MONSTER’S HANDBOOK BONUS CHAPTER
Combining magical abilities with the sheer ferocity of a mighty animal, magical beasts are often drawn from mythology, folk tales, and other sources to threaten characters in fantasy games. In most cases, a magical beast is merely a wild animal that through a trick of magic has gained abilities not normally possible in the natural world. Some can breathe fire, others can petrify their opponents, and still others can slip into the ethereal plane at will. Magical beasts make good opponents because of their combination of combat skills and magical abilities allow them to handle a wide range of party abilities. Most of these creatures have abilities that enhance their prowess in melee, posing a difficult challenge challenge for both the characters’ abilities and and the players’ problem solving solving skills. Best of all, most magical beasts are either classic gaming monsters or inspired by myth. They resonate with players, as their appearance and background firmly cast them as powerful, vicious monsters. In the core d20 rules, the following monsters count as magical beasts: basilisk, behir, blink dog, chimera, cockatrice, dark mantle, displacer beast, dragonne, ethereal marauder, frost worm, giant eagle, giant owl, gorgon, kraken, krenshar, krenshar, lamia, lammasu, manticore, pegasus,
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phase spider, remorhaz, roper, shocker lizard, sphinx, spider eater, tarrasque, unicorn, winter wolf, worg, and yrthak. The celestial and fiendish templates may be applied to beasts and animals to yield magical beasts.
Building Magical Beasts Magical beasts’ foremost asset is their their excellent combat skills for creatures of their hit dice. They have a base attack bonus equal to their HD, a d10 hit die, and quite good Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores. On top of those advantages they stack special abilities that duplicate spells, magical attacks that allow them to strike several characters at once, and other unique abilities that make each magical beast a unique, difficult opponent. However, these monsters almost invariable have quite poor Intelligence scores. Thus, they serve best as minions used by villains, rampaging beasts, and other supporting roles rather than as villains themselves. It is simply implausible to expect the players to accept a chimera or a gorgon as a powerful, scheming villain. Instead, such monsters are best presented as tools used by clever villains or impersonal, destructive monsters that must be stopped.
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With their generally low Intelligence scores and good combat abilities, fighter and barbarian are both good picks to enhance magical beasts. Barbarian may seem like an obvious choice. That class’s rage and extra movement abilities serve magical beasts quite well. However, since these monsters normally rely on innate magical talents to gain an edge in battle. While raging, creatures cannot use supernatural abilities, spell-like effects, or spells. Thus, the barbarian class may take away just as much as it gives to magical beast. On the other hand, the fighter improves a magical beast’s hit points, combat skill, and grants it a few more feats. The beast’s combat abilities improve without infringing on the use of its innate magical talents. In addition, the players may be surprised to find magical beasts using feats such as Sunder, Spring Attack, or Weapon Specialization against them. Most players assume that an animal, even one with the head of a dragon or the ability to breath cones of frigid cold, cannot take character levels. The rogue is also a very good class to take when you want to give the players a little surprise with a magical beast. Rogues give a magical beast plenty of skill ranks to spend, something they normally lack, and a sneak attack that can prove quite useful for creatures that have movement modes that allow them to attack with surprise. The one big drawback to this class is the magical beasts’ generally poor Intelligence scores. Most magical beasts gain only four or five skill ranks per level in rogue due to their low Intelligence scores. However, blink dogs, phase spiders, remorhazes, dark mantles, ethereal marauders, and frost worms are ideal candidates for this class. The sneak attack damage they gain is an excellent addition to their spread of abilities.
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For the vast majority of magical beasts, spellcasting classes make little sense. Few of these creatures have a humanoid body type, preventing them from casting spells even if they had the ability scores necessary to use magic. The one critical exception to this rule is the lamia. These monsters have humanoid arms and torsos along with the ability scores necessary to use divine and arcane magic. Furthermore, lamias rely on spell-like abilities rather than melee combat to defeat adventurers. As
they lack any offensive spells amongst their ability, a level of sorcerer or wizard can give them spells such as magic missile, shield , and shocking grasp that can protect them in battle and increase their ability to dish out damage.
Feats Since magical beasts primarily rely on good melee attacks to defeat their foes, any feat that improves their damage or their attack bonus is a good choice. Weapon Focus, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Specialization, and Power Attack are all useful for magical beasts. Against poorly armored spellcasters, power attack allows them to quickly drop their foe before he can use many of his spells. Weapon Focus helps offset a fighter’s high AC, while Weapon Specialization’s extra damage is always helpful. Combat Casting is the perfect feat for most magical beasts with reach, though of course those with a Dexterity of 11 or lower gain nothing from it. Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack can play havoc with a party’s plans. Most players never expect a chimera or worg to use a Spring Attack against them. That feat is perfect for fast creatures and those that use burrowing as one of their movement rates. Such creatures can tunnel through the ground, attack, then burrow back beneath the surface using Spring Attack. Many magical beasts have good Wisdom scores to reflect their keen senses and instinct. Thus, they can gain the Stunning Fist feat if you do not mind wasting a feat on Improved Unarmed Strike. The stunning attack granted by the feat allows a magical beast to slow down the party’s fighters and make it easier to hit them. As an optional rule, you may allow a magical beast to count half its HD, rather than half its level, when determining the save DC of its stunning attack. Armor Proficiency may seem like a strange choice for magical beasts, but an intelligent creature that raises and trains these monsters may teach them to fight while wearing barding. Since magical beasts rely on natural and Dexterity bonuses to AC, a suit of armor can vastly improve their durability.
Equipment Obviously, most magical beasts cannot use equipment made for humanoids. Lamias are the one and only exception to this rule, as their humanoid upper bodies allow them to carry weapons, shields, and armor. For such creatures, weapons and armor allow them to function much more effectively in melee combat. Other magical beasts can use barding to improve their defensive abilities. While these creatures must take the appropriate armor proficiency feats to avoid suffering any penalties to their attacks and checks, their improved Armor Class more than makes up for the feat choice. Barding comes in all the standard armor types. Barding costs twice as much for a magical beast as the appropriate armor costs for a humanoid of the same size. Remember, armor for Large creatures costs double and weighs twice as much as the listed types. Armor for Huge creatures is four times the weight and price, while protection costs and weighs eight times as much as normal armor for Gargantuan creatures and 16 times for Colossal ones.
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Magic Magical beasts have little to no use for magical spells and the vast majority of items. Aside from lamias, who are discussed above, most creatures that fall into this category lack the physical traits and ability scores to make use of arcane or divine magic. Some types of magic items can be used by magical beasts without modification. A trainer or allied humanoid can slip a ring on a beast’s paw, while an amulet. medallion, or necklace can be tied around its neck. A belt could be tied around a magical beast’s waist. In some cases a beast could be fitted with a headband or pair of goggles, but normally the creature could not wear or remove the item without aid. Similarly, a magical beast can be fitted with bracers or bracelets above its fore or rear paws. In addition to the normal magical item forms, items can be specially crafted for magical beasts. Collars, leashes, and specially designed and crafted vests can be imbued with magic and given to magical beasts. In particular, a
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wizard, cleric, or other powerful spellcaster who captures, trains, and uses a magical beast as a guardian doubtlessly uses his talents to help improve its abilities.
Training Magical Beasts As mentioned above, magical beasts work well when they are used to reinforce other, more intelligent monsters who can use the beast against the characters. Otherwise, these monsters are nothing more than wandering, destructive menaces. Magical beasts are much more difficult to train than their mundane counterparts. The base Handle Animal DC to train one is 30 + the magical beast’s HD. Training a magical beast in this manner takes three months. Rearing a magical beast requires one year of work and a Handle Animal check (DC 25 + the magical beast’s HD) in order to domesticate it. Once a magical beast has been domesticated, it can be taught a variety of tricks through training as described in the paragraph above. A magical beast can be taught the following tricks. Accept a Rider: Some magical beasts are large enough and have the proper body shape to accept a rider. A blackguard riding a warhorse is a daunting foe. One mounted upon a chimera is a deadly enemy. Full rules for using magical beasts as mounts are given below. Hold Special Ability: In battle or in the daily use of a magical beast, its owner may wish for it to refrain from using its special abilities. For example, a trained cockatrice can be taught to never use its petrifying touch unless specifically told to. Creatures taught this trick never use their ability unless ordered to. At that point, the creature uses its full abilities at the DM’s discretion. Train as War Mount: Once a creature is taught to accept a rider, it must be further trained to work with a rider in combat. A magical beast used in combat without this training forces its rider to use his Ride skill to control the mount in battle (DC 20), as per the Ride skill. If this check fails, the rider may take no actions for a round, but the magical beast may act as normal.
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Use Special Ability: Similar to hold special ability, this trick allows the beast’s owner to order it to use one of its special abilities. Otherwise, the creature attacks and uses its abilities at the DM’s discretion.
Magical Beasts as Mounts Brutal warlords, followers of dark gods, and other mighty champions of evil commonly ride into battle upon the back of a fearsome, trained beast. A horse, elephant, or similar mundane creature lacks the terror and combat abilities of a gorgon, chimera, or manticore. The following rules apply to the Ride skill when a character or NPC uses a magical beast as a mount. The base DCs for the standard uses of the Ride skill remain the same when a character rides a magical beast. Of course, if a character lacks the Ride skill for a specific magical beast, his ranks in Ride are reduced by five when riding that creature. With a Ride check (DC 20), the rider may direct the magical beast’s attacks as a free action. The rider chooses whether the beast uses a magical ability, who it attacks, and so on. Otherwise, the DM decides who the beast attacks and whether or not it makes use of a special attack. Normally, the magical beast attacks its closest foe or the person in its threatened area that dealt the most damage to it.
Magical Beast Prestige Classes Normally, magical beasts lack the focus and cognitive ability to master the specialized talents and skills offered by prestige classes. However, sometimes a dedicated trainer who raises a magical beast from birth can train it to follow complex orders, master new fighting techniques, and expand its combat abilities. Magical beasts with the elder template, detailed below, generally have the experience and mental acuity needed to follow a prestige class.
Fearsome Charger The fearsome charger is a specially trained animal, beast, or magical beast that carries an elite warrior into battle. Unlike other creatures used as mounts, the fearsome charger is molded into a powerful combatant in its own right. Many
evil warlords ride griffons, chimeras, gorgons, and other vicious creatures whose true value lies in their fighting ability, rather than their quality as mounts. Only the most experienced horse trainers and animal handlers are capable of imparting the fearsome charger’s abilities to a creature.
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Hit Die: d10.
Requirements To become a fearsome charger, a creature must fulfill all the following criteria: Base Attack Bonus: +6. Race: Four-legged animal, beast, or magical beast capable of bearing a rider. In addition, the fearsome charger must be raised from birth by a trainer to accept a mount and perform this class’s special combat maneuvers.
Class Skills The fearsome charger’s class skills (and the key ability for each) are Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str). Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features All of the following are class features of the fearsome charger prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The fearsome charger is proficient with all forms of armor. They gain no proficiency with weapons or shields. Fearless: Countless hours of drills have inured the fearsome charger to the distractions, sights, and sounds of the battlefield that spook lesser creatures. It gains immunity to all fear-based effects. Nimble Mount: The fearsome charger learns to compensate for its rider’s shortcomings in battle. Whenever the charger’s rider attempts to use his Ride skill, the fearsome charger also makes a Ride check, using ½ its rider’s ranks as its own. The higher of the two total rolls counts as the skill check result. In addition, the lower total counts as aiding the higher one. The fearless charger uses this ability as a free action.
Coordinated Fighter: In combat, the fearsome charger sets its enemies on their heels. Its great claws, long fangs, and terrifying special attacks promise to rend and tear its foes. They pay more attention to the charger’s attacks than its rider’s efforts. Compared to a remorhaz’s jaws, a lance or sword seems like a puny threat. The fearsome charger’s rider gains a +1 circumstance bonus to his melee attacks while his mount is capable of fighting. Shield Rider: The fearsome charger may opt to absorb a blow meant for its rider. If an attack hits the charger’s passenger, it may opt to make a Reflex save. If the result of this check is greater than or equal to the total attack roll, resolve the hit against the fearsome charger. If the attack roll is not high enough to hit the mount’s AC, the attack counts as a miss. Otherwise, roll damage and resolve any special effects as normal. This action may only be performed once per round. Dodge on the Fly: Whenever the fearsome charger and its rider must make a Reflex save, both roll as normal. The higher of the two results applies to both the charger and its rider. The fearsome charger’s experience on the battlefield allows it to work with
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Level 1 2 3 4 5
Base Attack +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Fort +2 +3 +3 +4 +4
Ref +0 +0 +1 +1 +1
its rider to dodge spells, attacks, and other effects. It instinctually maneuvers out of harm’s way, working with its rider rather than panicking and going against him. Improved Coordinated Fighter: At 4th level, the fearsome charger learns to feint, growl, and menace its foes to further distract them. The bonus granted by the coordinated fighter ability increases to +2. Spirited Warrior: At 5th level, the fearsome charger exhibits the traits that earned the prestige class its name. In combat, the charger’s rider may now control the charger as a free action. Thus, on a charge or similar maneuver its rider may use the full attack action. However, a rider with the Spirited Charge feat deals extra damage only on his first attack of the round. Thundering Charge: Once per day, the fearsome charger can focus its concentration and energy into a single, brutal charge against an opponent. When using this ability, the charger deals double damage with its attacks and may make a bull rush attack against its foe that does not draw an attack of opportunity.
A Special Note on Using This Prestige Class In a campaign where the characters commonly ride into battle on horses and other animals, they may want to use this prestige class to improve their mount’s abilities. Obviously, you are free to prohibit its use amongst PCs. After all, this class is aimed primarily at elite units of cavalry or villains who ride into battle on strange and wondrous magical beasts. However, if you wish to allow a character’s mount to take levels in this class, here are some guidelines to maintain play balance.
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Will +0 +0 +1 +1 +1
Special Fearless, nimble mount Coordinated fighter Shield rider Dodge on the fly, improved coordinated fighter Spirited warrior, thundering charge
The mount counts as a character whose total level equals its CR plus levels in this and other class. Include the mount when calculating the party’s level for awarding XP and dividing XP awards amongst the characters. By the same token, be sure to include the charger’s CR when calculating an EL. Limit a mount to gaining levels only in this class. Once it has progressed through all five levels, it continues to receive a share of XP but can no longer gain levels in this or other classes. For the fearsome charger to gain a level, it must be instructed by an expert who charges 500 gp times the charger’s new level to train him. This process takes two weeks and the charger ’s rider must participate in these drills. Optionally, a fearsome charger only grants its abilities to the specific rider who trained with it. Thus, if the PCs defeat a black knight who rode a fearsome charger into battle, they cannot take the horse for their own without losing its abilities.
Hobgoblin War Beast When the grim legions of the hobgoblin kings march to war, they commonly enter battle alongside chimeras, gorgons, spider eaters, and other vicious creatures they have capture, mercilessly trained, and broken to their needs. The techniques used by hobgoblins leave the creatures scarred for life. Civilized animal keepers are almost universally horrified by the vicious torture, punishments, and conditioning used to break in a hobgoblin war beast, but the results are indisputable. Countless battles have tipped in the hobgoblins’ favor when a small formation of manticores or worgs have charged into the fray and scattered their enemies to the wind.
Hobgoblin Warbeast Level 1 2 3 4 5
Base Attack +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
Fort +2 +3 +3 +4 +4
Ref +0 +0 +1 +1 +1
Under the vicious care of a hobgoblin trainer, the war beast slowly transforms into a barely controlled, vicious marauder. Driven by the pain and torment inflicted on them by their trainers, war beasts launch themselves into battle with a vicious abandon. They rely on raw fury and bloodthirst to cleave through enemy ranks and put their foes to flight. Hit Die: d10.
Requirements To become a hobgoblin war beast, a creature must fulfill all the following criteria: Intelligence 6 or lower. Base Attack Bonus: +5. Race: Animal, beast, or magical beast. Special: A hobgoblin beast handler must raise a creature from shortly after its birth in order for it to qualify for this class. Without the hobgoblin’s brutal training, a beast cannot master the skills and training this class offers.
Class Skills The hobgoblin war beast’s class skills (and the key ability for each) are Climb (Str), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str). Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Class Features All of the following are class features of the hobgoblin war beast prestige class. Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Hobgoblin war beasts are proficient with light, medium, and heavy armor. They gain no other proficiencies.
Will +0 +0 +1 +1 +1
Special Beast of war, savage fury Bonus feat, sentinel beast Beast of blood, sustained attack Beast of terror, bonus feat Beast of fury
Beast of War: Hobgoblin war beasts are completely immune to all fear effects. They are so thoroughly trained to stand in the face of an enemy charge or other attacks that not even magical effects can break their courage. Savage Fury: Prodded into battle by their cruel handlers, the war beast attacks with a savage ferocity that sends poorly trained or nervous troops running for cover. Any creature with fewer HD than the war beast that comes within 60 feet of it must make a Will save (DC 10 + war beast’s total HD) or suffer a –2 morale penalty to all attacks and checks until the beast is defeated or the encounter ends. This is a fearbased effect.
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Bonus Feat: At 2nd and 4th level, the war beast gains an additional feat choice. It may take any feat for which it meets the required prerequisites. Sentinel Beast: War beasts are trained to ferret out infiltrators and are relentlessly punished until they learn to seize on the smallest sound and raise an alarm. The war beast gains a +4 bonus to all Listen and Spot checks. Beast of Blood: War beasts are trained to develop a taste for the flesh and blood of humans, dwarves, elves, and other races hobgoblins commonly battle. If the beast hits an opponent with a bite attack, it may immediately make a second bite attack that deals half damage if it hits as it tears its opponent’s flesh and attempts to devour him. Sustained Attack: Through conditioning, training, and perhaps a small dose of magical breeding and alteration, war beasts gain the ability to use their special attacks and abilities more often than untrained monsters. If the beast must wait a given interval, either static or random, before re-using an spe-
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cial ability, reduce the length of that time by half. For example, a forst worm with three levels in this prestige class can use its breath weapon once every half-hour rather than once an hour. A behir could use its breath weapon every 30 seconds rather than once a minute. Beast of Terror: At 4th level, years of brutal training and torturing the war beast’s inner rage and blood fury turn it into a howling, trembling, blood thirsty fiend. Its savage fury ability now causes creatures subject to its effect who fail their save to flee in a blind panic for 2d4 rounds as per the spell cause fear . After this duration, the victims of this ability suffer the penalties listed under savage fury. Beast of Fury: By 5th level, the war beast has been reduced to little more than a killing machine. It exists in a perpetual state of barely restrained violence punctuated by brief spurts of rampant slaughter on the battle field. The war beast gains a +4 bonus to Strength and Constitution in battle, though it suffers a –2 penalty to AC. If the beast has the rage ability, these bonuses stack with the ones it gains while raging. Unlike rage, this ability lasts until the encounter ends. It automatically activates on the creature’s first action of an encounter.
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Magical Beast Feats While most magical beasts lack the intelligence necessary to concoct new tactics and ideas to improve their fighting ability, most have the instincts and experience necessary to learn a few tricks they can pull on adventurers. Note that beasts and animals may also use some of the feats listed here.
Agile Runner [General] Combining quickness and agility, a beast with this feat can sprint around corners, circle its prey, and navigate with ease even at top speed. Prerequisite: Four-legged creature, Dex 13+. Benefit: When running, a creature with this feat may turn with a successful Dexterity check. The base DC for this check is 10. For each turn beyond the first, increase the DC by 2. For example, the DC for the first turn is 10, 12 for the second, 14 for the third, and so on. On a failed check, the creature stops moving in its current space and loses the rest of the action it used to run.
Normal: Creatures may normally only run in a straight line. Special: Flying creatures with a Dexterity of 15+ may take this feat and use it while flying. Winged creatures that have fewer than four legs may use Agile Runner while flying but not while running on the ground.
Alter Supernatural Attack [General] Through practice, luck, or a quirk of heredity, some magical beasts learn to alter the shape and size of their innate, supernatural abilities. Prerequisite: Area effect supernatural attack, magical beast. Benefit: When using an area effect supernatural attack, the magical beast may opt to create a line, cone, or spread with its attack. The ground covered by this attack depends on the attack’s normal form. Attacks with a radius, such as a spread, may be turned into a cone or line with a range equal to that radius. Attacks that normally function as a line can be converted into a cone with half the range or a spread with half the radius. Cones can be converted into lines with twice the range or a spread with a radius equal to half the cone’s range. All of the altered effects must be centered on the beast using them. Otherwise, all aspects of the ability remain unchanged.
Camouflage [General] Years of hunting in a specific environment have altered the magical beast’s natural coat and coloration to the point that it blends in with its environment. Prerequisite: Animal, beast, or magical beast. Benefit: Creatures with this feat must choose a specific environment, such as arctic, subterranean, or jungle. While in this terrain, they gain a +4 bonus to all Hide checks.
Cornered Beast [General] The closer a beast is brought to death, the fiercer it fights. Creatures with this feat summon untapped reserves of strength and ferocity to overwhelm their enemies when things are at their worst.
Benefit: When reduced to half or fewer hit points, a monster with this feat gains a +4 bonus to Strength and a +2 bonus to Will saves. In addition, the creatures throws itself into the fight, biting and tearing at its foes. It may make an additional attack with its primary weapon each round when using the full attack action. This attack and all others it attempts with that action suffer a –4 penalty. Once this ability activates, the creature may not flee combat and fights to the death.
B O N U S C H A P T E R : M Improved Pounce [General] a g i When using a pounce attack, either through a c a feat or an innate ability, a creature may attempt l B a free grapple attack against its target. Using e a the force of its attack and its sheer weight, the s t animal leaps on its foe, tears into him with its s claws and bite, and uses its momentum to knock him to the ground in a tangle of arms, legs, and claws. Prerequisite: Pounce special attack or feat. Benefit: When using the pounce maneuver, either through a special ability or via the Pounce feat, the attacker may make a grapple attack that does not draw an attack of opportunity as if the creature had the improved grab ability. In order to gain this attack, the pouncing creature must hit with at least one of its standard attacks. Normal: A creature that can pounce may only take a full attack action or may attempt to grapple, not both.
Improved Supernatural Attack [General] Through a trick of nature, magical experimentation, or years of practice, a magical beast can learn to focus its supernatural abilities and improve their effectiveness. Prerequisite: Magical beast, any supernatural ability. Benefit: A creature with this feat selects one of its supernatural abilities to which it applies. The save DC to resist that ability increases by two. If the creature has several innate spell abilities described under one header, it must choose one of those spells for use with this feat.
Prerequisite: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
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When attempting to overrun an opponent, this creature’s size and bulk allows it to crush its foes underfoot, leaving a trail of broken bones and spilled blood in its wake.
With a great leap to attack, a beast can unleash the full fury of its claws and fangs while throwing itself into the fray. Prerequisite: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Prerequisite: Animal, beast, or magical beast with four or more legs. Benefit: When using the overrun combat action, the creature with this feat deals damage to enemies its trips that are one or more size categories smaller than it is. These creatures take damage according to the table below. Trampler Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Damage Inflicted 1d2 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6 2d8
Normal: While using the overrun attack, a four-legged beast may attempt to trample other creatures. However, dealing damage in this manner draws an attack of opportunity from the creature being trampled and any creature that threatens the trampler.
Power Surge [General] By focusing its internal energies, a magical beast can unleash a single, powerful blast of its supernatural attack that hammers its foes but burns out the ability for the rest of the day. Prerequisite: Improved Supernatural Attack, which must be applied to the same ability as Power Surge is to be used with. Benefit: Once per day, a magical beast may choose to increase the damage, range, or area of an ability to which the Improved Supernatural Attack feat has been applied by 50%. Alternatively, the creature may opt to increase the save DC of this attack by an additional four, for a total bonus of +6 after applying the Improved Supernatural Attack feat. After using an ability in this manner, the magical beast may not use it again in any form for 24 hours. Using this feat drains its magical energy and places incredible stress on its internal organs.
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Pounce [General]
Benefit: During the first round of combat, a creature with this feat may move then use a standard action to make a full attack. Note that this feat may be used if the move action is used to charge. Normal: Creatures without this feat may only use a standard attack after moving.
Magical Beast Templates The two templates included in this chapter allow you to modify magical beasts for use against low-level parties or to grant them spellcasting abilities and extra special qualities not normally found amongst the base creature type.
Elder Magical Beast Through magic, divine intervention, or perhaps simply after countless years of life, some magical beasts develop speech, enhanced magical abilities, and other wondrous features. These creatures are invariably older and much wiser than their normal kin. They have the collected wisdom and knowledge of centuries spent upon the world. Some sequester themselves in distant caves, content to spend much of their time in a deep slumber, awakening only occasionally to feed. Others have much greater ambitions. They gather humanoid tribes under their banner, spawn children to serve as them, and plan campaigns of conquest.
Creating an Elder Magical Beast “Elder” is a template that may be added to any animal, beast, or magical beast. The elder beast’s creature type becomes magical beast. It gains spellcasting ability, the capacity for speech, a higher Intelligence score, and more powerful supernatural attacks. An elder magical beast uses its base creature’s characteristics except where noted below. Size: Centuries of life have allowed the elder beast to attain a greater height and length than normal. Increase its size category by one step.
Hit Dice: The elder magical beast gains four HD. These ancient monsters are larger and tougher than normal. AC: Elder beasts gain a +4 bonus to the natural AC modifier. Their hides toughen and grow thicker with age, turning aside even the sharpest blade. In addition, be sure to apply the creature’s new size modifier to AC. Attacks: The elder beast’s base attack bonus increases by 4. In addition, be sure to apply the creature’s new size modifier to attacks. Damage: The creature’s natural attacks increase in damage as per the standard rules for incrementing a creature’s base size and HD. Face/Reach: The creature’s face and reach change according to its new size. Use the standard listed facing and reach for creatures of the elder magical beast’s new size. Special Attacks: An elder magical beast gains the following special attack. In addition, the save DC of its existing supernatural abilities increases by two. Spell Abilities (Su) : At will, three times per day each, the elder magical beast may cast any
three 1st-level divine or arcane spells of its choice as a 5th-level caster. Special Qualities: Elder magical beasts are granted the following special qualities. In addition, the save DC of its existing supernatural abilities increases by 2. Speech (Ex): The creature may now speak three plus its newly determined Intelligence bonus languages. Spellcasting Affinity (Ex) : Their great knowledge of magic and arcane lore allows elder magical beasts to use spells with somatic and material components adapted to their body forms. Thus, an elder basilisk could learn and use arcane spells even though it lacks hands. Saves: Due to their great age and experience, elder magical beasts gain a +2 bonus to all Will saves.
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Abilities: The elder creature’s Intelligence becomes 12 + 1d8 or its base score, whichever is higher. Its Charisma and Wisdom become 10 + 1d10 (roll for each) or its base scores, whichever are higher. Skills: The elder beast gains skill ranks equal
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to three times its new Intelligence score. It may spend these on any skill; count them all as class skills. Feats: The elder beast gains one additional feat. Climate/Terrain: As base creature plus subterranean. Organization: Solitary, or in command of 2 – 5 base creatures of its race and/or 20 – 100 humanoids. Challenge Rating: As base creature +1. Treasure: Twice standard. Alignment: As base creature.
Young Magical Beast A young magical beast is a creature that has not yet grown to its full potential. Its attacks are weaker, it has fewer HD, and its magical abilities are easier to resist in comparison to a fully grown member if its species. A young magical beast is best used to set a powerful monster against a party not yet powerful enough to take on a standard magical beast.
Creating a Young Magical Beast “Young” is a template that may be added to any magical beast. The beast’s creature type remains the same. Its combat abilities, special qualities, and magical attacks are weaker than normal, but its lower challenge rating allows the creature to be incorporated into low-level adventures. A young magical beast uses its base creature’s characteristics except where noted below. Size: Not yet fully grown, the young beast is one size category smaller than its base creature. Adjust its size modifiers to attacks and AC as normal. Hit Dice: The young magical beast loses four HD to a minimum of one. Adjust its hit points accordingly. Speed: Younger creatures are slower than their adult versions, as they lack the strength, long limbs, and agility of their elder counterparts. Reduce their speed by 10 feet for all movement modes. If this reduces a mode’s speed to 0 or less, the creature cannot make use of that mode. If this eliminates all of a creature’s movement methods, grant it a speed of 5 feet in one of its movement modes.
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AC: Reduce the base creature’s natural AC modifier, if any, by two to a minimum of 0. Younger creatures have thinner hides than their adult counterparts. Attacks: Reduce the young beast’s base attack bonus by one for each hit die it lost as a result of this template. See the HD header above for more information. Damage: The younger creature’s natural attacks deal less damage than normal. Use the standard rules for increasing a creature’s HD to determine the creature’s new attack damage. Instead of looking up the creature’s damage and finding its corresponding damage for increasing its size, reverse the process by finding its base damage in the increased size column and finding the corresponding base damage. Face/Reach: The younger creature has a face and reach appropriate to its new size. Special Attacks and Qualities: Reduce the save DC for the younger creature’s supernatural and spell-like abilities by two. Saves: Reduce the young beast’s Fortitude save by two and its Reflex and Will saves by one each. Abilities: The younger creature is weaker and less aware of its environment than adults of its species. Apply the following modifiers to its scores, reducing no ability below 1: Strength –4, Constitution –2, Wisdom –2, Charisma –2. Skills: The young beast loses eight skill ranks. Feats: The young beast loses one feat. Climate/Terrain: As base creature. Organization: As base creature. Challenge Rating: As base creature –2. Treasure: Half normal. Alignment: As base creature.
New Magical Beast Special Attacks and Qualities With their mix of mundane forms with supernatural abilities, magical beasts are often created as the result of meddling gods, arcane experiments run out of control, or otherworldly forces that warp and twist creatures into new forms. Often, these forms incorporate attacks, abilities, and physical characteristics from a wide range of animals. Presented here are a set
of new special attacks and qualities divided into animal packages. To create a magical rhino-crocodile crossbreed, simply apply the rhino package to the crocodile creature or viceversa, depending on the CR you want. These packages may be applied to animals, beasts, and magical beasts. All of the creatures created through the use of these packages count as magical beasts.
B O N U S C H A P T E R : M a g i c a l B e a s t s
In addition to the packages presented here, the rules from Chapter 1 present a host of generic abilities applicable to magical beasts or for creating new ones, such as energy resistance, flight, spell abilities, and so on.
Additional Body Parts Rather than add features found in the animal world to creatures, some researchers, experimenters, and theorists prefer to graft whole parts from one creature to another. The following modifications may be added to any animal, beast, or magical beast. Such additions change their base creature type to magical beast. Extra Legs: A creature with two additional legs grafted to its body moves at a slightly faster than normal pace. It gains a +10 foot bonus to its ground speed. Other forms of movement, such as flight and burrowing, are unchanged by this addition. Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 25 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast. Ram Head: Grown in a nutrient rich bath to reach a size appropriate to the body it is to be added to, the ram’s head grants its recipient an additional gore attack made at its best base attack bonus. The gore attack’s damage is determined by the creature’s size. In addition, the creature gains a +4 bonus to Spot and Listen check due to its extra set of sensory organs. In addition, the creature may attempt bull rush attacks with this head without drawing attacks of opportunity. Creature Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Gore Damage 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6 2d8 4d8
Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 50 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast. Serpent Head: The serpent’s head rests at the end of a long, sinuous neck that extends from the creature’s torso. It grants its recipient an additional bite attack that deals damage and poison based on its size, as listed in Table 9–1. In addition, the serpent’s head has an additional 5 feet of reach. Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 100 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Alligator/Crocodile Granted the tough, leathery hide and long, toothy maw of these amphibious predators, a beast gains a powerful bite attack, improved armor, and the ability to latch on to an opponent and tear him to pieces with its powerful jaws. Creatures modified with traits from alligators or crocodiles gain these animals’ distinctive snout, coloration, and rough, green hide. Bite Attack (Ex): If the creature does not already possess a bite attack, it gains one at the damage listed below. In addition, if the creature does have a bite attack use the higher damage between the value listed
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Serpent Head Poison and Bite Damage s t s a e B l a c i g a M : R E T P A H C S U N O B
Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Fort DC 9 10 11 14 16 20 25
Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Bite Damage 0 1 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6
here and its standard statistics. Creature Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Bite Damage 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6 2d8 4d8 8d8
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the crocodile-modified creature must hit an opponent of the same size or smaller with its bite attack. The beast automatically deals bite damage each round it maintains its hold. Natural Armor (Ex): The base creature gains a +2 bonus to its natural AC modifier. If it lacks such a modifier, it gains one at +2. Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 150 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Cheetah
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Initial and Secondary Damage 1 Str 1d2 Str 1d3 Str 1d4 Str 1d6 Str 1d8 Str 2d6 Str
Renowned for their incredible speed and sudden bursts of acceleration, creatures crossbred with or magically altered to gain the attributes of a cheetah are faster than normal and capable of springing upon opponents like bolts of lightning. Creatures modified in this manner typically have longer legs and sleeker bodies than normal. Improved Speed (Ex): Imbued with a
cheetah’s powerful legs and sleek build, the beast gains a +20 bonus to its ground speed. Other movement modes are not altered by this ability. Sprint (Ex): Once per hour, a beast can take a charge action to move ten times its normal speed. Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : +1 CR; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Scorpion The giant scorpion’s deadly stinger has claimed the lives of many adventurers over the years. Researchers who use arcane processes to meld this creature’s form to another commonly replace the base creature’s tail with a long, segmented stinger that drips venom from its barbed end. In battle, the newly augmented creature weakens its foes with a few stabs of its stinger before closing into to finish them off. Improved Grab (Ex): While combining a scorpion with a second creature does not grant this ability, it does augment it in creatures that already have it. Those with this ability automatically hit held targets with their stinger attack. Roll damage as normal. Poison (Ex): The table below lists the poison delivered by the scorpion stinger. Larger creatures deliver greater doses of stronger poison.
Scorpion Stinger Poison Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Fort DC 11 11 15 18 26 36 54
Stinger (Ex): The long, agile scorpion stinger strikes with a vicious barb that deals damage as per the table below. The stinger attack has a reach 5 feet longer than the creature’s natural reach. In addition, the stinger delivers a dose of noxious venom. Creature Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Stinger Damage 1d2 1d3 1d4 1d6 2d4 2d6 2d8
Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 100 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Squid/Octopus Though seemingly an odd choice for magical experimentation and crossbreeding, a land creature modified with an octopus’s anatomy gains a host of tentacle attacks to use against its enemies. Normally, these additional limbs are set along the creature’s shoulders, allowing it to batter opponents while tearing into them with its fangs and claws. Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the octopus beast must hit a smaller opponent with a tentacle attack. If it gets a hold, it can constrict. Constrict (Ex): A beast deals double tentacle damage with a successful grapple check against its opponents of the appropriate size. Tentacles (Ex): A creature with this modification gains four additional tentacle attacks each round. These attacks are made at –5, or –2 if the creature has the Multiattack feat, and deal damage as determined on the table below.
Initial and Secondary Damage 1d2 Str 1d3 Str 1d4 Str 1d6 Str 1d8 Str 2d6 Str 2d8 Str Creature Size Tiny Small Medium-size Large Huge Gargantuan Colossal
Bite Damage 1 1d2 1d3 1d4 1d6 1d8 2d6
B O N U S C H A P T E R : M a g i c a l B e a s t s
Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 100 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Tiger/Leopard A tiger or leopard mix results in a creature with either of these great cats’ distinctive coloring, savage fangs, and sharp claws. In some cases, the creature develops facial features similar to a cat’s. Creatures crossed with either of those ferocious animals gain the ability to pounce upon their enemies, tearing into them with the full force of their attacks, and rake foes with their rear claws after latching on to them with their jaws. Improve Grab (Ex): The beast must hit with its bite attack in order to use this ability. If it grabs an opponent, it may use its rake. Pounce (Ex): If a beast leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action. Rake (Ex): A beast that gets a hold can make two rake attacks at its highest base attack bonus with its hind legs for 1d3 damage each. If the beast pounces on an opponent, it can also rake. Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 75 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
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sive measures are regularly tested. Some thieves whisper that the treasure itself is but a ruse designed to lure regular meals of human flesh to Tarthus’s priests. As not a single gold piece worth of treasure has yet to be liberated from the Black Spire, such rumors may tell the true tale of the matter.
s t s a e B l a c i g a M : R E T P A H C S U N O B
Lion Serpent of Set Large Magical Beast Hit Dice: Initiative: Speed: AC:
Attacks:
Damage:
Face/Reach: Special Attacks:
Viper When crossed with a snake, a creature gains poisonous fangs it can use to inject venom into its opponents. Normally, creatures granted this trait have long, ropy necks that resemble a serpent’s body. Their torsos are covered in patches of scales, while their heads are altered to resemble a snake’s. Poison (Ex): In addition to its normal bite damage, the altered creature deals poison with its bite with a Fortitude save (DC 13) and initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Constitution. Relative Cost : NA; Absolute Cost : 100 CP; Prerequisites: Animal, beast, or magical beast.
Example Creature In the years that Set’s faith has spread across the land, no greater temple has been erected in his name than the Black Spire of Peregost. The high priest of Set in that city, Tarthus Armal, has bred a hideous mixture of serpent and lion to patrol the gardens that ring the temple’s inner fane. Considering that Set’s priests are said to gather their greatest ritual treasures in vaults beneath the Black Spire, such defen-
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Special Qualities: Saves: Abilities: Skills:
Feat: Climate/Terrain: Organization: Challenge Rating: Treasure: Alignment: Advancement:
5d8+4d10+18 (62 hp) +3 (Dex) 60 ft. 17 (–1 size, +2 leather barding, +3 Dex, +3 natural) 2 claws +11 melee, serpent tail +11 melee, bite +6 melee Claw 1d4+5, serpent tail 1d4+2 plus poison, bite 1d8+2 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with serpent tail) Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d4+2, poison (DC 14, 1d4 Str/1d4 Str) Scent, improved speed, sprint Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +4 Str 21, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6 Balance +7, Hide +4, Jump +7, Listen +6, Move Silently +11, Spot +6 Armor Proficiency (light) Gardens of Set, Black Spire of Peregost Solitary, pack (2 – 5) 6 None Always neutral evil 6 – 8 HD (Large)
Crafted from a dark ritual that transforms a lion cub into a horrid beast, the lion serpent of set has the forequarters of a combination lion and cheetah and the rear body of a serpent. Its tail ends in a hissing snake’s head whose fangs drip with venom. A lion serpent strikes like a bolt of lighting, leaping upon its prey in an instant, crippling them with its venom, and feasting upon them at its leisure.
