Those who don’t understand the true nature of canomorphs often incorrectly identify them as fiendish lycanthropes. The canomorph is not a true lycanthrope; it is a fiendish hound (either a hell hound, vorr?, or shadow mastiff) that has learned to assume humanoid form.
Contents
Combat
Canomorphs have all the abilities and characteristics of their hound form (hell hound for haraknins, shadow mastiff for shadurakuls, or vorr for vultivors), plus class levels learned in their humanoid form. Canomorphs can change form at will from their hound form to a humanoid form—usually human, although other races are possible. They can infiltrate humanoid settlements in this guise, but often revert to their natural forms to attack.
Canomorphs
Senses darkvision, scent
Special Abilities
Change Shape (Su)
A canomorph can assume the form of any Small, Medium or Large humanoid. It retains the extraordinary attacks of its original form regardless of its new form. Changing shape to or from its original form requires a move action.
Command Fiendish Hound (Sp)
All canomorphs can use greater command at will against fiendish hounds of their associated kind (hell hounds for haraknins, shadow mastiffs for shadurakuls, and vorrs for vultivors). These creatures will never voluntarily attack a canomorph of the associated kind.
Shadurakul
This creature appear to be a barrel-chested human with inky, blue-black skin, no hair, and cold white eyes.
Contemptuous of the weak and defenseless, a shadurakul rarely bothers to conceal its true nature, counting on its strength and ruthlessness to overwhelm its foes.
A shadurakul’s favored class is fighter. Its racial hit dice count as fighter levels for the purpose of satisfying prerequisites or for determining the benefits gained from feats (e.g., Weapon Specialization).
Shadurakuls equip themselves with magical armor and weapons, forged on the Plane of Shadow. Such items lose one “plus” of their magical enhancement after a week’s exposure to the sunlight of the Material Plane. (A sword +2 becomes a sword +1, etc. A +1 item that suffers this fate becomes non-magical, though a masterwork item remains masterwork.)
Shadurakul
Statistics
Languages Infernal, Abyssal
Morale indomitable (+6)
Ecology
Environment Plane of Shadow
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (1d8+4)
Special Abilities
Bay (Su)
When a shadurakul howls or barks, all creatures within a 300-foot spread except evil outsiders must succeed at a Will save or become panicked for 1d4+1 rounds. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same mastiff’s bay for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based. If multiple shadurakul and/or shadow mastiffs bay together, only a single save is made by each affected creature, but the DC increases by 1 for each participating shadow mastiff or shadurakul.
Trip (Ex)
A shadurakul that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the shadurakul.
Shadow Blend (Su)
In any condition of illumination other than full daylight, a shadurakul disappears into the shadows, giving it total concealment (50% miss chance). Artificial illumination, even a light or continual flame spell, does not negate this ability; a daylight spell, however, does. A shadurakul can suspend or resume this ability as a free action.
Stow in Shadow (Su)
A shadurakul can stow a held item in its own shadow, or retrieve a stowed item from its shadow. Doing this is equivalent to sheathing or drawing a worn weapon, and works with any item that could be worn on the body (i.e., any item that is not too bulky or otherwise unwieldy).
Shadurakul (2nd-level ranger)
The shadurakul described here is based on an exceptional 2nd-level shadow mastiff ranger.
Combat
The shadurakul ranger is a remorseless and determined tracker who prefers to wear down its prey with relentless and unforgiving pursuit.
Shadurakul (2nd-level ranger)
Medium magical beast (extraplanar, shapechanger)
Init +6; Senses darkvision, scent; Perception +10
Defense
AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 18 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +4 armor)
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 natural) (hound form)
hp 61 (5d8+2d10+28)
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +4
Defenses shadow blend
Offense
Speed 30 ft. (50 ft. in hound form)
Melee bite +12 (1d8+7 plus trip) (hound form)
Melee katana +13/+8 (1d10+8/19–20)
Melee katana +11/+6 (1d10+14/19–20) (Power Attack)
Ranged blowgun +10 (1 plus poison)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks bay (Will DC 13)
Statistics
Str 21, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 10
Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 24 (28 vs. trip in hound form)
Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Spring Attack
Skills Climb +9, Perception +10, Spellcraft +4, Stealth +12, Survival +10 (+14 to track by scent)
Special Qualities favored enemy +2, wild empathy +2, combat style (two-handed weapon), stow in shadow
Ecology
Equipment katana +1, masterwork blowgun, poisoned blowgun needles (5), masterwork chain shirt
Shadurakul (4th-level fighter)
The shadurakul described here is based on an exceptional 4th-level shadow mastiff fighter.
Combat
A powerful and intimidating combatant, the shadurakul fighter favors direct and confident melee tactics.
Shadurakul (4th-level fighter)
Medium magical beast (extraplanar, shapechanger)
Init +7; Senses darkvision, scent; Perception +6
Defense
AC 26, touch 12, flat-footed 24 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +10 armor)
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +4 natural) (hound form)
hp 70 (5d8+4d10+36)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +5 (+6 vs. fear)
Defenses shadow blend
Offense
Speed 20 ft. (50 ft. in hound form)
Melee bite +16 (1d8+10 plus trip) (hound form)
Melee spiked chain +20/+15 (1d8+14)
Ranged javelin +13 (1d6+7)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (spiked chain)
Special Attacks bay (Will DC 14)
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +16 (+20 disarm or trip; +24 with spiked chain); CMD 29 (33 vs. disarm or trip)
Feats Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain), Weapon Focus (spiked chain), Weapon Specialization (spiked chain)
Skills Intimidate +15, Perception +6, Stealth +7, Survival +6 (+10 to track by scent)
Special Qualities bravery +1, armor training +1, stow in shadow
Ecology
Equipment spiked chain +2, masterwork javelins (10), full plate +1
Shadurakul (6th-level sorcerer)
The shadurakul described here is based on an exceptional 6th-level shadow mastiff sorcerer.
Combat
The shadurakul sorcerer favors spells that allow it to terrify and dominate its foes, not just destroy them.
Shadurakul (6th-level sorcerer)
Medium magical beast (extraplanar, shapechanger)
Init +7; Senses darkvision, scent; Perception +6
Defense
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +4 natural)
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +1 Dodge, +4 natural) (hound form)
hp 87 (5d8+6d6+44)
Fort +10 (+12 vs. poison), Ref +9, Will +9
Resist fire 5
Defenses shadow blend
Offense
Speed 30 ft. (50 ft. in hound form)
Melee bite +11 (1d8+4 plus trip) (hound form)
Melee staff +12 (1d6+5)
Melee touch +11 (by spell)
Ranged ranged touch +11 (by spell)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks bay (Will DC 19)
Spell-like Abilities
- 7/day—corrupting touch (shaken for 3 rounds, no save)
Spells Known (CL 10th)
- 0th (At will)—acid splash, arcane mark, detect magic, daze (DC 17), mage hand, spark, touch of fatigue (DC 17)
- 1st (7/day)—charm person (DC 19), mage armor, protection from goodB, shield, shocking grasp
- 2nd (6/day)—dust of twilight, scorching rayB, touch of idiocy
- 3rd (4/day)—vampiric touch
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +8; CMB +11; CMD 24 (28 vs. trip in hound form)
Feats Dodge, Ectoplasmic Spell, Eschew MaterialsB, Improved Initiative, Intensified Spell, Iron Will, Practiced Spellcaster
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +11, Spellcraft +8, Survival +6 (+10 to track by scent)
Special Qualities infernal bloodline, bloodline arcana (+2 to DC of charm spells), stow in shadow
Ecology
Equipment darkwood staff (as staff of striking plus wand of searing dark, 7 charges/day)