Dust Ghoul

This monster appears as a dust-covered creature with decaying flesh pulled tight over its humanoid frame. Its teeth are pointed fangs and its hands end in wicked, dirt-covered and blood-soaked claws.

Dust Ghoul (CR 8)

Medium Undead (Air, Earth, Extraplanar)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Initiative: +7
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +17

Speed: 40 feet, Fly 40 feet (perfect), Burrow 20 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 21, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 natural)
Hit Points: 102 (12d8+48)
Saving Throws: Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +10
Channel Resistance +4
Immunity: undead traits

Offense

Melee: bite +16 (2d6+6), 2 claws +16 (1d8+6/19-20x3)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: animate dust, augmented critical, earth mastery, paralyzing shriek

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
22 (+6)	16 (+3)	-	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)

Base Attack Bonus: +9
CMB +15
CMD 28

Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite) Weapon Focus (claw)

Skills: Acrobatics +15 (+19 jump), Climb +21, Fly +16, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (planes) +12, Perception +17, Stealth +18

Languages: Common

Special Qualities: limited Flight

Special Abilities

Animate Dust (Su)

Once per day, a dust ghoul can cause 1d4 ghostly humanoid-shaped creatures to materialize from an area of dust and earth within 100 feet. The dust ghoul can control and direct these creatures as long as it is "alive" and within 100 feet. The dust creatures have a speed of 10 feet and each has only one attack; a grapple. Each has a CMB equal to 1/2 dust ghoul's HD + its Strength modifier (+12 CMB for the standard dust ghoul). A dust creature holds but does not harm creatures it grapples. The dust humanoids are immune to all attacks and spells, except water-based spells and effects. A gallon of water instantly destroys a dust humanoid. If the dust ghoul moves more than 100 feet away from a dust creature, that dust creature collapses into a pile of harmless dust. If the dust ghoul is destroyed, all dust creatures it animated collapse.

Augmented Critical (Ex)

A dust ghoul's claws are razor-sharp. It threatens a critical hit on an attack roll of 19-20. On a successful critical hit with a claw, it deals triple damage.

Earth Mastery (Ex)

A dust ghoul gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls if its foe is touching the ground. If an opponent is waterborne, the dust ghoul takes a -4 penalty on attack and damage rolls.

Limited Flight (Ex)

A dust ghoul can fly for a number of minutes equal to its Charisma modifier (minimum 1). After that, it must rest for 10 minutes before it can fly again.

Paralyzing Shriek (Su)

Once per minute, a dust ghoul can unleash a hellish shriek that paralyzes any creature within 60 feet that hears it. Affected creatures that succeed on a DC 19 Will save negate the paralysis. This is a mind-affecting, fear and sonic effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Ecology

Environment: Any, Great Conflagration
Organization: solitary, gang (2-5), or pack (6-12)
Treasure: none


When a humanoid creature dies on the Parched Expanse on the Plane of Molten Skies (see City of Brass by Necromancer Games), there is a good chance it returns from the afterlife as a dust ghoul-an undead flesh-eating creature composed of dust and earth.

Dust ghouls haunt the Parched Expanse, preying on unwary travelers who linger too long in their hunting grounds. These creatures savor the taste of human flesh and devour such a kill with great ferocity. Dust ghouls predicate their arrival by animating dust into ghostly humanoids that immediately move to grapple potential prey.

Dust ghouls then move in (often swooping in from above) and attempt to paralyze their foes with their shriek. Prey is then torn to pieces by the dust ghouls using its claws and fangs. If a dust ghoul is slain, it crumbles into a pile of dust.

Copyright Notice Authors Scott Greene and Casey Christofferson.