Tangtal

Small white flecks cover its head, throat and neck, and shoulders, and its long, upward curving tail ends with a white tip. It stands on muscular legs with huge paws with sharpened claws.

Tangtal (CR 3)

Medium Magical Beast
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Initiative: +4
Senses: Darkvision 60feet, Low-Light Vision, Scent; Perception +8

Speed: 40 feet
Space: 5 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+4 Dex, +3 natural)
Hit Points: 22 (3d6+10)
Saving Throws: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2

Offense

Melee: bite +7 (1d6+3), 2 claws +7 (1d4+3)
Reach: 5 feet

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
16 (+3)	19 (+4)	15 (+2)	12 (+1)	13 (+1)	10 (+0)

Base Attack Bonus: +3
CMB +6
CMD 20 (24 vs. Trip)

Feats: Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Finesse

Skills: Perception +8, Stealth +9

Languages: Common, Sylvan

Special Qualities: duplicate

Special Abilities

Duplicate (Su)

As a standard action, a tangtal can create an effect similar to a mirror image spell (caster level 12th). This allows the tangtal to create up to eight images of itself. The images can move up to 30 feet away from the tangtal, but each must be within 10 feet of another image. The tangtal can use this ability once per day and it otherwise resembles the mirror image spell.

Ecology

Environment: Temperate Forests or Plains
Organization: solitary
Treasure: standard


Tangtals, or dupli-cats, are ferocious and intelligent panthers with the ability to produce illusory images of themselves. They roam haunted woodlands or plains and often lair near civilized areas. Tangtals are solitary creatures; no recorded encounter has ever placed more than one of these creatures together. Mating season is the only time more than one of these creatures is likely to be encountered and sages have argued as to exactly when tangtals mate. Tangtal young are unknown and none have ever been seen.

Tangtals are carnivores and prefer to dine on small animals such as rats, moles, squirrels, and so on. In such instances when food is scarce, it is not unheard of for a tangtal to sneak into a civilized area and carry off or kill chickens, hens, dogs, cats, and even small children. A tangtal is about 7 feet long from nose to tail and weighs about 350 to 400 pounds.

Tangtals wait for prey to come within range before leaping to attack with their wicked bite and sharpened claws. They use their duplicate ability as a defense mechanism against larger or stronger foes, or when they're outnumbered. Tangtals are smart enough to know when the day is lost, and if combat goes against them, they flee.

Copyright Notice Author Scott Greene.