Bloody Bones Skeleton

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Bloody Bones Skeleton (CR 7)

Bloody bones skeletons are named not because they are, themselves, bloody, but because of the terrible defensive magics steeped into them, which act to break the bones of any creature unlucky enough to damage them. Appearance-wise, bloody bones skeletons look and act identically to skeleton soldiers. In fact, the necromancers who create them are counting on this to add an extra edge to their defender's efficacy.

Bloody bones skeletons are terrible necromantic things specifically created to serve as sentinels. Because they never need to eat, sleep or breathe, and they do not age, they can stand guard over a place or thing forever, only lurching into action when strangers approach. It is not uncommon for these guardians to outlive their creators, guarding secret laboratories long after the point of the defense has been forgotten.

The ritual of creation involves the extended torture and eventual sacrifice of nine humanoids, the broken remains of which are joined by the ritual's magic to create the skeleton's body and house the terrible magic they possess.

GENERAL

CR 7 Hit Dice 10

XP 3,200

CN Medium Undead (Construct)

Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Perception +13

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 18 (+5 armor, +4 dex, +3 natural, +0 deflection)

hp 90

Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +6

Aura: -

SR: -

Special Defenses: DR 5/bludgeoning, Bloody Bones, Mimicry, healed by negative energy

Immunities:

• all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms)
• disease, poison, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain
• death effects, necromancy effects, sleep effects
• nonlethal damage
• paralysis, stunning, fatigue, exhaustion
• any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Weaknesses:

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Space / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Single Melee rusty spear +13 (1d8+10/19-20x2)

Full Melee 2x rusty spear +13 (1d8+10/19-20x2)

Ranged rusty shortbow +13 (1d8+10/19-20x2), range increment 30 feet

Special Attacks Bloody Bones

Action Points 0

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 14, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 10

Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 19

Feats -

Skills -

Languages Bloody bones skeletons can take orders from their creator in any language that creator speaks, but otherwise have no means of communicating or responding.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bloody Bones (Sp)

Any time the bloody bones skeleton is damaged by an attack which targeted it (anything: melee, ranged, spells, etc.), the attacker must make a Fortitude save, DC 16, or lose 1d3 points of Strength, as one or more of their bones is broken or shattered by the necromantic magics suffusing the bloody bones skeleton. The first time this ability successfully inflicts Strength damage to a creature each round, the bloody bones heals 10 points of damage. The healing aspect of this ability may not occur more than once per round, though the Strength damage aspect certainly may affect as many creatures as make attacks. Creatures reduced to 0 Strength by this effect become too weak to move in any way and fall unconscious. Note that attacks which include the bloody bones, but do not specifically target it (such as a fireball spell, or the splash damage from an alchemist's bomb), do not trigger this effect. This is a spell-like ability and thus can be resisted by spell resistance, but it is automatic, and thus no concentration checks are ever required.

Mimicry (Ex)

Bloody bones skeletons look and behave exactly like skeleton soldiers, and only a knowledge religion check, DC 30, will reveal that they are something quite different. The DC for this check drops to 15 as soon as the bloody bones ability is triggered.

Step In and Strike (Su)

Prior to making any attack, whether melee or ranged, a bloody bones skeleton can take a free 5-foot step. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity, is not limited by having already moved, and does not cost them any actions.

Damage Resistance (Su)

Skeletons are highly resistant to all physical damage except bludgeoning

TREASURE

sell value of approximately 2,375 gp

COMBAT TACTICS

Bloody Bones skeletons are mindless automatons, directed to guard a place or a thing by their creator. They are often created in small packs, and will stand unmoving and inert until someone other than their creator approaches.

Once in combat, bloody bones skeletons look exactly like regular skeleton soldiers, but they are not nearly the skilled melee fighters those creatures are. They will mindlessly attack with their rusty swords, always targeting the nearest foe (and choosing randomly if more than one target is the same distance away). Only when they are attacked in return do the differences stand out. The bloody bones ability is automatic, crippling attackers and healing the bloody bones skeleton at the same time.

GM's should be aware that encounters with these creatures could cause several days of downtime for a party afterwards, as they rest to recover their drained strength.

OUT OF COMBAT

Rusty Equipment

Skeletons wear equipment and wield weapons that are as old as they are. All their equipment has the Fragile property, though GM's shouldn't bother with tracking broken conditions on weapons.

Immortality

Unlike other undead, bloody bones skeletons are not imbued with true immortality. While they do not age, and have no need to eat, sleep or breathe, they can be slain through damage that reduces them to 0 or fewer hit points. The souls of the humanoids used in the creation of these monsters are destroyed during the ritual, so resurrection and other raise-dead-like spells have no effect.