This levitating squid-like creature looks almost exactly like a darkmantle,
and usually appears as a noisome mixture of purple or ruddy hues. When it takes
a host, it drapes completely over the face and head of a human-sized target
(or just the face of a large target), and the host and parasite pair often are
mistaken for an entirely different creature of the underdark…
Small Magical Beast
HD 1d10+1 (6 hp), Init +4, Spd 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (poor), AC 17 (+1 size, +6
natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16, Base Atk +1, Grapple -3, Atk Slam +2 melee
(1d4+1), SQ Low-light vision, 60 ft. darkvision, improved grab, blindsight 90
ft., constrict (1d4+1), spell-like abilities, possess host, SV Fort +3, Ref
+2, Will +1, Str 12, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 10, Hide 2 (+6), Listen
1 (+8), Spot 1 (+8), Alertness, always Neutral
+4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks (these bonuses are lost if it's blindsight
is negated), +4 bonus to Hide checks due to its variable coloration
Spell-like abilities At will - Daze, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand, Message, Open/Close.
Save DCs are Charisma-based. Caster level as a 1st level Sorcerer.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a darkhood must hit a Large or smaller
creature with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free
action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check,
it attaches to the opponent's head and can constrict.
Constrict (Ex): A darkhood deals 1d4+1 points of nonlethal damage with a successful
grapple check.
Possess host (Su): A darkhood that has reduced a grappled foe to unconsciousness
through lethal or nonlethal damage can attempt to possess the creature. The
creature must make a Will save (DC 13 to resist, the effect is treated as a
3rd level spell and the save DC is Charisma-based) or have its body fall under
the complete control of the darkhood. On a successful save, the darkhood cannot
attempt to possess that individual for 24 hours, and may choose to either try
to keep it unconscious to try again (if the location seems secure) or just strangle
it to death (if it doesn't feel like this would be a safe area to wait around
for 24 hours). The darkhood does not gain any access to its hosts memories,
class abilities or skills, but can still use its own spell-like abilities and
sensory traits as normal. For every 24 hours that a person remains under the
darkhoods' thrall, it takes 2 points of ability damage to both Constitution
and Wisdom, as the creature feeds both off of their physical body and their
mental energies. During this time, the 'host' does not recover any ability points
lost, even if the darkhood attempts to 'rest' the hosts body, although the lost
attribute points can be restored magically, even while the creature is still
attached.
Special: A darkhoods' blindsense is a function of its mental energies, and
a target that is mindless or has some protection against magical forms of detection
(such as a nondetection spell) is effectively invisible to the creatures blindsense
(but not its other senses).
As a somewhat creepy aside, Darkhoods not only feed both physically and psychically
off of their hosts, but they also require a host to reproduce. Their designer
clearly watched Alien too many times.