Chimera
HD: d10
| Level | BAB | Fort | Ref | Will | Feature |
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Hybrid body, Three heads are better than one, Str +1, Con +1 |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Coordination 1, Claws, Glide, Str +1 |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Coordination 2 (Alertness), Growth, Pounce, Con +1 |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Coordination 3 (Multiattack), Head power, Str +1 |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Coordination 4, Uncanny dodge, Wings, Str +1, Con +1 |
| 6 | +6 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Coordination 5 (Improved Multiattack), Greater head power |
| 7 | +7 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Full coordination, Ideal cohort, Str +1, Con +1 |
Class skills (2+Int): Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival
Features:Hybrid Body: The chimera loses all other racial bonuses and gains Magical Beast traits (darkvision 60ft, low-light vision). It is a Medium quadruped with the (dragonblood) subtype, Scent, and a natural armor bonus equal to its Con modifier. In addition it must select one species of dragon on which its dragon head is based (see the
half-dragon class for reference) - it gains energy resistance equal to its HD against the element to which the dragon had an immunity (defaults to fire resistance if the dragon lacked an energy immunity). In areas of scrubland or brush the chimera gains a racial bonus on Hide checks equal to half its HD (rounded down).
Three Heads are Better Than One: The chimera's three heads are treated collectively as a single primary natural weapon (and "heads" is a valid choice for feats such as Weapon Focus and Improved Natural Attack). Whenever it would be entitled to an attack with its heads it makes three attacks at the same attack bonus (lion: bite, dragon: bite, goat: gore), each dealing 1d6 points of damage plus 1
1/
2 times its Str modifier. Due to young chimeras having poor coordination between their heads, each head must attack a different target (if there are insufficient targets in range, some of these attacks are wasted).
Abilities which modify a single attack (such as a
true strike spell or a martial maneuver) affect only one of these attacks.
Ability Score Increase: The chimera's ability scores increase by the shown amount.
Claws: At 2nd level the chimera gains a pair of claws as secondary natural weapons, each dealing 1d4 damage plus its Str modifier.
Coordination (Ex): As a chimera gains levels its heads slowly learn to better work together. At 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th levels it gains a +1 racial bonus on Spot checks and Listen checks, and the attack penalty for secondary natural weapons is reduced by 1. This training also causes the chimera to be treated as if it had certain feats for the purposes of prerequisites - Alertness at 3rd level, Multiattack at 4th level and Improved Multiattack at 6th level.
Glide (Ex): At 2nd level a chimera can use its wings to glide, negating damage from a fall of any height and allowing 25 feet of forward travel for every 5 feet of descent. Chimera glide at a speed of 50 feet (poor maneuverability). Even if a chimera's maneuverability improves, it can't hover while gliding. If a chimera becomes unconscious or helpless while in midair, its wings naturally unfurl and powerful ligaments stiffen the wings - the chimera descends in a tight corkscrew and takes only 1d6 points of falling damage, no matter what the actual distance of the fall.
Growth: At 3rd level the chimera grows to Large size, increasing the base damage of its heads and claws to 1d8 and 1d6 respectively. As a quadruped, its reach remains at 5ft. Do not adjust its ability scores for increasing in size.
Pounce (Ex): At 3rd level a chimera can make a full attack as part of a charge.
Head Power: At 4th level each of the chimera's heads gains a special ability which modifies its attack.
- Lion (Ex): Any creature damaged by the lion head's bite attack must make a Will save (DC = 10 + half your HD + your Cha modifier) or become shaken for 1d4 rounds.
- Dragon (Su): In place of a bite attack, the dragon head can spit a burst of energy as a ranged touch attack with a range of 5ft per HD. This attack deals damage as its base dragon's breath weapon, reduced by one die size, except that it affects a single target only. If the base dragon lacks a breath weapon then this attack is based on the breath weapon of a Red Dragon.
- Goat (Ex): Whenever the goat head successfully strikes a creature, it can make a bull rush attempt against that creature as a free action which does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 5th level a chimera retains its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if it is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, it still loses its Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If the chimera already has uncanny dodge, it automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Wings: At 5th level the chimera's wings become sturdy enough that it can fly at a speed of 50ft with poor maneuverability. In addition it gains Flyby Attack as a bonus feat.
Greater Head Power: At 6th level each of the chimera's heads gains another special ability.
- Lion (Ex): Once per 1d4 rounds the lion head can roar as a swift action, forcing every enemy within 60ft to make a Will save (DC = 10 + half your HD + your Cha modifier) or become frightened for 1 minute, or shaken for 1 minute even if they succeed on their save.
- Dragon (Su): The dragon head gains its base dragon's breath weapon, except that it requires a swift action to use. If based on a dragon which lacks a breath weapon then it gains whatever special attak that dragon possessed instead (eg. a Fang Dragon head would gain the Draining Bite ability); if the ability required a standard action to use then it is reduced to a swift action.
- Goat (Su): The goat head can chew apart spells with a melee touch attack. This otherwise functions as the targeted version of greater dispel magic, with a caster level equal to your HD.
Full Coordination (Ex): At 7th level the chimera's heads are perfectly in sync. When it attacks with its heads it may aim multiple attacks at the same target. In addition, whenever the chimera is subjected to a mind-affecting effect it may roll its saving throw twice and choose the better of the two results.
Ideal Cohort: A 7th-level chimera who has been chosen as a cohort has a maximum level of one lower than the master rather than two. A paladin who has chosen the chimera as a cohort mount (DMG p.200) need not apply the +2 level adjustment.
CommentsMy take on the chimera - it has a bit more skirmishing ability than the original monster.
Ability bonuses sum to +5 Str/+4 Con. I was wracking my brains trying to figure out what Improved Head Power to give the goat head; in the end I went with "goats eat everything".
I originally had a poisonous snake tail at lv5, but the chimera is usually depicted as part-snake or part-dragon.
