Barghest

Medium Fiend (Shapechanger), Neutral Evil

Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 84 (13d8 + 26)

Speed 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	8 (-1)

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Skills Deception +2, Perception +3, Stealth +5

Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning

Damage Immunities Lightning, Poison

Condition Immunities Poisoned

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13

Languages Common, Goblin

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

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Shapechanger. The barghest can use its action to polymorph into a goblin or back into its true form, which is a wolf-humanoid hybrid. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Keen Smell. The barghest has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Pack Tactics. The barghest has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the barghest’s allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated.

Regeneration. The barghest regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight. If the barghest takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the barghest’s next turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The barghest makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite (Wolf Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a humanoid, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be cursed with lycanthropy of the barghest’s choice.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Fiendish Charm (Recharge 5-6). The barghest targets one humanoid it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the barghest, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed until the end of the target’s next turn. The charmed target is friendly to the barghest and its allies. The barghest can’t have more than one target charmed at a time. If a charmed target is damaged by the barghest or its allies, the target regains its ability to see the barghest as a foe.

Summon Fiend (1/Day). The barghest magically calls 2d4 dretches or 1d2 bearded devils. The called creatures appear in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the barghest, act as allies of the barghest, and can’t summon other demons. They remain for 10 minutes, until they or the barghest dies, or until the barghest dismisses them as a bonus action.

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Legendary Actions

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

Move. The barghest moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Bite (Costs 2 Actions). The barghest makes one bite attack.

Fiendish Charm (Costs 3 Actions). The barghest uses its Fiendish Charm.

	Barghest	Barghest Greater
	Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful, Shapechanger)	Large Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar, Lawful, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice	6d8+6 (33 hp)	9d8+27 (67 hp)
Initiative	+6	+6
Speed	30 ft. (6 squares)	40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class	18 (+2 Dexterity, +6 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 16	20 (-1 size, +2 Dexterity, +9 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple	+6/+9	+9/+18
Attack	Bite +9 melee (1d6+3)	Bite +13 melee (1d8+5)
Full Attack	Bite +9 melee (1d6+3) and 2 claws +4 melee (1d4+1)	Bite +13 melee (1d8+5) and 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Spell-like abilities, feed	Spell-like abilities, feed
Special Qualities	Change shape, damage reduction 5/magic, Darkvision 60 ft., Scent	Change shape, damage reduction 10/magic, Darkvision 60 ft., Scent
Saves	Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +7	Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +10
Abilities	Strength 17, Dexterity 15, Constitution 13, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 14, Charisma 14	Strength 20, Dexterity 15, Constitution 16, Intelligence 18, Wisdom 18, Charisma 18
Skills	Bluff +11, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Hide +11*, Intimidate +13, Jump +12, Listen +11, Move Silently +10, Search +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +11, Survival +11 (+13 following tracks)	Bluff +16, Climb +17, Concentration +15, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Hide +10*, Intimidate +18, Jump +21, Listen +16, Move Silently +14, Sense Motive +16, Spot +16 Survival +16 (+18 following tracks), Tumble +16
Feats	Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Track	Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Track
Environment	An evil-aligned plane	An evil-aligned plane
Organization	Solitary or pack (3-6)	Solitary or pack (3-6)
Challenge Rating	4	5
Treasure	Double standard	Double standard
Alignment	Always lawful evil	Always lawful evil
Advancement	Special (see below)	Special (see below)
Level Adjustment	–	–

A full-grown barghest is about 6 feet long and weighs 180 pounds, there eyes glow orange when the creature becomes excited.

They speak Goblin, Worg, and Infernal.

Combat

They can claw and bite, no matter what their form, and usually disdain weapons. Though they love killing, they have little stomach for direct combat and attack from ambush whenever possible. Barghests start a combat by using crushing despair and charm monster to keep opponents off Balance. They try to stay away from the enemy’s main strength.

A barghest’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned and lawful-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Its natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Spell-Like Abilities

• At will-blink, levitate, misdirection (DC 14), rage (DC 15);
• 1/day-charm monster (DC 16), crushing despair (DC 16), dimension door.

Caster level equals the barghest’s HD.

The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Feed (Su): When a barghest slays a humanoid opponent, it can feed on the corpse, devouring both flesh and life force, as a full-round action. Feeding destroys the victim’s body and prevents any form of raising or resurrection that requires part of the corpse. There is a 50% chance that a wish, miracle, or true resurrection spell can restore a devoured victim to life. Check once for each destroyed creature. If the check fails, the creature cannot be brought back to life by mortal magic.

A barghest advances in Hit Dice by consuming corpses in this fashion. For every three suitable corpses one devours, it gains 1 Hit Die, and its Strength, Constitution, and natural armor increase by +1. Its attack bonus and saves improve as normal for an outsider of its Hit Dice, and it gains skill points, feats, and ability score improvements normally.

The barghest only advances by consuming the corpses of creatures whose Hit Dice or levels are equal to or greater than its own current total. A barghest that reaches 9 Hit Dice through feeding immediately becomes a greater barghest upon completion of the act.

Change Shape (Su): A barghest can assume the shape of a goblin or a wolf as a standard action. In goblin form, a barghest cannot use its natural weapons but can wield weapons and wear armor. In wolf form, a barghest loses its claw attacks but retains its bite attack.

Pass without trace (Ex): A barghest in wolf form can use pass without trace (as the spell) as a free action.

Skills: *A barghest in wolf form gains a +4 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Greater Barghest

A barghest that reaches 9 Hit Dice through feeding becomes a greater barghest. These creatures can change shape into a goblinlike creature of Large size (about 8 feet tall and 400 pounds) or a dire wolf. In goblin form, a greater barghest cannot use its natural weapons but can wield weapons and wear armor. In dire wolf form, a greater barghest loses its claw attacks but retains its bite attack.

A greater barghest can reach a maximum of 18 Hit Dice through feeding.

Spell-Like Abilities

In addition to the spelllike abilities all barghests possess, a greater barghest gains the following abilities.

• At will-invisibility sphere;
• 1/day-mass bull’s strength, mass enlarge.

Caster level equals the greater barghest’s HD.

Combat

Occasionally, a greater barghest uses a magic two-handed weapon in combat instead of its claws, giving it multiple attacks (attack bonus +13/+8). It can also make one bite attack (attack bonus +8) each round. The save DC against a greater barghest’s spell-like abilities is 14 + spell level.

BARGHEST LORE

Originally posted by Eric Cagle

Evandar_TAybara of the Wizards Community forums.

On this Thread

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (The planes) can learn more about barghests. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (The planes)
DC	Result
16	This lupine fiend is a barghest, a hybrid between goblin and wolf. This result reveals all outsider traits and the shapechanger subtype.
21	A barghest can change its shape, turning into either a goblin or a wolf. It has damage reduction, but it is vulnerable to magic weapons.
26	Barghests can use the following as spell-like abilities: Blink , charm monster, crushing despair, dimension door, levitate, Misdirection, and rage.
31	When a barghest slays a humanoid opponent, it feasts on both the body and soul, making it extremely difficult to bring the creature back to life even with powerful spells such as true resurrection, miracle, or wish. Those that consume enough corpses grow into powerful versions called greater barghests.