
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Cranium Preserver

Cranium preservers serve necromancers as walking laboratories for undead. A typical cranium preserver has a metallic and spider-like body, which holds aloft a large central glass vat surrounded by a dozen or more smaller, head-sized glass vats. Each vat is filled with a special embalming fluid that can preserve the minds of slain enemies.

Recall Knowledge - Construct (Arcana, Crafting): DC 32
Unspecific Lore: DC 30
Specific Lore: DC 27

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak Cranium PreserverCreature 9

Legacy Content

Rare NE Large Construct 
Source Pathfinder #180: The Smoking Gun pg. 82
Perception +19; darkvision
Languages Common; any languages spoken by its preserved heads
Skills Lore +17 (any known by its preserved heads), Occultism +20, Religion +20
Str +7, Dex +0, Con +3, Int +5, Wis +0, Cha +0
Undead Crafter The cranium preserver knows one version of the create undead ritual for every four heads it has preserved (a typical cranium preserver has 12 preserved heads). The cranium preserver can use its heads to make separate rolls as both the primary and secondary casters of the ritual.
AC 26; Fort +20, Ref +14, Will +17
HP 200; Immunities death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, necromancy, negative, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poisoned, sickened, unconscious; Weaknesses electricity 10, positive 10
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] cranium remover +21 [+16/+11] (deadly d12, sweep), Damage 3d8-2+9 slashingRanged [one-action] embalming fluid +19 [+14/+9] (range 120 feet), Damage 2d8-2+3 mental plus 2d8-2+3 negativeOccult Rituals DC 27 (-4 dmg); 2nd create undead (mummies, skeletons, and zombies)
Jettison Cranium [two-actions] (incapacitation, mental, negative) The cranium preserver ejects one of its preserved-head jars at a point within 100 feet. The jar explodes, and all creatures in a 10-foot burst must attempt a DC 26 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 2d8 mental damage and 2d8 negative damage.
Failure The creature takes 4d8 mental damage and 4d8 negative damage. The discharged mental anguish released from the preserved head causes the creature to become confused for 1 round.
Critical Failure The creature takes 8d8 mental and 8d8 negative damage. The discharged mental anguish released from the preserved head causes the creature to become confused for 2 rounds.Slosh Whenever the cranium preserver ends a Stride, the movement causes necrotic embalming fluid and preserved body parts to slosh about and spill from its central vat. Each creature adjacent to the cranium preserver when it finishes its Stride must attempt a DC 24 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 1d8 mental damage and 1d8 negative damage.
Failure The creature takes 2d8 mental damage and 2d8 negative damage.
Critical Failure The creature takes 4d8 mental and 4d8 negative damage. If the creature is alive, the preserved body parts sense the presence of a living creature and cling to it, causing the creature to become clumsy 2 for 1 round.

Sidebar - Additional Lore Amalgamated Personality

A cranium preserver has its own independent personality that is derived from the amalgamated thoughts of the preserved heads it collected. These heads are subservient to the cranium preserver's overriding will, but swapping out preserved heads seems to affect the creature's desires. Some cranium preservers stocked with heads from good-hearted individuals even have moments where they appear to show remorse for their vile deeds.