Behir
HD: d10
Class Skills (2+Int): Climb, Hide, Listen, Spot, Survival
Proficiencies: Level Bab Fort Ref Will Feature
1 +1 +2 +2 +0 Behir Body, Spines, Dragonspite, Serpentine Frame, Stability, +1 Str,
2 +2 +3 +3 +0 Breath Weapon, Scrabble, +1 Str, +1 Con
3 +3 +3 +3 +1 Growth, Quickstep, +1 Str
4 +4 +4 +4 +1 Galvanized, Improved Grab, Constrict, Rake, +1 Str, +1 Con
5 +5 +4 +4 +1 Swallow Whole, Slither +1 Str
6 +6 +5 +5 +2 Poison Spines, Focused Breath, +1 Str, +1 Con
7 +7 +5 +5 +2 Devour, Tremorsense, +1 Str
8 +8 +6 +6 +2 Ride the Lightning, Breath Recovery, +1 Str, +1 Con
Features:Skills: +2 per HD on Climb and can always choose to take 10, even if rushed or threatened.
Behir Body: At first level the Behir loses all other racial traits and is a medium sized magical beast. It has low light vision, darkvision 60', scent, a natural attack (bite: 1d6), natural armor equal to its Con modifier, a land speed of 40', and a racial bonus to grapple checks equal to its HD. Only the first two hands of a Behir are capable of fine manipulation and these are considered the primary hands. Should a Behir lose one or both of its primary hands, the next hand(s) down becomes the primary.
Spines: While many adventurers are aware of the long spines that crest a Behir's head, not many have ever been close enough (or survived) to notice that a Behir's entire body is covered in a fine layer of thorny spines atop the scales. These spines shed and regrow at a rapid pace, and provide an armour bonus equal to its class level. This bonus is also effective against touch attacks.
Dragonspite: Behir loathe dragons and will go to great lengths to kill them or drive them from their territory. A Behir receives a bonus of 1+1/3HD (up to a maximum of their class level) on attack rolls, opposed rolls, and on save DCs of abilities used or inflicted upon a dragon.
Serpentine Frame: The narrow bodies of the Behir let them function in many ways as if they were one size category smaller. Whenever a Behir is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), the Behir is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to the character. A Behir is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. However, the space and reach of a Behir remain those of a creature of their actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category. At 7th level (or when the Behir becomes huge), the Behir may count as two size categories smaller.
Stability: Due to their dozen legs, Behir are immune to tripping and add their Str bonus (in addition to any that may already be applied) to any opposed rolls to avoid being moved.
Ability Bonus: The Behir gains +1 Str at every level, and +1 Con at every second level.
Breath Weapon: A line of electricity, range = 5'/HD, damage (1/2HD)d6. Reflex save (DC = 10 + 1/2HD + Con) for half damage, recharge 2 rounds. Alternatively, a Behir may trade in 2 die of damage to do 1 Dex damage; electrical resistance or immunity does not prevent this ability damage. For every 5HD, the line may reflect once off a wall or suitable solid surface. Creatures struck multiples times by a single reflecting breath weapon take additional damage, but each successive strike's damage is halved.
Behir are immune to the breath weapons from other Behir, including the alternate Dex damage.
Scrabble: A Behir has the unique ability to slither and walk simultaneously. It ignores difficult terrain and gains a climb speed equal to half its land speed. It may also charge at 3x speed.
Growth: At 3rd level the Behir grows one size category. At 7th level it grows another.
Quickstep: Along with their many legs and the ability to coil and writhe their bodies, Behir can move with alarming speed around the battlefield. When large, they make make a 10-foot step instead of a regular 5-foot step. The 10-foot step must be in a straight line. At 7th level (or when the Behir is Huge), it may make a 15-foot step instead. The Quickstep does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
Galvanized A Behir's body is suffused with electrical energy. It becomes immune to electricity damage and poison. Any creature striking it with metallic or natural weapons is subject to half its breath weapon damage. Creatures grappling the Behir take the same damage at the end of the Behir's turn.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a Behir must hit a creature of any size with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Creatures under the effects of Freedom of Movement or similar do not automatically escape, but receive a +4 bonus to their grapple check. At 7th level, the Behir ignores any Freedom of Movement effects the target has.
Constrict (Ex): A Behir deals 2d6 + Str damage (at large size) on a successful grapple check. It can also make six rake attacks against a grappled foe as well.
Rake (Ex): 6 claws, 1d4+1/2Str each
Swallow Whole: If a Behir has established a grapple, it may attempt to swallow a creature (up to one size category smaller than itself) by making a successful grapple check. A swallowed opponent takes constrict damage plus another 2xCon mod acid damage from the Behir's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal one quarter the Behir's HP to its gizzard (AC 15). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.
For every 5 HD, a Behir that has successfully swallowed a creature can immediately attempt to bite and hold another creature within reach.
A Behir may contain multiple creatures in its stomach; 1 large creature = 4 medium creatures = 16 small, etc
Slither: Adept at snaking its way through obstacles and enemies, a Behir may designate a single square of its body as the only square its body actually occupies during movement for determining whether it will provoke any attacks of opportunity. It is a free action to change the designated square. The “non-occupied” squares may freely travel through opponent's squares or other obstacles without impediment.
Poison Spines: The spines covering a Behir's body become poisonous to the touch. Contact poison, Fort DC = 10 + 1/2HD + Con, initial and secondary damage: 1d4 Dex. Any creatures that touch the Behir's squares when it moves past using its Slither ability are subject to the poison. Creatures that have been swallowed must make a save every round to resist the poison.
Focused Breath: Rather than using its breath weapon in a line, a Behir can choose to focus its breath weapon on an adjacent foe or one that is it currently grappling or has swallowed. If it does so, the breath weapon deals double damage and ignores electricity resistance and the DC increases by 4.
Devour: At 7th level, a Behir that successfully uses its Improved Grab ability may immediately make a free grapple check to attempt to Swallow Whole.
Tremorsense: The Behir's feet and body become keenly sensitive to vibration. It gains tremorsense 5' per HD.
Ride the Lightning: A Behir may ready a standard action to ride along a lightning bolt (or similar electrical effect). It's body temporarily merges into the lightning, and reemerges at the destination (or anywhere along the path with a successful reflex check DC=20). A Behir may also choose to ride its own breath weapon; using its breath weapon this way takes a full round action. Upon reemerging, if the target was struck by the lightning the Behir may make one free bite attack upon the same target.
Breath Recovery: The breath weapon recharge improves to 1 round.
Slither is oddly worded, but basically it is to allow the Behir to move through opponent's squares and potentially avoid attacks of opportunity. This is mostly a combative feature as Serpentine Frame takes care of the dungeon crawl aspect.
The reflective breath weapon harkens back to 2e lightning, and as it improves you essentially get to teleport, bite, swallow, all in one shot.
