Buy me a coffeeQuickling, the Razor-Wind of the Feywild
“The Quickling: a blur of blue death so fast, you’ll be bleeding out before you even hear the laugh.”
Quicklings are diminutive fey creatures standing around 3 feet tall with slender, wiry frames covered in smooth, shimmering blue skin that seems to ripple like liquid when they move. Their sharp, angular faces are framed by wild, spiky silver or pale blue hair that crackles faintly with static energy. Their eyes are a piercing icy blue, glowing faintly in darkness. Long, clawed fingers and feet enhance their dexterity, and their movements blur in the light, making them appear almost intangible.
Behavior:
Quicklings are notoriously capricious and merciless, driven by a restless energy that manifests as a blend of gleeful cruelty and cunning malice. They rarely engage in direct confrontation unless confident of victory, preferring hit-and-run tactics. Quicklings delight in tormenting prey with taunts and swift strikes before vanishing like shadows. Their laughter—high-pitched and eerie—echoes long after they disappear. Despite their chaotic nature, they operate with a cold, tactical intelligence.
Habitat:
Quicklings dwell primarily in ancient, enchanted forests and twisted feywild glades where magic flows thickly through the air. They favor places rich in natural arcane energy, such as faerie rings, mushroom circles, or ruins steeped in fey power. They often claim these territories jealously, attacking any intruders or rival fey who trespass.
Modus Operandi:
Utilizing their unparalleled speed—often moving faster than the eye can follow—Quicklings strike with deadly precision, targeting vulnerable spots before their victims can react. They prefer ambushes, darting from cover to attack exposed targets with razor-sharp daggers or poisoned needles. When threatened, they use their speed to evade, disappearing into the underbrush or slipping through cracks in reality to the Feywild. Their attacks aim not just to kill, but to terrorize and humiliate, leaving victims disoriented and broken.
Motivation:
Quicklings thrive on chaos and fear, driven by a fey nature that revels in pain and trickery. They serve powerful fey lords or entities, acting as scouts, assassins, or messengers. Their motivations are often inscrutable but generally align with spreading disorder, exacting revenge, or securing their territories. On their own, they are unpredictable agents of mischief and death, motivated by hunger, cruelty, and a desire to prove their superiority through speed and cunning.
Quickling 5e
Quickling, Pathfinder
Quickling 3.5
Quickling
Tiny fey, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 18 (Natural Agility)
Hit Points 60 (12d6 + 24)
Speed 40 ft., Fey Step (Teleport) 30 ft. (Recharge 4–6)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 (-1) | 24 (+7) | 14 (+2) | 12 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws: Dex +11, Wis +6
Skills: Stealth +11, Perception +6, Acrobatics +11
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages: Sylvan, Common (limited)
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
Traits
Fey Ancestry. The Quickling has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put it to sleep.
Evasion. If the Quickling is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage on a successful save and half damage on a failed save.
Uncanny Agility. The Quickling can take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Innate Spellcasting.
The Quickling’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: Misty Step
- 3/day each: Faerie Fire, Hold Person
- 1/day: Greater Invisibility
Actions
Multiattack.
The Quickling makes two attacks with its Dagger.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d4 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Poisoned Needles (Recharge 5–6).
The Quickling hurls a flurry of razor-sharp, poison-coated needles in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. On a successful save, creatures take half damage and aren’t poisoned.
Legendary Actions
The Quickling 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 Quickling regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Quick Slash. The Quickling makes one dagger attack.
- Blurred Movement. The Quickling moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Fey Step (Costs 2 Actions). The Quickling magically teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Tactics
Quicklings rely on blinding speed and hit-and-run tactics to overwhelm foes. They dart in and out of combat, targeting fragile spellcasters or archers first. Using Fey Step or Misty Step, they teleport behind enemies or out of danger. When pressured, they unleash Poisoned Needles to poison and scatter groups before vanishing with Greater Invisibility. Their chaotic nature makes them unpredictable but always lethal.
Quickling
This creature resembles a short and slight elf wearing drab clothes and a wicked grin. In a blink, the thing darts from sight.
Quickling CR 3
XP 800
CE Small fey
Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 19, flat-footed 12 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +1 size)
hp 18 (4d6+4)
Fort +2, Ref +11, Will +6
Defensive Abilities evasion, natural invisibility, supernatural speed, uncanny dodge; DR 5/cold iron
Weaknesses slow susceptibility
OFFENSE
Speed 120 ft.
Melee short sword +10 (1d4–1/19–20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)
1/day—dancing lights, flare (DC 12), levitate, shatter (DC 14), ventriloquism (DC 13)
STATISTICS
Str 8, Dex 24, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 15, Cha 14
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 18
Feats Dodge, MobilityB, Spring AttackB, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +14 (+50 jump), Bluff +9, Craft (any one) +9, Escape Artist +14, Perception +9, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +18, Survival +4, Use Magic Device +7
Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan
SQ poison use
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Natural Invisibility (Su)
A quickling is invisible when motionless. It loses this invisibility and remains visible for 1 round in any round in which it takes an action other than a free action.
Supernatural Speed (Su)
A quickling moves with incredible speed. Save for when it remains motionless (at which point it is invisible), the quickling’s shape blurs and shimmers with this speed, granting it concealment (20% miss chance). In addition, this ability grants the quickling evasion and uncanny dodge (as the rogue abilities of the same names).
Slow Susceptibility (Ex)
A quickling that succumbs to a slow effect loses its supernatural speed ability and is sickened as long as the effect persists. This sickened condition persists for 1 round after the slow effect ends.
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate forests
Organization solitary, gang (2–5), or band (4–11 plus one advanced leader)
Treasure NPC gear (blue whinnis poison [4 doses], Small short sword, other treasure)
Few creatures can match the speed of a quickling. These malicious fey creatures delight in striking with blinding speed and accuracy, often killing their victims without ever fully revealing themselves; the victim simply spurts blood and falls over dead, with no witnesses to the quickling’s deed. Though related to brownies and grigs, quicklings share none of their kin’s generosity or merriment, choosing instead to live a life of cruelty and viciousness.
Quicklings pride themselves on insults and brutality, and frequently stalk and harass their quarry until the victim gives up the chase. While quicklings are naturally invisible when motionless, they rarely contain themselves, and bob and twitch while standing and talking to other creatures. Quicklings hate every other race of creature, particularly elves, gnomes, and other kinds of fey. They barely tolerate their own kind, and rarely work together for longer than a few weeks.
Quicklings stand just over 2-1/2 feet tall and weigh 15 pounds.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Quickling
Small fey (extraplanar), chaotic neutral
Hit Dice: 6d6 (21 hp)
Initiative: +11
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), Quick Step (Ex): can take a 5-foot step as a free action even if it has moved in the round
Armor Class: 21 (+7 Dex, +4 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-1
Attack: Dagger +10 melee (1d4+4/19–20) or dagger +12 ranged (1d4+4/19–20)
Full Attack: 2 daggers +10 melee (1d4+4/19–20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poisoned Needles (Su), Sneak Attack +2d6
Special Qualities: Evasion, Fey Traits, Immunity to poison, Darkvision 60 ft., Spell-like Abilities
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +6
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 24, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +19, Move Silently +19, Spot +9, Listen +9, Tumble +19, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +6
Feats: Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge
Fey Traits (Ex):
- +2 racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects.
- Immune to magic sleep effects.
- Cannot be raised or resurrected (but can be reincarnated).
Poisoned Needles (Su):
As a standard action, the quickling can launch a volley of poisoned needles in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save or take 4d6 points of Dexterity damage and become poisoned for 1d4 rounds (poison, save ends). On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not poisoned. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8):
- At will—Misty Step (as Dimension Door, but only 30 ft.)
- 3/day—Faerie Fire, Hold Person (DC 14)
- 1/day—Greater Invisibility
Evasion (Ex):
If the quickling makes a successful Reflex save against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, it instead takes no damage.
Combat
Tactics:
Quicklings rely on extraordinary speed and agility to stay just out of reach. They begin combat by casting Faerie Fire to negate concealment and grant advantage to allies, then use Hold Person to paralyze key targets. They strike from shadows with their dagger, employing sneak attack damage where possible. Their poisoned needles disrupt groups or force enemies to reposition. When threatened, quicklings use Misty Step to teleport away or reposition, and Greater Invisibility to escape or confuse foes. Quicklings prefer hit-and-run tactics, avoiding prolonged fights.
Ecology
Environment: Temperate forests and Feywild glades
Organization: Solitary or band (2–4)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Description
Quicklings are swift, vicious fey creatures known for their merciless speed and deadly precision. Their lithe blue bodies blur as they dart through the forest, striking with poisoned daggers before vanishing like a breeze. Their wild laughter echoes through the woods, unnerving even the bravest adventurers.