Beeholder (3.5e Monster)

''What, you were expecting a floating eyeball? Too bad, you get a giant claw covered in bees instead.''

Often confused with the similar sounding floating cyclops known as beholders, the beeholder is just as terrifying for all different reasons. It appears as a giant leathery yellow hand with two thumbs in symmetry, and what appears to be a beehive embedded within its palm. In fact, the entire hand is actually the hive created by the swarms that live within and animated by unknown means, an artifical aberrant life form which lives in synergy. Using its bees as a functional medium of a brain, the beeholder is itself sentient and represents the interests of the hive as a whole. The exact science behind this hive-brain and how it levitates naturally is a complete mystery, and the materials it is made of correspond to no known earthly material.

Beeholders are fiercely territorial as they float around the entrance of caves or hidden in trees, often immobile and looking like a strange beehive until it springs to life and attacks! If the beeholder is slain, the bees inside escape and begin rebuilding a new beeholder elsewhere.

Beeholders understand common and the language of bees and other stinging insects, but only speak in buzzing. Those which can speak to bees can theoretically speak to a beeholder, but it is doubtful they have anything kind to say.

Combat
Beeholders usually hide in odd corners, on the ceilings, or in places one might expect a beehive even going so far as to hide within other beehives. When disturbed it leaps forward and grapples, clamping down, while casting spell-like abilities and relying on its swarms to ward off creatures helping release its prey. It is as intelligent as a human and able to use tactics, make traps, and other tricks.

Beeholders treat their claw attack as a two-handed weapon for all purposes, including for Power Attack.

Cloud of Bees : The beeholder is always surrounded by bees, effectively making it always under the effects of lesser crown of vermin. At caster level 13th, its effectively an additional 130 hp in insects. It can choose to apply healing from its regeneration or any healing effect to restoring its swarm instead of its body.

Death Throes : On death a beeholder bursts into 1d4 dire bee swarms, at least one which immediately attempts to flee to ensure the survival of the coloney in the future. The others usually stay to interfere and secure the swarm's escape.

Frightful Presence :  Bees are terrifying, and a mobile hive even more so! All creatures with its HD or less within 30 ft of a hostile beeholder must make a DC 21 Will save or become frightened for 2d4 rounds (shaken for 2d4 rounds on a successful save). Those with greater HD save vs shaken for 2d4 rounds (save negates). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Honey Bomb : As a standard action the beeholder can throw a lump of honey out with a ranged touch attack out to 100 ft. It burst into a sticky mass equal to a tanglefoot bag but in a 20 ft radius burst and with a DC 22 Reflex save. Those entangled by the honey bomb take 50% extra damage from swarms for as long as they remain sticky with honey. The beeholder may use honey bomb once every 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Immunities : Beeholders are immune to mind-affecting effects, poison,

Improved Grab : To use this ability, a beeholder must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Poison : Injury, Fortitude DC 22, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Regeneration : The beeholder's regeneration is bypassed by fire and any diseased weapon.

Spell-Like Abilities :  At will-detect disease, poison needle (DC 16), seeker bee; 3/day-hivecraft, honey ambrosia, pizizzap's bothersome allergen (DC 17), swarm thermoball (DC 18), warp rider (one wasp);  1/day-drillbee infestation (DC 22), skin to bees (DC 23). The saving throws are Charisma-based.

Spawn Swarm :  A beeholder always has 4 bee swarms around it, which it can command and control as a free action. If its swarms die, it will automatically create a new swarm in an adjucant space to it every 1d4 rounds until it is back to having four bee swarms.

Vice Grip : When the beeholder grapples a creature it has a habit of not letting go. It can choose to maintain a grapple as a free action instead of a attack action. It does not need to make Concentration checks to perform actions while grappling.