CRYSMAL

Crysmals appear as truncated, prismed heaps of translucent crystals. An individual tends to be of 1 color. Coloration ranges from pale amber through olive into deep violet.

The crysmal is a crystalline creature from the Elemental Plane of Earth. It is occasionally encountered on the Prime Material Plane but only in subterranean places rich in mineral formations which form its diet. Particularly favored are quartz, beryl, corundum, and carbon crystals. A crysmal will often attack in order to gain these minerals. Inside an individual crysmal will be 4-32 undigested rough gems.

A crysmal attacks with a sharp, rotating appendage it extrudes from its top portion. If sorely pressed, the monster can shoot this appendage up to 2'' inflicting 9-16 (1d8+8) points of damage. Thereafter the crysmal has only a secondary appendage to attack with, however, and damage drops from 3-12 to 2-8.

Because of its crystalline nature, if edged and piercing weapons are used against a crysmal, it has an effective armor class of -4. Against blunt, metallic weapons it has only an effective armor class of 0. 

The structure of a crysmal also makes it slow. Its faceted walking appendages (4-6) allow for only stumping, jerky movement. The creature can move through solid rock or earth as does a xorn (q.v.), taking one round to alter its molecular structure to do so. If struck by a phase door spell when altering, the creature is slain. 

A crysmal is not harmed by fire or cold-based spells. Electrical attacks, such as a lightning bolt, cause only one-quarter or no damage, depending on the saving throw. Poisons, gases, etc., do not harm a crysmal. 

A shatter spell will inflict 3-18 points of damage on a crysmal, a glassee spell blinds it for 2-5 rounds, and a stone to flesh spell lowers its armor class to 6 to all weapons for 1 melee round. 

Crysmals hate xorn (q.v.) as the latter prey upon them.

Medium-sized crysmals run up to 16 hit points. Large ones are 17 or more points. Those of over 28 hit point-size are about 2 feet wide, 14 feet long, and 1/2 foot thick.