STYMPHALIAN BIRD

Stymphalian Bird CR 2

This large bard of prey is covered in bronze, metallic feathers that have razor-sharp edges.

  • XP 600
  • N Small magical beast
  • Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14

  • Defense

  • AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)
  • Hit Points 19 (3d10+3)
  • Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3

  • Offense

  • Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
  • Melee beak +4 (1d4+1 plus rending beak)
  • Ranged feather flechette +5 (1d4+1 plus bleed)
  • Special Attacks bleed (1), flechette storm, rending beak

  • Tactics

  • Before Combat Lacking subtlety, stymphalian birds like to open by diving prey and damaging their armor with sharp beaks.
  • During Combat After an opening attack upon an enemy, stymphalian birds keep to the skies and launch their razor-sharp feathers at foes, letting them bleed out.
  • Morale While rabid predators, stymphalian birds still have a sense of self-preservation and will retreat when reduced to a quarter of their health or lower.

  • Statistics

  • Str 12, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 7
  • Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 16
  • Feats Flyby Attack, Hover
  • Skills Fly +11, Perception +14; Racial Bonuses +8 Perception

  • Ecology

  • Environment swamps and marshes
  • Organization solitary, pair, or flock (4+)
  • Treasure incidental

  • Special Abilities

  • Flechette Storm (Ex): As a standard action, a stymphalian bird can launch its razor-sharp feathers in a 15-foot cone. All creatures in the cone must make a DC 13 Reflex save or take 2d6 slashing damage and 2 bleed damage. On a successful save, the creature only takes half slashing damage and no bleed damage. It can use this ability once per day. The save DC is Dexterity-based.
  • Rending Beak (Ex): When a stymphalian bird hits with a beak attack, it can make a sunder attempt against the target creature’s worn armor. The Stymphalian bird gains a +2 competence bonus on this sunder attempt.

  • Description / Ecology

  • Stymphalian birds are cruel and vicious predators that readily feed upon any creatures that they find in their territory. Few creatures, whether they be animals or humanoids, are safe from a stymphalian bird’s appetite and they will even attack armored warriors. By keeping to the skies while their victims struggle in the muck and mire of the bogs that stymphalian birds favor, they wear down prey and easily keep pace when they try to flee. Notoriously difficult to train or domesticate, stymphalian birds are considered pests wherever they are found and adventurers are regularly hired to clear out roosts of them. Stymphalian birds may stand as tall as three and a half feet with a wingspan of almost 8 feet.

  • Credit: David Demaret

STYMPHALIAN BIRD

Stymphalian Bird

Creature 2

  • N, Small, Beast
  • Perception +11; darkvision
  • Skills Acrobatics +10
  • Str +2, Dex +3, Con +1, Int -4, Wis +1, Cha -3
  • AC 17; Fort +8, Ref +10, Will +5
  • Hit Points 25
  • Speed 10 feet, fly 50 feet
  • Melee (1 action) beak +8 (finesse); Damage 1d8+4 piercing
  • Melee (1 action) talons +8 (agile, finesse); Damage 1d6+3 slashing
  • Ranged (1 action) feather flechette +11 (thrown 20 feet); Damage 1d4+2 slashing plus 1 persistent bleed
  • Armor-Rending Beak (2 actions) The stymphalian bird makes a beak Strike; if the Strike hits, the target’s armor takes the damage and the damage bypasses 4 points of the armor’s hardness.
  • Flechette Storm (2 actions) The stymphalian bird launches a flurry of razor-sharp feathers in a 15-foot cone. Creatures in the area take 3d6 slashing damage (DC 17 basic Reflex save). Creatures that fail their save take 1d6 persistent bleed damage. The stymphalian bird can’t use Flechette Storm again for 1 day.
  • Raptor Dive (2 actions) The stymphalian bird Flies up to double its fly Speed in a straight line, descending at least 10 feet, and then makes a beak Strike.

  • Description / Ecology

  • Stymphalian birds are cruel and vicious predators that readily feed upon any creatures that they find in their territory. Few creatures, whether they be animals or humanoids, are safe from a stymphalian bird’s appetite and they will even attack armored warriors. By keeping to the skies while their victims struggle in the muck and mire of the bogs that stymphalian birds favor, they wear down prey and easily keep pace when they try to flee. Notoriously difficult to train or domesticate, stymphalian birds are considered pests wherever they are found and adventurers are regularly hired to clear out roosts of them. Stymphalian birds may stand as tall as three and a half feet with a wingspan of almost 8 feet.

  • Credit: David Demaret