Celestial Giant Owl (3.5e Creature)

	Celestial Giant Owl
Size/Type:	Large Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice:	4d10+4 (26 hp)
Initiative:	+3
Speed:	10 ft. (2 squares), fly 70 ft. (average)
Armor Class:	15 (–1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple:	+4/+12
Attack:	Claw +7 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack:	2 claws +7 melee (1d6+4) and bite +2 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	—
Special Qualities:	Superior low-light vision, Darkvision 60ft., Resistance to acid, cold, and electricity 5, Damage Reduction 5/magic, Spell Resistance 9
Saves:	Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities:	Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills:	Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +17, Move Silently +8*, Spot +10
Feats:	Alertness, Wingover
Environment:	Temperate forests in any good-aligned plane
Organization:	Solitary, pair, or company (3–5)
Challenge Rating:	4
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Always good (any)
Advancement:	5–8 HD (Large); 9–12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment:	+2 (cohort)

Giant owls are nocturnal birds of prey, feared for their ability to hunt and attack in near silence. They are intelligent, and though naturally suspicious, sometimes associate with good creatures. A typical giant owl stands about 9 feet tall, has a wingspan of up to 20 feet, and resembles its smaller cousins in nearly every way except size.

Giant owls speak Common and Sylvan.

COMBAT

A giant owl attacks by gliding silently just a few feet above its prey and plunging to strike when directly overhead.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a celestial creature can make a normal melee attack to deal extra damage equal to its HD (maximum of +20) against an evil foe.

Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex): A giant owl can see five times as far as a human can in dim light.

Skills: Giant owls have a +8 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.

• When in flight, giant owls gain a +8 bonus on Move Silently checks.

TRAINING A GIANT OWL

Although intelligent, a giant owl requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, a giant owl must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly giant owl requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check. Riding a giant owl requires an exotic saddle. A giant owl can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Giant owl eggs are worth 2,500 gp apiece on the open market, while chicks are worth 4,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train a giant owl.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a giant owl is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds.

SEE WIKIPEDIA ENTRY: Owl

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