Hoary Hunter
Malevolent fey that appear on frosty moonlit nights to hunt travelers for sport, selecting their prey, chasing them down, and dragging them into the night realm of the Unseelie Court to be imprisoned forever.
Source(s) Epic Level Handbook
The hoary hunter’s mount is a supernatural beast of extraordinary elegance and prowess. It is completely loyal to its hunter and will allow no other individual to approach or Ride it.
A hoary hunter’s natural weapons are treated as epic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Hoary Hunter | Hoary Steed | |
Medium-Size fey (Cold) | Large magical beast (Cold) | |
Hit Dice | 46d6+598 (759 hp) | 12d10+36 (102 hp) |
Initiative | +19 (+11 Dexterity, +8 Superior Initiative) | +8 (+4 Dexterity, +4 Improved Initiative) |
Speed | 30 ft. | 40 ft., Fly 90 ft. (good) |
AC | 46 (+11 Dexterity, +15 insight, +10 natural) | 23 (-1 size, +4 Dexterity, +10 natural) |
Base Attack/Grapple | +23/+37 | +12/+22 |
Attack | +6 keen longsword of binding +46 (1d8+27/17-20 plus 1d6 plus binding) melee | Hoof +17 (3d6+6) melee |
Full Attack | +6 keen longsword of binding +46/+41/+36/+31 (1d8+27/17-20 plus 1d6 plus binding) melee | 2 hooves +17 (3d6+6) melee, bite +15 (5d8+3) melee |
Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. | 10 ft./5 ft. |
Special Attacks | Spell-like abilities | |
Special Qualities | Cold immunity, fire vulnerability, SR 36, DR 10/epic and cold iron | Cold immunity, fire vulnerability, air walk, astral projection and etherealness, magic circle against good, misty breath, SR 20, DR 5/magic and cold iron, immunities |
Saves | Fort +28, Ref +36, Will +31 | Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +5 |
Abilities | Strength 38, Dexterity 33, Constitution 36, Intelligence 21, Wisdom 23, Charisma 26 | Strength 22, Dexterity 18, Constitution 17, Intelligence 6, Wisdom 13, Charisma 14 |
Skills | Diplomacy +14, Hide +60, Intimidate +57, Knowledge (geography, nature) +54, Listen +55, Move Silently +60, Ride +60, Search +54, Sense Motive +55, Spot +55, Survival +55 | Jump +10, Listen +8, Spot +13 |
Feats | Blind-Fight, Cleave, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (longsword), Improved Initiative, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Spirited Charge, Track, Trample, Weapon Focus (longsword) | Alertness, Endurance, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Multiattack |
Epic Feats | Dire Charge, Epic Weapon Focus (longsword), Overwhelming Critical (longsword), Superior Initiative | |
Climate/Terrain | Any cold | Any cold |
Organization | Solitary or company (2-5) | Solitary (with rider) |
Challenge Rating | 25 | 9 |
Treasure | None | None |
Alignment | Always neutral evil | Always neutral evil |
Advancement | 47+ HD (Medium) | 13-24 HD (Large); 25-36 HD (Huge) |
Combat
A critical hit (or the blow that would kill or render a foe unconscious) from the hoary hunter’s blade does not wound the hunter’s prey. Instead, the victim is bodily transported as per a soul binding spell heightened to 16th level (DC 30) into a diamond at the end of the sword’s hilt.
Spell-Like Abilities
- At will-discern location, true strike, fog cloud, hold monster, plane shift;
- 3/day-dimensional anchor, dominate monster, greater dispel magic;
- 1/day-mage’s disjunction, contingent recall and resurrection*.
Caster level 23rd; save DC 18 + spell level.
*Contingent recall and resurrection is a variation on an epic spell. When slain, the hoary hunter is actually transported, with its mount, back to the fey realm, where it is resurrected. The only way to truly slay the hoary hunter is to defeat it in its home realm after this epic spell has been exhausted for the day.
Hoary Steed
A hoary steed’s natural weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Combat
Air Walk (Su) A hoary steed can ride through the air as well as on the ground, as though affected by a permanent air walk spell.
astral projection and etherealness (Su) These abilities function just like the spells of the same names as cast by a 20th-level caster.
magic circle against good (Su) This ability continuously duplicates the effects of the spell. A hoary steed cannot suppress this ability.
Misty Breath (Su) The breath of a hoary steed functions like a constant obscuring mist spell.
Immunities (Ex) A hoary steed is immune to all charm and hold spells or abilities.