Ashworm
Ashworm.jpg

These creatures (described below) can be domesticated and trained to become mounts. The poison stingers of most domesticated ashworms are clipped.
A tamed ashworm is suitable as a mount for a Medium humanoid. However, the rider must succeed on a DC 15 Ride check once every 24 hours if in a sandy environment or be swept off the back of the ashworm as it dives below the surface for 1d4 rounds before returning to its rider.
An ashworm is hard to control in combat (see Mounted Combat, page 157 of the Player’s Handbook) unless it belongs to an ashworm dragoon (see page 66).
An ashworm mount requires an exotic saddle, benefits from stabling, can wear custom barding (specially constructed, adding an additional 50% to the price), and requires feed like a normal mount (see Mounts and Related Gear, page 131 of the Player’s Handbook).

Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10+9 (25 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft., climb 5 ft.
Armor Class: 14 (-1 size, +5 natural), touch 9, flatfooted 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+12
Attack: Sting +7 melee (1d6+7 plus poison)
Full Attack: Sting +7 melee (1d6+7 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities: Evasive diver, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Climb +16, Listen +6, Spot +3
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes
Environment: Warm deserts or plains
Organization: Solitary, cluster (2-4), or herd (6-30)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Large); 6-9 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment:
This large, eyeless worm is as big as a horse. It is covered in a thin chitinous layer of pale purple plates. A nasty stinger quivers at the end of its tail.
Wild ashworms are distant cousins to the purple worm, but not nearly as large or aggressive (not able to gulp down prey in a single mouthful). Traveling in vast herds both above and below the desert sands, the sound of a herd's approach is akin to thunder. As a result, ashworms are sometimes called thunderherders.
Ashworms are sometimes caught and trained as mounts, though a trainer clips off the dangerous stinger. Ashworms can be induced to travel on the sand's surface (or even packed earth or stone) exclusively by a skilled rider. However, the rider must succeed on a DC 15 Ride check once every 24 hours it in a sandy environment or be swept off the back of the ashworm as it dives below the surface for 1d4 rounds before returning to the surface. Expert riders who put up with this behavior are somewhat mollified by the ashworms ability to secrete a substance that allows it to stick to vertical surfaces; a rider securely strapped to an ashworms back can climb up walls or other impediments with his mount, albeit slowly. An ashworm is hard to control in combat (see Mounted Combat, page 157 of the Player's Handbook), unless it belongs to an ashworm dragoon (see page 66 of Sandstorm).
Carrying Capacity: A light load for an ashworm is up to 500 pounds; a medium load, up to 900 pounds; and a heavy load, up to 1,400 pounds. An ashworm can drag 6,900 pounds.
Price: An Ashworm mount is worth 200gp.

COMBAT

Ashworms hunt prey from beneath the sand, then rise to confront their targets In battle, an ashworm forms into a coil, stinging anything in reach.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitutionbased
Evasive Diver (Ex): In areas of sand (not packed earth or stone), the ashworm feels more secure because of its evasive diver ability. If the ashworm makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, the ashworm instead manages to instantly dive below the protective sand or earth and takes no damage.
An ashworm's rider might be swept from the ashworm's back unless it makes a DC 15 Reflex save when the ashworm dives below the sand. If the rider tails this save, it is swept from the ashworm's back. Particularly skilled riders, such as ashworm dragoons with the sand rider ability, go along for the dive and also take no damage from the effect that prompted the ashworm's Reflex save.

Source: Sandstorm

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