Buy me a coffee“Ethereal Marauder: The Shadowy Predator of the Planes”
“Ethereal Marauders: terrifying, plane-shifting predators that strike unseen from the shadows, blending deadly stealth with otherworldly power.”
Ethereal Marauders are sinewy, two-legged predators cloaked in shimmering shades of deep violet and electric blue. Their elongated, flexible tails aid in balance and combat, while a trigonal jaw lined with black, serrated teeth and three piercing eyes—one between each mandible—creates a nightmarish visage. When glimpsed through the Material Plane, their forms ripple faintly, as if not fully anchored to reality.
Behaviour
Solitary and cunning, Ethereal Marauders are patient hunters, often observing prey for days before striking. They exude an aura of predatory focus, moving silently and avoiding unnecessary confrontation. When threatened, they vanish to the Ethereal Plane, reappearing only when advantageous.
Habitat
Native to shadowed forests, desolate ruins, and ethereally thin regions, Ethereal Marauders prefer areas where planar boundaries are weak. They maintain loosely defined territories, nomadic when prey is scarce, yet fiercely defend hunting grounds when food is abundant.
Modus Operandi
Utilizing their innate Ethereal Jaunt, these creatures phase between the Material and Ethereal Planes to ambush prey. They strike with precise bites, often targeting vulnerable or isolated victims, then retreat before retaliation. In combat, they exploit flanking positions and vanish to disorient foes, making them nearly impossible to pin down.
Motivation
Driven by insatiable hunger and instinctive cunning, Ethereal Marauders seek survival and dominance over their hunting grounds. They are not malicious in a moral sense, but every action is calculated for maximum efficiency in securing prey and preserving their ethereal advantage.
Ethereal Marauder 5e 2024
Ethereal Marauder, Pathfinder
Ethereal Marauder 3.5
Ethereal Marauder
Medium Magical Beast, Chaotic Neutral
A sinewy, shadow-wreathed predator, the Ethereal Marauder strikes from the border between planes, its three eyes glinting with otherworldly hunger. It is rarely seen on the Material Plane until it chooses the perfect moment to ambush its prey.
Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 102 (12d8 + 48)
Speed: 40 ft., climb 20 ft., ethereal jaunt
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 10 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 8 (−1) |
Saving Throws: Dex +6, Wis +5
Skills: Stealth +6, Perception +5, Survival +4
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities: Psychic (while ethereal)
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Grappled (while ethereal)
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages: understands Common but cannot speak
Challenge: 7 (2,900 XP)
Special Traits
Ethereal Jaunt. As a bonus action, the Marauder can shift into the Ethereal Plane. While ethereal, it can move through creatures and objects, and attacks from the Material Plane cannot target it.
Ambush Predator. The Marauder has advantage on attack rolls against surprised creatures.
Ethereal Scent. The Marauder can detect creatures within 60 ft. on the Material Plane, even if invisible or behind barriers.
Actions
Multiattack. The Marauder makes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 16 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.
Phantasmal Shriek (Recharge 5–6). The Marauder emits an ethereal screech in a 30-ft cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 18 (4d8) psychic damage and be frightened until the end of its next turn.
Reactions
Ethereal Dodge. When targeted by an attack while on the Material Plane, the Marauder can instantly shift to the Ethereal Plane until the start of its next turn, avoiding the attack entirely.
Legendary Actions
The Ethereal Marauder can take 2 legendary actions, using only one at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn:
- Ethereal Step. The Marauder moves up to 30 ft. without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Ethereal Bite. The Marauder makes one bite attack against a creature it can see.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Marauder can take one lair action in areas with thin planar boundaries:
- Ethereal Flicker. One object or obstacle shimmers into the Ethereal Plane until the start of the next round.
- Terrifying Ambience. All creatures of the Marauder’s choice within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of their next turn.
Combat Tactics
Ethereal Marauders rely on stealth, surprise, and mobility. They phase in and out of the Material Plane to strike isolated or vulnerable targets, using Phantasmal Shriek to disrupt and frighten groups. They prioritize ambush over prolonged combat, retreating to the Ethereal Plane to avoid retaliation and returning at opportune moments.
Instead of a head, this pear-shaped, purple beast possesses a giant mouth ringed with three eyes. The creature stands on two broad legs with three-toed feet.
Ethereal Marauder
Medium Magical Beast
CR: 3
XP: 800
Init: +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +8
DEFENSE
AC: 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +1 dodge, +3 natural)
HP: 22 (4d10)
Fort: +4, Ref: +5, Will: +2
OFFENSE
Speed: 40 ft.
Melee: Bite +6 (1d6+3)
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Attack/Grapple/CMB/CMD: +4 / +6 / +6 / 18
Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative
Skills: Perception +8, Stealth +8; Racial Modifiers +2 to Perception and Stealth checks
Special Qualities: Ethereal Jaunt
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Ethereal Jaunt (Su): As a free action, an Ethereal Marauder can move from the Ethereal Plane to the Material Plane and shift back as a move action. Otherwise functions as the ethereal jaunt spell.
LORE
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about an Ethereal Marauder.
| Knowledge (Arcana) DC | Result |
|---|---|
| 8 | Ethereal Marauders are magical beasts that can move between the Ethereal and Material Planes. |
| 13 | Spells that allow travel to the Ethereal Plane make a creature more likely to suffer an attack from an Ethereal Marauder. |
| 18 | Survivors report the creature emits a high-pitched hum just before attacking. |
| 23 | A blink spell allows a creature to attack and harm an Ethereal Marauder even when it is no longer on the Material Plane. |
ECOLOGY
Environment: Ethereal Plane
Organization: Solitary
Treasure: Standard
Ethereal Marauders are reptile-like predators native to the Material Plane, capable of moving between the Material and Ethereal Planes as easily as a fish swims through water. They are not inherently evil but treat all living creatures as potential prey.
Marauders spend most of their time on the Ethereal Plane, stalking targets invisibly on the Material Plane. They strike quickly and retreat before counterattacks. Magical barriers and doors rarely deter them, and spells like blink or ethereal jaunt can inadvertently draw their attention.
Adults are about 4 ft. tall, weigh roughly 200 lbs., and range in color from green to bluish-yellow. Social behavior and language, if any, remain unknown.
Copyright Notice: Forgotten Foes © 2010 Tricky Owlbear Publishing, Inc.; Authors Mark Gedak and Stefen Styrsky
Ethereal Marauder
Medium Magical Beast (Extraplanar), Chaotic Neutral
A sinewy predator drifting between the Material and Ethereal Planes, the Ethereal Marauder strikes from shadow and mist, its three glowing eyes locking on prey before phasing in to attack.
Hit Dice: 12d10+48 (114 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 16 (+4 natural, +2 Dex), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+18
Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d8+4)
Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (2d8+4) ×2
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Phantasmal Shriek, Ambush Predator
Special Qualities: Ethereal Jaunt, Ethereal Scent, Damage Reduction 5/magic, Resistances
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +6
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Skills: Hide +15, Move Silently +13, Listen +9, Spot +9, Survival +10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Alertness
Defensive Abilities
- Ethereal Jaunt (Su): The Marauder can shift to the Ethereal Plane as a move action, becoming insubstantial and immune to attacks from the Material Plane until it returns.
- Damage Reduction: 5/magic
- Resistances: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
- Immunities: Psychic while ethereal, charmed, frightened
Offensive Abilities
- Multiattack (Ex): Two bite attacks per round.
- Bite (Melee): +12 melee, 2d8+4 damage.
- Phantasmal Shriek (Su) [Recharge 5–6]: 30-ft. cone, DC 15 Will save, 4d8 psychic damage and frightened for 1 round.
- Ambush Predator (Ex): +4 attack bonus against surprised opponents.
Spell-Like Abilities
- Dimension Door: 3/day, self-only.
- Invisibility (self only): At will, 1 min/level or until attacking.
Tactics & Combat Style
- Ambush prey from the Ethereal Plane.
- Strike isolated targets with Phantasmal Shriek to sow terror.
- Bite then retreat, using Ethereal Jaunt or Dimension Door to reposition.
- Coordinate in pairs to divide and isolate foes.
Ecology
- Environment: Planar borderlands, ethereal corridors of forests, ruins, shadowed caves
- Organization: Solitary or pair
- Challenge Rating: 7
- Treasure: Standard
- Alignment: Chaotic Neutral