Wizard's ShackleThis eel-like creature has a thick, greasy body and a large, circular
mouth full of tiny teeth.Wizard's Shackle CR 1/2Source Bestiary 5 pg. 278
XP 200
N Tiny aberration (aquatic)
Init +0; Senses arcane sight, blindsight 60 ft.; Perception +6DefenseAC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 size)
hp 9 (2d8)
Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +4
Defensive Abilities host buffer; Immune disease,
mind-affecting effects, poison; SR 11OffenseSpeed 5 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +3 (1d4–3 plus attach and 1d3
Wisdom damage)
Space 2-1/2 ft., Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks puppet master
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +1)
Constant—arcane sightStatisticsStr 4, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 2
Base Atk +1; CMB –1 (+7 grapple); CMD 6 (14 vs.
grapple, can’t be tripped)
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +2, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Perception +6,
Stealth +13, Swim +10
Languages Aklo (can’t speak); telepathy 10 ft.
SQ amphibious, compressionEcologyEnvironment any water
Organization solitary, pair, or infestation (3–12)
Treasure noneSpecial AbilitiesHost Buffer (Ex) A wizard’s shackle that has dominated a host
uses the host’s saving throws if they are better than the
wizard’s shackle’s saving throws.
Puppet Master (Su) If a wizard’s shackle attaches to a
creature that can cast spells or use spell-like abilities,
the target creature must succeed at a DC 14 Will save
or become dominated (as per dominate monster). The
domination lasts as long as the wizard’s shackle remains
in contact with the victim. If the target would receive a
new save against the effect (as described in the spell), a
successful save allows it to avoid taking the action, but
doesn’t end the domination. The save DC is Intelligencebased
and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Tenacious Grip (Ex) A wizard’s shackle gains a +8 bonus on
combat maneuver checks to grapple and to CMD against
grapple combat maneuvers.DescriptionWizard’s shackles are intelligent, eel-like parasites with
tough bodies covered in pulsating veins. A wizard’s shackle
not attached to a host is quite cowardly and typically f lees
if it can. However, if the wizard’s shackle becomes aware
of a creature capable of casting spells or using spell-like
abilities, it becomes extraordinarily aggressive. Once it
establishes physical contact with such a creature, a wizard’s
shackle attempts to dominate its host. Wizard’s shackles
can’t control non-spellcasters, and never attempt to.
Though wizard’s shackles are intelligent, they don’t have
a society of their own and, without a host, they perform
simple acts like eating, mating, and sleeping in the
fashion of mindless vermin. However, once it dominates
a spellcasting host, a wizard’s shackle reveals its
full potential. Driven by strange yearnings and
enigmatic impulses, a wizard’s shackle leads
its host to perform various tasks that don’t
make sense from an outside perspective. Most
of these tasks are weird but benign, such as
using magic to steal a merchant’s silverware
or fix the roof of a peasant’s house. Rarely, a
wizard’s shackle will force its host to commit
murder or other brutal acts intended to
fulfill some unknown purpose, though
most victims of such actions tend to
be wicked or corrupt in their own rights.
Regardless, wizard’s shackles attached to hosts
have an alien but almost childlike curiosity
when it comes to humanoid society, and only the
prospect of discovering more can distract them
from their enigmatic tasks.
Wizard’s shackles latched onto
hosts will sometimes form a
social group, like a mage’s guild
composed solely of dominated spellcasters.
These collectives tend to work toward goals just
as incomprehensible, if not more so, than an individual
wizard’s shackle. Such goals might include spending a week
dedicated to cleaning all the city’s fountains until they
shine or building an obelisk made of hollow copper.
A typical wizard’s shackle measures a mere foot in
length and weighs about 2 pounds.Archwizard's ShackleRarely, a wizard’s shackle that learns enough about
the world manages to establish a personality that it
maintains even without a host. Archwizard’s shackles
are often less disruptive and dangerous than their lesser
kindred, as they understand that they are enslaving another
being’s mind. Many learn to work together with a host
instead of taking full control, but evil archwizard’s shackles
are a much more significant threat. Archwizard’s shackles
advance by class levels.
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