Dretch
Level 2Attacks
Abilities
A monster with telepathy can communicate mentally with any creatures within the listed radius, as long as they share a language. This doesn't give any special access to their thoughts, and communicates no more information than normal speech would.
At the start of each of the dretch's turns, roll 1d4. The result is the number of actions the dretch regains that turn (maximum 3). Effects like the Slowed condition can further reduce their number of actions.
The dretch makes itself as small as possible, protecting its vital organs with its limbs. It gains a +4 circumstance bonus to AC but takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls. This lasts until the dretch moves from its current space, falls Unconscious, or ends the effect as a free action.
The dretch makes three claw Strikes, each at a -2 penalty, all targeting the same creature. The dretch's multiple attack penalty doesn't increase until after it has made all three attacks. The dretch gains the Clumsy 2 condition until the beginning of its next turn.
A dretch makes the most of any weakness it finds. Whenever a dretch scores a critical hit with its claw Strike, the target takes an additional 1d6 bleed.
Description
Among the lowest and least powerful of all demons, dretches are just as vicious and cruel as their more powerful brethren. They happily vent their frustrations on anything weaker than themselves.
Born from the souls of the slothful, these demons appear vaguely humanoid in appearance with awkward limbs and slack lumps of skin hanging from their frames. Supposedly, a single slothful soul of sufficient depravity and strength can spawn an entire horde of these creatures. However, as weaker demons, their lot in life is to suffer at the hands of more powerful Abyssal predators, and only a tiny number of dretches ever manage to become something more. For this reason, dretches are quite accommodating when summoned by mortals. They're usually content to work under conditions few other outsiders would accept, although they'll still gladly turn on even the kindest of masters who show even the slightest hint of weakness.
Mortal souls that have been twisted and corrupted by sin sometimes arise in the afterlife as demons. These powerful and destructive fiends seek to spread their particular sin to warp more souls, thereby bolstering their numbers and continuing the cycle.