#klurichir

[thecreaturecodex]

Demon, Klurichir

Image by Puddnhead, © Wizards of the Coast. Accessed at the Fiend Folio Art Gallery here

[Commissioned by @razzelmire​. The klurichir appeared first in the 3rd edition Fiend Folio, where it is said to be the tool of the demon lords. This is likely a case of one hand not knowing what the other hand is doing--demon lord statistics appear in the Book of Vile Darkness, released the same year. The klurichir sits comfortably in the middle of the demon lords in terms of CR on paper (CR 25 against a range between CR 20 and 30), but even the weakest demon lord in that book has more hit points, a better AC and more nasty abilities than the klurichir. The klurichir also seemed to have gone through several major revisions before publication, leaving it a bit muddled. It has Multiweapon Fighting but only one weapon, claws but no claw attacks, and no range given on its spine attacks.

So my take on the klurichir is plopped in the middle of the CR range for nascent demon lords in PFRPG, weak enough to be a valuable tool for the true demon lords but not their equal. It also streamlines and clarifies their abilities (why did they cast spells as a 10th level sorcerer?) and borrows the malign aura from the D&D 4e version. ]

Demon, Klurichir CR 23 CE Outsider (extraplanar) This hideous fiend stands as tall as a building, with four clawed arms. Two of these arms hold an oversize axe. Its head is like that of a snarling beast, with a pug nose and crooked teeth. Spines cover its shoulders, back and crown. Its skin is a dark, unhealthy green, and its membranous wings are the color of arterial blood. Most horrifying is its chest and stomach—a gnashing maw with multiple rows of teeth and a pair of scissor-like mandibles splits the beast open like a gaping wound.

A klurichir is sometimes called a catastrophe demon, as the effects of a single one of these creatures are truly cataclysmic. They do not form from mortal souls directly, instead being sculpted by a demon lord when it has need of a powerful catspaw, inquisitor or general. They are as strong as or stronger than nascent demon lords. The history of the Abyss is littered with nascent demon lords whose ambitions outstretched their powers and were slain by a klurichir assassin. When not on missions, a klurichir may incite wars between demons and other planes for the sheer fun of it. Some demon lords allow this behavior as a distraction from their own internal plotting, whereas others attempt to stymie it and kill any rogue klurichir they can.

A klurichir is an absolutely devastating combatant. They carry great axes or other two-handed weapons, but prefer to leave some of their hands free in order to grab opponents. The maw set in their stomachs is too awkwardly placed to attack creatures that a klurichir hasn’t grabbed, but it can do overwhelming damage to held foes, even severing heads in a single bite. Opponents that are faster or more agile are barraged by spines infused with negative energy. If facing multiple foes at once, a klurichir uses its impressive magical abilities, in particular its ability to evoke symbols with a mere thought. A klurichir almost never flees from combat once it is joined, choosing to die rather than surrender to mortals.

All klurichirs look almost identical, and they rarely make their allegiances to a particular demon lord clear. Lesser demons scurry for cover at mere rumors of a klurichir’s presence, and are typically obsequious if the beast appears directly. They are fiendishly intelligent and excellent judges of character, and do not tolerate being lied to. Klurichirs lead armies of fiends when their goals dictate so, and even balors bend the knee to a klurichir’s orders (albeit reluctantly). A klurichir considers its greatest enemies to be solars and other klurichirs.

Klurichir                  CR 23 XP 820,000 CE Huge outsider (chaos, demon, evil, extraplanar) Init +10; Senses darkvision 120 ft., detect good, detect law, Perception +35, scent, true seeing Aura malign (30 ft.), unholy aura (DC 28) Defense AC 38, touch 18, flat-footed 32 (-2 size, +6 Dex, +20 natural, +4 deflection) hp 471 (23d10+345) Fort +26, Ref +23, Will +26 DR 20/good and cold iron or epic; Immune electricity, energy drain, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 34 Offense Speed 50 ft., fly 90 ft. (poor) Melee +3 greataxe +39/+34/+29/+24 (4d6+25/19-20x3), 2 claws +31 (2d6+7 plus grab) or 4 claws +36 (2d6+15 plus grab) Ranged 4 spines +27 (2d8+15 plus enervate) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks multigrab, planar champion, rake (bite +36, 4d6+24), powerful blows (bite), vorpal maw Spell-like Abilities CL 23rd, concentration +33 Constant—detect good, detect law, true seeing, unholy aura (DC 28, self only) At will—greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. objects only), mass charm monster (DC 28), mass suggestion (DC 26), slay living (DC 25), telekinesis (DC 25) 3/day—quickened blasphemy (DC 27), empowered fire storm (DC 28), quickened greater dispel magic, master symbol (DC 29) 1/day—gate (planar travel only, DC 29), meteor swarm (DC 29), summon (9th level, 1 demon of CR 20 or lower, 100%), wail of the banshee (DC 29) Statistics Str 41, Dex 23, Con 40, Int 28, Wis 28, Cha 31 Base Atk +23; CMB +40 (+44 grapple); CMD 60 Feats Combat Reflexes, Empower SLA (fire storm), Flyby Attack, Improved Critical (greataxe), Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Point-Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quicken SLA (blasphemy, greater dispel magic), Vital Strike Skills Acrobatics +32, Bluff +36, Diplomacy +33, Fly +24, Intimidate +44, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, history) +32, Knowledge (planes, religion) +35, Perception +35, Sense Motive +43, Spellcraft +32, Stealth +28, Use Magic Device +33; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate, +8 Sense Motive, +4 Stealth Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic, Infernal, Protean, telepathy 100 ft. Ecology Environment any land or underground (Abyss) Organization solitary or warband (1 plus 2-5 mariliths) Treasure double standard (Huge +3 greataxe, other treasure) Special Abilities Enervate (Su) A creature struck by a klurichir’s spine attack must succeed a DC 31 Fortitude save or gain 1 permanent negative level. A creature with a number of negative levels equal to its Hit Dice dies immediately. Malign Aura (Su) No creature can gain hit points within 30 feet of a klurichir. A klurichir is immune to this ability, as is a demon lord. Master Symbol (Sp) As a standard action, a klurichir can trace a symbol in the air, which automatically resolves as a triggered symbol of death, fear, insanity, pain, stunning or weakness. A klurichir is immune to the effects of its own master symbol, and it can choose to attune a number of creatures equal to its Charisma modifier as part of the action made to cast the spell. Creatures can resist the effect with a successful DC 29 saving throw, as appropriate to the symbol represented (Fortitude for death, Will for fear or insanity, etc.). This is the equivalent of a 9th level spell. Multigrab (Ex) A klurichir can choose to grapple a Large or smaller creature using two free arms without taking a -20 penalty for not using its entire body in the grapple. If it has two creatures held in its four arms, it can make rake attacks against them both. Planar Champion (Ex) A klurichir can bypass the damage reduction of all creatures with the outsider type, save creatures capable of granting divine spells, with its manufactured and natural weapons. It has a +4 bonus on all caster level checks made to overcome the spell resistance of outsiders. Spines (Ex) As a standard action, a klurichir can fire four spines. Treat these as thrown weapons with a range increment of 100 feet. A klurichir has an effectively infinite supply of spines, and does not risk running out. Vorpal Maw (Ex) If a klurichir rolls a natural 20 and successfully confirms the critical hit with its bite attack, it severs the head of its opponent. This kills most, but not all opponents instantly, as per a vorpal weapon.

[nostalgiacosmos]

The Klutichir's powerfully muscled body were covered in coarse grayish skin and hair that looked more like quills. [...] The membranous red wings were sprouted from its back and cast the entire ledge in shadow. Its short legs looked as thick and sturdy as stone columns. Four powerful arms, all of them in constant, twitchy motion, erupted from a torso that was little more that a gobbling, cavernous mouth that could have swallowed two ogres whole. An insectoid pincer on each side of the mouth spasmed hungrily. A flood of incompressible prattle and drool leaked from between its rows of grinding teeth.