Menu Close

Bhuta

A creature from Indian mythology suitable for an Oriental Adventure campaign.  See a Seance of Bhoot for an alternate version I used in my game.


BHUTAd94af3be3f69eff3a2eb73b6ffc6c718
Medium undead, neutral evil
Armour Class 17 (painful memories)
Hit Points 147 (14d8 + 84)
Speed 0 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR 21 (+5)       DEX 15 (+2)       CON 22 (+6)
INT 15 (+2)        WIS 16 (+3)       CHA 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +7
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that are not crystal
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands all languages it knew in life but can’t speak
Challenge 11 (7,200)

Animal Master (1/day).  Animals are drawn to bhuta’s and bhuta’s can posses and dominate these creatures to use for their own ends.  This ability acts as a dominate monster spell but only affects animals.  Additionally, the bhuta may take control of an animal indefinitely if it fails DC 17 Wisdom save.

Ethereal Sight. The bhuta can see 60 feet into the Ethereal Plane when she is on the Material Plane, and vice versa.

Incorporeal Movement. The bhuta can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she ends its turn in side an object.

ACTIONS                                 
Multiattack. The bhuta makes three incorporeal claw attacks.

Incorporeal Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage plus 14 (4d6) necrotic.  The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw as the bhuta draws out the creatures’ blood through its wound.  On a failed save the creatures hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken and the bhuta heals that many hit points of damage. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Etherealness. The bhuta enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa. She is visible on the Material Plane while she is in the Border Ethereal, and vice versa, yet she can’t affect or be affected by anything on the other plane.

REACTION                      
Fade Away. In response to being hit the bhuta may use Etherealness.

DESCRIPTION                     
This ghostly apparition floats in the air on backward-facing feet. Her hands end in sharp talons, and her eyes glow with blue fire.

A bhuta is a ghostlike undead creature born of horrible death or murder in a natural setting. It is a manifestation of rage at the injustice of a death that interrupted important business or unsated desires. Doomed to haunt the wilderness within several miles of the site of its demise, a bhuta turns to the local fauna as tools for its vengeance.

A bhuta can appear in a variety of animalistic forms by using its veil ability, but its natural appearance is that of a bestial humanoid phantom that floats a foot above the ground as it moves. While bhutas are incorporeal, the touch of their claws creates horrific, bleeding wounds. A bhuta’s feet point backward. To disguise its nature, a bhuta can appear solid, manifesting in long robes that help disguise the fact that it floats and has strange feet. By means of its magic jar spell-like ability, a bhuta can also possess living animals to use as its minions; an animal possessed by a bhuta casts no shadow, and therefore prefers to lurk in heavily canopied or thicketed areas, waiting for the right time to strike out and attack intruders.

Animals find themselves attracted to bhutas, which use their spell-like abilities to manipulate such victims toward evil and deceptive ends. Bhutas generally avoid influencing animal companions or domesticated animals, for changes in behavior among such creatures can easily arouse suspicion and reveal a bhuta’s presence and influence.

A bhuta might have tasks it wishes to complete from its previous existence as a living creature, or it might work against those who slew its living form. This link to its past life is vague and compulsive rather than clear, unlike that of a ghost.

Bhutas who have no specific target for retribution still seek to trouble those living in or near their domains, coaxing passersby into accepting them as traveling companions and using their influence over animals as a testament to their benevolence. When invited to join a group, a bhuta can journey outside its normal territory. However, a bhuta’s hunger for living blood usually drives it to attack its companions before it wanders far.

Posted in 5e, Dungeons & Dragons, Monstrous Compendium, Oriental Adventures, The Valley of the Brain Collectors

Leave a Reply