Buy me a coffeeGiant Owl, Watcher of the Moonlit Skies
“Meet the 18-foot-tall, telepathic owl that sees through illusions and could be your next epic mount!”
Towering at 18 feet tall with a 30-foot wingspan, the Giant Owl is a breathtaking spectacle of nature’s majesty. Its plumage, a seamless blend of deep umber, twilight gray, and ivory, allows it to vanish against the dense canopy of its woodland home. Eyes like pools of liquid gold pierce the darkness, reflecting hidden wisdom and an uncanny awareness of its surroundings. Despite its massive size, it moves with an eerie, near-supernatural silence, its enormous wings gliding effortlessly through the air.
Behavior
The Giant Owl is a watcher, not a warrior, preferring observation over interference. With a deep sense of wisdom and detachment, it sees itself as the silent guardian of the forest, keeping a keen eye on all who enter its domain. It communicates in telepathic whispers to animals and trusted allies, rarely deigning to speak unless necessary. Though capable of delivering devastating strikes with razor-sharp talons, it prefers nonviolent resolutions, using its piercing stare to unravel illusions and falsehoods before engaging.
Habitat
These colossal raptors nest in ancient, towering trees or secluded mountain caves, always selecting a vantage point that grants them an unparalleled view of their surroundings. Their territories span vast stretches of temperate forests, where they maintain an extensive network of animal informants—foxes, songbirds, and even mischievous squirrels—that feed them information about disturbances in the land.
Modus Operandi
The Giant Owl operates as an unseen sentinel, tracking intruders with silent precision. It favors aerial reconnaissance, circling unseen above potential threats before deciding whether to act. When it does intervene, it does so with a calculated, almost regal efficiency—snatching up a trespasser, dropping cryptic telepathic warnings, or, if absolutely necessary, unleashing its deadly claws in swift, brutal strikes. It does not waste energy on petty conflicts but will fiercely defend its domain against true threats.
Motivation
Driven by an innate sense of order and duty, the Giant Owl seeks to maintain balance in its domain. It does not tolerate reckless destruction or malevolent forces that seek to twist nature’s harmony. Rather than forming attachments, it builds alliances based on respect, offering guidance to those it deems worthy. While it rarely takes on a rider, it may allow a trusted companion to mount it—so long as they share its values of wisdom, vigilance, and unwavering integrity.
The Giant Owl is more than a beast—it is a legend in the making, a silent guardian of the wild, and an ancient mind that sees beyond mere mortals.
Giant Owl 5e
Giant Owl Pathfinder
Giant Owl, Watcher of the Moonlit Skies
Huge Beast, Neutral Good
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64)
Speed 20 ft., Fly 80 ft. (Hover)
CR 14 (11,500 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws Dex +8, Wis +10, Con +9
Skills Perception +14, Stealth +9, Insight +12, Survival +10
Damage Resistances Cold, Lightning
Damage Immunities Psychic
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened
Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 24
Languages Understands Common, Sylvan, and Elvish; communicates telepathically within 120 ft.
Innate Spellcasting
The Giant Owl’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:
- At will: Detect Magic, Speak with Animals, Pass Without Trace
- 3/day each: Gust of Wind, See Invisibility, Calm Emotions
- 1/day each: True Seeing, Control Weather
Guardian of the Wilds
This majestic owl is a sentinel of nature, intervening only when the balance of its ancient forest is disturbed. Its presence commands respect from all creatures and shapes the battlefield with strategic precision.
Actions
Multiattack.
The Giant Owl makes two attacks: one with its Talons and one with its Wing Buffet.
- Talon Strike.Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
- Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) slashing damage.
- Grapple: If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or become grappled (escape DC 19). While grappled, the target is restrained until the grapple ends.
- Wing Buffet.Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., affecting all creatures in a 15-foot cone.
- Hit: 18 (3d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage.
- Effect: Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet back and knocked prone.
Piercing Stare. (Recharge 5–6)
The Giant Owl locks its gaze on one creature within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become paralyzed for 1 minute as an overwhelming sense of ancient judgment takes hold. The target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Legendary Actions (3 per round, taken at the end of another creature’s turn)
The Giant Owl can take the following Legendary Actions:
- Silent Wings (1 Action): The Giant Owl moves up to 30 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Watchful Eyes (1 Action): The owl uses Detect Magic or See Invisibility.
- Sky’s Wrath (2 Actions): The owl beats its massive wings, generating a localized storm. All creatures within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and blinded until the end of their next turn.
Mythic Actions (Optional; Triggered When Reduced to 0 HP for the First Time)
When the Giant Owl is reduced to 0 HP, it does not fall. Instead, it erupts in a burst of magical energy and regains 80 hit points, entering Mythic Form for 1 minute. While in Mythic Form, it gains the following enhancements:
- Wings of the Tempest: Its Wing Buffet now covers a 30-foot cone and pushes all affected creatures 30 feet away.
- Judgment Stare: (Recharge 5–6) Its Piercing Stare now stuns affected creatures for 1 minute, with a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw to resist.
Combat Tactics
- Aerial Ambush: Utilizing its hover ability and silent flight, the owl initiates combat from above, striking unsuspecting foes.
- Grapple & Remove: It may grapple a high-priority target with its Talon Strike and lift it to disrupt enemy lines.
- Control the Battlefield: By using Wing Buffet and Sky’s Wrath, it forces foes into unfavorable positions and restricts their movement.
- Focus Fire: It uses Piercing Stare to temporarily neutralize key threats, then follows up with precise melee attacks.
- Tactical Retreat: If sustaining damage, the owl can reposition using Silent Wings, avoiding opportunity attacks while continuing to dictate the pace of combat.
Treasure and Lore
- Relics of the Wild: The owl’s nesting grounds often contain ancient relics and enchanted items from bygone eras.
- Magical Feathers: Feathers harvested from this creature are prized for their use in high-level scrying or flight enchantments.
- Legendary Eggs: Rare eggs (valued at 5,000 gp each) may hatch into sapient owls capable of spellcasting and communication.
“The Giant Owl does not hunt for sport but stands as an ageless guardian. Disturb its realm, and you invite not only its wrath but the fury of the ancient wilds.”
— Eltharion, High Druid of the Verdant Order
Giant Owl
This enormous owl has a silent gracefulness and wisdom about it despite its considerable size.
[This content was created for the Pathfinder rules by Paizo Publishing LLC and is part of the Pathfinder RPG product line.]
The noble giant owl roosts in the tallest trees or in high caves near its forest home. No mere animals, giant owls pride themselves as intellectuals and keen judges of character. Little passes a giant owl’s notice in its home forest. What it doesn’t observe directly, it learns from its wide network of animal informants. Giant owls view themselves more as watchers than participants, rarely interfering in the affairs of others barring a threat to their homes. Giant owls stand 18 feet tall and have 30-foot wingspans, yet they rarely weigh over 600 pounds.
| Giant Owl CR 5 |
| XP 1,600 LN Huge magical beast Init +5; Senses Low-Light Vision; Perception +17 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dexterity, +8 natural, -2 size) hp 57 (6d10+24) Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +5 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 10 ft., Fly 60 ft. (average) Melee 2 claws +9 (2d6+5) Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 20, Dexterity 15, Constitution 18, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 17, Charisma 9 Base Atk +6; CMB +13; CMD 25 Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Improved Disarm Skills Fly +11, Knowledge (geography) +10, Knowledge (history) +10, Knowledge (nature) +10, Perception +17, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Fly, +4 on all Knowledge skills, +4 Perception, +8 Stealth Languages Sylvan (cannot speak); animal telepathy (30 ft.) SQ insightful senses, piercing stare |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Animal Telepathy (Su) A giant owl can telepathically communicate with other animals as if under the effects of speak with animals. Insightful Senses (Su) A giant owl’s senses are particularly well honed to sensing danger or locating prey. It adds its Wisdom modifier as an insight bonus (+3 for most giant owls) on its initiative checks. Piercing Stare (Su) Up to three times per day as a swift action, a giant owl can gain the effects of true seeing (as the spell) for 1 round. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment temperate forests Organization solitary or pair Treasure none |
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.
Ultimate Equipment Guide II
Author Greg Lynch, J. C. Alvarez
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2005
These enormous birds are among the most common aerial mounts, though they are unlikely to serve an evil master. The amazing range of the creatures Low-Light
Vision makes this mount extremely useful for nighttime scouting.
Eggs
For those beasts that are hatched from eggs, buying one as an egg is the cheapest means of procuring one. Additionally, being with the creature from the moment it hatches will help beast and owner bond. However, successfully raising an egg, keeping it viable until the creature within does hatch, is a difficult business, particularly with some of the more exotic beasts which require unusual and specific circumstances to incubate. The Beast Within does offer incubation services to its customers, making it far more likely the dearly-bought egg will survive to hatch.
Giant Owl Egg: 2,500 gp
Young
Purchasing a creature when it is young and immature is more expensive than purchasing it when it is still in the egg, but also has two distinct advantages. The first and most obvious is that the creature has already successfully hatched, while purchasing an egg means gambling the creature will survive. The second is that the creature is old enough to be trained, meaning it is much closer to being able to serve the buyer as a mount, pack animal or guardian beast.
Giant Owl Young: 4,000 gp
Training
Left untrained, a beast like a giant owl is worse than useless – it is dangerous. A skilled trainer is able to teach the creature to serve a human master, though the necessary training regimen varies wildly from creature to creature. The price listed for training includes any potential healing needs the trainer may have in the course of working with the beast.
Giant Owl Training: 1,000 gp