Criosphinx

CR 7, N Large Magical beast (Sphinx)

Senses: Perception 10, Darkvision 60, Low Light Vision

Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor) Skills: Athletics 1, Deception 10, Intimidation 16

Languages: Common, Sphinx, speak with animals

Ability Scores: Str 23 (+15), Dex 10 (+9), Con 17 (+12), Int 12 (+4), Wis 12 (+4), Cha 11 (+3)

INIT: +0 CP: +10 HP: 85 (10d10+30) SA: 10 DC: 20

AC: 20 Touch: 9 Flat-footed: 20 [+11 Natural, -1 Size]

SR: -- Vulnerable: -- Resistant: -- Bypass: --

Immunity: -- Effect Immunity: --

QUALITIES

Power Attack (ex) - A Criosphinx may choose to take a penalty to its attack roll (up to -5). For each point of penalty, the Criosphinx does one extra point of damage. The Criosphinx must decide to use power attack at the beginning of its turn and it applies to all attack made until the start of its next turn.

Constant Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) - The following spells are always active: Speak with Animals

ACTIONS

Attacks

Melee (Natural) - 2 x claws +15 (1d6+6). Reach: 5 ft.
Melee (Natural) - 1 x gore +15 (2d4+6/19-20). Reach: 5 ft.

Ram (ex) - In place of one of its attacks, the Criosphinx can attempt to ram an opponent and knock it over. To do so, it makes an opposed athletics check. If successful, the target is knocked prone.

Rush (ex) - In place of one of its attacks, the Criosphinx can rush an opponent and attempt to push it backwards. To do so, it makes an opposed athletics checks with its target. For every point higher than its target's roll, it pushes it back 1 foot (min 5 feet). If pushed into an object, the target takes damage equal to half the distance pushed. If pushed off a ledge or cliff, the targets get a Dex saving throw (DC 16) to prevent falling.

Swooping Charge (Full Round)(ex) - The Criosphinx deals double damage when charging. It can also charge by dropping out of the sky, in which case it deals triple damage.

DESCRIPTION

Environment: warm desert and hills

Organization: None

Treasure: standard

This creature has the wings of a bird, the body of a lion, and the head of a ram with sad, wise eyes.

Perhaps the least leonine of all sphinxes, the ram-headed criosphinx lacks the intellect of androsphinxes and gynosphinxes, but still outmatches the dim-witted hieracosphinxes. Like hieracosphinxes and androsphinxes, criosphinxes are always male. At the start of a battle, a criosphinx lowers its horns and crashes into foes, clawing enemies it has engaged. It favors charging down on foes from great heights. Criosphinxes crave wealth over nearly all other things, habitually extorting tolls for safe passage from any who pass their lands. Groups who cannot pay must yield one of their number or a pair of mounts for the criosphinx's meal- single travelers must fight or die. Unlike gynosphinxes, no mere riddle suffices-only the shine of metal or the gleam of jewels can satisfy a criosphinx. Little can convince a criosphinx to part with even a single coin save the lust that its kind bears for the gynosphinx. Criosphinxes crave mating with gynosphinxes above all else, and pay well for the whereabouts of a female, or better yet, a well-crafted riddle that might impress one. For their part, gynosphinxes prefer to have little to do with what they mock as the sheep of sphinxes, though they sometimes lower themselves to a brief assignation in the rare event a criosphinx manages to impress them with wealth or wit. Some criosphinxes set themselves as soothsayers of the desert, trading upon the storied wisdom of androsphinxes and gynosphinxes to deceive gullible travelers. Like their more blustering brethren, they seek wealth from passersby, but for the purposes of dispersing information rather than in exchange for safe passage. Such reliable information as they possess usually comes from idle conversation with the creatures of the desert, with criosphinxes using their inborn ability to speak with animals. A criosphinx lacking in sound information usually fabricates a pleasing lie. Criosphinxes detest hieracosphinxes, regarding them as little more than beasts and a disgrace to their noble race. They drive off their falcon-headed cousins with mock-charges and posturing, escalating to full-f ledged attacks if ignored. Androsphinxes they view with mixed fear and respect, and gynosphinxes with disdain and lust.