Snake
Snakes usually are not aggressive and flee when confronted.
Skills: Snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A snake has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
Constrictor Snake
| Hit Dice: | 3d8+6 (19 hp) |
|---|---|
| Initiative: | +3 |
| Speed: | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +2/+5 |
| Attack: | Bite +5 melee (1d3+4) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +5 melee (1d3+4) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Constrict 1d3+4, improved grab |
| Special Qualities: | Scent |
| Saves: | Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2 |
| Abilities: | Str 17, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 |
| Skills: | Balance +11, Climb +14, Hide +10, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +11 |
| Feats: | Alertness, Toughness |
| Environment: | Warm forests |
| Organization: | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating: | 2 |
| Advancement: | 4–5 HD (Medium); 6–10 HD (Large) |
| Level Adjustment: | — |
Constrictor snakes usually are not aggressive and flee when confronted. They hunt for food but do not attempt to make a meal out of any creature that is too large to constrict.
Combat
Constrictor snakes hunt by grabbing prey with their mouths and then squeezing it with their powerful bodies.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a constrictor snake deals 1d3+4 points of damage.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a constrictor snake must hit with its bite 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.
Constrictor Snake, Giant
| Hit Dice: | 11d8+14 (63 hp) |
|---|---|
| Initiative: | +3 |
| Speed: | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 15 (–2 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +8/+23 |
| Attack: | Bite +13 melee (1d8+10) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +13 melee (1d8+10) |
| Space/Reach: | 15 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Constrict 1d8+10, improved grab |
| Special Qualities: | Scent |
| Saves: | Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +4 |
| Abilities: | Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 |
| Skills: | Balance +11, Climb +17, Hide +10, Listen +9, Spot +9, Swim +16 |
| Feats: | Alertness, Endurance, Skill Focus (Hide), Toughness |
| Environment: | Warm forests |
| Organization: | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating: | 5 |
| Advancement: | 12–16 HD (Huge); 17–33 HD (Gargantuan) |
| Level Adjustment: | — |
Giant constrictor snakes are more aggressive than their smaller cousins, principally because they need a great amount of food to survive.
Viper Snake
| Column 1 | Snake, Tiny Viper | Snake, Small Viper |
|---|---|---|
| Tiny Animal | Small Animal | |
| Hit Dice: | 1/4 d8 (1 hp) | 1d8 (4 hp) |
| Initiative: | +3 | +3 |
| Speed: | 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 17 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14 | 17 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +0/–11 | +0/–6 |
| Attack: | Bite +5 melee (1 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d2–2 plus poison) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +5 melee (1 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d2–2 plus poison) |
| Space/Reach: | 2-1/2 ft./0 ft. | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Poison | Poison |
| Special Qualities: | Scent | Scent |
| Saves: | Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1 | Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1 |
| Abilities: | Str 4, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 | Str 6, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 |
| Skills: | Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +15, Listen +6, Spot +6, Swim +5 | Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +11, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +6 |
| Feats: | Weapon Finesse | Weapon Finesse |
| Environment: | Temperate marshes | Temperate marshes |
| Organization: | Solitary | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating: | 1/3 | 1/2 |
| Advancement: | — | — |
| Level Adjustment: | — | — |
| Column 1 | Snake, Medium Viper | Snake, Large Viper | Snake, Huge Viper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium Animal | Large Animal | Huge Animal | |
| Hit Dice: | 2d8 (9 hp) | 3d8 (13 hp) | 6d8+6 (33 hp) |
| Initiative: | +3 | +7 | +6 |
| Speed: | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. | 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft. |
| Armor Class: | 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13 | 15 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12 | 15 (–2 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +1/+0 | +2/+6 | +4/+15 |
| Attack: | Bite +4 melee (1d4–1 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d4 plus poison) | Bite +6 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +4 melee (1d4–1 plus poison) | Bite +4 melee (1d4 plus poison) | Bite +6 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. | 10 ft./5 ft. | 15 ft./10 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Poison | Poison | Poison |
| Special Qualities: | Scent | Scent | Scent |
| Saves: | Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1 | Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2 | Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3 |
| Abilities: | Str 8, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 | Str 10, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 | Str 16, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2 |
| Skills: | Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +7 | Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +8, Listen +5, Spot +6, Swim +8 | Balance +10, Climb +11, Hide +3, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +11 |
| Feats: | Weapon Finesse | Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse | Improved Initiative, Run, Weapon Focus (bite) |
| Environment: | Temperate marshes | Temperate marshes | Temperate marshes |
| Organization: | Solitary | Solitary | Solitary |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Advancement: | — | — | 7–18 HD (Huge) |
| Level Adjustment: | — | — | — |
These creatures range widely in size. They are not particularly aggressive, but will often lash out with a bite attack before attempting to retreat.
Combat
Viper snakes rely on their venomous bite to kill prey and defend themselves.
Poison (Ex): A viper snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con. The save DC varies by the snake’s size, as shown on the table below. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
| Size | Fort DC |
|---|---|
| Tiny | 10 |
| Small | 10 |
| Medium | 11 |
| Large | 11 |
| Huge | 14 |