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| Barghest Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful, Shapechanger) | Greater Barghest Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful, Shapechanger) |
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|---|---|---|
| Hit Dice: | 6d8+6 (33 hp) | 9d8+27 (67 hp) |
| Initiative: | +6 | +6 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares) | 40 ft. (8 squares) |
| Armor Class: | 18 (+2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16 | 20 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +6/+9 | +9/+18 |
| Attack: | Bite +9 melee (1d6+3) | Bite +13 melee (1d8+5) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +9 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws (goblin form only) +4 melee (1d4+1) | Bite +13 melee (1d8+5) and 2 claws (goblin form only) +8 melee (1d6+2) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. | 10 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | Spell-like abilities, feed | Spell-like abilities, feed |
| Special Qualities: | Change shape, damage reduction 5/magic, darkvision 60 ft., pass without trace, scent | Change shape, darkvision 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., pass without trace, scent |
| Saves: | Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +7 | Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +10 |
| Abilities: | Str 17, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14 | Str 20, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 18 |
| Skills: | Bluff +11, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Hide +11, Intimidate +13, Jump +12, Listen +11, Move Silently +10, Search +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11, Survival +11 (+13 following tracks); racial bonuses | Bluff +16, Climb +17, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Hide +10, Intimidate +18, Jump +21, Listen +16, Move Silently +14, Sense Motive +16, Spot +16, Survival +16 (+18 following tracks), Tumble +16; racial bonuses |
| Feats: | Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Track | Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Track |
| Environment: | Bleak Eternity of Gehenna (or any lawful evil plane) | Bleak Eternity of Gehenna (or any lawful evil plane) |
| Organization: | Solitary or pack (3–6) | Solitary or pack (3–6) |
| Challenge Rating: | 4 | 5 |
| Treasure: | Double standard | Double standard |
| Alignment: | Always lawful evil | Always lawful evil |
| Advancement: | Special (see text) | Special (see text) |
| Level Adjustment: | — | — |
A horrifying wolflike monster with blue-tinged fur, long sharp claws, and a fiendish glint of intelligence in its hateful, glowing eyes darts out of the shadows.
A barghest is a lupine fiend that can take the shape of a wolf or a goblin. In its natural form, it resembles a goblin–wolf hybrid with terrible jaws and sharp claws. Barghests come into the world to feed on blood and souls and thus grow stronger.
As whelps, barghests are nearly indistinguishable from wolves, except for their size and claws. As they grow larger and stronger, their skin darkens to bluishred and eventually becomes blue altogether. A full-grown barghest, such as the one described here, is about 6 feet long and weighs 180 pounds. A barghest’s eyes glow orange when the creature becomes excited.
Barghests speak Goblin, Worg, and Infernal.
Barghests can claw and bite, no matter what their form, and usually disdain weapons. Though they love killing, they have little stomach for direct combat and attack from ambush whenever possible. Barghests start a combat by using crushing despair and charm monster to keep opponents off balance. They try to stay away from the enemy’s main strength.
A barghest’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blink, levitate, misdirection (DC 14), rage (DC 15); 1/day—charm monster (DC 16), crushing despair (DC 16), dimension door. Caster level equals the barghest’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
Feed (Su): When a barghest slays a humanoid opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both flesh and life force, as a full-round action. Feeding destroys the victim’s body and prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the check fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.
A barghest advances in Hit Dice by consuming corpses in this fashion. For every three suitable corpses a barghest devours, it gains 1 Hit Die, and its Strength, Constitution, and natural armor increase by +1. Its attack bonus and saves improve as normal for an outsider of its Hit Dice, and it gains skill points, feats, and ability score improvements normally. The barghest only advances by consuming the corpses of creatures whose Hit Dice or levels are equal to or greater than its own current total. A barghest that reaches 9 Hit Dice through feeding immediately becomes a greater barghest upon completion of the act.
Change Shape (Su): A barghest can assume the shape of a goblin or a wolf as a standard action. In goblin form, a barghest cannot use its natural weapons but can wield weapons and wear armor. In wolf form, a barghest loses its claw attacks but retains its bite attack.
Pass Without Trace (Ex): A barghest in wolf form can use pass without trace (as the spell) as a free action.
Skills: A barghest in wolf form gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.
A barghest that reaches 9 Hit Dice through feeding becomes a greater barghest. These creatures can change shape into a goblinlike creature of Large size (about 8 feet tall and 400 pounds) or a dire wolf. In goblin form, a greater barghest cannot use its natural weapons but can wield weapons and wear armor. In dire wolf form, a greater barghest loses its claw attacks but retains its bite attack.
A greater barghest can reach a maximum of 18 Hit Dice through feeding.
A greater barghest has improved special abilities over its smaller cousin.
Change Shape (Su): A greater barghest can assume the shape of a goblinlike creature of Large size (about 8 feet tall and 400 pounds) or a dire wolf as a standard action. In goblinoid form, a greater barghest cannot use its natural weapons but can wield weapons and wear armor. In such form a greater barghest occasionally uses a magic two-handed weapon instead of its claws, giving it multiple attacks (attack bonus +13/+8).
In dire wolf form, a greater barghest loses its claw attacks but retains its bite attack.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will—blink, invisibility sphere, levitate, misdirection (DC 16), rage (DC 17); 1/day—charm monster (DC 18), crushing despair (DC 18), dimension door, mass bull’s strength, mass enlarge person. Caster level equals the greater barghest’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based (14 + spell level).
Source: Monster Manual (version 3.5), page 22. Rearranged and added text to the greater barghest description to reduce confusion somewhat. Corrected mass enlarge to mass enlarge person in its spell-like abilities.