Diminutive Construct (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 6d8+4 (31 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+4 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-13
Attack: Shard +11 (1d2-4)
Full Attack: Shard +11 (1d2-4)
Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Construct traits, hardness 11
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 16, Con -, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Search +2, Spot +6
Feats: Combat Expertise, Wild Talent, Psionic Fist, Psionic Body
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Often neutral
Advancement: —
Skulking in the shadows a small creature glares at you with scarlet eyes pulsating with energy. It scatters out from hiding and seems to seize you up, as if it was searching for something. Then a whiny voice wheezes into your skull - "Master?" it asks before the eyes flash deep purple and it begins to back away, the voice inside your head becoming a menacing growl.
The shardling is what remains of a psicrystal when their master dies violently and suddenly, leaving enough psionic energy in their psicrystal for it to survive for a short time. It feeds off the psionic energies of dying creatures and thus it becomes a fearsome predator, often hunting weak animals which sustain it for only a short while. At times, these shardlings may turn to greater beasts or even humanoids as prey, using their diminutive size to fool their meals.
A single small animal will feed the shardling for a few days, which makes it a voracious hunter, using its psi-like abilities to the utmost. Humanoids can sometimes awaken the hope of finding a new master, but most often the hunger for psionic energy takes over, since a medium humanoid can keep the shardling fed for months with its dying psionic echo.
Combat:
A shardling prefers to trick enemies into believing it to be a harmless creature, using its attraction psi-like ability to get close to a suitable target. Once the creature is within range, the shardling strikes with its crystal shard psi-like ability or by empowering its natural attacks with its Psionic Fist feat. Against creatures where this tactic does not work, the shardling will most frequently seek to climb to safety.
Psi-like abilities: At will - attraction, crystal shard, matter agitation, mindlink (ML 3rd).
