Ghoul, Masked MurdererMasked Murderer CR 8Source Monster Codex pg. 85
XP 4,800
Ghoul bard (dirge bard) 8 (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 26)
CE Medium undead
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15DefenseAC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 113 (10d8+68)
Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +11; +4 vs. necromantic effects
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +2; Immune undead traitsOffenseSpeed 30 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d6+2 plus disease and paralysis), 2 claws +11 (1d6+2 plus paralysis)
Ranged mwk composite shortbow +11/+6 (1d6+2/×3)
Special Attacks bardic performance 24 rounds/day (move action; countersong, dirge of doom [DC 20], distraction, fascinate [DC 20], inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, suggestion [DC 20]), disease (DC 17), paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, DC 19, elves are immune to this effect)
Bard Spells Known (CL 8th; concentration +14)
3rd (3/day)—confusion (DC 19), crushing despair (DC 19), glibness
2nd (6/day)—allegroUM, fleshy facade (DC 18), inflict moderate wounds (DC 18), mirror image
1st (6/day)—disguise self, expeditious retreat, hideous laughter (DC 17), ray of enfeeblement (DC 17), silent image (DC 17)
0 (at will)—detect magic, ghost sound (DC 16), mage hand, message, prestidigitation (DC 16), summon instrumentTacticsBefore Combat This furtive killer disguises herself as a human while stalking her targets. If at all possible, she avoids conflict, though her hunger sometimes gets the best of her.
During Combat If her presence is detected, the murderer begins combat by casting confusion. She then starts a bardic performance (typically dirge of doom). Before she actually enters melee, she casts allegro to gain additional attacks.StatisticsStr 15, Dex 17, Con —, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 22
Base Atk +7; CMB +9; CMD 22
Feats Ability Focus (paralysis), Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Bluff +19, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +19, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Knowledge (local) +20, Knowledge (religion) +15 (+19 to identify undead creatures and their abilities), Perception +15, Perform (oratory) +14, Perform (percussion) +19; Racial Modifiers +4 Knowledge (religion) to identify undead creatures and their abilities
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven, Undercommon
SQ bardic knowledge +4, haunting refrain (+4 to demoralize, –2 penalty on saves against bard’s fear effects), secrets of the grave
Combat Gear +1 thundering arrows (4), potion of invisibility, scroll of hold person, wand of inflict light wounds (50 charges); Other Gear +1 chain shirt, mwk composite shortbow with 10 arrows, headband of alluring charisma +2, disguise kit, 10 gpEcologyEnvironment any landDescriptionThe masked murderer uses deception to get closer to her human prey, mingling among them without arousing their suspicion until it is too late for them to escape her clutches. Magic, particularly the fleshy facade spell, allows her to craft her deceptive appearance, and she knows how to disguise herself using mundane means so that she can at least hide her gruesomeness long enough to get to safety if her magic fails her.
Charm and lies pave the murderer’s way through society. Typically, she begins small, making friends with low-class workers or farmers in taverns and alleyways, then luring them away to kill and devour them. This is rarely enough for a masked murderer, though, and in time she makes connections among the elite. This could be to satisfy her ego, but more often she wants to dine on the finer morsels of spoiled elites rather than the tough flesh of hard laborers.
Unfortunately for ghouls, spending so much time among the living serves only to highlight the life they traded away for the unending hunger of their undead existence. Many masked murderers find themselves conflicted as a result, envying the vibrant lives of their prey. In the end, however, a masked murderer’s ghoulish hunger always overwhelms any other emotion she might feel, and she hunts her prey with as much ravenous fervor as any other ghoul, if not more.Creatures in "Ghoul" Category
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