Encounters: The Lowerdark (Underground, Desolate)

Yrthak (CR 9)

Huge Magical Beast
Alignment: Often neutral
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: blindsight 120 ft. and Listen +12


AC: 18 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +8 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 16
Hit Dice: 12d10+36 (102 hp)
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +5


Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Space: 15 ft./10 ft.
Base Attack +12; Grapple +25
Attack: Bite +15 melee or sonic lance +12 ranged touch
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee and 2 claws +13 melee or sonic lance +12 ranged touch
Damage: Bite 2d8+5, claw 1d6+2, sonic lance 6d6
Special Attacks: Sonic lance, explosion


Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 11
Special Qualities: sonic vulnerability, immunities
Feats: Endurance; Flyby Attack; Improved Initiative; Multiattack; Snatch
Skills: Listen +12 and Move Silently +10
Advancement: 13-16 HD (Huge); 17-36 HD (Gargantuan)


Climate/Terrain: Temperate mountains
Organization: Solitary or clutch (2-4)
Treasure: None


Source: Monster Manual

Sonic Lance (Su): Every 2 rounds, an yrthak can focus sonic energy in a ray up to 60 feet long. This is a ranged touch attack that deals 6d6 points of damage to a single target.

Explosion (Su): The yrthak can fire its sonic lance at the ground, a large rock, a stone wall, or the like to create an explosion of shattered stone. This attack deals 2d6 points of piercing damage to all within 10 feet of the effect's center.

This counts as a use of the sonic lance and thus is usable only once every 2 rounds, and never on a round following a sonic lance attack.

Snatch (Ex): An yrthak that hits a Medium-site or smaller creature with a claw attack attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it can fly off with its prey and deal automatic claw damage, though it prefers to drop victims from a height. It can drop a snatched creature as a free action, which deals normal falling damage if the yrthak is flying.

Blindsight (Ex): An yrthak can ascertain all foes within 120 feet. Beyond that range it is considered blinded. Yrthaks are invulnerable to gaze attacks, visual effects of spells such as illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight. An yrthak whose sense of hearing is impaired is effectively blind, treating all targets as totally concealed (see Concealment, page 133 in the Player's Handbook).

Sonic Vulnerability (Ex): Yrthaks are affected by loud noises and sonic spells (such as ghost sound or silence) and are more susceptible to sound-based attacks, suffering a 2 racial penalty to all saves.

Skills: Yrthaks receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks.

An yrthak prefers to attack from the air, strafing the ground with sonic attacks or snatching up and dropping prey (eventually landing to devour the flattened mess).

Underdark Encounters
Underdark