Calydonian Boar

Sent by Artemis to ravage the region of Calydon in Aetolia, it met its end in the Calydonian Hunt, in which all the heroes of the new age were pressed into taking part.

King Oeneus of Calydon, held annual sacrifices to the gods. One year the king forgot to include Artemis in his offerings. Insulted, Artemis loosed the
gigantic boar the size of an elephant on the countryside of Calydon. It rampaged throughout the countryside, destroying vinyards and crops, forcing people to take refuge inside the city walls, where they began to starve. Oeneus sent messengers out to look for the best hunters in Greece, offering them the boar’s pelt and tusks as a prize.

Among those who responded were some of the Argonauts, Oeneus’ own son Meleager, and, the huntress Atalanta. Atalanta first succeeded in wounding the boar with an arrow, although Meleager finished it off, and offered the prize to Atalanta, who had drawn first blood. The boar’s hide that
was preserved in the Temple of Athena in Laconia.

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Ask Dr. Evil

When a king failed to properly honor Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, she sent a savage boar to ravage the countryside. To spare his people suffering, the king assembled a great band of heroes to track down the beast and kill it. The party located the creature, but before they could land a single blow, the great boar disemboweled several heroes with its tusks. Though the Greeks did manage to slay the beast, thanks to Atalanta’s arrow and Meleager’s spear, there’s no reason to think that it was the only of its kind.

Calydonian Boar CR 9

N Huge animal Init +3; Senses Spot +14, Listen; Low-Light Vision, Scent +14

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 7, flat-footed 17 hp 199 (21 HD) Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +15

OFFENSE

Spd 40 ft. (8 squares) Melee gore +25 (2d6+21) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Base Atk +15; Grp +35

STATISTICS

Abilities Strength 35, Dexterity 8, Constitution 21, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 13, Charisma 8 SQ ferocity Feats Alertness, Awesome Blow, Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Armor, Iron Will, Power Attack Skills Listen +14, Spot +13

ECOLOGY

Environment Temperate forests Organization Solitary Treasure none

Special Abilities

Ferocity (Ex) The Calydonian boar may continue fighting without penalty while disabled or dying.

Calydonian Boar

Large beast (divine), chaotic neutral
Challenge: 16 (15,000 XP)

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Stats

• Armor Class: 18 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points: 300 (24d10 + 168)
• Speed: 50 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
32 (+11)	20 (+5)	26 (+8)	8 (-1)	18 (+4)	12 (+1)

• Saving Throws: Str +15, Dex +9, Con +12, Wis +8
• Skills: Athletics +15, Perception +10
• Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
• Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 20
• Languages: Understands Common and Sylvan (cannot speak)

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Traits

• Divine Retribution.
  • The Calydonian Boar’s melee attacks deal an additional 2d6 radiant damage—a manifestation of the divine curse placed upon it.
• Charge.
  • If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with its Tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 3d8 damage.
• Keen Smell.
  • The boar has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
• Magic Resistance.
  • The boar has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

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Actions

• Multiattack.
  • The boar makes two attacks: one with its Tusk and one with its Gore.
• Tusk.
  • Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
  • Hit: 2d10 + 11 piercing damage plus 2d6 radiant damage.
• Gore.
  • Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  • Hit: 3d12 + 11 piercing damage.
• Earthshatter (Recharge 5–6).
  • The boar slams its massive tusks into the ground, shaking the earth violently.
  • Effect: Each creature within a 20-foot radius must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take 4d10 bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. On a successful save, a creature takes half damage and isn’t knocked prone.

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Legendary Actions

The Calydonian Boar can take 3 legendary actions at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. It can choose from the options below (only one option can be used at a time):

• Move.
  • The boar moves up to half its speed (25 ft.) without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Tusk Swipe.
  • The boar makes one Tusk attack.
• Roar of the Wild (Costs 2 Actions).
  • The boar emits a fearsome, supernatural roar. Each creature within 30 feet that can hear it must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of the boar’s next turn. Creatures already frightened have disadvantage on saving throws to end the effect.

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Unique Tactics & Combat Style

• Ambush & Charge:
  • Utilizing its superior speed and the Charge trait, the boar often initiates combat by dashing from cover to deliver a devastating Tusk attack, maximizing its bonus damage and the chance to break enemy lines.
• Terrain Mastery:
  • In its lair—a dense, ancient forest—the boar leverages natural obstacles. It uses Earthshatter to disrupt formations, knocking foes prone and creating chaos in enemy ranks.
• Resilient Foe:
  • With Legendary Resistance and Magic Resistance at its disposal, the boar remains a formidable opponent even against spellcasters and other magic-wielding adversaries.
• Frightful Presence:
  • The Roar of the Wild legendary action is used strategically to break the morale of clustered enemies, causing disarray and allowing the boar to isolate and pick off vulnerable targets.
• Adaptive Combat:
  • The boar alternates between its two primary attacks—using Tusk at a distance to incorporate divine retribution and Gore when locked in close melee—to adapt to the flow of battle and maximize damage output.

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Regional (Lair) Effects

When the Calydonian Boar is within its lair—a primeval, untamed forest—its divine curse alters the landscape:

• Entangled Underbrush.
  • In a 1-mile radius of the lair, thick, wild vegetation impedes movement. Any creature moving through this area must succeed on a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check or have its movement reduced by half as it becomes entangled.
• Divine Tempest.
  • At the start of each creature’s turn within 60 feet of the boar, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) radiant damage as bursts of divine energy surge through the area.
• Wild Call.
  • Once per day, the boar can call upon the primal spirits of the forest to summon 2–4 Wild Boars (use standard boar statistics, adjusted to CR 1/2). These summoned allies immediately join the fray, harrying foes and providing flanking opportunities.

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Lore & Role

The Calydonian Boar is not merely a beast but a living embodiment of divine retribution. Legend has it that it was sent by a scorned deity to punish mortals who forsook sacred rituals. Its rampages through ancient forests are accompanied by tales of divine wrath and shattered civilizations. In your campaign, the boar may serve as:

• A Guardian: Protecting ancient ruins or sacred groves with unyielding ferocity.
• A Catalyst: Its arrival heralds a period of divine reckoning, challenging adventurers to restore balance or face nature’s unbridled fury.
• A Mythic Nemesis: A one-of-a-kind threat whose presence is felt long before its charge—a creature whose every move echoes the timeless struggle between mortal folly and divine will.