Gelid Beetle, Greater

A massive stark white beetle with silvery-black legs hungrily raises its dull silver mandibles. Equally spaced on the creature's head stare two sets of dull silvery-black eyes.

Gelid Beetle, Greater (CR 9)

Large Magical Beast (Cold)
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +4
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +12

Speed: 30 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 22, touch 9, flat-footed 22 (+13 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 114 (12d10+48)
Saving Throws: Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +4
Immunity: cold
Weaknesses: vulnerability to fire

Offense

Melee: bite +18 (1d6+9/19-20 plus 1d8 cold)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: cold, cold cloud

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
23 (+6)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	2 (-4)	10 (+0)	9 (-1)

Base Attack Bonus: +12
CMB +19
CMD 29

Feats: Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (bite), Lightning Reflexes

Skills: Perception +12, Stealth +5 (+9 natural surroundings)

• Racial Modifiers: +4 Stealth in natural surroundings

Languages:

Special Abilities

Cold (Ex)

A greater gelid beetle's body generates cold that deals an extra 1d8 points of cold damage every time it succeeds on a bite attack. Creatures attacking a greater gelid beetle unarmed or with natural weapons take this same cold damage each time one of their attacks hits.

Cold Cloud (Ex)

Once per minute as a free action, a greater gelid beetle can emit a cloud of thick, billowing, icy cold vapors in a 20-foot radius around its body. The cloud is extremely thick and prevents effective ranged weapon attacks (except for magic rays). Melee attack and damage rolls suffer a -2 penalty in the cloud. Each round, on the beetle's turn, the cloud deals 2d6 points of cold damage to each creature within it. A successful DC 20 Fortitude save reduces the damage by half. The save DC is Constitution-based. The cloud lasts 1d4+3 rounds before dispersing.

Ecology

Environment: Cold Forests
Organization: solitary or cluster (2-5)
Treasure: none


Greater gelid beetles are larger, meaner versions of the standard gelid beetle. They are almost always hungry and are usually encountered while hunting. These beetles enjoy the flesh of cold-dwelling animals such as moose, deer, snow leopards, and the like.

Greater gelid beetles use their cold cloud when threatened or cornered. Once the cloud has been released, the beetle either seeks escape (unless its hungry) or fights back with its powerful bite. Once its cold cloud recharges, the beetle releases it again if it's still in combat.

Copyright Notice Author Scott Greene.