Ghazneth, Xanthon the Baneful |
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Medium Outsider
(Evil, Ghazneth, Native)
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| Hit Dice: 9d8+18 (58 hp) |
| Initiative: +2 |
| Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares) |
| Armor Class: 21 (+2 Dex, +9 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 19 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+12 |
Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d4+3) or longsword +12 melee (1d8+3/19-20)
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| Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d4+3) and bite +10 melee (1d6+1) or longsword +12/+7 melee (1d8+3/19-20) and bite +10 melee (1d6+1) |
| Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. |
Special Attacks: Expend magic
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| Special Qualities: Absorb magic, damage reduction 10/cold iron, darkvision 60 ft., expend magic, rejuvenation |
| Saves: Fort +8,
Ref +8, Will +7
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| Abilities: Str 16,
Dex 15, Con 15,
Int 14, Wis 12,
Cha 19 |
| Skills: Bluff +16, Concentration +14, Diplomacy +16, Disguise +10 (+12 acting), Gather Information +6, Intimidate +18, Jump +11, Knowledge (local) +14, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +14, Listen +13, Search +14, Sense Motive +13, Spot +13, Survival +1 (+3 in aboveground natural environments) |
| Feats: Dodge, Mobility, Multiattack, Spring Attack |
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| Environment: Cormyr and surrounding lands |
| Organization: Solitary or band (Xanthon and 1-5 other ghazneths) |
| Challenge Rating: 8 |
| Treasure: Standard |
| Alignment: Neutral evil |
| Advancement: - |
| Level Adjustment: - |
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A slender, shadowy man approaches. His nose is bladelike, and small tuft of beard dangles from his chin. As he draws near, his face is clearly skeletal and almost mantislike, with hollow cheeks. His ovoid eyes are blood red.
Xanthon is the newest ghazneth, having been transformed less than a year ago. He has sworn vengeance on King Azoun the IV, and plots and schemes to cause Cormyr as much trouble as possible.
The "scourge of the day" is tolerated by the other ghazneths, who are indebted to Xanthon for freeing them from their tombs. Xanthon realizes that he holds no sway over them, and is treated akin to a younger sibling by the more experienced ghazneths.
Xanthon is 6 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds.
Xanthon speaks Common and Chondathan.
COMBAT
Xanthon is young and reckless, eagerly leaping into battle when the opportunity presents itself.
Absorb Magic (Su): A ghazneth can ready an action to absorb spells or spell-like abilities as a rod of absorption, although the ghazneth is stunned for one round for each level that it absorbs. In addition, a ghazneth can absorb charges from charged magical items, absorbing one charge per round of contact. A charge grants as many levels as appropriate to the effect (for example, a charge from a wand of magic missile gives 1 level, but a charge from a wand of fireball gives 3 levels). Charges of non-spell effects grant one level for every two caster levels of the effect (rounded up). The charges are forever lost to the magic item, as if they had been used normally.
Ghazneths may also spend one hour to discharge a permanent magical item (or one with daily charges) completely, rendering it a mundane item. Ther ability requires continuous contact. The ghazneth gains 10 spell levels per spell level of each effect of the magic item (or 1/2 the caster level of the effect, rounded up).
A ghazneth may store one level for each year of its age. As a newly transformed ghazneth, Xanthon can store only one magic level at a time.
Expend Magic (Su): Xanthon may expend stored magic to utilize the following powers.
Command Vermin (Su): By expending one stored magic level, Xanthon may command vermin as a 9th-level cleric commands undead. He may also command animals, provided that they possess either a poison or disease special attack.
Detect Magic (Su): Xanthon continuously detects all magic (as the detect magic spell) within 1 miles. This ability drains one stored magic level per day.
Fast Healing (Su): Xanthon may expend one stored magic level to gain fast healing 6 for 10 minutes.
Infest Location (Su): Starting on the round he expends a magic level, Xanthon may create one animal or vermin swarm of under 10 HD per round as long as he maintains concentration. He may fill any single building, field, or similar location up to 30 ft. x 30 ft. in area before needing to expend another magic level. Xanthon may only have 40 HD of created swarms at a given time. Although Xanthon creates these swarms, he may not direct their actions, nor do they have any loyalty toward him.
Summon Swarm (Su): By expending one stored magic level, Xanthon may summon a rat swarm, which remains for one hour or until destroyed.
Rejuvenation (Su): Ghazneths are not destroyed through simple combat: When a ghazneth is reduced to 0 hp, it immediately heals as many hit points as possible through its remaining magic levels. If it has no magic levels remaining, the ghazneth lies dormant for 2d10 hours and then absorbs a level of magic directly from the Weave, at which point it heals itself. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. Typically, there is a unique means to destroy a given ghazneth. The exact means varies and may require a good deal of research to discover (a DC 15 + ghazneth's CR Knowledge (history) check). |
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1999 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dragon Magazine Annual #4 |
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