Thunderbird

“Unleash the Roar of the Skies: Behold the Legendary Thunderbird, Mythical Feathered Titan of the Storms!”

The Thunderbird is a colossal avian creature of legend, a majestic and fearsome entity renowned for its dominion over the skies. With wings that span wide enough to block out the sun, its feathers shimmer with electric energy, and its piercing eyes hold the raw power of the storm.

Legends speak of its ability to summon thunderstorms and wield lightning as a weapon, unleashing devastating bolts upon those who dare to cross its path. In native lore, the Thunderbird is often considered a divine being, a symbol of strength and protection.

Its immense wings beat with the force of a tempest, creating gusts that can level forests and topple mountains. This mythical creature’s roar is said to rumble like thunder, sending shivers down the spines of all who hear it. The Thunderbird’s presence evokes a mixture of awe and trepidation, a testament to its status as a living force of nature that commands the very elements themselves.

Thunderbird

Huge celestial, neutral good

Armor Class 18 (natural armor) Hit Points 200 (16d12 + 96) Speed 60 ft., fly 120 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
24 (+7)	16 (+3)	22 (+6)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)	20 (+5)

Saving Throws DEX +8, CON +12, WIS +10

Skills Perception +10

Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities radiant

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20

Languages understands Celestial, Common, and Auran but can’t speak

Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The Thunderbird’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

• At will: thunderwave, feather fall
• 3/day each: chain lightning, divine word, control weather

Magic Resistance. The Thunderbird has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Thunderstrike. The Thunderbird’s melee weapon attacks deal an extra 7 (2d6) thunder damage on hit.

Flyby. The Thunderbird doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Thunderbird fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The Thunderbird makes three attacks: one with its beak and two with its talons.

• Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 9) piercing damage.
• Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6 + 9) slashing damage.
• Lightning Burst (Recharge 5-6). The Thunderbird releases a burst of lightning in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Legendary Actions

The Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Thunderstrike. The Thunderbird makes a talons attack.
• Cast a Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The Thunderbird casts a spell from its innate spellcasting ability.
• Thunderous Roar (Costs 3 Actions). The Thunderbird lets out a deafening roar. Each creature within 60 feet of the Thunderbird that can hear it must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of their next turn.

This enormous bird has feathers the color of a stormy sky, a resemblance enhanced by the lightning that dances over its body.

Thunderbird CR 11

XP 12,800
N Gargantuan magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, stormsight; Perception +20; Aura storm aura (100 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 10, flat-footed 21 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +15 natural, –4 size)
hp 147 (14d10+70)
Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +9
Immune electricity, sonic

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 120 ft. (good)
Melee 2 claws +18 (2d6+8/19–20 plus grab), bite +18 (2d8+8/19–20)
Ranged thunderbolt +13 ranged touch (6d6 electricity and 6d6 sonic)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +12)

At will—control weather

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 13
Base Atk +14; CMB +26 (+30 grapple); CMD 40
Feats Critical Focus, Dodge, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +13, Fly +11, Perception +20, Perform (sing) +8, Sense Motive +10
Languages Auran

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Thunderbolt (Su)

A thunderbird can fire a ray of thunder and lightning from its outspread wings as a standard action. This attack has a range of 200 feet with no range increment, and requires a ranged touch attack to hit. A creature critically hit by a thunderbolt is stunned and deafened for 1 round if it fails a DC 22 Fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Storm Aura (Su)

A thunderbird is surrounded by a 100-foot-radius spread of severe winds that blow out from the center, dissipating swiftly at the limit of the aura’s range. In this area, ranged weapons (but not siege weapons) take a –4 penalty on attack rolls, Fly checks are made at a –4 penalty, and exposed flames are extinguished.

Small creatures must make a DC 10 Strength check (if on the ground) or a DC 20 Fly check to move toward the thunderbird, while tiny or smaller creatures can be knocked backward (1d4 × 10 feet if they are on the ground and fail a DC 15 Strength check, or 2d6 × 10 feet if they are flying and fail a DC 25 Fly check). Creatures on the ground that are pushed back take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per 10 feet, and flying creatures that are pushed back take 2d6 points of nonlethal damage regardless of the distance they are pushed.

In addition, once every 1d4 rounds, a bolt of lightning strikes a random creature (other than the thunderbird) within the area of its storm aura. This bolt of lightning deals 12d6 points of electricity damage (DC 22 Reflex halves). The save DC for the lightning bolt is Constitution-based, while those for resisting the wind effects are fixed.

Stormsight (Ex)

A thunderbird ignores all vision penalties and concealment from weather effects, including those created by fog cloud, obscuring mist, and similar spells.

ECOLOGY

Environment any hills or mountains
Organization solitary
Treasure none

Thunderbirds bring the storm on their wings. In times of drought, they are welcomed with joy and celebration. In other times, they are placated with gifts in hopes that they might leave quickly before flooding begins. When angered, thunderbirds can call down hurricanes and lay waste to entire villages, so in regions where these birds dwell, many villages maintain extensive rituals designed to appease and honor the local thunderbirds.

Thunderbirds nest near the base of waterfalls, where the constant thrum of crashing water prepares the hatchlings for a life at the heart of a storm. Once the chicks have hatched, their parents carry the offspring to nests at the top of mountains, where the young are struck by their first bolts of lightning and learn the mysteries of the storm.

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.