The shadows of the towering trees grew even longer in the waning hours of the day, offering more hiding places to the dangers and horrors that lurked within them. One of those predators prowled through the dark of the jungle, melting from one stretching shadow to the next. Its golden eyes seemed to glow in the dimness of the approaching dusk and it moved with a liquid grace and speed that belied its size. Bladed wings easily sliced through the underbrush as a thick, sinuous tail whipped through the air behind it. Nostrils upon its beak flared as it tracked the new scent that had invaded its domain, possessed by a drive that it rarely exhibited. Silent as a shade, it glided to the edge of a glade and stared, from the cover of the trunks at the strange, two-legged creatures that had intruded upon its home. They sat around a fire from which a rich smell rolled, eliciting a welling of saliva from the nargacuga as it lowered its body into position for a pounce.
Had this request come up a while ago and after doing a quick build for a 2e version over in the Discord, I decided to expand upon it and quickly build the 1e version. For a slightly lower hp, I designed it with a higher AC to reflect its natural agility and alacrity, which becomes even higher when it activates its swift fury. To go along with the nargacuga's speed, I included the pounce ability to allow it to get off a full attack along with a charge. I wanted to include its big tail slam attack and was inspired by the way it has to struggle to pull it free by designing impaling slam. I also wanted to include its ability to inflict bleed with its eviscerating quills and also through its Bleeding Critical feat. I included that and its Critical Focus to reflect its weapons' focus on affinity. Other than that, I needed to shore up its defenses a little bit and then wanted to give it feats that worked alongside its speed.
Pathfinder 1e:
As with the 1e version of the nargacuga, I wanted to focus on its speed and included Attack of Opportunity as part of that. Unlike most of the monster builds I do, I did the 2e version first and then built the 1e version, working backwards. The nargacuga's Leaping Charge is taken from the bulette while Pounce is essentially a regular monster ability, which functions well with its Sneak Attack. To further facilitate that ability, I also gave it Predator's Advantage from the deinonychus. As an added little thing, I wanted to give it the spiral sort of attack that it does with Spiral Strike.
Pathfinder 2e:
Blue's D&D5e:
ENCOUNTER HOOKS
Hunter in the Dark: After losing a fight for its territory, a nargacuga has taken up residence in a previously safe forest next to a logging town. Its presence prevents the locals from doing their job, but they have been unable to find its home. They reach out to the heroes to handle this threat, which requires them to either search the forest and discover the nargacuga's lair or confront it in its preferred environment - at night when its active.
If you're interested in joining the discussion on what creatures I'm working on or just discussing your own homebrew works, check out our Discord! If you want to get some teasers or help us get to our yet unlisted milestones for extra content, check out the Twitter.
Until next time, have a Monstrous Monday!
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