employed.

Spell Like Abilities: An Eldritch Spawn gains the following Spell Like Abilities, with a CL equal to total HD:
At Will – charm monster, detect thoughts, dream, levitate
3/day – ethereal jaunt, suggestion
1/day – astral projection, plane shift
1/week - commune

Special Abilities: An Eldritch Spawn gains the following special abilities:

Brain extraction (Ex): After successfully grappling an opponent with at least four tentacles, and a head which can be reached, an eldritch spawn can, as a free action, extract and consume the brain of the opponent, killing it instantly. This attack only works on creature that possess a physical skull and a brain.

Dominate (Su): An eldritch spawn can attempt to dominate any creature with fewer HD than itself, within range of its telepathy. The target of the attempt is allowed a single Will save (DC is equal to 10+1/2 HD + Int modifier) a day. If the save is successful, the target negates the attempt and is immune to further attempts that day. An eldritch spawn can dominate only one creature at a time and the dominated creature must remain within 100 feet of the eldritch spawn or the hold is broken and may not be reestablished for 24 hours.

Insane (Ex): Eldritch spawn are insane, gaining a +4 racial bonus to saving throws against mind affecting effects. They also suffer -4 to bluff, diplomacy, and sense motive skill checks.

Knowledge Boost (Ex): When an eldritch spawn consumes the brain of a living creature, or intelligent undead, the eldritch spawn can, at that time, choose one intelligence or wisdom based skill known by that creature and add the creature's skill bonus to their own. An eldritch spawn can only gain one such boost at a time and, when consuming a new brain, can decide whether or not to discard an old knowledge boost in favor of a new knowledge boost.

Psionic Blast (Sp): As a full round action, the eldritch spawn can unleash a savage mental attack. This attack is a 60 foot cone, originating from the eldritch spawn. It can take one of three forms. Save DCs are equal to 10+1/2 HD + intelligence modifier.

  • Sanity Blast: Those caught in the cone of a sanity blast must make a Will save or lose 1d4 Wisdom. This Wisdom drain last for 2d4 minutes. The effects of multiple sanity blasts stack, but an eldritch spawn can only use this blast once every ten rounds.
  • Sonic Blast: Those caught in the cone of a sonic blast take sonic damage (1d8 per eldritch spawn HD) (Reflex save halves). An eldritch spawn can use a sonic blast a number of times per day equal to its Intelligence modifier (minimum 1).
  • Stunning Blast: Those caught in the cone of a stunning blast must make a Will save or be stunned for 2d4 rounds. An eldritch spawn can use a stunning blast at will.

Speechless (Ex): Eldritch spawn have no mouth and can make no vocal sounds. Spellcasting eldritch spawn ignore the verbal requirements of any spells they cast.

Telepathy (Su): 100 ft range.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Dex +2 (+1 to Init, Ranged attack rolls, AC, touch AC, and Ref saves; +1 to Acrobatics, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks; add +1 to any of the base creature’s Dexterity-based DCs), Int +8 (+4 extra skill points per HD; +4 to Appraise, Craft, Knowledge, Linguistics and Spellcraft skill checks. +4 to Psionic Blast DC and any of the base creature's other Intelligence-based DCs), Wis +6 (+3 Will Save; +3 to Heal, Perception, Profession, Sense Motive and Survival skill checks; add +3 to any of the base creature's Wisdom-based DCs), Cha +6 (+3 to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Perform, and Use Magic Device; add +3 to any of the base creature’s other Charisma-based DCs).

Skills: +4 racial bonus to Knowledge (planes) and Spellcraft

Feats: Toughness; Weapon Finesse.

Environment: As the base creature plus any underground and/or planer environment.