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Carsian

Carsian CR 7

Standing close to seven feet tall, this creature has the appearance of a mantis with diaphanous webbing between each pair of its four arms, its scaly back sporting translucent variegated tail wings. Each arm ending not in claws but with paws each with three opposable digits reminiscent of large fat maggots.

XP 3,200
N Medium aberration
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19

DEFENSE HP 105

EAC 19; KAC 21
Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +7

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.; ablating glide
Melee claw +17 (2d6+9 S plus grab)
Multiattack 4 claws +11 (1d6+9 S plus grab)
Ranged red star plasma pistol +14 (1d8+7 E & F; critical burn 1d8)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lunge)
Offensive Abilities gliding lunge, lunge, sudden strike

STATISTICS

Str +2, Dex +4, Con +1, Int +5, Wis –1, Cha –1
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +14, Stealth +6 (+14 in forest terrain)
Languages Carsian, Common
Gear d-suit II, red star plasma pistol with 1 highcapacity battery (40 charges)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Abating Glide (Ex)

When a carsian falls, their reactions and gliding wings can abate the damage of an unexpected fall. A carsian takes full falling damage from unexpected falls of up to 20 feet. They reduce falling damage by 10 feet when falling up to 50 feet. Any fall greater than 50 feet provides sufficient time for the carsian to begin gliding. If a carsian can prepare for a fall, they can glide immediately as they jump into the fall. This ability provides a carsian the ability to leap between landmasses no more than 100 feet apart.

Gliding Lunge (Ex)

When a carsian is 20 feet or more above their prey, they leap out towards their prey, unfurling their wings and gliding silently on approach. As they pass their prey, they are able to make a lunge attack to grapple it and continue with the glide to land 30 feet away from the prey’s original position. If the carsian grapples a larger creature, the glide stops rather than continuing.

Lunge (Ex)

A carsian’s limbs are capable of reaching much farther than normal for a creature of its size. When using its multiattack ability, a carsian can increase its natural reach by 5 feet, but can make only 2 claw attacks when it does so. When lunging in this manner, it gains a +4 bonus on both attack rolls. This extended reach does not increase its threatened area.

Sudden Strike (Ex)

A carsian is particularly adept at moving quickly when its foes are surprised. During a surprise round, they can take a full turn’s worth of actions, rather than just a single standard or move action. It does this by leaping and gliding to the target landing point. Carsians have webbed membranes between each pair of arms, and wings down their back but they are unable to fly. A carsian cannot fly because its wings have neither the strength nor structure to provide the lift required, however, they do slow descent to a safe and gentle speed. The back and tail wings are used to direct the descent allowing a controlled and safe descent to be performed. When using its abating glide to traverse between land masses, carsians hold the air they need to breathe in internal extra lungs much like camels store water in their humps.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forests and jungles
Organization solitary, pod (4–6), swarm (100– 200), or hive (1,000 or more)

Virtually invisible when hunting in forests and jungles, carsians are greatly feared by those traveling through such lands. A hunting carsian is almost preternaturally patient, waiting for days for a target to pass by. Making a gliding lunge as an ambush tactic, many wagons are found with no trace of riders or occupants anywhere. Carsians hunt individually or in hunting parties often consisting of the family pod.

Carsians range in height from 6 to 8 feet tall, and weigh from 250 to 350 pounds in weight.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Alien Bestiary (Starfinder) © 2018, Legendary Games; Lead Designer: Jason Nelson. Authors: Anthony Adam, Kate Baker, John Bennet, Eytan Bernstein, Robert Brookes, Russ Brown, Duan Byrd, Jeff Dahl, Robyn Fields, Joel Flank, Matt Goodall, Robert J. Grady, Jim Groves, Steven T. Helt, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Nick Hite, Daniel Hunt, Mike Kimmel Marshall, Isabelle Lee, Jeff Lee, Lyz Liddell, Jason Nelson, Richard Pett, Tom Phillips, Alistair J. Rigg, Alex Riggs, Wendall Roy, Mike Shel, Neil Spicer, Todd Stewart, Russ Taylor, Rachel Ventura, Mike Welham, George Loki Williams, Scott Young.