Starfinder: Linked
Linked CR 2 XP 600
Chaotic evil, medium undead
Init +5; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
Defense HP 11
EAC 14; KAC 15
Fort +2; Ref +5 ; Will +5
Defensive Abilities Hive mind, infernal regeneration 3 (acid, fire)
Weaknesses Acid, fire, silver, ultraviolet radiation
Offense
Speed 45 ft.
Melee Bite, +7, (1d8-2 P) or two claws -2 (1d6-2 S)
Offensive Abilities Create spawn, infectious bite, paralytic bite, tactics
Statistics
Str -2; Dex +5; Con -; Int +0; Wis +2 ; Cha +2
Skills Climb +1, acrobatics +8
Feats Weapon focus (bite)
Languages Abyssal
Gear None
Ecology
Environment Any
Organization Single, small packs (1d4), large hunting packs (4d6)
Special Abilities
Create Spawn (Su) Any creature that is slain by a Link will turn into one, transforming over 2d4 rounds, losing all extra mass, becoming skeletal, the hair will sluff off, and the skin will turn black. The teeth with fall out and will be replaced by the twisted and unsightly incisors that the creatures use to bite. They will then rise and join the pack.
Hive Mind (Su) Thanks to the telepathic link shared by these creatures, they will automatically gain a +1 to any Will saving throw for every two creatures (round down) within 100 feet of their location.
Infectious bite (Ex) Anyone bitten by a Linked must make a Fort save (DC 12) or become infected with the linked virus. With each 10 minute passage of time victim is allowed another Fort saving throw (DC 12) or lose 1d3 points of Constitution. When the Constitution score reaches zero, the victim dies and will rise as a Linked. A cure disease or other similar spell, spell-like ability, or medical drug will cure the victim, and the lost Constitution score will return at the victims’ natural healing rate per day.
Infernal regeneration (Ex) Despite being undead, the Linked are capable of regenerating from nearly all type of damage. They automatically heal 3 points of damage per round except that inflicted through acid or fire.
Paralytic bite (Ex) Those bitten by a Linked must make a Fort save (DC 12) or be paralyzed for 1d6 rounds. During this time, if the creature is able to bite for three consecutive turns with the victim moving, the victim will become completely paralyzed and cannot move for 24 hours. As long as the creature bites and injects additional venom into the victim before 24 hours has passed, the victim can be held for a long period of time in this manner. Each day that passes, the victim must make a Fort save (DC 12) or lose either one point of Strength or Constitution. Once either statistic reaches zero, the victim will then die and rise as one of the Linked. Anyone rescued from these ‘blood farms’ before this happens will awaken and as long as they are given adequate food and water, will regain their lost Stats at their natural healing rate per day.
Silver and ultraviolet radiation vulnerability If the creature is hit by either silver or ultraviolet radiation (sunlight), it is instantly killed.
Summon (Sp) The Linked are aptly named, sharing a mental hive-mind with all members of their particular pack. They gain certain advantages from this link, and can use it to summon more of their kind from as far as ten miles away. The creatures will make their way to their pack-mates in times of duress or when prey is plentiful. A single member of the hive-mind can use this ability and it will summon 2d4 members of its pack, which will arrive in 1d6 rounds after the summons is sent. This ability can only be used once per day, and the pack members summoned will not use it to summon more.
Tactics (Ex) Due to the telepathic link shared by these creatures, when they are engaged in combat, they gain a bonus of +1 to hit for every four creatures (rounded down) involved in the combat. This will likewise stack with any flanking bonuses they might enjoy. They also gain one additional attack of opportunity for every four members of the pack.
This particular breed of blood-drinking undead appears s to be more like ghouls than vampires. They are generally fairly small and look almost skeletal. The bodies are always hunched and they never stand up straight. The flesh is onyx-black, and the eyes are even blacker, which oddly enough stands against the black flesh. They are utterly hairless and do not wear clothing. The creature’s teeth have become twisted and rotted, almost like that of a long-time drug addict, but can they can still deliver a deadly bite.
These creatures are also shockingly weak. They cannot batter through barricades, nor can they do much physical damage when they do engage in combat. What they lack in physical strength, they make up in agility and predatory cunning. One would think as weak as they are physically they would be easily defeated, but this is not the case. The Linked regenerate so fast they can shake off the worst damage and continue to fight.
And the fact that their bite is highly infectious and the change will occur shockingly fast.
When these beasts bite a victim, they will have two possible effects to choose from. First the bite can infect the victim with the same virus that re-writes their genetic code and turns them into one of these beasts. The second effect is to put the victim into a coma-like state, allowing the creatures to take them back to their lairs to be used in a type of blood-farm, allowing the members of the pack to feed off the victim almost indefinitely.
In combat, these creatures are uncanny. They use tactics. They will even sacrifice newer members of the pack as a distraction in order to sneak up from behind or to take advantage of flanking or other similar situations. They will also continue to fight, no matter the odds, even to the very last member of a pack.
When they are damaged in combat, they will automatically regenerate. The only damage they cannot regenerate from is fire or acid. If they come into contact with silver or Ultraviolet radiation, they are instantly killed by the touch. When this happens, the bodies turn to ash, leaving behind the skeletons.
