Cu Sidhe

Huge Fey, Neutral

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Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 250 (20d12 + 120)
Speed: 50 ft., Fly 90 ft. (perfect), Swim 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
26 (+8)	18 (+4)	22 (+6)	12 (+1)	20 (+5)	18 (+4)

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Saving Throws: Strength +14, Dexterity +10, Constitution +12, Wisdom +11
Skills: Intimidation +10, Perception +11, Stealth +10, Survival +11
Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Psychic
Damage Immunities: Poison, Radiant
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21
Languages: Sylvan, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge: 18 (20,000 XP)

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TRAITS

• Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the Cu Sidhe fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Ethereal Sight: The Cu Sidhe can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when it is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.
• Vital Scent: The Cu Sidhe has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to detect creatures that are wounded, dying, or within 24 hours of death. It can also sense creatures that are invisible or hidden from view within 120 feet.
• Aura of Death (Recharge 5-6): Any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Cu Sidhe must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
• Spectral Presence: The Cu Sidhe can interact with and affect incorporeal creatures as if they were corporeal. It can harm ghosts, spirits, and other ethereal creatures with its physical attacks.
• Fade (Recharge 5-6): As a bonus action, the Cu Sidhe can become incorporeal, losing its natural armor but gaining a +4 bonus to its AC. While incorporeal, it can pass through walls, floors, and other obstacles, and it can still make physical attacks against creatures on the Material Plane as if its claws and bite had the ghost touch property. It remains incorporeal for 1 minute or until it reverts as a free action.

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ACTIONS

• Multiattack: The Cu Sidhe makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.
• Bite (Melee Weapon Attack):
  +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or have its soul torn from its body, dying instantly. This effect ignores all resistance or immunity to necrotic damage.
• Claws (Melee Weapon Attack):
  +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  Hit: 18 (2d8 + 8) slashing damage. On a hit, the Cu Sidhe can choose to attempt a Trip: the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or fall prone.
• Bark of the Underworld (Recharge 5-6): The Cu Sidhe releases a chilling, soul-shattering bark. All creatures within 60 feet of the Cu Sidhe that have a soul must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, the creature is compelled to follow the Cu Sidhe’s simple mental commands such as “Come,” “Follow,” or “Stay.” While charmed, creatures also have disadvantage on saving throws against the Cu Sidhe’s fear effects. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
• Soul Harvest (Recharge 6): As an action, the Cu Sidhe can choose one creature that has been reduced to 0 hit points within 30 feet. The creature must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the Cu Sidhe draws the soul from the target’s body, killing the creature instantly. If the target is a humanoid or another creature with a soul tied to the mortal plane, the Cu Sidhe gains temporary hit points equal to half the creature’s hit point maximum for 1 hour.

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LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The Cu Sidhe 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 Cu Sidhe regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Move: The Cu Sidhe moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Soul Scent (Costs 2 Actions): The Cu Sidhe detects all creatures within 120 feet that are about to die, are currently dying, or have been recently killed. It can immediately use its Vital Scent ability to track those creatures’ locations, even if they are hidden or invisible.
• Bay of the Hunt (Costs 3 Actions): The Cu Sidhe lets out a booming, thunderous howl that resounds across the area. All creatures within 60 feet of the Cu Sidhe must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of the Cu Sidhe’s next turn. If the creature fails its saving throw by 5 or more, it is also knocked prone.

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TACTICS AND BEHAVIOR

The Cu Sidhe is an intelligent and highly tactical predator. It is most often found in dense, misty forests or near portals to the Feywild, where the boundaries between life and death are thin. It is an apex hunter and rarely fights alone. It commands packs of lesser hounds or leads hunts for powerful fey beings, sometimes guiding or even tormenting mortal adventurers.

• Hunting Tactics: The Cu Sidhe’s first approach in combat is always psychological. It will use its Aura of Death and Bark of the Underworld to disorient and control weaker-willed foes. It often targets spellcasters or those who seem connected to the arcane or divine, believing their souls are of high value.
• Killing Blow: When the Cu Sidhe sees an opponent fall to 0 hit points, it will use its Soul Harvest to consume the soul immediately, ensuring that the enemy cannot be revived. It does not care for trophies but rather for the nourishment and power it gains from these souls.
• Pack Coordination: When accompanied by others of its kind or fey allies, the Cu Sidhe will coordinate its attacks with precision. It can use its Soul Scent to locate dying allies and immediately provide support.
• Psychological Warfare: The Cu Sidhe enjoys the fear it instills in others. In longer fights, it will use its Bay of the Hunt to isolate and demoralize its enemies, stunning them and leaving them vulnerable. It will also frequently make use of its Fade ability to phase in and out of combat, avoiding retaliation and appearing as if it is a specter, intensifying the terror it causes.

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ENCOUNTER HOOKS AND ROLEPLAYING

• The Hound of the Fey Queen: The Cu Sidhe might be the personal guardian of a powerful Fey Lord or Lady, tasked with preventing mortals from entering a sacred area, such as a hidden temple or a lost shrine deep in the forest. It hunts down trespassers, claiming their souls for its master.
• Soul Hunter: The Cu Sidhe has been released into a mortal kingdom to track down a specific individual whose soul has already been “marked” by the creature. It will stop at nothing to claim its prize, even using the townspeople or adventurers as pawns in its pursuit.
• The Eternal Watchdog: The Cu Sidhe could be the ancient protector of an artifact, temple, or location where the boundaries of life and death are thin. It may serve as the guardian of a cursed or lost city, eternally hunting those who seek to uncover its secrets.

Cu Sidhe

Large Fey, Lawful Neutral

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Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 159 (18d10 + 54)
Speed 50 ft., fly 80 ft. (hover)

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
24 (+7)	16 (+3)	22 (+6)	14 (+2)	19 (+4)	18 (+4)

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Saving Throws Dex +8, Wis +9, Cha +9
Skills Intimidation +9, Perception +9, Stealth +8, Survival +9
Damage Resistances Cold, Necrotic
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages Sylvan, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

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TRAITS

Fey Ancestry. The Cu Sidhe has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it to sleep.

Magic Resistance. The Cu Sidhe has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Pack Tactics. The Cu Sidhe has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the Cu Sidhe’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Vital Scent. The Cu Sidhe can detect creatures with a weak pulse (e.g. dying creatures, unborn creatures, or those on the verge of death) within a range of 1 mile, even through walls or obstacles.

Fade. As a bonus action, the Cu Sidhe can become incorporeal, allowing it to move through creatures and objects as though they were difficult terrain. This lasts for 1 minute or until the Cu Sidhe ends it as a bonus action.

Fear Aura. Any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Cu Sidhe must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.

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ACTIONS

Multiattack. The Cu Sidhe makes two attacks: one with its Bite and one with its Claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 20 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) slashing damage.

Bark (Recharge 5-6). The Cu Sidhe can bark as a standard action. All creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. Charmed creatures must follow simple commands given by the Cu Sidhe, such as “come,” “stay,” or “halt.” The effect ends if the creature takes damage or if it is forced to move farther than 30 feet from the Cu Sidhe.

Bay (Recharge 6). The Cu Sidhe lets out a thunderous howl. All creatures within 30 feet of the Cu Sidhe must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Improved Grab. If the Cu Sidhe hits a creature with its Bite attack, it can immediately attempt to grapple the target (escape DC 18).

Remove Soul (Recharge 6). The Cu Sidhe can make a special attack with its Bite. If the attack hits, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or its soul is forcibly ripped from its body, killing the target instantly. A creature with immunity to critical hits is not protected from this effect.

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LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The Cu Sidhe can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and the Cu Sidhe can only take a legendary action at the end of another creature’s turn. The Cu Sidhe regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Move. The Cu Sidhe moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Bite. The Cu Sidhe makes a bite attack.
• Fear Aura (Costs 2 Actions). The Cu Sidhe activates its fear aura. Any creature within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of the Cu Sidhe’s next turn.

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TACTICS

• The Cu Sidhe uses its Bark to charm enemies and manipulate them, drawing them closer or forcing them to follow its commands, before using Bay to stun them and leave them vulnerable to its attacks.
• It can use Fear Aura to control the battlefield, making weaker enemies flee in terror while it deals with stronger ones.
• Pack Tactics and Vital Scent allow the Cu Sidhe to track and hunt down injured or dying creatures, focusing its attacks on the most vulnerable targets.
• The Cu Sidhe often uses its Fade ability to slip between the material and incorporeal planes, avoiding damage while repositioning for a deadly strike.
• In extreme cases, the Cu Sidhe may use its Remove Soul ability to instantly dispatch powerful foes, particularly those who are near death or unable to defend themselves.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS

The Cu Sidhe is often found in wild forests, ancient ruins, or areas where the boundaries between the Feywild and the Material Plane are thin. These areas have an eerie, supernatural quality to them, with fogs, unnatural sounds, and an oppressive sense of dread in the air. The Cu Sidhe feels at home here, able to move freely between the physical and incorporeal realms and calling upon the forces of the Feywild to aid it in combat.

This creature looks like a massive, bull-sized mastiff whose shaggy coat is a deep shade of mossy green. Its tail is elaborately braided, seeming almost like a trailing vine.

Originally Posted by MythMage of the Dicefreaks forums.

On this Thread

Cú sídhe are the primary canine spirits of Faerie. They have a number of prominent roles, including that of hunting dog, sheepdog, and warrior. In Faerie, these roles are much more than they seem. As a hunting dog, cú sídhe make up the largest part of most every Hunt which takes place in Faerie. They can act as scent hounds, sight hounds, retrievers, and most any other hunting job. Finally, a group of cú sídhe is sometimes used to fight battles on behalf of its leader.

They are also sometimes sheepdogs special sheepdogs, whose sheep are the souls of the dead and the unborn. They are the primary agents of the Sowers and Harvesters. As Harvesters, they hunt down deceased souls and herd them into Deep Faerie. As Sowers, they herd unborn souls to the proper places and then distribute them to be born. In these roles, the cú sídhe are led by fey known as the horned shepherds.

Normally, cú sídhe Sowers and Harvesters only deal with the souls of animals, fey, plants, and vermin, but on occasion they are given claim on other kinds of souls. For instance, a druid who reveres the Tree of Life (and no gods) may fall under their purview.

A single cú sídhe or a small pack that serves as Sowers or Harvesters are normally assigned to specific regions. Such a region is usually no larger than a small country. Sowers collect groups of souls in Deep Faerie and herd them through portals to the Mortal Coil region where most of them disperse to where they will be born. Harvesters hunt down dead souls in their given regions and herd them back to Deep Faerie.

In other situations, cú sídhe are sent to take souls who do not wish to be claimed by Nature, but are hers to claim for a reason beyond their control. At these times, a horned shepherd may call a pack of cú sídhe together and lead them in a group called a sluagh sídhe that is so powerful together that it overwhelms almost any resistance that may be put against them. It is in this form that cú sídhe hunt down important enemies, as well. Sometimes when victims are hunted in this manner, their souls are taken by the hunters as a prize.

Cú sídhe have a pack-style social structure, but rarely treat members of their own race as the pack’s alpha. Instead, they almost always live in the service of more powerful fey. They are willing to serve alone (without other cú sídhe), and so are not always part of a true pack. They typically serve horned hunters, but sometimes work for daoine sídhe instead. A cú sídhe is fiercely loyal to its alpha, and is quite willing to fight other cú sídhe if the alpha demands it.

The alpha must prove itself to be a worthy leader, of course. It must defeat the most Charismatic cú sídhe in a group at an opposed Charisma check after first convincing the group that it is a good leader. It must never act in a manner that the cú sídhe deem base; such offenses include directly lying to one’s servants, displaying uncertainty or confusion, or acting brotherly or otherwise equal to (or below) one’s servants.

A cú sídhe appears as a bull-sized hound of green color with subtle plant qualities. A particular cú sídhe might have fine leaves, pine needles, small berries or blossoms (popular among Sowers), or little thorns (popular among Harvesters) in its tail or fur.

Cú sídhe speak Sylvan with gravely, distinctly canine voices.

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Cú Sídhe
Large fey
Hit Dice	16d6+80 (136 hp)
Initiative	+8
Speed	60 ft., Fly 90 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class	24 (+4 Dexterity, +11 natural, -1 size), touch 13, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple	+8/+21
Attack	Bite +16 melee (2d6+8)
Full Attack	Bite +16 melee (2d6+8) and 2 claws +14 melee (1d6+4)
Face/Reach	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Bark, bay, fear aura, improved grab, trip
Special Qualities	Damage reduction 10/cold iron and magic, fade, immunity to sonic, Low-Light Vision, spectral presence, Spell Resistance 22, vital scent
Saves	Fort +10, Ref +14, Will +15
Abilities	Strength 26, Dexterity 18, Constitution 21, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 21, Charisma 18
Skills	Intimidate +23, Knowledge (nature) +21, Listen +24, Spot +24, Survival +24 (+26 in aboveground natural terrain), Tumble +23
Feats	Flyby Attack, Improved Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Track (B), Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (claw)
Climate/Terrain	Any
Organization	Solitary, with alpha, pack (2-21), guided pack (2-21 with alpha)
Challenge Rating	11
Treasure	Standard
Alignment	Usually lawful neutral
Advancement	17-32 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment	+6

Combat

When a cú sídhe hits with its bite attack, it must first choose whether to attempt to trip its opponent (and resolve the attempt if it chooses to make one). Then, it chooses whether to attempt to begin a grapple using its improved grab ability.

A cú sídhe’s natural weapons are considered magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

A cú sídhe can bark as a standard action, charming all disembodied souls within 300 feet, causing them to fly to it if not present. Souls nearby can’t understand its language but can follow simple commands through body language. Incorporeal and vivacious creatures may also be affected, with a Will save (DC 22) allowed to resist. Undead can be commanded and will be destroyed immediately by the cú sídhe, often through a coup de grace in conjunction with its remove soul ability. The save DC is based on Charisma.

Bay (Su): As a standard action, a cú sídhe can unleash a thunderous baying. All living and undead creatures within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a Will save (DC 22) or be dazed for 1d4 rounds. Incorporeal creatures suffer a -4 penalty on their saves against this effect. Other cú sídhe and the cú sídhe’s alpha are immune to this effect. A cú sídhe may only bay once every 4 rounds. This is a sonic effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Fade (Su): A cú sídhe can become incorporeal as a move action. Ending this effect is a free action. While incorporeal, the cú sídhe loses its natural armor bonus but gains a +4 deflection bonus to its Armor Class. It may still harm corporeal foes normally, as if its natural weapons had the ghost touch property.

Fear Aura (Su): Any mortal creature that can see or hear a cú sídhe from within 300 feet must succeed on a Will save (DC 22) or be affected as if by fear (caster level 16th). A creature that succeeds on his save against this effect can’t be affected by that cú sídhe’s fear aura for 24 hours. fey are immune to this aura. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the cú sídhe must hit with a bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Remove Soul (Su): A creature with a soul (living creatures and intelligent undead) that is dealt a critical hit by a cú sídhe’s bite attack must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 26) or have its soul is pulled free from its body by the cú sídhe. This kills living creatures and destroys undead. A creature’s natural immunity to critical hits does not protect it from this effect (though it does protect the creature from extra damage due to the critical hit). Other sources of protection from critical hits, such as fortification, are effective in protecting against this effect. Since this is not a death effect, death ward offers no protection. The save DC is Strength-based.

Spectral Presence (Ex): A cú sídhe’s natural armor and natural weapons function normally against incorporeal foes as if they had the ghost touch property. This ability also allows a cú sídhe to perceive disembodied souls with all its senses normally and to interact physically with them.

Trip (Ex): A cú sídhe that hits with its bite attack may attempt to trip its opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the trip attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the cú sídhe.

Vital Scent (Ex): A cú sídhe has improved form of the Scent quality, whose range is three times normal. Its range is even higher, up to 1 mile, with regard to certain creatures: dying creatures, creatures soon to be born or die of old age (within the next 24 hours), creatures suffering from a fear effect, living mortal creatures with open wounds, creatures which have died within the last 24 hours, and disembodied souls. Also, as long as the cú sídhe’s Scent ability functions, it can monitor the health of all creatures it can smell as if through Deathwatch.

Skills: A cú sídhe gains a +4 racial bonus on Listen, Search, Spot, and Survival checks.