Articuno (3.5e Monster)



''A magnificent blue bird appears before you, its feathers glistening like brilliant crystals. The air around the creature feels like it could freeze at any moment.''

Summary::One of the three legendary birds of Kanto, Articuno takes the form of a large bird with predominantly blue plumage. Its coloring is a cyan on its long streamer-like tail and head crest. Its head crest is simple, consisting of three rhombus-shaped feathers on its forehead. Its body is a sky blue, growing lighter on its chest and belly. Its most distinctive feature is its large wings, which look like they are made of ice. It has a small gray beak and thin, similarly colored legs.

Combat
Out of all three legendary birds, Articuno has the strongest defenses, though it's also the weakest of the trio in terms of offense. That doesn't mean that you can take it lightly, though; its cold attacks can still devastate the unwary.

 : Articuno has a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Wisdom modifier.

 : As a standard action, Articuno can trample creatures it flies over. Articuno merely has to fly above the enemy within 5 feet of it (that is, the opponent has to be in Articuno's melee reach). Articuno'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.

' :''' As a standard action, Articuno may generate a snowstorm that covers a sphere with a radius of 10 feet per 4 Hit Die (minimum 10 feet), centered on Articuno itself. This snowstorm does 1d4 cold damage per 2 Hit Die Articuno possesses (maximum 10d4 at 20 HD) to all within range, with a Fortitude save (DC 16) allowed for half damage. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell, and its DC is calculated accordingly; the save DC is Charisma-based.

 : With an immediate action, Articuno can suddenly flash-freeze the air and hurl a cloud of icy shards at an enemy. This requires a ranged attack out to 50' range, and deals Cold damage equal to 2d6 plus Articuno's hit dice. This attack automatically succeeds on any roll against miss chance. This is an [Ice] effect. In Contests, Articuno can elect to automatically go first (rolling off between multiple automatic-firsts), using Ice Shard.

' :''' As a standard action, Articuno can shroud itself in mist. This mist grants it 20% concealment and also renders it completely immune to ability damage, ability drain, ability score penalties, and energy drain attacks. The mist retains these protective qualities for 5 rounds, after which it becomes inert, requiring Articuno to conjure it again to renew its protection. Mist does not cure or dispel any ability damage, ability drain, ability score penalties, or negative levels that have already been inflicted upon Articuno, nor does it prevent status conditions such as numbing, paralysis, or burning (and also does not prevent ability score modification due to status conditions). This ability is the equivalent of a 4th-level spell and is considered a [Cold] effect (actually an [Ice] effect, but it is unable to actually interact with other Pokémon in a way that would be considered Super Effective or Not Very Effective).

 : As a move action, Articuno can study a foe and attempt to predict its next move. The target must succeed on a Bluff check, opposed by a Sense Motive check made by Articuno, in order to throw it off. The foe must be aware of Articuno to attempt to bluff it; if not, Mind Reader automatically succeeds. If the foe fails or is unaware of Articuno, Articuno's next attack automatically hits that foe without requiring an attack roll (make an attack roll anyways to determine if it scores a critical hit), and the foe automatically fails any saving throws it would be entitled to against that attack. Articuno can only focus on one opponent at a time using this ability. If Articuno does not attack the designated foe by the end of its next turn, it loses the benefit of this ability and must study the opponent again to predict its next move.

 : Once per three rounds, Articuno can telekinetically launch up to 3 chunks of stone within 100 feet. These are launched as ranged attacks at separate targets, and, if at least as large as a Medium character, deal 6d6 damage each. Furthermore, upon activation, Articuno gains a +1 enhancement bonus to natural armour and to all ability scores for the next five minutes. Using AncientPower while the bonus is still in effect improves the bonus by 1 (to a maximum of +6 total for natural armor and each ability score) and resets the duration - Articuno knows to throw random rocks around every minute or so just to keep the bonuses at the maximum. This is a [Rock] effect.

 : Articuno may act as if hasted for a number of rounds per day equal to Articuno's hit dice plus its Charisma modifier. This ability can be activated or suppressed as a free action.

 : As a standard action, Articuno may fire a ray of bitter cold at a single opponent. This ray is treated as a ranged touch attack, and if it hits, it does 1d8 cold damage per Hit Die Articuno has, plus Articuno's Charisma bonus. This is usable once every 1d4-1 rounds. The sample Articuno does 16d8+3 damage with its Ice Beam. This is an [Ice] effect.

' :''' As a standard action, Articuno may set up a mystical screen. This mystical screen is a flat, vertical plane that is exactly like a wall of force (and, like wall of force, is treated as a 5th-level spell), except for three key differences. First the area of the Reflect screen is twice that of a wall of force (one 20-foot square per level). Second, a Reflect screen doesn't actually prevent anything from passing through. Instead, it blunts the force of any physical attack (whether melee or ranged) that is initiated within the screen or passes through it, so that the damage it inflicts is cut in half (before applying other factors that might reduce the damage, such as damage reduction). Third, unlike a wall of force, a Reflect screen can be suppressed by an antimagic field. The screen remains for 5 rounds, and Articuno cannot set up a new Reflect screen while it already has one in effect.

 : Anyone who makes an attack against Articuno must make a Will save vs. DC 21 after the attack is resolved. If they fail, they become fatigued for 3 rounds. If already fatigued, they become Exhausted instead. This applies to any harmful ability, whether it be a regular attack, a spell, a supernatural ability, or anything else that targets Articuno or includes it in the area of effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

For reasons that will never be explained, Cranidos, Rampardos, Reshiram, Zekrom, White Kyurem, Black Kyurem, and some specimens of Pinsir are immune to this. Scholars and loremasters, if they even know of this, would be puzzled for many years.

Advancement
Articuno's spell resistance is equal to its HD + 14, and its natural armor is equal to its HD. Its spell dampening is equal to ¼ its HD (rounded down), and its damage reduction is equal to ⅛ its HD (rounded down).

At 18 HD, Articuno learns  . While on the ground, Articuno can spend a full-round action to rejuvenate itself, as if refreshing maneuvers. Instead, however, Articuno heals itself for a number of hit points equal to half of its current maximum, and also loses its Flying Pokémon traits until its next turn.

At 21 HD, Articuno learns ' '''. It may cast mass haste once per day per 4 Hit Dice.

At 23 HD, Articuno learns blizzard as a spell-like ability usable once per day. It is treated as an [Ice] effect.

At 26 HD, Articuno learns ' '''. As a 1-round action, Articuno may attempt to "magnetize" a single creature so that its body draws in snow and ice (the target may resist this with a Will save). If the target fails this Will save, it is then entitled to a Reflex save to evade the incoming snow and ice; a successful Reflex save means that it merely takes 1 point of Dexterity damage, but failure means that it is essentially entombed in a rapidly-forming mini-glacier, forcing it to succeed on a Fortitude save or die instantly (and even if it succeeds on the Fortitude save, it's still stuck at the core of a miniature glacier, which means it probably can't contribute to the fight anymore). A creature with the Sturdy quality (such as Skarmory) just flat-out no-sells this attack; it automatically succeeds on the initial Will save, preventing the entire attack from working (even if Articuno used Mind Reader beforehand). This is an [Ice] effect and is treated as the equivalent of a 9th-level spell. All save DCs are Charisma-based.

At 28 HD, Articuno learns  . It may start a hailstorm at will, as though using the control weather spell. This hailstorm does 1d6 points of bludgeoning, cold, and force damage per round to all creatures without the Cold subtype. ⅔ of this damage is nonlethal damage, but the remaining ⅓ is lethal (lethal damage is rounded down). A creature's energy resistance, damage reduction, or energy immunity does not protect it from the hail unless it resists all three types of damage.

At 31 HD, Articuno 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.