Back to this week's monster, which is another mashup similar to an owlbear. Here is a link to the lovely illustration of the owlhoneybadger. This little critter is always angry, but using a spell to tell it "Lighten up, Francis" will only make it angrier.
I hope you enjoy this week's monster, and I'll see you next Friday with another one!
This combination of
owl and muscular badger features massive paws with talon-like claws covered in
fresh and dried blood. Its bloodshot eyes bulge just above its open,
spittle-flecked beak.
Owlhoneybadger CR 6
XP 2,400
N Small magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light
vision, scent; Perception +16
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 11,
flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +8 natural, –2 rage, +1 size)
hp 76 (8d10+32)
Fort +10, Ref +8, Will +6
Defensive Abilities
ferocity; Resist compulsion effects;
Immunities fear
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.,
burrow 20 ft.
Melee bite +14
(1d6+5), 2 claws +14 (1d8+5)
Special Attacks
hybrid hunter, hyper rage
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 11
Base Atk +8; CMB +12; CMD 22 (26 vs. trip)
Feats Improved
Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception
+16, Survival +2 (+14 to follow tracks); Racial
Modifiers +12 Survival to follow tracks
ECOLOGY
Environment
temperate or warm forests and plains
Organization
solitary or pair
Treasure
incidental
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Hybrid Hunter (Ex)
An owlhoneybadger gains a +4 bonus on Perception and Survival checks against
hybrid creatures (including other owlhoneybadgers). It also gains a +4 bonus on
attack and damage rolls against hybrid creatures.
Hyper Rage (Ex) An
owlhoneybadger is always in a state of rage (reflected in its stats above). If
something manages to break its rage, it takes –2 to its Strength and
Constitution, and loses the rage modifier to its AC.
If an owlhoneybadger takes damage more than once between the
end of its turn and the beginning of its next turn, it enters into an extreme
form of rage as an immediate action. It gains an additional +2 bonus to
Strength and Constitution, and it loses its Dexterity modifier to AC (making it
vulnerable to sneak attacks and other attacks benefitting from a creature
losing its Dexterity modifier to AC). It also gains DR 5/— and
immunity to mind-affecting effects. Finally, its ferocity improves, such
that it is not staggered until its hit point total reaches a negative amount
equal to its Constitution score, and it doesn’t die until its hit point total
reaches a negative amount equal to twice its Constitution score.
While an owlhoneybadger is in hyper rage, as a free action
at the beginning of its turn, it can immediate end any one of the following
conditions currently affecting it: blind, dazed, dazzled, entangled, exhausted,
fatigued, nauseated, sickened, or stunned. All other conditions and effects
remain, even those resulting from the same spell or effect that caused the
selected condition. It can use this ability at the start of its turn even if a
condition would prevent it from acting.
Once an owlhoneybadger enters hyper rage, it cannot end it
until all creatures are out of its sight or it dies.
Resistance to Compulsion
Effects (Ex) An owlhoneybadger gains a +2 racial bonus on Will saves
against compulsion spells or effects. Additionally, it rolls twice on such Will
saves and takes the best result. If the owlhoneybadger succeeds on a Will save
against a compulsion spell or effect, it enters hyper rage (as per the special
ability above).
A cabal of wizards, realizing their mistake in creating
uncontrollable hybrid monsters, decided to create a hunter of such abominations.
Perhaps predictably, they compounded their mistakes when they magically engineered
owlhoneybadgers. Many didn’t live long to regret their mistake when they
unleashed a pair of their creations on a pack of owlbears. The owlhoneybadgers
proved to be efficient and brutal killing machines, but they entered an
unreasoning rage when the owlbears fought back. After destroying the owlbears,
the owlhoneybadgers turned on their creators, who discovered that their magic
to render the owlhoneybadgers docile was utterly ineffective. Those wizards who
could teleport away did so, leaving their helpless compatriots behind to face
the wrath of their creations.
While the cabal took precautions to only create female
owlhoneybadgers, they didn’t realize the owlhoneybadgers could mate with
ordinary honey badgers. The offspring were all owlhoneybadgers, so their
numbers grew. Owlhoneybadgers are just as likely to kill one another than mate,
owing to their inbred hatred of hybrid creatures. Those knowledgeable about
owlhoneybadgers have learned to summon hybrid creatures, which owlhoneybadgers attack
in preference to any other creature, and make their escape.
A mature owlhoneybadger is 5 feet long from snout to tail
tip, can stand as tall as 4 feet when it rears up, and weighs up to 400 pounds.
