ROPER

Chaotic Evil Large Monster (9-ft tall)

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-3 (VII. 1-2)

SURPRISE: 33% — Others +50%

SENSES: infravision

ARMOR CLASS: 0

MOVE: 3"

HIT DICE: 10* (hp 45)

% IN LAIR: 90%

TREASURE TYPE: See description

THAC0: 10

MELEE: bite (5d4)

MISSILE: 6 strands (range 20/30/50) plus weakness and grab

SPECIAL ATTACKS: grab, weakness - Hits As: +3

SPECIAL DEFENSES: amorphous, immune to electricity, poison resistance, resist cold (half)

WEAKNESS: vulnerability to fire (-4 saves)

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 135%

INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)

MORALE: +50%

SAVES: Poison 8, Petrify 9, Wand 10, Breath 9, Spell 11

LANGUAGES: Roper (plus additional per Intelligence)

LEVEL: VII (XP 2,760 + 16 per hp)

* Ropers are known to grow to up to 12 HD.

This yellowish gray monster appears to be a mass of foul, festering corruption. The roper is cigar-shaped, about 9-ft long, with a diameter of some 3-ft.

Ropers inhabit subterranean caverns. They prey upon all forms of creatures, but humans are their favorite form of food.

These monsters can stand upright in order to resemble a pillar or stalagmite or flatten themselves at full length upon the floor so as to look like nothing more than a hump.

The roper has six strands of strong, sticky rope-like excretion which it can shoot from 2"-5". A hit causes weakness (50% from Strength in 1-3 melee rounds), and the roper then draws its prey into its toothy maw where it is quickly devoured.

The chance for breaking a strand is the same for opening a door, but every round the roper will drag the victim 10-ft closer.

Campaign Rule. A roper's camouflage grants it a bonus of +50% to Surprise Others. Strands are generally immune to weapon blows (unless the weapon is sharpness or similar). A victim can attempt an Open Doors check to break free. Creatures not caught can attempt to free one caught by a stand by making an Open Doors check. Making the check or assisting another is a major action. The victim is considered grappled, although the roper is not. The weakness effect does not stack. Duration of the weakness effect is while the creature is touching the strand.

They are unaffected by lightning, take half damage at most from cold, but are very susceptible to fire (-4 on saving throw).

The roper has a gizzard-like organ which holds 3-18 platinum pieces and can contain 5-20 gems (35% chance).

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