Gearghast
Size/Type: Large Undead (smoking)
Hit Dice: 9d12+3 (61 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (+2 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+12
Attack: Bite +5 melee (2d6+7 +1d6 fire)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (2d6+7 +1d6 fire) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, flaming bite, frightful presence, ghoul fever, improved grab, steam engine, stench, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits, +4 turn resistance
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +8
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 15, Con Ø, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +19, Hide +12, Jump +19, Move Silently +12, Spot +14
Feats: Ability Focus (breath weapon), Multiattack, Power Attack, Toughness
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, gang (2-4), or pack (2-4 plus 2-4 meat racks)
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 9-12 HD (Large), 13-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
Breath Weapon (Ex): The gearghast does not emit all of its fumes like most steam-driven creations. Instead, it bottles up a large portion of the exhaust for a gas attack. This breath weapon is a 30-ft. cone that deals 1d6 Con damage and nauseates for 1 round. A Fortitude save (DC 17, save DC is Charisma-based) halves the Con damage and negates the nausea. Because this weapon is a more concentrated form of its normal stench, creatures who save against its stench ability receive a +2 circumstance bonus to their saves. This ability counts as a poison. Once used, this ability cannot be used for another 1d4 rounds.
Flaming Bite (Su): The gearghast's hellish engine heats its jaws more than it physically should. A gearghast appears to drool fire much as a rapid animal foams. The gearghast's bite attack deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage.
Frightful Presence (Ex): Frightful Presence (Ex) A gearghast can unsettle foes that witness it refueling. This ability takes effect automatically when the gearghast uses its swallow whole ability. It affects only opponents with fewer Hit Dice or levels than the creature has (typically 9). The affected creature must make a successful Will save (DC 17) or become shaken. Success indicates that the target is immune to that creature’s frightful presence for one day. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Ghoul Fever (Su): Disease—bite, Fortitude DC 15, incubation period 1 day, damage 1d3 Con and 1d3 Dex. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the gearghast must hit a Medium or smaller opponent with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.
Steam Engine (Ex): Like other smoking dead, a gearghast is dependent on its steam engine for movement. On any critical hit, the gearghast must make a Fortitude save (DC equals the damage dealt after multipliers). If the save is passed, the engine is missed and the hit causes normal noncritical damage. If the save is failed, the gearghast has suffered a hit to its steam engine. It suffers only normal noncritical damage but may no longer move or attack in any way. If the engine is repaired the gearghast will be restored to normal ability. Gearghasts are larger and better constructed than most smoking dead, so this steam engine is both better armored and larger (allowing it to survive more damage intact). The gearghast is considered to have light fortification, meaning there is a 25% chance that it need not make a saving throw. However, creatures swallowed whole are actually inside the engine and are not subject to this fortification effect.
Stench (Ex): The stink of death and burning flesh surrounding these creatures is overwhelming. Living creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same ghast’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Swallow Whole (Ex): The gearghast can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Medium or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d6 points of fire damage per round as the gearghast's hellish engine uses the unfortunate victim as living fuel. Additionally, the creature must hold its breath or begin to suffocate. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 15 points of damage to the gearghast’s internal workings (AC 13). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The gearghast’s gullet can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, or 8 Tiny or smaller creatures.
So there we are. Let me know how it looks, and whether I missed anything. I'm a tad uncertain on the CR. I went with the ghast's CR, added 1.5 for HD (as instructed in the SRD), added 1 for size increase (as instructed in the SRD), and added 0.5 for the new abilities. Also, for a general guideline:
Smoking Dead (creature subtype):
- smoking dead count as 1/2 their HD for creation limits of the animate dead spell and the like (though not for its control limits).
- smoking dead have a steam engine, with all of the traits discussed on p. 201 of DragonMech.
- smoking dead typically have +2 STR and -2 DEX compared to their normal undead counterparts.
And there we are. I'm also going to have to stat up some construct or mech corrupted by having a steam engine stolen from a smoking dead. Plus a mech equivalent to the meat rack.
