D20 Herbivores: Part II
The wizard bird isn’t much of a threat on its own, but they could leave characters fascinated and vulnerable to other creatures.
Wizard birds may be valuable as sources of material components or ingredients for potions or alchemical items. Their feathers may be particularly well suited to be used as quills for scribing illusion and enchantment spells.
The material enclosed in the box below is released via the Open Game License.
Wizard Bird
| Size/Type: | Medium Magical Beast |
| Hit Dice: | 3d10+3 (19 hp) |
| Initiative: | +5 |
| Speed: | 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 40 ft. (poor) |
| Armor Class: | 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: | +2/+3 |
| Attack: | Bite +3 melee (1d4+1) |
| Full Attack: | Bite +3 melee (1d4+1) |
| Space/Reach: | 5 ft./5 ft. |
| Special Attacks: | – |
| Special Qualities: | Darkvision 60′, Low-light vision, Hypnotic Dance |
| Saves: | Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +2 |
| Abilities: | Str 12, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 12 |
| Skills: | Listen +6, Spot +6 |
| Feats: | Alertness, Improved Initiative |
| Environment: | Warm plains |
| Organization: | Solitary, flight (4-9), or flock (10-40) |
| Challenge Rating: | 1 |
| Treasure: | None |
| Alignment: | Always neutral |
| Advancement: | 4-5 HD (Medium); 6-8 HD (Large) |
| Level Adjustment: | — |
These large birds resemble brightly-colored ostrich-sized turkeys. Their feathers are typically a deeply-hued blue or purple, with sharply contrasting striped patterns in yellow or orange on their wings. When they engage in their hypnotic dance, they wave their wings about, and the stripes seem to hover in the air.
Poor fliers, wizard birds typically on savannas in groups where they forage for bitter roots. They are not above opportunistically preying on insects or small animals, but they are not natural hunters.
When threatened, wizard birds usually perform their hypnotic dance as a distraction and flee. If they do not believe they can escape, they may seek out other prey animals and render them fascinated with their dance, leaving them as offerings to predators. Some particularly wily predators will follow flocks of wizard birds to take advantage of this.
Combat
Hypnotic Dance (Su)
As a standard action, a group of four or more wizard birds may begin a dance that acts as a the hypnotic pattern spell with a caster level equal to one half the number of dancing birds, maximum 10 (Will DC 12 negates). The fascinate effect lasts for a number of rounds after the completion of the dance equal to the caster level.
