Tidal Blades
"Queen of the nine storms!" Caiman cursed. He recognized the dark shape under Dust's boat well—it was the deadly silhouette of a guaracuda. A darkness settled over Caiman as images from his past swirled in his mind. The sharp fangs and vicious claws of the guaracuda that tore flesh from bone and left carnage in their wake. He let out a guttural roar.
Thanks to its lightning speed, high intelligence, and tough hide, a guaracuda is one of the most fearsome predators of the sea. Sporting bright orange and black fins that run like a mane along their sinewy, feline shape, guaracudas prefer to strike from a position of stealth and planning.
They have been known to take out entire families in a single hunting raid, and farmers take special precautions when guaracudas are in the area.
Guaracudas live in prides of around six females, who do the hunting, and a dominant male, who guards the lair and is recognizable by its colored mane and elaborate black tail.
Motive: Hungers for meat, defense, and territory
Environment: Deep sea
Health: 24
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (8 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Long when swimming
Modifications: Stealth, surprise, trickery, and hunting as level 9
Combat: Guaracudas attack from stealth and use surprise as often as possible. They inflict a major wound (8 points) with a swipe from their razorlike claws or piercing fangs.
Their intelligence makes them fearsome foes in other ways, as they often use ambush and hit-and-run tactics. They may use their weight to capsize boats, knock victims prone with a toss of their large eel-like heads or their large heavy tails, and create chaos in the water to confuse and separate their prey.
Guaracudas also learn from watching their foes, and can imitate some attacks and abilities used against them. For example, if a character uses a Shield Wave ability against a guaracuda, it may turn around and use the same ability on the character with their tail or body. When mimicking an attack or ability, the guaracuda typically inflicts its usual amount of damage.
Interaction: While guaracudas are intelligent, they are almost impossible to communicate with in any meaningful way due to their bestial nature.
Use: While out fishing or exploring, the characters accidentally wander into the territory of a guaracuda pride. A pride of guaracudas recently staged an attack on a ship or floating village, and the survivors are afraid they will return.
GM Intrusion: The guaracuda sees an opportunity and is able to make a second attack against a foe out of turn.