Gabrion
Gabrions are shape-changing predators, hunting for magical knowledge. They seek out powerful spellcasters, get close to them, wait for a moment of weakness and kill them. Their exact origins are unknown, though they brag that they originally come from the plane of shadow. In their natural form Gabrions are black-skinned. The lower halves of their bodies are shaped like large rattle snakes. The upper halves of their bodies are humanoid, but bald. Their mouths are large and usually in the shape of a large grin and their teeth are as pointy as sharks’. Their fingers are bladed and frightening.
Gabrions eat the brains of humanoids, both for nutrition and for magical knowledge. Arcane spellcasters are the most appetizing, divine spellcasters are next and noncasters are what Gabrions eat when they have no other choice. Gabrions can assume the form of anyone whose brain they have eaten. Gabrions typically use their “Mind Probe” ability to learn enough about the subject to impersonate them before killing them. Usually, a Gabrion can assume a victim’s identity, with the only change being that the Gabrion is more flamboyant and sexual than the original creature.
Gabrions can take class levels in any class, but prefer a spellcasting class. If they take levels in a spellcasting class, the spells they get are added to the spells they naturally have.
Medium Aberration (shapeshifter)
Hit Dice: 25d10+75 (217)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft
Armor Class: 39 (+3 dex, +26 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: (+25/+20/+15/+10)/+30
Attack: 4 Claws +31/+26/+21/+16, Bite +30
Damage: 4 Claws (2d6+7) and Bite (1d6+5)
Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d8+5, Spells, Feed, Mind Probe
Special Qualities: Damage Reduction 10/Silver, Spell Resistance 35, Shapeshift
Saves: Fort +30, Ref +24, Will +22
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 20
Skills: Spellcraft +31, Knowledge (arcane) +31, Knowledge (religion) +31, Use Magic Device +31, Knowledge (any) +31
Feats: Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (claw), Weapon Specialization (claw), Run, Scribe Scroll, Craft Wand
Environment: Any urban or rural
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: By Character Class
Level Adjustment: -
Constrict: On a successful grapple check, a Gabrion deals 2d8+5 damage.
Spells: Gabrions can cast spells as though a 20th level sorcerer. When initially encountered, they know as many spells as a sorcerer of the same level.
Feed: A Gabrion can eat a brain in one round, all in one bite. A Gabrion learns all the spells the creature who the brain came from knew in life. A Gabrion, even though it is normally an arcane spellcaster, can learn and cast spells from divine spellcasters. In this case, the Gabrion learns all spells that the divine spellcaster had memorized at the time.
Mind Probe: As the psionic ability, at will.
Shapeshift: A Gabrion can assume the form of any humanoid whose brain it has consumed.