Needlekin (3.5e Creature)

	Needlekin
Size/Type:	Medium Construct
Hit Dice:	3d10+20 (36 hp)
Initiative:	+4
Speed:	30 ft.
Armor Class:	16 (+4 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple:	+2/+2
Attack:	Sting +6 melee (1d4 plus injection)
Full Attack:	2 stings +6 melee (1d4 plus injection)
Space/Reach:	5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	Injection
Special Qualities:	Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision
Saves:	Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities:	Str 10, Dex 18, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 3
Skills:	—
Feats:	Weapon Finesse
Environment:	Any
Organization:	Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating:	3
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Always neutral
Advancement:	4-10 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment:	—

The unpleasant feeling of being followed that's been with you ever since you entered the abandoned laboratory turns out to have been correct: you turn to face the darkness, and you spot a creature. At first sight the gaunt creature appears human, but its jerky movement and the terrifying hypodermic needles it has in place of fingers makes you doubt its humanity. As you prepare to fight the foe before you, you feel a sting in your neck, and the world gets dizzy.

The needlekin are a foul race of quasi-undead often constructed by necromancers with a penchant for artifice. Needlekin are actually constructs - related to flesh golems, albeit weaker, and more specialized. A needlekin is a gaunt, incredibly thin, pale gray humanoid with long, constrained limbs and a face with no mouth or nose, only two black, beady eyes that appear heavily infected. A needlekin has no fingers, but instead five syringes on each hand, all of them filled with various deadly fluids that pump through the thick veins of the monster. A sting from these syringes is not a pleasant thing. Needlekin are often used as arsenals of experimental poisons, diseases and potions, but are also utilized as torturers, bodyguards, assassins and spies.

Combat

Needlekin are rarely instructed to fight fair. They sneak up on foes and try to catch them flat-footed in order to easily sting them. They think nothing of escaping a battle to return later, and can track foes for days. Having a low AC means that needlekin avoid direct confrontation with warrior-types, and target specialists and spellcasters. They fight cleverly with other creatures (for example a necromancer's undead servants) if they've been instructed to.

Injection (Ex): Whenever a creature takes damage from a needlekin's sting, that creature is affected by one of the following effects at random unless he succeeds on a Fortitude save of the indicated DC. If no DC is given, the creature is not allowed a save.

Table: Injection Effects

d12	Effect	DC
1	Filth fever (1d3 days, 1d3 Dex + 1d3 Con)	12
2	Red ache (1d3 day, 1d6 Str)	15
3	Blinding sickness (1d3 days, 1d4 Str + chance of permanent blindness)	16
4	Small centipede poison (1d2 Dex/1d2 Dex)	11
5	Blue whinnis (1 Con/unconsciousness 1d3 hours)	14
6	Shadow essence (1 Str permanent/2d6 Str)	17
7	Target is nauseated for 1d4 turns	15
8	Target becomes confused for 1d4 rounds	15
9	Target gains one negative level, Fortitude DC 15 to remove	15
10	Target is dealt 2d6 acid damage	—
11	Target is dealt 1d6 damage each round for 1d4 rounds by flesh-eating microbes	—
12	Roll twice more on this table, ignoring further results of 12	—

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A needlekin is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a needlekin (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw.

A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on the needlekin and heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the needlekin to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points.

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