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Legacy of the Dragons
Mud Slime Medium Ooze (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37 hp), dying/dead –3/–15 Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 feet, swim 40 feet AC: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5 Attack: Pseudopod +5 melee (1d8+2) Full Attack: 3 pseudopods +5 melee (1d8+2) Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet (Face/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet) Special Attacks: Envelop, improved grab Special Qualities: Amphibious, natural camouflage, tremorsense 60 feet, ooze traits Saves: Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 11, Con 15, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 4 Skills: Listen* +10, Spot* +10 Feats: — Environment: Temperate marshes Organization: Solitary, pair, or clutch (3–12) Challenge Rating: 3 Treasure: Standard Advancement: 6–10 HD (Medium); 11–18 HD (Large) A mud slime is an oval-shaped pile of sludge that resembles the muck found at the bottom of a river or stream. It lurks along the edges of ponds and creeks, waiting for a creature to draw near it. When it attacks, it rears up to engulf its target and suffocate it. It also sometimes hides in deep mud or swamp water. In either case, its dark coloration often allows it to catch its opponents by surprise. In a few cases, these creatures serve as watchers and sentinels. Their finely honed senses allow them to detect intruders, even those hidden by magic. Mud slimes are a common danger in most swamp areas. They lack the ability to distinguish dangerous prey from creatures they can easily overwhelm, prompting them to attack almost anything that draws near. Their aggressive behavior is driven by neither malice nor evil. They need tremendous amounts of food to sustain themselves. Once a mud slime has devoured a large amount of food, it enters a dormant state much like sleep. This state can last up to five days. Although they are mindless, mud slimes make excellent guardians and lookouts. A mud slime’s entire outer membrane is one large sensory organ. The creature can “feel” sound and light by detecting the variations and patterns in sonic and light energy in the environment around it, allowing it to see and hear as a human. It can also sense changes in pressure and the vibrations in the ground and
water, allowing it to instantly pinpoint the location of any creature that draws close. Even invisible or concealed intruders cannot avoid a mud slime’s detection. These abilities, combined with the mud slime’s voracious appetite, make it a good choice for watching over an isolated or hidden pathway. Few individuals let one loose in an area they expect to use, because a mud slime is difficult to control and unable to recognize allies. Instead, the slimes are left to wander sewers, mine passages, and abandoned tunnels that lead to important locations that have fallen out of use.
Combat A mud slime knows only one combat tactic—it simply lunges at the nearest target and attempts to engulf him. The creature is incapable of realizing that smaller or unarmored targets make easier prey. Although it can move on land (and will do so to chase down a target trying to avoid it), typically a mud slime waits in a pool of water and strikes at the first thing that comes within its reach. * Skills (Ex): Due to their keen senses and the nature of their outer membrane, mud slimes gain a +10 racial bonus to all Listen and Spot checks. Envelop (Ex): With a successful grapple check, a mud slime can engulf a target of Medium size or smaller. A slime that has engulfed a victim can take no actions except for holding its prey in a death grip as its digestive juices burn him with acid. The victim takes 3d6 points of acid damage each round on the slime’s turn. He may attempt to break free with a successful grapple check, but the slime gains a +4 bonus to its check to maintain its grip. A victim’s allies can attempt to cut him free. Any attack with a slashing weapon that deals more than 10 points of damage denies the slime its +4 bonus to the grapple check and gives the victim a +4 bonus. The victim’s allies may also attempt to pull their friend free with a Strength check (DC 25). Improved Grab (Ex): If a mud slime hits an opponent with its pseudopod attack, it may initiate a grapple as a free action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Amphibious (Ex): Mud slimes can breathe both water and air, allowing them to both survive underwater and crawl across land. Natural Camouflage (Ex): A mud slime gains a +12 competence bonus to Sneak checks made to hide while it remains motionless in a watery or muddy area. Tremorsense (Ex): A mud slime automatically detects the presence and location of any creature or object that stands on the ground or in the water within 60 feet of it.
