Glaring Tyrant

Glaring Tyrant CR 13

LE Large Aberration

Init +6, Senses Perception +20; Darkvision (60 ft),

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 12, flat-footed 24 (+2 Dex, -1 size, +15 natural, +1 dodge)

hp 98 (11d8+44 HD)

Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +11

OFFENSE

Spd 5 ft, fly 30ft (good)

Melee bite +2 (2d4)

Ranged eye ray +9 (as ray)

Space 10 ft.;Reach 5 ft.

Special Actions Antimagic Eye, Eye Rats, Sustained Barrage

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13)

At will—charm person (DC 18), disintegrate (DC 23), blast ray, slow (DC 20), telekinesis (DC 22)

STATISTICS

Str 10 (+0), Dex 14 (+2), Con 18 (+4), Int 17 (+3), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 15 (+2)

Base Atk +8, CMB +9, CMD 22 (can't be tripped)

SQ can't be tripped or flanked

Feats Dodge, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will

Skills Acrobatics +2, Appraise +3, Bluff +2, Craft (Untrained) +3, Diplomacy +2, Disguise +2, Escape Artist +2, Fly +18, Heal +2, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Perception +20, Perform (Untrained) +2, Ride +2, Sense Motive +2, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +12, Survival +16

ECOLOGY

Environment Cold hills

Organization Solitary, pair, or cluster

Treasure Double

Real World History

The glaring tyrant is a re-imaging of a classic monster for the Pathfinder system, refactored based on Mike Mearls' "Monster Makover" of the same creature. This "makeover" intends to solve the creature's more troubling features, particularly with facing, overuse of save-or-die effects and antimagic, while still keeping the basic flavor of the monster intact. (A Pathfinder version of this creature more true to the original can be found in the netbook The Book of Forbidden Lore.)

Appearance

Large floating sphere with huge central eye, gaping mouth, and ten eye-stalks.

Special Abillities

All Around Vision (Ex) Glaring tyrants are exceptionally alert and circumspect. Their many eyes give them a +4 racial bonus on Perception checks, and they can't be flanked.

Antimagic Eye (Su) The glaring tyrant can focus its large, central eye on an area, disrupting all spellcasting that takes place there. As a swift action, the glaring tyrant creates a 60 foot cone. Anyone in this area who attempts to cast a spell must make a caster level check (DC 18) to successfully complete the spell. This DC is Intelligence based and includes a +4 racial bonus. This effect does not interfere with the tyrant's eye rays.

Can't Be Tripped (Ex) As creatures who float, glaring tyrants cannot be tripped.

Eye Rays (Su) Each of a glaring tyrant's eye stalks can produce a ray of magical energy with a range of 150 feet. As a standard action, a glaring tyrant can produce one ray from each eyestalk. It can target up to three rays at a single target. Each ray aimed at a specific target must have a different effect, but a glaring tyrant can use the same ability twice per round. Each ray requires a successful ranged touch attack. Glaring tyrants gain a +4 racial bonus to the save DCs for these rays. All spell-like effects generated by the rays are cast as a 13th level wizard.

The stun ray can either Stun the target on a failed Will save (DC 18) or be used to cast charm person (DC 18).
The blast ray does 6d6 points of damage, with the glaring tyrant choosing the energy type.
The telekinesis ray functions as a telekinesis spell. The alternative Combat Maneuver Bonus provided by the spell (see description) is based on Intelligence (CMB +16). A telekinetic effect may be sustained over multiple rounds (as per the spell), but this requires that the ray remain focused on the target. In combat, glaring tyrants most often use this ray to bull rush or trip approaching melee fighters.
The slow ray works as per the spell if it hits (DC 20).
The disintegrate ray works as the spell (DC 23, base damage 26d6).

As an example, suppose a glaring tyrant encounters a party of four adventurers: a fighter, a cleric, a rogue, and a wizard. On its turn, it uses three rays against two targets, and two rays against two other targets. It cannot use any specific ray more than twice. It uses its rays in the following manner:

Fighter: telekinesis, slow, disintegrate.
Wizard: telekinesis, blast ray (cold), stun.
Cleric: stun, disintegrate.
Rogue: slow, blast ray (acid).

Flight (Ex) A glaring tyrant's body is naturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 30 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

Sustained Barrage (Su) Glaring tyrants continually seethe with arcane energy, allowing them to create a sustained barrage of rays. A glaring tyrant rolls two dice for initiative and records both results. On a glaring tyrant's initiative count, it can choose to take its normal turn or a special barrage turn. It may take one normal turn per round and one barrage turn per round. On its barrage turn, the glaring tyrant may fire its blast ray or telekinesis ray at any target within 60 feet. The glaring tyrant fires twice, using either ray for each shot. It may fire at the same or a different target. The glaring tyrant cannot take any other actions on its barrage turn except to delay.