The Ferocious White Apes

The girallon is notable as a third edition monster that seems to have gained real traction in the evil hearts of DMs everywhere. No doubt part of its appeal is its classic lineage, being derived straight from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Great White Apes of Barsoom. With such a heritage, girallons deserve wider distribution.

The following text is Open Game Content.

Girallon

This four-armed, gorilla-like creature, covered with matted white fur, roars in rage as it rears up to its full, towering height.

Apelike Terrors. Girallons are enormous magical creatures covered in thick, pure white fur. An adult girallon is 8 feet tall, broad-chested, and weighs roughly 800 pounds. When moving on the ground, a girallon walks on its legs and lower arms.

Highly Territorial. Girallons are aggressive and carnivorous. They tend to attack intruders without warning, including strangers of their own kind.

Most Savage and Fearsome. Girallons possess great strength and ferocity, and use their four arms to tear opponents to bits.

0e

Girallon CL 9 (1,100 XP)

A girallon that hits an opponent with 2 or more claws in one round will rend the flesh for an additional 1d6 damage.

HD 7; AC 5 [14]; Atk 4 claws (1d6), 1 bite (1d8); Save 9; Move 15; Al N; Special rend.

3.5e

Girallon CR 6

Always N Large magical beast

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +1, Spot +6

Defense

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13
(+3 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)

hp 58 (7d10+20 HD)

Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +5

Offense

Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee 4 claws +12 (1d4+6), bite +7 (1d8+3)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks rend 2d4+9

Tactics

Before Combat A solitary girallon usually conceals itself in the branches of a tree or under a pile of leaves and brush, with only its nose showing. When it spots or scents prey, it charges to the attack.

During Combat A girallon picks up prey that is small enough to carry and withdraws, often vanishing into the trees before the victim’s companions can do anything to retaliate. Against larger foes, a girallon seeks to tear a single opponent to bits as quickly as it can.

Statistics

Str 22, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7

Base Atk +7; Grp +17

Feats Iron Will, Toughness (2)

Skills Climb +14, Move Silently +8, Spot +6

Ecology

Environment warm forests

Organization solitary or company (5–8)

Treasure none

Advancement 8–10 HD (Large); 11–21 HD (Huge)

Special Abilities

Rend (Ex) A girallon that hits with two or more claw attacks latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an extra 2d4+9 points of damage.

Skills A girallon has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Advanced Girallons

Fiendish girallons are chaotic evil horrors called forth by summon monster VII spell.

Fiendish Girallon CR 7

CE Large magical beast (extraplanar)

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +1, Spot +6

Languages Abyssal

Defense

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13
(+3 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)

hp 58 (7 HD)

Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +5

Resist cold 5, fire 5; DR 5/magic; SR 12

Offense

Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee 4 claws +12 (1d4+6), bite +7 (1d8+3)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks magic strike, rend 2d4+9, smite good 1/day (+7 damage)

Statistics

Str 22, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 7

Base Atk +7; Grp +17

Feats Iron Will, Toughness (2)

Skills Climb +14, Move Silently +8, Spot +6

Girallons can grow to truly enormous sizes, with some towering well over 20 feet or more.

King Girallon CR 10

Always N Huge magical beast

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +3, Spot +10

Defense

AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 15
(+4 Dex, +7 natural, -2 size)

hp 152 (16 HD)

Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +8

Offense

Spd 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee 4 claws +24 (1d8+10), bite +22 (2d6+5)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks rend 2d6+15

Statistics

Str 30, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7

Base Atk +16; Grp +34

Feats Alertness, Improved Bull Rush, Iron Will, Improved Natural Weapon (claws), Multiattack, Power Attack

Skills Climb +24, Listen +3, Move Silently +10, Spot +10

5e

Girallon

Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 138 (12d10 + 60
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
21 (+5)	17 (+3)	20 (+5)	2 (-4)	12 (+1)	7 (-2)
Skills Athletics +8, Perception +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; passive Perception 11
Languages –
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Actions
Multiattack. A girallon attacks with 4 claws and 1 bite.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) slashing damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+5) piercing damage.

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