Manticore

Occasionally when a Mystic beast strays too far from it's home and embraces the darkness of the Netherworld, they are shifted and contorted into something else. Losing all ties with the wind spirits they once loved and becoming disfigured and mutated in strange ways, Mystic beasts whom become Manticores are disliked by normal Mystic beasts and members of their race.

Manticores have a lion's body, a monkey's face, a scorpion's tail, and bat wings. They are extremely proud about being at the top of the Netherworld food chain. It is very rare to find any Manticore serving another demon.

There's nothing they love more than the thrill of the chase

**REQUIREMENTS**

**Mystic Beast level 10**

**Feats:** Toughness, Hell Hound, Technique Acquisition (some sort of fire based technique), Gratuitous Violence

**Special:** Must abandon the normal lifestyles of the mystic beasts and leave the forests into a land of intense heat or cold.

**Hit die:** d10

**Skills:**

The creature's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Int), Knowledge Arcana (Int), Perception (Wis), Fly (Dex), Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Martial knowledge (Physical monster weapon) (Int), Survival (Wis)

**Skill Ranks per Level:** 2 + Int modifier.

**Alignment:** Manticores lean towards evil and Chaotic, however a good manticore isn't completely unheard of.

**Religion:** Manticores follow little religion, but those that do follow the most powerful creature they can find.

**Race:**
When becoming a Manticore, you nearly become a new race all together. As such, you gain the bonuses listed below.

**Type:** Changes to Outsider (No recalculations are made however)

+2 Strength and +2 Con, -2 Dexterity

**Size:** Large -1 penalty to Armor Class, -1 to armor class as well as attack rolls. +1 to CMB and CMD, -4 on Stealth Checks.

**Move Speed:** -20 feet

**Flight:** 30 feet Poor

+2 to Intimidate

**Great Strength**
The Manticore uses it's dexterity modifier to determine it's saving throws for monster techniques unless it's strength score is higher.

**Techniques readied**
At every level other than 2nd and 8th, the Manticore gains techniques as if he had leveled up in his previous class. However he only gains the number of techniques readied, he must choose techniques from the new Manticore technique list located below. Manticores can take Monster techniques Marked with a (\*\*), whenever they level up instead of having to wait to gain a monster technique. The Manticore uses whatever bonus the creature before it used to determine it's saving throws, however if it's strength score is higher than the normal relevant score, it uses it instead. In addition, the monster adds all of it's previous magichange techniques to it's new technique list below.

**Monster Weapon:**
Your attack takes the form of a Large Stinger that deals 1d8 damage. Everything else stays the same.

**Ability Boost**
The Manticore gains bonuses to it's Strength and Constitution score at levels 2, 6, and 10. The Manticore does not gain new ability bonuses from it's previous class.

**Damage Reduction**
At 5th, and 9th level the Manticore gains Damage Reduction overcome by nothing, This is due to the Manticore's powerful and dense body.

**Natural Armor**
At levels 3, 6, and 9 the Manticore's Natural armor increases.

**Fly speed increase**
At 5th level the Manticore's Flight speed increases.

**Manticore (Su)**
At 1st level, you return from your journey into darkness and you are reborn as a Manticore. Because of your strange mutations you only receive 1/2 of the benefits from resting for 1 week after obtaining this level. At first level you must choose to gain resistance to fire or frost, Depending on the element you choose, you add the spells from it's respective domain to your list of techniques. Whichever you choose, you gain resistance 5. You also gain resistance 5 to Acid. In addition you gain 1d6 acid damage on your normal attacks. Your reach increases by 5 feet and With a snap of its tail, a manticore can loose a volley of four spikes as a standard action (make an attack roll for each spike). This attack has a range of 180 feet with no range increment. All targets must be within 30 feet of each other, This deals your normal damage. This can be done once per day for every 3 Manticore levels you possess.

**Nue (Su)**
At 3rd level your mutation becomes more evident and you gain a greater number of monstrous abilities. You are sickened for one week after you obtain this level as your body adjusts to it's freakish transformation. Your Energy resistances chosen at 1st level both increase by 5. You also gain the ability to make a full attack on a charge attack. This can be done a number of times per day equal to 3+your constitution modifier. Finally, you become immune to poison and you gain a poison attack. The Poison is injury based and the Save DC is 10+Manticore level+ Strength modifier. Once per round for 6 rounds the creature must make the save or take 1d4 strength damage. 2 successful saves in a row ends the poison effect. This can be used a number of times per day equal to 3+your constitution modifier.

**Myrmecoleo (Su)**
At 4th level the Manticore has reached a turning point in it's transformation, it is no longer effected badly by it's mutations and gains even more great abilities. The Manticore's resistances increase by 5 again and it's reach increases by 5 feet as well. It gains a burrow speed equal to it's land speed and the Manticore is constantly under the effects of a Mind Blank spell. This cannot be dispelled but it can be suppressed. It is suppressed for 3d6 rounds if dispelled.

**Chimera (Su)**
At 7th level the Manticore's mutations bring it to new heights allowing it immense power. The Manticore gains immunity to it's two elemental resistances. In addition, the Manticore gains a powerful breath weapon it can utilize in battle. once every 1d4+1 rounds, the Manticore can let loose a blast of energy. The type can be fire, frost, or acid (but you can only choose an element you have immunity to). It is a 20 foot cone that deals 2d6 damage for every Manticore level you possess (Max 20d6). A reflex save DC: 10+ Manticore level+ Strength modifier reflex save is needed for half damage. Finally, your type changes to Aberration.

**Tao Tieh (Su)**
At 8th level, your mutations have created an impossible engine of destruction. You are insatiably hungry and roam around devouring everything. You gain the feat Hold On for free. If you already possessed the feat you instead gain Improved Grapple, if you possessed that feat as well you gain a +2 bonus to grapple CMB and CMD. You gain the grab attack on your natural attack and can swallow whole one creature of a size category at least one less than your own. Creatures swallowed whole must deal damage with a slashing weapon to your stomach equal to 1/4 of your maximum hit points. Every round a creature spends in your stomach, the creature takes your normal attack damage (Without the poison damage however).

**Sphinx (Su)**

At 10th level the Manticore becomes an aberrant master of death and destruction and it's mind devolves into extreme madness. as a standard action once per day, a manticore can assume a great form of pure malice. While in this form the Manticore gains a +6 bonus to Strength and Constitution and it's natural armor bonus is considered a deflection bonus that stacks with all other deflection bonuses. The Manticore's Damage reduction granted from it's levels as a Manticore are doubled while in this form and it deals 1d12 acid damage on every attack instead of 1d6. It's base land speed is increased by 20 feet. A Manticore can roar up to three times while in this form as a standard action. Each progressive roar has a different effect, depending upon whether it is the first, second, or third of the Manticore's roars for that day. All of these roars are sonic effects that fill a 100-foot-radius burst, centered on the Manticore; the save DCs are Strength-based. Other Sphinx level Manticores are immune to all of the effects of a Manticore's roars. The saving throw for each roar is DC: 10+Manticore level+ strength modifier Will save.

•    First Roar: Affected creatures become frightened for 2d6 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect in addition to being a sonic effect.

•    Second Roar: Affected creatures are paralyzed with fear and deafened for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect in addition to being a sonic effect.

•    Third Roar: Affected creatures take a 2d4 penalty to Strength for 2d4 rounds and take the manticore's normal damage, however all of it is sonic damage. Creatures smaller than the Manticore are knocked prone. A successful save negates the Strength penalty and being knocked prone.

**Manticore Techniques**

**1st—**Anticipate peril, True strike, Ant Haul, Deathwatch, Divine Favor

**2nd—** Greater Magic Weapon , Elemental Touch, see invisibility

**3rd—**Haste, Slow, Elemental aura, Arcane sight, Blood Biography,

**4th—**Confusion, Arcane eye, Dimension door, \*\*Stinger Strike

**5th—**Telepathic Bond, Burst of Glory, Boneshatter, Ancestral Memory

**6th—** True Seeing, Greater Heroism, Walk through space, Energy Hammer, \*\*Beast Rend

**7th—** Resounding Blow , Insanity, Greater arcane sight

**8th—**Dimensional Lock, Protection from Spells, \*\*Devour

**9th—**Imprisonment, Freedom, Overwhelming presence, \*\*Beast Ray