Watcher

From Monsterbook

This creature is vaguely humanoid-shaped about the size and stature of a dwarf, but it's entire body is the pallid color of dead flesh and is covered with numerous, constantly-blinking eyes of different sizes and colors.

WATCHER (CR 8)

  • Usually NE Medium aberration
  • Init +0; Senses darkvision 120 ft., see invisible, see in darkness; Listen +0, Spot +17
  • Languages: common (understand but can't speak), watcher (blinking)
  • AC 16, touch 13, flat-footed 16; uncanny dodge
    • (+3 natural, +3 insight)
  • hp 39 (6 HD)
  • Immune: illusion, mind-affecting enchantments, blindness
  • Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +5
  • Speed 20 ft.
  • Melee slam +3 (1d4-1), sneak attack +2d6
  • Ranged touch ray +6 (1d6+1 energy), sneak attack +2d6
  • Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
  • Base Atk +4; Grp +3
  • Atk Options rapid shot
  • Special Actions gaze attack, gaze full attack
  • Abilities Str 9, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 16
  • SQ sneak attack +2d6, uncanny dodge
  • Feats point blank shot, rapid shot, weapon focus (ray)
  • Skills move silently 9 (+9), spot 9 (+17), survival 9 (+9)
  • Advancement 7-11 HD (Medium), 12-18 HD (Large)

See in Darkness (Su): A watcher can see normally in any sort of darkness including that created by a deeper darkness spell.

Sneak Attack (Ex): A watcher can make a sneak attack like a rogue, dealing an aditional 2d6 points of damage on attacks against targets that are denied their dexterity bonus or that it is flanking.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A watcher cannot be caught flat-footed and can only be flanked by a rogue of 10th-level or higher.

Energy Rays (Su): The watcher has numerous eyes that can fire random rays of energy. Treat this as a 30-ft. ranged touch attack that inflicts 1d6+1 points of energy damage (this includes the damage from its point blank shot feat), plus some additional effect (see chart below). 

Roll 1d4    Energy type
    1       Fire (Reflex save DC 16 or take an additional 1d6 next round) 
    2       Cold (Fortitude save DC 16 or slowed for one round)
    3       Acid (Fortitude save DC 16 or nauseated for one round)
    4       Electricity (+3 on attack roll and +1d6 damage against target in metal armor)

Gaze Attacks (Su): The watcher has numerous eyes with different gaze attacks effective at a range of 30 ft. The watcher can cause his eyes to glow with a pale light, so that its gaze attacks are visible in normal darkness. Any creature attempting to avert it's eyes while combating a watcher has only a 20% chance of not having to make its saving throw rather than the normal 50% chance because of the numerous eyes covering its body. Any creature that does look at the watcher must save against 1d3 gaze effects (see chart below). Multiple gaze effects on the same target occur concurrently. For results 1 to 4, only the greatest effect should be used. So, for example, if a target is stunned, feared, and confused all in one round, then the stun effect supercedes the lesser effects. Lastly, as a full-attack action, a watcher can actively gaze at every creature within 30 ft. 

   Roll     Gaze Effect
    1       Confusion (Will save DC 16, as a lesser confusion spell)
    2       Fear (Will save DC 16, or panicked for one round)
    3       Stun (Fortitude save DC 16, or stunned for one round)
    4       Paralysis (Will save DC 16, as a hold monster spell)
    5*      Harm mind (Will save DC 16, as a touch of idiocy spell)
    6*      Break mind (Will save DC 16, as a feeblemind spell)

   Note: Roll 1d4 to determine which gaze effects to save against for targets at range.
         Roll 1d6 against any targets that are adjacent to the watcher.


The watcher is a slow-moving creature that relies on its magical eyes for defense. Watchers gain a +8 racial bonus on spot checks.


Strategies and Tactics

The watcher has a 30 ft. "kill zone", so will try to arrange for combats to begin at that range. It is too slow to close with fast-moving opponents, so if it is being targeted with long range attacks it will seek cover and try to escape.

In close combat: it normally relies on it's multiple gaze effects to passively protect it. If any creatures cover their eyes, it will target them with energy rays, to take advantage of its sneak attack ability. If facing more than six opponents it will use a full-attack gaze to hopefully trim down the odds. The only time it will use its slam attack is if trapped in an anti-magic shell.


Adventure Hooks

A family of watchers has been driven out of their cavernous home by a huge band of grimlocks. They have been forced to relocate to a nearby swamp and have been feeding on livestock from a farming community.

An underground civilization (say Drow), keep watchers chained in strategic entry points to their realm to guard against trespassers.

A decendant of the transmuter that created the first watcher is trying to improve upon the creature. His laboratory is filled with not just watchers, but basilisks, medusas, beholders, and bodaks.


Ecology and Society

Watchers were probably magically created by a transmuter experimenting with beholder eyes. They are sexless creatures, but are able to reproduce when they are of sufficient size. This process involves gouging out several of its own eyes and regurgitating portions of its innards. A family of watchers is normally only a single parent with 3 to 4 offspring, unless they live in an area that has abundant food available.

A watcher is a territorial creature, normally living in caves or underground caverns where it can easily hide, only appearing to trespassers that are within range of its eye attacks. They prefer lairs where shriekers grow (one of the few watchdogs that is immune to its gaze attacks). Watchers need to eat, breathe and sleep. A watcher has numerous feeding orifices in seemingly random spots on its body. It feeds on flesh, but must use its acid ray to dissolve it to liquid before drinking it. While sleeping, a watchers eyes often flutter open, so it is still capable of making Spot checks although at a -10 penalty.

Since it has no mouth, it does not speak, although it can communicate with other watchers through a complex blinking language. The average watcher is 4-1/2 feet tall and weighs 175 pounds.


Watcher Lore

Knowledge (Dungeoneering)

DC 16: This creature has numerous gaze attack from those eyes and is virtually impossible to approach undetected. This result reveals all aberration traits.

DC 21: It can fire rays of energy from all over its body.

DC 26: It is particularly skilled at fighting against blinded creatures that cannot properly defend itself (sneak attack).

Retrieved from "http://editthis.info/monsterbook/Watcher"
Personal tools