This immense worm resembles a gigantic maggot with pale flesh. Its mouth is peeled back to reveal four long, hooklike jaws.
Conqueror Worm CR 21
XP 409,600
NE Colossal aberration
Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., true seeing; Perception +37
AC 37, touch 9, flat-footed 30 (+7 Dex, +28 natural, â8 size)
hp 406 (28d8+280)
Fort +21, Ref +18, Will +24
Defensive Abilities telepathic escape; DR 15/good and piercing; Immune acid, cold, disease, mind-affecting effects, poison; SR 32
Speed 60 ft., burrow 30 ft.; air walk
Melee bite +31 (6d8+18/19â20 plus 8d6 acid), slam +31 (4d10+18/19â20)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 30 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (100-ft. line, 20d8 acid, Reflex DC 34 half, usable every 1d4 rounds), fast swallow, mental invader, swallow whole (8d6 bludgeoning and 8d6 acid damage, AC 24, 40 hp)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th; concentration +28)
Constantâair walk, true seeing
At willâdetect thoughts (DC 21)
Psychic Spells Known (CL 19th; concentration +29)
9th (5)âdominate monster (DC 29), implosion (DC 29), time stop
8th (7)âdemand (DC 28), mass charm monster (DC 28), psychic crush IV (DC 27)
7th (8)âego whip V (DC 26), insanity (DC 27), project image (DC 27)
6th (8)âmass inflict pain (DC 25), mind thrust VI (DC 25), veil (DC 26)
5th (8)âgreater command (DC 25), greater synaptic pulse (DC 24), mind fog (DC 25), possession (DC 24)
4th (8)âdream, hallucinatory terrain (DC 24), mind probe (DC 23), scrying (DC 24)
3rd (9)âclairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic, illusory script (DC 23), telekinetic maneuver
2nd (9)âenthrall (DC 22), share memory (DC 22), status, suggestion (DC 22), undetectable alignment
1st (9)âalarm, entropic shield, mage armor, psychic reading, unseen servant
0 (at will)âarcane mark, daze (DC 20), detect magic, detect psychic significance, mage hand, message, open/close, read magic, telekinetic projectile
Str 47, Dex 24, Con 30, Int 31, Wis 22, Cha 29
Base Atk +21; CMB +47; CMD 64 (canât be tripped)
Feats Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Hidden Presence, Improved Critical (bite, slam), Improved Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Intrusive Presence, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Logical Spell, Manipulative Presence, Quicken Spell, Vital Strike
Skills Bluff +37, Diplomacy +37, Intimidate +40, Knowledge (arcana, engineering, geography, history, local, nobility, religion) +38, Perception +37, Sense Motive +34, Spellcraft +41, Use Magic Device +37
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Infernal, Terran, Undercommon; telepathy 200 ft.
SQ deific
A conqueror worm infects the minds of others from afar, allowing it to control its puppets without leaving the safety of the earthâs depths. When a conqueror worm communicates with a creature mentally, such as by using telepathy or spells such as dream, it can attempt to form a lasting mental connection with that creature. The target can resist this connection with a successful DC 33 Will save. A target that succeeds at this save is immune to that conqueror wormâs mental invader ability forever. Once a connection is formed, the worm can communicate with the bonded creature using telepathy over any distance, and can target the bonded creature with mind-affecting spells and effects regardless of range. A worm can form bonds with a number of creatures equal to its Intelligence modifier (10 for the typical conqueror worm). If a new bond would exceed this limit, the worm must choose to break one of its previous connections. The effects of a bond are suppressed while the worm and the bonded creature are on different planes. A bond can otherwise be broken only via a break enchantment, miracle, or wish spell cast on the bonded creature, or by the wormâs death. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
A conqueror worm can escape death by casting its mind out of its body at the moment of death. Up to once per day, when an attack, spell, or effect would reduce a conqueror worm to 0 or fewer hit points or otherwise kill it instantly, it can transfer its mind to one of the creatures it has formed a connection with using its mental invader ability. The target can attempt a DC 33 Will save to resist being overtaken. If the target succeeds, the conqueror worm can be killed normally. If the target fails, the conqueror worm transfers its soul into the bonded creatureâs body. This functions as the spell possession (CL 21st) except the possession is permanent. A host body possessed by a conqueror worm in this way undergoes terrible changes to its physiology. Every day, the host must succeed at a DC 33 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Charisma drain. Over time, the host slowly grows more wormlike in appearance, losing body hair, growing obese, and taking on a pale yellow-white coloration. When the hostâs Charisma score is drained to 0, an ectoplasmic cocoon forms around the creature. Over the course of the next 24 hours, the host grows to an enormous size, and at the end of this time emerges in a brand new body as a new conqueror worm that retains the memories of its previous incarnation, at which point the host creature is effectively dead (and can be resurrected normally). If the host is slain before this transformation completes, the conqueror worm dies as well. The effect can also be ended by any effect that successfully expels the conqueror wormâs possessing spirit from the host. This is a mind-affecting effect. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure double
Though conqueror worms resemble immense vermin, those who mistake them for mindless creatures suffer terribly for their mistake. In truth, conqueror worms are creatures of vast intellect and equal depravity. These monstrous beings exist only to rule âlesser civilizationsâ from the shadows, and revel in the complete control of an unknowing society through the remote manipulation of its supposed leaders.
A conqueror worm prefers to play with its toys before breaking them. To do so, it burrows its way below a target nationâs capital. From there, the conqueror worm makes mental contact with the cityâs leaders, forming sinister psychic connections with those in power. The worm beguiles some of these leaders with promises of wealth or power. Others, the worm controls outright using the considerable psychic magic at its disposal. Regardless, the end result is the same; without intervention, all end up as puppets dancing to the conqueror wormâs whims.
Once a conqueror worm seizes control of a city or nation, that regionâs downfall can take years, if not decadesâfor conqueror worms are surprisingly theatrical. A conqueror worm may direct a kingdomâs leader to enact cruel or tyrannical laws, only to then use a second puppet to inflame the populace into revolt. Once the fires of revolution die down, the worm might then expose the rebel leader as a traitor or depraved criminal, causing the rebellion to turn on itself and descend again into violence. All the while, the conqueror worm watches in delight at the madness, sin, and horror it inspires in others.
Eventually a conqueror worm tires of its games, and plots to destroy its subjects. Often it does this by sending its puppets to war against a nearby nation. The horrors of war devastate not only the wormâs own populace, but also those of its neighbors, bringing perverse joy to the wormâs many hearts. However, a special fate awaits the wormâs favorite servants, who are brought down into its subterranean realm so they can glimpse their masterâs true form before being impaled on the conqueror wormâs goreslick jaws. Its work finally finished, the conqueror worm then seeks out a new realm to subjugate.
A conqueror worm is 80 feet long and weighs 70 tons.
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 6 © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, James Jacobs, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Tim Nightengale, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Todd Stewart, Josh Vogt, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.