Baku

This creature has the body of an elephant, but seems to be an amalgam of different animals. It has a pair of tusks that thrust upward from the lower jaw and curve backwards slightly, and a four-foot long trunk. Its forelegs are stout and similar to those of a rhino, while the rear legs are clawed and resemble a lion’s. The body and short tail are reptilian, and scaled with horny plates like those of a dragon.

Originally Posted by BOZ of the En World forums.

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The baku is a semi-elephantine creature of goodwill that moves invisibly through human communities. They like to dwell in tropical forests in small groups, though they are seldom spotted due to their invisibility. Their true home is the Outlands, but they travel frequently freely to the Material Plane. These beings are peace-loving by nature and dwell amongst humankind while seeking out Evil and serving their own interests.

A baku’s tusks are worth about 200 gp each, though most merchants would not dare touch such a purchase. Evil or especially greedy merchants might risk the wrath of other baku, though most would consider trafficking in tusks an atrocity or at least tasteless. A holy baku that hears of such trade will travel far to put a stop to it and give the tusks a decent burial.

A baku is 9 feet tall and weighs 8,500-9,000 pounds.

A baku speaks Celestial, Common, Elven, Sylvan, and Draconic.

Baku
Huge Outsider (Extraplanar, Good)
Hit Dice	12d8+60 (114 hp)
Initiative	+7
Speed	60 ft (12 squares)
Armor Class	22 (-2 size, +3 Dexterity, +11 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple	+12/+29
Attack	Gore +19 melee (3d6+9) or slam +19 melee (1d10+9)
Full Attack	Gore +19 melee (3d6+9) and 2 stamps +14 melee (2d6+4); or slam +19 melee (1d10+9)
Space/Reach	15 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks	Psionics, trample 3d6+13, trumpeting roar
Special Qualities	Darkvision 60 ft, prehensile trunk, Scent, spell-like ability, Spell Resistance 17
Saves	Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +13
Abilities	Strength 28, Dexterity 16, Constitution 21, Intelligence 17, Wisdom 16, Charisma 15
Skills	Bluff +15, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +21, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Intimidate +4, Jump +21, Knowledge (Arcana) +18, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Listen +18, Heal +16, Sense Motive +16, Spellcraft +20 (+22 scrolls), Spot +18, Survival +17 (+19 other planes), Use Magic Device +17 (+19 scrolls)
Feats	Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Magical Aptitude
Environment	Concordant Domain of the Outlands
Organization	Solitary or group (2-5)
Challenge Rating	12
Treasure	None
Alignment	Usually neutral good
Advancement	13-24 HD (Huge); 25-36 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment	—

COMBAT

Baku are timid, peaceful creatures, but are merciless against evil monsters that display their maliciousness. They move with stunning rapidity considering their size and bulk, attacking with their goring headbutt and stamping with their forelegs. Baku of high status often carry magical weapons, wands, or other powerful magic items in their trunks.

A baku’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Psionics (Sp): At will – astral projection, bull’s strength, Cat’s Grace, cure light wounds, detect evil, detect good, gaseous form, mind blank (self only), Neutralize poison, reduce person (self only), remove disease, speak with animals;

3/day – cure moderate wounds, etherealness, finger of death (DC 19), polymorph, Resist Energy, water breathing, water walk.

Effective caster level 7th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 25. The save DC is Strength-based.

Trumpeting Roar (Su): Once every 4 rounds, a baku can release a trumpeting roar. All creatures within 40 feet of the baku take 1d8 points of sonic damage and creatures of evil alignment must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the fear effect of the same baku’s trumpeting roar for 24 hours, but is not immune to additional sonic damage. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Prehensile Trunk (Ex): A baku can use its trunk as an extra “hand”. It can grasp melee weapons and use them in combat, although the normal penalties for using an off-hand weapon apply, and its trunk counts as a third hand for the purpose of the Multiweapon Fighting feat and all other feats for which it is a prerequisite. A baku can also utilize certain magic items with its trunk, such as wands, rods, and staffs.

A baku can also use its trunk to assist with grapple checks and Climb checks, gaining a +2 competence bonus on all such checks. A baku loses its slam attack when using its trunk for anything else.

Spell-Like Ability: At will – invisibility. Caster level 12th.

THE DARK ONES AND THE HOLY ONES

The vast majority of baku are good-willed creatures, though a few are of other alignments. A few baku are of neutral evil alignment, and known as “The Dark Ones” by others of their kind. These baku behave in the same manner as the good ones, but seek to disrupt the plans of their good brethren and cause suffering among humans. Dark Ones have the Evil subtype instead of the Good subtype (thus, their natural weapons are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction), and their trumpeting roar causes good creatures to become panicked instead of evil creatures.

A small minority of baku are of neutral alignment, and are known as “Great Ones” or “Holy Ones”. These baku are more intelligent than the others, and good baku reverently obey them. They have neither the Good nor Evil subtype, and their trumpeting roar can cause both good and evil creatures to become panicked on a failed Will save.

PSIONIC BAKU

If you use the Expanded Psionics Handbook in your game, alter the baku as follows:

Large Outsider (Extraplanar, Good, Psionic)

Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities, trample 3d6+13, trumpeting roar.

Skills: Bluff +15, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +21, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Intimidate +4, Jump +21, Knowledge (psionics) +18, Knowledge (the planes) +18, Listen +18, Heal +16, Sense Motive +16, Psicraft +20 (+22 power stones), Spot +18, Survival +17 (+19 other planes), Use Psionic Device +17 (+19 power stones)

Feats: Alertness, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Psionic Affinity

Substitute the following psi-like abilities for the psionic spell-like abilities given for the baku:

Psi-Like Abilities: At will – Animal Affinity, astral caravan, astral traveler (DC 13), body adjustment, body equilibrium, cloud mind (DC 14), compression, ectoplasmic form, empathic transfer, mind thrust (DC 13), psionic speak with animals, thought shield;

3/day – adapt body, aura sight, intellect fortress, metamorphosis, personal mind blank, psionic etherealness, psychic crush (DC 17).

Manifester level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

A baku that increases its psionic abilities by taking levels in a psionic class or by increasing its Hit Dice often chooses to learn from the following psionic
powers: conceal thoughts, danger sense, demoralize, dream travel, mental barrier, mindlink, telempathic projection, tower of iron will.

Originally found in Dragon Magazine #65 (“Featured Creatures,” September 1982, E. Gary Gygax), the first edition Monster Manual II (1983), The Complete Psionics Handbook (1991), and Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix I (1994).