Coursing Creature

'Coursing Creature' is a pattern that can be added to most creatures, to represent a far-ranging deadly hunter. Forest Elves, fleet-footed Treants, long-running Orcs, fluid oozes, bullet-fast Wasps, all can be modeled with the Coursing Creature pattern.

Coursing Creature is strong in battle, as the +3 CR adjustment indicates, and makes for fast, wide-ranging, mobile combats.

A Coursing Creature uses all of the base creature's statistics and abilities except as noted below.

CR

Same as base creature +3.

Size and Type

The creature's Size does not change. It's Type remains the same but it gains the subtype Coursing.

Initiative Modifier

The creature's initiative modifier increases by the full amount that its CR increases, round up.

Senses

All senses such as scent, tremorsense, keen hearing, etc are unchanged. A Coursing Creature gains +5 on Perception skill rolls and Survival skill rolls.

Armor Class

Coursing Creatures gain +3 AC.

Hit Dice

Coursing Creatures gain +5 hp per Hit Die of their adjusted CR.

Defensive Ability

The Coursing Creature gains the following abilities, which may be added to their Bestiary entry:

Aura: - Same as Base Creature

SR: - Same as Base Creature

Special Defenses: Same as Base Creature

• Coursing Creatures gain a +3 untyped bonus on all Saving Throws.

Immunities: Same as Base Creature.

Weaknesses: Same as Base Creature

Out of Combat

Same as Base Creature.

Speed

A Coursing Creature's base speed improves by twenty feet in all movement categories it has. Once per encounter, it may take a move action as a swift action. Out of combat, its Overland Movement is considered to be doubled.

Melee Attacks

The Coursing Creature retains all the base creature's attacks . It gains a +3 untyped bonus to-hit with all melee and ranged attacks.

Damage

The Coursing Creature does the same damage and effects as the base creature. It gains a +6 untyped bonus to all damage it inflicts, and all DC's are raised by +3.

Space and Reach

No Changes.

Offensive Ability

• Coursing Attacks. At the start of each round, a Coursing Creature gains a pool of Coursing Dice. Coursing Dice are d6's, and the number of Coursing Dice is equal in size to Coursing Creature's adjusted CR divided by four, round up. At any time, as a free action, it may 'spend' one D6 to raise a D20 roll by +1, or roll the D6 to increase the damage of a successful attack it just made. This may be used to boost to-hits, saves, and skill rolls, or it may be used to increase the damage of melee or ranged attacks.

Ability Scores

No changes.

Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense

The Coursing Creature gains a +3 untyped bonus to Maneuver Offense and Maneuver Defense rolls.

Feats

Optionally, add one non-combat oriented feat, for flavor. Or just wing it! DM fiat is a wonderful thing.

Skills

Gains Survival Skill at CR+15. Optionally, add one skill at CR+10.