Chimera (3.5e Monster)

The normal chimera is pretty sad as far as creatures go. With only a mediocre breath weapon and flight, it may be a legitimate opponent for a party of its given CR, but it’s still not very original, cool, or strong.

Because of the coloration of its possible dragon heads, the chimera can be speculated in D&D worlds to be a creation of Tiamat. If so, she must have a sense of humor that surpasses all normal ken, since she paired it with the heads of a lion, goat, and a snake.

The lower front body of a chimera resembles an overgrown lion, while its hindquarters are those of a goat. Its large wings are those of a dragon, while its tail in the head of a biting, spitting viper. A chimera can speak normally to any creature of the same species as one of its heads (as the speak with animals spell). The dragon head also speaks Draconic, but rarely does so due to its widespread popularity as a language.

Combat
As mentioned above, a chimera has three primary heads: a dragon, a lion, and a goat. Each of them can control the main body separately, allowing the chimera to take multiple turns worth of actions in a single round. This makes it a very dangerous opponent in any form of combat, since the various abilities of its heads are each highly magical and mysterious in nature. In addition, each of the three main heads has a number of hit points equal to the chimera’s normal hit point total.

The save DC’s for any chimera ability are 22 and are Constitution-based.

The snake tail also acts of its own accord (see below). Whenever the chimera has the option to make an attack of opportunity, it may choose which of its three primary heads makes the attack.

When the chimera declares a charge attack, it has the option to attack with all of its heads and its tail at the same time, in which case all of their abilities can be used cooperatively. Even this, however, only counts as one used turn and the tail’s attack for the turn.

Attacking a chimera with a vorpal weapon requires that the wielder of the weapon specify which head is the target of a successful vorpal strike. Doing so does not kill the chimera outright, but reduces its hit points by one third of its maximum total (potentially killing it anyway) in addition to negating the actions of one of the chimera's heads.

Skills: A chimera's four heads give it a +8 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are factored into its skill set above.

Dragon Head
The chimera’s dragon head is the most patient of the heads, content to use its flight and plethora of ranged attacks to destroy foes from afar. Due to its predisposition to Tiamat, however, it is often the most malicious and cruel of all the heads, whispering into the ears of the others in order to increase their aggressiveness.

 : A chimera’s dragon head has a breath weapon that is dependent on its type (see the list below) and always deals confers immunity to the energy type of its breath weapon (this is not counted as having any particular subtype, merely energy immunity). Regardless of its type, the dimensions of the linear breath weapon are 5 feet wide and 100 feet in length, while a conical breath weapon has a height, length, and width of 50 feet. Each breath weapon deals 1d10 points of damage per Hit Die of the chimera (12d10 by default) and also offers a Reflex save for half damage. After using this form of breath weapon, the dragon must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again.

If it wishes, the dragon head may also make a ranged touch attack to strike a single opponent within Medium range (320 feet) with a condensed ball of its elemental breath. Unlike the normal breath weapon, this form does not offer a Reflex save and has no recharge time (and thus can even be used when the other breath weapon cannot). Lastly, the dragon head deals one half its normal breath weapon damage whenever it successfully bites an opponent.

 : The dragon head also gains access to a single Sphere (based on its color) to which it is always considered to have advanced access, meaning each spell-like ability can be used up to three times per day. Its effective caster level for the sphere is equal to its Challenge Rating.

If you desire to randomly determine the coloration of the chimera's dragon head, roll a 1d10 and assign two numbers to each of the following colors:


 * Black: A black dragon head breathes a line of acid and casts spells from the Water sphere.
 * Blue: A blue dragon head breathes a line of lightning and casts spells from the Electricity sphere.
 * Green: A green dragon head breathes a cone of acidic gas and casts spells from the Plant sphere.
 * Red: A red dragon head breathes a cone of fire and casts spells from the Fire sphere.
 * White: A white dragon head breathes a cone of cold and casts spells from the Cold sphere.

More possible dragon heads can be added at the DM’s discretion.

Goat Head
The goat head is typically the most brutish of all the chimera’s heads; its gore attack deals twice its Strength modifier in damage. But it also has the ability to produce a bleating sound that lulls foes into a false sense of security.

 : When it hits an opponent with its gore attack, the goat head strikes with tremendous blunt force, forcing the foe to make a Fortitude save or be knocked prone.

 : As a standard action, the goat head can produce a bleating noise that forces one creature within 30 feet of the chimera to make a Will save or be totally entranced by it, serving the chimera as if charmed until the end of its next turn.

Lion Head
The lion head of a chimera is tremendously bloodthirsty; it craves fresh meat and eagerly awaits melee combat, in which it tears foes to pieces with its combination of natural attacks. Once it bites, it presses its advantage and claws wildly at the opponent to draw more blood.

 : If the lion head hits with its bite attack, it may make two claw attacks on the same opponent immediately thereafter as a free action. Both of these claw attacks are at the chimera's full base attack bonus and deal 2d6+6 damage.

 : As a standard action, the chimera’s lion head may unleash a terrifying roar, forcing all creatures that can see it within 30 feet of it to make a Will save or be panicked for one round.

Snake Tail
The chimera’s snake tail is its weakest asset, practically separate from the rest of the beast unless they make a cooperative attack. Unlike the other heads, it cannot control the body and as a result can never take its own turn except as noted below. It also cannot make attacks of opportunity despite its immense length and reach.

 : The snake head of a chimera has 20 feet of reach instead of the normal 15 feet.

 : Once per round, the chimera’s snake tail may attempt to bite a target within its reach as an immediate action. This occurs outside of any normal actions the other chimera heads take. If it successfully hits, the victim of the bite must succeed on a Fortitude save or take 1d10 points of Constitution damage. This ability damage is both the primary and secondary damage of this poison.

Instead of delivering the poison through a bite, the snake head can also deliver the poison by spitting its venom, making a ranged touch attack on any opponent within Close range (55 feet) to deal the damage.