Buy me a coffee“Hieracosphinx: The Riddle-Winged Sentinel of Forgotten Realms”
“A majestic predator with the rippling body of a lion and the piercing gaze of a hawk, the Hieracosphinx soars between myth and menace, guarding ancient secrets with razor-sharp talons and unyielding cunning.”
The Hieracosphinx combines the rippling, sinewy body of a lion with the sleek head of a hawk, crowned with a hooked beak and keen golden eyes that glint with intelligence. Its wings, though primarily decorative, are feathered like a raptor’s and give it an aura of majesty and latent power. Clawed forepaws glisten with razor-like talons, and its fur transitions seamlessly into a plumage of bronze and deep brown along the shoulders and neck. Approaching a Hieracosphinx evokes both awe and unease, as if gazing upon a living emblem of divine guardianship.
Behaviour:
Hieracosphinxes are patient, calculating, and fiercely territorial. They often perch silently on elevated vantage points, observing intruders for hours before deciding whether to confront, intimidate, or ignore. While capable of sudden bursts of violence, they prefer ambushes and precision strikes over prolonged combat, demonstrating a cunning intelligence rare among beasts.
Habitat:
These creatures favor arid plains, sun-scorched plateaus, and the rocky outcrops of desert regions, often near ruins or ancient temples. Their territories are fiercely defended, and they rarely stray far from sacred or historically significant sites.
Modus Operandi:
A Hieracosphinx hunts with a combination of stealth, speed, and aerial advantage. It typically stalks from a distance, using its keen vision to track prey, then strikes with talons and jaws in a coordinated, lethal assault. When confronted by intelligent creatures, it may attempt to test them first—through riddles, challenges, or intimidation—gauging whether they are threat, curiosity, or prey.
Motivation:
Driven by instinct, territoriality, and a near-mythical sense of guardianship, Hieracosphinxes seek to protect treasures, knowledge, or sacred spaces. They are less motivated by hunger than by the urge to preserve what they consider valuable, punishing those who desecrate their domains or fail their tests of cunning.
Hieracosphinx 5e 2024
Hieracosphinx, Pathfinder
Hieracosphinx
Large Magical Beast, Lawful Neutral
Armor Class: 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 168 (16d10 + 80)
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 20 (+5) | 18 (+4) | 17 (+3) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws: Dex +7, Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +7
Skills: Perception +11, Insight +7, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: Psychic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 21
Languages: Common, Celestial, Auran
Challenge: 11 (7,200 XP)
Traits
Keen Sight and Mind. The Hieracosphinx has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on sight.
Divine Guardian. The Hieracosphinx adds +2 to all saving throws against spells and magical effects.
Flyby. The Hieracosphinx doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.
Riddle of the Sphinx (1/Day). Casting Time: 1 action; Range: 60 ft. The Hieracosphinx poses a riddle to up to three creatures. Targets that fail a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw are stunned until the end of their next turn.
Actions
Multiattack. The Hieracosphinx makes two attacks: one with its claws and one with its beak.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d12 + 4) piercing damage.
Divine Roar (Recharge 5–6). The Hieracosphinx emits a thunderous cry. Each creature of its choice within 30 ft. must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns.
Aerial Pounce. If the Hieracosphinx moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and hits it with a claw attack, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Reactions
Protective Wing. When a creature the Hieracosphinx can see within 10 ft. is hit by an attack, it can grant that creature +2 AC until the start of the Hieracosphinx’s next turn.
Legendary Actions
The Hieracosphinx can take 3 legendary actions, using only one at a time at the end of another creature’s turn.
- Wing Sweep. The Hieracosphinx sweeps its wings in a 15-ft. cone. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
- Claw Attack. The Hieracosphinx makes one claw attack.
- Soaring Leap (Costs 2 Actions). The Hieracosphinx flies up to half its flying speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Tactics
Hieracosphinxes act as vigilant guardians of sacred sites or ancient knowledge. They begin encounters by observing intruders, testing them with riddles or challenges before striking. They favor ambushes, precision attacks, and aerial maneuvers to control the battlefield. Divine Roar and Wing Sweep are used to intimidate or disrupt enemies, while Protective Wing shields allies or the worthy. If outnumbered or facing overwhelming odds, they retreat strategically to preserve their domain and return when conditions are favorable.
Hieracosphinx
A cold-eyed falcon’s head and great wings adorn the body of this otherwise leonine creature.
Hieracosphinx CR 5
XP 1,600
CE Large magical beast
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size)
hp 60 (8d10+16)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor)
Melee bite +11 (1d10+4), 2 claws +11 (1d6+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks pounce, shriek
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 10
Base Atk +8; CMB +13; CMD 25 (29 vs. trip)
Feats Cleave, Flyby Attack, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Fly +3, Perception +16; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
Languages Sphinx
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Shriek (Su)
The shrill shriek of a hieracosphinx deafens non-sphinxes within a 60-foot-radius spread for 2d4 rounds (DC 16 Fort negates). Once a creature successfully saves against this effect, it is immune to the hieracosphinx’s shriek for 24 hours. Using this ability is a standard action. The save DC is Constitution-based.
ECOLOGY
Environment warm hills
Organization solitary, pair, or flock (3-8)
Treasure incidental
The least intelligent of the common sphinxes, hieracosphinxes are a cowardly, cruel-hearted lot. All are male. They despise the larger and cleverer androsphinxes and criosphinxes. Toward gynosphinxes they hold a twisted mix of a lust and hate, simultaneously envying their beauty and power while craving them as mates. Hieracosphinxes attack other sphinxes whenever they have them at a disadvantage. Male sphinxes of other species they tear to shreds or drive away, whereas they prefer to leave gynosphinxes ravaged but alive. The other species of sphinx likewise hold nothing but disdain for hieracosphinxes, and typically attack these vile beasts on sight.
Hieracosphinxes guard their territory ruthlessly against weaker intruders, seldom giving warning before they attack. They have no use for banter and riddles, making most efforts at diplomacy rather ineffective, but can be convinced to call off their attacks by convincing shows of force coupled with information on the location of weaker prey or a gynosphinx. Though poor fliers, they still prefer to fight from the air, the better to escape if the combat turns against them.
As they lack the ego and resourcefulness of the rest of their breed, hieracosphinxes can be pressed into service of mounts, particularly by those of similarly evil dispositions. Hieracosphinxes chafe under such service but submit to more powerful riders, though they still inflict their foul tempers on any weaker creatures that happen by.
A grown hieracosphinx can easily consume a full horse’s worth of meat in a day, making their upkeep rather expensive. Even with these drawbacks, hieracosphinx eggs command values of up to 1,500 gp on the open market, as do young hieracosphinxes. It takes 3 years for a hieracosphinx to reach maturity, after which an untrained hieracosphinx only rarely accepts a rider without magical compulsion. Trainers, though hard to come by, charge thousands of gold pieces to rear and train a hieracosphinx, owing to the risk to life and limb.
A light load for a hieracosphinx is up to 350 pounds; a medium load, 351-700 pounds; and a heavy load, 701-1,050 pounds. A typical hieracosphinx is just short of 9 feet long and weighs 600 pounds. Hieracosphinxes detest bearing a rider into battle, thus increasing the DCs of any combat-related Ride checks by +5.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.