Ropers are cavern-dwelling monsters and are frequently mistaken for stalagmites. These monsters are grey-green in colour, standing around 8-ft to 12-ft tall, with a hide that mimics the smooth limestone formations of a natural cavern.
Ropers are about 3-ft to 4-ft at the base and approximately 1-ft wide at the apex. These monsters are almost always encountered in their stalagmite shape but can alter their appearance to some degree. A roper can assume the shape of a pillar, a boulder, or flatten themselves and lie flat to appear as no more than an irregularity on the walking surface of the cavern floor. It can also cling to a cavern ceiling (or wall) and appear as a stalactite. Through means of tiny adhesive cilia on its underside, the roper can move slowly and these cilia are what allow it to cling upside down to the ceiling.
Special Abilities
Rope Strands: 6 rope-like appendages secrete a powerful and poisonous adhesive and can lash out up to 50-ft. A successful ’to hit’ roll will weaken the target, decreasing its strength ability score by 50% (rounded down) within 1d3 rounds and lasting 2d4 turns; with multiple hits having a cumulative strength drain effect. An ensnared victim can break the strand by performing a Minor Test of Strength but for every round the victim is roped he or she will be dragged 10-ft closer to the roper.
Bite: Creatures within 10-ft of the roper are subject to its vicious bite attack, this attack automatically hits any victim held by the strands of the roper.
Strand Properties: A strand can be sliced with an edged weapon but the attack must do a minimum of 6 points of damage in a single attack to the AC 0 tentacle to sever it. The strand of a roper can easily pull 800 lbs and can lift about a third of that amount.
Resistances: Besides its base 80% magic resistance, the roper is completely immune to electricity based damage including lightning, ropers are also resistant to cold based magic and take only half damage from any such attacks.
Vulnerability: Susceptible to fire, saving vs fire based attacks at -4. Any fire based magic attacks, however, must still overcome the monster’s magic resistance.
Treasure: Ropers do not hoard treasure but their acidic bile cannot dissolve platinum or gemstones. Cutting open the gizzard of a roper has a 40% chance of yielding 3d6 (3-18) platinum pieces and 30% chance of 4d6 (4-24) gems.