Volcarona (3.5e Monster)



''When you reach the vampire's chamber, you find that the vampire is already lifeless dust. Your gaze is drawn up to the creature that destroyed it - a magnificent seraphim-esque moth. The creature is vividly beautiful, bearing six vivid crimson wings, a pale-green abdomen, beady blue eyes, and a sun-shaped head crest. With one flap of its wings, it coats the ground and sky with solar flame...''

Volcarona is a creature spoken of in hushed tones among the sun-hating creatures of the world. They refer to it as the Moth of Solar Flame - truly a fitting title. Summary::Volcarona is an avatar of the sun itself. If the sun were to be blotted out, Volcarona could serve as a replacement. Its very presence is just like sunlight, for good or for ill - creatures that are vulnerable to sunlight, like vampires, barrow-wights, nightshades, bodaks, and drow, tend not to last long in its vicinity.

Combat
Volcarona has less physical power than its previous form, and actually loses many of Larvesta's physical techniques. But it doesn't need them. In exchange, it has acquired phenomenal spiritual and solar power. Any sun-vulnerable creature that Volcarona so much as approaches will die in agony. Even creatures without such vulnerabilities will find that Volcarona is a difficult opponent to face. However, Volcarona is physically frail, so hitting it hard with weapon attacks is a good idea.

Note that Volcarona's feats were all taken while it was still a Larvesta. As a result, all of them except for Ability Focus are metacombat feats (corresponding to Larvesta's physical combat style). As Volcarona advances and takes its own feats, it's likely to choose feats that enhance its myriad spell-like and supernatural abilities.

Volcarona's flare attack is based on its Constitution instead of its Strength.

 (Su): Volcaronas have a minor breath weapon; they can breathe fire. A Volcarona's ember attack strikes in a 50 ft. cone and deals 2d6 + HD + Cha mod in fire damage. Creatures in the area may halve the damage on a successful Reflex save, DC = 10 + Volcarona's Charisma modifier + ½ Volcarona's Hit Dice. Volcarona may not use Ember for 1d4 rounds after having used it. The sample Volcarona's Ember attack inflicts 2d6+25 fire damage with a save DC of 26. This is a [Fire] effect.

 : Volcarona's bite attack does an extra 1d6 negative energy damage, +1 negative energy damage for every 3 Hit Die Volcarona has, to living targets. Volcarona gains HP equal to the negative energy damage it deals in this way, and any hit points it gains above its maximum are gained as temporary hit points that last for 1 hour. This is a [Bug] effect.

Volcarona's Leech Life is slightly less potent than that of a Larvesta of equal HD; Larvesta can deal up to 2 more damage than Volcarona can.

 (Ex): As a standard action, a Volcarona can trample creatures it flies over. The Volcarona merely has to fly above the enemy within 10 feet of it (that is, the opponent has to be in Volcarona's melee reach). A Volcarona's gust attack deals 1d8 + Dexterity Modifier of subdual damage. A gusted opponent may attempt an attack of opportunity with a &minus;4 penalty to the attack roll (assuming that it has a reach of 5 feet or more). A gusted opponent who chooses not to make an attack of opportunity may instead attempt a Reflex save for half damage (DC 10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + Dexterity Modifier). This is a [Flying] effect.

 (Su): As a standard action, Volcarona can make a ranged touch attack against a single creature within Close range. If it hits, the target takes 1d4 + HD + Cha mod in fire damage, and is also entangled. It takes an additional 1d4 fire damage every round that it remains entangled. The target may be entangled by this effect for up to 5 rounds, after which it is automatically released. This is a [Fire] effect.

3 times/day: fire storm. Volcarona's caster level is equal to its HD (18 for the sample Volcarona). The save DCs are equal to 10 + spell level + Volcarona's Charisma modifier. Fireball and fire storm are [Fire] effects, and gust of wind is a [Flying] effect.

 : As a standard action, Volcarona may summon and send out a gust of scale-laced wind. The wind covers two 5' squares per hit die (36 for the sample Volcarona). It must start adjacent to Volcarona, and the squares must be connected as a single area. All in the area take half piercing & slashing, half force damage equal to 3d6 + the Volcarona's hit dice, double if they have the [Psionic] subtype. A successful Reflex save (DC 26, Charisma-based) halves this damage. Additionally, all of Volcarona's ability scores gain a +1 enhancement bonus for one minute. Multiple uses of the ability will increase the bonus by +1 each time, to a maximum of +6. Silver Wind cannot be used two rounds in a row. This is a [Bug] effect.

 : By spending a standard action, Volcarona can initiate a strange dance that conjures up bizarre, yet potent energies. Sustaining the dance requires a move action, and the effect lasts while sustained and for a number of rounds afterwards equal to its (newly-enhanced) Charisma bonus. While the effects last, Volcarona gains a +6 enhancement bonus to Wisdom, Charisma, and Dexterity, and it also gains a +60-ft. enhancement bonus to all of its movement speeds. In addition to all that, the range of its solar aura increases by 60 feet.

 : Volcarona is essentially a living sun. It constantly generates an aura of solar power in its immediate vicinity. The area of effect is equal to 20 feet &times; Volcarona's HD (360 feet for the sample Volcarona). The entire area is treated as being in natural sunlight, and creatures affected by natural sunlight in any special way are affected in the same way by Volcarona's solar aura. Volcarona may suppress or resume the aura as a free action on its turn once per round. There is no save against the effect, nor does spell resistance apply. Anything vulnerable to sunlight will suffer in Volcarona's vicinity, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Vampires will die, bodaks will suffer 1 point of damage per round, barrow-wights will become absurdly slow and weak, nightshades will be dazzled, etc. If the area is actually in natural sunlight, or multiple Volcaronas are around, the effects stack, increasing damage per round, dividing duration of grace periods, and shifting harmful conditions by 1 step (for example, dazzled to dazed, dazed to stunned, stunned to paralyzed, fatigued to exhausted, sickened to nauseated, shaken to frightened, frightened to panicked, etc.) by a factor of the number of Volcaronas around, plus 1 Volcarona if the area is actually in natural sunlight (this can fry creatures which take damage over time in sunlight, such as bodaks and derro, very, very quickly, and a vampire exposed to multiple Volcaronas is just plain dead, with no opportunity to escape). Creatures that benefit from exposure to natural sunlight have those benefits multiplied based on whether or not natural sunlight is actually present and the number of Volcaronas present; this works the same way as multiplying the detrimental effects of natural sunlight. The effective caster level of this ability (for effects that care) is equal to Volcarona's HD.

For example, a derro within the solar auras of 2 Volcaronas, or within the solar aura of 1 Volcarona and exposed to natural sunlight, would have every 1 round treated as 2 for purposes of its exposure time (thus causing it to take Constitution damage once every 30 minutes instead of once per hour, assuming that it spent the entire 30 minutes within the solar aura(s)); furthermore, if it was within the solar aura(s) when it took damage, it would take 2 Constitution damage instead of 1. A derro within the solar auras of 3 Volcaronas, or within the solar aura of 2 Volcaronas and exposed to natural sunlight, would have every 1 round treated as 3 for purposes of its exposure time (thus causing it to take Constitution damage once every 15 minutes instead of once per hour, assuming that it spent the entire 15 minutes within the solar auras); furthermore, if it was within the solar auras when it took damage, it would take 3 Constitution damage instead of 1. Divide days into hours, hours into minutes, and minutes into rounds if necessary, but if dividing to less than a round (for instance, dividing 75 rounds by 2, such as for a derro in the solar auras of 6 Volcaronas), round down to the nearest whole number of rounds (37 in this case). A creature that takes damage, gains hp, or incurs other effects once per round of exposure cannot have the rate accelerated any further, though the magnitude of the effect can still be multiplied by the number of Volcaronas (with 1 more Volcarona effectively being present if the area is in natural sunlight); for instance, a bodak would take 3 damage per round if exposed to natural sunlight and 2 Volcaronas, or 3 Volcaronas without natural sunlight.

A Volcarona with sufficient HD can count as multiple Volcaronas for the purposes of this ability. The power of Volcarona's solar aura is multiplied by 1 per 20 HD (that is, a Volcarona with 20 HD or more counts as 2 Volcaronas; a Volcarona with 40 HD or more counts as 3 Volcaronas; a Volcarona with 60 HD or more counts as 4 Volcaronas; and so on and so forth). The sample Volcarona has 18 HD, and only counts as a single Volcarona for the purpose of determining its solar aura's strength.

 : Volcarona's body is very hot. Anything striking it with an unarmed attack or natural weapon takes 1 point of fire damage per HD Volcarona has (18 for the sample Volcarona) and must succeed on a Reflex save or suffer a burn. The save DC is equal to 10 + ½ Volcarona's HD + Volcarona's Constitution modifier (24 for the sample Volcarona).

 : Fire and rocks don't mix well. Fire bugs and rocks mix even worse. Volcarona takes a &minus;10 penalty to all saves against [Rock] effects. If a [Rock] effect doesn't even allow a save, Volcarona takes double damage and is sad.

Advancement


At every even-numbered Hit Die, increase Volcarona's Charisma by 1. At every odd-numbered Hit Die, increase Volcarona's Dexterity by 1. Every time Volcarona gains a new feat, increase its Constitution and Wisdom by 1.

At 20 HD, Volcarona learns  . This attack takes the form of a Medium-range emanation centered upon Volcarona. All creatures caught in the area (except for Volcarona itself) take 2d10 sonic damage per HD Volcarona has and become confused for 1 round for every 4 Hit Die Volcarona possesses. A successful Fortitude save (DC = 10 + ½ Volcarona's HD + Volcarona's Charisma modifier) can halve the damage and negate the confusion. This is a [Bug] effect.

Oddly enough, Bug Buzz is completely useless on creatures with "soundproof" qualities, such as Electrode, Exploud, and Mr. Mime.

At 24 HD, Volcarona learns  . This works just like a Knight's sacrifice ability.

At 28 HD, Volcarona learns ' '''. This ability can be used three times per day, and functions exactly like greater whirlwind, with one alteration; in addition to the spell's normal effects, victims must succeed on a Will save or become confused for as long as they remain in the whirlwind and for 1d6 rounds afterwards. This is a [Flying] effect.

At 32 HD, Volcarona learns  . Fiery Dance is Volcarona's signature move, and makes its solar aura even more powerful. As a standard action, Volcarona begins flapping its wings in a ritualistic pattern. Sustaining this dance requires a move action, and the effect lasts while sustained and for a number of rounds afterwards equal to its (enhanced) Charisma bonus. While the effects last, Volcarona gains a +6 enhancement bonus to Charisma, the range of its solar aura is extended by 120 feet, and the solar aura's power is intensified &mdash; being near Volcarona in this state is like being within the sun's atmosphere. While Fiery Dance is active, the power of Volcarona's solar aura is multiplied by 1 per 10 HD (instead of 1 per 20 HD as normal), plus an additional 3. The intensified solar aura also deals 1d10 fire and light damage per hit die Volcarona possesses to all creatures without an exceptional affinity with the sun (such as Larvestas, other Volcaronas, or sunmaidens) within its (extended) range, with a Reflex save allowed (DC = 10 + ½ Volcarona's Hit Die + Volcarona's (enhanced) Charisma bonus) to halve the damage. Any creatures with a vulnerability to sunlight in the area, no matter how minor the vulnerability is, must also make a Fortitude save (DC equal to the Reflex save) or be utterly destroyed. Immunity to effects that require Fortitude saves does not apply to this; the Fortitude save must be made. (Needless to say, sunlight-vulnerable undead in the vicinity of a Volcarona tend to get wiped out quickly.) Success on the Reflex save grants a +2 bonus to the Fortitude save for that round, but fresh saves must be made on every round that a creature is exposed to the Fiery Dance. The only form of protection effective against this attack is protection from the sun itself (well, okay, from a purely mechanical point of view, fire and light immunity will suffice for creatures without a vulnerability to sunlight; creatures with such a vulnerability are out of luck, and need to have some means of protection from sunlight or else be able to succeed on a Fortitude save once per round to survive). The effects of Fiery Dance do not stack with the effects of Quiver Dance; they overlap. This move is a [Fire] effect.