Shadow Dire Bear

A looming shadow like that of a massive bear with claws like sickles rises before you.

Shadow Dire Bear (CR 10)

Large Undead (Incorporeal)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Initiative: +5
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet; Perception +11

Speed: Fly 40 feet (good)
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: (incorporeal) 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (partially corporeal) 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+2 deflection, +1 Dex, +1 dodge, -1 size) or (+1 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 90 (12d8+24 plus 12)
Saving Throws: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +9
Channel Resistance +2, Incorporeal
Immunity: undead traits

Offense

Melee: 3 Incorporeal touches +10 (1d6 Strength damage) or claw +19 (1d6+10 plus Grab) and bite +18 (1d8+10)
Reach: 5 feet

Special Attacks: create spawn

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
31 (+10)	13 (+1)	-	2 (-4)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)

Base Attack Bonus: +9
CMB +11 (Incorporeal) or +20 (partially corporeal)
CMD 24 (Incorporeal) or 32 (partially corporeal)

Feats: Dodge, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness, Weapon Focus (claw), Weapon Focus (incorporeal touch)

Skills: Fly +10, Perception +11, Stealth +4 (+8 dim light)

• Racial Modifiers: +4 Stealth in dim light (-4 in bright light)

Languages:

Special Qualities: partially corporeal

Special Abilities

Create Spawn (Su)

Any animal reduced to Strength 0 by a shadow dire bear becomes a shadow animal within 1d4 rounds. It is not under the control of its killer but attacks all living targets immediately.

Grab (Ex)

While partially corporeal, a shadow dire bear that hits with a claw attack can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. The grapple is lost if the shadow dire bear becomes incorporeal again. If the shadow sire bear gains a hold, it automatically deals bite damage each round that the hold is maintained.

Partially Corporeal (Su)

As a move action a shadow dire bear can become partially corporeal without provoking attacks of opportunity. It can likewise resume its incorporeal state as a move action without provoking attacks of opportunity. While in its partially corporeal state the shadow dire bear benefits from its natural armor and its Strength bonus for attacks and damage. In this state its attacks have a 20% chance to ignore natural armor, armor, and shields. Likewise, though attacks against it with magic weapons can hit normally, it can ignore damage from attacks with normal weapons from a corporeal source 50% of the time. It does not retain any of the other incorporeal traits while in this state.

Strength Damage (Su)

The touch of a shadow dire bear while incorporeal deals 1d6 points of Strength damage to a living creature. This is a negative energy effect. A creature dies if this Strength damage equals or exceeds its actual Strength score.

Ecology

Environment: Any
Organization: solitary
Treasure: none


A strange incarnation of sentient darkness and feral rage, this is an incorporeal form of a dire bear that resembles its earthly form in all other respects. Its origin lies in the strange result of a shadow's create spawn ability affecting an animal. How such an outcome occurred is anyone's guess, but sages in the lore of undeath have been unable to recreate it since. It is difficult to see in dark or gloomy places but is clearly visible in bright illumination.

Like a dire bear the shadow dire bear is over 12 feet long, but it is weightless except when partially corporeal when it weighs about 1,000 lb. A shadow dire bear attacks aggressively like its living counterparts with its incorporeal claws and bite alternating this with its grab and tearing claws as it becomes partially corporeal.

Credit Original author Greg A. Vaughan Originally appearing in Slumbering Tsar (© Frog God Games/ Greg A. Vaughan, 2012)