Wurm, Adult, River (CR 9)

Medium Dragon
Alignment: Usually neutral
Initiative: +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Senses: keen senses, Listen +7, and Spot +7
Languages: Draconic (although older wurms learn to speak Druidic, Sylvan, and Elven)


AC: 20 (+2 Dex, +8 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 18
Hit Dice: 8d12+16 (168 hp)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +8
Speed: 40 ft., 40 ft.
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +8; Grapple +3
Attack: Bite +13 melee, tail slap +7 melee
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee, tail slap +7 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+4, tail slap 1d4+2
Special Attacks/Actions: Breath weapon (cone of foam DC16)
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 12
Special Qualities: spells (CL 8), water breathing
Feats: Improved Initiative; Track; Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills: Climb +10, Hide +8*, Jump +9, Knowledge (nature) +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +7, Spot +7, Survival +8, and Swim +10*
Advancement: Wurm 9-11 HD (Medium-size)
Climate/Terrain: Temperate and warm aquatic (fresh water)
Organization: Solitary or pair (1-2)
Treasure/Possessions: Standard

Source: Dragon #296

Breath Weapon: Wurms create special liquids in sacs behind their jaws. Once a wurm uses its breath weapon, it can't use it again for 1d4 rounds. A blast from a breath weapon always leaves from the wurm's mouth and extends in the direction of the wurm's choice. River wurms can let loose a spray that extends outward from the wurm in a cone. The spray envelopes foes in a slippery foam. Creatures in the area must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or be sufficiently covered by foam to suffer its effects.

Creatures covered by the foam must make a Balance check (DC = to the Reflex DC + 5) each round or fall prone. The foam is impossible to remove by simple scraping, wiping, or washing, but 15 points of fire or acid damage destroys it. Note that fire or acid damage that affects the foam affects the creature covered in foam. The foam dissipates naturally in 2d4 rounds.

Water Breathing (Ex): The river wurm can breathe underwater indefinitely and can freely use its breath weapon, spells, and other abilities while submerged.

Water Leap (Su): River wurms do not have the usual maximums for jumping distance when jumping out of the water. In addition, three times per day, a river wurm can add +30 to a single Jump check. This jump must begin in the water, but it does not need to end in the water.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the wurm must hit with its tail slap attack. If it gets a hold, it can constrict.

Constrict (Ex): The wurm can coil around its prey to deal its constriction damage plus tail slap damage with a successful grapple check against any creature of equal size or smaller.

Keen Senses (Ex): Wurms see four times as well as a human in low light conditions and twice as well in normal light. They also have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Spells: A wurm knows and casts divine spells as a druid as shown below, gaining bonus spells for a high Wisdom score.

Skills*: Wurms have a natural coloration and limited chameleon ability that grants them a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks in their home environment (a forest wurm in a forest). In addition, wurms with a climb or swim speed receive a +8 racial bonus to Climb or Swim skill checks depending on which movement type they have.