Monster Encyclopaedia II: The Dark Bestiary
| Author | J. C. Alvarez |
| Publisher | Mongoose Publishing |
| Publish date | 2005 |
| OGL Section 15 | me2 |
The material below is Open Game Content
Dreadrider
Medium Fey
Hit Dice: 12d6+36 (78 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 27 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection, +6 +1 chainmail, +3 +1 heavy shield), touch 18, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+9
Attack: Sword of sorrow +12 melee (1d10+5/19-20 plus sorrow)
Full Attack: Sword of sorrow +12/+7 melee (1d10+5/19-20 plus sorrow)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Bitter aura, dismal presence, spell-like abilities, spells, sword of sorrow, wind of doom
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron or magic, daylight powerlessness, etherealness, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +11
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 19, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 19
Skills: Concentration +18, Intimidate +19, Listen +18, Move Silently +14, Ride +19, Search +17, Spot +18, Survival +18 (+20 following tracks)
Feats: Ability Focus (dismal presence), Improved Initiative, Mounted CombatB, Track, Trample, Weapon Focus (bastard sword)
Environment: Cold forests and marshes
Organisation: Rider (one plus 1 beastagore, 1 fiendish horse or 1 horse horror)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 13-24 HD (Medium), 25-36 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +6
Your heart fills with an indescribable sense of despair as the rider approaches. As you see the fluttering mane of its grey horse, its dark hooded cloak flapping in the increasingly chill wind and its eyeless face mouthing silent words of gloom, you come to the realisation life is not worth living – not anymore…
A dreadrider is a fearsome spirit bringing grief, misery and cold wherever it goes. It looks as a powerfully built armoured warrior, riding an evil steed – usually a beastagore, fiendish horse or horse horror – and carrying a bastard sword made of dull black metal. The being’s features, even the helmet covering them, are partially hidden from view by the hood of a large, imposing grey-black cloak. The temperature lowers in the dreadrider’s presence, so the weather around it always seems to be the same dreary, snow-less, windy winter.
Dreadriders speak Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Infernal and Sylvan.
Combat
A dreadrider waits until its spells and depressing abilities take the fight out of its opponents before closing in for the kill with its sword of sorrow. Besides this sword, a dreadrider wears a suit of +1 chainmail and a +1 heavy steel shield. When a dreadrider is killed, its body dissipates into nothingness and the world actually feels like a better place. A dreadrider’s sword and armour dissipate into nothingness when their owner dies.
Bitter Aura (Su): The very presence of a dreadrider lowers the ambient temperature and causes an ill wind to rise in the area. The environment in a radius of 100 feet from the dreadrider becomes cold and windy, with the temperature lowering by 10ºF and the wind force increasing by one step (usually to moderate). Creatures in the area must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) each minute or suffer 1d6 points of nonlethal damage and become fatigued. The fatigued state lasts until the nonlethal damage is healed.
Dismal Presence (Sp): Creatures within 30 feet of a dreadrider, whether aware of its presence or not, must succeed at a Will save (DC 22, Charisma based) each round or be affected as per a crushing despair spell at caster level 12th. A creature that succeeds at this save cannot be affected by the same dreadrider’s dismal presence ability for the next 24 hours.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will–cause fear (DC 15), death knell (DC 16), desecrate, protection from good; 3/day– animate dead; 1/day–dispel good (DC 19), slay living (DC 19), unholy blight (DC 18). Caster level 12th. Save DCs are Charisma based.
Spells: A dreadrider can cast arcane spells as a 12th level bard. Save DCs are Charisma based.
Typical Bard Spells Known (3/4/4/4/3); save DC 14 + spell level):
0–dancing lights, daze, ghost sound, lullaby, mage hand, message; 1st–cause fear, lesser confusion, magic mouth, sleep; 2nd–blur, enthral, scare, whispering wind; 3rd– confusion, crushing despair, fear, slow; 4th–hallucinatory terrain, modify memory, shout.
Sword of Sorrow: A dreadrider carries a sword of sorrow, a magical bastard sword made of black silver. This weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus, plus any creature successfully hit by it must succeed on a Will save (DC 16, Charisma based) or gain one negative level and slump to the ground in despair (treat as stunned) for 1d3 rounds.
Wind of Doom (Su): Once per day, a dreadrider can cause a moderate chilling breeze to blow through the forest. This is a waft of magical air, 30 feet wide and 30 feet high, which may travel for up to one mile in any direction the dreadrider commands, at a speed of ten miles per hour. Creatures touched by this breeze must succeed on a Will save (DC 20, Charisma based) or suffer a –2 penalty to all saves for 24 hours.
Daylight Powerlessness (Ex): A dreadrider is forced to hide from the light of day. Light equal to that of the sun or a daylight spell negates the ongoing effects of all of a dreadrider’s spell-like and supernatural abilities. Furthermore, when in the presence of light equal or greater to a daylight spell, a dreadrider cannot take any action other than fleeing at its highest speed, plus it loses its deflection bonus to Armour Class, which receives an additional –4 penalty.
Incorporeality (Su): A dreadrider can become incorporeal at will, gaining the incorporeal subtype while in this state. While in incorporeal form, a dreadrider cannot affect or be affected by the physical world. The only ability of the dreadrider that works on material targets is its dismal presence. An incorporeal dreadrider can use all of its physical attacks, spells and special attacks against other incorporeal targets.
