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Chimera

The chimera is the archetypal example of an unnatural monster made up of a monstrous mix of wildly different component creatures: in this case, a lion, a dragon, and a goat. Wild, hateful, and hungry, it tries to eat any creature it sees, but sometimes a strong-willed master is able to compel a chimera to serve as a guardian or even a mount.

Recall Knowledge - Beast (Arcana, Nature): DC 26

ChimeraCreature 8

UncommonCELargeBeast
Source Bestiary pg. 63
Perception +16; darkvision, scent (imprecise) 30 feet
Languages Draconic
Skills Acrobatics +14, Athletics +18, Stealth +18
Str +6, Dex +2, Con +4, Int -3, Wis +2, Cha +0
AC 27; Fort +18, Ref +16, Will +14
HP 135
Three Headed Any ability that would sever a chimera’s head (such as a critical hit with a vorpal weapon) severs one head at random. Losing a head doesn’t kill a chimera (as long as it has one head left), but it does prevent it from making Strikes with the lost head or using the head’s Breath Weapon.
Triple Opportunity A chimera gains 2 extra reactions each round that it can use only to make Attacks of Opportunity. It must use a different head for each reaction, and it can’t use more than one on the same triggering action. If it loses one of its heads, it also loses one of these extra reactions.
Attack of Opportunity ReactionReaction
Speed 25 feet, fly 40 feet
Melee Single ActionSingle Action dragon jaws +20 [+15/+10], Damage 2d6+9 piercing plus 2d6 energy damage (see draconic bite)Melee Single ActionSingle Action lion jaws +20 [+15/+10], Damage 2d10+9 piercingMelee Single ActionSingle Action goat horns +20 [+15/+10], Damage 2d10+9 piercingMelee Single ActionSingle Action claw +20 [+16/+12] (agile), Damage 2d6+9 slashingBreath Weapon Two ActionsTwo Actions (arcane, evocation) The chimera breathes a cone or line that deals 9d6 damage to all creatures in the area (DC 26 basic save of a type indicated below). The color of the chimera’s dragon head determines the area of the Breath Weapon, the type of damage it deals, and the type of save to avoid it. The chimera can’t use Breath Weapon again for 1d4 rounds.
  • Black 60-foot line of acid (Reflex)
  • Blue 60-foot line of electricity (Reflex)
  • Green 30-foot cone of poison (Fortitude)
  • Red 30-foot cone of fire (Reflex)
  • White 30-foot cone of cold (Reflex)
Draconic Bite A chimera’s dragon head deals an extra 2d6 damage of a type matching the dragon’s color (see Breath Weapon).Three-Headed Strike Two ActionsTwo Actions The chimera makes a Strike with its dragon jaws, lion jaws, and goat horns, each at a –2 penalty and targeting a different creature. These Strikes count as only one attack for the chimera’s multiple attack penalty, and the penalty doesn’t increase until after it has made all three attacks.

Sidebar - Related Creatures Kobold Adoration

Some kobold groups are fond of chimera guardians or pets, but few kobolds have the bravery or resources to keep a chimera happy for long. While chimeras are often pressed into service by more intelligent creatures, it’s also not unheard of for a chimera to keep a herd of unintelligent animals—lions, goats, or even serpents—as both companions and food supply.