Monster: Snow Devil

You can now support Shaper Of Worlds on Patreon.

Snow Devil

A hulking, ape-like creature covered with a thick white fur, except for the thick brown hide of its exposed face. Its head is adorned with a pair of ram-like horns, its arms end with vicious claws, and its legs in cloven hooves.

CR 6; XP 2,400
CE Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +9

Defense
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 76 (8d10+32)
Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +8
Defensive Abilities snow-walker; Resist cold 20

Offense
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +12 (1d6+4) and gore +12 (1d6+4)
Ranged hurl rock +11 (1d6+6)
Special Attacks snow bringer

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 13
Base Atk +8; CMB +12 (+14 grapple); CMD 25
Feats Combat Reflexes, Blind-Fight, Dirty Fighting, Improved Grapple
Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +16, Perception +9, Stealth +9 (+17 in snow), Survival +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate, +8 Stealth in snow
Languages Understands Auran, Common, and Infernal
SQ hibernation

Ecology
Environment cold hills and mountains
Organization solitary, pair, or a pack (3–5)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities

Hibernation (Ex) Snow devils can sleep for months without eating or drinking.

Hurl Rock (Ex) Snow devils can hurl Tiny rocks and shards of ice with both arms as a full round attack. They add 1-1/2 of their Strength bonus to damage and have range increment of 20 feet, up to five increments.

Snow Bringer (Su) Snow devils have a degree of command over snow and wind. In cold or colder environment they can create a snowfall within 1 mile radius, limiting vision range to 100 feet, turning the area into a difficult terrain, and bestowing –2 penalty to ranged attack rolls and Fortitude saving throws against effects of cold weather. The snowfall ends when snow devil dismisses it or 2d6 hours after snow devil is killed.

Snow Walker (Ex) Snow devils move over deep snow and ice without hindrance, treating them as normal terrain and are immune to effects of cold weather.



Snow devils are cunning and callous monsters living among the snows and glaciers of frozen lands. They sometimes steal herd animals from pastures, or, more rarely hunt lone humanoids for food. During particularly severe winters they can even raid villages for food. While clearly sapient beings, capable of understanding communication, they only use growls, howls, and chest-drumming to communicate themselves, and when contacted telepathically, their thoughts appear as series of images, sounds, and smells.

Sometimes local villagers can keep snow devils away by leaving offerings of live animals or butchered meat in certain places. On a rare occasion, snow devils might even barter mountain herbs and shiny stones for meat.

In some areas, snow devils mark their territory with crude totems of sticks, stones, skulls, and bones, tied together with hides and tendons.

Variants:

Snow devil elders (CR 7) have Intelligence of 11, can summon Small ice elementals, ice storms, and harsh winds, and know the secret of burying a willing or helpless creature in a mound of snow together with various herbs to heal injuries and afflictions within hours. Some of them might be even capable of speech. They are the most willing to bargain with humanoids, although they requests are usually strange or cruel.