Sand Troll Preview

The following Westbound preview
features one of the most dreaded desert
denizens, the voracious sand troll.
Troll, Sand
Before you stands a gaunt creature with dusty abrasive
skin and patchy grey fur. Its eyes, fangs, and talons are a
glossy ebony, its expression empty of reason or pity.
TROLL, SAND
CR 6
XP 2,400
CE Large humanoid (earth, giant, shapechanger)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision,
scent; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +5
natural, –1 size)
hp 60 (7d8+28); regeneration 5 (acid or water)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +4
Weakness damp discomfort
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d8+4), 2 claw +9 (1d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 1d6+6)
Special Abilities dust form (DC 17, 3 rounds)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 6
Base Atk +5; CMB +10; CMD 24
Feats Intimidating Prowess, Lightning Reflexes,
Skill Focus (Survival), Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Climb +8, Intimidate +7, Perception +8,
Survival +9
Languages Giant
SQ sand walker
ECOLOGY
Environment hot and cold deserts
Organization solitary or gang (2–4)
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Damp Discomfort (Ex) A sand troll that is
exposed to heavy rain or fully submerged in a
water-based liquid for longer than 3 consecutive
rounds is staggered during the exposure and
can’t regenerate for 1d4 hours.
Dust Form (Su) As a swift action, and as long as
it benefits from its regeneration ability, a sand
troll can transform itself into a whirlwind of
swirling dust. A sand troll can remain in dust
form for up to 3 rounds each day (1 round per 2
HD), and these rounds need not be consecutive.
While in this dust form, a sand troll keeps its
relative form, but the troll and its equipment
becomes composed entirely of dust. Further, it
takes no penalties for squeezing, and can move
through spaces as if it were a creature three size
categories smaller without penalty. The sand
troll is also considered incorporeal, though any
nonmagical attack it makes deals half damage
(50%). Creatures without proper eye protection
that are within a sand troll’s reach while it is in
dust form must make a Fortitude save (DC 17)
each round or become blinded for 1 round.
Technological devices (including contraptions)
within this area also become coated in dust and
sand. If a grit-coated device is not cleaned
before it is activated (a full-round action), it has
a 10% chance of gaining the broken condition
before activation. Further, a grit-coated
contraption has a 5% chance to have a mishap
upon activation, or a 10% chance if it also has
the broken condition (Pure Steam Campaign
Setting, page 87).
Sand Walker (Ex) A sand troll ignores difficult
terrain caused by loose or shifting sand.
The sand troll is emaciated and more resembles a
troll’s skeleton than a living creature. Unlike other
trolls, a sand troll possesses the supernatural ability
to briefly transform itself into a whirling cloud of
dust, using this ability to blind and disorient his
prey, or to slip beyond certain obstacles. A sand
troll is stupid, even by troll standards, but is an
instinctive hunter that relies on scent and is drawn
by blood and rotting meat. A sand troll will
typically go for wounded or disabled prey first
when hunting game, but when food is scarce, it is
not uncommon for a sand troll to venture into
civilized areas to loot food lockers or eat
unsuspecting victims. The sand troll’s biggest flaw
is its extreme vulnerability to rain and water, and
therefore generally stays in arid environments.
Copyright 2015, ICOSA Gameworks
Produced in accordance with the Open Game License