Bheur (Natural Form) (CR 9)

Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Initiative: +3 (Dex); Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Listen +8, and Spot +8


AC: 23 (+3 Dex, +10 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 20
Hit Dice: 10d8+20 (65 hp)
Fort +9, Ref +10+6, Will -
Speed: 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +10; Grapple +11
Attack: Slam +11 melee
Full Attack: Slam +11 melee
Damage: Slam 1d6+1 and 1d6 cold
Special Attacks/Actions: Graystaff focus, maddening feast, spell-like abilities
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 12
Special Qualities: Acid and electricity vulnerability, cold immunity, fire resistance 10, size change, SR 20
Feats: Alertness; Combat Casting; Craft Staff; Iron Will
Skills: Concentration +12, Hide +8, Knowledge (nature) +7, Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, and Survival +6 (+8 aboveground)
Advancement: By character class
Climate/Terrain: Cold mountains and forest (Unapproachable East)
Organization: Solitary or covey (1 bheur and 1-3 orglashes)
Treasure/Possessions: Standard

Source: Unapproachable East

Graystaff Focus (Sp): A bheur's wooden staff has no magical properties of its own but acts as a focus that allows the bheur to use the following spell-like abilities: at will - hold person, solid fog; 3/day - cone of cold, ice storm, and wall of ice. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 10th-level sorcerer (save DC 11 + spell level).

Without her graystaff focus, the bheur cannot use these spell-like abilities. Creating another graystaff takes the bheur one year (as if crafting a magic item, although interrupting the process does not cause the item to be ruined).

Maddening Feast (Su): A bheur dines on the bodies of the creatures it slays. As a full-round action, it can totally devour the flesh of a slain or helpless victim, leaving only the bones and equipment. Any creature within 60 feet that views this must make a Will save (DC 16). The save is Charisma-based. Those that fail are either permanently blinded (75% chance) or become confused for 2d6 days (25% chance). This is a mind-affecting effect. Although they prefer the flesh of humans, bheurs are willing to eat just about any humanoid creature, livestock, or fish.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - chill metal, ray of frost, Snilloc's snowball swarm; 1/tenday - control weather. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 10th-level sorcerer (save DC 11 + spell level).

Acid and Electricity Vulnerability: Bheurs take half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from acid and electricity, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure.

Size Change (Su): A bheur can grow to Large size or return to its normal size as a standard action. When in Large form, the bheur's AC and attack bonus decrease by -1 due to size, it gains +8 Strength, -2 Dexterity, and +4 Constitution, natural armor increases to +12, and its reach increases to 10 feet (see the above statistics for size change's effect on attacks, skills, and abilities). However, its fly speed is reduced to 30 ft. (average). The bheur can remain in its Large form for only 10 minutes per day.

A bheur normally opens with cone of cold to evaluate opponents' vulnerability. Those who appear wounded from this attack are likely to be the targets of it again, while those who appear immune to cold are subjected to ice storm or melee attacks. Bheurs prefer to retreat from dangerous opponents rather than fight to the death and often ambush enemies who have driven them away before, using their great maneuverability to lure enemies into inescapable deadfalls and snowdrifts.