VVowzer's Frankensteinosaur, for Starfinder/Shadowfinder (Patreon)

I follow actual-play actress, cosplayer, gamer, and model VVowsers, and am a big fan of her creativity and talent. If you follow me on Twitter/X you've likely seen me promote her work there, because I believe a crucial part of being someone's fan is expanding the reach of their media posts. On August 3rd, she posted the idea of a "Frankensteinosaur."

...

Yeah, I HAD to write that up.

It took a bit to get all my ducks in a row on that idea (as we'll discuss in the next post), but it got done, and honestly exceeded my expectations.

I did some new things with this write up... and those will ALSO get discussed in an upcoming post. But for now, just drink in the pulpy goodness of this idea.

 (Gloriously insane art by Jacob Blackmon)

Frankensteinosaur (Combatant)

CR 8

XP 4,800

CE Medium construct (magical)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16

DEFENSE

HP 125

EAC 20; KAC 22

Fort +8; Ref +8; Will +5

Defensive abilities fast healing (20), ferocity; Immunities construct immunities

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.

Melee bite +20 (3d4+14 S; critical demoralize)

Ranged focused spark +17 (4d4+8 E; electric arc; critical arc, second arc, pulse (4d4+4)

STATISTICS

Str +6; Dex +4; Con -; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +0

Skills Acrobatics +16, Athletics +16, Intimidate +21

Languages Common

Other abilities unliving

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dangerous (Ex): A Frankensteinosaur is particularly dangerous for its CR. When determining treasure and experience points for an encounter with this creature, calculate them as if the creature’s CR was 1 higher.

Fast Healing (Ex): A Frankensteinosaur’s body is being constantly rejuvenated by electricity from its four shock nodes (outlined in their own special ability entry). Any successful use of Engineering or Mysticism to Recall Knowledge regarding the Frankensteinosaur reveals that this ability is tied to its shock nodes and that they can be targeted with sunder attacks as outlined in their entry.

Ferocity (Ex): When the Frankensteinosaur is brought to 0 Hit Points, it can fight on for 1 more round. It can act normally until the end of its next turn; if it has 0 HP at that point, it dies. If it would lose further Hit Points before this, it ceases to be able to act and dies. If the Frankensteinosaur’s fast healing is still active and it survives to act on its next turn, it normally will have above 0 HP and not die.

Focused Spark (Su): The Frankensteinosaur’s shock nodes can be used to fire a magical blast of electricity at a foe. This attack does not provoke attacks of opportunity, has an item level equal to the Frankensteinosaur's CR, and has a range increment of 50 feet. It functions as if fired by a soldier with the electric arc gear boost, damaging a second target within 10 feet of the first target. On a critical hit, it also has the arc, second arc, and pulse critical hit effects, The second arc and pulse effects deal the same damage as the arc effect (roll damage once and apply to appropriate targets).

If the Frankensteinosaur uses the focused spark attack, its fast healing does not function on that turn.

Hybrid Creature (Ex): A Frankensteinosaur is a creation of both bad science and fell magics. Both Engineering and Mysticism can be used to perform the Recall Knowledge task regarding it.

Shock Nodes (Su): A Frankensteinosaur has four shock nodes, transparently aluminum bulbs bolted directly into its spine that moderate and redirect the mystically-charged electricity the Frankensteinosaur uses in place of typical life energy. Each shock node can be targeted with a sunder combat maneuver, using the normal sunder rules. Each node has hardness 0 and 8 HP, and damage done to the shock nodes does not also apply to the Frankensteinosaur. Its fast healing and focused spark abilities are powered by its shock nodes, and become less effective when nodes are destroyed as listed below

1 node destroyed: focused spark damage 3d4+6 (critical arc 3d4+3); fast healing 15

2 nodes destroyed: focused spark damage 2d4+4 (critical arc 2d4+2); fast healing 10

3 nodes destroyed: focused spark damage 1d4+2 (critical arc 1d4+1); fast healing 5

4 nodes destroyed: focused spark, fast healing, and ferocity do not function.

Description

The Frankensteinosaur is the horrific result of applying the ancient art of making constructs out of dead bodies to primal, brutal creatures such as dinosaurs. On the Earth of Shadowfinder, only Großer Ingenieurs of the Frankenstein-Jekyll-Moreau Society (FJMS) have ever managed this feat, and most end up dying shortly thereafter (sadly often after a few of their creations escape). On other worlds, such creatures (referred to as Primal Talosites) are generally the result of damaged hybrid medical devices from ancient long-gone alien societies encountering primitive lifeforms they were never designed to interact with. In the worst cases, the hybrid alien devices remain functional after the first such creature is created, and must be found and shut-down before they make enough Primal Talosites to depopulate the world.

Frankensteinosaurs are brutal, always angry, in constant pain, and driven by only their most primal instincts. Most enjoy stalking prey above any other activity, and if a hunted creature is too easily defeated, the Frankensteinosaur may let it live so it can be hunted again. However, they are also creatures of terrifying low cunning, able to realize when they are outmatched and willing to flee if it gives them an opportunity to seek revenge later.

The only exceptions to this description are Frankensteinosaurs that have been used as Brain Hosts, with the entire intellect, memory, and personality of a more education and complex intelligence placed within them. See the upcoming post on Brain Hosts.

OGL Declaration: The name “Frankensteinosaur” was created by VVowswers, and is used with permission. It is Product Identity as defined by the OGL. All game rules and statistics in this article are declared as Open Game Content.

Support

I'm fighting cancer and the aftereffects of chemoradiation. It's expensive. All paid members of my Patreon are already a HUGE help. If you are both able and wanting to do more, I do have a GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-owen-kc-stephens-fight-cancer