In this case the displacer beast woujld engage in hit and run and … Displacer beasts are more interesting mixed in with other enemy types, as their only form of offense is melee attacks, which are potent but not interesting enough to build an encounter around. They are, and you might be shocked to hear this, carnivores and they like to feast on the meat of whatever comes their way be it animal, monster, humanoid or even young dragons. The Ecology of the Displacer Beast, Dragon #109. Third Edition and 3.5 provided a new set of mechanics for the displacer beast in both the third edition and 3.5 Monster Manual (2000, 2003). Its entire body is covered in a short black fur, and its eyes glow a hellish green. They were usually about 9 feet long and weighed as much as 500 pounds, but the occasional mutant could be twice this size. [1], "Hunted at Sea" (2x100) Displacer Beasts want to fight in a big space where it can get the most value out of its speed. Keith’s book grounds villains in specificity, motivation, and tactics—so much so that players will love to hate ’em. One of the nice things about a creature that hasn’t changed that much over the editions is that you can drill down and take a look at every little aspect of the creature, so get ready for it! In the example to the left, a Displacer Beast can move from it's starting position to make a reach attack on the PC and leave without taking an Opportunity Attack. I guess it was too much trouble to ask the artist to adjust a few pixels. Check out the rest of the series here. Appearing: 2-5Armor Class: 4Move: 15”Hit Dice: 6% in Lair: 35%Treasure Type: DNo. Now, there is very little difference in the 3e Displacer Beast and past editions, and the biggest change for this alien-cat-horror monster is not what is different from the past editions and this edition, but rather what is different between 3e and 3.5e. One clarification is that displacer beasts prefer to hunt small game, but recognize all living things as prey. The young take 4 months for their displacement ability to work, signifying they are adults, and then the next 2 months they’ll learn how to hunt. Flank attack, if your DM is using that optional rule (Dungeon Master’s Guide page 251—I’m a fan, though some others aren’t)? A fellow PC using the Help action? of Attacks: 2 tentaclesDamage/Attack: 2-8/tentacle. Their Displacement ability is akin to a limited version of a free dodge action every round, and their Avoidance ability will devalue a significant portion of the ranged arsenal that PCs typically stock themselves with. The Displacer Beast is first introduced in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989) and then is reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). Examining combat roles, class features, party composition, positioning, debilitating conditions, attacking combinations, action economy, and the ever-important consideration of the best ways to run away, Live to Tell the Tale will help you get the most out of your character’s abilities. Speaking of packs, Displacer Beasts don’t stick to their families. While little lore changes for these kittens, we are given more detail about their life and societal structures. As both creatures of the Feywild and natural raiders, they will likely pick their battles in a dense forest or jungle, and they will often attack at night to get the most value from its darkvision. Since Disengage consumes its action, it won’t be able to attack this turn, but it will return to the fight on its next turn. Historically, Displacer Beasts roamed the twilight lands of the Feywild, and one can only imagine how terrifying that must have been for many of the other inhabitants of those lands. And while Displacer Beasts are not proficient in stealth, their +2 dex modifier and the fact that they live in places that encourage low visibility (and therefore advantage on stealth checks), they will be able to get the drop on PCs for surprise rounds from time to time. Quick Dive - How to Read the 1st Edition Stat Block, Dragonmarked Houses - House Phiarlan/House Thuranni, How to Make Friends and Succeed at Your Persuasion Check, Island Discovery 8 / Campaign Diary: Archipelago Adventures - Pt. Use the stat blocks of these foul fowl with the Pigeon Tactics on this blog! It makes it 10% harder to hit its wearer, whether by smiting or wand (add +2 to saving throws). Displacer Beasts want to fight in a big space where it can get the most value out of its speed. The displacer beasts were chased into the material plane by seelie fey and their blink dog companions, which is why displacer beasts hate blink dogs. There is no mention of an alpha male/female that controls the pack, which leads one to believe that each member of the pack is respected and the creatures understand, as a collective, that they are stronger together than they are alone - which is something that every party at the table could do to learn. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. Instead of causing a 50% miss chance, the displacement ability imposes disadvantage on all attack rolls.