“The wonderful beasts that lurk just under the waves, just beyond the sands, or high above in the clouds. We watch and learn from them, for they have learned to coexist with this harsh world far better than we have.” – Jace Kinnith, Anthropologist Explorer

Magical beasts are a diverse group of creatures, ranging from a glowing frog to a chaotic teleportation spike hound. As such, trying to group them together does not do the “genre” justice.

Magical beasts are often a product of their habitats, their interactions with other groups and communities, or the results of events gone by.

Outside of the realm of fantasy, magical beasts occupy much of the same space as cryptids and folk legend, creatures that exist outside of the public eye and are often forces of nature and mystery. Inside a fantasy setting, these folk legends can still remain legend, if magical beasts are scarce or avoid interactions with intelligent populations, or can be known fact in a setting that has much higher contact and traffic with such creatures.

Climate, habitat, and ecosystems are a fun and useful tool to leverage when world building. What lives near a volcano, or in the hottest deserts, or the coldest of tundras? While the answer might seem obvious, things that can survive and thrive are what will make their home in any given environment. This is the same for animals as it is magical animals, and many of the creatures in this book are designed around being from somewhere specific or in a certain habitat.

Spheres Bestiary: Magical Beasts and Climactic Encounters is a companion to the Beast Tamer’s Handbook and was developed at the same time, with the handbook focused on player and mechanical content. It is my hope that this bestiary, and the resources presented here, help create fun new stories and memorable sessions.

Spheres Bestiary: Magical Beasts and Climactic Encounters uses materials from the updated Spheres of Power system of magic found in Ultimate Spheres of Power, as well as materials from Spheres of Might, Champions of the Spheres, and other Drop Dead Studio supplement products. Classes, class features, and spheres from these sources are not marked.

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Magical Beasts of the Spheres

This section contains advice, worldbuilding tools, and GM resources when creating games, building stories, and preparing encounters with magical beasts.

Climactic Encounters

Popular in recent culture from the Monster Hunter franchise, but a consistent, solid trope across storytelling, mythology, and videogames, dynamic fights with massive and formidable beasts are sometimes difficult to execute in tabletop, due to various restrictions that may be present in the system. Some examples of this type of cinematic fight includes examples such as the many of the labours of Hercules, Sigurd and the dragon Gram, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Devil May Cry, Shadow of the Colossus.

In Pathfinder particularly, action economy is one of the most valuable resources and creating an encounter around a single monster is difficult. This section will introduce some loose guidelines and recommendations when creating a solo monster or boss encounter. This book does not provide these options in spades, and is more a help section on what to think about during encounter design with some examples.

What Are Climactic Encounters?

A climactic encounter is not about giving your big boss monster more damage. It is about giving your boss monster more tools and options that complement their normal abilities without just doubling down. Much like the classic 4 class party in tabletop with a fighter, rogue, cleric, and wizard, many creatures mechanically fall into one of those archetypes. A fighter will be good at dealing damage and being “in the fray”, but may lack the mobility of a rogue, or the utility and problem solving of a caster (ex. a cleric or wizard). A climactic encounter is about giving a boss (or encounter) tools to cover for their weaknesses.

This advice and tools in this section go beyond conventional “boss building” advice for Pathfinder, such as increasing maximum hit points, granting immunities, or other passive and number focused benefits to beef up a solo encounter so that it does not get obliterated by the players.

This section does not address how to evaluate the Challenge Rating (“CR”) adjustment of a climactic encounter. Pathfinder is heavily math-dependent and these tools and resources are meant for encounter creation that go beyond the regularly allotted resources a creature or encounter would have.

The three approaches this section will present are powerful actions, arena actions, and specialized initiatives (collectively “boss actions”). Powerful actions and arena actions should be a familiar space to those who have played various editions of tabletop games as a way those systems provided their larger boss monsters with tools to surmount the action economy issue. Lair actions have been present in many systems but generally did not find traction with Pathfinder 1st edition. Specialized initiatives will be a more unique approach that encourages separating ability sets.

Our Good Friend the Behir: For this section on climactic encounters, we’ll examine the behir, a large, snakelike dragonoid that usually has some electricity thematics, of which a spheres-adapted behir can be found in this bestiary. We can consider the behir to be a “fighter” type. A behir does not have issues biting or trampling its foes, or using its breath weapon. Instead, a behir is challenged when overwhelmed, trapped, or outmaneuvered. As such, examining what tools you can give a behir to “round them out”, as opposed to extra attacks, more damage, or higher numbers.

Powerful Actions

A powerful action is a one-time emergency button, stylish flourish, or situational action that is thematically tied to an individual creature depending on the circumstances. Powerful actions are meant to help avoid the pitfalls of a boss encounter. Powerful actions should generally be usable only once per fight, but can be individually stronger than an arena action or the actions available during a specialized initiative. When granting a creature a powerful action, it should be something that helps that monster get out of a bad situation, reposition themselves, momentarily press the advantage, or recover.

This is meant to avoid the “Giant gets dropped into a create pit spell” problem, where an entire boss encounter is not invalidated by a single failed save or inconvenient position. Powerful actions should be looking to provide dynamic opportunity based on who or what the creature is, what it can do within its normal capacities, and what it needs help with. As a general overview:

• Any boss type could receive a powerful action that mitigates (or negates) a powerful attack or grants a reroll (or success) against a deadly saving throw.
• Fighter types could receive powerful actions that help them “push through”, maneuver the battlefield, or quickly heal. Fighter types will be best assisted by a powerful action that helps them stay in the fight.
• Rogue types could receive powerful actions that let them vanish, escape, or “set up” their subsequent turn. Rogue types will be best assisted by a powerful action that helps them approach the fight “their way”.
• Caster types could receive powerful actions that help protect them, avoid being overrun, or squeeze a little something extra out of an ongoing effect. Caster types will be best assisted by a powerful action that prevents them from being pinned down.

Which powerful actions a particular enemy receives is entirely a case by case basis. A stealthy, rogue-like vampire could be granted a powerful action that ends all nearby bleed effects to heal a large amount or a disorienting stare attack, whereas a giant wizard could use its ancestry to uncharacteristically burst out of a tight spot.

Powerful Action Economy and DCs: Powerful actions can have an action type, or can be a non-action (or triggered ability), depending on the circumstances and what it does. Most powerful actions cannot be used while stunned, paralyzed, or otherwise denied of actions, unless they are intended to allow the creature to do so.

Powerful actions should generally not call for a saving throw. If a saving throw is necessary, use the creature’s ability DC if the powerful action is based on an ability it possesses, such as a dragon’s breath weapon, or a martial practitioner’s Gladiator sphere abilities. If the powerful action is not based on one of the creature’s regular abilities, the DC should be equal to 10 + 1/2 the boss’s Hit Dice + the boss’s highest ability score modifier. If a powerful action is based on a skill check, the powerful action should not grant a higher bonus to that skill check than its normal bonus + 20 (as though it rolled a natural 20 on the die) + 1/2 the boss’s Hit Dice. GMs should take the time to evaluate if these numbers seem fair to their players and adjust them as necessary.

Example: Looking back at the behir as our example of a fighter type, some powerful actions at the behir’s disposal, once per combat, might include:

• Lashing Strike: As part of an attack action against a single creature, the behir can broadly lash out against everyone within reach. Compare the results of the behir’s attack roll against the creature’s AC and any miscellaneous defenses (such as miss chance), striking any creature whose AC is lower than the attack roll. Instead of taking damage, each creature other than the primary target of the behir’s attack is knocked prone.
• Lightning Bath: The behir’s scales crackle with energy. Each creature within 30 feet must succeed at a Reflex saving throw or take the minimum damage from the behir’s breath weapon (as though each damage dice rolled a natural 1). The behir regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt by this ability. This powerful action is a non-action, and can be used at any time.
• Mighty Leap: During its turn, the behir takes a powerful leap to escape or reposition. The behir moves up to twice its base speed to any location it can see. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the behir could reach a ledge, such as the ledge of a pit or cliff, it can climb up over the ledge with this movement. This powerful action is a non-action, and can be used at any time.
• Shake It Off: A behir is tough and durable. Whenever the behir would fail a saving throw, it can roll a second time, taking the new result if it would be beneficial. The behir may use this ability to roll a new saving throw against an effect it already failed against, even if that effect would not offer a new saving throw. This powerful action is an immediate action.

The actions here give the behir some minor healing, mobility, a “second chance” against a debilitating effect, and a minor “set up”. Although the behir could only use each of these powerful actions once during the combat, this gives our good behir friend better chances against a party of adventurers that would wander into its cave.

Arena Actions

Arena actions should provide many of the same options and serve the same purposes as powerful actions, granting an individual creature more dynamic options during an encounter.

Arena actions should be more normalized to the creature’s abilities and powers, whereas a powerful action is a strong onetime effect, and a specialized initiative’s options are consistently exercised.

Arena actions are much like powerful actions, the notable difference being that arena actions can either be recharge-based or be charge-based. When designing arena actions, it can be helpful to either specially tailor them to the creature or to that creature’s environment in the encounter, such as its actual lair or home.

Recharge-Based Arena Actions: A recharge-based arena action is similar to a powerful action, but has the ability to recharge during a fight. By adding a cooldown, similar to a dragon’s breath weapon, the ability can be used multiple times in an encounter. The recharge time should be based on the strength of the arena action and more powerful arena actions should have longer recharge times. Recharge timers can be difficult to balance, as the goal of arena actions is not to be an “ace-in-the-hole”, but to be versatile. A recharge-based ability would be more appropriate for a powerful effect that is available at a somewhat regular interval.

As an alternative to a normal recharge, a more powerful arena action with a recharge timer could require that the creature roll to have the ability recharge at all. This was a primary mechanic to a more tactical game edition of fantasy tabletop, where a more powerful enemy ability would not be reusable unless the creature successfully rolled its recharge (such as rolling a 5 or 6 to recharge the creature’s powerful slam ability). This recharge should replace the ability’s normal recharge timer.

A creature with access to recharge-based arena actions can have a combination of recharge timers and once per combat powerful actions depending on what that creature should have access to during a more dynamic encounter.

Example: Our good friend the behir, instead of its one-off powerful actions, instead has some recharge-based arena actions which have been adjusted from the powerful actions above. Some of these arena actions have recharge timers, and some do not, depending on the scope of their effect, to instead accommodate recharge timers, if the ability is one that should have a recharge timer:

• Lashing Strike (recharge; 1d3 rounds) [same as above].
• Lightning Bath (recharge; 1d4 rounds): [same as above].
• Mighty Leap (recharge; 5 or 6 on 1d6): [same as above].
• Shake It Off (once per combat): [same as above].

Charge-Based Arena Actions: A charge-based arena action is a group of related actions which are weaker than powerful actions alone, but are more consistently available. Charge-based arena actions are a suite of abilities that are usually thematically designed around the creature, and oftentimes related to that creature’s lair, hence being inspired by a certain 5th tabletop game edition’s “lair actions”.

A creature or group of enemies with charge-based arena actions use these arena actions by expending arena charges. An arena charge is a unique resource which is the cost for activating a charge-based arena action, and arena charges replenish at the start of the creature’s turn, or the group’s turn if multiple creatures can use the arena actions. The number of arena charges a creature or encounter can have access to varies, with more or less charges based on the strength of the abilities, intensity of the encounter, and other similar factors. 3 arena charges is generally a “normal” number.

Arena actions which expend charges should be proportionally powerful based on the number of charges they consume. If an arena action consumes 3 charges, it is likely as strong as a powerful action, whereas an arena action that consumes 1 charge might be a small boost to AC, an extra 5-foot step, or other minor action the creature wants regular access to. Charge-based arena actions tend to not cost actions, and are more reactionary in nature or cause an element of the battlefield to change. A creature can use its arena actions in any combination, so long as it has available arena charges (such as using the same 1 charge option 3 times instead of separate options).

Example: Our good friend the behir has leveled up, and has access to some charge-based arena actions. The behir has 2 arena charges, which replenish at the start of its turn, which it can use to use any of the following abilities:

• Behir Triage (1 charge): The behir’s draconic blood pulses quickly, repairing damage and sealing wounds. The behir gains 10 temporary hit points, which last until the start of its next turn. When these temporary hit points would expire, the behir is healed an amount equal to the number of temporary hit points remaining. The behir can only use this arena action at the end of its turn.
• Renew Breath Weapon (2 charges): The behir’s throat glows brightly. The behir bypasses the normal cooldown for its breath weapon, allowing it to use its breath weapon normally.
• Scamper (1 charge): The behir quickly repositions. The behir moves up to half its base speed; this movement does provoke attacks of opportunity. If the behir is prone, it stands up from prone as a free action.
• Sparking Barrier (1 charge): The behir’s spines crackle with lightning. The behir gains a +2 dodge bonus to AC until the start of its next turn. While under this effect, any creature that strikes the behir with a melee attack takes 1d6 electricity damage.

Specialized Initiatives

A specialized initiative is a unique take on multiple initiatives that specifically focuses on alternate utility on a predictable interval. Specialized initiatives are the most complex option, where the initiative should offer a number of unique, synergistic abilities, whereas a powerful action is a one-time effect, and a set of arena actions are meant to provide reaction abilities.

How Multiple Initiatives Work: A specialized initiative is treated as a “real” turn for most purposes. The creature receives a full set of actions but cannot use and does not have access to any of its regular abilities while taking actions with its specialized initiative. Any effects that would occur during the creature’s turn, such as bleed damage, being on fire, a new saving throw against an ongoing spell effect, are only granted or suffered during the creature’s primary initiative (a creature with a specialized initiative only bleeds once per round). Any duration-based effects are still tied to the creature’s regular initiative and its regular duration, such that being sickened for 4 rounds would not be reduced during the specialized initiative.

A specialized initiative can either be independently rolled, using the creature’s normal initiative bonus, or be a static modifier from the creature’s rolled initiative (such as the creature’s initiative - 10). An exception to the limitations of a specialized initiative is if the creature would be magically compelled, enraged, or otherwise unable to take their specialized initiative normally. In that case, the creature may spend its turn however it wishes to comply with the condition it is under, using a combination of its specialized initiative actions and the actions available during its regular initiative.

Designing a specialized initiative can provide access to any number of effects. It can be various stances, triggered actions, or threshold actions which can occur when there are unique circumstances, or on regular intervals. It can usually be helpful, and thematic, to give a specialized initiative a fun or cool name and then design the abilities around that name, or to more heavily consider the creature’s environment as though granting them arena actions.

Where specialized initiatives shine is creating combo opportunities, and even allowing the various abilities to synergize or combo. The “Crystal Emperor’s Initiative” sample for our good friend the behir specializes around area crowd control and forced movement to push enemies into crystals littering its lair, which function as an arena hazard for the crystalline surge ability.

Example: The behir is a boss in his own right now, and has gained the specialized initiative named “Crystal Emperor’s Initiative”, which focuses on the behir’s electricity and draconic lineage while in the behir’s lair, an underground cave littered with glittering, precious stones. The behir cannot use its crystal cave emperor initiative to make normal attacks, and may only use the following abilities:

• Crystalline Surge: As a standard action, the behir channels its electricity through the crystals in its cave. Any creature within 5 feet of the behir or any of the crystals in the cave take 4d6 electricity damage (Reflex half). Any creature that fails its saving throw against this ability is also staggered if they were pushed into a square adjacent to a crystal by the behir’s thunderous roar ability.
• Dragon’s Presence: As a swift action, the behir gains a 30-foot fear aura until the end of its next crystal emperor initiative. Creatures in the aura’s radius are shaken (Will negates). Creatures that succeed at their saving throw are immune to this effect for 24 hours. As a standard action, the behir can suppress this aura until the start of its next crystal emperor initiative to target 1 creature who must succeed at a Will saving throw or be frightened for 1 round (Will negates).
• Heart Current: The behir channels its electricity inward, causing the crystalline growths in its skin to harden. The behir can spend a full-round action to regain 3d8+8 hit points and DR 15/bludgeoning until the start of its next crystal emperor initiative.
• Thunderous Roar: As a swift action, the behir roars with sparking fervour. All creatures within 100 feet are pushed back 10 feet (Fortitude negates). If a creature would be pushed into a space occupied by a wall or a crystal, the creature stops its movement in the adjacent space.

Climactic Encounters with Multiple Enemies

While climactic encounters are meant to be a tool for a single enemy, either as a solo encounter or when accompanied by minions or other less powerful creatures, these rules can also be used by a group of enemies, such as granting boss actions to a duo of powerful knights or a gang.

• Powerful Actions: Assign powerful actions to each creature that should be able to use one. A powerful action can either be granted on an individual basis, such as when granting a defensive ability, or shared amongst a group and useable a single time by any of them, such as a group of enemies that each have the same way to interact with the environment (such as a remote or lever that triggers something in the environment.
• Arena Actions: Arena actions available to multiple enemies should share arena charge. If an arena action has a limit of once per round, it can only be used once per round, not once per creature with access to the arena actions. Arena charges shared between multiple enemies reset with the highest initiative.
• Specialized Initiatives: Specialized initiatives are difficult to distribute between multiple creatures. When trying to grant a specialized initiative between multiple creatures, consider having the abilities part of the environment or arena itself and adjust down the strength of these actions accordingly. An example would be a group of gladiators in an arena, where the arena itself has an initiative and takes actions that shift the battlefield.

Counterplay and Interactions to Climactic Encounters

A final “pillar” on how to offer more agency to players when using boss actions and other similar resources is to create additional permissions and circumstances to identify and react to the abilities. A highly recommended option is to create more depth for Knowledge checks and gathered information. For an especially complex encounter, the GM can further introduce counterplay.

Knowledge and Awareness

At the start of an encounter, a GM should reveal to their players that the encounter will be using climactic encounter rules. This does not require revealing effects or abilities, just that the mechanics will be present.

Characters can identify boss actions using an appropriate Knowledge check. The first Knowledge check should reveal that these actions exist, and their names, plus any information normally available through a Knowledge check. Once the ability names are revealed, players can spend subsequent Knowledge checks to individually identify boss actions with a Knowledge check at the normal DC +5. GMs can adjust this Knowledge check DC or choose to reveal partial information as a manner of degrees of success.

This approach creates a sense of mystery to the fight and allows players to prioritize what information they want access to.

Counterplay and Contesting Boss Action Mechanics

Note: Not all climactic encounters need to have counterplay options as described in this section. This is another layer of complexity, and not all encounters using the climactic encounter rules that are part of this handbook need counterplay options.

For a climactic encounter with lots of moving parts, potentially even multiple specialized initiatives or a wide array of arena actions, giving characters a way to disable or workaround the abilities can help add more depth to the mechanic. Adding counterplay to boss actions should depend on the complexity of the encounter, and how many boss actions the enemy has access to, generally being reserved for “high-end” boss fights.

In the course of the fight, by identifying boss abilities, opportunities can be presented to then disable these mechanics, or identify clear “weak points”. This can be anything from outright denying an enemy’s access to a powerful action, reducing the number of arena charges or arena abilities available, removing actions from a specialized initiative, or even disabling the initiative altogether. A GM can create these opportunities by providing “physical” things to interact with, such as smashing the crystals in a behir’s cave to prevent it from channeling electricity through them, to winning over the crowd of a packed gladiatorial arena and disabling the arena from potentially influencing the fight further.

When the opportunity to disable a boss action is available, a character can attempt a contested check as a standard action. Examples of contested checks can include contested skill check, contested “martial” check (1d20 + base attack bonus vs. 1d20 + base attack bonus), or a contested “magic” check (1d20 + MSB vs. 1d20 + MSB). The circumstances of this check depend on what and how the character is attempting to disable the boss action, and what kind of boss action is being disabled.

The check required to disable a boss action should almost always be a contested roll because these checks represent the character’s might, skill, cunning, or prowess being directly pitted against the enemy’s.

A contested check should always be something both characters are capable and proficient in, within reason, and GMs should prompt what types of checks are appropriate to achieve the results a player would want. For example, it would be inappropriate to try and destroy a golem’s boss action to send a rippling shockwave through the fl oor with a contested Perform check.

Use degrees of success as a measure of how the contested check resolves in either character’s favor. The results of a successful contested check can impair the ability (disabling or weakening the ability for a short time) or disable the ability entirely. Likewise, failing these contested checks can turn on the player’s character, imposing penalties, inflicting conditions, or raising the morale of others in the encounter.

Example: Some concrete examples of what each type of contested check might be used to disable something:

• Contested ability check: In a deep, quiet forest, a contested Strength check where a barbarian attempts to break the horns off a beast. Success would deny or impair the horns, or abilities dependent on them, where failure would allow the beast to knock the barbarian prone, make an attack of opportunity, disarm the barbarian’s weapon, or sunder something in the barbarian’s possession.
• Contested skill check: In a packed arena, a series of contested Perform checks where a bard competes with the other gladiators to win the crowd over. Success for either party wins the crowd, who grants small morale bonuses to the current arena favorite and throws food at the loser.
• Contested martial check: The commander wants to demoralize the enemy’s leader. A contested martial check against the enemy as a show of force could lower the enemy’s morale and reduce tactical cohesion, or do the same to the commander’s allies.
• Contested magic check: The wizard wants to override the magic in the ancient seals which empower the room’s pillars. A contested magic check against the enemy, as the magics clash, which could temporarily disable the pillars or daze the wizard, overwhelmed by the magic’s strength.

Worldbuilding through Harvested Materials

Being able to make things out of the great beasts you hunt is an iconic trope of monster hunting.

In Pathfinder 1st edition, there are some rules for gathering resources, trophies, parts, or harvesting poisons from fallen foes. GMs can take advantage of these rules and adapt them to help diversify their bazaars, make crafting more interesting, and add memorability to a character’s gear. For example, a cloak of resistance becomes a lot more memorable when it was made from the scales of a slain foe, rather than another nondescript piece of cloth.

GMs can allow trophies and parts harvested from creatures to not discount the crafted item, but instead grant new or additional properties unique to the materials used. Such properties should generally be miscellaneous, such as small bonuses on saving throws against related descriptors, small quantities of damage reduction or energy resistance, bonuses to skills, etc. These unique properties can also extend to merchants and unique bazaars who might have access to odd monster materials to offer unique armor, weapons, and magical items.

Trophies and Treasures

Trophies and Treasures (Ultimate Wilderness) presented rules for harvesting and valuing nondescript “trophies” from fallen creatures. This generalizes the process so you do not track and itemize an entire creature’s body, assigned values to the “trophy” of a creature, and suggests crafting affinities for those trophies, such as a demon’s heart being useful for items that are crafted with a spell with the evil descriptor.

Anyone can harvest and preserve trophies by succeeding on a sufficient Survival or Heal check with a DC equal to 15 + the creature’s CR. A trophy with magical affinities is worth 20% more, and the DC to harvest the trophy is increased by +5.

These rules can be very useful to quickly provide ways to harvest and preserve trophies. GMs should be mindful that these rules place a gold value on every slain creature, including humanoids if the party is willing to butcher one. GMs can balance this by providing that not everything has a trophy, but significant enemies may have a trophy that is worth more than usual, and is exceptional in some way or provides some benefit beyond that of a normal trophy.

Harvest Parts

Predating Ultimate Wilderness, the Monster Hunter’s Handbook contained rules for harvesting parts from monsters by taking the Harvest Parts feat. Parts harvested using this feat are worth less than those using the trophy rules but are a more measured way to allow characters to harvest from creatures if the GM is concerned about inflating party resources.

Harvesting Poisons and Crafting Antivenom

Harvesting poisons and creating antidotes (Ultimate Wilderness) can add more weight to a venomous creature whose presence may shape how a tribe hunts, how assassins deal with their marks, or what vials lurk in an underground market.

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Magical Beast Talent Packages

Note: Talent packages were initially included in Spheres Bestiary: Undead and the Immortal Forlorn. The rules and implementation for using them are reprinted here for convenience.

A talent package is a tool for GMs to quickly add sphere abilities onto a stat block and can be a useful tool for quick session preparation or to make seemingly normal monsters have more interesting sets of abilities. Alternatively, complex monster stat blocks can be difficult when they have too many moving pieces. GMs can use talent packages to quickly add a handful of thematic talents onto a monster to help achieve a specific goal in combat, such as giving a martial controller tools to bull rush others or a quickly grant casting to a casting.

When applying a talent package, treat any caster levels gained in the same way as building or adding spherecasting to a monster normally (see Monsters and Spheres of Power above). A talent package potentially increases a modified creature to be more powerful and may increase the creature’s CR depending on what abilities are added. GMs be careful when using talent packages and consider how adding talents to an existing monster will change the encounter and adjust accordingly when adding extra resources to monsters this way.

Each talent package lists the talents granted by the package, plus any other miscellany adjustments. When granting a creature a talent package, choose a practitioner modifier or casting ability modifier for the creature as normal and adjust other statistics, such as skill ranks, as necessary. Each talent package also lists an application section and an “upgrading this package” section. The application section is similar to a tactics section on a stat block and helps quickly inform what the creature is supposed to do with the package. The “upgrading this package” section lists quick options for empowering the talent package with additional abilities.

Agile Hunter (Athletics sphere package)

A blur of darting fang and claw, movement made with purpose.

Athletics Sphere – Package (varies); Talents Mobile Striker, Mobility, Whirlwind Leap

Special: The agile hunter gains one or more Athletics sphere packages appropriate to its primary form of movement, with others at GM discretion.

Skills: An agile hunter gains a number of ranks in the associated skills corresponding to any Athletics sphere packages it possesses equal to its Hit Dice, and gains those skills as class skills.

Application: The agile hunter uses the Mobile Striker talent with its corresponding Athletics sphere packages to quickly dart in and out of combat. The agile hunter gains a dodge bonus to AC equal to +2 + 1 per 4 ranks while moving.

Upgrading This Package: This is a very simple and basic talent package, functionally being equivalent to the Spring Attack feat plus some additional AC while moving. Reflexive Twist and Swift Movement can give an agile hunter the tools to better evade attacks while moving faster. (Motion) talents can also be added to grant the agile hunter ways to debuff foes while moving.

Frenzicist (Berserker sphere package)

Heavy, club-like strikes batter and bruise those unfortunate enough to be caught.

Berserker Sphere – Talents Beat Down, Bloody Counter; (exertion) Bone-Breaker

Application: The frenzicist hits hard using brutal strike modified by the Bone-Breaker (exertion), battering their opponents for a number of rounds equal to 1 + their practitioner modifier and causing that battered opponent to take a penalty on attack and damage rolls equal to -1 - 1 per 4 base attack bonus. The frenzicist may expend martial focus to deal additional damage equal to twice their base attack bonus, but does not have a way to restore martial focus during combat.

During combat, the frenzicist lowers their AC, gaining temporary hit points by berserking and uses these additional hit points to soak incoming damage when readying a Bloody Counter, going first if the target is still battered from previous strikes.

Upgrading This Package: A frenzicist is a basic framework for the Berserker sphere. Choosing new (exertions) can expand their debuff options, (adrenalines) can allow them to more aggressively maneuver around combat, and options such as Deathless and Sanguine Invigoration can help a frenzicist continue the fight. Alternatively, the Berserker sphere has a number of sunder-related options a more destructive opponent might rely on.

Pack Leader (Warleader sphere package)

The pack leader snarls at the back of its pack, a commanding presence the others follow out of respect, fear, or ambition.

Warleader Sphere – Talents Focusing Tactics, Persisting Influence, Triumph

Skills: A pack leader gains a number of ranks in Diplomacy equal to its Hit Dice, and gains Diplomacy as a class skill.

Application: A pack leader enables his allies, or pack, to strike harder and more consistently. By using the Aggressive Flanking tactic centered in a 10 feet + 5 feet per rank of Diplomacy radius, he and his allies can gain flanking advantages against foes. This is a move action to initiate, and can be maintained as a swift. The pack leader can then use its standard action to use the Fierce Shout shout, granting a +1 + 1 per 2 ranks of Diplomacy damage bonus on its and its allies first attack each turn.

With Persisting Influence, the pack leader’s shouts and tactics last 1 additional round + 1 per 7 ranks of Diplomacy. The pack leader can use martial focus with the Triumph talent to renew or use new shouts while maintaining a tactic and its allies can spend a move action to renew the pack leader’s martial focus with Focusing Tactics.

Upgrading This Package: A pack leader is a basic framework for the Warleader sphere. The base shout and tactic both offer very direct advantages for combat and the three talents it does possess, Focusing Tactics, Persisting Influence, and Triumph, each help abridge action economy issues a Warleader practitioner might face.

Additional talents improve the pack leader’s arsenal of options. Many (tactics) can be built around as the pack leader can enable its allies and its specialties, whereas (shouts) can contribute new short term buffs, debuffs, or defensive options.

Piercing Fang (Fencing sphere package)

With piercing bite and claw, the piercing fang strikes through defenses and exploits opportunities.

Fencing Sphere – Talents Fast Feint, Focusing Feint; (exploit) Face Strike, Wide Open

Special: If the piercing fang possesses a ranged attack, it gains the Fencing sphere Verbal Feint and Death From Afar talent (Spheres Apocrypha: Martial Talents: Ranged).

Skills: A piercing fang gains a number of ranks in Bluff equal to its Hit Dice, and gains Bluff as a class skill.

Application: A piercing fang is either a cautious solo combatant, feinting its foes and leveraging concealment, or an opportunist that flanks with its allies. The piercing fang’s sphere abilities hinge on the two halves of the Fencing sphere, fatal thrust and feinting.

A piercing fang possesses the fatal thrust ability, which it can use to add 1d6 + 1d6 per 4 base attack bonus precision damage on attack actions or attacks of opportunity against targets that are flat-footed or have lost their Dexterity bonus to AC (similar to sneak attack). Whenever the piercing fang uses its fatal thrust ability, it can apply one (exploit) talent, either the Face Strike (exploit) to force the target to have partial concealment against enemies for 1 + 1 per 5 base attack bonus rounds or the Wide Open (exploit) to reduce the target’s armor class by -2 - 1 per 5 base attack bonus for 1 round.

Feint is a Bluff check against a DC 10 + the target’s base attack bonus + the target’s Wisdom modifier or 10 + the target’s Sense Motive bonus, if higher. A feint can only be performed against a target the piercing fang threatens (or at range with the Verbal Feint talent). The piercing fang can use the Fast Feint talent to feint as a move action, expend martial focus to move up to their speed on a successful feint, and regain martial focus as a swift action with Focusing Feint.

Upgrading This Package: A piercing fang is a basic framework for the Fencing sphere that provides two (exploit) options and some basic capability to feint in combat. Additional talents can improve the (exploit) options available or allow the piercing fang’s feinting to be more debilitating (such as the Expert Feint talent to cause the target to be flat-footed until the beginning of the piercing fang’s next turn, instead of against a single attack.

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Magical Beast Bestiary

Chronicled in long travels across many places, magical beasts are diverse wonders of their own small worlds.

Many of the stat blocks included with this bestiary use the “Creating Monsters for Spheres of Might and Power” guidelines found in Spheres Bestiary: Undead and the Immortal Forlorn. The stat blocks are presented alphabetically.

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Adamantortoise

Adamantortoise CR 7

The massive, imposing tortoise sports a dark, emerald-green shell with a subtle metallic sheen.
XP 3,200
N Huge magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13

Defense
AC 25, touch 7, flat-footed 25 (-1 Dex, +12 natural, +6 shield, -2 size)
hp 99 (9d10+54)
Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +6
Defensive Abilities delayed damage pool (45), shielding shell; DR 10/adamantine

Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee Bite +15 (2d6+13), shield bash +15 (1d6+8; see shielding shell)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Might
Martial Tradition Great Defender (Guardian x2, Shield x2); PAM Wis
Guardian Sphere – Packages patrol; Talents Cold Iron Call, Durable, Endure Pain, Greater Delayed Damage (2), Guardian’s Focus; (zone) Stand Still
• delayed damage pool (45 points)
◊ Cold Iron Call; delay spells
◊ Durable; delay extraordinary effects
◊ Endure Pain; delayed damage is nonlethal
◊ Greater Delayed Damage (2); pool increases +2/ base attack bonus
• patrol (patrol as full-round action; +15-ft. reach plus (zone))
◊ Guardian’s Focus; regain martial focus as immediate on combat maneuver
◊ Stand Still (zone); attempt reposition as an attack of opportunity, if successful, enemy cannot move
Shield Sphere – Talents Battering Defense, Shielded Focus; (deflect) Forced Rebound, Jarring Block
• Battering Defense; enemies who miss vs. active defense are battered when damaged that round
• Shielded Focus; regain martial focus (move action) when fighting defensively, or (immediate action) on miss vs. active defense
• active defense (+4 shield bonus to AC as an attack of opportunity plus (deflect) on miss)
◊ Forced Rebound (deflect); bull rush (+25) vs. attacker on miss
◊ Jarring Block (deflect); disarm (+19) vs. attacker on miss

Statistics
Str 26, Dex 8, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +19; CMD +28 (+34 vs. trip)
Feats Great Focus, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Muscular Reflexes, Vital Strike
Skills Perception +13
SQ buoyant

Special Abilities
Buoyant (Ex): An adamantortoise that fails a Swim check by 5 or more does not sink.
Martial Practitioner: An adamantortoise is an Expert practitioner and gains a martial tradition and one combat talent for each Hit Dice it possesses. Adamantortoises use Wisdom as their practitioner modifier.
Shielding Shell (Ex): An adamantortoise gains a shield bonus to their AC equal to 1/2 their natural armor bonus. The adamantortoise treats its shell as though it were a shield and may use its shell for the Shield sphere. The adamantortoise does not lose its shield bonus to AC when making an attack with its shell, and can make shield bash attacks with its shell as if it were a light shield (1d4 Medium).

Ecology
Environment any warm
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure adamantine (500-3,000 gp if harvested from shell)

Description
The adamantortoise is renowned for its unparalleled defense, due in part to its namesake, its adamantine shell. The adamantortoise lives a relatively carefree existence due to its unparalleled defensive capabilities, and lacks any natural predators in its habitats. However, this does not mean they are not deadly and capable combatants, able to physically control their immediate space and shrug off massive and deadly blows.

A young adamantortoise’s shell starts off as hard as iron, but hardens as the creature matures to take on the full properties of adamantine. Adamantortoise are sometimes revered in small tribal communities as ancestral guardians, with some of the oldest adamantortoise having lived long enough to see multiple generations of those who would revere them pass.

Variant Adamantortoise

Due to reasons such as ecological pressure or evolution by necessity, some adamantortoise varieties exhibit unique abilities not associated with the average adamantortoise.

Bullshelled Adamantortoise (CR +0)

A bullheaded adamantortoise evolved in areas where its normally impenetrable defenses were not enough to protect itself or it found its territories encroached on by other adamantortoise, causing them to develop more alpha tendencies and aggressive-looking patterns on their shells.

A bullheaded adamantortoise is a variant adamantortoise which exchanges talents (Guardian sphere (Guardian’s Focus, Stand Still, Shield sphere (Battering Defense)) for the following:
Berserker Sphere – Talents (exertion) Heavy Swing, Leg-Smasher
• berserking (12 temporary hit points, -2 AC)
• brutal strike (special attack action; battered plus (exertion); martial focus, +18 damage); (exertion) DC 15
◊ Heavy Swing (exertion); Fort save or staggered for 3 rounds, or dazed for 1 battered
◊ Leg-Smasher (exertion); -3 AC and Ref while battered

Mystic-Shell Tortoise (CR +0)

The mystic-shell adamantortoise variant is more commonly found where leylines and sources of powerful magic are found. The resulting adamantortoise variants possess spherecasting, and specialize in creating barriers and improved magical defenses. Monks and others who harness ki see the mystic-shell tortoise as a great symbol of inner perfection.

A mystic-shell tortoise is a variant adamantortoise which exchanges talents (Guardian (Stand Still), Shield (Battering Defense, Jarring Block, Shielded Focus)) and exchanges the martial practitioner special quality for the following: Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Magic
Caster Level 6; MSB +7; MSD 18; Concentration +8
Tradition Natural (none); CAM Cha
Spell Points 11
Enhancement Sphere – Talents Deep Enhancement; (enhance) Alter Movement, Emphasize Belief
• enhance, close range (40 ft.), DC 15; (0 sp, boost the target’s capabilities)
◊ Deep Enhancement; linger 2 rounds after ending concentration; 10 minutes/CL duration with spell point
◊ Alter Movement (enhance); increase target’s speed +20 ft., and +4 to skill associated with movement
◊ Emphasize Belief (enhance); gain DR 2/chaotic, stacking with existing damage reduction
Protection Sphere – Talents (aegis) Mystic Shell (succor) Healing Aegis; Drawbacks (Alternate Aegis)
• aegis, touch (1 sp, grant defensive effects for 1 hour/CL)
◊ Mystic Shell (aegis); 2 layers that are dispelled first, treated as separate aegis for succor effects
• succor, close (immediate action dismiss an aegis, gain effects)
◊ Healing Aegis (succor); dismiss one or more aegis, heal for 8 per aegis dismissed)
• ward, 40-ft. radius, centered on self; (create a ward)
◊ Barrier (ward); physical ward with 12 hit points that can intercept attacks
Ability Scores Cha 14
Languages Celestial

Special Abilities
Blended Training: A mystic-shell tortoise is a practitioner and Mid-Caster, gaining a martial tradition and casting tradition as well as one combat or magic talent for each Hit Dice it possesses. A mystic shell tortoise uses Wisdom as its practitioner modifier and Charisma as its casting ability modifier.
Mystic Defenses (Su): A mystic-shell tortoise can spend 10 minutes to cast an aegis on itself without spending a spell point.

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Bayun Cat

Bayun Cat CR 3

Long whiskers and a well -groomed tail, this seemingly average cat seems to sing a gentle lullaby which soothes the mind, yet there is a glint of great intelligence in its eyes.
XP 800
N Tiny magical beast
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7

Defense
AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 size)
hp 18 (3d10+3)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2; +4 vs. mind-affecting
DR 10/cold iron
Weaknesses feywild trickster

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee bite +9 (1d3-4), 2 claws +9 (1d3+4)
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks lullaby whispers (DC 16, -3 vs. (charm) sphere-like abilities)

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 3; MSB +3; MSD 14; concentration +6; CAM Cha)
At-Will
Mind Sphere – Talents Expanded Charm, Subtlety; (charm) Enthrall, Sleep; Special Whiskered Whispers (may only use each greater charm or powerful charm once per day)
• charm, close (30 ft.), DC 14; place a (charm) on a target; a lesser charm may only target each creature 1/day
◊ Enthrall (charm); the target treats you as its friend, +5 on its saving throw if in combat with you
• lesser charm (increase target’s disposition by 1 step for 3 minutes) (Will negates)
• greater charm (increase target’s disposition to friendly for 3 minutes, can make requests of the target) (Will negates)
◊ Sleep (charm); put the target to sleep
• lesser charm (the target is staggered for 1d4 rounds) (Will negates)
• greater charm (the target falls asleep for 3 minutes; any damage or a standard action may wake the target) (Will negates)
◊ Suggestion (charm); plant thought or course of action in target’s mind
• lesser charm (simple request) (Will negates)
• greater charm (same as lesser charm but basic request, -2 for simple) (Will negates)
◊ Expanded Charm; affect any creature
◊ Subtlety; if a target succeeds at a saving throw against your charms, they attempt another Will save. If they fail, they are unaware they were targeted by a (charm).

Statistics
Str 5, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 17
Base Atk +3; CMB -1; CMD +13
Feats Ability Focus (lullaby whispers), Improved Initiative
Skills Bluff +10, Climb +6, Diplomacy +10, Perception +7, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +18; Racial Modifiers Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Sense Motive +4
Languages common, sylvan, truespeech
SQ feywild trickster, wise aide, whiskered whispers

Special Abilities
Feywild Trickster (Ex): Although the bayun cat is a magical beast, it has strong fey origins. The bayun cat counts as both fey and magical beast for the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger’s favored energy and bane weapons). Because of these strong fey origins, the bayun cat gains a +4 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive. However, the normal tools which sicken and weaken fey also work against a bayun cat. Whenever the bayun cat is damaged by a cold-iron weapon it is sickened for 1 round.
Iron-Point Claws (Ex): While seemingly weak, the bayun cat’s claws are as strong as iron, easily tearing through flesh. The bayun cat’s claws use its Dexterity modifier to damage rolls instead of its Strength modifier.
Lullaby Whispers (Su): As a full-round action, the bayun cat can begin singing a gentle, hypnotic lullaby, which can be clearly heard by any nearby creature (much like a bard’s bardic performance). This ability can be maintained each round as a free action, but cannot be maintained if the bayun cat is sickened (see feywild trickster). Creatures who can hear the bayun cat’s lullaby are more susceptible to the bayun cat’s mental manipulation, taking a penalty on all saving throws made against the bayun cat’s charm sphere effects equal to the bayun cat’s Charisma modifier (usually -3). This is a mind-affecting, language-dependent charm effect. When using this ability, the bayun cat communicates using truespeech, affecting any creature that has a language (spoken or understood). A creature is not automatically aware they are under the effects of the bayun cat’s lullaby (much like how creatures are not aware they are under the effects of a mesmerist’s hypnotic stare ability). Creatures may attempt a Perception check (DC 16) to notice the lullaby when first affected by it, and are granted a new Perception check as a free action each time they successfully save against the bayun cat’s Mind sphere Subtlety talent (becoming aware that they were targeted by one of the bayun cat’s Mind sphere-like abilities). A creature aware of the bayun cat’s lullaby may attempt a Will saving throw as a move action to restore clarity to their minds. If successful, they do not suffer penalties from the same bayun cat’s lullaby for 24 hours. Both the save DC and the Perception check DC are Charisma-based. Creatures wearing a helmet made of metal (such as part of a set of full plate armor) are immune to this ability.
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A bayun cat possesses spherelike abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The bayun cat’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR. If a bayun cat is serving as a familiar, it uses its master’s level to calculate its caster level, MSB, and MSD for its sphere-like abilities as if it were a Mid-Caster and gains new magic talents from the whiskered whispers ability using its master’s level as if it were its own Hit Dice.
Whiskered Whispers (Sp): The bayun cat possesses a number Mind-sphere sphere-like abilities, augmented by the Expanded Charm and Subtlety talents. Every bayun cat has the Sleep (charm) and two other (charm) talents. As a bayun cat becomes stronger, it gains an additional Mind sphere talent for every 4 Hit Dice it possesses beyond 3 (starting at 7 Hit Dice) to either augment its existing sphere-like abilities or select new (charm) talents. If the bayun cat selects the Powerful Charm talent, it may only use each powerful charm it has access to 1/day.
Wise Aide (Ex): The bayun cat is an intelligent and helpful creature when befriended, aiding travelers in their journeys and answering questions. The bayun cat may attempt all Knowledge checks untrained and, once per day, the bayun cat can take 20 on any Knowledge check.

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure incidental; silver charms and trinkets (10 gp)

Description
The bayun cat is a capricious and playful creature known for playing tricks on unassuming folks, manipulating others for food and treats, or taking an entire village as its territory and under its “protection”. While its appearance is often impossible to distinguish from an average cat, the bayun cat is known for its unusual ability to not only talk, but sing, its mystical powers manifesting as a soft lullaby, or cat-like bay or “bayu” from which its name originates from. The bayun cat often appears in the fairytales of rural villages as a warning to children to not go out at night or play with strange creatures.

Bayun cats are rarely found together and little is known of their true origins despite being found anywhere there are people. They are nonetheless prized as companions and familiars for powerful sorcerers and witches that value the bayun cat’s astounding intelligence and ability to grow in power with their master.

The original bayun cat, or at least the oldest one in recorded memory, is believed to be the sire of all bayun cats. It has served as the sole familiar to the great witch Baba Yaga, and has become powerful enough in its long tenured service to be worthy of its own legends.

Familiar
A 7th-level spellcaster of any alignment the Improved Familiar feat can gain a bayun cat as a familiar.

Variant Bayun Cats

Distant yet close relatives to the bayun cat, trickster cats lurk in all manner of shadows.

Cheshire Cat (CR +0)

A wicked and toothy grin accompanies this brightly-colored cat creature, the cheshire cat is a mocking, torturously unusual “event” of a creature. Sightings are often indicative of madness, but also unfound mystery and discovery. Interactions with cheshire cats are often characterized by their seemingly phantom-like presence, phasing in and out of reality while holding cryptic conversations with those who would engage it.

A cheshire cat is a variant bayun cat which exchanges spherelike abilities (Mind sphere (Enthrall, Sleep)), the lullaby whispers ability, and the Ability Focus (lullaby whispers) feat for the following:

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Immune: Confusion
Special Attacks: fading smile (DC 16)
[Note: The cheshire cat's sphere-like ability statistics are identical to the bayun cat's; this ection provides the information for the two common talents the cheshire has access to instead of entrall and sleep]
• Amnesia (charm): cause the target to forget
◊ lesser charm (the target forgets what happened the previous round, but may attempt a new saving throw each time it is reminded of the information) (Will negates)
◊ greater charm (the target forgets all memories from the past 3 minutes, or all memory of a single thing for 3 minutes) (Will negates)
• Confusion (charm); cause the target to behave erratically
◊ lesser charm (the target is confused for 1 round) (Will negates)
◊ greater charm (the target is confused for 3 minutes) (Will negates)
Feats: Ability Focus (we’re all mad)

Special Abilities
Fading Smile (Su): The cheshire cat is only seen when it wants to be. The cheshire cat may spend a move action to become invisible, as though under the effects of the Illusion sphere Suppression (glamer) invisibility sphere effect with a caster level equal to the cheshire cat’s Hit Dice. The cheshire cat can remain invisible this way indefinitely and does not need to concentrate on the invisibility effect. The cheshire cat can choose to become visible as a free action, or automatically becomes visible if it attacks another creature (such as with its claws or one of its Mind sphere sphere-like abilities).
We’re All Mad (Su): While invisible (such as while using the fading smile ability), the cheshire cat may spend a move action to teleport up to twice its base speed into an unoccupied space it can see. The cheshire cat may teleport this way once every 1d4 rounds; teleporting this way does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Whenever the cheshire cat uses this ability to teleport, the cheshire cat may choose to leave a figment of itself in the square it teleported from, as though using the Illusion sphere Decoy (glamer) talent, which lasts for 1 round. A decoy created this way always uses the coaxing decoy ability. The save DC is Charisma-based (to disbelieve the decoy).

Familiar
A 7th-level spellcaster of any alignment the Improved Familiar feat can gain a cheshire cat as a familiar.

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Behir

Behir (spheres) CR 9

This hulking, slithering reptile is adorned in brilliant scales, its head crowned by two prominent horns. Small flickers of lightning seem to spark between its scales.
XP 6,400
N Huge magical beast
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +16

Defense
AC 22, touch 9, flat-footed 21 (+1 Dex, +13 natural, -2 size)
hp 121 (11d10+66)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +5
Defensive Abilities sparking barrier; Immune electricity

Offense
Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +16 (2d6+7 plus 1d6 bleed), tail slap +16 (2d6+7 plus push)
Ranged tesla scales +11 touch (Fort DC 20 or staggered; disrupts flying)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (60-ft. line, 8d6 electricity damage, Ref DC 20 for half, useable every 1d4 rounds)

Might
Martial Tradition None; PAM Wis
Brute Sphere – Talents Focused Might, Hammer, Hostile Movement, Shift Weight
• Hammer; while maintaining martial focus, bull rush, drag, or repositioned opponent suffers damage if movement would push into wall
• Hostile Movement; can bull rush or drag diagonally, and can bull rush, drag, and reposition into dangerous space
• Shift Weight; can expend martial focus as immediate action to bull rush, drag, or reposition a creature that misses you; can expend focus to perform bull rush or reposition as an attack of opportunity; ends creature’s movement if maneuver is made in response to movement
• shove +16 touch (move action, move up to half speed, deal 7 damage and inflict the battered condition)
◊ Focused Might; regain martial focus on successful shove

Statistics
Str 25, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +11; CMB +20 (+24 to bull rush); CMD +31 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Muscular Reflexes, Power Attack, Toughness; Special Feat-to-Talent trade for Proficient combat sphere progression
Skills Climb +19, Perception +16, Stealth +11; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +4 Stealth
Languages Draconic
SQ powerful tail

Special Abilities
Powerful Tail (Ex): A behir can wield its powerful, serpentine body as a deadly weapon with ease. The behir treats its tail slap natural attack as a primary natural attack.
Sparking Barrier (Ex): The natural electricity in a behir’s body briefly turns its scales rigid in response to physical trauma. Whenever the behir would take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (“physical damage”), convert an amount of that physical damage into an electricity damage equal to the number of sparking barriers the behir currently possesses (which is then reduced by the behir’s electricity immunity). Then, if the behir still takes physical damage from the incoming attack, the behir gains 3 sparking barriers. At the start of the behir’s turn, the behir loses all sparking barriers (resetting the ability to 0). Sparking barrier’s reduces incoming damage last, after any other damage reduction.
Tesla Scales (Ex): The behir’s coat of scales is patterned with small, needle-like scales between its larger, plate-like scales which the behir can bristle to briefly channel electricity outward. As a standard action, the behir makes a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet. On a successful hit, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save or be staggered for 1 round. A flying target that fails its Fortitude save immediately falls 100 feet, but can remain airborne if it does not reach the ground. If the target falls to the ground, it suffers falling damage as normal and is knocked prone. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ecology
Environment warm deserts, hills, and underground
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure double (as a dragon’s hoard, favoring crystalline treasures)

Description
Avaricious, cunning, and temperamental, the behir is a territorial creature which features prominent snake and dragon-like features. While its primary form of movement is slithering, the behir does possess a number of small, clawed feet which it uses to climb rockier terrain. Many behir are highly territorial and take home in sandy hills and desert cliff s near mineral rich mines, as they prize natural crystals and other gemstones as a dragon would prize metals and gold. While rumors may abound that behir are “lesser blue dragons”, their similarities end at scales and color, and mistaking a behir for a dragon almost certainly angers them.

An average behir is 40 feet long and weighs 4,000 pounds, although elder behir can continue to grow in size. Their scales are a coat-like weave of heavy plates and small needle-like scales. Behir have a strong, natural affinity to electricity and are able to conduct it with their body, or create powerful blasts of lightning as a breath weapon.

While the behir is territorial, it is not stupid nor inherently cruel, but rather its draconic tendencies lend towards being self-centered and greedy. A behir, more than most creatures, is open to negotiations, bartering, and trade, provided that someone brave or foolish enough will enter the behir’s territory without being perceived as a threat first.

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Catchclaw Owlbear

Catchclaw Owlbear CR 5

This massive frame of feather and fur features long crooked claws which seem to be made for reaching out and snatching prey.
XP 1,600
N Large magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +11

Defense
AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size)
hp 54 (6d10+24)
Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +4

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d8+5), 2 claws +10 (1d8+5 plus grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with claws)
Special Attacks wide grip

Might
Martial Tradition Monstrous Combatant (Berserker x1, Gladiator x1, Wrestling x2); PAM Wis
Berserker Sphere – Talents Bloody Counter
• berserking (12 temporary hit points, -2 AC)
• brutal strike (special attack action; battered; martial focus, +12 damage)
• Bloody Counter; immediate action, allow target to automatically strike you, make a brutal strike against target, go first if target battered
Gladiator Sphere – Talents (boast) Bloodthirst, Menace
• boast (immediate action after critical hit, reduce enemy to 0, or successful combat maneuver, apply (boast) in 40-ft. radius); (boast) DC 15
◊ Bloodthirst (boast); make an attack as part of the boast
◊ Menace (boast); enemies must succeed at a Will save or cannot come closer for 1 round
◊ Prowess (boast); roll next attack twice and take better
• strike fear (full-round action, expend martial focus to demoralize 30-ft. radius; apply (demoralization) to enemies shaken)
Wrestling Sphere – Talents Grandstanding Slam, Ground Game; (slam) Hard Whip, Power Bomb; Special Double Slam (make 2 slams on 2 separate grappled creatures as part of the same action)
• Grandstanding Slam; after using a (slam), intimidate other nearby creatures with a +4 bonus
• Ground Game; can trip creature when maintaining a grapple or on being grappled
• slam (immediate action, end grapple and apply (slam); (slam) DC 15
◊ Hard Whip (slam); throw target 15 ft. and deal 1d6+5 if target collides with an object
◊ Power Bomb (slam); deal 1d8+5 and Fort save or fatigued for 1 round
• snag (swift action, melee touch attack +10, battered until end of turn or as long as held)

Statistics
Str 21, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +6; CMB +12 (+18 grapple); CMD +24 (26 vs. grapple)
Feats Dirty Fighting, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Muscular Reflexes
Skills Intimidate +12, Perception +11; Racial Modifiers Intimidate +6

Special Abilities
Double Slam (Ex): When a catchclaw owlbear uses a (slam) talent, it can choose to apply that (slam) talent to each creature it is currently grappling, ending the grapple and applying that (slam)’s effects to each creature normally (this allows a catchclaw owlbear to use a (slam) on each creature grappled in each of its two claws).
Wide Grip (Ex): A catchclaw owlbear’s massive claws allow it to grapple with unusual control. A catchclaw owlbear does not gain the grappled condition if it grapples a foe using its claws.

Ecology
Environment any cold, forest, or mountain
Organization solitary, pair, pack (3-7)
Treasure incidental

Description
Owlbears have long been famous for their massive strength and ferocity, with the strength of a bear and the wisdom and agility of an owl, they make up for their two namesakes by being an apex predator.

Catchclaw owlbear are a unique subspecies, having long, crooked claws which allow them to reach further to catch prey, reach into deep tree hollows and burrows, and otherwise incapacitate their prey. Powerful and imposing, catchclaw owlbears use their massive claws to grab and slam or toss their prey around like ragdolls, tiring them out while asserting their dominance.

A prone creature can attempt a Bluff check opposed by the catchclaw owlbear’s +11 Perception bonus to “play dead”. Adventurers have spread this tactic by word of mouth, after many bloody encounters with these territorial combatants, and some catchclaw owlbears who have been fooled by this tactic before are likely to maul the “corpse” even if they believe the creature to be dead.

Variant Catchclaw Owlbears

Stuff used by local magics or created by sick experimentation, these owlbear variants shape their domains with their frightening powers.

Rimecoat Owlbear (CR +0)

Living at high altitudes, rimecoat owlbears harness and intensify the storms they make their homes in. Their fur and feathers are a soft white with bands of grey, which help them blend with their snow-covered homes. Rimecoat owlbears hunt at the start of intense snowstorms, and will hibernate during the warm months. While infrequently tamed, they make for reliable companions to hunters in frozen areas as they are competent, hearty, and excellent trackers.

An rimecoat owlbear is a variant catchclaw owlbear which exchanges talents (Gladiator (Bloodthirst), Wrestling (Grandstanding Slam, Ground Game)) for the following: Aura winter’s embrace (20-ft., cold and precipitation 4)

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 5; MSB +5; MSD 16; concentration +6; CAM Cha)
Constant:
Weather Sphere – Talents (mantle) Gelid Body, Razor Ice
• mantle (gain (mantle) effects when in certain weather conditions)
◊ Gelid Body (mantle); (while in Cold 3 or higher) cold resist 5 and DR 5/bludgeoning, improving by 1 for each category above 3. Improves further at severity 5 and 7.
◊ Razor Ice (mantle); (while in Cold 4 or higher) +1 slashing damage on attacks and against attackers using unarmed or natural weapons, +2 per severity above 4
Feats Mantled Caster
Skills Survival +11

Special Abilities
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A rimecoat owlbear possesses sphere-like abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The rimecoat owlbear’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR.
Winter’s Embrace (Su): A rimecoat owlbear may surround itself with a weather-altering aura, constantly changing the area around the rimecoat owlbear to be Cold and Precipitation severity 4 in a 20-foot radius, causing heavy snow. This functions as the Weather sphere control weather sphere effect. A rimecoat owlbear may activate or suppress this ability as a free action. See the Weather sphere for more details on weather severity effects.
Winter Stalker (Su): A rimecoat owlbear gains one free rank in Survival for each Hit Dice it possesses. In addition, a rimecoat owlbear treats any Cold or Precipitation weather severity as three steps less severe and ignores any difficult terrain or penalties imposed by Cold or Precipitation weather severities. (Mantle) talents the rimecoat owlbear possesses still work according to the true severity level.

Environment any cold

Umbradark Owlbear (CR +0)

The umbradark owlbear is a bestial king of the night, able to move swiftly in the darkness and catch its prey by surprise. Umbradark owlbear will often claim a small cave or tree hollow to rest in during the daytime as their home, rarely moving about until night falls. An umbradark’s appearance is similar to a normal owlbear, except their feathers are tinted an unusually glossy, almost oil-like black and have a banded fur pattern on their legs and stomach.

Umbradark owlbears rarely become problematic enough to be worth hunting or removing from an area, as their incredibly territorial nature combined with their nocturnal tendencies puts them at close odds with other would-be terrors of the night. Many villages actually prefer the presence of an umbradark owlbear as a known and predictable creature compared to what else could be lurking in the night.

An umbradark owlbear is a variant catchclaw owlbear which exchanges talents (Berserker (Bloody Counter), Gladiator (Bloodthirst), Wrestling (Ground Game)) for the following: Weaknesses light blindness

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 5; MSB +5; MSD 16; concentration +6; CAM Cha)
Constant:
Dark Sphere – Talents Greater Meld; (meld) Feed On Darkness (2), Step Through Darkness
• meld (bonuses while in an area of dim-light or darker)
◊ Feed On Darkness (meld); gain fast healing 2
◊ Greater Meld; (meld) talents work in any area of dim light or darkness
◊ Step Through Darkness (meld); move action, teleport 40 ft. from one area of darkness to another;
Special usable every 1d4 rounds
Skills Stealth +11

Special Abilities
Nocturnal Terror (Ex): An umbradark owlbear gains one free rank in Stealth for each Hit Dice it possesses. In addition, an umbradark owlbear does not need to be seen when attempting to demoralize a target, and only needs to be heard, such as when using the Wrestling sphere Grandstanding Slam talent or the Gladiator sphere strike fear ability. The umbradark owlbear cannot use the Step Through Darkness meld while grappling another creature.
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): An umbradark owlbear possesses sphere-like abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The umbradark owlbear’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR.

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Cinnamon Bird

Cinnamon Bird CR 3

Visually indistinguishable from an average songbird, save for its soft orange-brown colored plumage and the distinct smell of rare spices, this golden-brown plumed songbird cheerfully works at arranging its nest.
XP 800
N Tiny magical beast
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

Defense
AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 size)
hp 24 (4d10+4)
Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +4
DR 5/magic

Offense
Speed 10 ft., fl y 40 ft. (good)
Melee Bite +4 (1d3-3)
Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 4; MSB +3; MSD 14; concentration +6; CAM Cha)
At will:
Creation Sphere – Talents Divided Creation, Distant Creation; Special: can only have one create effect at a time; if create is used again, any previous objects are immediately dismissed
• create, close range (35 ft.), DC 15; create one object up to Large size (4 Small objects; vegetable matter only, 4 minutes)
◊ Divided Creation: can create multiple objects (total less than largest size possible)
◊ Spice Maker: 1/day, can permanently create 1 pound of rare spices worth up to 20 gp

Statistics
Str 6, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 15
Base Atk +4; CMB +0; CMD +14
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Sphere Focus (Creation)
Skills Appraise +5, Fly +15, Perception +15, Stealth +12; Racial Modifiers +4 Appraise, +8 Perception
SQ crafter’s companion, spice maker

Special Abilities
Crafter’s Companion (Ex): A cinnamon bird can assist others (usually its master, if a familiar) in creating formulae, alchemical items, and potions. Formulae, alchemical items, or potions crafted this way have a distinct scent from the rare spices a cinnamon bird will collect to assist the craftsman. A cinnamon bird can assist with the following crafting:

• Alchemy sphere formulae. Increase the effective ranks of Craft (alchemy) by 1 and the results of your Craft (alchemy) check by 4 when determining the effects of that formulae.
• Potions, either with the Brew Potion feat or by using a talent with the instill descriptor. Increase the caster level of the potion or instilled liquid by 1.
• Mundane alchemical items. Increase any alchemical bonus granted by the crafted item by 1 (such as the bonus granted by antitoxin on a saving throw against poison).

Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A cinnamon bird possesses sphere-like abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The cinnamon bird’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR. If a cinnamon bird is serving as a familiar, it uses its master’s level to calculate its caster level, MSB, and MSD for its sphere-like abilities as if it were a Mid-Caster.
Spice Maker (Ex): A cinnamon bird gains a +1 bonus to its caster level with its Creation sphere sphere-like ability. In addition, the cinnamon bird can create rare and fragrant spices when using its Creation sphere create sphere-like ability. Once per day, the cinnamon bird may augment its create sphere-like ability with the Create Materials advanced talent to permanently create up to 1 pound of rare spices worth up to 5 gp per caster level.

Ecology
Environment any temperate or warm
Organization solitary, nestmates (2), flock (3-12)
Treasure incidental, rare spices (10-100 gp)

Description
Often rumored to live on the outskirts of small villages and trading outposts, cinnamon birds are prized as companions to traders, craftsmen, and alchemists. Noted by their unique smell, brought on by their nesting habits, cinnamon birds are prized and revered for their appraisal skills in evaluating rare spices, herbs, and reagents. Usually nonviolent, cinnamon birds protect themselves by using their potent Creation sphere magics to entrap or entangle would-be predators.

Cinnamon birds are known to assemble their nests from assortments of rare spices, most famous for using whole cinnamon sticks, and will dry and cure them to assemble nests. In older civilizations, cinnamon was a valuable spice in the early ages of trade caravans, and a cinnamon bird’s sighting near a town was seen as a symbol of prosperity.

Familiar
A 7th-level spellcaster of any alignment with the Improved Familiar feat can gain a cinnamon bird as a familiar.

Variant Cinnamon Birds

Other species of magical birds similar to the cinnamon bird have been sighted, and have shaped local folklore.

Minka Bird (CR +0)

This owl-like bird stares with empty, blue-hazed eyes. Rumored as heralds to the whims of fate, the minka bird is revered as a guardian of the afterlife and a prized companion to fortune tellers, soothsayers, and those who would tempt fate. The sighting of a minka bird is said to be an omen of certain and impending death.

A minka bird is a variant cinnamon bird which exchanges abilities (Creation sphere sphere-like ability, crafter’s companion, spice maker), the Sphere Focus (Creation) feat, and the +4 Appraise racial skill bonus for the following:

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 3; MSB +3; MSD 14; concentration +5; CAM Cha)
1/day:
Divination Sphere: (divine) Augury
• divine, 1 minute, DC 14; (gain information)
◊ Augury (divine); ask whether an action will bring good or bad results within the next 4 hours, 90% chance for a meaningful reply

Magic
Caster Level 3; MSB +4; MSD 15; Concentration +6
Tradition Fortune’s Conduit (Verbal Casting, Witchmarked [glowing eyes]); CAM Cha
Spell Points 8
Fate Sphere – Talents Resounding Word; (word) Borrow Luck, Borrow Trouble, Mercy, Pain; Drawbacks (Neutrality, Tongue Of Ages)
• word, medium range (130 ft.), DC 14; (effects of a (word) talent)
◊ Borrow Luck (word); immediate action, 1 sp, target rerolls a failed check and takes a -4 on that type of roll until they fail
◊ Borrow Trouble (word); immediate action, 1 sp, target rerolls a successful check and takes a +4 on that type of roll until they succeed
◊ Mercy (word); standard action, 1 sp, target deals nonlethal with all weapon attacks for 3 rounds
◊ Pain (word); standard action, 0 sp, target suffers 1d4 + 1 nonlethal damage, takes penalties on mental skill checks, and must succeed at concentration checks to cast, +1 sp to continue without concentration (3 rounds)
Feats Sphere Focus (Fate)
Languages Common (cannot speak; except to provide verbal components for sphere effects)

Special Abilities
Diviner’s Companion (Su): If the master of a minka bird familiar is a spherecaster, the minka bird can infuse its master with a portion of its mystical capacity. Each time the minka bird’s master rests and regains spell points, the minka bird’s master chooses either fate or portents: If the minka bird’s master chooses fate, the minka bird grants its master one Fate sphere (word) talent of the master’s choice as a temporary bonus talent. If the minka bird’s master chooses portents, the minka bird grants its master one Divination sphere (divine) talent of the master’s choice as a temporary bonus talent. The minka bird must be with its master when granting a temporary bonus talent to its master, and the master must possess that talent’s base sphere and meet any prerequisites (if an advanced talent). The minka bird’s master immediately loses the chosen benefits if the minka bird is killed or dismissed.
Fortune’s Herald (Ex): A minka bird has a 90% chance to receive a meaningful reply when using its augury sphere-like ability and can communicate the results of this reply, even though it cannot speak normally. In addition, the first time a minka bird targets an individual creature with either the Borrow Luck or Borrow Fortune talent each day, a minka bird may reduce the spell point cost of that effect by 1 (minimum 0).
Spherecaster: A minka bird is a Mid-Caster and gains one magic talent for every 4 Hit Dice it possesses. A minka bird uses the Fortune’s Conduit casting tradition and can only select magic talents from the Divination or Fate sphere. If a minka bird is serving as a familiar, it uses its master’s level to calculate its caster level, MSB, MSD, and spell points as if it were a Mid-Caster and gains new magic talents using its master’s level as if it were its own Hit Dice. All minka birds always possess the Borrow Luck and Borrow Trouble (word) talents. The average minka bird has the Fate sphere (word) talents presented in its stat block, although some may possess other talents, such as a minka bird with the Harm (word) instead of the Pain (word).

Familiar
A 7th-level spellcaster of any alignment with the Improved Familiar feat can gain a minka bird as a familiar.

Climate Creature (subtype)

Climate creatures are Weather sphere-infused magical beasts (or other creatures) which exemplify the traits and qualities of their habitats and origins. A creature with the climate subtype (“climate creature”) has the following traits (in addition to their base type):

Damage Reduction: If the climate creature’s attuned weathers grant damage reduction, the climate creature gains damage reduction 5 for each attuned weather, +5 for every 10 Hit Dice the climate creature possesses. Multiple sources of damage reduction from this ability do not stack and are applied separately.

Energy Resistance: If the climate creature’s attuned weathers grant energy resistance, the climate creature gains resistance 10 for each attuned weather, +5 for every 5 Hit Dice the climate creature possesses. At 15 Hit Dice, this instead grants immunity to that damage type.

Attuned Mantles (Su): A climate creature is under the effects of each Weather sphere (mantle) effect belonging to their attuned weather as a constant supernatural effect with a caster level equal to the climate creature’s Hit Dice. The climate creature can suppress or resume each (mantle) effect as a free action. The save DC of a (mantle) talent from this ability is Constitution-based (10 + 1/2 the climate creature’s Hit Dice + the climate creature’s Constitution modifier), and the climate creature uses their Constitution modifier as their casting ability modifier for any other (mantle) effects.

If a (mantle) requires specific circumstances or equipment to grant their benefits, the climate creature is presumed to possess some way to use that (mantle) effect (such as a creature’s natural attacks qualifying for the Lightning Rod (mantle) talent despite not being made of metal).

Unlike a regular (mantle) sphere effect, a climate creature benefits from (mantle) effects as though it were always in an area of its attuned weather with a severity of 3 + 1 per 5 Hit Dice. If the environment’s current weather conditions would be a higher severity than what the climate creature benefits from constantly, the climate creature benefits from that higher severity normally.

Weather Attunement (Ex): All climate creatures are attuned to one or more Weather sphere weather conditions (“attuned weather”), gaining damage reduction, resistance, and (mantle) effects as appropriate. Table: Climate Creature Weather Attunements details what damage reduction or energy resistance is associated with a weather condition.In addition, a climate creature is immune to and suffers no negative effects or penalties associated with their attuned weather (such as a wind climate creature being immune to all effects associated with high Wind severity).

Table: Climate Creature Weather Attunements

Weather Condition	Associated Damage Reduction or Resistance
Wind	DR/bludgeoning
Cold	Cold resistance
Heat	Fire resistance
Precipitation	N/A
Aridity	DR/– vs. nonlethal
Storm1	Electricity resistance
Ash2	DR/slashing
Vog2	Acid resistance
Fallout3	N/A

1 Storm weather conditions are a combination of Wind and Precipitation at severity 4 and higher. A Wind and Precipitation climate creature with 5 or more Hit Dice automatically gains storm as an attuned weather condition.
2 Ash and Vog weather conditions are created using the Weather sphere Volcano Lord advanced talent. A climate creature attuned to Ash or Vog is generally also attuned to Heat, due to Ash and Vog being most common in volcanic environments or areas with hot, gaseous geysers, but may be individually attuned to Ash or Vog.
3 Fallout weather conditions were originally printed for the Weather sphere in the Cataclysm Handbook and are only created using the Weather sphere Radiation Lord advanced talent. Fallout climate creatures are exceedingly rare and immune to the effects of radiation.

Note – Future Proofing the Climate Creature Subtype:
As of this bestiary, there are approximately 3 or 4 mantles for each weather condition. This subtype is left generously open and is intended for creatures built “from the ground up” with this subtype. As such, it is important to consider, and balance, the attuned (mantles) as part of their “power budget”. Many (mantle) effects are relatively minor passive abilities, but when a creature has 6 or more, they start to stack up.

A climate creature should not have more (mantle) effects than twice its Hit Dice, and should generally not be attuned to more than 2 weather conditions that have associated (mantles).

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Harmattan Tarantula

Climate, Harmattan Tarantula (CR 5)

This large spider’s coat seems to consist of fine, shifting layers of sand which swirl in patterned bands.
XP 1,600
N Small magical beast (climate)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 40 ft.; Perception +12

Defense
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+5 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)
hp 48 (6d10+18)
Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +3
Defensive Abilities fortification (50%); DR 5/slashing or 5/– against nonlethal; Immune weather (Wind, Aridity), mind-affecting

Offense
Speed 35 ft., burrow 35 ft., climb 35 ft., fl y 55 ft. (poor), swim 55 (sand only) ft.
Melee bite +12 (1d6+1 plus 1d6 nonlethal plus drybone venin)
Special Attacks attuned mantles (severity 4), desiccating web (+13 ranged, DC 16, 6 hp, swift action, 1d4 round recharge)
• Borne Aloft (mantle, wind); 40 ft. fl y speed with poor maneuverability
• Desiccant (mantle, aridity); 1d6 nonlethal damage with natural, unarmed, and touch attacks
• Mummified Flesh (mantle, aridity); DR 4/slashing and medium fortification
• Sand Swimmer (mantle, aridity); 40 ft. swim speed through sand and 40 ft. tremorsense
• Whispering Winds (mantle, wind); can whisper and hear others under mantle (other harmattan tarantulas)
• Wind Tunnel (mantle, wind); ranged attacks take no penalties due to wind and gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls
• Zephyr’s Flight (mantle, wind); increase all movement modes by +15 ft.

Statistics
Str 13, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 13
Base Atk +6; CMB +6; CMD +21 (+33 vs. trip)
Feats Iron Will, Skill Focus (Stealth), Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +14, Climb +17, Fly +3, Perception +12, Stealth +25, Swim +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth
Languages Terran (cannot speak)
SQ weather attunement (Wind, Aridity)

Special Abilities
Desiccating Web (Su): A harmattan tarantula cannot spin webs like a normal spider, but can create silk to protect its burrow or slow down prey. This functions as the web universal monster ability, except the harmattan tarantula can use this ability an unlimited number of times per day, and can use desiccating silk as a swift action. The save DC is Constitution-based. A creature entangled by the harmattan tarantula’s webs is drained of moisture by the dehydrating strands. Whenever a creature fails to escape from a desiccating web, it suff ers 1d6 nonlethal damage (as the Desiccant (mantle) talent).
Drybone Venin (Ex): Bite––injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 nonlethal damage and whenever the poisoned creature would take a 5-foot step, they must succeed at a Reflex save or fall prone (DC 16); cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ecology
Environment warm deserts
Organization solitary, mates (2)
Treasure none

Description
Resting in shallow, dry burrows, the harmattan tarantula is an incredibly intelligent, mobile, and capable hunter of lowland prey. Because of their supernatural connections to the very essence of sandstorms, they are capable of fl ight, digging, and even “swimming” through sands. Harmattan tarantulas are about the size of a young child, nearly 2 to 3 feet long, and possess dozens of sensitive hairs along their legs that allow them to watch the very ground itself. It is very rare to come across a harmattan tarantula purposefully, and humanoids and other travelers are often not aware there may be one present or lurking in the dunes.

Harmattan tarantulas prefer to lay in wait, camouflaging against the sands or creating shallow burrows to watch for prey from, ambushing prey with their webs or chasing them down with their superior maneuverability. The harmattan tarantula’s hunting techniques consist of drawn out applications of low-lethality venom that dehydrates their prey, consuming their moisture. Peculiar enough, harmattan tarantulas are partial to fruit with high water content, such as grapes and watermelon, and may prefer that when available to other prey.

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Lava Toad

Climate, Lava Toad (CR 1)

This small , orange-red toad emits a soft , warm glow. Its cragg y, rough skin is nearly scorching to the touch and its hearty deep croak sounds like a small volcano.
XP 400
N Tiny magical beast (climate)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6

Defense
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)
hp 14 (2d10+4)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +1; +2 vs. illusions (see Mirage Sight)
DR 5/slashing; Immune weather (Ash, Heat, Vog); Resist acid 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee bite +7 (1d3-4 plus 1d4 fire)

Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks attuned mantles (severity 3; DC 13), lava pellet (1d6; DC 13)
• Blazing Skin (mantle, heat); deal 1d4 fire damage to attacker when struck by most melee weapons (metal, natural, unarmed, touch); immediate action, 2 damage dice
• High Energy (mantle, heat); gain 6 temporary hit points each round (double Heat severity)
• Mirage Sight (mantle, heat); +2 on saving throws vs. illusions; at severity 5, roll twice vs. concealment

Statistics
Str 5, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 14
Base Atk +2; CMB -3; CMD +10
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Climb +9, Survival +1, Perception +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Climb, +8 Survival (Volcanic terrains or any environment with Heat weather conditions severity 3 or higher)
Languages Ignan (cannot speak)
SQ volcanic glow, weather attunement (Ash, Heat, Vog)

Special Abilities
Lava Pellet (Ex): A lava toad can regurgitate its blistering hot stomach acid to form a lava pellet, a rapidly-cooled, solidified shell filled with the still-boiling hot stomach acid. Treat the lava pellet as an alchemist’s fire, except it deals 1d6 fire damage, plus 1d6 for every 4 Hit Dice the lava toad possesses. The Reflex save to extinguish the fire from a lava pellet is Constitution-based (DC 13 for an average lava toad). A lava toad can create a single lava pellet with 30 minutes of uninterrupted downtime, or 15 minutes if the lava toad has eaten within the past hour. Lava pellets are strangely volatile, and if a lava toad produces a new lava pellet, all previous lava pellets go inert as the pellet fully solidifies. When creating lava pellets, an older and more powerful lava toad can produce 1 additional lava pellet for every 4 Hit Dice it possesses. If a lava toad can produce multiple lava pellets, any previously created lava pellets become inert.
Volcanic Glow (Ex): A lava toad glows with the heat of a small volcano. A lava toad can shed normal light as a torch in a 5-foot radius. While shedding light this way, the lava frog can boil water as though it were a campfire or appropriate heating element, and provides any creature in contact with it a +4 bonus on saving throws against exposure to cold weather. The lava toad can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

Ecology
Environment warm volcano
Organization solitary, knot (3-7)
Treasure none

Description
Lava toads are a precocious breed of toad that managed to rapidly adapt to a harsh volcanic environment through sheer luck, chance, or otherwise. The lava toad is usually the size of an average toad and displays many of the same tendencies, except for their supernatural comfort with lava and volcanic gases. This has been a boon to lava toad communities, which often thrive in these areas due to few natural predators. Lava toads are often prized and domesticated by goblin and kobold clans which take up residence in volcanic environments, collecting the lava pellets the lava toads excrete as makeshift incendiaries for mining or defense and using their natural glow instead of mining torches.

Familiar A 3rd-level spellcaster of any alignment with the Improved Familiar feat and the ability to cast any spell or magic sphere effect with the fire descriptor (including Weather sphere control weather for Heat) can gain a lava toad as a familiar. A lava frog’s master gains the bonus on saving throws against exposure to cold weather from the lava frog’s volcanic glow ability even when not in contact with the lava frog and even if the lava frog is not using the volcanic glow ability.

Lava Toad Elder
Lava toads which live beyond their average lifespan (approximately 9 to 13 years) grow large enough and strong enough that they are revered as elder lava toads. These lava toads are significantly larger than their brethren and are able to produce more potent lava pellets in larger quantities. A lava toad elder’s maximum lifespan is not known, some legends even saying that elder lava toads are immortal, becoming stronger for each average lifespan they survive, some even gaining sapience. Less than 1% of lava toads which live their full life span become lava toad elders; the occurrence of a lava toad elder seems to hinge purely on chance.

A lava toad elder increases in size to Small and possesses 2 additional Hit Dice for each lifespan they have lived. Lava toad elders never serve as familiars.

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Remorhaz

Climate, Remorhaz (spheres) (CR 8)

The massive centipede-like beast tunnels through stone and snow, the segments between its heavy, chitinous plates glowing with an intense heat.
XP 4,800
N Huge magical beast
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +20

Defense
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+2 Dex, +2 Frost Shield, +9 natural, -2 size)
hp 100 (10d10+50)
Fort +12, Ref +9, Will +6; +6 vs. illusion (see Mirage Sight)
DR 7/bludgeoning; Immune weather (Cold, Heat); Resist cold 20, fire 20
Weaknesses vulnerability to sonic

Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Melee bite +15 (3d6+7+3 slashing), tail slap +10 (2d6+3+3 slashing plus trip)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks attuned mantles (severity 5), rimefire breath (30-ft. cone, 6d6 fire plus flash frozen, DC 20)
• Blazing Skin (mantle, heat); deal 1d8 fire damage to attacker when struck by most melee weapons (metal, natural, unarmed, touch); immediate action, 2 damage dice
• Boreal Glare (mantle, cold); gain glare attack that deals 3d6 cold damage as a swift action against one target you can see (Fort half); ignore miss chance from snow and sleet
• Frost Shield (mantle, cold); +2 bonus to AC
• Gelid Body (mantle, cold); gain cold resistance and DR/bludgeoning 7 plus vulnerability to sonic
• High Energy (mantle, heat); gain 10 temporary hit points each round (double Heat severity)
• Mirage Sight (mantle, heat); +6 on saving throws vs. illusions; at severity 5, roll twice vs. concealment
• Razor Ice (mantle, cold); unarmed and natural attacks deal +3 slashing damage; attacking creatures (unarmed, natural) also suffer this damage

Statistics
Str 25, Dex 15, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 8
Base Atk +10; CMB +19 (+23 trip); CMD +33 (cannot be tripped)
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Muscular Reflexes, Run, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +20
Languages Giant (cannot speak)
SQ weather attunement (Cold, Heat)

Special Abilities
Rimefire Breath (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, a remorhaz can release a wave of scorching flames in a 30-foot cone that deals 6d6 fire damage. Creatures that take damage are also painfully flash frozen, treating all terrain and movement as difficult terrain for 4 rounds. A DC 20 Reflex save halves the fire damage and negates the flash frozen effect. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Ecology
Environment cold deserts, glaciers, and mountains
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Description
The remorhaz is a cold climate hunter which burrows deep into the ground beneath the snow layer, warming its den with its body’s natural heat, which it can control and vent.

A remorhaz’s body heat can easily exceed common forging temperatures well over approximately 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit (1,150 Celsius), making the remorhaz a natural “living forge”, should anyone befriend one. Despite their insectile appearance, remorhaz are fairly intelligent and capable of understanding language, usually giant, although some remorhaz may understand other languages depending on the local civilizations.

Remorhaz are primarily carnivorous hunters, tracking down mammalian prey such as deer, elk, and moose. They are slow to anger and while not territorial in a traditional sense, a remorhaz will view encroachment on their hunting grounds as a challenge and threat. As such, cold-climate civilizations aware of the presence of a remorhaz will instruct their hunters to avoid their hunting grounds or attempt to directly engage the remorhaz, off ering tributes and partnership for cooperative hunting assistance. A remorhaz seldom will make this deal. One recorded example of such a partnership was a mighty hunter which garnered the respect of the remorhaz, forming a partnership.

Unique to giant culture, specifically frost and mountain giants, remorhaz are respected for their strength and valued for their ability to tunnel. A “domesticated” remorhaz (whether willing or by slavery) is a prized asset amongst frost giant clans as a source of heat, skilled tunneler, and even a lethal assassin against other frost giant clans.

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Thunderbird

Climate, Thunderbird (spheres) (CR 15)

This enormous bird appears to carry rain and thunder itself across its impressive wingspan, each beat of its wings carrying the sound of thunder.
XP 38,400
N Huge magical beast (climate)
Init +14; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, mistsight; Perception +28

Defense
AC 27, touch 18, flat-footed 17 (+10 Dex, +9 natural, -2 size)
hp 189 (17d10+104)
Fort +16, Ref +20, Will +19; +4 vs. lightning strikes
Defensive Abilities improved evasion, mist form (40% concealment vs. attacks); DR 10/bludgeoning; Immune ability damage, ability drain, electricity, poison, weather (Precipitation, Storm, Wind); Resist fire 25

Offense
Speed 35 ft., fl y 105 ft. (good)
Melee 2 talons +29 (1d8+10 plus 4d4 electricity), 2 wings +24 (1d8+7 plus 4d4 electricity)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Special Attacks attuned mantles (severity 6), shape the skies, skylord’s wrath (vertical lightning bolt, 16d6 electricity to target and 8d6 within 30 ft., deafened, Ref DC 26, usable every 1d4+1 rounds)
• Borne Aloft (mantle, wind); 80 ft. fly speed with poor maneuverability
• Fluidity (mantle, precipitation); +11 Escape Artist, one size smaller for squeezing, +5 ft. reach
• Lightning Rod (mantle, storm); +4d4 electricity damage with weapon attacks; +4 on saving throws vs. lightning strikes
• Mist Form (mantle, precipitation); 40% concealment vs. weapons; stacks with concealment in fog
• Sodden (mantle, precipitation); resist fire 25, can put out Huge fires with a touch, +5 damage vs. fire subtype
• This Sparks Joy (mantle, storm); +4 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls and Will saving throws
• Whispering Winds (mantle, wind); can whisper and hear others under mantle
• Wind Tunnel (mantle, wind); ranged attacks take no penalties due to wind and gain a +3 bonus on attack rolls
• Zephyr’s Flight (mantle, wind); increase all movement modes by +25 ft.

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 31, Con 23, Int 14, Wis 27, Cha 15
Base Atk +17; CMB +25; CMD +45
Feats Combat Refl exes, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse, Wingover
Skills Diplomacy +19, Escape Artist +21, Fly +30, Knowledge (nature) +19, Perception +28
Languages Auran, Common
SQ shape the skies, skylord’s wrath, thunderbird’s blessing, weather attunement (Precipitation, Storm, Wind), weather warden

Special Abilities
Shape the Skies (Su): As a full-round action, a thunderbird can change the weather. This functions as the Weather sphere control weather sphere effect in a 2-mile radius, except the thunderbird can change any number of weather severities and the changes immediately (maximum severity 6). This is an instantaneous effect which can alter natural weather conditions (such as calming a natural rainstorm or changing a hot desert into a thunderous typhoon in an instant). The area’s natural weather returns to its normal, forecasted weather patterns in 3d4 days. In addition, this ability allows the thunderbird to dispel other magical, weather-altering effects and stymie further attempts to. When the thunderbird uses this ability to change the weather, it can also attempt a magic skill check against any number of magical, weather-altering effects in a 2-mile radius. A successful check dispels that weather-altering effect. The thunderbird uses its Hit Dice as its magic skill bonus when attempting this check (1d20 + 17 against the magic effect’s MSD). The affected area is considered to be under the thunderbird’s magic for 1 hour, as though the thunderbird were concentrating on a Weather sphere control weather sphere effect. Any attempts to control the weather require a successful magic skill check against MSD 28.
Skylord’s Wrath (Su): As a standard action, a thunderbird can call down a massive bolt of lightning, conjuring it from a nearby cloud or from its own feathers. This bolt strikes down at a chosen square in a vertical line (like a bolt of lightning). A creature in the chosen square takes 16d6 electricity damage and any creatures within 30 feet of the chosen square take 8d6 electricity damage. Any creature damaged by this ability is deafened for 1 minute. A DC 26 Reflex save halves this damage and negates the deafened condition. The save DC is Wisdom-based. A thunderbird must wait 1d4+1 rounds between uses of this ability.
Thunderbird’s Blessing (Su): Once per day as a full-round action, a thunderbird may touch a willing creature, granting boons. The thunderbird chooses one (mantle) from its attuned mantles ability. The target gains the chosen (mantle) plus the Whispering Winds (mantle) as constant supernatural effects, treating the minimum severity for those (mantles) as severity 4. A single creature may not have more than one thunderbird’s blessing at a time. This effect can be removed by a break curse spell or Life sphere Break Enchantment sphere effect, with a MSD equal to 11 + the thunderbird’s Hit Dice (MSD 28). The thunderbird can revoke this blessing as a free action, and if it does, may choose to immediately target the previously blessed creature with its skylord’s wrath ability (even if the target would be indoors or normally safe from such an attack).
Weather Warden (Su): The thunderbird can use its Knowledge (nature) bonus in place of Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft when attempting checks about magical weather. In addition, the thunderbird is automatically aware of the location of each magical, weather-altering effect in a 2-mile radius (such as the Weather sphere control weather sphere effect or control weather spell). The thunderbird can attempt Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft checks to identify any effect it is made aware of through this ability, and a successful check informs the thunderbird of the intent and precise effects of that magical, weather-altering effect. Thunderbirds are rarely concerned for minor weather adjustments, especially those it can tell are meant to aid with agriculture or ease a drought.

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure standard

Description
Thunderbirds are exceedingly rare, long-lived massive birds which control and manipulate the skies themselves, bringing with them good and bad weather alike. Few thunderbirds exist in recorded history, and some rumors even suggest that only a single thunderbird exists at a time. Thunderbird nesting habits vary by region, some legends even saying they live in the clouds above the tallest mountains themselves. Thunderbirds are otherwise aloof and mysterious to the confl icts of those on the ground, but are known to show great acts of kindness, especially to those who rely on the good weather to survive.

The thunderbird possesses powerful weather-altering power which it uses to calm the skies and maintain normal weather patterns, rarely using this power to destroy or cause harm. Despite wielding such power itself, a thunderbird is a staunch oppositionist to those with weather-altering magics, seeing such power as a perversion of nature.

The only known enemy of the thunderbird is the great white owl, a being of similar origins which is said to usher winter, where the thunderbird ushers summer. The clashes of power between these two creatures are said to cause the transition seasons of spring and fall, as their opposing powers wane and wax.

The thunderbird is revered as a minor deity by agricultural communities as a guardian of the growing seasons, its presence ushering growth during spring and extending the summer from the transition to winter, allowing for great autumnal harvests. While not deific in their own right, thunderbirds are often courted by deities of nature who recognize the thunderbird’s power and infl uence to serve as their heralds or champions. When a thunderbird serves a deity, its alignment is changed to match that deity’s (the sample thunderbird is not in service to any particular entity).

Indomitable Creature (CR +1)

Indomitable creatures are unusually tough and resilient compared to others of their kind, able to defl ect and ignore harm that others could not.

The indomitable creature template is inherited and can be added to any create (referred to hereafter as the base creature). An indomitable creature uses the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as base creature +1.

Type: The creature’s type does not change. If this template is applied to a creature with the animal or vermin type, the creature’s type changes to magical beast. Do not recalculate its Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, or skill points.

Armor Class: An indomitable creature increases their natural armor by +1 + 1 for every 4 Hit Dice it possesses. This stacks with the base creature’s natural armor bonus.

Defensive Abilities: An indomitable creature gains the following defensive abilities:
Guardian’s Prowess (Ex): An indomitable creature uses its Hit Dice in place of its base attack bonus when determining the effects of its Guardian sphere delayed damage pool. In addition, an indomitable creature’s delayed damage pool does not bypass the indomitable creature’s damage reduction or resistance when it empties at the end of its turn. When damage is emptied from the indomitable creature’s delayed damage pool, apply the indomitable creature’s damage reduction and resistance to the total damage dealt, not to individual instances of damage (such that 35 physical damage being emptied from the delayed damage pool would be treated as a single instance of 35 physical damage, not the 3 separate attacks that contributed to it).
Hardened (Ex): An indomitable creature gains an amount of DR/– equal to 3 + 1/2 the indomitable creature’s Hit Dice. If the indomitable creature possesses damage reduction from another source, the indomitable creature may add half the damage reduction gained from this ability to that other source of damage reduction, if to do so would be beneficial. For example, if the indomitable creature possesses DR/silver from another source that would reduce incoming damage, and be more beneficial than the DR/– from this ability, the indomitable creature uses its DR/silver plus half its DR/– against that incoming damage.
Insuppressible (Su): If the indomitable creature would be subject to a polymorph effect or other effect that would suppress their natural armor bonus, they retain the bonus natural armor granted by the indomitable creature template.

Abilities: Str +2, Con +4. If the base creature’s Intelligence score is 2 or less (including mindless), the base creature’s Intelligence score becomes 3. A mindless base creature with this template gains skill ranks and feats as appropriate.

Feats: An indomitable creature gains Extra Combat Talent as a bonus feat, selecting the Guardian sphere. An indomitable creature cannot select a drawback which removes the delayed damage pool ability; if the indomitable creature possesses a drawback which removes the delayed damage pool ability, it must buy back that drawback with the talent gained from the Extra Combat Talent feat.

For every 4 Hit Dice the indomitable creature possesses, the indomitable creature gains Extra Combat Talent as a bonus feat, selecting a bonus talent from the Guardian sphere.

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Nemean Lion

Nemean Lion CR 4

This lion’s metallic-gold coat gleams in the light, its toned, sculpted musculature forged like steel.
XP 1,200
Male indomitable creature lion
N Large magical beast (augmented animal)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +9

Defense
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +5 natural, -1 size)
hp 42 (5d8+20)
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +2
Defensive Abilities guardian’s prowess, hardened, insuppressible; DR 5/–

Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d8+6 plus grab), 2 claws +8 (1d4+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce, rake (2 claws +8, 1d4+6)

Guardian Sphere – Packages (challenge); Talents Steel Hide
• challenge (move action, or expend martial focus as a swift; target takes a -3 penalty on attack rolls against others and a +3 bonus on attack rolls against you for 4 rounds)
◊ Steel Hide; end your challenge to negate a critical hit against you from a challenged target
• delayed damage pool (15 points)

Statistics
Str 23, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +10 (+14 grapple); CMD +23 (+27 vs. trip)
Feats Extra Combat Talent (2), Improved Initiative, Run, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +11, Perception +9, Stealth +8 (+12 in undergrowth); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Stealth (+8 in undergrowth)

Ecology
Environment any plains
Organization solitary or nemean pack (1 nemean lion, 3-8 lions)
Treasure none

Description
The nemean lion is a legendary creature said to be blessed by the divine’s wills, fates, or by sheer circumstance to be unbreakable. Its body toughened and stronger than steel, able to resist strikes that would mortally wound any ordinary lion. Nemean lion sightings are incredibly rare and stories of successfully hunted nemean lions are even rarer.

In many other respects, nemean lions are much like normal lions, except for their enhanced intelligence and cognitive ability.

A nemean lion knows when to pick its fights and will avoid confrontation with an enemy it recognizes as more powerful, even if that enemy is encroaching on its territory. Legends and rumors say that a nemean lion’s pelt can make a cloak that is as strong and durable as the nemean lion itself, and as such, their pelts are incredibly valuable when successfully preserved. Skinning and properly preserving a nemean lion’s pelt requires a DC 25 Heal or Survival check which cannot be attempted more than once. Failing to properly recover and preserve the nemean pelt ruins it and magical attempts to repair the pelt do not preserve the pelt’s normal qualities.

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Man o’ War

Man o’ War CR 10

This massive jellyfish-like creature’s brilliant blue hues crackle with energy, long tentacles gracefully trailing below its body, its head a brilliant finned crown.
XP 9,600
N Huge magical beast (aquatic)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, watersense 120 ft.; Perception +17

Defense
AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +11 natural, -2 size)
hp 132 (12d10+72); regeneration 1 (acid)
Fort +13, Ref +14, Will +6
Defensive Abilities amorphous; DR 10/magic and piercing or slashing; Immune electricity, mind-affecting

Offense
Speed swim 30 ft.
Melee tentacle +17 (1d8+9/19-20 plus bluevein poison)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks shipbreaker

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 10; MSB +10; MSD 21; concentration +11; CAM Cha)
At will:
Destruction Sphere – Talents (blast shape) Energy Satellite, Sculpt Blast; (blast type) Shock Blast
• destructive blast, close range ray (50 ft.), DC 16; 5d6, +1 sp 10d6; use with (blast shape), inflict a (blast type); Special A man o’ war can increase the damage dealt by its spherelike abilities once every 1d3 rounds, as though it spent an additional spell point on the Destruction sphere effect
◊ (blast shape)
• Energy Satellite (blast shape); create 1 orbiting sphere for 10 minutes, which can be fired as an immediate action at a creature within 10 ft.; Ref half. Can maintain 2 spheres; cannot spend sp to increase damage dice.
• Sculpt Blast (blast shape); 20-ft. burst, close range cone (50 ft.), medium range line (200 ft.); Ref half
◊ (blast type)
• Shock Blast (blast type); electricity damage, d4 instead of d6, creatures struck or fail Ref save must succeed at a Fort save or be dazed for 1 round electricity damage, DC 17

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 18, Con 20, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +12; CMB +20; CMD +34 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Elemental Focus (electricity), Improved Critical (tentacle), Lightning Refl exes, Toughness, Weapon Focus (tentacle)
Skills Perception +17, Swim +14
Languages Aquan (cannot speak)
SQ compression

Special Abilities
Bluevein Poison (Ex): Tentacle–injury; save Fort DC 21; frequency 1/round for 5 rounds; effect vulnerability to electricity and must roll twice and take the worse result on saving throws against electricity effects; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based. If this poison’s duration ends without being cured (either with successful Fortitude saves or through other means), the creature must succeed at one additional saving throw against this poison’s save DC or be paralyzed for 1 minute. This poison’s virulence is short lived and becomes inert after 1 minute if not properly stored (DC 30 Craft (alchemy) or Knowledge (nature) check) or otherwise preserved with magic that could preserve a corpse or food.
Shipbreaker (Ex): A man o’ war’s attacks ignore the hardness of and deal full damage to ships and other aquatic vessels.
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A man o’ war possesses spherelike abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The man o’ war’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR.
Watersense (Ex): The man o’ war possesses a blindsense with a range of 120 feet, except only allowing the man o’ war to detect anything in contact with the same body of water as it. Unique to the man o’ war’s watersense, the man o’ war can also detect any creature composed of liquid, even if they are not in contact with the same body of water (such as creatures with blood, susceptible to bleed damage, or with the water subtype). This allows a man o’ war to “see” creatures on solid ground or on a boat.

Ecology
Environment temperate or warm oceans
Organization solitary, pack (2-3), or bloom (4-11)
Treasure none

Description
The man o’ war is a frighteningly massive jellyfish-like creature, although anatomical scholars will debate that its physical body is too complex to be referred to as a jellyfish. Man o’ war are predatory, aggressive, and territorial guardians of underwater ocean wrecks and reefs which they will claim as their homes and take nearly any foreign intrusion as a threat. Man o’ war are known to attack and obliterate fishing vessels and trade ships which mistakenly path through their claimed waters, and many seaside towns will maintain nautical charts which explicitly mark known man o’ war locations to avoid.

As frightening as they are, man o’ war are known to be willing to reason with those they understand. Seafarers and seaside ports which are aware of a man o’ war’s territory often learn passable aquan in order to attempt to reason or off er gifts to a man o’ war to stay their wrath, although such actions are never guaranteed.

Man o’ war bluevein poison is a famously conductive toxin that is notoriously hard to harvest and store, but is prized by electromancers who try to incorporate the substance with their magics and experiments.

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Phoenix

Phoenix CR 11

Powerful wings of crimson and orange fl ame spread out from the magnificent plumes of this regal bird, a soothing heat radiating off its body, leaving a shimmering distortion in the wake of its fl ight.
XP 12,800
N Large magical beast
Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +18

Defense
AC 24, touch 18, flat-footed 16 (+8 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, -1 size)
hp 96 (12d10+36)
Fort +16, Ref +21, Will +14
Defensive Abilities force of will, thick plumage; DR 5/ piercing; Immune fire

Offense
Speed 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)
Melee bite +15 (1d8+4), 2 wings +10 (1d8+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Magic
Caster Level 12; MSB +12 MSD 23; Concentration +17
Tradition Natural; CAM Cha
Spell Points 17
Divination Sphere
• divine, 1 minute, DC 21; (gain information about magic auras within 210 ft.)
◊ Alternate Divinations
◊ Nature (fire); divine for the presence and strength of fires
Nature Sphere – Packages fire; Talents Deep Nature, Ranged Nature; (geomancing) Create Nature, Fire Mastery; (spirit) Destroy Element, Nature’s Weapon, Nature Sight, Resist Elements, Phoenix Resurgence, Speak With The Elements, Wreath Of Elements
• Deep Nature; geomancing and (spirit) abilities continue for 2 rounds after concentration ends, or duration increases 1 step when spending a spell point to continue without concentration
• Ranged Nature; increase geomancing range to medium
• geomancing, medium range (220 ft.), DC 23; create effects based on packages
◊ (fire) package
• Affect Fire (concentration, increase or decrease fire size; maximum Gargantuan [6d6], Ref or catch fire)
• Create Fire (concentration, create fire, maximum Medium [3d6], Ref or catch fire)
• Manipulate Lava (instantaneous or concentration, manipulate lava, see (water) package)
◊ Create Nature (geomancing); create elements, may be combined with other geomancing effect as part of same action
• fire; can combine create fire with another (geomancing) ability. Does not require a spell point to combine.
◊ Fire Mastery (geomancing); gain additional fire-related sphere abilities
• Alter Light (concentration, may alter light levels from fires within range)
• Extinguish (1 sp, extinguish all fire within range)
• Reflash (immediate action relight a fire that is extinguished, dealing fire damage. Ref save or catch fire)
• (spirit) manipulate elements in additional ways based on packages
◊ Destroy Element (spirit); 1 sp, touch or ranged touch against target
• Ash Strike (medium-range cone of ash, reveals invisible creatures. Fort save or blinded for 1d4 rounds or until ash washed off as full-round action)
◊ Nature’s Weapon (spirit); attack with elements
• Fire Wielder (free action, generate fire as though with create fire [3d6], may attack with it as a touch or thrown touch attack within range)
◊ Nature’s Sight (spirit); gain vision for 12 minutes, 1 sp
• Firesight (see through flames, lava, and smoke. Ignore miss chance from concealment or total concealment against creatures that are on fire or have fire subtype within range)
◊ Resist Elements (spirit); swift or move action, gain resistance for 1 round, 1 sp for 11 minutes or as immediate. 1 sp to heal damage prevented by resistance.
• fire; fire resist 22
◊ Phoenix Resurgence (spirit); immediate action, 0 sp, after gaining disabled or dying condition, 12d6 fire damage to all creatures within 20 ft., return to life fully healed (see Phoenix Rebirth). May only use this effect once per hour.
◊ Speak With The Elements (spirit); 1 sp, speak with elements for 12 minutes
• Speak With Fire (can gaze into fire, learning information about others that have been near or interacted with it)
◊ Wreath Of Elements (spirit); immediate action, or 1 sp as free action, can use ability 1/round
• fire; 12 fire damage against target within reach (Ref half)

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 26, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 20
Base Atk +12; CMB +17; CMD +36
Feats Dodge, Elemental Focus (fire), Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Sphere Focus (Nature)
Skills Diplomacy +17, Fly +27, Knowledge (arcana) +14, Perception +18
Languages common, ignan
SQ force of will, glorious flame, thick plumage

Special Abilities
Force of Will (Su): A phoenix gains a bonus on all saving throws equal to its Charisma modifier.
Glorious Flames (Su): When casting any sphere effect that deals fire damage, a phoenix may instead heal any affected targets. The sphere effect deals no damage and living creatures affected by the sphere effect instead gain a number of hit points equal to the fire damage the sphere effect would normally deal.
Phoenix Rebirth (Su): A phoenix does not need to spend spell points when using the Phoenix Resurgence talent, and returns to life with full hit points after using it instead of 0 hit points. The first time a phoenix uses this sphere effect each year, it can choose to be restored to an age as a young adult, removing all penalties to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution as a result of age, but retaining all bonuses to Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma (although as the phoenix ages again, it does not gain these bonuses a second time) and regrowing body parts and restoring senses as though affected by the Life sphere Make Whole advanced talent.
Spherecasting: A phoenix is a High-Caster and gains a casting tradition and one magic talent for each Hit Dice it possesses. Phoenixes use the natural casting tradition.
Thick Plumage (Ex): A phoenix’s thick down feathers provide defense against attacks. A phoenix gains DR 5/piercing and all ranged attacks suffer a 10% miss chance against the phoenix.

Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure standard (plus phoenix feathers)

Description
The legendary phoenix is famed for its rising from ash, reborn as a young self in an endless cycle of reincarnation. Powerful masters of manipulation fire, they are worshipped and revered as minor deities, servants of the immortal sun, and otherwise powerful healers and wardens of nature. A phoenix’s lifespan has never been truly recorded, and they are rumored to live for hundreds of years, keeping themselves young and healthy with their signature fire magic.

Very rarely, phoenix may bond with “mortals”, and will accompany those who act in their interests on their missions, such as assisting rangers or wardens of nature to repel powerful threats, or may bond for longer periods of time, assisting and serving “mortals” they deem worthy as their companions and friends.

Variant Phoenixes

Spiritual cousins to the phoenix, these magical avians show mastery over other realms of magic.

Garuda (+1 CR)

Powerful lords of tempest-strength winds, these massive birds claim towering mountains and treetops as their homes, and will adopt the surrounding wildlife, and even local villages of humanoids, as their “ward”. Once a garuda has laid claim over such a territory, intrusion by others is closely monitored, and it is well-advised to stay on the good side of a garuda by interacting with it much like a foreign diplomat by communicating and presenting gifts. Many garuda will maintain watch over their territory by using the immense control afforded by the Climate advanced talent, maintaining winds at a pleasant breeze while watching from atop their roost.

A garuda is a variant phoenix which exchanges the following talents (Nature sphere ((fire) package, Destroy Element, Fire Mastery, Nature’s Weapon, Resist Elements, Phoenix Resurgence), feats (Elemental Focus (fire), Sphere Focus (Nature)), the ignan language, and the glorious flames special ability for the following:
Divination Sphere
• Alternate Divinations
◊ Nature (air); presence of air, toxic gas, or vapor (or lack of)
◊ Weather (weather); divine naturally occurring weather within next 24 hours
Nature Sphere – Packages air; Talents Deep Nature, Ranged Nature; (geomancing) Manipulate Nature, Purify Nature; (spirit) Nature Sight, Speak With The Elements
• Deep Nature; geomancing and (spirit) abilities continue for 2 rounds after concentration ends, or duration increases 1 step when spending a spell point to persist
• Ranged Nature; increase geomancing range to medium
• geomancing, medium range (220 ft.), DC 21; create effects based on packages, may spend 1 sp to continue effects without concentration for 1 minute per caster level
◊ (air) package
• Breeze (concentration, create a breeze granting a +4 bonus vs. heat and clouds, vapors, and gas)
• Gust Of Wind (concentration, medium-range line, severity 5 wind, 1 sp, increase severity to 6)
• Purify Air (instantaneous, convert non-breathable or polluted air into breathable air with 15-ft. radius)
◊ Manipulate Nature (geomancing); create elemental effects
• Air Geyser (fling a Huge size or smaller creature, Ref negates. Launches creature 60 ft. (1 sp, 120 ft.) upwards, creature takes falling damage as normal, and 1d6 damage if thrown into ceiling for every 10 ft. of distance remaining)
• (spirit) manipulate elements in additional ways based on packages
◊ Nature’s Sight (spirit); gain vision for 12 minutes, 1 sp
• Cloudsight (can see through fog, mist, and smoke, and do not suffer miss chance from concealment or total concealment against flying creatures or creatures with air subtype)
◊ Speak With The Elements (spirit); 1 sp, speak with elements for 12 minutes
• Speak With Air (can speak with clouds or mist, learning information about others that have been near or interacted with it)
◊ Wreath Of Elements (spirit); immediate action, or 1 sp as free action, can use ability 1/round
• air; +17 to bull rush target within reach, push 5 ft. Weather Sphere – Climate, Forceful Wind, Greater Size, Severe Weather, Wind Lord; Drawbacks (Limited Weather (wind))
• control weather, long range (840 ft.); (affect wind severity, 1 severity per round, maximum severity 5, 1 sp to continue for 12 minutes without concentration)
◊ Climate; 1 sp, 20 minutes, increase control weather radius to 2 miles
◊ Forceful Wind; DC to avoid being blown away or move against wind increases by 5. Ranged weapon penalty increases by 2.
◊ Greater Size; increase weather range to long
◊ Severe Weather; 1 sp, increase maximum severity by 1 (maximum 6)
◊ Wind Lord; increase maximum Wind severity by 1, can create “eye of the storm” safe from effects, and adjust direction and specifics of wind
Languages auran
Feats Extra Magic Talent (Weather sphere (Climate)), Flyby Attack

Special Abilities
Airstream Vision (Su): A garuda can pinpoint the location of any creature under the effects or inside the area of effect of a Nature sphere (air) package or Weather sphere Wind severity effect, as though using blindsight. A garuda gains a bonus equal to its caster level on Perception checks made to locate creatures with the ability to negate this blindsight, such as the Dampen Presence feat or Scout sphere Lurker talent.
Lord of Winds (Su): A garuda treats any Wind severity effect equal to or less than what it can control as though it were severity 1 (a garuda can control up to severity 6).

Hourglass Jian Crane (+0 CR)

This ivory white, tall bird stands elegantly, peering out over the small rivers and lakes it calls home. To an unpracticed eye, this bird is an ordinary crane, or a goose to an even less trained eye. Researchers of magical beasts and fauna recognize this noble bird by the faint silver lining to its plumage as the hourglass jian crane, an ageless bird and masterful manipulator of the sands of time.

The hourglass jian crane is extremely intelligent and is a prized ally by many for their unparalleled ability to manipulate time. The origins of the hourglass jian crane are entangled with many of the myths and legends which are the foundation of great monastic orders.

A hourglass jian crane is a variant phoenix which exchanges talents (Nature sphere (all)), feats (Elemental Focus (fire), Sphere Focus (Nature)), the ignan language, and the glorious flames special ability for the following: Special Attacks timeless strike (5d6 piercing)

Divination Sphere
• Alternate Divinations
◊ Time (divine time); observe what occurred up to 11 hours in the past
Time Sphere – Talents Improved Haste, Improved Slow, Mass Time, Ranged Time x2, Temporal Haste, Time Zone; (time) After Image, Eject, Retry, Time Bubble
• alter time, medium range (210 ft.), DC 22; (apply a (time) effect on the target)
◊ After Image (time); 35% miss chance, concentration or 1 sp for 11 minutes
◊ Haste (time); target gains +30 ft. enhancement to all movement and +2 bonus to attack rolls and Ref saves and +2 dodge bonus to AC, concentration or 1 sp for 11 rounds
• Improved Haste; target may attempt additional opportunity
• Temporal Haste; 1 sp, additional move or swift action during duration
◊ Mass Time; 1 sp, target an additional 5 creatures
◊ Ranged Time; increase (time) distance to medium
◊ Retry (time); immediate action, 2 sp, restart turn. Will save if during an unwilling creature’s turn
◊ Slow (time); Will negates, target’s movement is halved and suff ers -2 penalty to attack rolls, AC, and Ref saves, concentration or 1 sp for 11 rounds
• Improved Slow; target is also staggered
◊ Time Bubble (time); 1 sp, 25-ft. radius bubble for 11 rounds, centered on self. Grants partial concealment against attacks outside radius, and damages creatures occupying squares inside and outside of radius. 1 sp to apply haste or slow to radius and may exclude self
◊ Time Zone; adjust area into 35-ft. globe (centered on self) or 14 10-ft.cubes
◊ Timeless Crane’s Hourglass (time); 35-ft. radius bubble, grant a 5-ft. step or teleport creatures inside radius, concentration or 1 sp for 11 rounds
Languages celestial
Feats Spell Capacitor, Sphere Focus (Time)

Special Abilities
Ageless (Ex): A hourglass jian crane does not age after reaching maturity and cannot die of old age. Whenever an hourglass jian crane would attempt a saving throw against a Time sphere effect or similar spell and is not a willing target of the effect, it rolls twice on its saving throw and uses the better result, gaining the benefits of evasion and stalwart against that effect (suff ering no additional effects on a successful save). If the hourglass jian crane successfully saves, it may cast an (alter time) effect targeting only itself as an immediate action.
Crane’s Signature Hourglass (Ex): An hourglass jian crane may use the Time sphere Timeless Crane’s Hourglass tumble option even though it does not possess the Warp sphere, and may use the tumble option without spending an additional spell point.
Timeless Strike (Su): An hourglass jian crane gains a melee touch attack that is treated as a light weapon and can be used whenever the hourglass jian crane could make an attack (such as during an attack action or attack of opportunity) dealing 5d6 piercing damage to the opponent. The hourglass jian crane may apply this damage to its unarmed strikes. In addition, the hourglass jian crane can use this ability to heal a creature instead of damaging them by briefl y reversing time to seal their wounds as a move action, restoring 5d6 hit points. This healing cannot restore a creature’s hit points above half their normal maximum.

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Serpopard

Serpopard CR 8

This muscular feline sports a coiled, muscular body with a strange hybrid of scale and fur. With a tired and bored cat’s yawn, imposing snake fangs can be seen in its mouth.
XP 4,800
N Medium magical beast
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +16

Defense
AC 23, touch 16, flat-footed 17 (+6 Dex, +7 natural)
hp 80 (10d10+30)
Fort +10, Ref +13, Will +8
DR 5/slashing; Immune poison

Offense
Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee bite +18 (2d6+4 plus hemorrhaging poison), 2 claws +18 (1d6+4)

Might
Martial Tradition None; PAM Wis
Lancer Sphere – Talents Adamant Stalker (x2), Focusing Finale, Opportune Impalement; (impale) Bloody Rip
• Adamant Stalker; can take a 5-ft. step as immediate action to follow an opponent’s 5-ft. step. Opponent provokes an attack of opportunity.
• impale (attack action; -2 penalty on attack roll; target is impaled; ending impale deals bleed equal to impaling weapon’s damage)
◊ Bloody Rip (impale); after attacking an impaled creature with the impaling weapon, can spend swift action to remove the weapon. Creature retains impale condition until the end of their next turn
◊ Focusing Finale; regain martial focus when impaling weapon is removed
◊ Opportune Impalement; can expend martial focus to use impale with an attack of opportunity, taking no penalty to impale

Statistics
Str 19, Dex 23, Con 16, Int 4, Wis 17, Cha 6
Base Atk +10; CMB +14; CMD +30 (+34 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +19, Climb +12, Perception +16, Stealth +19
SQ predator

Special Abilities
Massive Bite (Ex): A serpopard’s vice-like jaw can crush through bone. A serpopard’s bite is two sizes larger.
Hemorrhaging Poison (Ex): Bite – injury; save Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round for 3 rounds; effect bleed effects on the poisoned creature do not end unless they receive at least 10 points of healing or a DC 25 Heal check is made, this otherwise functions as the Duelist sphere Long Cuts talent with an effective base attack bonus equal to the serpopard’s Hit Dice; cure 1 save.
Predator (Ex): Serpopard possesses above-average intelligence and above average hereditary instinct. The serpopard gains one free rank in Acrobatics and Stealth for each Hit Dice it possesses.

Ecology
Environment warm desert or plains
Organization solitary, pride (1 male, 2-11 female)
Treasure none

Description
A serpopard is an unusually large serpentine cat which features prominent features between its serpentine and feline heritages – such as anaconda-panthers, boa-leopards, and any number of other combinations. Shared between all these variations are the serpopard’s frightening prowess as a hunter and their tendency to exsanguinate their prey. A serpopard’s rending bite creates bleeding gashes which are difficult to staunch due to the hemorrhaging anticoagulant venom that drips from their snake fangs.

Beyond their prowess as a hunter, a serpopard displays many of the normal tendencies of snakes and cats, laying around, soaking up the warmth of the sun, and observing their surroundings with their keen eyes. A serpopard’s demeanor is often much like a cat’s with the undertones of serpent’s hunger and drive. Also much like a cat, serpopards are known to release a lisping purr when content.

It is rare for serpopards to be tamed, as they are somewhat cold and emotionless to other species, but famous individuals have been known to keep serpopards in their company as powerful companions.

Rattled Serpopards: Some serpopards have rattle-like tails, resembling rattlesnakes. These variants are more common in deserts, as opposed to savannahs and plains. The rattle itself does not confer any advantages, but the serpopard will use it to notify other larger creatures of its presence, hoping to scare them off and drive them away to avoid confl ict.

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Tremorlizard

Tremorlizard CR 9

The sound of scrabbling claws against stone follow this massive reptile’s darting movements.
XP 6,400
N Large magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +16

Defense
AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural, -1 size)
hp 108 (12d10+48)
Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +5

Offense
Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee Bite +17 (2d6+9/19-20/x3 plus trip)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Might
Martial Tradition Agile Predator (Athletics x2, Scout x2); PAM Wis
Athletics Sphere – Packages climb, leap, run; Talents Expanded Training, Mighty Conditioning, Mobile Striker, Multiple Motion, Skillful Charge, Whirlwind Flip; (motion) Dizzying Tumble, Knockdown Tumble, Moving Target
• Mobile Striker; full-round action, can move, attack action, and move
• Skillful Charge; can make an attack action at the end of a charge
• Whirlwind Flip; regain martial focus on a successful Acrobatics check to move through threatened area
• (motion); while using any package’s movement, can use one (motion) talent; (motion) DC 17
◊ Dizzying Tumble (motion); Will save or sicken for one round, or expend martial focus and nauseate
◊ Knockdown Tumble (motion); Ref save or knocked prone
◊ Moving Target (motion); gain 20% miss chance against ranged attacks, or expend martial focus after moving more than 20 ft. for 50% miss chance
◊ Multiple Motion; can expend martial focus to apply two (motion) talents

Scout Sphere – Talents Find Gap, Lurker, Reflexive Stealth
• Lurker; can stealth against special senses (ex. blindsense, tremorsense)
• Reflexive Stealth; can stealth after succeeding on Ref save against area of effect
• scout (swift action; Perception check -5 vs. target to gain weaknesses)
◊ Find Gap; treat scouted target’s AC as 4 lower for 6 rounds

Statistics
Str 23, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 16
Base Atk +12; CMB +19; CMD +33 (+37 vs. trip)
Feats Dodge, Great Focus, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Vital Strike, Skill Focus (Acrobatics), Skill Focus (Stealth), Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +36, Climb +32, Perception +16, Stealth +20; Racial Modifiers +8 Climb
SQ hunter

Special Abilities
Hunter (Ex): When using Survival to track prey, a tremorlizard gains a +4 on its Survival check for each tremorlizard assisting it with the aid another ability, rather than the normal +2.
Martial Practitioner: A tremorlizard is an expert practitioner and gains a martial tradition and one combat talent for each Hit Dice it possesses. Tremorlizards use Wisdom as their practitioner modifier.
Snapping Jaw (Ex): A tremorlizard’s bite has an expanded crit range of 19-20 and an x3 critical multiplier.

Ecology
Environment temperate or warm forests, hills, or underground
Organization solitary, pair, brood (3-12)
Treasure incidental

Description
Natural-born hunters, tremorlizards track, hunt, and skulk in the underground, preying upon anything too slow or too unaware of its presence. Able to move silently when stalking, or rapidly charge down prey, a tremorlizard is a deadly foe and surprisingly agile for their size. Despite being territorial, tremorlizards are intelligent and communal creatures and respect their fellow tremorlizards’ territory. They will often socialize and exchange unusual prey as delicacies.

Tremorlizards are also unusually tolerant of those who pass through the area they have claimed as territory, provided those trespassers do not disturb or take resources the tremorlizard sees as valuable, such as various colorful ores and minerals or carefully arranged corpses being saved for a later meal.

Tremorlizards are often found alone, unless during their mating season or in the especially unique circumstance of a brood hunt. A brood hunt occurs when another tremorlizard is killed or disappeared from their territory without warning. A number of tremorlizards will gather after finding another tremorlizard has been slain or otherwise vanished and intelligently investigate, usually resulting in a bloodthirsty hunt on the tracks of those they believe are responsible.

Frilled Tremorlizards: Some tremorlizards have neck frills which they can fl are. These neck frills are used to intimidate lesser creatures by attempting to appear even larger than they already are. Frilled tremorlizards gain 1 free rank in Intimidate for each Hit Dice they possess, plus an additional +4 racial bonus on Intimidate checks (the average tremorlizard having a +23 bonus). In addition, frilled tremorlizard can attempt an Intimidate check to demoralize a creature as a swift action by fl aring their neck frills.

Variant Tremorlizards

Some tremorlizards have undergone extreme changes when their underground habitats intersect with powerful sources of elemental and other magics.

Festerbreath Newt (+0 CR)

The festerbreath newt is a misnomer. Baby festerbreath newts will congregate near the mouth of the sinkhole their mother claims as their territory. Those child lizards were first spotted and mistaken for a regular-sized adult newt and the name stuck. Carrion feeders by nature, the festerbreath newt will make their territory sinkholes and caverns near graveyards or biodiverse areas with large predator populations and feed on marrow and rotting flesh.

An festerbreath newt is a variant tremorlizard which exchanges talents (Athletics (Multiple Motion, Skillful Charge, Dizzying Tumble)), feats (Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike), and the bite attack trip universal monster ability for the following: Immune death effects, negative energy, Special Attacks breath weapon (60-ft. cone, festerbreath, DC 20 Ref to negate, useable every 1d4 rounds)

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 9; MSB +9; MSD +20; concentration +12; CAM Cha)
At will:
Death Sphere – Talents Cryptic Strike; (ghost strike) Vampiric Strike, Weakening
• ghost strike, medium range touch (190 ft.), DC 18; apply the effects of one (ghost strike)
◊ Cryptic Strike; can use ghost strike ability as part of an attack (or attack action with Spell Strike feat)
◊ Exhausting Strike (ghost strike); fatigued for 9 rounds or exhausted for 9 minutes, Fort negates. On a successful save the target is still fatigued for 1 round.
◊ Vampiric Strike (ghost strike); deal 4d6 points of damage and gain as temporary hit points, if used as an AoE, cannot gain more than 27 temporary hit points
◊ Weakening (ghost strike); inflict 1d4+4 Strength or Dexterity penalty for 1 round per level, Fort for half
1/day:
Death Sphere – Talents Mass Reanimate, Ranged Death
• reanimate, close range (45 ft.); reanimate up to 18 Hit Dice in undead for 9 minutes
Feats Spell Attack, Sphere Focus (Death)

Special Abilities
Festerbreath (Su): Instead of damage, a festerbreath newt’s breath weapon causes creatures who fail their Reflex saving throw to be subject to one (ghost strike) the festbreath newt is able to use as a sphere-like ability (chosen each time the breath weapon is used). The save DC is Constitution-based. A festerbreath newt can use its breath weapon once every 1d4 rounds.
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A festerbreath newt possesses sphere-like abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The festerbreath newt’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR.

Environment any cold

Frostjaw Snapper (+0 CR)

When forced to adapt to harsh elements, some tremorlizards evolve to harness and better coexist with their homes. A common variant, the frostjaw snapper, dwells in freezing cold caverns and will flash freeze prey to preserve it.

Other elemental tremorlizard variants may exist. Replace the Frost Blast (blast type) and cold resistance 20 with another blast type that deals elemental damage and appropriate resistance against that damage. For example, the heartfire monitor would possess the Fire Blast or Searing Blast (blast type) and fire resistance 20.

A frostjaw snapper is a variant tremorlizard which exchanges talents (Scout (all)), feats (Skill Focus (Stealth), Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike), and the bite attack trip universal monster ability for the following: Resist cold 20

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 9; MSB +9; MSD 20; concentration +12 [+16 casting defensively]; CAM Cha)
At will:
Destruction Sphere – Talents (blast shape) Energy Aura, Energy Strike, Sculpt Blast; (blast type) Frost Blast
• destructive blast, close range ray (45 ft.), 5d6 damage, DC 18; use with (blast shape), inflict a (blast type); Special A frostjaw snapper cannot increase the damage dealt by its sphere-like abilities by spending an additional spell point
◊ (blast shape)
• Energy Aura (blast shape); 10-ft. radius, 5 cold damage, 3 rounds; Ref negates
• Energy Strike (blast shape); deliver blast as part of attack action
• Sculpt Blast (blast shape); 15-ft. burst, close range cone (45 ft.), medium range line (190 ft.); Ref half
◊ (blast type)
• Frost Blast (blast type); cold damage, Fort save or staggered for 1 round
Feats Combat Casting, Spell Attack, Sphere Focus (Destruction)
Skills -1 Stealth (a frostjaw snapper no longer has ranks or bonuses to Stealth checks)

Special Abilities
Primal Aura (Su): A frostjaw snapper can activate or deactivate its energy aura sphere-like ability as a free action.
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A frostjaw snapper possesses sphere-like abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The frostjaw snapper’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR.

Environment temperate or warm forests, swamps, or underground

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Unicorn

Unicorn (spheres) CR 4

This magnificent horse features a singular horn on its head which gleams with a shine of divinity.
XP 1,200
CG Large magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +12
Aura fateful conduit (30-ft.)

Defense
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +3 natural, -1 size) (+2 sacred vs. opposed alignments)
hp 40 (5d10+15)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +5; +2 sacred vs. opposed alignments
Immune charm, compulsion, poison; SR 16

Offense
Speed 60 ft.
Melee gore +7 (2d6+4), 2 hooves +2 (1d8+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks fateful conduit (+2 sacred bonus on attack rolls vs. opposed alignments), fateful strike

Sphere-Like Abilities (CL 4; MSB +4; MSD +15; concentration +10; CAM Cha)
3/day:
Life Sphere – Talents (cure) Restore Body

• cure, touch, DC 18; 1d8+8
• invigorate, touch, DC 18; grant 4 temp hp, lasts for 1 hour
• restore, touch, DC 18; restore either mind, body, or soul (mind; remove dazzled, shaken, staggered and lessen frightened to shaken, panicked to frightened) (body; remove battered, fatigued and lessen exhaustion to fatigued, sickened and lessen nauseated to sickened) or (soul; heal 1d4 ability damage)
  • Restore Health (cure); when restoring body, completely remove exhausted and nauseated; can attempt magic skill check to remove poison or disease

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 19, Cha 23
Base Atk +5; CMB +10; CMD +23 (+27 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Natural Attack (gore), Iron Will, Run
Skills Acrobatics +11, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +12, Survival +9
Languages Common, Sylvan
SQ favored terrain (native terrain +4), fateful conduit, wild empathy

Special Abilities
Fateful Conduit (Su): A unicorn is strongly aligned to an extreme planar axis (lawful good, lawful evil, chaotic good, chaotic evil). The unicorn’s alignment matches this planar axis. In addition, the unicorn possesses a 30-foot aura that protects itself and its allies against the opposite alignments possessed by the unicorn. This aura functions as a constant supernatural effect, granting the effects of the Fate sphere Hallow (word) to the unicorn and the unicorn’s allies within 30 feet. Unlike a normal Hallow (word) sphere effect, this Hallow (word) grants its bonuses against both of the unicorn’s opposed alignments, not just a single alignment, and the bonuses are increased by +1. When determining the aura’s benefits, the aura has an effective caster level equal to the unicorn’s Hit Dice (effectively 2 + 1 per 10 Hit Dice). These bonuses are not cumulative against creatures which possess both opposite alignments.
Fateful Strike (Su): The unicorn’s natural attacks are treated as magic and aligned weapons (with alignments matching the unicorn’s) for the purposes of damage reduction.
Sphere-Like Abilities (Sp): A unicorn possesses sphere-like abilities, as indicated in its stat block. The unicorn’s caster level for these sphere-like abilities is equal to its CR.
Wild Empathy (Su): The unicorn can calm and befriend other animals. This functions as the druid’s wild empathy class feature, except the unicorn gains a racial bonus on this check equal to its Charisma modifier (usually +6) instead of a bonus equal to their druid level. A unicorn that later gains wild empathy through class levels or another source adds this racial modifier to those wild empathy checks.

Ecology
Environment temperate forests or plains
Organization solitary, pair, or blessed herd (3-8)
Treasure none

Description
Unicorns are beings of magical, aligned energy taking the form of a horse with a singular horn. No matter which corner of morality a unicorn represents, they are rarely malicious creatures and take up roles as zealous guardians of the wilds, revered by many as a symbol of purity. Unicorns frequently possess potent curative magics capable of restoring bodies and cleansing poisons. That magic is channeled through the unicorn’s horn. As such, unicorn horn is frequently prized as a magical focus or as a curative compound.

Unicorns are usually wary of creatures that hold an opposite alignment to their own and are naturally predisposed to allying with fey, maidens, and woodland creatures. Unicorns will rarely fight alongside others, but are known to do so against common enemies which threaten the realms they take as their wards.

Very rarely, unicorns can be convinced to leave their domain, often convinced by those with pure intentions and purer hearts. While many hear this and assume unicorns only ally themselves with those who mean to do good, evil unicorns frequently value an individual’s ambitions unshackled from the pretense of goodness as positive and pure “hearts”.

Unicorn Alignments: The sample unicorn presented here is aligned as chaotic good, the most common alignment possessed by unicorns. A unicorn with another alignment would gain bonuses and bypass damage reduction appropriate to its alignment.

Variant Unicorns

Unicorns exist in a multitude of climates and landscapes, able
to adapt even to great heights and the vast oceans.

Anemoi Pegasus (CR +0)

The anemoi pegasus is the skyward cousin of the unicorn, taking up homes in lofty, mist-cloaked mountains and rocky bluffs as their domain and wards, protecting the vulnerable wildlife from encroachment. Their wings are said to be made from the clouds themselves, carrying them through the sky with grace. An anemoi pegasus is a variant unicorn whose base movement speed is altered and exchanges the Run feat for the following:
Speed 60 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Feats Hover
Skills Fly +10

Special Abilities
Fair Skies (Ex): An anemoi pegasus treats all weather conditions (such as those from the Weather sphere) as though they were 2 severity lower. In addition, the anemoi pegasus gains one free rank in Fly for each Hit Dice it possesses.

Environment any skies.

Hippocampus (CR +0)

Unicorns of the seas, these fish-tailed aquatic unicorns take up many of the same roles their land walking brothers do on land, watching over vast coral reefs and underwater forests and guiding wayward fishing vessels back to safety. Instead of a horn, a hippocampus’s horse upper body ends with a beautiful scaled fish-tail that sparkles with the same energy as a unicorn’s horn.

A hippocampus is a variant unicorn whose base movement speed and natural attacks are altered and exchanges the Improved Natural Weapon (gore) feat for the following: Type A hippocampus gains the aquatic subtype, allowing it to breathe underwater.

Speed 10 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee 2 hooves +2 (1d8+2), tail slap +7 (2d6+4 plus push)
Feats Improved Natural Attack (tail slap)
Skills Swim +18

Special Abilities
Powerful Swimmer (Ex): A hippocampus’s tail is treated as a primary natural attack. In addition, the hippocampus gains one free rank in Swim for each Hit Dice it possesses.
Undersea Guide (Su): A friendly creature in physical contact with a hippocampus can breathe normally underwater (such as while mounted).

Environment any water.

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Other Magical Beast Content

Magical Beast Items

Many of the items found here are inspired by creatures, or their variants, found in this handbook. While a character is not required to have access or have studied the mentioned creature, it is usually a thematic option for adding treasure and worldbuilding around the creatures of your setting.

For GMs who want to create a sense of exclusivity and uniqueness to items in their setting, the Harvesting Materials from Magical Beasts section of this bestiary can be used for the items in this section, requiring a successful harvest to use as materials or regents for an item listed below.

GMs should be encouraged to homebrew their own similar items, taking an iconic property of their monsters, distilling it down to an appropriate “strength”, and finding a way to represent that on a consumable, worn, or held item. For example, the adamantortoise-shell earring is not nearly as strong or tough as the famed reptile, but items crafting from their shells carry through many of their properties.

Adamantortoise-Shell Earring

Aura faint Enhancement; CL 5th
Slot none; Price 4,500 gp; Weight 0 lb.

Description
This singular earring is fashioned from the shell of an adamantortoise, harvested from an ancient adamantortoise laid to rest or one poached by less peaceful means. The wearer of this earring gains DR 1/adamantine, which stacks with other sources of damage reduction the wearer may possess.

If the wearer possesses a Guardian sphere delayed damage pool, this earring increases the size of their delayed damage pool by 3. A creature may only benefit from a single adamantortoise-shell earring at a time.

Construction Requirements
Craft Marvelous Item, Enhancement (Harden/Weaken (enhance)); Cost 2,250 gp

Festerbreath Canister

Price 300 gp; Weight 1 lbs.
Category Alchemical Weapons

By either synthesizing or harvesting the endocrine excretions of a festerbreath newt, this canister is able to briefly mimic the creature’s breath weapon as a rapidly dispersed aerosol. The festerbreath canister can be primed as a move action; the canister releases its substances immediately after being thrown or 1 round after being dropped or unattended while primed. When the canister activates, the canister releases a brief wave of transparent gas in a 10-foot radius from the point of impact, causing each creature to be aff ected by a diluted festerbreath newt’s breath weapon (see below). The canister can be thrown as though it were a splash weapon with a range increment of 20 feet.

Diluted Festerbreath Newt’s Breath Weapon Exhausted for 3 minutes (DC 20 Fort save negates). On a successful save, the target is still fatigued for 1 round. This is a supernatural death effect. See the Death sphere Exhausting Strike (ghost strike) for more details.
Construction
Craft (alchemy) DC 25

Lava Toad Ointment

Price 150 gp; Weight 1 lbs.
Category Alchemical Remedies

This thick, syrup-like gel is made from the heat treated oils found on a lava toad’s skin. One container of this ointment contains three applications.

When placed on a creature’s skin, the ointment soothes muscle pains and provides a sense of constant warmth, granting the creature a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws made against pain effects and exposure to cold weather for 12 hours. Applying the ointment takes 1 minute and consumes 1 application.

If one application of this ointment is blended with alcohol or another similar liquid and consumed as a standard action, the creature instead gains fire resistance 5 for 30 minutes for each application expended this way. Some creatures find this ointment’s strange, spicy and cinnamon-like tang enjoyable.

Construction
Craft (alchemy) DC 20

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Magical Beast Companions

Previously only available through the Beast Speaker feat (Heroes of Golarion) and Monstrous Mount feat (Inner Sea Combat), the Beast Tamer’s Handbook introduced the Improved Animal Companion legendary talent to the Beastmastery sphere, which grants Spheres of Might practitioners access to various exotic companions normally available through that feat.

The options presented in this section use the term “improved animal companion” and “improved companion” to refer to an animal companion available with the Improved Animal Companion talent, but also the Beast Speaker and Monstrous Mount feats.

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Improved Companion Choices

The following creatures can be selected as an improved animal companion. The improved companion entries are the same as for animal companions, with three exceptions:
1. Creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher have one or more additional prerequisites the character must meet to select the companion.
2. Each improved companion has a mastery ability that it can use only if the character has the Beast Speaker Mastery feat, Monstrous Mount Mastery feat, or the Improved Animal Companion legendary talent. The minimum level to gain the mastery ability is listed in parentheses. Unless otherwise stated, the save DC for any improved companion’s special abilities is 10 + 1/2 the improved companion’s Hit Dice + the improved companion’s Constitution modifier.
3. Unique to Spheres Bestiary: Magical Beasts and Climactic Encounters are creature variant options. Some of the improved companion choices have variants which may be selected either when first choosing the companion or when the creature’s mastery ability is unlocked. Once a variant is chosen, it cannot be changed. If an improved companion can choose a variant, it is listed as Variant in the companion entry.

About Improved Companion Strength: The improved animal companion choices listed here are balanced against existing options, but also take into consideration other subordinate options (Conjuration sphere, Leadership sphere, Tech sphere). Some of the options may be stronger than comparable options featured in Pathfinder.

Adamantortoise

Prerequisite: Survival 5 ranks or Swim 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 20 ft.; AC +7 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 10; Defensive Abilities DR 5/adamantine; Special Abilities Shielding Shell (Ex): An adamantortoise gains a shield bonus to their AC equal to 1/2 their natural armor bonus. The adamantortoise treats its shell as though it were a shield and may use its shell for the Shield sphere. The adamantortoise does not lose its shield bonus to AC when making an attack with its shell, and can make shield bash attacks with its shell as if it were a light shield (1d4 Medium); Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision.

9th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +5 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), shell (1d6); Ability Scores +2 Str, +2 Con; Feats Extra Combat Talent for the Shield sphere.

Mastery (11th-level): Variant The adamantortoise gains one of the following variants:

• Adamantortoise, Greater: Ability Scores +2 Str, +2 Con; Defensive Abilities DR 10/adamantine; Feats Extra Combat Talent (2) for the Shield sphere.
• Mystic-Shell Tortoise: Alignment lawful neutral; Ability Scores +4 Cha; Special Abilities Mystic Defenses (Su): The mystic-shell tortoise can spend 10 minutes to cast an aegis on itself, reducing the spell point cost by 1 (minimum 0); Special the mystic-shell tortoise is considered to possess the casting class feature with no casting tradition (natural casting) and uses Charisma as its casting ability modifier. The mystic-shell tortoise gains a spell pool equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier and is considered a Low-Caster with a caster level equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Instead of the 2 bonus magic talents most casters gain, the mystic-shell tortoise gains 2 bonus magic talents for the Protection sphere, and may select magic talents with its feats.

Behir (spheres)

Prerequisites: Diplomacy or Intimidate 7 ranks; Knowledge (arcana) 7 ranks.

Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC +6 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), tail slap (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 12; Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. line, 1d6 electricity damage per 2 Hit Dice, Ref half, usable every 1d4 rounds); Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, electricity resistance 10.

Mastery (11th-level): Size Large; AC +3 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), tail slap (1d8); Ability Scores +4 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con; Special Qualities immune to electricity. Variant In addition to the changes granted as part of the behir’s mastery, the behir gains one of the following variants:

• Brutal Behir: Attack tail slap (1d8 and push); Special Qualities tremorsense 60 ft.; Feats Extra Combat Talent (3) for the Brute sphere; Special the brutal behir’s tail slap is treated as a primary natural attack for all purposes.
• Royal Behir: Attack 2 claws (1d6); Special The royal behir’s creature type changes to dragon (augmented magical beast); do not recalculate the royal behir’s statistics except as follows: Hit Dice the royal behir’s Hit Dice changes to d12; Base Attack Bonus the royal behir’s base attack bonus becomes equal to its Hit Dice; Saves the royal behir has a good Will save (equal to its base Fortitude and Reflex saves); Defensive Abilities immune to magic sleep effects and paralysis, as per the immunities granted by the dragon type.

Owlbear

Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d6 plus grab); Ability Scores Str 17, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6; Feats Extra Combat Talent (2) for the Wrestling sphere; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision.

9th-Level Advancement: Size Large; AC +2 natural armor; Ability Scores +4 Str, +2 Con; Special Abilities Wide Claws (Ex): The owlbear does not gain the grappled condition if it grapples a foe using its claws.

Mastery (11th-level): Feats Extra Combat Talent for the Wrestling sphere; Variants The owlbear gains one of the following variants:

• Catchclaw Owlbear: Attacks The catchclaw owlbear’s natural reach with its claws increases by +5 ft. (to 15 ft.).
• Spirit-Eyed Owlbear: Special Abilities Spiritsense (Su): The spirit-eyed owlbear notices, locates, and can distinguish between living and undead creatures within 60 ft., as though it had the blindsight ability; Special Qualities immune to death and negative energy effects.

Phoenix

Prerequisites: Diplomacy 5 ranks; Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good); AC +3 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 wings (1d4); Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 16; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, fire resistance 10; Special The phoenix is considered to possess the casting class feature with no casting tradition (natural casting) and uses Charisma as its casting ability modifier. The phoenix gains a spell pool equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier and is considered a Low-Caster with a caster level equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Instead of the 2 bonus magic talents most casters gain, the phoenix gains 2 bonus magic talents for the Nature sphere and may select magic talents with its feats. The phoenix must choose the Nature sphere (fire) package with one of the bonus magic talents gained this way.

9th-Level Advancement: AC +1 natural armor; Speed fly 60 ft. (good); Variants The phoenix gains one of the following variants:

• Blessed Flame: Ability Scores +2 Dex, +4 Int, +2 Cha; Feats Extra Magic Talent for the Nature sphere; Special Abilities Glorious Flames (Su): When casting any sphere effect that deals fire damage, a blessed flame may instead heal any affected targets. The sphere effect deals no damage and living creatures affected by the sphere effect instead gain a number of hit points equal to 1/2 the fire damage the sphere effect would normally deal. This healing cannot restore a creature’s hit points above half their normal maximum; any healing in excess of half their normal maximum hit points are instead gained as temporary hit points, lasting 1 minute.
• Skyfire Avenger: Size Large; AC +3 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), 2 wings (1d8); Ability Scores +8 Str, +2 Con; Special the skyfire avenger can carry a rider while flying, but reduces its fly speed by half while doing so.

Mastery (11th-level): The phoenix gains the Nature sphere Phoenix Resurgence advanced talent as a bonus magic talent, even if it does not have any of the prerequisites normally required for this talent. The phoenix may use the Phoenix Resurgence talent once per day without spending spell points; Feats Extra Magic Talent (x2) for the Nature sphere; Special Qualities fire resistance 20.

Serpopard

Prerequisite: Acrobatics 5 ranks or Survival 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics: Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 6; Feats Extra Combat Talent (2) for the Lancer sphere; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision.

9th-Level Advancement: Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (2d6); Ability Scores +2 Str, +4 Dex; Special Abilities Predator (Ex): The serpopard gains one free rank in Acrobatics and Stealth for each Hit Dice it possesses.

Mastery (11th-level): Attack bite (2d6 plus hemorrhaging poison); Feats Extra Combat Talent for the Lancer sphere; Special Attacks hemorrhaging poison (frequency 1 round [3]; effect Duelist sphere Long Cuts [bleed damage cannot be cured unless sufficient healing or Heal check]; cure 1 save, Con-based DC).

Unicorn

Prerequisite: Heal 5 ranks or Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics: Alignment choose one alignment (good, evil, lawful, chaotic). The unicorn’s alignment must be of that alignment (such as choosing good, the unicorn must be lawful good, neutral good, or chaotic good); Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +3 natural armor; Attack gore (1d6), 2 hooves (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 15;

Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent. 7th-Level Advancement: Speed 60 ft.; Attacks gore (2d6); Variants the unicorn gains one of the following variants:

• Anemoi Pegasus: Speed 60 ft. fly (good); Special the pegasus can carry a rider while flying, but reduces its fly speed by half while doing so.
• Life Guardian: Special Abilities Life Guardian (Su): Whenever an ally within 30 feet of the life guardian receives magical healing, the amount of healing received is increased by the life guardian’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1).
• Royal Hippocampus: Speed 60 ft. swim; Special Abilities Undersea Guide (Su): Any friendly creature in physical contact with a hippocampus can breathe underwater normally (such as while mounted); Special Qualities aquatic.

Mastery (11th-level): Ability Scores +2 Cha; Special Attacks the unicorn’s natural attacks are treated as magic and aligned weapons (with alignments matching the unicorn’s alignment) for the purposes of damage reduction; Special Qualities immune to poison; Special The unicorn is considered to possess the casting class feature with no casting tradition (natural casting) and uses Charisma as its casting ability modifier. The unicorn gains a spell pool equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier and is considered a Low-Caster with a caster level equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Instead of the 2 bonus magic talents most casters gain, the unicorn gains 2 bonus magic talents for the Life sphere, and may select magic talents with its feats.

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Improved Companion Templates

When choosing an improved companion, instead of choosing a new creature, you may instead choose one of the following template options to your companion. If a template choice has prerequisites, you must meet those prerequisites before qualifying for that option. Some template options include additional adjustments or gain a mastery at the indicated level.

When determining the effects of a template that uses the templated creature’s Challenge Rating (“CR”), use your effective druid level for that companion as its CR.

Aligned

Your companion holds qualities similar to the great outsiders which champion their alignment.

Special: The aligned templates are alignment-themed. Their theme is referred to as their “thematic alignment” for this section. For example, the celestial template’s thematic alignment is good, resolute is lawful, and counterpoised is true neutral.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (religion) or Knowledge (planes) 3 ranks; alignment within 1 step of the template’s thematic alignment.

Template: The companion gains one template chosen between celestial, entropic, fiendish, resolute (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary), and counterpoised (Champions of Balance).

Template Adjustments: Alignment The companion’s alignment shifts to the template’s thematic alignment; Ability Scores If the companion’s base Intelligence is less than 3, it increases to 3. If the companion’s base Charisma is less than 11, it increases to 11.

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores Str +2, Cha +2.

Constructed

Your companion possesses inorganic or mechanical physiology, whether clockwork organs, cybernetic limbs, or golem-craft ed skin.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (engineering) or Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks.

Template: The companion gains the promethean creature template (Horror Adventures).

Mastery (11th level): Defensive Abilities fortification (25%). This stacks with other abilities which ignore critical hits and precision damage.

Special: If you possess the Tech sphere and would replace the Craft (mechanical) skill with another skill when determining the effects of the Tech sphere, you may use that skill to qualify for this improved companion template as though it were Craft (mechanical).

Dark

Your companion’s form shifts hues of gray, purple, and black, its power drawn from the planar inkwells of shadow.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (planes) or Stealth 3 ranks.

Template: The companion gains the dark template (Monster Summoner’s Handbook).

Template Adjustments: Special Abilities Shadow Blend (Su): In any condition of illumination other than bright light, the companion gains concealment (20% miss chance). The companion can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores Dex +2; If the companion’s base Intelligence is less than 3, it increases to 3; Skills The companion gains a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks.

Elemental

Your companion’s form displays elemental might, its power intimately connected to the elemental planes.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (planes) 3 ranks or Charisma 13.

Template: The companion gains one template chosen between aerial, aqueous, chthonic, and fiery (Monster Summoner’s Handbook).

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores Wis +2; If the companion’s base Intelligence is less than 3, it increases to 3;

Languages The companion can speak, read, and understand one language based on their chosen template (aerial–auran; aqueous– aquan; chthonic–terran; fiery–ignan).

Fey-Touched

Your companion has ties to the faerie, whether cursed, gifted, or by chance.

Prerequisite: Bluff or Knowledge (nature) 3 ranks.

Template: The companion gains the fey-touched creature template (Heroes from the Fringe), but does not gain the change shape special quality.

Template Adjustments: Ability Scores If the companion’s base Intelligence is less than 6, it is increased to 6; if the companion’s base Charisma is less than 11, it increases to 11. Feats The companion gains Transformation as a bonus feat and must choose Anthropomorphic Transformation (transformation) as its (transformation) talent; Special If the companion does not know a language, it gains one language its master can speak while transformed.

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores Cha +4; Special The companion gains Bluff and Stealth as class skills and is treated as having the fey creature type in addition to its original creature type whenever it would be advantageous (such as being treated as a fey creature for the Fallen Fey sphere).

Giant

Your companion’s size is great and its strength mighty, harkening to the great giants.

Prerequisite: Knowledge (local) 5 ranks or Strength 13.

Template: The companion gains the giant template (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary).

Mastery (11th level): Defensive Abilities DR/5 piercing.

Possessed

Your companion is not alone in its own mind as a spirit or long-passed personality walks alongside it.

Special: The possessed template grants a “second personality” to the base creature, referred to as a spirit. The spirit’s motives should be aligned with the companion’s master and should not be hostile to the companion’s master. GMs and players should discuss what type of spirit would possess the companion before selecting this template.

Prerequisites: Knowledge (history) or Sense Motive 5 ranks; Psychic Sensitivity or the ability to cast psychic spells.

Template: The companion gains the possessed template (Horror Adventures).

Template Adjustments: Special Whenever the spirit possesses the companion, it remains in control for 10 minutes. In addition, choose any one language the companion’s master can speak. While the spirit is possessing the companion, the companion can speak and understand that language.

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores +2 Con; Special Spectral Prowess (Su): While the spirit is possessing the companion, the companion’s natural attacks gain the ghost touch special weapon ability and deal an additional 1d10 damage against creatures with the undead type or incorporeal subtype. In addition, once per day as a free action, the companion can choose to become possessed by the spirit.

Primordial

Your companion’s form is an echo of the past, drawing great strength from ancient well springs and powerful ancestors.

Special: When selecting this template, choose one magic sphere to be the companion’s “primordial sphere”. Once the companion’s primordial sphere is chosen, it cannot be changed. Prerequisite: Knowledge (history) or Survival 3 ranks.

Template: The companion gains the primordial template (Monster Summoner’s Handbook), but does not gain the spell-like abilities.

Template Adjustments: Ability Scores +2 to the companion’s casting ability modifier; Feats Advanced Magic Training, Basic Magic Training; the companion must select its primordial sphere with the talent gained from this feat. If the companion already possesses Basic Magic Training, the companion instead gains Extra Magic Talent, selecting a magic talent from its primordial sphere.

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores +2 to the companion’s casting ability modifier; Feats Extra Magic Talent, selecting a magic talent from the companion’s primordial sphere.

Appendix 1: Monsters By CR

This section lists all the monsters in this book, organized by CR. Variant monsters are included in this list. In the case of templates, only the sample creature is included.
CR 1: Lava Toad
CR 3: Bayun Cat, Cheshire Cat, Cinnamon Bird, Minka Bird
CR 4: Anemoi Pegasus, Hippocampus, Nemean Lion, Unicorn
CR 5: Catchclaw Owlbear, Harmattan Tarantula, Rimecoat Owlbear, Umbradark Owlbear
CR 7: Adamantortoise, Bullshelled Adamantortoise, Mystic- Shell Tortoise
CR 8: Remorhaz, Serpopard
CR 9: Behir, Festerbreath Newt, Frostjaw Snapper, Tremorlizard
CR 10: Man o’ War
CR 11: Hourglass Jian Crane, Phoenix
CR 12: Garuda
CR 15: Thunderbird

Appendix 2: Monsters By Terrain

The following lists group this book’s monsters by terrain. Monster variants are identified individually by name. Note that there can be a certain amount of crossover in these lists.
Any Land Bayun Cat, Cheshire Cat
Any Sky Anemoi Pegasus, Garuda, Hourglass Jian Crane, Phoenix, Thunderbird
Any Water Hippocampus
Any Cold Catchclaw Owlbear, Rimecoat Owlbear, Umbradark Owlbear
Any Temperate Cinnamon Bird, Minka Bird
Any Warm Adamantortoise, Bullshelled Adamantortoise, Cinnamon Bird, Minka Bird, Mystic-Shell Tortoise
Deserts (Cold) Remorhaz
Deserts (Warm) Behir, Harmattan Tarantula, Serpopard
Forests (Cold) Catchclaw Owlbear, Rimecoat Owlbear, Umbradark Owlbear
Forests (Temperate, Warm) Festerbreath Newt, Tremorlizard, Unicorn
Glaciers (Cold) Remorhaz
Hills (Temperate) Tremorlizard
Hills (Warm) Behir, Tremorlizard
Mountains (Cold) Catchclaw Owlbear, Remorhaz, Rimecoat Owlbear, Umbradark Owlbear
Oceans (Temperate, Warm) Man o’ War
Plains (Temperate) Nemean Lion, Unicorn
Plains (Warm) Nemean Lion, Serpopard, Unicorn
Swamps (Temperate, Warm) Festerbreath Newt
Underground (Temperate) Festerbreath Newt, Tremorlizard
Underground (Warm) Behir, Festerbreath Newt, Tremorlizard
Volcanos (Warm) Lava Toad