Cranium Preserver
Creature 10 (rare) — construct
Pre-Remaster content. May include legacy alignment.
AnvilWeaverLANDconstruct
Cranium preservers serve necromancers as walking laboratories for undead. A typical cranium preserver has a metallic and spider-like body, which holds aloft a large central glass vat surrounded by a dozen or more smaller, head-sized glass vats. Each vat is filled with a special embalming fluid that can preserve the minds of slain enemies.
Source: outlaws-of-alkenstar-bestiary (Pre-Remaster)
Perception +19; darkvision
Languages common; any languages spoken by its preserved heads
Skills Lore (any known by its preserved heads) +19, occultism +22, religion +22
Str
+7
Dex
+0
Con
+3
Int
+5
Wis
+0
Cha
+0
AC 28
Fort +22
Ref +16
Will +19
HP 220
Weaknesses electricity 10, vitality 10
Speed 25 feet
Offense
Melee Cranium Remover (deadly-d12, sweep) +23, Damage 3d8+9 slashing
Ranged Embalming Fluid +21, range 120 feet, Damage 2d8+3 mental plus 2d8+3 void
Abilities
Undead Crafter — The cranium preserver knows one version of the Create Undead ritual for every four heads it has preserved (a typical cranium preserver has 12 preserved heads). The cranium preserver can use its heads to make separate rolls as both the primary and secondary casters of the ritual.
Jettison Cranium (incapacitation, mental, void) — The cranium preserver ejects one of its preserved-head jars at a point within 100 feet. The jar explodes, and all creatures in a 10-foot burst must attempt a DC 28 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 2d8 mental plus 2d8 void{2d8 mental damage and 2d8 void damage}.
Failure The creature takes 4d8 mental plus 4d8 void{4d8 mental damage and 4d8 void damage}. The discharged mental anguish released from the preserved head causes the creature to become Confused for 1 round.
Critical Failure The creature takes 8d8 mental plus 8d8 void{8d8 mental and 8d8 void damage}. The discharged mental anguish released from the preserved head causes the creature to become confused for 2 rounds.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 2d8 mental plus 2d8 void{2d8 mental damage and 2d8 void damage}.
Failure The creature takes 4d8 mental plus 4d8 void{4d8 mental damage and 4d8 void damage}. The discharged mental anguish released from the preserved head causes the creature to become Confused for 1 round.
Critical Failure The creature takes 8d8 mental plus 8d8 void{8d8 mental and 8d8 void damage}. The discharged mental anguish released from the preserved head causes the creature to become confused for 2 rounds.
Slosh — Whenever the cranium preserver ends a Stride, the movement causes necrotic embalming fluid and preserved body parts to slosh about and spill from its central vat. Each creature adjacent to the cranium preserver when it finishes its Stride must attempt a DC 26 Will save.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 1d8 mental plus 1d8 void{1d8 mental damage and 1d8 void damage}.
Failure The creature takes 2d8 mental plus 2d8 void{2d8 mental damage and 2d8 void damage}.
Critical Failure The creature takes 4d8 mental plus 4d8 void{4d8 mental and 4d8 void damage}. If the creature is alive, the preserved body parts sense the presence of a living creature and cling to it, causing the creature to become Clumsy 2 for 1 round.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 1d8 mental plus 1d8 void{1d8 mental damage and 1d8 void damage}.
Failure The creature takes 2d8 mental plus 2d8 void{2d8 mental damage and 2d8 void damage}.
Critical Failure The creature takes 4d8 mental plus 4d8 void{4d8 mental and 4d8 void damage}. If the creature is alive, the preserved body parts sense the presence of a living creature and cling to it, causing the creature to become Clumsy 2 for 1 round.
Spontaneous Spells
2nd Create Undead (Mummies, Skeletons, and Zombies)
WORKS WELL WITH
CrasherLANDA crasher capitalises on the openings created by Jettison Cranium's area debuffs while the durable anvil holds the enemy front line with sweep and Slosh.
ShadeLANDA shade can stalk priority targets softened by Jettison Cranium's mental damage and debuffs, exploiting the disorder the anvil's area control creates.
SnareLANDThe preserver's Slosh and sweep funnel enemies into predictable paths where a snare's hazards become difficult to avoid.
PUNISHES
✖ clumping✖ low Will
Works well with · Punishes · Pairing advice
Unlock with Tactics
Run Cranium Preserver in the encounter builder — free, no install.
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