Buy me a coffeeTaers: Guardians of the Frozen Peaks
“Meet the terrifying snow-beast with a deadly punch and a chilling secret: the Taer, a monstrous humanoid that rules the cold mountains!”
The Taer is a hulking, ape-like creature, towering over most humanoids with its shaggy, snow-white fur that provides protection against the extreme cold of its mountainous homeland. With a large, sloping head and icy blue eyes, its most striking feature is its strength, capable of delivering powerful slams and a vicious bite. Despite its intimidating appearance, the Taer’s behavior is primarily driven by territorial instincts. These creatures are fiercely protective of their domain and will attack intruders with raw aggression, though they typically prefer to drive off rather than kill. Their primitive communication is done through grunts, hoots, and body language, and they are notably superstitious, fearing metal and clothing, which they associate with bad omens.
The Taer thrives in cold, mountainous regions, typically residing in isolated caves or snow-covered ravines. These creatures often live in small nomadic clans that band together for mutual protection. Their survival skills are impressive: they utilize their knowledge of the terrain, triggering avalanches or ambushing prey by burrowing under snow. In combat, they are not above using environmental traps like snow pits or striking from surprise.
The Taer’s motivation is survival, driven by an instinctual need to protect their territory and their clan. Though they are omnivorous, their diet mainly consists of fruits, berries, insects, and small game like goats or rodents. Notably, they avoid hunting humans or humanoids, but they will not hesitate to attack if they feel threatened. Their tribal society is deeply spiritual, worshipping a snow god to whom they offer sacrifices for protection and guidance
Taer 5e
Taer Pathfinder
Taer
Medium Monstrosity (Cold), Neutral
Challenge Rating CR 4 (1,100 XP)
Armor Class: 15 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 90 (12d8 + 36)
Speed: 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 6 (-2) | 12 (+1) | 6 (-2) |
Saving Throws: Strength +6, Constitution +5
Skills: Perception +5, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities: Cold
Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages: Taer (primitive vocalizations and gestures)
Traits
Aura of Stench (Recharge 5-6): Creatures within 10 feet of the Taer at the start of their turn must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of their next turn. Creatures that succeed on this saving throw are immune to the aura for 24 hours.
Snow Camouflage: The Taer has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
Keen Senses: The Taer has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell or sight.
Actions
Multiattack: The Taer makes three attacks: two with its slams and one with its bite.
- Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. - Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 7 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage. - Thrown Spear: Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target.
Hit: 9 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage.
Snowbound Tactics (Recharge 5-6): The Taer stomps the ground or triggers its knowledge of snow to create an environmental hazard. All creatures within a 20-foot radius must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone as the ground becomes unstable. Snow-based hazards last until the start of the Taer’s next turn, and the area is considered difficult terrain.
Reactions
Glacial Fury: When the Taer takes fire damage, it can use its reaction to target a creature within 10 feet. The Taer slams the target with an icy fist, dealing 9 (2d6 + 4) cold damage.
Tactics
- The Taer begins combat by roaring and charging intruders, relying on Aura of Stench to weaken them.
- It prioritizes melee attacks using its Multiattack to overwhelm enemies.
- If surrounded, it uses Snowbound Tactics to create instability and gain the advantage.
- In snowy terrain, the Taer often buries itself in snow for an ambush, leaping into combat with surprise.
- Against fire-based attackers, the Taer remains defensive and uses Glacial Fury to retaliate.
Environment
Cold mountain ranges. Often found near icy caverns or desolate snowy expanses.
Taer
This hulking shaggy brute has a large sloping head, icy blue eyes, and an ape-like appearance. Its body is covered in thick snow-white fur and its hands end in powerful fists.
Taer CR 2
XP 600
N Medium monstrous humanoid (cold)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent; Perception +9; Aura stench (DC 13, 10 rounds)
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 25 (3d10+6 plus 3)
Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4
Immune cold
Weaknesses vulnerability to fire
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft.
Melee 2 slams +6 (1d4+3), bite +6 (1d4+3)
Ranged shortspear +5 (1d6+3)
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +3; CMB +6; CMD 18
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness
Skills Climb +8, Perception +9, Stealth +6
ECOLOGY
Environment cold mountains
Organization solitary, band (2-10), or clan (10-40)
Treasure 50% standard (2 shortspears plus other treasure)
Taer are shaggy, primitive, naked humanoids that may be related to the yeti. They resemble prehistoric humans but are more bestial and apelike. Their fur is coated with an oily, fatty substance excreted through the pores, which protects them from cold. Taer can see clearly even in heavy snowstorms due to a second transparent eyelid that protects the eye from blowing winds and heavy snow. Taer never wear clothing, although they do sometimes wear necklaces and bracelets of tooth and horn.
Taer do not have a formal language as such; they communicate with one another through grunts, hooting, and yelling, as well as a body language similar to that of apes.
Taer attack with their fists and bite, but occasionally use stone spears in combat. They are fierce creatures and very territorial, attacking any living creature that wanders into the area. Taer use their knowledge of the land to their advantage during combat by creating avalanches, burrowing under snow and attacking from surprise, and using snow-covered pits to trap their prey. They prefer to drive intruders off rather than kill them.
Taer Society
Taers are nomadic creatures that band together in clans for protection, hunting, and social reasons. During the day, adults hunt for food, which consists of fruits, berries, nuts, insects, and game (goat, sheep, rodents, and the like). Though they do eat meat, taer do not hunt or eat humans or humanoids. Taer are extremely superstitious and fear metal and clothing and those that use and wear them. No taer ever wields or wears items of cloth or metal. Taer clans worship a snow-god to whom they offer sacrifices for protection and guidance. Each clan has a large stone idol of this snow god that is often located in the very heart of the clan or near the clan leader’s cave.
Taer Characters
Taer characters possess the following racial traits.
- +6 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom, -4 Charisma.
- Cold Subtype: This grants taer immunity to cold and vulnerability to fire.
- Darkvision: Taer can see in the dark out to a range of 60 ft.
- Aura: Stench (see above).
- Racial Hit Dice: A taer begins with three levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 3d10 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +3, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +3, and Will +3.
- Racial Skills: A taer’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 3 x (4 + Int modifier).
- Racial Feats: A taer’s monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
- AC: +5 natural armor bonus.
- Speed: Taer have a base land speed of 50 ft.
- Natural Weapons: Taer can fight with 2 slam attacks that deal base 1d4 damage, as well as a bite attack that deals a base 1d4 damage. They are naturally proficient with clubs, shortspears, and spears.
- Languages: Taer begin play knowing only their own primitive vocalizations and gestures that pass for a language. Taer with an intelligence of at least 10 also begin knowing Common. Bonus languages for taer are Draconic, Giant, Goblin, and Orc.
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Taer from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene, based on original material by Gary Gygax.