Vampiric Mist

A cloud of crimson vapor reeking of fresh blood hangs in the air, reaching out with lashing claws.

Vampiric Mist CR 3

XP 800

NE Medium aberration (air, water)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., sense blood; Perception +8

Defense

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+4 Dex)

hp 30 (4d8+12)

Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +5

Defensive Abilities amorphous; DR 5/magic

Weaknesses vulnerable to fire

Offense

Speed fly 50 ft. (perfect)

Melee touch +7 (bleed and blood siphon)

Special Attacks bleed (1d6)

Statistics

Str ­—, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 10

Base Atk +3; CMB —; CMD

Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse

Skills Fly +12, Perception +8, Stealth +11

Languages Aklo

SQ blood overdose, misty form

Ecology

Environment temperate or warm swamps or underground

Organization solitary, pair, or gang (3–6)

Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Blood Siphon (Ex) A vampiric mist drains blood with each melee touch attack dealing 1d3 points of Constitution damage. Every time a vampiric mist damages a creature in this way, it heals 1d8 hit points. Hit points healed in excess of its maximum are gained as temporary hit points, to a maximum amount equal to its Constitution score. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour.

Blood Overdose (Su) When a vampiric mist gorges on blood to an extent that it gains temporary hit points, it moves much more quickly. It gains a +2 haste bonus to its Armor Class and on Reflex saves, and can take one additional move action each round.

Misty Form (Ex) A vampiric mist's body is composed of a semisolid red mist similar in consistency to thick foam. The vampiric mist does not have a Strength score, and it cannot manipulate or wear solid objects. This form grants it the amorphous defensive ability, and allows it to move through areas as small as 1 inch in diameter with no reduction to its speed. The creature can speak in a hissing voice. A vampiric mist cannot enter water or other fluids, and is treated as a creature two size categories smaller than its actual size (Tiny for most vampiric mists) for the purposes of how wind affects it.

Sense Blood (Ex) A vampiric mist can immediately sense the presence of warm-blooded creatures in a 60-foot radius as if by scent. It can detect exposed blood within a mile.

Often mistaken for a vampire in gaseous form or an unusual type of air elemental, the vampiric mist is in fact a strange form of aberrant life. With an amorphous body that consists as much of fluid as it does of air, this creature dwells in swamps or moist underground regions where its vulnerability to heat isn't as much of a concern.

Although somewhat intelligent, vampiric mists do not form societies. They sometimes form into small gangs, but even then they show little interest in working together. Much of a vampiric mist's time is spent seeking prey—a pursuit that the monster often shows great creativity in accomplishing. The creatures' propensity for taking on vague, skeletal forms of the creatures whose blood they drink only further adds to their mystique and fuels rumors that they have connections to the undead. Indeed, many vampiric mists enjoy using this common misconception to their advantage, causing foes to use foolish tactics—such as tricking spellcasters into using positive energy against them as if they were undead monsters.