Bronze Serpent

Huge Construct

Hit Dice: 16d10+40 (128 hp)

Initiative: +9

Speed: 50 ft., burrow 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

AC: 26 (-2 size, +9 Dex, +9 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 17

Attacks: Bite +17 melee

Damage: Bite 1d6+10 plus electricity

Face/Reach: 15 ft. /10 ft.

Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+10, improved grab, shocking bite

Special Qualities: Construct traits, DR 10/+1, electric healing, SR 21

Saves: Fort +5, Ref +14, Will +6

Abilities: Str 25, Dex 28, Con —, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 3

Skills: Climb +15

Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground

Organization: Solitary, pair, or cluster (3-5)

Challenge Rating: 10

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral

Advancement: 17-32 HD (Huge); 33-48 HD (Gargantuan)

Level Adjustment: -

First seen in tropical lands, bronze serpents are golem-like guardians that resemble the serpent gods whose temples they once protected. Over the course of centuries, the secret of the creatures’ construction has spread far and wide, so now they may appear anywhere.

A bronze serpent is a 20-foot-long snake built of articulated bronze rings. Its eyes glow blue-white, and its powerful jaws are equipped with impressive fangs that drip fat electrical sparks instead of venom.

A bronze serpent cannot speak, but it can understand simple instructions in its creator’s language.

COMBAT

A bronze serpent usually concentrates its initial attacks on the creatures that appear most vulnerable to its shocking bite. Once it hits with that attack, it wraps its body around the opponent, then continues biting while it constricts.

Constrict (Ex): With a successful grapple check, a bronze serpent can crush a grabbed opponent, dealing 2d8+10 points of bludgeoning damage.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a bronze serpent hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with a bite attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +27). If it gets a hold, it can also constrict in the same round. Thereafter, the creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its jaws to hold the opponent (-20 penalty on grapple check, but the bronze serpent is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite and constrict damage.

Shocking Bite (Su): A bronze serpent’s bite deals 1d8+16 points of electricity damage in addition to the normal bite damage. The creature receives a +3 bonus on attack rolls against any opponent that is made out of metal, wearing metal armour, or carrying a significant amount of metal.

Electric Healing (Ex): Because of the bronze serpent’s electrical affinity, the creature takes no damage from electricity and is healed 1 hit point for every 3 points of damage the attack would normally deal.

CONSTRUCTION

A bronze serpent’s body is constructed from 1,000 pounds of bronze. The creator must be at least 16th level and able to cast arcane spells. Completing the ritual drains 4,000 XP from the creator and requires the spells geas/quest, limited wish, polymorph any object, and shocking grasp. Market Price: 90,000 gp. The serpent costs: 46,500 gp + 3,540 XP to create. Assembling the body requires a successful Craft Construct check (DC 25).