Buy me a coffee“Savage Laughter: The Relentless Hyena Predator”
“A cunning scavenger with bone-crushing jaws, sloping shoulders, and a chilling, laughter-like call that echoes through the night, the hyena roams the wilds as both relentless hunter and opportunistic predator.”
Hyena — A muscular, slope-backed carnivore with jaws strong enough to splinter bone, the hyena is famed for its eerie “laugh,” intricate clan hierarchy, and tireless pursuit of prey across savannas, grasslands, and scrublands.
Appearance
A medium-sized carnivore with a sloping back, massive shoulders, and jaws capable of crushing bone, the hyena wears coarse fur patterned with dark spots or stripes. Rounded ears swivel constantly, and sharp eyes gleam with intelligence and predatory focus, giving an impression of a tireless, calculating hunter.
Behaviour
Social and opportunistic, hyenas live in rigid clans where dominance shapes every interaction. They communicate through laughter-like calls, whoops, growls, and whines, each sound marking warning, submission, or excitement. Patient strategists, they hunt in coordinated packs yet eagerly scavenge when advantage presents itself.
Habitat
Hyenas thrive in savannas, grasslands, forests, and scrublands, carving out territories that balance cover for ambush with proximity to prey or carrion. Dominant members fiercely defend the best hunting grounds and den sites.
Modus Operandi
Combining endurance and cunning, hyenas chase prey to exhaustion or strike from concealment, working with clanmates to isolate and overwhelm victims. Their bone-crushing bite lets them consume an entire carcass, making them formidable as hunters or scavengers. In conflict, they press relentlessly, breaking only when decisively outmatched.
Motivation
Survival drives every instinct: hunger, the protection of their young, and the defense of clan lands compel hyenas to hunt, scavenge, and maintain dominance. Ever alert to opportunity or weakness, they embody persistence and adaptability.
Hyena 5e 2024
Hyena, Pathfinder
Hyena 3.5
Hyena
Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12 (natural agility)
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) | 13 (+1) | 2 (−4) | 12 (+1) | 7 (−2) |
Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +3
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4, Survival +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
- Pack Hunter. The hyena has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the hyena’s allies is within 5 feet of the target and isn’t incapacitated.
- Keen Hearing and Smell. The hyena has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
- Laughing Hunter (Recharge 5–6). As a bonus action, the hyena emits an unsettling cackle. Each creature of its choice within 30 feet that can hear it must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the start of the hyena’s next turn.
Actions
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. - Savannah Rush (Recharge 4–6). The hyena dashes up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks and makes a Bite attack at the end of its movement.
Combat Style
Hyenas fight with patient ferocity, opening with Laughing Hunter to scatter or intimidate foes before lunging in with Savannah Rush to topple prey. They exploit Pack Hunter by swarming isolated or frightened enemies, circling and snapping with relentless energy. If badly injured, they retreat to regroup rather than fight to the death.
Hyena
CR 1/3
XP 135
N Medium animal
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 6 (1d8+2)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +2 (1d6+1 plus trip)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 13 (17 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +2 (+6 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Survival when tracking by scent
Languages —
SQ pack tactics
ECOLOGY
Environment warm plains and savannas
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–12)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Pack Tactics (Ex)
A hyena gains a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls against a creature if at least one ally is adjacent to that target.
Laughing Hunter (Su) (optional)
Once per hour as a swift action, a hyena may emit its unsettling cackle. All creatures within 30 feet that can hear it must succeed on a DC 11 Will save or become shaken for 1 round. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect.
TACTICS
During Combat Hyenas rush prey with quick, coordinated attacks, using their bite’s trip ability to bring victims down. They circle and snap at isolated opponents, pressing the advantage granted by Pack Tactics. If the optional Laughing Hunter is in play, they open with it to scatter or rattle foes.
Morale Hyenas break off if reduced to fewer than one-quarter of their hit points, regrouping with their pack before resuming the chase.
Hyena
Hyenas are pack hunters infamous for their cunning and their unnerving vocalizations. The statistics presented here are for a striped hyena, which is about 3 feet long and weighs about 120 pounds.
| Hyena | |
| Medium animal | |
| Hit Dice | 2d8+4 (13 hp) |
| Initiative | +2 |
| Speed | 50 ft. (10 squares) |
| Armor Class | 14 (+2 Dexterity, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +1/+3 |
| Attack | Bite +3 melee (1d6+3) |
| Full Attack | Bite +3 melee (1d6+3) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Trip |
| Special Qualities | Low-Light Vision, Scent |
| Saves | Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1 |
| Abilities | Strength 14, Dexterity 15, Constitution 15, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 13, Charisma 6 |
| Skills | Hide +3*, Listen +6, Spot +4 |
| Feats | Alertness |
| Environment | Warm deserts |
| Organization | Solitary, pair, or pack (7-16) |
| Challenge Rating | 1 |
| Advancement | 3 HD (Medium); 4-5 HD (Large) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
Combat
A favourite tactic is to send a few individuals against the foe’s front while the rest of the pack circles and attacks from the flanks or rear.
Trip (Ex) A hyena that hits with its bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+2 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the hyena.
Skills *Hyenas have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth.