Buy me a coffeeCrocotta
This bizarre creature looks like a mix between a hyena and a long-tailed lynx or a leopard. But its most disturbing feature is its mouth; it stretches all the way beneath its ears, and instead of teeth, both jaws seem to be composed of long, interlocking bony ridges.
The crocotta is a combination between dog and wolf with impossibly strong teeth and instant digestion. A gluttonous beast that digs up the buried dead and prowls around farms at night. It lures people to their death by imitating the sound of a man in distress, only to be attacked and devoured.
It occasionally hides listening to the farmers talking and calling each other by name. The crocotta will then repeat one of the names to lure the person into the woods. When the victim was beyond help, it leaps and devours him.
The eyes of a slain creature were said to be striped gems that would give the possessor oracular powers when placed under the tongue. The offspring of one and a lion is a Leucrota. Cloven hooved the size of a male donkey, yet swift and fierce. Having the haunches of a stag; the tail, chest, and neck of a lion; and the head of a badger, its mouth opens back as far as its ears. Instead of teeth it had ridges of bone that could crush anything.
The crocotta is a strange, catlike carnivore with an extremely disturbing voice that sounds like many people chatting all at once. A typical they measure 4 to 5 feet in length. It weighs 175 pounds. They are scavengers that usually eat carrion, but will attack lone creatures if they are hungry enough. They are very social among their own kind, and occasional attempts to domesticate kits have produced fierce and loyal companions. They otherwise behave much like mundane hyenas.
Crocotta
A human voice emanates from a lion-like hyena. As it speaks, its black tongue runs over the many teeth in its unnaturally wide mouth.
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
Speed 50 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 8 (-1) | 12 (+1) | 8 (-1) |
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from metal weapons
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Special Traits
- Mimicry. It can mimic animal sounds, humanoid voices, and even environmental sounds. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 13 Wisdom (Insight) check.
- Paralyzing Gaze. When a creature that can see the crocotta’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the crocotta, the crocotta can force it to make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw if the crocotta isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. On a failed save, the creature is paralyzed until the start of its next turn.
- Pounce. If the crocotta moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the crocotta can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Disturbing Grin. Its mouth stretches back to its ears, allowing its powerful jaw to open unnaturally wide. In spite of its large mouth, the crocotta is able to perfectly mimic the sounds of humanoid voices. When hunting, it often mimics the sounds of a person in need, luring in a victim, then pounces on the victim when they investigate the sounds.
Dog Hater. The crocotta holds particular animosity toward dogs and attacks them before more obvious threats.
Dogs innately understand this about crocotta and often purposefully distract an attacking crocotta to allow their humanoid families to escape.
Oracular Eyes. The gemstone eyes of the crocotta hold its prey captive when the crocotta is alive, but they grant visions of the future after its death. If a crocotta’s eye is placed under a creature’s tongue within five days of the crocotta’s death, the creature experiences omens of the future similar to those produced by the augury spell. A creature that isn’t surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can’t see the crocotta until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If it looks at the crocotta in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
Canines are immune to the crocotta’s paralyzing Gaze, and canine-like humanoids, such as werewolves, have advantage on the saving throw.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Tome of Beasts 2. © 2020 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Celeste Conowitch, Darrin Drader, James Introcaso, Philip Larwood, Jeff Lee, Kelly Pawlik, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham.
Crocotta
Originally Posted by Silversheen197 of the Wizards Community forums.
| Crocotta | |
| Medium magical beast | |
| Hit Dice | 3d10+12 (28 hp) |
| Initiative | +5 |
| Speed | 40 ft. (8 squares) |
| Armor Class | 18 (+5 Dexterity, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13 |
| Base Attack/Grapple | +3/+7 |
| Attack | Bite +8 melee (1d8+4) |
| Full Attack | Bite +8 melee (1d8+4) and 2 claws +3 melee (1d3+2) |
| Space/Reach | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks | Chatter, trip |
| Special Qualities | Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision, Scent |
| Saves | Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +2 |
| Abilities | Strength 19, Dexterity 21, Constitution 19, Intelligence 4, Wisdom 12, Charisma 15 |
| Skills | Hide +10*, Listen +6, Move Silently +9, Spot +5 |
| Feats | Alertness, Weapon Finesse |
| Environment | Warm plains |
| Organization | Solitary, pair, or pack (7-16) |
| Challenge Rating | 3 |
| Treasure | None |
| Alignment | Usually neutral |
| Advancement | 4-5 HD (Medium) |
| Level Adjustment | – |
Combat
A crocotta in combat uses its chatter ability to disorient foes and loosen up the enemies’ defense, then attacks with its powerful jaws.
Chatter (Su): They can chatter as a free action on any round it wishes. All creatures within 60 feet that can hear the creature must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or be affected as though by the confusion spell for 1d2 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting compulsion effect. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected by the same leucrota’s chatter for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.
Trip (Ex): A crocotta that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip its opponent (+4 check modifier) as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to attempt to trip the crocotta.