Therianthropic Beast

Large monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (natural)
Hit Points 263 (25d10+125)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	15 (+2)	21 (+5)	14 (+2)	17 (+3)	18 (+4)

Skills Perception +8, Stealth +8
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from weapons that aren’t silvered
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses blindsight 30ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 25
Languages Abyssal, Common, Sylvan
Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)

SPECIAL Traits

• Beast Empathy. The theranthropic beast can cast animal friendship at will (Wisdom save DC 19).
• Control Lycanthrope. The therianthropic beast can use its action to attempt to control any lycanthrope that it can see. The target must succeed on a DC 19 Charisma saving throw or become charmed. The beast has a telepathic link to all lycanthropes it has charmed and may issue commands through the link as a bonus action. Charmed lycanthropes must obey to the best of their ability. A charmed lycanthrope can attempt a new save each time it completes a long rest.
• Keen Senses. The therianthropic beast gains advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
• Magic Resistance. The therianthropic beast gains advantage on saves against spells and spelllike abilities.
• Shapechanger. The theranthropic beast can use its action to assume the hybrid or animal form of any type of lycanthrope whose blood it has tasted, or that of any Small, Medium, or Large beast it has consumed.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The therianthropic beast makes four attacks: two with its claws, one with its bite, and one with its tail.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) slashing damage. The therianthropic beast’s claw attacks are considered both magical and silvered.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) piercing damage. The therianthropic beast’s bite attack is considered both magical and silvered. If the target is a humanoid, celestial, fiend, or monstrosity it must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or contract a form of lycanthropy based on the form the therianthropic beast is currently in.
• Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Huge or smaller, it must make a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

ABOUT

An ape-bodied beast charges forward. Its arms are long, with oversized, humanlike hands. Its skull is a disturbing mix of wolf and man, and it seems barely covered in a thin layer of skin. Its body has patches of short wiry hair and areas of scales. A heavy tail drags behind it.

Therianthropic beasts are a horrifying mix of humanoid and beast, originally spawned from an Abyssal layer populated by fiendish animals and lycanthropes. They are not demons, although they are just as evil and destructive.

Therianthropic beasts see themselves as natural alphas to all werebeasts, and they seek to unite them into massive marauding packs.

Therianthropic beasts hunt nearly any creature simply for the challenge. They use their pack of controlled lycanthropes to distract, confuse, and soften up their target, before moving in for the kill. Their pride drives them to meet nearly any challenge, although they flee if badly outmatched.

Therianthropic beasts view humanoids as weak cattle that exist only to serve as food or to be “remade” with the gift of lycanthropy. It is rumored that some ancient therianthropic beasts can inflict the curse of lycanthropy onto other types of creatures, leading packs of shapeshifted demons and aberrations across the planes.