Jabberwock (3.5e Creature)

Jabberwock

CR 7

	Usually CN Large Magical Beast
Init/Senses	+2/darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +8, Spot +9
Aura	burble, gaze, whiffle
AC	17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (−1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural)
hp	60 (8 HD); DR 10/magic, DR 10/slashing
Fort/Ref/Will	+8/+8/+3
Weakness	vorpal vulnerability
Speed	20 ft. (4 squares), fly 60 ft. (average); Flyby Attack
Melee	2 claws +12 (1d6+4) and bite +6 (1d10+2)
Space/Reach	10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Base Atk/Grp	+8/+16
Atk Options	improved grab
Special Actions	gaze
Abilities	Str 18, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 17
Feats	Alertness, Flyby Attack, TrackB, Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills	Listen +8, Spot +9
Advancement	9–11 (Large); 12–15 (Huge)
Burble (Su)	A jabberwock continuously emits a low-pitched noise of inane babble that causes creatures with in 60 feet that are able to hear to be confused as if under the effects of a confusion spell (caster level equal to racial HD, DC 17 Will negates). This is a sonic mind-affecting compulsion effect. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same jabberwock’s song for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Gaze (Su)	("Eyes of flame") Causes creatures to be blinded, duration 2d6 rounds, Will DC 17 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based. This is a mind-affecting effect.
Improved Grab (Ex)	("Claws that catch!") To use this ability, a jabberwock must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Whiffle (Ex)	As a jabberwock flies, its wings generate strong winds within a 30-foot radius of itself.
Vorpal Vulnerability (Ex)	Jabberwocks have one weakness: extra long necks. This makes vorpal swords decapitate them on natural 18s and 19s, as well as 20s. Decapitation by a vorpal weapon is usually accompanied by a "snicker-snack!"

Strategies and Tactics

Jabberwocks enjoy intimidating foes with their stunning appearance, or confusing them. Reality bends oddly around the jabberwock, which may explain why other odd creatures such as bandersnatches are often seen around them.

Sample Encounters

EL 7: As you approach a tumtum tree, a jabberwock, with eyes of flame, comes whiffling through the tulgey wood, burbling as it comes!

Ecology

Environment: Woods near portals to the chaotic planes breed jabberwocks easily. The magically tweaked nature of such forests makes them feel rather tulgey to those who pass through them.

Typical Physical Characteristics: A jabberwock looks either intimidating or ridiculous to PCs, depending on how brave they are. Certainly absurd, they can be seen in the picture above. These odd quirks of their anatomy do nothing for them, save improve grab and a weakness to vorpal weaponry.

Alignment: Jabberwocks are completely insane, and horribly frumious. They will not hesitate to kill everything they see. Few things inspire fear like a jabberwock. However, they are destructive out of habit, not evil intent, and are usually Chaotic Neutral.

Jabberwock Lore

Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about Jabberwocks. When a character makes a successful check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (Arcana)

DC	Result
17	This creature is a jabberwock.
20	Jabberwocks have jaws that bite and the claws that catch.
22	A jabberwock's burble can drive even the strongest of men insane.
25	A jabberwock's eyes of flame burn so bright they can be blinding.
27	Jabberwocks have a vulnerability to vorpal weapons.
30	See the For Player Characters section below.

Jabberwocky

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves         Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves,         And the mome raths outgrabe. “Beware the Jabberwock, my son!         The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun         The frumious Bandersnatch!” He took his vorpal sword in hand:         Long time the manxome foe he sought— So rested he by the Tumtum tree,         And stood awhile in thought. And, as in uffish thought he stood,         The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame, Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,         And burbled as it came! One, two! One, two! And through and through         The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head         He went galumphing back. “And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?         Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”         He chortled in his joy. ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves         Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves,         And the mome raths outgrabe.

The Jabberwock, as illustrated by John Tenniel

—Lewis Carroll

Society

Jabborwocks are beings of pure madness. Anything living near a jabberwock for years at a time becomes a Twisted version of itself (see Twisted Creature), hence the slithy toves and frumious bandersnatches living nearby it. No two jabberwocks live together due to their chaotic nature, and the loneliness gives them quite a manxome temperament.

Sample Lair

Jabberwockies typically live in forests: Usually found as a random wilderness encounter for epic characters. See table of sample encounters of the Dungeon Masters Guide.

Typical Treasure

Jabberwocks never carry vorpal blades among their treasure, but an inn near the tulgey woods where they live has a vorpal blade stashed there. See Minor Artifacts.

For Player Characters

Defeating a jabberwock gives the player a reputation among the various creatures bonded to the jabberwock. Bandersnatches and other such creatures will be too frightened to harm you after you have slain a jabberwock.

The king of the jabberwocks, Jabberwocky the XXVI, will do this for you in an even bigger way. NPCs who know the jabberwocks exist will be so amazed by your exploit that you gain a +10 bonus to all your Diplomacy Checks with them. However, the only known document which gives information on his whereabouts is written backwards in the Land of Nonsense.

Advanced Creatures

Really tulgey woods where tumtum trees grow tend to produce tougher jabberwocks than normal.

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