Cactuar (3.5e Monster)



''At first glance, a green blur goes by, but a split second later it stops and what appears to be a humanoid shaped cactus plant is standing there. It has two small black holes that appear to be eyes and another tall but narrow hole in its hide that looks almost like a mouth in the shape of a "0". There are thousands of tiny razor sharp quills all over its body and it jitters nervously in place, looking as tho in a moments notice it will spook and run away.''

Cactuars are tiny cactus creatures that are very nervous and dislike being around other creatures. Having been hunt for centuries by humanoids for the fleshy fruit that makes up their body, which is extremely valuable. Cactuar fruit can be eaten directly and and has a rejuvenative effect, immediately quenching the thirst and abating the hunger of anyone who eats it. When eaten, the fruit also grants a +8 bonus on fortitude saves made to resist any ill effect of hot weather or hot environments and on saves against poisons of any creature whos native environment is a desert. This effect lasts for 1 hour. Also, master potion makers can use the Cactuar fruit to make a potion that restores someones youth and is known as a potion of youth.

Combat
Cactuars will generally use their normal needle attack to attack any creature threatening it. Every time a cactuar is struck for damage, it will counter attack in its following turn with its 1,000 needles attack against the creature that damaged it, and make one attempt to a full run action to flee the fight 1d3 rounds afterwards. If it gets out of sight of its attacker it will attempt to hide using its racial abilities.

1,000 Needles: When struck with any type of melee or ranged weapon, a Cactuar counter attacks with its 1,000 Needles attack. To do this, the Cactuar fires a seemingly endless barrage of needles at the target, making a ranged attack against the target that struck them for 10d4 damage and the subject is not entitled to a saving throw.

Camouflage: A Cactuar can use the Hide skill while in any sort of arid or desert terrain, even if the terrain does not grant cover or concealment.

Hide in plain sight: While in any sort of arid or desert terrain, a Cactuar can make hide checks even while being observed.

Skills: Cactuars gain a +8 racial bonus on hide checks and a +4 bonus on move silently checks made in an arid or desert terrain. These racial skill bonuses are not figured into the skill ranks given in the statistic block above.

Cactuar Fruits
The fleshy insides of a cactuar are a very sweet, good tasting fruit that can be eaten directly and and has a rejuvenative effect, immediately quenching the thirst and abating the hunger of anyone who eats it. A normal, mature cactuars body provides 1d4 servings, the very rare Jumbo cactuars body provides 3d4 servings, and the 'rare as a phoenix' Cactuar King's body provides 5d4 servings. When eaten, the fruit also grants a +8 bonus on fortitude saves made to resist any ill effect of hot weather or hot environments and on saves against poisons of any creature whos native environment is a desert. This effect lasts for 1 hour.

Because cactuars are such hard creatures to both find, and hit enough to kill before they run, cactuar fruit is in low supply anywhere, and as such, costs quite a lot. In a town that is of a 'Large town' size catagory, or larger that exist in an arrid or desert terrain, and that have cactuars naturally living within 10 miles of the city have a chance at DM disgression, that a local vendor might sell cactuar fruit as a desert provision. In such areas, cactuar fruit costs 2,000 gold per serving.

Outside of these areas close to its natural environment, cactuar fruit is even harder, if not impossible, to come by. Cactuar fruit is not available in any type of normal markets outside of the desert. It 'may' (at DM's discression) be found in a black market, or in a highly magical market that is prone to selling bountiful amounts of major wonderous items. In such places, cactuar fruit is more commonly sold as a super rare spell ingredient, generally for the potion of youth, and each serving costs 6,000 gold a piece. In each area, a cactuar fruit can be sold for roughly half of the local selling price.

The Potion of Youth
This treasured potion removes a year from the drinkers physical age. This removes penalties from aging, but leaves bonuses untouched. The drinker must make a successful fortitude saving throw (DC 15) for the potion to take effect. Otherwise there is no effect. A failed saving throw also undoes the effects of any and all potions of youth that the creature has ever consumed, causing it to return rapidly to its true physical age. If this amount exceeds the creatures normal lifespan, it dies. If it exceeds that amount by more than 5 years, it instantly crumbles to dust as well.

Caster level: 15th; Prerequisites: Brew potion, Craft Wonderous Item, spellcaster level 13+; Market Price: 15,000 gp; Cost to create: 4 cactuar fruits, as well as 1,500 gp worth of other ingredients + 500 xp.