This foul creature appears more or less humanoid, but has mottled, decaying flesh drawn tight across clearly visible bones. It is mostly hairless and has a carnivore’s sharp teeth. Its eyes burn like hot coals in their sunken sockets.
Contents
Ghouls are said to be created upon the death of a living man or woman who savored the taste of the flesh of people. This assertion may or may not be true, but it does explain the disgusting behavior of these anthropophagous undead. Some believe that anyone of exceptional debauchery and wickedness runs the risk of becoming a ghoul. The transformation from living beings into fell things of the night has warped their minds, making them cunning and feral.
Unlike most undead, ghouls may be held at bay with a magic circle against evil spell. A ghoul must succeed on a Will saving throw against the spell’s save DC in order to cross the circle, or to make melee attacks against those within its bounds; if it fails, it cannot make any more attempts to breach that circle. (The ghoul may make ranged attacks into the circle without hindrance, however.)
Ghouls speak the languages they spoke in life (usually Common).
Ghoul
Ghouls haunt graveyards, battlefields, and other places rich with the carrion they hunger for. These terrible creatures lurk wherever the stench of death hangs heavy, ready to devour the unwary.
Combat
Ghouls try to attack with surprise whenever possible. They strike from behind tombstones and burst from shallow graves.
Ghoul
Medium undead
Init +2; Senses darkvision; Perception +6
Defense
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 15 (2d8+6)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +4
Vulnerable magic circle against evil
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +3 (1d6+1 plus paralysis), bite +3 (1d6+1 plus disease and paralysis)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 15, Con — (+3), Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Great Fortitude
Skills Acrobatics +3, Climb +5, Perception +6, Stealth +6, Swim +2
Languages Common (or any spoken in life)
Morale mercenary (+0)
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, gang (1d3+1), or pack (1d6+6)
Special Abilities
Disease (Su)
Ghoul fever
Bite—injury
save Fort DC 12
track physical
onset 1 day
frequency 1/day
cure 2 consecutive saves
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Paralysis (Ex)
Those hit by a ghoul’s bite or claw attack must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.
Ghast
Although these creatures look just like their lesser kin, they are far more deadly and cunning.
Ghast
Medium undead
Init +3; Senses darkvision; Perception +10
Aura stench 10 ft. (Fort DC 15; sickened 1d6+4 rounds), bolstering aura 30 ft. (+2 turn resistance)
Defense
AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 30 (4d8+12)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +6
Vulnerable magic circle against evil
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee 2 claws +7 (1d6+3 plus paralysis), bite +7 (1d6+3 plus disease and paralysis)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Statistics
Str 17, Dex 17, Con — (+3), Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 16
Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20
Feats Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +5, Climb +8, Perception +10, Stealth +8, Swim +5
Languages Common (or any spoken in life)
Morale intrepid (+2)
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary, gang (1d3+1), or pack (1d3+1 plus 1d6+6 ghouls)
Special Abilities
Bolstering Aura (Su)
The presence of a ghast emboldens nearby ghouls, making them more resistant to divine power. All ghouls within 30 feet of a ghast (including the ghast itself) gain +2 turn resistance (which applies as a modifier to the creatures’ saving throws against channeled energy).
Ghouls in the radius of a ghast’s bolstering aura (but not the ghast itself, nor other ghasts) also gain a +2 bonus to their morale.
These bonuses cease to apply if the ghast is successfully turned.
Disease (Su)
Ghoul fever
Bite—injury
save Fort DC 15
track physical
onset 1 day
frequency 1/day
cure 2 consecutive saves
A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is not under the control of any other ghouls, but it hungers for the flesh of the living and behaves like a normal ghoul in all respects. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast.
Paralysis (Ex)
Those hit by a ghast’s bite or claw attack must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds.
Stench (Ex)
The stink of death and corruption surrounding these creatures is overwhelming. Living creatures within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be sickened for 1d6+4 minutes. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same ghast’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.