Psychopomp, Vanth
Stern, silent, and cloaked in ragged black wings, vanth psychopomps serve as stoic guardians of Purgatory and watchers along the routes of the dead. A vanth looks like a black skeleton with ravenlike wings and a mask resembling a vulture's skull.
Also known as reapers, angels of death, or amzranei, vanths protect the departed from those wishing to eat or steal their mortal souls, recapture escaped souls trying to flee their assigned fates, and are death's foot soldiers against whatever would disrupt the natural cycle of mortality. They may also guard the dead and death's assets, such as forgotten cemeteries, unattended mausoleums, and sacred groves.
A vanth weighs 400 pounds and stands 8 feet tall, though its slumped posture means it can look most adult humanoids in the eye. Vanths are ancient creatures, perhaps predating the current gods of death, and are rumored to be ascended souls of a distant world of death-worshiping soldiers. They rarely speak or show emotion and their hollow voices carry unnaturally far. A vanth's scythe is a badge of its station, reflecting its role as a harvester of souls. It features symbols in a language that was already lost when the death gods claimed Purgatory.
Most outsiders scorn vanths, as the psychopomps have no concern for law, rightfulness, or personal gain—only duty. Vanths view any outsider visiting Purgatory as a potential threat, and stalk angels and demons alike.
- HP
- 76 (9d10+27)
- AC
- 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+3 Dex, +7 natural)
- Speed
- 30 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)
- Init
- +3
- Melee
- +1 adamantine scythe +14/+9 (2d4+7/×4) or<p class="stat-block-2">2 claws +13 (1d6+4)</p>
- BAB
- +9
- CMB
- +13
- CMD
- 26
- Fort
- +11
- Ref
- +6
- Will
- +10
- DR
- 10/adamantine
- SR
- 18
Weapons: Martial, Simple
Reaper's Scythe — Every vanth carries a distinctive adamantine scythe as both a weapon and a symbol of its duty. When the vanth wields its own scythe, the weapon gains a +1 enhancement bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls. As a free action, the vanth can summon its weapon from a personal demiplane or any other location and have it appear in its hands instantly. It can also dismiss its scythe back to its personal demiplane as a free action. If a vanth's scythe is destroyed, it can summon a new one in 24 hours.
spirit touch
Cleave, Great Fortitude, Hover, Power Attack, Vital Strike
<p class="stat-block-1"> As a standard action, you can make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a foe within reach. If you hit, you deal damage normally and can make an additional attack (using your full base attack bonus) against a foe that is adjacent to the first and also within reach. You can only make one additional attack per round with this feat. When you use this feat, you take a –2 penalty to your Armor Class until your next turn.</p>
<p class="stat-block-1"> You get a +2 bonus on all Fortitude saving throws.</p>
<p class="stat-block-1"> You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.</p>
<p class="stat-block-1"> When you use the attack action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon's damage dice for the attack twice and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as <i>flaming</i>), precision based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total.</p>
Acrobatics +9, Fly +11, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (planes) +13, Knowledge (religion) +13, Perception +16, Sense Motive +16, Stealth +15
- Type
- Outsider
- Alignment
- N
- Size
- Medium
- Environment
- any (Purgatory)
- Organization
- solitary, pair, or flock (2–12)
- Treasure
- double (adamantine scythe)
- Senses
- darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, spiritsense; Perception +16
- Languages
- Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal
- Source
- Bestiary 4
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Uses feat: Cleave (Feat)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Uses feat: Great Fortitude (Feat)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Uses feat: Power Attack (Feat)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Uses feat: Vital Strike (Feat)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Knows spell: Deathwatch (Spell)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Knows spell: Teleport, Greater (Spell)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Knows spell: Invisibility (Spell)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Knows spell: Bestow Curse (Spell)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Knows spell: Locate Creature (Spell)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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Knows spell: Searing Light (Spell)House/Core — covered by the site's Section 15.
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