dragon-magic-oef

CHAPTER 4
DRACONIC
BEASTS
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insects that live within treetops. Though not a primary
source of nutrition, many huitzils seem to favor butterflies
and enjoy the game of hunting the brightly colored insects.
Some huitzils have been domesticated and make loyal, if mischievous,
pets. Unfortunately, their penchant for scavenging
means that they usually are employed and trained by thieves
to act as accomplices.
Environment: Huitzils live in dark, quiet places and prefer
natural caves near water. Particularly coveted are caverns that
exist behind waterfalls or lie deep in the woods. Huitzils
do not mind traveling a short distance for sustenance but
seem to nest in locations where food, water, and safety are
all close at hand. Domesticated huitzils cannot be caged for
long without becoming miserable (and destructive), so most
keep nests or rooks atop the houses of their owners and fly
free unless called.
Typical Physical Characteristics: Huitzils are usually
about 2 feet long from horned snout to tail, with a wingspan
of roughly 4 feet. They have short, stubby hind legs and
underdeveloped forelimbs, causing them to waddle along
the ground awkwardly. In flight, a huitzil can hover in place
indefinitely by flapping its leathery wings, though most seem
to fly in lazy circles if required to stay in one place.
HUITZIL AS FAMILIARS
Wizards and sorcerers capable of summoning huitzils can
use them as familiars. No special feat or spell is required to
bond a huitzil as a familiar, and particularly mischievous
spellcasters frequently use the creatures as an outlet for their
own trickery. A huitzil behaves as a normal fa amiliar and
grants its master a +3 bonus on Sleight of Hand checks when
the master and familiar are within 1 mile of each other.
PHYNXKIN
“For two days the thing tracked us, never breaking pursuit even
though we pushed hard and fast through the night. It was a breakneck
pace, even for us, but there it stayed, shadowing our footsteps
the whole way.”
—Ivagmar, half-orc ranger,
on being stalked by a phynxkin
This creature stands waist-high to a human, creeping across the
ground like a dangerous hunting cat. Its golden scales reflect light,
and its eyes glow with yellow intensity. The creature’s angular
head comes to a point at a small beak filled with razor-sharp teeth,
suggesting that it can tear through thick hides with relative ease.
Three claws on each paw curve wickedly forward, giving the animal
a semblance of both feline and draconic ancestry.
Phynxkin CR 1
Always N Medium animal (dragonblood)
Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0
AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12
(+1 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 6 (1 HD)
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; +2 on saves against spells
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +2 (1d6+2) and
2 claws –3 each (1d4+1)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +0; Grp +2
Atk Options pounce
Abilities Str 14, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 8, Cha 8
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Climb +8, Hide +3, Listen +0, Move Silently +4,
Spot +0
Pounce (Ex) When a phynxkin makes a charge, it can follow
with a full attack.
Phynxkin are sleek, predatory drakken that move with the
grace of hunting cats. Though dangerous in the wild, some
domesticated phynxkin serve as loyal companions to those
willing to train them.
STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
Most phynxkin use Hide and Move Silently to sneak up on
an opponent before making an attack. If one has sufficiently
scouted a foe and can predict its path (such as with adventurers
following a well-worn trail through a forest), the phynxkin
often climbs to higher ground and leaps down, using its
pounce ability to get a full attack along with its movement.
In groups, phynxkin are highly mobile and enjoy switching
targets in the middle of a fight. They use their speed to
charge an opponent, pounce, and then in subsequent rounds
disengage to flee and attack another target, while its allies
continue to attack the first target. Fighting a pack of phynxkin
can be very dangerous, because they move so quickly that it
is often difficult to continue sustained attacks against the
same one each round.
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PHYNXKIN LORE
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can learn more
about phynxkin. When a character makes a skill check, the following
lore is revealed, including the information from lower
DCs.
Knowledge (nature)
DC Result
11 Phynxkin are predatory animals of ancient draconic
an cestry with a passing physical resemblance to
dragons.
16 Phynxkin are pack animals that hide their young far from
where they hunt. A lone phynxkin is rarely seen, and
more often is just a distraction to herd prey into the
trap of a larger hunting group.
21 Phynxkin are adept hunters and can attack with both
claws and teeth, even when charging at full speed. They
are also surprisingly resistant to magic.
26 Phynxkin possess draconic blood and sometimes grow
to unusual size in the presence of dragons or draconic
magic.
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