Shadow Hopper

Shadow Hopper CR 8

XP 4,800
CN Medium magical beast (shapechanger)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16
Aura frightful presence (30 ft., DC 16)

DEFENSE

HP 122
EAC 20; KAC 22
Fort +12; Ref +12; Will +7
Defensive Abilities shadow hop
Weaknesses light blindness

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Melee bite +20 (3d4+10 P) or claw +20 (1d10+10 S)
Offensive Abilities create darkness

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +4; Con +1; Int +6; Wis +2; Cha +1
Skills Athletics +16, Disguise +16, Engineering +21
Languages shadowtongue; telepathy 60 ft.

Other Abilities change shape

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Change Shape (Su)

A shadow hopper can assume the appearance of a harmless-looking Small creature, usually a cute leporine animal with gray fur, floppy ears, large eyes, and a puffy tail. While in this form, it loses its frightful presence aura and the range of its shadow hop ability is doubled.

Shadow Hop (Su)

When a foe attacks a shadow hopper and misses, the shadow hopper can, as a reaction, teleport 30 feet away without provoking attacks of opportunity. The shadow hopper must begin and end this movement in areas of dim light or darker. This is a teleportation effect.

ECOLOGY

Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or umbra (3–5)

Shadow hoppers are rabbit-like creatures with charcoal-colored fur and vicious claws and teeth. Despite their terrifying appearance, shadow hoppers are generally peaceful and even quite playful. They spend the majority of their lives in their harmless-looking forms, which usually look like cuter and smaller versions of their standard shapes. Shadow hoppers prefer the company of other intelligent creatures and often dwell near rural settlements. While in their innocuous forms, some shadow hoppers allow people to “adopt” them as pets, though this usually ends in aggravation for that family, as shadow hoppers are inveterate tricksters.

Shadow hoppers enjoy playing pranks and causing general mischief: moving objects while no one is looking, taking small bites out of others’ food, telepathically whispering secrets to those around them, and occasionally sabotaging electronic devices. Their shenanigans are not typically meant to cause harm, but an overexcited shadow hopper can easily get carried away, especially when two or more work together to incite chaos. Sometimes, groups of shadow hoppers will gather to try to cause as much mischief and mayhem as they can in one night. Largely, though, shadow hoppers tend to be solitary creatures and don’t like to settle in areas where another shadow hopper already lives.

Scholars argue whether shadow hoppers are originally from the First World or the Shadow Plane, as they exhibit traits common to both fey and beings of shadow. Some believe shadow hoppers began their existence in one of these locations and somehow migrated to the other before coming to the Material Plane. Most shadow hoppers, however, refuse to speculate on their origins.