Gastrolder (3.5e Monster)

''Thrown into the dungeon you ignite a torch, only to see a floating sphere at the end of the hall. It looks like a beholder but its skin is yellow with jaundice, its stalks small and shriveled, and its eye shrunk to make room for the massive mouth which dominates most of its body. It charges at you, teeth snapping!''

The gastrolder is a form of beholderkin typically found in dark lightless dungeons and mazes as guardian monsters. They are 7 feet around, rough and yellow hued with small nearly non-existant eye stalks and their central eye is fairly small compared to the massive toothy mouth it possesses. They are said to have been formed through magical experimentations on beholders powerful digestive systems, until they where nearly all mouth and stomach. Though they've lost their mighty magical force and their antimagic eye has weakened, they make up for it in brute strength and hunger. Indeed, while the gastrolder's metabolism is such that it could survive for decades without food, it is eternally hungry and seeking flesh and magic alike to consume.

Combat
Gastrolders are simple-minded creatures, but capable of using the environment to their advantage. They live in cramped dungeons with long tunnels and maze-like structures, and always throws its home into pitch darkness which it can see through and its prey cannot. It pops from around corners and other hiding spots and charges its enemies who are forced to line up in the tunnel, and devours them all with one bite.

All-Around Vision : The gastrolder can see in all directions. It cannot be flanked. However it has a -2 penalty on gaze attacks.

Biting Charge : As a full-round action a gastrolder can charge in a straight line and make a bite attack against each creature in its path. It provokes attacks of opportunity for doing so, with a +4 bonus to AC from its Mobility feat. If facing a large number of opponents, gastrolders will typically bite all the creatures and used improved grab on the last one, so it can swallow them next round.

Eye of Suppression : A lesser version of the normal beholder's antimagic eye, the gastrolder constantly emits a 90 foot cone which suppresses freedom of movement, teleportation effects, and effects which improve one's speed such as haste (but not spells which grant a speed, such as a fly spell). This effect is also in place within the gastrolder's stomach lining.

Improved Grab : To use this ability, a gastrolder must hit an opponent of up to its own size with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.

Magic Rage : Gastrolders enjoy the taste of magical items and will attempt to devour them if unattended, attempting to disarm creatures if need be. When it eats a magical item it drains its energy and empowers the gastrolder. For 1 round/caster level of the item it gains +30 speed, +4 to attack and damage, its DR increases to DR 20/adamantine, its natural attacks gain the ghost touch enhancement, and it emits an aura of fear out to 60 feet which makes all creatures frightened for its duration. This primal fear even effects immune to mind effects (though they gain a +4 bonus on the saving throw), DC 23 Will negates. The saving throw is Charisma based. Clever gastrolders lay magical items such as potions and scrolls around key positions of their dungeon both to attract adventurers and to devour to combat intruders and soon-to-be meals.

See In Darkness : Gastrolders can can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by a deeper darkness spell.

Spell-Like Abilities : At will- deeper darkness, detect magic, telekinesis. Caster level 14th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Swallow Whole : A gastrolder has an extradimensional stomach capable of holding far more than it should. It can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to its own size by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 8d6+18 points of bludgeoning damage and 4d6 points of acid damage per round from the gastrolder's stomach. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the stomach lining (AC 24). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

Tough Stomach : The stomach of the gastrolder is unusually tough. It uses its full natural armor bonus to determine the AC of its stomach lining instead of half.

Skills : Gastrolders gain their CR as a racial bonus to Spot checks.