Zoranths (3.5e Creature Overview)

Zoranth Subtype

A true menace to all life, zoranths are magical beasts that seek to consume, destroy, and ravage all that lays before them. They are infamous for being violent, ravenous, destructive, merciless, and above all: persistent. They come in many varieties and are known for being very adaptive to numerous environments. None can control them, none are allied with them, and although some of the more powerful ones possess decent intelligence, none can reason with them. They are a heartless, vicious threat to all non-zoranth life and they will stop at nothing until they have consumed everything.

Traits

A zoranth possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry).

• Darkvision out to 120 feet and low-light vision.
• Fast Healing (Ex): The exact amount should be listed in the creature's entry.
• Scent (Ex) 240 ft. radius.
• Regeneration (Ex): Weapons that are both magical and made of adamantine deal normal damage to a zoranth. All other types of damage deal non lethal damage to it. It can regrow damaged or severed body parts (even a head) within a manner of 1d4 minutes. For the amount of hitpoints healed each round, see the zoranth's Fast Healing entry.
• Damage Reduction (Ex): HD/2 magic and adamantine.
• Spell Resistance (Ex): 10+HD or more depending on the creature's entry.
• Energy Resistance (Ex): HD/2 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, necrotic, sonic, and more depending on the creature's entry.
• Immunities (Ex): Immunity to ability damage, ability drain, death effects, disintegration effects, disease, mind-affecting effects, paralysis, petrification, poison, and polymorph.
• Zoranth Magic Adaptation (Su): One of the most infamous abilities of zoranths, if not the most, is their ability to adapt to magical abilities used upon them. Whenever a zoranth is affected by a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability and survives, it becomes immune to the effects of that spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability for a period of several days (the exact duration should be noted in the creature's entry). Additionally the zoranth becomes able to use that same spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability for the same amount of time that it is immune to its effects. The zoranth may choose to use these newfound abilities at-will as a standard action. The caster level is equal to its Hit Dice. For example, a wizard casts fireball on a zoranth but the damage from the spell doesn't kill the creature. That same zoranth may now cast fireball at-will as a standard action for a period of several days and it may not be harmed by a fireball spell again for the same amount of time.
• Frightful Presence (Ex): A zoranth can inspire terror by attacking, roaring, or moving. Affected creatures must succeed on a Will save or become shaken, remaining in that condition as long as they remain within 60 feet of the zoranth. The save DC is Charisma-based, however zoranths receive a +2 racial bonus to this effect for every 5 Hit Dice.
• Create Spawn (Ex): When a zoranth has eaten about a third of its body weight in organic material, it will lay a clutch of eggs (10d10) in a dark and moist climate. After 1d6 days the eggs hatch into Lesser Zoranths.
• Track: Zoranths receive this feat as a racial bonus.
• Skills: Zoranths receive bonuses to certain skills based on their hit-dice. They gain a +(HD/2) racial bonus on all Intimidate, Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival checks.
• Zoranths eat, sleep, and breathe.

Zoranth Subtype Creatures

There are four main types of zoranth: lesser, normal, greater, and epic. The older the zoranth, the stronger and more intelligent it becomes. See Table: Zoranth Subtype Creatures for more details.

Table: Zoranth Subtype Creatures

Prefix	Name & Page Link	Age-Range	Starting Hit Dice	Base CR	Base Frightful Presence DC:	Image:
Lesser	Lesser Zoranth	0 - 5 years	10	11	19	-
Normal	Zoranth	5 - 25 years	20	19	29	-
Greater	Greater Zoranth	25 - 75 years	30	28	39	-
Epic	Epic Zoranth	75+ years	40	39	49	-

Varieties

Zoranths not only have several varieties with some being more powerful than others, they also have special templates applied to them on occasion depending on where they were hatched. Apart from the breath weapon varying between each variety, the rest of the specials and abilities are simply appended onto the entry of the zoranth in question.

Table: Zoranth Varieties

Prefix	Description	Breath Weapon Damage/Effect	Extra Specials
—	The normal variety of zoranth.	Force plus Sonic	—
Acidic	Wields corrosive powers.	Acid	Healed by Acid damage and effects. Deals 1d6 Acid damage per two HD with a successful melee attack. Acid Splash (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Acid Arrow (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Acid Fog (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Aero	Wields air powers.	Air	Healed by Air damage and effects. Flight (Su): 150 ft. average Wind Wall (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Control Winds (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Whirlwind (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Bio	Wields organic powers.	Force, Sonic, and a random Disease	Healed by diseases, filth, biomatter, and the like. Causes creatures it hits with a melee attack to contract a random disease. Contagion (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Blight (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Waves of Exhaustion (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Cryo	Wields ice powers.	Cold	Healed by Cold damage and effects. Deals 1d6 Cold damage per two HD with a successful melee attack. Ice Storm (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Freezing Sphere (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Polar Ray (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Crystalline	Wields magic-nullifying powers.	Disables the magical properties of enchanted objects (including consumables like potions) and the spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, spellcasting abilities, and magical effects of/on creatures caught in the area of effect for 1d6 rounds. Items do not get saving throws.	Immunity to spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities. Dispell Magic (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Break Enchantment (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Antimagic Field (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Electro	Wields electrical powers.	Electricity	Healed by Electricity damage and effects. Deals 1d6 Electricity damage per two HD with a successful melee attack. Lightning Bolt (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Call Lightning Storm (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Chain Lightning (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Geo	Wields earth powers.	Rocks and debris that cause bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage.	Healed by Earth damage and effects. Burrow (Ex):150 ft. Wall of Stone (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Earthquake (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Repel Metal or Stone (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Hydro	Wields water powers.	High-pressure blast of water that causes bludgeoning damage and pushes targets away, knocking them prone.	Healed by Water damage and effects. Swim (Ex):150 ft. Can breathe both water and air. Rushing Waters (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Drown (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Tsunami (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Metallic	Wields metal powers.	Shrapnel deals piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage to all creatures in the area.	Damage Reduction (Ex): +1/-/- per two HD. +5 to AC per two HD. Rust Ray (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Wall of Iron (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Repel Metal or Stone (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Necro	Wields death powers.	All creatures in the affected area must succeed on a fortitude save or be killed.	Healed by Death effects, necrotic damage, and negative energy. Bestows 1d6 negative levels on a creature with a successful melee attack. Circle of Death (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Finger of Death (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Wail of the Banshee (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Photonic	Wields light powers.	Masive beam of light. Reflex negates. Deals damage like Disintegrate spell. 5 ft. wide and 1000 ft. long per two HD line.	Healed by Light damage and effects. Creatures that look at it must succeed on a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds per two HD Sunbeam (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Prismatic Wall (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Prismatic Sphere (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).
Pyro	Wields fire powers.	Fire	Healed by Fire damage and effects. Deals 1d6 Fire damage per two HD with a successful melee attack. Fireball (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 10 or more HD). Fire Storm (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 15 or more HD). Detonate (Sp): At-will as a standard action (Zoranths with 20 or more HD).

Special Varieties

Rarest of all are the special varieties of zoranths. These are by far the most powerful of all zoranths given the powers they are endowed with. These special varieties encompass combinations of varieties seen on Table: Zoranth Varieties. For the purposes of breath weapons, combine their effects but not their damage.

Table: Zoranth Special Varieties

Category	Rarity	Description	Benefits
Super	1 in 10,000	Terrifying hybrid creatures that combine some of the already deadly varieties into an extra powerful being.	+10 to STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA. Combines 2 varieties. +10 to AC +10 to all Saving Throws 5% chance to bypass armor class when attacking. Critical hit ranges for natural weapons are 19-20, x3.
Ultra	1 in 100,000	Even more perilous hybrids that are thankfully rare yet still outpace most other zoranths.	+20 to STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA. Combines 3 varieties. +20 to AC +20 to all Saving Throws 10% chance to bypass armor class when attacking. Critical hit ranges for natural weapons are 18-20, x4.
Supreme	1 in 1,000,000	The absolute most dangerous type of special variety of zoranth. Rare as they are, they have leveled entire kingdoms with their power.	+30 to STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, and CHA. Combines 4 varieties. +30 to AC +30 to all Saving Throws 15% chance to bypass armor class when attacking. Critical hit ranges for natural weapons are 17-20, x5.

Name Construction

Because zoranths have a very wide degree of variation in forms, there's a certain method to naming one. The order goes:

1. Special Variety Prefix
2. Variety Prefix(es) in alphabetical order separated by hyphens
3. Subtype Prefix
4. The word "Zoranth"

Example: Supreme Cryo-Crystalline-Necro-Pyro Epic Zoranth.

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