Stone Toad (Hageroht) (CR 6)

This improbably large toad has stone gray flesh and a body covered with jagged, stony protrusions. Its bulbous eyes stare while it launches its long tongue towards its prey. 

XP 2,400

N Large magical beast (earth)

Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent, see in darkness, see through stone, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+11 natural, –1 size)

hp 80 (7d10+42)

Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +3

Immune acid

Weakness light blindness

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., earth glide

Melee bite +15 (2d6+9 plus 1d6 acid and grab) or tongue +10 (1d6+ plus grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks breath weapon (30 ft. line, 2d6 acid, Reflex DC 19 for half, usable very 1d6 rounds), swallow whole (1d4 bludgeoning and 

1d6 acid, AC 15, 9 hp)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th, concentration +7)

At will–see through stone.

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 7

Base Atk +7; CMB +14 (+18 grapple); CMD 24 (28 vs. trip)

Feats Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (bite)

Skills Acrobatics +9 (+13 jump), Perception +11, Stealth +6 (+14 underground); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, (+8 jump), +4 Stealth (+12

underground) 

Languages Terran

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Breath Weapon

A stone toad can spit a 30-foot line of caustic saliva once every 1d6 rounds. Those hit by the saliva take 2d6 points of acid damage and can attempt a DC 19 Reflex save for half damage. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Caustic Excretions (Ex) 

All creatures that come in contact with a stone toad take 1d6 points of acid damage each round on the toad’s turn.

Hibernate (Ex) 

Stone toads can enter a state of hibernation that can last for decades, or even centuries. To enter hibernation, stone toads use earth glide to enter an area of solid stone. While within the stone, they excrete a special substance that turns the stone immediately around them into liquid stone (similar to transform rock to mud). Next, by ending their earth glide ability, the liquid stone to surround them without crushing them. They then enter their hibernation cycle which can last a number of decades, up to a century. Occasionally, a stone toad’s hibernation is ended prematurely by dwarves or other underground creatures as they mine or burrow through the earth. 

ECOLOGY

Environment any underground

Organization solitary, pair, or knot (2–8)

Treasure standard

Stone toads, or hageroht as they are called in the dwarven tongue, are strange, magical creatures similar in appearance to the more common giant toads. Legends tell that a portal from the Elemental Plane of Earth opened deep underground and a horde of stone toads emerged into the dark recesses of the world. Stone toads have a particular taste for dwarven flesh, and are often encountered in newly opened mines or ancient chambers of dwarven complexes. They were first encountered by a mining party, lead by a dwarven patrol leader named Thoreg. Thoreg gave a great cry of “Ah!” in surprise when a stone toad grabbed him with its sticky tongue. Thus, a reverse spelling of “Thoreg, Ah!” became the dwarven name of these creatures. While stone toads have no practical use for most treasure, they often collect random objects that are left behind or expelled after they have fed and digested their prey.