Hobkins
CR: 1/2 XP: 200
NE Small fey
Init: +2 Senses: low-light vision Perception: +6
Defense
AC: 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size)
hp: 9 (2d6+2)
Fort: +1 Ref: +5 Will: +4
Defensive Abilities: out of phase
DR: 5/cold iron
Offense
Speed: 30 ft., minor levitation
Melee: 2 claws +4 (1d4–1)
Special Attacks: collateral damage
Spell-Like Abilities: (CL 2nd, concentration +4) At will—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 12), silent image (DC 13)
Statistics
Str: 8 Dex: 15 Con: 12 Int: 13 Wis: 12 Cha: 15
Base Atk: +1 CMB: –1 CMD: 11
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Bluff +7, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +6, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +11, Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate
SQ: frightener
Languages: Aklo, Common
Ecology
Environment: any
Organization: solitary, gang (2–5), or infestation (6–30 plus 1 hobkins malefactor)
Treasure: standard
Description
Collateral Damage (Su) Whenever an attack fails to damage a hobkins, whether due to the attack result being too low, a miss chance, or a failure to penetrate DR, the hobkins can redirect the attack to any target that was in range of the original attack (if any). The attack can’t be redirected against the original attacker.
The attacker rolls a new attack and damage roll against the new target, and is considered to possess the Improved Critical feat for the redirected attack. Hobkins delight in using this ability to force creatures to destroy their own prized possessions.
Frightener (Ex) Intimidate is always a class skill for a hobkins, and it never takes a penalty on Intimidate checks due to being smaller than its target.
Minor Levitation (Su) Hobkins generally float 1 inch above the ground. A hobkins can levitate up to 20 feet straight up as a move action, but at the end of the movement, unless it’s found something to cling to, it returns to 1 inch above the nearest flat surface below.
Out of Phase (Su) Hobkins are slightly out of phase with the Material Plane, causing all ranged attacks against them to suffer a 75% miss chance, including spells that require ranged touch attack rolls. Anything that prevents the blink spell also prevents this ability from functioning.
Like many gremlins, hobkins enjoy destroying things that others cherish, but unlike their jinkin cousins, hobkins delight in manipulating people into destroying their own belongings. Their favorite strategy is to use their spell-like abilities and their Intimidate skill to frighten a family. A hobkins may wait at a child’s window during a storm so that it appears pressed up against the glass when the lightning flashes, only to hide away when they check again. Once its victims work themselves into a frenzy, the gremlin gives them time to arm themselves, then reveals itself, leaping and floating out of reach to force panicked victims to throw anything at hand.
A hobkins stands 3 feet tall and weighs 15 pounds.
HOBKINS MALEFACTOR Ordinary hobkins are threats to common folk or careless adventurers with more offense than defense, but hobkins malefactors can mold a group of hobkins into something much more terrifying. Possessed of eerie psychic powers, hobkins malefactors can command countless hobkins telepathically to ensure perfect coordination.
Hobkins malefactors possesses the psychic magic ability, with a variety of psychic spells at their command, different for each malefactor. Malefactors are usually advanced by hit dice, but sometimes have levels in psychic or mesmerist.
Hobkins malefactors are rarely content with the destruction of prized possessions; instead, they seek nothing less than the massacre of innocents at the hands of their own protectors. To accomplish these goals, they calculate each of their moves carefully, with an endgame of an entire small settlement gathered together and prime for redirected attacks from the hobkins’ collateral damage ability.
Gray Goo–Gremlin, Hobkins Gremlin, Nuno This withered, eyeless little creature has a mushroom cap for a head, and a stringy fungus beard frames his toothless grin.