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Nightgaunt

CR 4.00 Monstrous Humanoid CN Medium HD 5

This lanky ebon humanoid has batlike wings, horns, and a long prehensile tail, but lacks a face.

Description

Nightgaunts haunt the deepest and darkest chasms of dreams. They lurk in the shadows that loom at the edges of sane slumber, but are ready at any moment to snatch a blithe dreamer away, carrying it off into realms of endless nightmare and tickling it terribly all the way. They appear as stooped, emaciated humanoids, yet possess a remarkable strength in their sinewy limbs. With inky black skin, batlike wings, a long spiny tail, and demonic horns protruding from its skull, a nightgaunt is a fearsome foe—yet the lack of any facial features is what makes it truly nightmarish.

A typical nightgaunt would stand 7 feet tall if fully upright, and weighs 175 pounds.

Nightgaunts feed on emotions, preferring despair, horror, and nervous laughter. They enjoy carrying their prey high over the mountains, tickling their prey to create a mix of emotions, and finally dropping their victims in remote areas where other monsters can stalk and kill them. Some creatures pay nightgaunts to serve as guardians or carry them from place to place, though the nightgaunts are prone to turn on their employers at the smallest slight.

Most nightgaunts have little interest in anything other than sating their hunger on sleepers, and gather in colonies to entertain each other by sharing emotion-memories through strange caresses. They sometimes war with the other creatures found in their desolate realms.

Combat Stats

37 (5d10+10)

18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 natural)

Init

Speed

30 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)

Fort

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

+9 (+17 grapple)

CMD

Melee: 2 claws +9 (1d6+4 plus grab)
Defensive Abilities: faceless
Racial Modifiers: +4 Stealth

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

-3

wis

cha

Proficiencies

Weapons: Simple

Special Attacks

Clutches — A nightgaunt has a +4 racial bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks. If a nightgaunt uses its fly speed to move itself and a grappled target, it can fly at full speed.

Tickle — As a swift action, a nightgaunt can use its tail to tickle a grappled or helpless foe with horrible efficiency. The target must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Special Qualities

no breath

Feats

Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Grab (claws) Ex from Universal Monster Rule

If a creature with this special attack hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. The creature has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply to use the part of its body it used in the grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a –20 penalty on its combat maneuver check to make and maintain the grapple, but does not gain the grappled condition itself. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature's descriptive text). Creatures with grab receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple. Unless otherwise noted, grab works only against opponents no larger than the same size category as the creature. If the creature can use grab on sizes other than the default, this is noted in the creature's Special Attacks line.

No Breath Ex from Universal Monster Rule

The monster does not breathe, and is immune to effects that require breathing (such as inhaled poison). This does not give immunity to cloud or gas attacks that do not require breathing.

Special Abilities

Clutches from text

A nightgaunt has a +4 racial bonus on grapple combat maneuver checks. If a nightgaunt uses its fly speed to move itself and a grappled target, it can fly at full speed.

Faceless from text

Tickle from text

As a swift action, a nightgaunt can use its tail to tickle a grappled or helpless foe with horrible efficiency. The target must succeed at a DC 14 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Feats, Traits & Items

Dodge from Feat

You gain a +1 dodge bonus to your AC. A condition that makes you lose your Dex bonus to AC also makes you lose the benefits of this feat.

Calculated: +1 Ac

Improved Initiative from Feat

You get a +4 bonus on initiative checks.

Calculated: +4 Initiative

Lightning Reflexes from Feat

You get a +2 bonus on all Reflex saving throws.

Calculated: +2 Ref

Skills

Fly +7, Perception +6, Stealth +11

Details

Type: Monstrous Humanoid
Alignment: CN
Size: Medium
Environment: any mountains (Dimension of Dreams)
Organization: single, pair, flight (3–12), or colony
Treasure: none
Senses: all-around vision, blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6
Languages: Aklo (can't speak)
Source: Bestiary 4

Rules