Greater Chimera

HD: 15
AC: -2 (flank), 0 (front), 2 (rear)
Thac0: 9
# attacks: 6
dmg\attacks: 2d6 (claw x 2), 3d10 (dr. bite), 3d8 (Lion bite), 3d4 (goat horns x2)
sp. attacks: dragon breath (10d8+10) and magic
sp. defences: none
Intelligence: 18 (genius)
Size: G (10' at shoulder)
Alignment: LE or LN (rare)
magic res: 20%
morale: elite (13-14)
Xp: 30,000

If you thought the regular chimera was a nasty bugger, meet big brother! The greater chimera is all that of the common chimera and more- taller, faster (can perfom full flight- MR20, class b), and smarter. The greater chimera stands at 10' at the shoulders while its wings span 35' across and weighs around 1500 lbs. One of the most unnerving ability of the gr. chimera is its ability to speak and do so intelligently, which when doing so all 3 heads talk together with all three voices speaking in total unison.

As if this wasn't enough, the chimera can cast magic as a 13th level mage with particular interest in evocation and illusion spells. Combat: Gr. Chimera are masters at suprise and will do whatever preparations it can to suprise a humanoid party. It itself is impossible to suprise and have a +2 plus 1 per day of preparation on suprise rolls. It often will use whatever spells it can do to enhance its edge against strong enemies such as magic traps, illusions, and wards. IF faced with a threat from a party of powerful adventurers it will attack full blown into melee after first using its dragon breath on the party to weaken them.

Staying at a distance and using breath and spells is not an impossible tactic although It can take no other action than spell casting if it wants to throw a spell. Gr. chimera possess the following innate abilities: polymorph (3/day), protection from good, affect normal fires, resistance to fire (always active). In fighting weaker opponents, the greater chimera often will toy with their prey until it gets bored and eats its food.

Habitat: Gr. Chimera prefer to live alone but are just as territorial as regular chimera. They prefer to live in secluded and abandoned towers while they spend their free time amassing a hoard of magic tomes and items. It often uses its polymorphing abilities to con humans in gaining additional magic power through time and patience. While most of the few greater chimera that exist are of at least 13th level as mages, some could very well be much higher. Imagine a Humongous gr. chimera of 20th or higher level? Interestingly gr. chimera also spend a good portion of their life finding other Gr. Chimera of the opposite sex. With so few in existence on earth (supposedly around 20), 70% of them are all males. It is not unheard of for gr. chimera to form bonds for bearing children although in very few cases this has lead to actual personal relationships.

Ecology: while the original chimera was born of magical gene-splicing, It's doubted that greater chimera could have resulted from the same fashion. There is also the fact that some greater chimera are non-evil although all are lawful for some reason, the most likely being their superior intelligence. As for whether or not the greater chimera themselves understand their own genesis is known only to themselves and they aren't saying, not even the few that take to life among humans. However, Too many of the greater chimera are evil and will do whatever it takes to gain power, often going to the point of dethroning kings and raiding but whenever possible they will try to con and cheat their way through gaining it which makes it more fun for them. While common chimera thrive on humanoid flesh, greater chimera are more worried about gaining personal possessions and possible spellbooks than killing the humans for food. In response, they often eat fine human food, preferably served by a cook.