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Tanuki

CR 4.00 Monstrous Humanoid CN Medium HD 5

Short and pudgy, this raccoonlike humanoid wields a stout quarterstaff and weaves a little as if intoxicated.

Description

Jolly tricksters, tanukis love deceiving humanoids and other intelligent creatures. This mischief is usually harmless, but can turn spiteful in some situations. Popular folklore stories claim tanukis are the transformed souls of tools and housewares that were used for more than 100 years, a myth that probably results from tanukis' ability to magically create or alter objects.

Mostly encountered in disguise, tanukis enjoy visiting humanoid settlements and interacting with the people. They usually visit taverns and eateries, joining in feasts and celebrations whenever possible. Tanukis always change their disguises and rarely visit the same town twice in the same month.

Tanuki mischief becomes spiteful to those who defile nature. Hunters who kill for sport or those who log trees from the forest without seeding new ones find their weapons and tools transformed into bowls and teacups. Tanukis also put more effort into their pranks when the target is a braggart, a bully, or someone of poor moral character. They like to prank brooding types as well, always hoping to bring a smile to the hard faces of such dour folk. Because of their trickster nature, tanukis get along with many fey creatures. Some tanukis even deal well with spirits, often helping them pass from this world.

Though rare, violent and morbid tanukis occasionally walk the lands, bringing suffering to those they encounter. Filled with spite, these evil tanukis pull sadistic pranks, and horror stories tell of tanukis killing old women and tricking their husbands into eating soups made from their flesh.

A tanuki is 5 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds.

Combat Stats

47 (5d10+20)

17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, +1 shield)

Init

Speed

30 ft.

Fort

Ref

Will

BAB

CMB

CMD

Melee: mwk quarterstaff +7 (1d6+2), mwk quarterstaff +7 (1d6+1), slam +2 (1d6+1)
Ranged: sling +8 (1d4+2)

Ability Scores

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

Proficiencies

Weapons: Simple

Special Qualities

change shape (raccoon; beast shape II)

Sake Affinity — As a swift action, a tanuki can take a swig of sake from the gourd it always carries at its side. When it does so, it gains the effect of one of the following spells at caster level 7th: divine favor, false life, haste, or rage. Unusual tanukis might have additional spell effect choices at the GM's discretion. Each time a tanuki takes a swig of sake, it becomes progressively drunker and takes a –1 penalty to its AC and on Reflex saves for 1 minute. These penalties stack.

Feats

Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)

Special Abilities

Universal Monster Rules

Change Shape (raccoon; beast shape II) Su from Universal Monster Rule

A creature with this special quality has the ability to assume the appearance of a specific creature or type of creature (usually a humanoid), but retains most of its own physical qualities. The creature cannot change shape to a form more than one size category smaller or larger than its original form. This ability functions as a polymorph spell, the type of which is listed in the creature's description, but the creature does not adjust its ability scores (although it gains any other abilities of the creature it mimics). Unless otherwise stated, it can remain in an alternate form indefinitely. Some creatures, such as lycanthropes, can transform into unique forms with special modifiers and abilities. These creatures do adjust their ability scores, as noted in their descriptions.

Special Abilities

Sake Affinity from text

As a swift action, a tanuki can take a swig of sake from the gourd it always carries at its side. When it does so, it gains the effect of one of the following spells at caster level 7th: divine favor, false life, haste, or rage. Unusual tanukis might have additional spell effect choices at the GM's discretion. Each time a tanuki takes a swig of sake, it becomes progressively drunker and takes a –1 penalty to its AC and on Reflex saves for 1 minute. These penalties stack.

Feats, Traits & Items

Two-Weapon Defense from Feat

When wielding a double weapon or two weapons (not including natural weapons or unarmed strikes), you gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC.

When you are fighting defensively or using the total defense action, this shield bonus increases to +2.

Situational: while wielding a double weapon or two weapons: +1 shield AC; while fighting defensively or using total defense, wielding a double weapon or two weapons: +2 shield AC

Two-Weapon Fighting from Feat

Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with two weapons are reduced. The penalty for your primary hand lessens by 2 and the one for your off hand lessens by 6. See Two-Weapon Fighting in Combat.

Weapon Focus (quarterstaff) from Feat

You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon.

Calculated: +1 Attack Bonus

Skills

Bluff +7, Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +8, Perform (percussion) +8, Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +4, Stealth +10

Spells

spell-like abilities:

Constant—Detect Poison, At will—Purify Food And Drink (DC 14), 3/day—Magic Stone (DC 15), 3/day—Major Creation, 1/day—Create Food And Water, 1/day—Shrink Item (DC 17), 1/day—Veil (DC 20)

Details

Type: Monstrous Humanoid
Alignment: CN
Size: Medium
Environment: temperate forests or urban
Organization: solitary, pair, or gathering (3-8)
Treasure: standard (masterwork quarterstaff, 4 gulps of sake in a gourd, other treasure)
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., detect poison, low-light vision; Perception +8
Languages: Common, Tanuki
Source: Bestiary 3

Rules