Nighthaunt (CR 12)
Medium Undead
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Initiative: +8; Senses: darkvision 60 ft., Listen +19, and Spot +19
Languages: telepathy 100 ft.
AC: 28 (+8 Dex, +10 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 20
Hit Dice: 12d12+24 (102 hp); DR: 15/silver and magic
Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +12
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Space: 5 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack +6; Grapple +12
Damage: Claw +14 melee/2 claws +14 melee (1d6+6) and bite +12 melee (1d6+3) and tail whip +12 melee (2d4+3)
Special Attacks/Actions: Desecrating aura, energy drain, improved grab, spell-like abilities, summon undead
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 27, Con -, Int 16, Wis 18, Cha 16
Special Qualities: Aversion to daylight, immunity to cold, SR 24, undead traits
Feats: Combat Reflexes; Dodge; Great Fortitude; Multiattack; Weapon Finesse
Skills: Balance +10, Concentration +18, Hide +23, Jump +8, Listen +19, Move Silently +23, Spellcraft +18, Spot +19, and Tumble +23
Advancement: 13-17 HD (Medium); 18-24 HD (Large)
Climate/Terrain: Plane of Shadow
Organization: Solitary, pair, fright (3-4), or terror (8-16)
Treasure/Possessions: Standard
Source:
Lost Empires of Faerûn
Aversion to Daylight (Ex): Nighthaunts are creatures of utter darkness that loathe all light. If exposed to natural daylight (not merely a daylight spell), a nighthaunt takes a -4 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks.
Desecrating Aura (Su): A nighthaunt radiates an aura of utter desecration, imbuing its surroundings with negative energy to a radius of 20 feet. This ability works much like a desecrate spell, except that the nightshade's body is treated as the shrine of an evil power. Every undead creature within 20 feet of it (including the nightshade itself) gains a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws, as well as +2 hit points per Hit Die. (The Hit Dice, attack, and save entries given above already include these bonuses.) Furthermore, any Charisma check made to turn undead within this area takes a -6 penalty.
The nighthaunt's desecrating aura cannot be dispelled except with a dispel evil spell or similar effect. The nightshade can recreate its desecrating aura as a free action on its next turn if it is successfully dispelled. The desecrating aura is suppressed if a nighthaunt enters a consecrated or hallowed area, but its presence suppresses that effect as long as the nighthaunt remains in the area.
Energy Drain (Su): If a nighthaunt wins a grapple check against a living creature, the latter gains two negative levels. The DC for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level is 19, and the save DC is Charisma-based.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a nighthaunt must hit a Large or smaller creature with both of its claw attacks. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can use its energy drain attack.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will - deeper darkness, detect magic, see invisibility, unholy blight (DC 17); 3/day - contagion (DC 17), greater dispel magic, haste, invisibility; 1/day - hold monster (DC 18), finger of death (DC 20), ice storm, plane shift (DC 20). Caster level 12th.
Summon Undead (Su): Once per night, a nighthaunt can summon its choice of the following groups of undead creatures: 3-6 shadows; 2-4 wraiths, or 1 greater shadow. The undead arrive in 1d10 rounds and serve for 1 hour or until released.
Telepathy (Su): A nighthaunt can communicate with any creature within 100 feet that has a language.
Nighthaunts are terrifying foes, with numerous dark powers at their beck and call. By pressing its blank face to its victim's, a nighthaunt can drain the life energy on which it feeds.
Nighthaunts often use deeper darkness and invisibility to divide and confuse their enemies, then swoop close to grapple spellcaster with their icy talons and drain their life forces. Nighthaunts prefer to harass well-organized or strong opponents from a distance, using their spell-like abilities to wear down their victims before closing for melee.
Malicious, sinister creatures of unliving darkness, nighthaunts are the smallest and weakest of the nightshades. Because nighthaunts delight in the destruction of the good and the innocent, they are inexorably drawn to places of evil power and defiled goodness, such as desecrated temples or emptied graveyards. Nighthaunts speak whatever languages they knew in life.