The Pandemonium Shrieking Toad

There is a large frog-like creature the size of a cat sitting in the corridor ahead of you. As it notices you it begins to inhale, swelling rapidly and disturbingly. . .

Tiny Magical Beast

Hit Dice: 4d10+8 (32 hp)Initiative: +2Speed: 20ft, swim 20ftArmor Class: 16 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6Attack: +6 Tongue (1d6-3)Space/Reach: 2 ½ ft/0ft (5ft with tongue)Special Attacks: Breath of Pandemonium, Improved Grab, Swallow WholeSpecial Qualities: Darkvision 60ft, Low-light Vision, DR 5/magic, Immunity to SonicSaves: Fort +8 Ref +6, Will +0Abilities: Str 5 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 4 Wis 8 Cha 10Skills: Hide +14, Jump +10, Listen +1, Spot +1Feats: Great Fortitude, Weapon FinesseEnvironment: PandemoniumOrganization: Solitary, Mated Pair, or Clutch (2 adults and numerous young and eggs)Challenge Rating: 3Treasure: NoneAlignment: Always CN

The Pandemonium Shrieking Toad is a strange little creature that is ideally suited to the cacophonous tunnels of its plane. The entire creature’s body is very malleable and can stretch to incredible lengths, allowing it to eat things that are actually bigger than it is if necessary. It has also developed an interesting method of protecting itself by inhaling all the winds from the nearby caves and releasing them in powerful blasts to send any hostile creatures careening off into the darkness.

Toads usually dwell in solitude, as there isn’t much in the way of food to support a large population in Pandemonium, but occasionally a mating clutch can be found. The toads lay their large, squishy egg sacs on the walls, floor, and ceiling of one of the damper tunnels in thick sheets. This can make for perilous footing for anything wishing to travel through the corridor.

These toads rarely grow to a size larger than perhaps a foot long and usually weigh no more than a few pounds.

Combat

The Pandemonium Shrieking Toad usually tries to avoid combat with creatures larger than itself by fleeing or sending them away with its gale force breath. However, if it is hungry enough, it might try to eat anything up to the size of a Halfling.

Breath of Pandemonium (Su): The shrieking toad can harness the winds of Pandemonium to blow away its opponents by inhaling much more than would normally be possible. For each round that the toad spends a full round action inhaling, it increases one size category (Hp and other statistics do not change) and gathers the winds into itself. At any time after the first round of inhaling, it may release the winds in a 60ft cone as a standard action. The effects are listed below (See Table 3-24 in the DMG for wind effects):

All Noise effects last for 1d4 rounds. The save DCs are Fort DC 15 for deafness and Will DC 15 for confusion.

Hypothetically, the toad could use this ability outside of Pandemonium in a windy area, but it would become an (Ex) ability, and there would be no Noise effects.

A Pandemonium shrieking toad may not take any other actions while it is inhaling.

If a Pandemonium toad is killed while it is swelled past its normal size, then the wind is released in the direction of the killing blow.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a shrieking toad must hit a creature of Small or smaller size with its tongue attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe in the following round.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A shrieking toad can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to one size larger than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage plus 1d4 points of sonic damage from the toad’s strange digestive processes. A swallowed creature can cut its way out using a light slashing or piercing weapon by dealing 10 points of damage to the toad’s digestive tract (AC 10). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

A tiny shrieking toad’s strangely elastic body can hold 1 Small, 2 Tiny, 4 Diminutive, or 8 Fine or smaller opponents.

Skills: A Pandemonium Toad’s coloration gives it a +4 racial bonus to Hide checks. It also has a +10 racial bonus to Jump checks, a +5 racial bonus to grapple checks, and a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered.