Annis Hag
Bestiary / Monstrous Humanoids · The iron-clawed hunter
A child’s shoe hangs from a thorn bush, too high for any child to have put it there. An Annis Hag is no frail witch. She has the strength to carry off a soldier, the patience to follow shepherds for days, and iron-hard claws that seize rather than merely cut. Her disguise draws the victim near; her reach makes escape hard.
An Annis prefers a lone traveller or someone searching for missing livestock. A disguised hag may offer help, shelter or a cruel bargain. She is clever enough to retreat when a trap fails, especially if she can escape with her captive.
How an Annis Hunts
Her favourite trick is to get one person away from the others. A missing sheep, a broken harness or an old woman asking for help can draw a rescuer off the road. An Annis may look human, but she leaves heavy prints, cannot conceal her extraordinary reach in a close fight and often knows far too much about the nearest farm.
1 · First sign
A frightened animal returns without its keeper. There are claw gouges ten feet above a cave path, but no blood. One surviving witness heard a woman call their name from the trees.
2 · The attack
The hag blocks a narrow route, seizes the weakest isolated target and drags them towards cover. Fog Cloud helps hide her retreat but also blinds her inside it.
3 · The choice
If trapped or outnumbered, she threatens a captive, bargains for safe passage or retreats to a second opening. She knows the ground; the party can learn it before entering.
Counters that actually work
Stay together: keep a second rescuer beyond claw reach. Break her hold: use the chosen edition’s grapple rules, shove effects or allies cutting off her escape. Choose your weapons: bludgeoning attacks bypass her damage reduction in PF1e and 3.5e; the fifth-edition conversions have no such resistance. Find the second exit: tracks and cold air from her den betray an escape fissure.
When she hunts with sisters, use the hag coven rules rather than giving a lone Annis the full power of three hags. For a weaker encounter, the Lesser Hag template is a separate third-party rules option, not an automatic reduction to these statistics.
Four Playable Editions
Rules sources: Pathfinder 1e and D&D 3.5e use their separate published monster statistics. The 2024 and 2014 versions are playable original conversions, not official fifth-edition releases. Black Annis of the Dane Hills has her own stronger encounter block below.
Annis Hag — 2024
Original 2024-compatible conversion · Large Fey, chaotic evil · provisional CR 6 (2,300 XP)
Armor Class 17 (iron-hard hide) · Hit Points 105 (14d10 + 28) · Speed 40 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3 · Initiative +1
Saving Throws Str +9, Con +5, Wis +4 · Skills Deception +4, Perception +4, Stealth +4, Survival +4
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14 · Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan
Traits
Iron Grip. The hag may hold one creature at a time with her claws. She can carry or drag a grappled creature of Medium size or smaller without slowing.
Rend (Once per Turn). If both claw attacks hit the same target on the hag’s turn, that target takes an extra 11 (2d10) slashing damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The hag makes two Claw attacks and one Bite attack.
Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +9, reach 10 ft. Hit: 11 (1d10 + 6) Slashing damage. If the target is Large or smaller and the hag is not already holding a creature with Iron Grip, it must make a DC 17 Strength or Dexterity saving throw (its choice), becoming Grappled (escape DC 17) on a failure.
Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +9, reach 10 ft. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) Piercing damage.
Disguise Self (3/Day). The hag casts Disguise Self, using its 2024 casting time and duration (spell save DC 12). Her apparent height can change only within the spell’s limits; her true size, reach and claws do not change. A witness who touches her disguise may discover the deception.
Fog Cloud (1/Day). The hag casts Fog Cloud, using the 2024 spell’s action, duration, and concentration requirements. She cannot see through her own fog.
Reaction
Spiteful Swipe. When a grappled creature escapes, the hag makes one Claw attack against it before it leaves her reach; this cannot immediately grapple that creature again.
Rules note: Playable original conversion, not an official 2024 Monster Manual or SRD 5.2.1 Annis stat block. CR 6 requires playtest review.
Annis Hag — 2014
Original 2014-compatible conversion · Large fey, chaotic evil · provisional CR 6 (2,300 XP)
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) · Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36) · Speed 40 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Saving Throws Str +8, Con +6, Wis +5 · Skills Deception +3, Perception +5, Stealth +4
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15 · Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan
Traits
Rend. If both claws hit the same creature on the hag’s turn, it takes an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The hag makes two Claw attacks and one Bite attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage. A Large or smaller target is also grappled (escape DC 16). She can hold only one target this way.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.
Disguise Self (3/Day). The hag casts Disguise Self without material components. Illusion does not change her actual size, attacks or reach.
Fog Cloud (3/Day). She casts Fog Cloud without material components, following 2014 concentration rules.
Rules note: Original 2014-compatible interpretation, not the published non-SRD Annis Hag. The challenge estimate is provisional.
Annis Hag — Pathfinder 1e
Published Pathfinder Bestiary 3 creature · CR 6 (XP 2,400) · CE Large monstrous humanoid
Initiative +1 · Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13
AC 20, touch 10, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, +10 natural, −1 size) · hp 66 (7d10 + 28)
Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +6 · DR 5/bludgeoning · SR 17
Speed 40 ft. · Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.
Melee bite +13 (1d6+7), 2 claws +13 (1d6+7 plus grab) · Rend two claws (2d6+10)
Base Attack +7 · CMB +15 (+19 grapple) · CMD 26
Feats (4) and skills
Feats: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Intimidating Prowess. Skills: Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Intimidate +17, Perception +13, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +7. Languages: Common, Giant.
Special attacks
Grab: A claw hit allows a free grapple attempt against an eligible target, using CMB +19, without provoking an attack of opportunity. Rend: Both claws striking the same target deal 2d6+10 additional damage. Spell-Like Abilities: CL 7th, concentration +7; 3/day each alter self and fog cloud.
Ecology: Cold marshes; solitary or coven (three hags); standard treasure. Source: Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, Paizo, 2011. Full PF1e rules and Section 15 credit.
Annis — D&D 3.5e
Published 3.5e SRD Annis · CR 6 · Usually chaotic evil · Large monstrous humanoid
Hit Dice 7d8 + 14 (45 hp) · Initiative +1 · Speed 40 ft.
Armor Class 20 (−1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple +7/+18 · Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.
Attack claw +13 melee (1d6+7) · Full Attack 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+7), bite +8 melee (1d6+3)
Special Attacks improved grab, rake 1d6+7, rend 2d6+10, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities DR 2/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., spell resistance 19
Saves Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +6
Skills, feats and ecology
Skills: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +2, Disguise +0 (+2 acting), Hide +5, Intimidate +2, Listen +10, Spot +10. Feats (3): Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude. Environment: Cold marshes. Organization: Solitary or covey with other hags, ogres or evil giants. Treasure: Standard. Advancement: By character class.
Special attacks
Improved Grab (Ex). Claw hit versus Large or smaller foe permits a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Rake (Ex). The Annis makes up to two rake attacks against a grappled opponent at +13 melee, dealing 1d6+7 on each hit. Rend (Ex). Both claws hitting the same foe cause an extra 2d6+10 damage.
Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day each disguise self and fog cloud; caster level 8th. Source: D&D 3.5 SRD Hag (Annis), Open Game Content under OGL v1.0a.
Black Annis of the Dane Hills
Black Annis is one particular horror of Leicestershire, not simply another name for every member of the species. The older local stories place her in a sandstone cave called Black Annis’s Bower on the Dane Hills west of Leicester. They describe a long-clawed being with a dreadful face, an oak above the den and the taking of children and animals. The tradition also has variants such as Black Anna and Cat Anna. The proposed tunnels to Leicester’s cellars belong to particular tellings, not proven geography.
In the campaign, Black Annis is active. A missing lamb is no quaint legend, and a guard sent to her bower might not return. Rumours about what she is and how she came to be can conflict while the monster herself remains dangerous and real.
Black Annis’s Bower — encounter site
Entrance: An opening cut into soft sandstone, hard to reach without climbing and too narrow to approach shoulder to shoulder. Visible clue: Parallel furrows run across the ceiling, far deeper than any tool scratch. Threat: The hag can bar the only obvious route out with her bulk. Counterplay: A narrow, damp crevice opens to the hillside behind the den; animal tracks and cold airflow give it away before combat. Someone held inside can be rescued without first killing Black Annis.
Black Annis — Boss Statistics in Four Editions
Black Annis is the named, stronger guardian of Black Annis’s Bower, not an ordinary hag renamed. Choose the version for your game below. The 2014 conversion preserves the existing named encounter; the other three are original edition-specific boss adaptations. These challenge ratings are provisional, not official published Black Annis values.
Black Annis — D&D 2024
Original 2024-compatible named boss · Large Fey, chaotic evil · provisional CR 9 (5,000 XP) · Proficiency +4
AC 18 (iron-hard hide) · HP 152 (16d10 + 64) · Speed 40 ft.
Initiative +2 · Saving Throws Str +10, Con +8, Wis +7
Skills Deception +8, Intimidation +8, Perception +7 · Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan · Spell save DC 16
Traits
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Black Annis fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Iron Grip. She can hold only one creature of Large size or smaller with her claws. The target is Grappled (escape DC 18); the grapple ends if she releases it or is Incapacitated.
Rend (Once per Turn). If her two Iron Claws hit the same creature during her turn, it takes an extra 9 (2d8) Slashing damage.
Actions
Multiattack. She makes two Iron Claw attacks, or one Iron Claw attack and uses Nightmare Gaze.
Iron Claw. Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) Slashing damage. A Large or smaller target is Grappled (escape DC 18), provided she is not already holding another creature with Iron Grip.
Nightmare Gaze. One creature she can see within 30 ft. makes a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. Failure: the creature has the Frightened condition until the end of its next turn. Success: no effect. This is a magical fear effect.
Innate Magic. Spellcasting ability Charisma (save DC 16), no material components: at will disguise self; 1/day bestow curse. Use their 2024 casting times, ranges and concentration rules. A disguise never changes her physical reach or actual size.
Legendary Actions
Black Annis has 2 Legendary Action points and regains all spent points at the start of each of her turns. Immediately after another creature’s turn, she can spend points on one option: Stalk (1 point): move up to half her Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks; Claw (2 points): make one Iron Claw attack. She cannot take Legendary Actions while Incapacitated.
Bower Lair Action (optional)
On initiative count 20 (losing ties), sandstone grit lightly obscures a 20-foot-radius part of her cave until the same count on the next round. Opening the outside shutter or a sufficient gust clears it. This belongs only to Black Annis’s cave; it is not a general Annis regional effect.
Conversion note: The threat and CR are original design values, not an official SRD 5.2.1 monster; confirm the difficulty against the actual party.
Black Annis — D&D 2014
Original 2014-compatible named boss · Large fey, chaotic evil · provisional CR 9 (5,000 XP) · Proficiency +4
Armor Class 18 (natural armor) · Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64) · Speed 40 ft.
Saving Throws Str +10, Con +8, Wis +7 · Skills Deception +8, Intimidation +8, Perception +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17 · Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan
Attack bonus +10 · Spell save DC 16
Traits
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Black Annis fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Iron Grip. A claw hit grapples a Large or smaller creature (escape DC 18). She can hold one creature this way. The grapple ends if she releases it or is incapacitated.
Actions
Multiattack. Black Annis makes two Iron Claw attacks, or one Iron Claw attack and uses Nightmare Gaze.
Iron Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage. A Large or smaller target is grappled (escape DC 18) if she is not already holding another target.
Nightmare Gaze. One creature Black Annis can see within 30 ft. makes a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure it is frightened until the end of its next turn. On a success it is unaffected.
Innate Spellcasting. Charisma is her spellcasting ability (save DC 16). She casts disguise self at will and bestow curse once per day, with their ordinary 2014 casting times and concentration rules; no material components. Her illusion does not change her actual reach or size.
Legendary Actions
She has 2 legendary actions, regained at the start of her turn, and takes only one option at the end of another creature’s turn. Stalk (cost 1): Move up to half her speed without provoking opportunity attacks. Claw (cost 2): Make one Iron Claw attack. She cannot use these while incapacitated.
Bower Lair Action (optional)
On initiative count 20 (losing ties), sandstone grit lightly obscures a 20-foot-radius part of the cave until that count next round. Opening the outside shutter or a gust clears it. This is a local hazard, not a species-wide ability.
Conversion note: Adapted from the previously published Black Annis encounter on this page, still an original and untested CR estimate, not the published non-SRD Annis Hag.
Black Annis — Pathfinder 1e
Original advanced named variant of Paizo’s Annis Hag · CR 9 provisional (XP 6,400) · CE Large monstrous humanoid · 12 racial HD
Init +6 · Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 23 (−1 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural) · hp 126 (12d10 + 60)
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +11 · DR 5/bludgeoning · SR 20
Speed 40 ft. · Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.
Melee bite +20 (1d6+9), 2 claws +20 (1d6+9 plus grab) · Rend two claws (2d6+13)
Base Attack +12 · CMB +22 (+26 grapple with grab) · CMD 34
Statistics
Feats (6): Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack.
Skills: Bluff +18, Diplomacy +18, Intimidate +27, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20, Stealth +13. Languages: Common, Giant. Environment: the Dane Hills cave west of Leicester. Treasure: standard, with objects taken from captives.
Special Attacks
Grab (Ex). After a claw hits a Large or smaller target, Black Annis may make a free grapple combat manoeuvre at +26 without provoking. This uses Pathfinder’s grab special attack; she is not given a fifth-edition automatic grapple.
Rend (Ex). When both claws hit the same foe on her turn, add 2d6+13 slashing damage. Power Attack: she may take −4 on all melee attack rolls to add +8 damage to each natural primary attack until her next turn; the penalty and damage are optional and are not included in the printed numbers.
Nightmare Glare (Su). As a standard action, target one creature within 30 ft. that can see her. That creature makes a DC 19 Will save or becomes shaken for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect (DC = 10 + half racial HD + Cha). A creature that saves is immune to Black Annis’s glare for 24 hours.
Spell-Like Abilities: CL 12th; concentration +15; 3/day each alter self and fog cloud, 1/day bestow curse (Will DC 16). Use Pathfinder casting times, SR and spell rules. These are a named original upgrade to the published creature’s 3/day alter self and fog cloud.
Bower Environmental Hazard (optional)
On initiative count 20, a collapsing sandstone shelf fills one 20-foot-radius cave area with grit for 1 round, granting concealment (20% miss chance) through that cloud. An open exterior shutter or a strong gust clears it. Annis must spend a standard action to trigger this nonmagical trap; it has no free ‘legendary’ turn in Pathfinder.
Conversion note: The official CR 6 Annis is a separate panel above. All increased HD, attacks, abilities and boss powers here are original content with provisional CR 9.
Black Annis — D&D 3.5e
Original advanced named variant of the D&D 3.5 SRD Annis · CR 9 provisional · CE Large monstrous humanoid · 12 racial HD
Hit Dice 12d8 + 60 (114 hp) · Initiative +6 · Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class 25 (−1 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple +12/+25 · Space/Reach 10 ft./10 ft.
Attack claw +20 melee (1d6+9) · Full Attack two claws +20 melee (1d6+9) and bite +15 melee (1d6+4)
Special Attacks improved grab, rake (1d6+9), rend (2d6+13), nightmare glare, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities DR 5/bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., spell resistance 22 · Saves Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +11
Statistics
Skills: Bluff +18, Disguise +11 (+13 when acting in character), Hide +10, Intimidate +13, Listen +13, Spot +12. Feats (5): Alertness, Blind-Fight, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Power Attack. Languages: Common, Giant.
Environment: caves and the Dane Hills west of Leicester. Organization: unique solitary hag. Treasure: standard. Advancement: named original (not a default advancement rule for the SRD creature).
Special Attacks
Improved Grab (Ex). A claw hit against a Large or smaller opponent allows a free grapple attempt at +25 without provoking an attack of opportunity. Her two rake claws (1d6+9 each) are available against a grappled foe when the 3.5e Annis rules permit them. Do not add Pathfinder’s CMB/CMD to this version.
Rend (Ex). If both primary claw attacks hit the same target, the target takes an additional 2d6+13 damage. Power Attack: when attacking using natural weapons, she may take a penalty up to −12 on melee attack rolls and add the same number to each natural weapon’s damage roll; the printed attacks assume no Power Attack penalty.
Nightmare Glare (Su). As a standard action, target one creature that can see her within 30 ft. It must succeed on a DC 19 Will save or be shaken for 1d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear effect (DC = 10 + half racial HD + Cha); success grants immunity to this hag’s glare for 24 hours.
Spell-Like Abilities: caster level 12th; 3/day each disguise self and fog cloud; 1/day bestow curse (Will DC 16). Follow 3.5e spell-like ability action rules, including SR as appropriate. Her strengthened spell use is an original named-boss addition.
Bower Environmental Hazard (optional)
Black Annis can pull a hidden sandstone chain as a standard action, raising a 20-foot-radius dust cloud for 1 round. It grants concealment (20% miss chance) through the area; opening the exterior shutter or dispersing the dust ends it. She has no fifth-edition legendary actions in 3.5e.
Conversion note: The standard SRD Annis above stays CR 6 with DR 2/bludgeoning and SR 19. Her named values and provisional CR 9 are house content.
Adventure: The Ring in the Horse’s Bridle
A carter brings three horses into Leicester, but returns with two. At dawn, the third emerges from an abandoned quarry wearing its bridle backwards. A child’s ring is tied to the bit. It belongs to a missing child from a nearby farm, and the hag has planted it to make the household accuse a rival family.
The child is alive, imprisoned above the bower’s main passage. The group can follow the frightened horse, question the carter about the quarry, or keep watch for the hag’s disguised visits. A straightforward assault risks sealing the rescue route; a decoy or negotiation may free the child first. If Black Annis escapes, she knows which household sheltered the rescuers.
Explore the Hag’s World
The bestiary links below lead to rules, neighbours and encounters that genuinely extend this creature, rather than to a list of loosely related monsters.
Leicestershire
Leicester follows the consequences of Black Annis’s attacks on roads, markets and nearby farms. That location’s Black Annis section links back to this monster.
Other Hags
Hag covens offer group magic; Green Hag favours deception, Sea Hag stalks the shore, and Night Hag is a planar threat with different rules.
Adventure & Mechanics
Hansel and Gretel are separate folkloric hag hunters who can inspire a campaign elsewhere. See the Grappled condition or the Hag Claws feat for linked game material; they are not powers automatically granted to the Annis.
Other published options: Lesser Hag is a third-party template, Alley Hag belongs in cities, and the Winter Hag brings a different cold-climate antagonist. None is a free ability added to the Annis stat blocks.
Folklore and Game Sources
Local record: Story of Leicester — Black Annis and Dane Hills records the local tradition, a 1764 mention of Black Anny’s Bower Close and John Heyrick’s 1797 poem about the cave. For further variants see Kate Westwood’s Black Annis: Leicester Legend or Widespread Myths? and C. J. Billson’s 1895 collection of Leicestershire folklore. The Bower encounter and adventure on this page are original material for a fantasy Earth where the hag is real.
Older rules: D&D 3.5 SRD — Annis (OGL 1.0a); Pathfinder 1e Bestiary 3 — Annis Hag (Paizo, 2011, with Section 15 copyright notice). The fifth-edition editions here are expressly original conversions, not official fifth-edition monster entries.
Black Annis folklore videos (optional)
Existing relevant viewing: The Forgotten Terror of the Dane Hills · Folk Nights — Black Annis · One of Britain’s Most Disturbing Legends — Black Annis. Video playback has not been checked and these are folklore discussions, not primary rules sources.
Keep this reference growing
If this page helped with your reading or game, you can support its upkeep or explore the curated books.
Explore the Bookshop — epics, classics and stories behind imagined worlds.