Buy me a coffeeGiant Vulture (Argentavis)
“Unveil the majestic skies with the Argentavis, a colossal winged guardian soaring over the untamed realms of a lost world, its shadow casting secrets of prehistoric wonders below!”
Appearance: The Argentavis, a magnificent creature of the ancient skies, commands attention with its massive wingspan, stretching over 20 feet. Its plumage is a blend of earthy browns and grays, camouflaging seamlessly with the rocky cliffs and dense forests it calls home. Sharp talons and a hooked beak reflect the prowess of a predator, while its keen, intelligent eyes survey the land below.
Behavior: Despite its formidable appearance, the Argentavis exudes a certain grace and intelligence. Known for its social nature, these majestic birds form tight-knit family units, navigating the skies with synchronized precision. Highly adaptable, Argentavis demonstrate both predatory cunning and nurturing care, making them a complex and awe-inspiring presence in their ecosystem.
Habitat: Argentavis rules the vast skies above untamed lands, favoring expansive mountain ranges and deep, unexplored valleys. Nesting in hidden cliffside eyries, these birds of prey display a territorial loyalty, fiercely defending their aerial domains from intruders while maintaining an intricate balance within the ecosystem.
Modus Operandi: With eyesight rivaling the keenest predators, the Argentavis excels in aerial reconnaissance, effortlessly soaring over landscapes to spot potential prey or threats. As adept scavengers, they play a crucial role in the circle of life, cleaning the terrain of carrion while maintaining a watchful eye for any disturbances in their realm. In moments of danger, Argentavis exhibit remarkable teamwork, executing strategic dives and precision strikes.
Motivation: The motivations of the Argentavis lie rooted in the preservation of its familial bonds and the delicate equilibrium of its habitat. Driven by an instinctual need to protect its territory and kin, the Argentavis embraces its role as both predator and caretaker, contributing to the delicate tapestry of life in the lost world. Whether soaring majestically or defending its territory with calculated ferocity, the Argentavis embodies the enduring spirit of a prehistoric guardian.
Argentavis 5e
Argentavis Pathfinder Stat Block
Argentavis
Huge Beast, Unaligned
Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 138 (12d12 + 60)
Speed 10 ft., Fly 80 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 2 (-4) | 14 (+2) | 8 (-1) |
Skills Perception +4
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
Languages —
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Keen Sight. The Argentavis has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.
Dive Attack. If the Argentavis dives at least 30 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a talon attack, the attack deals an extra 13 (2d8 + 4) damage to the target.
Pack Tactics. The Argentavis has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Argentavis’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. The Argentavis makes two attacks: one with its beak and one with its talons.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage.
Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 5) slashing damage.
Dive Bomb. The Argentavis makes a dive attack against a target. If the attack hits, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Aerial Presence. As a reaction, the Argentavis can use its keen eyesight to warn allies of incoming danger. An ally within 60 feet gains advantage on the next saving throw it makes before the start of the Argentavis’s next turn.
Legendary Actions
The Argentavis can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Argentavis regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Dive (Costs 2 Actions). The Argentavis makes a Dive Bomb attack.
Swoop (Costs 1 Action). The Argentavis moves up to its speed and makes a talon attack against a target.
Cacophony (Costs 2 Actions). The Argentavis emits a piercing screech, forcing each creature within 30 feet to make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be deafened for 1 minute. The affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
This colossal avian predator, with its powerful dive attacks and vigilant aerial presence, dominates the skies as both a majestic spectacle and a formidable force in the untamed wilderness.
A wickedly hooked beak and an immense bald head draw attention from this enormous scavenger’s vast wingspan.
Larger even than condors, giant vultures dwell only in regions where carrion is both large and plentiful, such as the primeval wildernesses where megafauna roam. They also flock to regions torn by war, feasting on the dead with no concern for allegiance or race. Giant vultures rarely wait for wounded creatures to finish dying before they feed, and are much braver than most wild animals. A giant vulture, for example, wouldn’t think twice about swooping down on a heavily armored column of soldiers just to snatch up a few wounded stragglers from the end of the line.
A giant vulture stands more than 13 feet tall, has a wingspan of over 30 feet, and weighs 500 to 600 pounds.
Vulture, Giant (Argentavis) CR 4
XP 1,200
N Large animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +13
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size)
hp 42 (5d8+20)
Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +3; +4 vs. disease
OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)
Melee bite +9 (2d6+9 plus disease)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 22, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 7
Base Atk +3; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Fly +7, Perception +13; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
SQ diseased
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Diseased (Ex)
Due to their filthy eating habits and constant exposure to decaying flesh, giant vultures are harbingers of disease much more so than the standard vulture. Any creature bitten by a giant vulture has a 10% chance of being exposed to filth fever, blinding sickness, or a similar disease. Once this check is made, a victim can no longer be infected by this particular giant vulture, though attacks by different giant vultures are resolved normally and may result in multiple illnesses. While vultures aren’t immune to all diseases, they do gain a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against such ailments.
ECOLOGY
Environment warm plains or hills
Organization solitary, pair, or flock (3-8)
Treasure none
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.