Dread Devourer (3.5e Monster)

devourers that have existed for a very long time and consumed many souls, or even worse, been deliberately enhanced by a wicked spellcaster.]] Their name is well-earned, for they are far more vicious and dangerous than their lesser kin.

A dread devourer is about 18 feet tall and weighs 1500 pounds.

Dread devourers speak Common.

Combat
Even if it had no special abilities, a dread devourer would be a terrible opponent, for its bony claws can flay enemies alive.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a dread devourer’s claw attack or spectral hand ability gain three negative levels. The DC is 42 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based.

 (Su): The dread devourer is named for its ability to consume an enemy’s life essence. The ability is one it shares with its lesser kin, but for the dread devourer, it's far more effective. To trap an enemy's essence, it must forgo its normal melee attacks and make a trap essence attack. This requires a normal attack roll but deals no damage. Instead, the target must succeed on a DC 44 Fortitude saving throw or instantly die. The save DC is Charisma-based. A slain creature’s essence is trapped within the dread devourer’s ribs, and the tiny figure takes on that victim’s features. The trapped essence cannot be raised or resurrected, but a limited wish, miracle, or wish spell frees it, as does destroying the dread devourer. A dread devourer can hold only one essence at a time, and cannot use this attack if it already holds an essence.

The trapped essence provides a dread devourer with enough power to use five spell-like abilities for each Hit Die or level of the trapped creature. As this energy is expended, the twisted soul fades away until it evaporates completely. The trapped essence gains one negative level for every five times the dread devourer uses one of its spell-like abilities. When the essence’s number of negative levels equals the creature’s total Hit Dice or level, the essence is destroyed. If an essence is freed, the restored creature must succeed on a DC 44 Fortitude save for each negative level or lose that level permanently. (The save DC for both avoiding death by trap essence and removing the negative levels is enhanced by Ability Focus.)

Spell-Like Abilities: At the start of any encounter, the trapped essence within a dread devourer is assumed to have 5d4+5 levels (enough fuel for fifty to one hundred-and-twenty-five uses). Once per round, a dread devourer can use one of the following abilities: confusion (DC 28), control undead (DC 31), ghoul touch (DC 26), planar ally, ray of enfeeblement (DC 25), spectral hand, suggestion (DC 26), true seeing, inflict critical wounds (DC 28), unholy blight (DC 28), spell flower, hold monster (DC 29), alien limb (DC 27), aura of doom, detect survivors, bestow curse (DC 27). Caster level 43rd. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

At 40 HD, a dread devourer replaces inflict critical wounds with harm (DC 30). At 48 HD, it replaces that with greater harm (DC 33).

 (Su): The trapped essence provides a measure of magical protection. If any of the following spells are cast at the dread devourer and overcome its spell resistance, they affect the imprisoned essence instead: banishment, chaos hammer, confusion, crushing despair, detect thoughts, dispel evil, dominate person, fear, geas/quest, holy word, hypnotism, imprisonment, magic jar, maze, suggestion, trap the soul, or any form of charm or compulsion. In many cases, this deflection effectively neutralizes the spell. Some of these effects might eliminate the trapped essence, depriving the dread devourer of its spell-like abilities until it can consume another victim.

 (Ex): A dread devourer gains maximum Hit Points per Hit Die.