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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardFeral Skull Swarm

Some skull swarms are crafted from the heads of feral and dangerous beasts. These can include predatory cats, bears, dinosaurs, and the like, but just as often they're made from bulls, horses, apes, and other creatures that were gentler in life. In death, a feral skull swarm is bloodthirsty regardless of its origins, with a keen scent for living flesh. Even herbivore skulls diligently chew on the flesh of their swarm's victims.

Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 32
Unspecific Lore: DC 30
Specific Lore: DC 27

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Feral Skull SwarmCreature 12

Legacy Content

Uncommon NE Huge Mindless Swarm Undead 
Source Bestiary 3 pg. 244
Perception +9; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Skills Acrobatics +10, Survival +9
Str +0, Dex +4, Con +7, Int -5, Wis +3, Cha +4
Feral Trackers A feral skull swarm gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks to Seek and to Survival checks to Track, both against any creature that has taken damage from the swarm's Feral Gnaw within the previous 24 hours.
AC 20; Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +7
HP 160 (negative healing); Immunities death effects, disease, mental, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious; Resistances bludgeoning 5, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, piercing 10, slashing 10; Weaknesses area damage 10, splash damage 10
Boneshard Burst When a feral skull swarm is reduced to 0 Hit Points, it erupts in an explosion of foul energy and bone fragments in a 30-foot burst, dealing 3d12 piercing damage and 2d12 negative damage (DC 20 basic Reflex save).
Speed 40 feet
Feral Gnaw [one-action] Each enemy in the swarm's space takes 2d6 bludgeoning, 2d6 piercing, and 2d6 slashing damage (DC 20 basic Reflex save). A creature that fails its saving throw also takes 1d10 persistent bleed damage.Frightening Howl [one-action] (auditory, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental) The feral skull swarm emits a terrifying howl. Each creature within 60 feet must succeed at a DC 20 Will save or become frightened 2 (frightened 3 and fleeing for 1 round on a critical failure). Whether it succeeds or fails its save, a creature is temporarily immune to Frightening Howl for 24 hours.

All Monsters in "Skull Swarm"

NameLevel
Clacking Skull Swarm10
Feral Skull Swarm12
Sorcerous Skull Swarm14

Skull Swarm

Source Bestiary 3 pg. 244
A skull swarm is composed of reanimated masses of craniums and jawbones, forming a terrifying avalanche of undead fury. Most skull swarms are mindless, though some retain a vestige of wit, awareness, and even magical talents from life, culminating in a highly intelligent swarm mind.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Beheaded Swarms

Skull swarms are closely related to the undead creatures known as beheaded and are fundamentally little more than a collection of independent beheaded acting in concert toward their shared goals. In addition to the skull swarms detailed here, swarms of other types of beheaded with corresponding abilities can be found in any region plagued by excessive decapitation.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Sea Skulls

Skull swarms are most commonly encountered amid ruins where vast and uncontrolled necromantic energies have erupted, but they can also appear in aquatic environments with clusters of clacking skulls from merfolk and sea devil, feral skulls of fish and cetaceans, or even disembodied shark jaws and cephalopod beaks. Such swarms have a swim Speed, rather than a fly Speed or land Speed.