SYSTEM REFERENCE DOCUMENT 3.5

The darkmantle hangs from a ceiling by a muscular “foot” at the top of its body. It can look like a stalactite, by holding its tentacles stiffly under itself, or like a lump of rock, spreading its tentacles so the membrane between them covers its body. Its shell and skin usually resemble limestone, but a darkmantle can change its color to match almost any type of stony background.

A darkmantle is about 4 feet long from the tips of its tentacles to the top of its head. It weighs about 30 pounds.

COMBAT

A darkmantle attacks by dropping onto its prey and wrapping its tentacles around the opponent’s head. Once attached, it squeezes and tries to suffocate the foe. A darkmantle that misses its initial attack often flies up and tries to drop on the opponent again.

Darkness (Su): Once per day a darkmantle can cause darkness as the darkness spell (caster level 5th). It most often uses this ability just before attacking.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a darkmantle must hit a Large or smaller creature with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

If it wins the grapple check, it attaches to the opponent’s head and can constrict.

Constrict (Ex): A darkmantle deals 1d4+4 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Blindsight (Ex): A darkmantle can “see” by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allows it to ascertain objects and creatures within 90 feet. A silence spell negates this ability and effectively blinds the darkmantle.

Skills: A darkmantle has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated. The creature’s variable coloration gives it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.

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