Rare but dangerous - the Catoblepas

You don’t come across it that often; hell, I don’t think I’ve ever encountered it. Probably just as well. Just look at those stats.

Don’t worry about being stunned for 1-10 rounds by its tail. That’s by far preferable to its gaze. If you meet its gaze, you die – no saving throw. It’s like Tomb of Horrors on legs. No matter what level you are, no matter what magic items you’ve got, you die. No saving throw.

There’s a 2 in 6 chance that someone in your party is going to meet that gaze. It might be you. If it’s not you, the danger’s not over because, there is a 25% chance that it will raise its head long enough to gaze at you. It increases by 15% per round if both you and it stand still.

If you’re not dead by now, then run and dodge while you’re doing it because if it has to move its head around, the chance of it gazing at you drops to 10% per melee round. Don’t bother going astral or ethereal – its gaze works there as well.

Oh and even if you avert your eyes while fleeing, the gaze still works. Okay, you get a saving throw against Death Ray. Good luck!