Archives of Nethys

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Template Grafts | Universal Monster Rules


Zernivian

Source Starfinder #28: The Hollow Cabal pg. 61

Zernivian CR 9

XP 6,400
N Tiny aberration
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., herbsight 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22

Defense

HP 135
EAC 22; KAC 23
Fort +8; Ref +10; Will +12
Immunities disease

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee tongue +17 (1d6+12 A & B plus zernivian toxin; critical stunned)
Multiattack 4 tongues +11 (1d6+12 A & B plus zernivian toxin; critical stunned)
Ranged acid spittle +19 (2d6+9 A plus zernivian toxin)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. (5 ft. with tongue)
Offensive Abilities herbicide

Statistics

STR +3; DEX +6; CON +0; INT +0; WIS +4; CHA +0
Skills Disguise +17, Life Science +17, Sense Motive +17, Stealth +22, Survival +22
Other Abilities animal puppeteer (DC 18), spaceflight (Survival)

Ecology

Environment any
Organization solitary

Special Abilities

Acid Spittle (Ex) As a ranged attack, a zernivian can hurl a blob of acidic spittle with a maximum range of 30 feet.
Animal Puppeteer (Ex) As a full action, a zernivian can insert itself into the body of an adjacent unconscious or helpless Small animal with an Intelligence modifier no greater than –4 (Fortitude DC 18 negates). While inside an animal in this way, the zernivian has total cover and takes no actions of its own; however, it gains full control of the host animal’s actions. The zernivian can use its or its host’s saving throw bonuses (whichever are higher), its host’s extraordinary abilities, and its or its host’s natural attacks. The zernivian remains in control of the animal until it leaves the host’s body, which it can do as a full action; the host animal is then stunned for 1 round but is otherwise unharmed.
Herbicide (Ex) Plant creatures and creatures with the dycepskian subtype or the plantlike universal creature rule aren’t immune to a zernivian’s toxin. When such creatures attempt a Fortitude saving throw against zernivian toxin, they must roll twice and use the worse result.
Herbsight (Ex) Zernivians have an extrasensory ability that enables them to rapidly seek out and find plant life. This ability functions as blindsight (scent), except a zernivian can only detect plant creatures and creatures with the dycepskian subtype or the plantlike universal creature rule.

Zernivian Toxin

Type poison (injury); Save Fortitude DC 18
Track Constitution; Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds
Cure 1 save

Description

Zernivians are a species of rodent-sized aberrations whose bodies are covered in grisly fur the color and texture of exposed arteries. Constantly driven to root out and consume intelligent plant creatures, zernivians stalk their prey by taking over the bodies of harmless animals as a means of camouflage. Once a zernivian locates a plant creature, it quickly emerges from the host animal and attacks, using a combination of tongue lashings and a natural herbicide to take down its victim. Xenobiologists are unsure where the solitary zernivians originate from or even how they reproduce.

Although zernivians have become a problem on Ghorus Prime, the native ghorans are far from the zernivian’s favorite food. That “honor” goes to the fungal dycepskians, who do whatever they can to terminate these predators on sight, as zernivians have the uncanny ability to sniff out dycepskians occupying even the most unlikely of host bodies.