Flare Broodling

*Art by Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on Deviant Art)

[Below you'll find the second of five new monsters (the first being the Storm Broodling) for both 3rd and 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. While the description works for both, you'll find the 3rd edition stats on the left and the 4th edition stats on the right.]


The flare broodling, beloved tool of Queen Anzu serves the dual functions of shock trooper, and kamikaze warrior.

Flare Broodling

Ahead of you is a six-legged creature with wicked claws. Its body is covered by sturdy red scales and the creature's mouth is ringed with vicious looking teeth, but perhaps its most deadly feature is a mane of flame flaring back from its head.

Flare Broodling CR 2
LE Medium magical beast (fire)
Init +1 Senses darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Listen +0, Spot +0
Aura searing heat
Languages understands Common; cannot speak

AC 14 (10 with Reckless Offense), touch 11, flat-footed 13
( +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 28 (3 HD)
Resist fire 5
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will -2

Speed 30ft
Melee bite +4 (+6 with Reckless Offense) melee (1d6 +1)
Space 5ft.; Reach 5ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp +3

Abilities Str 13, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 5, Cha 4
SQ Immolate
Feats Reckless Offense*, Toughness
Skills Climb +3, Listen +0, Spot +0
*While this feat originally appeared in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, it was published under the OGL.

Searing Heat (Su) The body of a flare broodling gives off tremendous heat. Creatures starting their turn adjacent to the flare broodling take 1d2 damage at the beginning of their turn.
Immolate (Ex) When killed, a flare broodling's body becomes a raging inferno burning those adjacent near it. Dealing 2d8 damage to anything within 5 feet (Reflex DC 13 half).

The flare broodling is the front line bruiser of the children of Anzu. Although they are sometimes loaned out to allies (usually salamanders and other fire based creatures) of Queen Anzu, they always remain loyal to her wishes.

Strategies and Tactics
The flare broodling is a tactless creature, tossing itself into harms way without concern for survival, delighting in the fact that its death may be the extra push needed to bring down its foes. Flare broodlings thrive in melee by utilizing their searing heat aura. Aware of the mayhem they can cause with this ability they thrust itself into the largest group of opponents at the start of the fight, heedless of any damage they may incur in the process.

Against heavily armored foes the flare broodling uses its reckless offense feat to gain the bonuses needed to strike its enemies and trusts in its above average hit points to see it through the fight.

Environment
While most flare broodlings live in active volcanoes, they are equally at home in arid deserts and underground caverns that abut lava tubes.

Typical Physical Characteristics
Flare broodlings stand 4 feet talk and are 5 feet long. Their legs are ochre and the scales that cover their main body are a deep red-orange. Their wicked mandibles and vestigial horns (both ash grey) are nowhere near as impressive as the mane of fire created by a natural chemical produced by glands in the flare broodling's upper torso.

Alignment
Although not every Child of Anzu shares their loyalty and devotion broodlings are lawful evil. They care little for other creatures except for how they work into Lady Anzu's grand plot, but among their own kind they are fiercely protective.