Aquatic Ooze

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Bloodbloater • Flotsam Ooze • Reekmurk

Although the various aquatic oozes normally live in the waters of the ocean, they can also lurk in deep, dank underground areas with stagnant pools of water. They are mindless, generally content to float with the current and eat whatever happens to pass within striking distance.

Combat

Aquatic oozes attack any creatures they encounter with little regard to their own safety.

Skills: Aquatic oozes have a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard and can always take 10 on Swim checks, even if distracted or endangered.

Bloodbloater ⬆️

The bloodbloater is a fairly small, flat, disk-shaped ooze about 8 inches in diameter with a bulge at the center. It is milky white with flecks of red.

Individually, a bloodbloater poses little threat. However, these oozes tend to congregate in swarms of about creatures, and as such they can be quite a menace to unwary swimmers.

Combat

A bloodbloater swarm simply swims around or slithers over its target and begins to drain blood at a shocking rate. Bloodbloaters have no concept of satiation; upon becoming engorged on blood (and turning milky red in color), they continue to feed as excess blood is forced out of their bodies and into the surrounding water.

Blood Drain (Ex): On each round that a bloodbloater swarm deals at least 1 point of damage to a victim, it also drains blood and causes 1 point of Strength damage.

Distraction (Ex): Any nonmindless creature vulnerable to the swarm’s damage that begins its turn with a swarm in its square is nauseated for 1 round; a Fortitude save (DC 10) negates the effect. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a bloodbloater swarm requires a Concentration check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills involving patience and concentration requires a Concentration check (DC 20).

Flotsam Ooze ⬆️

A flotsam ooze is a transparent mass of sticky protoplasm that quickly becomes encrusted with bits of floating debris and possible treasure. Over the course of several days, it slowly digests any organic matter stuck to it.

Combat

A flotsam ooze floats unseen at the heart of its mass of debris and strikes with sudden ease.

Adhesive (Ex): A flotsam ooze exudes a sticky slime that holds fast any creature or item touching it. It automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack. Opponents so grappled cannot get free while the ooze is alive. The ooze makes one additional slam attack each round against any creature stuck to it.

A weapon that strikes a flotsam ooze sticks fast unless the wielder makes a Reflex save (DC 13). This save DC is Strength-based. A successful Strength check (DC 16) is needed to pry it off.

The adhesive can be weakened by soap or lye, but even in such a case the ooze gets a +4 bonus on grapple checks (for a total bonus of +7). The substance breaks down 5 rounds after the ooze dies.

Transparent (Ex): A flotsam ooze is transparent in water, and it gains the benefit of total concealment (50% miss chance) when it is in water. A flotsam ooze’s transparency gives it a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Reekmurk ⬆️

The rare and disgusting reekmurk is found usually in the near-freezing ocean depths. Undersea earthquakes often force reekmurks to the surface, where they remain until the break of day. They also live in the deepest underground lakes and rivers.

A reekmurk on land looks like a sheet of animated black oil. In water, it resembles a cloud of ink.

Only sunlight can drive off a hungry reekmurk. Unfortunately for those attacked at night, reekmurks are always hungry.

Acid (Ex): A reekmurk secretes a potent acid that dissolves organic matter. Any hit by a tentacle deals 1d6 additional points of acid damage. If the object hit is wood, it takes 30 points of damage per round. A wooden weapon that strikes a reekmurk dissolves immediately unless it succeeds on a Reflex save (DC 17). This save is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex): A reekmurk delivers its poison (Fort DC 17 negates) each time it deals acid damage to a target. This save is Constitution-based. Initial and secondary damage are the same (1d4 Dex).

Stench (Ex): The reekmurk gets its name from the unbearable stench that surrounds it. This stink affects any creature within 30 feet of the ooze that can smell. Affected creatures must make a Fortitude save (DC 17) upon first being exposed to a reekmurk’s stink or become nauseated for 1d4 rounds. This save is Constitution-based.

Tendrils (Ex): A reekmurk extends thousands of hairlike tendrils out to the limits of its reach at all times. Any creature within reach of a reekmurk must make a Reflex save (DC 19) each round or take 1d4 points of acid damage (and possible poisoning) from the frenzied tendrils. This save is Dexterity-based.

Sunlight Vulnerability (Ex): A reekmurk takes 3d6 points of damage each round that it is exposed to natural sunlight. Spells that create sunlight (such as anger of the noonday sun, sunbeam and sunburst) have the most devastating possible effect on reekmurks, affecting them as if they were vampires.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 16. Changed the flotsam ooze’s nine-tenths concealment (which doesn’t exist in version 3.5) to total concealment. Made the DC of its adhesive save Strength-based and adjusted it accordingly. Combined its racial skills section with its transparency special quality entry to avoid confusion with the general aquatic ooze racial skill entry. Added anger of the noonday sun to sample spells that affect a reekmurk. Based the saves against its special attacks on its attributes as seemed appropriate and adjusted the DCs accordingly.