Black Pudding, Elder
Gargantuan Ooze — CR 12
- Hit Dice
- 20d10+180 (290 hp)
- Initiative
- -5
- Speed
- Land 20 ft
- Armor Class
- 1, touch 1, flat-footed 1
- Base Attack / Grapple
- +15/+35
- Attack
- Slam +19 melee (3d6+12 plus 3d6 acid)
- Full Attack
- Slam +19 melee (3d6+12 plus 3d6 acid)
- STR
- 26
- DEX
- 1
- CON
- 28
- WIS
- 1
- CHA
- 1
- Fort / Ref / Will
- +15 / +1 / +1
- Challenge Rating
- 12
- Alignment
- Always Neutral
- Organization
- Solitary
- Treasure
- None
- Environment
- Undergrounds
- Level Adjustment
- —
Special Abilities
This creature resembles nothing so much as a roundish blob of inky black goo.
Description
Oozes are amorphous creatures that live only to eat. They inhabit underground areas throughout the world, scouring caverns, ruins, and dungeons in search of organic matter—living or dead.
Black puddings slither and undulate along underground terrain seeking sustenance.
The most ancient black puddings are vast pools of inky death.
The typical elder black pudding measures 20 feet across and 2 feet thick. It weighs about 140,000 pounds.
Combat
Oozes attack any creatures they encounter. They lash out with pseudopods or simply engulf opponents with their bodies, which secrete acids that help them catch or digest their prey.
An elder black pudding attacks by grabbing and squeezing their prey.
Blindsight (Ex): An ooze’s entire body is a primitive sensory organ that can ascertain prey by scent and vibration within 60 feet.
Acid (Ex): The creature secretes a digestive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Any melee hit or constrict attack deals acid damage, and the opponent’s armor and clothing dissolve and become useless immediately unless they succeed on DC 29 Reflex saves. A metal or wooden weapon that strikes an elder black pudding also dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a DC 29 Reflex save. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
The pudding’s acidic touch deals 21 points of damage per round to wooden or metal objects, but the ooze must remain in contact with the object for 1 full round to deal this damage.
Constrict (Ex): An elder black pudding deals automatic slam and acid damage with a successful grapple check. The opponent’s clothing and armor take a -4 penalty on Reflex saves against the acid.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an elder black pudding must hit with its slam attack. 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 constrict.
Split (Ex): Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage to an elder black pudding. Instead the creature splits into two identical puddings, each with half of the original’s current hit points (round down). A pudding with 10 hit points or less cannot be further split and dies if reduced to 0 hit points.
Skills: An elder black pudding has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.