| Hit Dice: | 12d12 (78 hp) |
| Initiative: | +1 |
| Speed: | 20 ft. (4 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 20 (+1 Dex, +5 deflection, +4 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 19 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +6/+3 |
| Attack: | Claw +3 melee (1d4−3 plus energy drain) |
| Full Attack: | 2 claws +3 melee (1d4−3 plus energy drain) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Energy drain, spell-like abilities |
| Special Qualities: | Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, undead traits, unholy grace |
| Saves: | Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +16 |
| Abilities: | Str 4, Dex 13, Con —, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 20 |
| Skills: | Bluff +19, Concentration +19 (+23 when casting defensively), Diplomacy +25, Gather Information +17, Handle Animal +14, Intimidate +21, Knowledge (arcana) +18, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +18 |
| Feats: | Augment Summoning, Combat Casting, Negotiator, Persuasive, Spell Focus (conjuration) |
| Environment: | Any |
| Organization: | Solitary plus 1 monster from the summon monster VI list |
| Challenge Rating: | 11 |
| Treasure: | Double standard |
| Alignment: | Always lawful evil |
| Advancement: | By character class ♊ |
| Level Adjustment: | +3 |
This withered, aged human crackles with dark light—light that seems to be holding him together. His bones seem to have shrunk, like the muscles can’t hold them up.
Grimweirds are weak, withered, paranoid former humanoids who have tapped into the energy of the Negative Energy Plane. They wield this energy to summon guards—raising the spirits of hell if necessary—for their frail, barely animated bodies.
A grimweird is never alone. When encountered, it will have already summoned at least one monster. A grimweird never rests, so it is always able to devote its energy to summoning an ally. It is these constant demands that make grimweirds reviled on planes from which monsters are summoned.
Despite this, grimweirds are some of the most charismatic beings in existence. They bluff, cajole, threaten, and blackmail beings of all types into getting them items and information they need.
A grimweird is a foot or so shorter than the human it once was, its muscles and sinews withered by exposure to negative energy. It weighs less than 100 pounds. It speaks the languages it did in life, though it may have learned quite a few more to communicate with its thralls.
A grimweird hates the merest thought of being in melee combat, and so it always interposes at least one monster between it and anyone it meets. If a grimweird gets into combat, it will do whatever it can to get out.
Energy Drain (Su): A grimweird can bestow one negative level on a successful claw attack, whether or not it does damage. The DC is 21 for the Will save to remove a negative level; this save DC is Charisma-based.
Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—dispel magic, protection from chaos/evil/good/law. 1/5 rounds—lesser planar binding (DC 20), summon monster VI (evil creatures only). Caster level 12th. Because of its Augment Summoning feat, all the grimweird’s summoned creatures gain +4 Strength and +4 Constitution.
Unholy Grace (Su): A grimweird adds its Charisma modifier as a bonus on all its saving throws, and as a deflection bonus to its Armor Class.
A grimweird usually opens combat by sending its summoned minion into the fray, giving it time to assess its foes and choose another creature to summon.
Prior to combat: Use protection from good and summon monster VI. Good options for the grimweird’s summon monster VI spell include the chain devil, fiendish rhinoceros, Huge fiendish monstrous spider, and Gargantuan fiendish monstrous centipede. Unless you know specifically when the grimweird summoned his last monster, assume the spell duration has 2d6 rounds remaining when combat opens.
Round 1: Use targeted dispel magic to eliminate a single opponent’s defensive effects.
As soon as possible: Summon another monster using summon monster VI. If a grimweird needs an escape route, it summons the largest creature it can put between it and its foes.
Source: Monster Manual III, page 75.