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Heikegani

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The carapace of this large crab resembles a scowling face, its eyes seething with an ancient fury.

Heikegani CR 4

XP 1,200
NE Small aberration (aquatic)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
Aura unnatural aura (30 ft., DC 14)

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+1 Dex, +6 natural, +1 size)
hp 42 (5d8+20)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +6

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee 2 claws +9 (1d3+4 plus grab) or dagger +8 (1d3+4/19–20), claw +4 (1d3+2 plus grab)
Ranged dagger +5 (1d3+4/19–20)
Special Attacks challenge (2/day), constrict (1d3+4), grab (Medium), intimidating glare

STATISTICS

Str 18, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 9, Wis 14, Cha 7
Base Atk +3; CMB +6 (+10 grapple); CMD 17 (25 vs. trip)
Feats Power Attack, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Intimidate +9, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Perception +10, Swim +18
Languages Common (can't speak)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Challenge (Su)

Two times per day as a swift action, a heikegani can challenge a foe to combat.

Until either that foe is rendered unconscious, or the combat ends, the heikegani gains a +4 bonus on damage rolls against that enemy, and takes a –2 penalty to AC except against attacks made by the challenged foe. The heikegani gains DR 2/— against attacks made by the target of its challenge.

Intimidating Glare (Ex)

As a full-round action, a heikegani can stand on its rear legs and display its facelike carapace, snapping its pincers in a threatening display. The heikegani can attempt an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet that can see its display, as if it had used the Dazzling Display feat. It doesn't take penalties on this check for being smaller than its targets.

Memory of Honor (Su)

Once per day when the heikegani is about to attempt a saving throw or skill check, it can call upon the resolve it held to in its prior life, gaining a +4 bonus on the roll. The heikegani must decide to use this ability before the roll is made.

ECOLOGY

Environment any coastlines
Organization solitary or guard (3–7)
Treasure none

Samurai are renowned for their resolve, but sometimes a samurai becomes so obsessed with her purpose that her soul can't depart from the Material Plane upon her death. Unable to seek eternal rest, and unwilling to become undead in the pursuit of vengeance, the samurai soul instead finds a suitable host in which to continue its existence. A heikegani is the effect of such a joining: a tragic, furious symbiosis of the soul of a dead samurai and the body of a crustacean. This usually occurs when the samurai dies near a crab habitat and her soul imprints upon a newly hatched crab zoea.

Magic is always involved, either because the death happened in a high-magic environment or because the samurai was dealt a magical deathblow. A heikegani is especially vicious when young, and kills other crabs and marine creatures it encounters until it develops the ability to travel onto land.

Each time the heikegani molts, its new shell comes to more closely resemble an angry demonic face.

The soul of a heikegani has very few of its memories from life, but retains its single-minded sense of purpose and honor, and is quick to challenge those it meets to mortal combat. A heikegani believes it has been reincarnated, but in reality it never passed on to be judged. The unnatural genesis of a heikegani causes it great agony, and the dangerous crustacean scuttles along the shores, seeking foes that it can defeat in honorable combat so its soul can finally be put to rest.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Creighton Broadhurst, Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Joe Homes, James Jacobs, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, Thom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Wes Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Mike Shel, James L. Sutter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.