Thunderbird (Spiritbeast)

## Introduction

*You can see it coming over the mountains, still many leagues away. At first, it appears to be nothing more than a dark cloud, but in the middle of it flashes of light burst, outlining an enormous bird in the middle of the cloud. It‘s feathers are glossy black, the only color on the creature is its bright yellow beak and talons. It beats its wings and a crack of thunder comes a half-second later as the elemental beast soars toward your camp.*

Thunderbirds are spirit beasts, one of four spirit animal beings held as sacred. These enormous eagles are spirits of sky, living embodiments of storms, and symbols of nature’s wrath in it’s purest form. Typically they don’t bother with the beings on the ground, flying high overhead and making nests in the clouds, but when they do strike it is a terrifying spectacle of elemental fury.

A thunderbird has a wingspan of about fifty feet, and measures about twenty feet from beak tip to tail-tip. They are fearsome creatures to behold when they dive from the storm clouds that follow them in a flurry of feathers, crackling lightning arcing across it’s glossy black body.

## Combat

A thunderbird is not a particularly intelligent foe, but it’s size, speed, elemental fury, and flight make it an extremely challenging enemy. Typically, it starts combat with thunderstrike, then follows in the next round with soaring storm. As it turns again, it uses thunderstrike, then alternates between diving charges, soaring storm, and thunderclap. It uses wingover to turn around quickly and line up to attack again. If the enemy is proving troublesome with ranged attacks, it will use storm bringer to render them useless.

* **Thunderstrike** As a standard action, a thunderbird can blast a target it can see with bolts of electricity from it’s flashing eyes. This is a ranged touch attack with a range of 250 feet. The bolts deal 20d8 points of damage, which is half electricity damage and half untyped damage. The target must make a fortitude save (DC 42) or be paralyzed for 2d6 rounds.
* **Soaring Storm** A Thunderbird is a storm made being. As a full-round action, a thunderbird may fly up to it’s speed, raining arcs of sizzling electricity down on those below. Any creature the thunderbird passes directly over, as long as they are within 60 feet of the thunderbird, must make a reflex save (DC 42) or be struck by an arc, taking 10d8 points of damage, half electricity and half untyped. A creature cannot be dealt this damage more than once in a single soaring storm, even if the thunderbird’s path takes it over the creature multiple times.
* **Thunderclap** A thunderbird can flap it’s wings powerfully, creating a deafening peal of thunder. As a standard action, the thunderbird flaps, creating a sonic shockwave. All creatures within 100 feet take 10d8 sonic damage and are deafened for 2d6 rounds. A creature may make a fortitude save (DC 42) to reduce the damage by half and negate the deafness.
* **Stormbringer** A thunderbird brings a fearsome electrical storm with it wherever it goes. All creatures within 1000 feet of the thunderbird must roll a d% each round at the beginning of the thunderbird‘s turn. On a result of a 1, that creature is the target of a lightning bolt, and must make a reflex save (DC 40) or take 10d8 electricity damage. In addition, a thunderbird can stir the storm to produce rain and wind as a move action. The rain and wind reduce visibility by three quarters, imposing a -8 penalty on perception checks and making ranged attacks impossible (except for siege weapons, which take a -4 penalty). The rain extinguishes unprotected flames automatically, and has a 50% chance to extinguish protected flames (such as lanterns). A thunderbird takes no penalty to fly checks in poor weather.
* **Cloudwalking** A thunderbird can treat clouds and fog as solid surfaces. This is a passive effect, but the thunderbird can suppress or resume this ability as a free action.
* **Hurricane Defense** A thunderbird’s wings stir the wind around it into a fearsome gale as it flies, granting it a +10 deflection bonus to AC against missile attacks.

## Stats

**Size/Type:** Colossal Outsider [Spirit Beast]

**Hit Dice:** 40d8+400 (580 hp)

**Initiative:** +19

**Speed:** 20 ft (4 squares), fly 200ft(Average)

**Armor Class:** 27 (-8 size,+15 dex, +10 Natural), touch 27, flat-footed 22

**Base Attack:** +40

**CMB/CMD:** +53/68

**Attack:** Bite +37 melee (4d6+5 plus 5d8 electricity) or Thunderstrike +47 ranged touch (20d8 electricity)

**Full Attack:** Bite +37 melee (4d6+5 plus 5d8 electricity) and 2 Talons +32 melee (4d6+2 plus 5d8 electricity)

**Space/Reach:** 30ft/20ft

**Special Attacks:** Soaring Storm, Thunderstrike, Thunderclap, Stormbringer

**Special Qualities:** Cloudwalking, Hurricane Guard, Immunity to electricity, Immunity to ability damage, ability drain, and death effects, DR 10/Cold Iron, Fast Healing 20

**Saves:** Fort +32, Ref +37, Will +32

**Abilities:** Str 20, Dex 40, Con 30, Int 2, Wis 30, Cha 30

**Skills:** Fly +55, Intimidate +50, Perception +50

**Feats:** Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Dodge, Mobility, Hover, Wingover, Spring Attack, Point-Blank Shot, Shot on the Run, Precise Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Ability Focus (thunderstrike, soaring storm,
thunderclap), Death from Above, Improved Natural Attack (talons)

**Environment:** Any (not underground)

**Organization:** Solitary or Pair

**Challenge Rating:** 20

**Treasure:** -

**Alignment:** TN

**Advancement:** -

**Level Adjustment:** -