Massiff
Massiffs are bulky, well-armored predators originally from Geonosis and now found on several worlds. They are most common on Geonosis and Tatooine. Massiffs were domesticated thousands of years ago by the Geonosians, who use them as sentries and guard beasts. Because of their usefulness, the crews of some Geonosian ships carried them to guard their vessels and sold others to offworlders. Standing a meter high at the shoulder, these animals make fearsome guards, and their keen senses allow them to easily notice the approach of any intruders. Massiffs are voracious eaters capable of wrestling down large, slow-moving prey. However, their wild diet consists mostly of various types of small vermin as well as carrion and any smaller carrion-eaters who fail to flee when massiffs arrive at a carcass.
Massiff Encounters
The natives of Geonosis keep massiffs primarily to guard their enca pmem from intruders and to eat the various forms of vermin native to that world. Wealthy Geonosians breed these animals for ferocity, and they often bet large sums of money on fighting matches between prize specimens. Massiffs are also common in the encampments of the Tusken Raiders on Tatooine where they guard the raiders’ camps. Both the Geonosians and the Tusken Raiders rarely bother to train their massiffs to capture intruders. Instead, massiff guard beasts are typically free to capture and devour any intruders they can bring down. Massiffs can also be found guarding vessels whose crews originate from either Geonosis or Tatooine. In port, these cratures keep intruders from venturing onto the ship, and in space, they hunt down and sometimes devour stowaways. On some ships, they are allowed to freely roam through the cargo compartment, a fact that should deter passengers from visiting the cargo bay without being accompanied by the massiffs trainer. Wild populations of massiffs are common on both Geonosis and Tatooine, and though they are relatively slow-moving creatures, they are excellent trackers and can pursue prey not swift enough to easily outditance them for many miles.
Massiff (CL 3)
Threats of the Galaxy, page 118.
Medium desert beast 4
Initiative: +2; Senses: darkvision, scent;Perception +9
Defenses: Ref 14 (flat-footed 14), Fort 14, Will 12
Hit Points: 42; Damage Threshold: 14
Speed: 6 squares
Melee: 2 claws +7 (1d4+6) and
bite +7 (1d6+6)
Fighting Space: 1 square; Reach: 1 square
Base Attack: +3; Grapple: +7
Attack Options: Pin
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 12
Skills: Perception +9
Darkvision—Massiffs ignore concealment (including total concealment) from darkness. However, they cannot perceive colors in total darkness.
Scent—At close range (within 10 squares), a masssiff ignores concealment and cover for purposes of Perception checks, and takes no penalty from poor visibility while tracking (see Survival).