Steel Predator

The steel predator wanders the scarred metallic cubes of Acheron in search of fresh metal to consume. Resembling an iron-muscled great cat, this creature shares many characteristics with its terrestrial equivalents, including incredible strength and agility. Despite its deafness, its powers of scent are so great as to allow it to detect nearby creatures with ease.

Steel predators speak a harsh, growling dialect of Terran.

Combat

If a steel predator gains surprise, it opens combat with a roar attack in the surprise round, followed by a pounce and full attack. It attempts to sunder its opponent’s weapons whenever possible.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a steel predator hits an opponent at least one size category smaller than itself with its bite attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus + 23). If it gets a hold, it can attempt to rake on its next grapple check. Alternatively, the steel predator has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its bite to hold the opponent (−20 penalty on grapple check, but the steel predator is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite damage.

Pounce (Ex): If a steel predator leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.

Rake (Ex): A steel predator that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+17 melee) with its hind legs for 1d6+3 points of damage each. If a steel predator pounces on an opponent, it can also rake.

Roar (Su): A steel predator can emit a titanic roar every 1d4 rounds. All creatures within a 30-foot cone take 12d6 points of sonic damage and are deafened for 2d6 rounds (Fort DC 20 half; success negates the deafness). Any exposed brittle or crystalline creature takes twice the indicated damage; creatures holding fragile objects can negate damage to them with successful Reflex saves (DC 20).

Sundering Bite (Ex): When it uses its bite to sunder a weapon, shield, or other held item, the steel predator gains a +4 bonus on the opposed attack roll and deals double normal damage.

Blindsight (Ex): A steel predator’s sense of smell is so powerful that it grants the blindsight ability out to a range of 30 feet.

Deaf (Ex): A steel predator is incapable of perceiving sound, and is thus immune to language-dependent effects and sonic effects dependent on hearing. The creature has adapted to this limitation and thus takes no penalty on initiative checks because of its deafness.

Magic Sense (Su): A steel predator can sense the presence of any metallic magic item within 120 feet. It considers such an item to be a delicacy and rarely passes up an opportunity to consume it (using its sundering bite to destroy the item first).

Skills: A steel predator has a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks.

Source: Fiend Folio, page 163. Changes applied as per the D&D^® v.3.5 Accessory Update.