Spirit Horse
It’s Mount Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest and that means that all week we will be riding high on all sorts of things you can ride high on. Of course, when one thinks of mounts, one most commonly thinks of horses. When one thinks of horses and monsters, naturally one thinks first of the mighty and terrible nightmare. In fact, most of the more powerful magical horse creatures tend to be evil or at least a little sinister (I never trusted that ebon steed figurine, either). So, in the spirit of breaking that mold, check out the spirit horse, a good-aligned equine creature that makes for a challenging encounter full of brazen charges and long-distance rushes, and which just might serve as a mount for the very greatest hero.
Spirit Horse
This majestic steed embodies all the finest equine qualities and moves with an unearthly grace, revealing its otherworldly nature.
SPIRIT HORSE CR 12
XP 19,200
NG Large outsider
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., spirit sight; Perception +28
DEFENSE
AC 27, touch 10, flat-footed 32 (+5 Dex, +13 natural, –1 size)
hp 152 (16d10+64)
Fort +13, Ref +15, Will +10
DR 10/evil; Immune curses, poison; SR 23
OFFENSE
Speed 120 ft., fly 40 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee 2 hooves +22 (2d6+7/19-20) and bite +22 (1d8+7)
Special Attacks dive bomb, heavenly charge, spirit hooves
Spell Like Abilities (CL 17th, concentration +24)
Constant—overland flight
At will—dimension door, etherealness, invisibility (self and rider only), water breathing
3/day—gaseous form, haste, heroism, searing light
1/day—greater teleport
STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 21, Cha 24
Base Atk +16; CMB +24; CMD 39
Feats Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Flyby Attack, Improved Critical (hooves), Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Toughness, Vital Strike
Skills Acrobatics +24, Diplomacy +26, Fly +30, Knowledge (planes) +21, Knowledge (religion) +21, Perception +28, Sense Motive +28, Swim +26
Languages Celestial, Common, Infernal
SQ great steed
ECOLOGY
Environment warm plains
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Dive Bomb (Ex): Whenever a spirit horse makes a charge attack against a target on the ground while flying, it gains a +4 bonus to hit, rather than the usual +2, and deals double damage on a successful hit (or triple damage on a critical hit).
Great Steed (Ex): A spirit horse is a rare and exceptional mount that grants its rider extra protection and improves his combat abilities. A good-aligned rider of a spirit horse gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 bonus on saving throws made to resist spells and effects of evil creatures. Additionally, attacks made from the back of a spirit horse deal and additional 1d6 points of damage and deal full damage against incorporeal creatures.
Heavenly Charge (Ex): A spirit horse can make a full attack as part of a charge action. Additionally, while charging, the spirit horse does not provoke attacks of opportunity for exiting a threatened square. Finally, a spirit horse does not suffer a penalty to its AC when charging.
Spirit Hooves (Ex): A creature of spirit itself, a spirit horse’s hoof attacks overcome damage reduction as though they were magical and good-aligned weapons. Additionally, the spirit horse’s hoof attacks deal full damage to incorporeal creatures and can confirm critical hits against incorporeal creatures.
Spirit Sight (Ex): A spirit horse’s sight goes beyond the mortal realm, and it can see invisible and ethereal creatures. Additionally, the spirit horse never suffers miss change due to concealment.
Ecology
The greatest and most faithful of horses never truly die; rather, they ride off into the sunset and literally ascend to the heavens, as their spirit leaves behind their mortal bodies. These spirits are powerful entities simply known as spirit horses, which possess bodies as strong as their souls and gallop across both mortal plains and ethereal ones. Generally content with their roaming existence, spirit horses occasionally feel called to rejoin the affairs of mankind.
Such spirit horses serve as guides for the lost, guardians for the outmatched, and mounts for the truly heroic and exceptional. Capable warriors and advisors, spirit horses usually appear only in times of great turmoil or strife and remain only until the crisis is resolved This tendency, along with their great powers, causes them to commonly be sources of legend and myth.