Sturmwulf (3.5e Monster)

''The wolf creature was just outside, but you should be safe inside this building. Then you hear a huff, and a puff, and soon your safety was a death trap...''

Everyone knows that children's fairy tales are often sanitized from their original works. What is now friendly childish stories came from dark tales of fear and death. But the truth behind the story of the big bad wolf is perhaps already sanitized from the real thing, for the wolf is real and it is deadly to the trappings of civilization.

Known as the Sturmwulf, it is said to be the child of an evil wind god and a nature goddess, born of a black enchanted forest and raised as a spirit of nature. But the would be nature guardian's blood boiled with dark intent and its goal of protecting the forest from the encroaching sprawl of civilization went from a passive defensive nature to direct, offensive, and brutal. It hounded the nearby town moving in like a black wind and slaughtering en masse and leveling entire blocks in a single night. But the vicious beast had underestimated humanoids persistence, and their sense of proportion. After several losses, one of humanity's fortifications withstood the terrible beast's ravages and drove the beast into furious frustration. Its guard dropped, allowing their hunters to finally slay the beast.

So it goes. Yet the sturmwulf still lives. The stories are inconsistent, if the wolf's blood infected its killers, or its divine parents revived it again, but what is known is that the sturmwulf has ascended to one of the legendary Tane. It is a unique creature, and when it is killed a new sturmwulf is created somewhere in a far off land, a new personality and mind growing and certain to return in a generation or two filled with fury. Beware the forest, for the sturmwulf waits to raze the cities of man.

The sturmwulf have two forms, a humanoid wolf not unlike a werewolf, and a huge bulky feral wolf. It usually stays in its werewolf form stalking would be invaders of his forest. It is capable of speaking in werewolf form, and speaks Common, Auran, and Sylven. It stands a little over 8 feet tall as a werewolf (though it is often slouched), and 16 ft tall at the shoulder in beast form.

Combat
The sturmwulf stalks its prey and ambushes it, employing the environment and traps to the fullest. It is a canny and patient fighter, and usually destroys those which pose a danger to it first. It also usually strikes at night, where it is more powerful. In cases of rage, where brute force is needed, or if seriously injured it turns into its beast form and engages much more directly and viciously. It usually tries to transform before it's hybrid form runs out of hit points, so that if the beast is defeated it has a clear enough mind to escape.

Augmented Natural Weapons : A sturmwulf's bite attack possesses a 20/x3 critical, while its claws possess a base 18-20/x2 critical (further modified by the Improved Critical feat it possesses).

Breath Weapon :  A sturmwulf possesses a breath weapon which can be either a 120 ft line or a 60 ft cone of hurricane force winds which last for 1 round. If it inhales the round before (see Inhale below), it is tornado force winds. In beast form it is tornado force winds, and treats creatures as if they were one size smaller when empowered by an inhalation the round before.

It also has a secondary breath weapon which deals 21d4 sonic damage in a 60 ft line or a 30 ft cone, Fortitude save for half. If it inhales the round before, it is 1d6 per HD. It proves useful in destroying structures, as it often goes to civilization to raze their buildings to the ground.

In beast form, the length of its breath weapons double in side, and the damage of the sonic breath raises to 1d6 per HD (1d8 after inhaling). Regardless which breath weapon is used, it has a cooldown of 1d4 rounds. It is DC 25 for its hybrid form, and DC 27 in beast form. The save DC is based on Constitution.

Change Shape : As a move action the sturmwulf can switch between its hybrid and beast forms. In its beast form, its ability scores change as above raising strength, constitution, and natural armor while dropping dexterity and intelligence. It retains its skill points, though the modifiers may change. In its beast form it gains feral mind which makes it more violent and aggressive, and it loses its improved grab on its claws.

Unlike most alternate form, the hybrid and beast forms have separate pools of hit points. When its hybrid form is damaged, its beast form is unharmed and vice versa. If one form hits -1 hp or less, it automatically transforms into its other form and it is staggered on the subsequent round for 1 round. Excess damage beyond 0 hp is also transferred to the alternate form. If both forms have their hit points depleted, the creature perishes as normal. Hit points recovered heal the current form, and any excess over its maximum hp go to recovering its alternate form. It's base form is considered its hybrid form.

Feral Mind : In beast form, the sturmwulf's intelligence drops by 10 points and it becomes violent and aggressive. It will not retreat from combat, even if losing, and it must make a DC 25 Will save to successfully revert back to hybrid form while in combat. It's insanity does protect it though, making it immune to mind-affecting effects in this state.

Frightful Presence :  The sturmwulf can inspire terror by charging or attacking. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 24 Will save or become shaken, remaining in that condition as long as they remain with 60 feet of the sturmwulf. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Inhale :  As a standard action the sturmwulf can inhale deeply, sucking in air in a 60 ft cone. It sucks in any gas and fog effects into the area, and it can choose to make a single bull rush attempt against any creatures in the area, dragging them towards the sturmwulf. If the bull rush would bring the creature into the sturmwulf's space, it gets a free bite attempt and can attempt to grapple and swallow.

Inhaling while its breath weapon is cooling down reduces the cooldown time by 1 (in addition to the passing of time). Inhaling while its breath weapon is recharged and ready increases its potency as listed above.

Immunities : The sturmwulf is immune to all [Air] subtype spells and [Sonic] spells, as well as sonic damage. It is also immune to deafening, disease, energy drain, exhaustion, fatigue, paralysis, petrification, poison, and polymorphing.

Improved Grab : To use this ability, the sturmwulf must hit with a bite or claw attack. If it hits with the bite, it must decide to grab or trip, not both. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.

In beast form, it loses the ability to grab with its claws.

Lunar Regeneration :  When under moonlight, the sturmwulf gains regeneration 10 which is bypassed by silver weapons and cold iron weapons. This is doubled to regeneration 20 under a full moon.

The moon is typically full for 3 days out of a month, and a new moon for 3 days out of the month.

Planar Acclimation : A sturmwulf is always considered to be on its home plane, regardless of what plane it finds itself upon. It never gains the extraplanar subtype.

Spell-Like Abilities :  At will- pass without trace, snare, speak with animals (canines only); 3/day- control winds (DC 18), fog cloud, gaseous form, shatter, spike growth (DC 16); 1/day-alter self (humanoid or magical beasts), control weather, commune with nature, nondetection (24 hour duration). The save DCs are Charisma based.

Swallow Whole : The sturmwulf can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of one size smaller than it by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d6+10 points of crushing damage plus 2d6+10 points of acid damage per round (or 3d6+14 crushing/3d6+14 acid in beast form) from the sturmwulf’s digestive juices. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 40 points of damage to the sturmwulf’s digestive tract, AC 26 (hybrid) or AC 29 (beast) due to its Adamantine Stomach feat. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The sturmwulf’s gullet can hold 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive or smaller creatures.

Trip : The sturmwulf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the sturmwulf. It must choose to either grab or trip with its bite attack, it cannot do both at the same time.

Weather Immunity : The sturmwulf is immune to all natural and magical weather effects, such as wind effects, natural lightning and undirected lightning as a result of control weather, and ranged attack and visibility penalties. It can see through gases and fogs as if they weren't there, and it often uses this to its advantage by attacking during cold foggy nights.