General Rules: Monsters - Umbral Gloom

Umbral Gloom (from Dragon Magazine #353)
Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)

Hit Dice: 10d8+30 (85 hit points)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 60 feet; swim 40 feet
Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +2 Dexterity, +8 natural, +4 deflection); touch 15, flat-footed 21
BAB/Grapple: +10/+18

Attack: Slam +14 melee (1d6+4 plus crushing despair, bludgeoning, 20 x2)

Full Attack: 12 slams +14 melee (1d6+4 plus crushing despair, bludgeoning, 20 x2)

Space/Reach: 10 feet by 10 feet/15 feet
Special Attacks: Crushing despair, engulf, spell-like abilities

Special Qualities: All-around vision, control light, damage reduction 10/+1, darkvision 120 feet, deeper darkness, evasion, low-light vision, no discernable anatomy, see in darkness, shadow blend, shadow blessing, shadow stride, shadow talk, spell resistance 21

Saves: Fortitude +10, Reflex +9, Will +8
Abilities: Str 19, Int 12, Wis 13, Dex 15, Con 16, Cha 18

Skills: Bluff +17, Diplomacy +8, Gather Information +17, Hide +17, Intimidate +17, Listen +14, Move Silently +21, Search +22, Sense Motive +14, Spot +22, Survival +1 (+3 when following tracks), Swim +12

Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Toughness, Weapon Focus (Slam)
Environment: Any

Organization: Solitary

Challenge Rating: 11

Treasure: None

Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 11 - 14 Hit Dice (Large); 15 - 21 Hit Dice (Huge)

Umbral glooms are a mass of rubbery, glistening black trntacles studded with many small purple eyes, lost within an umbral miasma that seeps from its slimy flesh.

They speak Umbran, Sûlic, and one mortal language.

Combat
Umbral glooms always try to begin combat by removing mist light sources and then sneaking up on their foes to engulf them in despair. They remain hidden as long as possible and do not initiate attacks unless they can do so from ambush. If surprised, umbral glooms quickly douse all lights and use the resulting confusion to flee into the shadows, from whence they begin crafting plans for quick revenge.

An umbral gloom's natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

All-Around Vision (Ex): Their many eyes give umbral glooms a +8 racial bonus on Spot and search checks, and they cannot be flanked.

Control Light (Sp): Umbral glooms can decrease the level of natural light within a 120-foot radius by any percentage up to 100%. Creatures within the affected area gain a +1 bonus for each 24% decrease in light.

Crushing Despair (Su): A creature hit by an umbral gloom's slam attack or engulfed by an umbral gloom succumbs to great sadness unless it succeeds at a DC 17 Will save. An affected creature suffers a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. This effect counters and dispels good hope. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Deeper Darkness (Su): An umbral gloom can radiate shadowy illumination in a 60-foot radius at will. All creatures within the area gain concealment (20% miss chance. even creatures that can normally see in such conditions, such as those with darkvision or low-light vision) have the miss chance in an area shrouded in magical darkness. Normal lights, such as torches, candles, lanterns, and so forth, are incapable of brightening the area, as are light spells of 3^rd or lower level. Higher-level light spells are not affected by the deeper darkness. Deeper darkness counters or dispels any light spell of 3^rd or lower level.

Engulf (Ex): An umbral gloom can flow around creature that fit within its space as a standard action. it cannot make a slam attack during a round in which is engulfs. The umbral gloom merely has to more over the opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Opponents can make attacks of opportunity against an umbral glom, but if they do, they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on DC 17 Reflex saves or be engulfed; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent's choice) as the gloom moves forward. Engulfed creatures are subject to crushing despair and are considered to be grappled. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

No Discernible Anatomy (Ex): Umbral glooms have no discernible anatomy and are not subject to critical hits or stunning.

See in Darkness (Su): Umbral glooms can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even that created by deeper darkness.

Shadow Blend (Su): In any conditions other than full daylight, the umbral gloom can disappear into the shadows, gaining a high degree of concealment that provides a 40% miss chance and a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Artificial illumination, even a continual flame, daylight, or light spell, does not negate this ability.

Shadow Blessing (Su): Infused with the stuff of shadows, an umbral gloom gains a constant bonus on initiative checks (included in the statistics above) and a deflection bonus to armor Class equal to its Charisma modifier. In addition, it gains an equal profane bonus on saving throws made against spells and effects from the schools of enchantment, illusion, and necromancy, as well as spells with the darkness descriptor. Once per day, as a standard action, the umbral gloom can share this blessing with others with a touch. The shared blessing lasts for 7 rounds and can only be granted to willing targets; spell resistance does not apply.

Shadow Stride (Su): As a move action, an umbral gloom can vanish from its current location and reappear in any shadowy area within 360 feet, as often as once every 2 rounds.

Shadow Talk (Su): Umbral glooms can communicate through the shadows of the mind. They can whisper short messages to all other creatures of their choice from the Shadow realm as well as worshippers of Gangyn within 500 feet. Creatures within 10 feet of the umbral gloom can also hear its communication with a DC 15 Listen check, but those not specifically targeted by the umbral gloom cannot decipher the ineffable whispers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At will - knock (by touch only). Three times per day - scare, modify memory (cannot increase clarity or recall), plane shift (self only, to or from the Shadow Realm only). Once per day - nightmare. Caster level 7^th; Save DC 14 + spell level and are Charisma-based.

Outsider Traits: An umbral gloom has darkvision with a range of 120 feet. It cannot be raised or resurrected.

Skills: An umbral gloom has a +6 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. it can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. it can use the run action when swimming provided it swims in a straight line.

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