Bestial Affinity. The gnoll can comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts, and it has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pack Tactics. While the gnoll is in a beast form, it has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the gnoll's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Rampage. When the gnoll reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the gnoll can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.
Shapechanger. The gnoll can use its action to polymorph into a giant hyena, a hyena, a jackal, a rat, or a vulture, or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is transformed along with it. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Spellcasting. The gnoll is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). It has the following druid spells prepared.
Cantrips (at-will): druidcraft, guidance, resistance
1st level (4 slots): animal friendship, conjure critters (new) (hyenas, rats, or vultures only), cure wounds
2nd level (3 slots): animal messenger, locate animals or plants, pass without trace
Bite (Beak in Vulture Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Spear (Gnoll Form Only). Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Longbow (Gnoll Form Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.
Wild Cackle (1/Day). The gnoll laughs madly and swirls with primal magic, inspiring each allied gnoll and beast within 30 feet of it that can hear it. Affected creatures have their speed increased by 10 feet and have advantage on attack rolls made using natural weapons. The gnoll can then make one bite attack as a bonus action.
Description
Gnolls are feral, hyena-headed humanoids that attack without warning, slaughtering their victims and devouring their flesh.
Some gnoll warbands include gnolls with an affinity for primal bestial magic. Gnoll beastmages corrupt the primal magic used by druids and rangers to vile and evil ends. They use their magic to track humanoids to their settlements by searching for their livestock and farms. Beastmages will obscure the approach of their warband, then conjure hyenas or vultures to aid the pack in battle. Their hyena-like cackle brings out the fiendish nature of their corrupted primal magic, commanding beasts near the gnoll to reach demonic levels of aggression.
Gnoll beastmages act as shamans, healers, trackers, and even as spies for the pack. They utilize their gift for bestial magic to transform into the shape of various scavenging beasts, helping them to scout the perimeter of humanoid settlements without alerting them to the coming gnoll attack. When the attack begins, the beastmage uses its animal forms to blend in with its pack.
Beastmages are often accompanied by animals they have bonded with, such as giant vultures, giant hyenas, or even entire packs of hyenas, wolves, or rats. When a pack enters unfamiliar territory, beastmages will often seek out the most dangerous predators of that region and attempt to bond with them, whether they might be snakes, lions, eagles, sharks, or any other beast. They use these animals to learn the lay of the land, and in return they promise the predators a feast of humanoids and their livestock when the gnolls attack.
Previous Versions
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5/24/2021 7:07:19 AM
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23
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28
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1.0
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Coming Soon
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