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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Dark Archive

Cryptid Adjustments

Source Dark Archive pg. 58
They resemble the familiar creatures common to the world, but are always just a bit off. The following sets of adjustments can make ordinary creatures suited to be cryptids.

Experimental Cryptids

Source Dark Archive pg. 58
An experimental cryptid has been purposefully altered through alchemy, engineering, magic, or ritual to contain some degree of construct components. Although powerful, the process is volatile and imperfect.

Experimental Cryptid Adjustments

You can turn an existing creature into an experimental cryptid by completing the following steps. Increase the creature's level by 1 and change its statistics as follows.
  • Increase the creature's AC, attack bonuses, DCs, Perception modifier, saving throws, and skill modifiers by 1.
  • Increase the damage of Strikes and other offensive abilities by 1. If an ability can be used only a small number of times (such as a dragon's Breath Weapon), increase the damage by 2 instead.
  • Increase the creature's HP by the amount listed on the table.

Starting LevelHP Increase
1 or lower10
2–415
5–1920
20+30

Experimental Cryptid Abilities

An experimental cryptid gains the experiment trait and, depending on the type of construct parts, might gain the alchemical trait, clockwork trait, or another construct-related trait as appropriate. An experimental cryptid gains the following abilities.

Darkvision

Augmented An experimental cryptid is partially artificial and designed in a way to specifically prevent biological afflictions and instant death. It gains a +2 circumstance bonus to saving throws against death effects, disease, and poison.

Operational Flaw An experimental cryptid has a flaw in its construction that can be identified with a successful Perception check to Seek against the hard DC of the creature's level. An experimental cryptid has weakness equal to its level to the attacks of any creature that has successfully located the experiment's operational flaw.

Clobber [two-actions] The experimental cryptid Strikes a creature. On a hit, the creature is pushed 5 feet (10 feet on a critical hit) and knocked prone. If this causes the creature to collide with a solid object, the creature takes an additional 1d10 damage. If the experimental cryptid is at least 5th level, this Strike deals one additional weapon damage die of damage, and if the experimental cryptid is at least 15th level, this Strike deals two additional weapon damage dice of damage.

Energy Wave [two-actions] The experimental cryptid unleashes a 30-foot line of energy of a type specific to the experimental cryptid (typically electricity or fire). Creatures in the area take 1d6 damage per level of the cryptid with a basic Reflex save. The experimental cryptid can use this ability once every 1d4 rounds. This action has the damage type's trait. If the experiments that reshaped the creature were magical, this action also has the evocation trait and the trait matching the magical tradition of the experiments (arcane, divine, occult, or primal).

Power Surge [one-action] The experimental cryptid draws on its augmentations to empower its attacks. It attempts a DC 5 flat check. On a success, the experimental cryptid deals 1d6 additional damage with its Strikes until the end of its turn. On a failure, the experimental cryptid takes that much damage instead. The damage and traits for Power Surge are the same as those of Energy Wave.

This additional damage increases to 2d6 if the experimental cryptid is 9th level or higher, 3d6 if the experimental cryptid is 15th level or higher, and 4d6 if the experimental cryptid is 18th level or higher.

Mutant Cryptids

Source Dark Archive pg. 59
Some strange creatures defy what's expected from others of their kind due to a peculiar mutation. A mutation can come from a wide variety of sources: a quirk in their lineage, effects from their environment, radiation from bizarre crystals, or exposure to uncontrolled magic. A mutant cryptid can defy the normal expectations of its kind. A water elemental might have a planar disjunction that changes its makeup moment to moment, or a werewolf might detest music instead of silver.

Mutant Cryptid Adjustments

You can turn an existing, living creature into a mutant cryptid by completing the following steps.

Increase the creature's level by 1 and change its statistics as follows.
  • Add the rare trait.
  • Increase the creature's AC, attack bonuses, DCs, Perception modifier, saving throws, and skill modifiers by 1.
  • Increase the damage of its Strikes and other offensive abilities by 1. If an ability can be used only a small number of times (such as a dragon's Breath Weapon), increase the damage by 2 instead.
  • Increase the creature's HP by the amount listed on the table.

Starting LevelHP Increase
1 or lower10
2–415
5–1920
20+30

Mutant Cryptid Abilities

A mutant cryptid should typically either have all four the following abilities or just two abilities, not including unusual bane.

You might decide to give a specific mutant cryptid a unique mutant ability created just for that creature (or copied from a different creature). Such an ability replaces one of the three abilities that increases the monster's power, or replaces unusual bane if it's detrimental.

Unusual Bane The mutant cryptid gains an unusual weakness to a specific bane—such as aversion to saffron or to the sound of children's laughter. The first time each round the creature comes within 15 feet of its bane or interacts with its bane (such as stepping over a line of saffron or hearing children laugh) it takes an amount of mental damage equal to its level and must attempt a Will save with a hard DC for its level. On a failure, it's stunned 1 (stunned 3 on a critical failure).

Explosive End The mutant cryptid's death reveals one last surprise as it explodes into flame, acid, a pile of toxic goop, or something stranger still. Choose a damage type appropriate for the mutant cryptid. When it dies, it explodes, dealing 1d6 damage of the chosen type to each creature in a 10-foot emanation, with a basic Reflex save against a standard DC of the creature's level. The damage increases by 1d6 at 3rd level and every odd level thereafter.

Shifting Iridescence (abjuration, magical) Whenever the mutant cryptid takes energy damage to which it isn't resistant or immune, after taking the damage normally, it gains resistance 5 to that damage type. If it had a resistance to a different damage type from shifting iridescence, it replaces the old resistance with the new resistance. The resistance increases to 10 at 9th level and 15 at 17th level.

Marrowlance The mutant cryptid can make wicked spears of bone erupt from its body. The creature can make marrowlance ranged unarmed attacks. Use the highest attack modifier from the creature's highest ranged Strike, as well as the damage from that Strike. If it has no ranged attacks, use moderate accuracy and low damage for the creature's level. Marrowlance unarmed attacks have a range of 60 feet and the versatile S trait.

Primeval Cryptid

Source Dark Archive pg. 60
Scholars dream of discovering primeval creatures: remnants of an older age, long thought extinct. Primeval cryptids are resilient survivors of their kind or particularly clever individuals.

Primeval Cryptid Adjustments

You can turn an existing, living creature into a primeval cryptid by completing the following steps. Increase the creature's level by 1 and change its statistics as follows.
  • Increase the creature's rarity to uncommon if it was common or rare if it was uncommon. If the creature was an animal, it loses the animal trait and gains the beast trait.
  • Increase the creature's size by one size. If this makes the creature Huge or Gargantuan, increase the reach of all its Strikes by 5 feet.
  • If the creature's Intelligence modifier is –4 or lower, increase it to –3.
  • Increase the creature's AC, attack bonuses, DCs, Perception modifier, saving throws, and skill modifiers by 1.
  • Increase the damage of the creature's Strikes and other offensive abilities by 1. If an ability can be used only a small number of times (such as a dragon's Breath Weapon), increase the damage by 2 instead.
  • Increase the creature's HP by the amount listed on the table.

Starting LevelHP Increase
1 or lower10
2–415
5–1920
20+30

Primeval Cryptid Abilities

Primeval cryptids gain two abilities from the list below. You can add more than two abilities if you wish to make an especially tough primeval cryptid, but you might need to weaken it in some other way to avoid making it too powerful.

Stench (aura, olfactory) 30 feet. A creature entering the emanation or starting its turn in the emanation must succeed at a Fortitude save against the standard DC for the creature's level or become sickened 1 (plus slowed 1 as long as it's sickened on a critical failure). While within the emanation, affected creatures take a –2 circumstance penalty to saves against diseases and to recover from the sickened condition. A creature that succeeds at its save is temporarily immune for 1 minute.

Broken Arsenal Fragments of broken blades and spears, the remnants of countless failed attempts to fell the primeval cryptid, remain lodged in its flesh. When an adjacent creature hits the primeval cryptid with a melee attack or otherwise touches it, that creature takes piercing damage equal to half the primeval cryptid's level (minimum 1 damage).

Grasp for Life [free-action] (healing) Frequency once per week; Trigger The primeval cryptid would be reduced to 0 Hit Points; Effect The cryptid's will to live is second nature, and its second wind has allowed it to survive when others of its kind went extinct. The creature shrugs off death. Instead of being reduced to 0 Hit Points, its Hit Points become equal to four times its level (or 4 Hit Points for a level 0 creature).

Shockwave [two-actions] Effect The primeval cryptid creates a shockwave by stomping on the ground, beating its tail on the ground, or making another similarly violent, percussive slam. Creatures on the ground within 30 feet of the primeval cryptid take 1d6 bludgeoning damage per level of the primeval cryptid (minimum 2d6 damage), with a basic Reflex save. On a critical failure, a creature is also knocked prone.

Rumored Cryptid

Source Dark Archive pg. 61
As stories spread about a rumored cryptid, the weight of collective belief transforms the creature to match the tales. The limits of its physical body no longer confine it.

Rumored Cryptid Adjustments

You can turn an existing creature into a rumored cryptid by completing the following steps. Increase the creature's level by 1 and change its statistics as follows.
  • Add the rare trait. If the creature was an animal, it loses the animal trait and gains the beast trait.
  • If the creature's Intelligence modifier is –4 or lower, increase it to –3.
  • Add Stealth with a modifier equal to its highest skill modifier.
  • Increase the creature's AC, attack bonuses, DCs, Perception modifier, saving throws, and skill modifiers by 1.
  • Increase the damage of the creature's Strikes and other offensive abilities by 1. If an ability can be used only a small number of times (such as a dragon's Breath Weapon), increase the damage by 2 instead.
  • Increase the creature's HP by the amount listed on the table.

Starting LevelHP Increase
1 or lower10
2–415
5–1920
20+30

Rumored Cryptid Abilities

All rumored cryptids gain the following abilities, unless they conflict with the theme of the creature.

Burning Eyes The cryptid's eyes are distinctive; perhaps they burn bright red in the dark night. The rumored cryptid gains darkvision. If the base creature already has darkvision, it gains greater darkvision.

Creature Obscura The cryptid appears in so many urban legends, it can be identified using Society or a Lore skill connected to a nearby settlement, in addition to the normal skills. However, much of the information known about it is dubious. The DC to identify a rumored cryptid is incredibly hard (rather than very hard for most rare creatures), but all failures to identify a rumored cryptid gain the effects of the Dubious Knowledge skill feat.

Shifting Form The cryptid is sustained by localized tales or reports from witnesses. As a result, its appearance morphs between different appearances. If all records of the rumored cryptid are destroyed or all witnesses die, the rumored cryptid ceases to exist.

Obscura Vulnerability The cryptid is weakened by those who seek its truth. Whenever a creature succeeds at a Recall Knowledge check to identify the rumored cryptid, the rumored cryptid becomes drained 1 (or drained 2 if the Recall Knowledge check was a critical success).

Stalk [one-action] Requirements The rumored cryptid is undetected; Effect The rumored cryptid swiftly stalks prey from hiding. It Strides, then Strikes.

Vanishing Escape [one-action] The rumored cryptid breaks away and fades into the background. It Strides, then Hides.

Optional Abilities

The rumored cryptid might have one or both of the following optional abilities.

Hybrid Form The cryptid's form morphs to be like a specific animal as the tales get longer. The rumored cryptid gains either a burrow, climb, or swim Speed equal to its land Speed.

Howl [two-actions] (auditory, emotion, fear, mental) The rumored cryptid calls out with a wretched sound no living creature should make. Each creature in a 30-foot emanation must attempt a Will save. A creature that fails is frightened 1 (or frightened 2 on a critical failure). A creature that succeeds is temporarily immune for 1 minute. The DC is the high DC for a creature of the rumored cryptid's level.

Unseen Animal Companion

Source Dark Archive pg. 65
Rarity: Uncommon
Cryptid animal companions look a touch peculiar, often with uncanny features or ones that seem to come from a different animal. If you take a feat that would normally allow you to choose to have your companion become a savage or nimble animal companion, you can choose to make it an unseen animal companion instead. An unseen companion increases its Wisdom modifier by 2 and its Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution modifiers by 1. It deals 3 additional damage with its unarmed attacks and deals an extra 1d4 precision damage against flat-footed targets (if the animal companion already deals precision damage, such as a cat, combine the precision damage). Increase its proficiency rank in Stealth to expert. It also learns the advanced maneuver for its type.