Tanuki

Medium humanoid (tanuki, shapechanger), chaotic neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 133 (14d8+70)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	19 (+4)	18 (+4)	13 (+1)	14 (+2)	19 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +7, Cha +7
Skills Deception +7, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Tanuki
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Innate Spellcasting. The tanuki’s spell casting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: purify food and drink
  • 3/day each: creation
  • 1/day each: create food and water

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The tanuki makes five quarterstaff attacks.
• Quarterstaff (Tanuki Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
• Sake Affinity (3/Day). A tanuki can take a swig of sake from the gourd it always carries at its side. When it does so, it gains the effect of one of the following spells: divine favor, false life, haste. During the time the spell lasts, the tanuki is immune to fear. The tanuki could also use a swig of sake in order to spit it out in a flaming burst as if it were casting burning hands.
• Shapechanger. The tanuki can turn into a raccoon, retaining its stats and abilities. If it is in its raccoon form it can instead turn back into its tanuki form.

REACTIONS

• Drunken Master. Once per turn the tanuki can use its unpredictable nature to either make an opportunity attack against a creature that makes an attack against it or cause the an attack made against the tanuki to have disadvantage.

ABOUT

Jolly tricksters, tanukis love deceiving humanoids and other intelligent creatures. This mischief is usually harmless, but can turn spiteful in some situations. Popular folklore stories claim tanukis are the transformed souls of tools and housewares that were used for more than 100 years, a myth that probably results from tanukis’ ability to magically create or alter objects. A tanuki is 5 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds.

Master of Disguise. Mostly encountered in disguise, tanukis enjoy visiting humanoid settlements and interacting with the people. They usually visit taverns and eateries, joining in feasts and celebrations whenever possible. Tanukis always change their disguises and rarely visit the same town twice in the same month.

Prankster. Tanuki mischief becomes spiteful to those who defile nature. Hunters who kill for sport or those who log trees from the forest without seeding new ones find their weapons and tools transformed into bowls and teacups. Tanukis also put more effort into their pranks when the target is a braggart, a bully, or someone of poor moral character. They like to prank brooding types as well, always hoping to bring a smile to the hard faces of such dour folk. Because of their trickster nature, tanukis get along with many fey creatures.

Some tanukis even deal well with spirits, often helping them pass from this world.

Though rare, violent and morbid tanukis occasionally walk the lands, bringing suffering to those they encounter. Filled with spite, these evil tanukis pull sadistic pranks, and horror stories tell of tanukis killing old women and tricking their husbands into eating soups made from their flesh.