A parasite ballooned to monstrous proportions undulates in the muck, its circular maw a spiral of teeth.
AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1
Immune mind-affecting effects
Weaknesses susceptible to salt
Str 11, Dex 12, Con 14, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Base Atk +2; CMB +2 (+10 when attached); CMD 13 (can’t be tripped)
Skills Stealth +1 (+9 in swamps), Swim +8; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in swamps
SQ amphibious
Environmenttemperate or warm marshes
Organization cluster, pair, or brood (3–6)
Treasure none
Attach (Ex) When a giant leech hits with a bite attack, it latches onto its target and automatically grapples. The giant leech loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 10, but holds on with great tenacity and automatically inflicts bite damage each round. A giant leech has a +8 racial bonus to maintain its grapple on a foe once it is attached. An attached giant leech can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself—if its prey manages to win a grapple check or Escape Artist check against it, the giant leech is removed.
Blood Drain (Ex) A giant leech drains blood at the end of each turn it is attached, inflicting 1 point of Strength and Constitution damage.
Susceptible to Salt (Ex) A handful of salt burns a giant leech as if it were a flask of acid, causing 1d6 points of damage per use.
These invertebrate parasitic relatives of the worm lurk in stagnant or slow-moving water, waiting for a suitable host.
A mass of wriggling black creatures each the size of a man’s finger stirs the stagnant water before enveloping its victim.
CR 4
XP 1,200
N Diminutive vermin (aquatic, swarm)
Init +4; Senses blindsight 30 ft.; Perception +0
AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +4 size)
hp 39 (6d8+12)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2
Immune mind-affecting effects, swarm traits, weapon damage
Weaknesses susceptible to salt (see giant leech)
Speed 5 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee swarm (2d6 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks blood drain, distraction (DC 15)
Str 1, Dex 18, Con 15, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2
Base Atk +4; CMB—; CMD —
Skills Stealth +16 (+24 in swamps), Swim +12; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in swamps, uses Dexterity to modify Swim checks
Environmenttemperate or warm marshes
Organization solitary, pair, or infestation (3–6 swarms)
Treasure none
Blood Drain (Ex) Any living creature that begins its turn with a leech swarm in its space is drained of its blood and takes 1d3 points of Str and Con damage.
Poison (Ex) Swarm—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 2 rounds; effect 1d4 Dexterity drain; cure 1 save.
This horrifying cloud of ravenous, blood-draining parasites eschews the stealth of a lone leech’s methods in favor of swift and merciless feeding.