Unextinct, Devouring Knifedrake

Unextinct, Devouring Knifedrake CR 11 (Spellcaster)

XP 12,800
NE Huge undead
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20

DEFENSE

HP 155
EAC 23; KAC 24
Fort +10; Ref +10; Will +16
Defensive Abilities spell deflection; Immunities undead immunities; SR 22

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft. (Su, average)
Melee bite +19 (2d10+19P plus swallow whole), or claw +19 (2d10+19S)
Multiattack bite +13 (3d4+19P plus swallow whole), 2 claws +13 (3d4+19S)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Offensive Abilities devour life force, swallow whole (2d10+19N, EAC 23, KAC 20, 39 HP)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th)

At will–animate dead (4th-level), bestow curse (3rd-level, DC 21), confusion (4th-level, DC 22), control undead (6th-level, DC 24), suggestion (3rdlevel, DC 21), true seeing (6th-level, DC 24)

STATISTICS

Str +8; Dex +3; Con –; Int +3; Wis +3; Cha +5
Skills Acrobatics +20, Athletics +25, Intimidate +20, Stealth +20
Languages Common, Ignan, Sylvan (cannot speak)
Other Abilities unliving

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Devour Life Force (Su)

When a living creature is slain by the devouring knifedrake’s bite or swallow whole attack, the life force of the creature is trapped within the devouring knifedrake’s body. The creature cannot be brought back to life until the devouring knifedrake’s destruction (or a spell deflection– see below) releases its life force. The trapped life force provides the devouring knifedrake with 5 essence points for each Hit Die possessed by the life force.

A devouring knifedrake must expend essence points when it uses a spell-like ability equal to the spell’s level (for sake of ease, spell levels for its spell-like abilities are included in its stats).

At the start of an encounter, a devouring knifedrake generally has 3d4+3 essence points available. The trapped life force gains one negative level for every 5 points of essence drained – these negative levels remain if the creature is brought back to life (but they do not stack with any negative levels imparted by being brought back to life). A life force that is completely consumed may only be restored to life by a miracle or wish.

When a devouring knifedrake has used all of its stored essence points, it cannot fly and loses its spell resistance and spell deflection ability.

Spell Deflection (Su)

If any of the following spells are cast at the devouring knifedrake and overcome its spell resistance, they instead affect a devoured life force: confusion, detect thoughts, dominate person, fear, suggestion, or any form of charm or compulsion.

While none of these effects harms the life force, the caster makes a DC 20 caster level check when a spell is deflected – success indicates that the trapped life force is released from its prison and the creature whose body it belonged to can now be restored to life as normal.

ECOLOGY

Environment any land
Organization solitary

These undead are dinosaurs animated and controlled by the magically-powerful Saurians to serve as protectors of their sacred territories. As dinosaurs die, or are slain, the Saurian necromancers transform the bodies of the fallen behemoths to create these specialized undead. Being possessed by the spirits of dead Saurians, the unextinct enjoy intelligence and supernatural powers far beyond those of a normal animated corpse.

Devouring knifedrakes are spawned from the dead bodies of allosauruses. They are empowered with exceptional spell-like abilities by their saurian creators. However, these spell-like powers require living energy to fuel their use. To get this energy, the knifedrake consumes living creatures and stores their life force within its body. While filled with this life force, the knifedrake possesses a number of additional powers, including the ability to fly and deflect certain spell attacks.