Monster Feats

Most of the following feats apply specifically to monsters, although some player characters might qualify for them (particularly Craft Construct).

Note that for the purposes of this site it was decided that a feat that wasn’t explicitly notated as a “monster feat” in the original source materials but which, by it’s prerequisites or other requirements, is exceptionally unlikely to be a viable choice for a player character was listed here. Such feats include those with a prerequisite of a type or subtype that are not normally player character options, such as the giant or fire subtypes. If characters can somehow gain these subtypes or otherwise do meet all of the prerequisites please consult with your GM to see if such feats are allowed for PCs in his or her campaign.

If you are building a new monster, note that each creature with an Intelligence score receives a number of feats equal to 1 + 1 per every 2 Hit Dice after the first (so, 1 at 1 HD, 2 at 3 HD, etc.). A creature must qualify to take a feat as normal.

See Table: Statistics Summary for a quick feat calculation chart for determining number of feats a creature should receive.

Feat Descriptions

Monster Feats are summarized on the table below. Note that the prerequisites and benefits of the feats on this table are abbreviated for ease of reference. See the feats description for full details.

The following format is used for all feat descriptions.

Feat Name: The feat’s name also indicates what subcategory, if any, the feat belongs to, and is followed by a basic description of what the feat does.

Prerequisite: A minimum ability score, another feat or feats, a minimum base attack bonus, a minimum number of ranks in one or more skills, or anything else required in order to take the feat. This entry is absent if a feat has no prerequisite. A feat may have more than one prerequisite.

Benefit: What the feat enables the character (“you” in the feat description) to do. If a character has the same feat more than once, its benefits do not stack unless indicated otherwise in the description.

Normal: What a character who does not have this feat is limited to or restricted from doing. If not having the feat causes no particular drawback, this entry is absent.

Special: Additional unusual facts about the feat.

Table: Monster Feats
Feat Name Category/Type Prerequisites Benefit Source
Ability Focus Monster Special attack One of this creature’s special attacks is particularly difficult to resist. PRG:B1
Ancestral Enmity Monster
Ankle Biter Combat, Monster Goblin, Escape Artist 1 rank Bite an opponent that targets you with a combat maneuver as an immediate action. PPC:Goblins
Awesome Blow Combat, Monster Str 25, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, size Large or larger This creature can send opponents flying. PRG:B1
Babau Rogue Talent Monster Dex 17, babau Choose one rogue talent that adds to sneak attacks (such as bleeding attack or slow reactions). PCS:DR
Battle Singer Monster Goblin, bardic performance class feature You can sing in goblin so your bardic performance inspire courage ability does not affect those who do not understand goblin. PPC:Goblins
Blasting Boulder Monster Smoking Boulder, BAB +13, heat rock special attack You can infuse rocks thrown as part of an attack action with volatile fire energies, adding one of the following effects to a thrown rock affected by your Smoking Boulder feat: Choking Smoke, Concussive Blast, Incendiary Explosion. PCS:Giants
Blood Feast Combat, Monster Bite attack Gain morale bonuses after biting living creatures PZO1135
Bouncing Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 4th or higher Failed spell-like ability bounces to another target PZO1135
Brain Eater Monster Ghoul, Int 17 Eat the brains of other creatures to gain a small bonus on skill checks and Will saves. PCh:CHR
Bullying Blow Monster Intimidate 1 rank, orc
Burn! Burn! Burn! Monster Goblin, Disable Device 1 rank You deal an extra 1d4 fire damage with non-magical or alchemical attacks (such as with torches or alchemical fire) and gain a +4 bonus to Reflex saves to avoid catching on fire or putting yourself out when on fire. PPC:Goblins
Civilized Ghoulishness Monster Ghoul, Cha 18 Learn how to better pass off as a living creature. PCh:CHR
Combat Distraction Monster Goblin, Acrobatics 1 rank, Escape Artist 1 rank Your antics in combat cause others to suffer a -2 penalty to Perception and Concentration checks. PPC:Goblins
Consume Essence Combat, Monster Base attack bonus +6; swallow whole universal monster ability; evil alignment; magical beast, outsider, or undead type Inflict negative levels on swallowed creatures. PZO1135
Consume Undeath Monster Nabasu, Con 23 As a full-round action, you can consume the animating force of any undead creature you have created with your death-stealing gaze. This immediately destroys the undead creature, but grants you one of that creature’s special attacks or supernatural abilities (chosen from one of the following abilities possessed by the undead: Constitution drain, disease, energy drain, or paralysis). The ability granted persists for 24 hours or until the next sunrise, whichever comes first. PCS:DR
Cooperative Rend Monster
Craft Construct Item Creation, Monster Caster level 5th, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item You can create construct creatures like golems. PRG:B1
Dangerous Tail Monster
Demonic Possession Monster Demon or half-demon, Cha 21, Wis 17 You gain the ability to use magic jar as a spell-like ability once per day. PCS:DR
Demoralizing Lash Monster
Disruptive Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 4th or higher Spell-like ability interferes with spellcasting PZO1135
Dog Killer-Horse Hunter Monster Goblin, Handle Animal 1 rank You gain a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls as well as rolls to confirm critical hits against dogs and horses (and similar creatures.) PPC:Goblins
Draconic Defender Monster Con 17, Toughness Grant a nearby ally your dodge bonus from fighting defensively or combat expertise. PCh:DR
Draconic Discipline Monster Wis 17, base Will +10, any lawful alignment, dragon type Get a second retry on necromancy or mind-affecting enchantment spells. PCh:DR
Earthtouched Monster Cha 15, stone giant You gain a +1 racial bonus to your caster level when casting sorcerer spells with the [earth] descriptor. For every 3 sorcerer levels you attain, you add a new spell known of a spell level you can cast. This spell must either be from the abjuration or divination schools or have the earth descriptor. PCS:Giants
Empower Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at caster level 6th or higher One of this creature’s spell-like abilities is particularly potent and powerful. PRG:B1
Engulf Horror Combat, Monster Engulf Revulsion Engulfed or smothered foes are staggered PZO1135
Engulf Revulsion Combat, Monster Engulf or smother universal monster ability Engulfed or smothered foes are shaken PZO1135
Exsanguinate Combat, Monster Blood drain universal monster ability, grab universal monster ability Double blood drain damage once per round PZO1135
Fearsome Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 6th or higher Spell-like ability makes damaged foes shaken
Fire Hand Monster Spell-like ability at CL 6th or higher Spell-like ability makes damaged foes shaken PZO1135
Flensing Strike Monster Sneak attack +3d6, bleeding sneak attack rogue trick or bleed universal monster ability. When you successfully inflict sneak attack damage on a foe with a slashing weapon, your attack doesn’t go particularly deep, but you do carve away a significant portion of skin and flesh. If this sneak attack inflicts bleed damage, the victim of the sneak attack is sickened by the pain and has its natural armor bonus (if any) reduced by a number of points equal to the number of sneak attack dice you possess. These penalties persist as long as the bleed damage persists. Multiple strikes on the same foe do not stack the bleed damage, but the penalty to natural armor does stack, to a maximum penalty equal to the target’s normal full natural armor score. PCS:DR
Flyby Attack Monster Fly speed This creature can make an attack before and after it moves while flying. PRG:B1
Fortitude of Giants Monster Con 14, Great Fortitude, giant subtype When you attempt a saving throw against a poison effect or an effect that inflicts the fatigued condition, roll twice and take the higher result. AP91
Gift of Sight Monster Troll Learn to read the future in your own entrails. PCh:CMR
Goblin Gunslinger Combat, Monster Goblin
Great Rend Combat, Monster Troll
Grudge Fighter Combat, Monster Orc
Gruesome Shapechanger Monster Shapechanger subtype Bloody transformation sickens foes and makes area slippery PZO1135
Horrific Gorging Combat, Monster Bite attack, swallow whole universal monster ability, size Large or larger Swallow one foe to make its allies shaken PZO1135
Hover Monster Fly speed This creature can hover in place with ease and can kick up clouds of dust and debris. PRG:B1
Impaling Charge Monster Gore attack, powerful charge Start a free grapple when hitting your enemy with a charge attack gore. PCh:CMR
Improved Death-Stealing Monster Nabasu, Ability Focus (death-stealing gaze) When you would normally create a ghoul with your death-stealing gaze, you instead create a ghast. As a free action, you may also spend a number of growth points in order to even further augment your new undead minion as it is created. If you spend 1 growth point, you create a wight instead of a ghast. If you spend 3 growth points, you create a wraith instead of a ghast. And if you spend 5 growth points, you transform the target into a juju zombie instead of a ghast. Note that spending growth in this manner reduces your statistics as appropriate. PCS:DR
Improved Infuse Weapon Monster Infuse weapon special ability, Cha 27 When you infuse a weapon, you can add an additional +1 worth of weapon qualities to that weapon; this could either be used to increase a weapon infused to be a +1 weapon to be a +2 weapon, or to grant a weapon quality like flaming, defending, keen, or any other +1 quality. This effect occurs automatically as you infuse a weapon, but you may only do so to one weapon you wield at a time. PCS:DR
Improved Natural Armor Monster Natural armor, Con 13 This creature’s hide is tougher than most. PRG:B1
Improved Natural Attack Monster Natural weapon, base attack bonus +4 Attacks made by one of this creature’s natural attacks leave vicious wounds. PRG:B1
Improved Possession Monster Demonic Possession or shadow demon, Cha 25 The duration of your magic jar spell-like ability increases to 24 hours. You can choose to activate a host body’s extraordinary abilities, supernatural abilities, spell-like abilities, and spells known or prepared. PCS:DR
Improved Stench Monster Stench universal monster ability The aura range of your stench ability increases by 30 feet. In addition, your stench ability save DC increases by 2, and its duration increases by 50%. PCS:DR
Improved Surprise Follow-Through Combat, Monster Orc/half-orc
Intensified Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 4th or higher Spell-like ability has a higher damage dice cap PZO1135
Kobold Ambusher Combat, Monster Kobold
Kobold Sniper Combat, Monster Kobold
Latching Horror Combat, Monster Attach universal monster ability A foe is shaken when you attach to it PZO1135
Lead from the Back Combat, Monster Goblin, Intimidate 1 rank If you have cover or concealment and are not threatened, you may bark orders and grant your allies a bonus to damage rolls. PPC:Goblins
Letter Fury Monster Goblin, rage class feature If someone reads or writes in your presence you may activate your rage ability for one round for free. PPC:Goblins
Lingering Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 4th or higher Instantaneous spell-like ability lasts another round PZO1135
Longshanks Monster Giant subtype, size Large or larger Your land speed increases by 5 feet, and you can ignore up to 20 feet of non-magical difficult terrain each round you move. AP91
Mighty Bite Combat, Monster Troll
Minotaur’s Charge Monster Str 13, Improved Bull Rush, powerful charge Initiate a free bull rush when you make a charge attack. PCh:CMR
Multiattack Combat, Monster Three or more natural attacks This creature is particularly skilled at making attacks with its natural weapons. PRG:B1
Multiweapon Defense Monster Three or more arms, Dex 21 When you make a full-attack action, you may choose not to take an attack with a number of your wielded weapons other than your primary weapon. For each attack you forgo, you gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC for that round. This bonus stacks with itself to a maximum bonus of +5, but not with shield bonuses to AC from other sources. PCS:DR
Multiweapon Fighting Combat, Monster Dex 13, three or more hands This multi-armed creature is skilled at making attacks with multiple weapons. PRG:B1
Multiweapon Specialist Monster Three or more arms, Dex 21 When you wield one-handed or light weapons in each of your arms, and all of those weapons belong to the same weapon group (as defined for the fighter class), all attacks with those weapons gain a +2 bonus on damage rolls. PCS:DR
Nightstalker Monster Stealthy, darkvision, size Large or larger Ignore size penalties and gain +2 bonus to Stealth checks when in areas of shadowy illumination. PCh:CMR
Noxious Bite Monster Acidic breath weapon, bite attack Deal extra acid damage with your bite attack along with nauseating the enemy. PCh:DR
Orc Weapon Expertise Combat, Monster Orc
Penetrating Possession Monster Magic jar as a known spell or spell-like ability, Cha 21 The first time you attempt to possess a host under the effect of protection from evil spell or any similar spell, you have a chance to dispel that spell as if you had cast dispel magic on the spell. PCS:DR
Pungent Stench Monster Stench universal monster ability, Improved Stench, Great Fortitude The first round a creature is affected by your stench, it is nauseated in addition to being sickened. At the end of an affected creature’s turn after the first round, it can make a new save against the stench’s DC to remove the nauseated condition, but the sickened condition lasts as long as normal. PCS:DR
Quick at Hand Monster Ogre You may use any item as an improvised melee or ranged weapon without penalty. PCh:CMR
Quicken Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 10th or higher This creature can use one of its spell-like abilities with next to no effort. PRG:B1
Raging Regeneration Combat, Monster Troll
Reach Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 4th or higher Spell-like ability gains a longer range PZO1135
Roll with It Combat, Monster Goblin, Acrobatics 1 rank. Reduce damage you take from an attack and get tossed aside. PPC:Goblins
Saddle Shrieker Combat, Monster Goblin, Ride 1 rank Take a -1 penalty to attacks and CMB checks to give your mount a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with its natural weapons. PPC:Goblins
Scarring Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 4th or higher Spell-like ability causes penalties against emotion effects PZO1135
Scent of Fear Monster Scent ability, any evil alignment Gain several bonuses against opponents that have the shaken or frightened conditions or while such creatures are nearby. PCh:CMR
Sickening Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 6th or higher Spell-like ability sickens damaged foes PZO1135
Silent as Stone Monster Roper, Stealthy This creature gains a +4 bonus to Stealth checks and suffers no penalties to Stealth checks when climbing. In addition, may drag and kill foes silently with strands in some cases. PCh:DDR
Skin Suit Monster Int 7, undead creature that was originally humanoid Hide in false flesh during the day PZO1135
Slurk Rider Combat, Monster Kobold
Smoking Boulder Monster BAB +11, heat rock special attack Cause a boulder you throw to erupt into a 10-foot-radius spread of heavy smoke on a successful hit that lasts for 1d4 rounds. PCS:Giants
Snapping Jaws Combat, Monster Gnoll
Snatch Monster Size Huge or larger This creature can grab other creatures with ease. PRG:B1
Sow Terror Monster Stealthy Cause a creature to become shaken for 1d4 rounds when you make eerie noises or strange sounds. PCh:CMR
Spawnlink Monster Int 13, create spawn universal monster ability See through spawn’s eyes PZO1135
Spirit Vision Monster Magic jar as a known spell or spell-like ability, Wis 15 When you sense life forces while seeking a host, you can observe them as you could when you were in your own body. Attempting to possess a body is a standard action. PCS:DR
Stone Awareness Monster Wis 13, Perception 10 ranks, stone giant Gain tremorsense 15 feet when in contact with earth or stone. PCS:Giants
Stone Clinger Monster Roper This creature gains a climb speed of 10 ft. and can hang from ceilings and drop on foes, dealing them piercing damage. PCh:DDR
Stone Magic Monster Stone giant elder (700 years or older), Cha 17 In addition to normal spell-like abilities of a stone giant elder, can use passwall, statue, spike stones, stoneskin, and wall of stone 1/day. PCS:Giants
Stone Soul Monster Stone giant Your natural armor bonus increases by 1. Once per day, you can use stoneskin (on yourself only) as a spell-like ability. Your caster level is equal to 1/2 your Hit Dice. AP91
Storm Soul Monster Cloud or storm giant You gain immunity to electricity. AP91
Storm Warrior Monster
Tail Terror Combat, Monster Kobold
Tail Weapon Combat, Monster Serpentfolk
Tangle Feet Combat, Monster Goblin
Taskmaster Combat, Monster Hobgoblin
Terrorizing Display Combat, Monster Hobgoblin
Toxic Stench Monster Stench universal monster ability, immunity to poison, Improved Stench, Toughness The first round a creature is affected by your stench, it must also make a successful Fortitude save against the same DC to resist becoming poisoned. If you have 10 or fewer HD, this poison is identical to insanity mist; if you have 11 or more HD, the poison also adds confusion for 1 round to its effects. PCS:DR
Traumatic Spell-Like Ability Monster Spell-like ability at CL 6th or higher Spell-like ability causes nightmares PZO1135
Vandal Monster Goblin, sneak attack class feature You can deal sneak attack damage to unattended objects (but half normal damage.) PPC:Goblins
Venomous Spray Combat, Monster Serpentfolk
Warren Digger Monster Ghoul, Str 17 Gain a burrow speed of 10 ft. PCh:CHR
Will of Giants Monster Wis 14, Iron Will, giant subtype You gain immunity to enchantment effects that target only humanoids, such as charm person and hold person. AP91
Wingover Monster Fly speed This creature can make turns with ease while flying. PRG:B1

Monster Feats from other Publishers

Feat Name Category/Type Prerequisites Benefit Source
Become the Swarm Monster Vampire You can change into a bat swarm, centipede swarm, rat swarm, or spider swarm. WoW5
Blood of the Deep Monster Vampire You are not harmed by running water and you gain a swim speed equal to normal movement rate. WoW5
Creature of Darkness Monster Darkvision 60 ft., undead Your darkvision increases to 120 ft. & you can also see perfectly in any darkness. WoW5
Dark Flight Monster Vampire You gain a fly speed 40 ft. (good). WoW5
Hasty Rebirth Monster Lich You rejuvenate in just one day. WoW5
Lingering Spirit Monster Vampire or lich You are not destroyed or forced into gaseous form at 0 hp, you instead remain intact until you are reduced to your negative Charisma score. WoW5
Master Vampire Monster Vampire Depending on the ability chosen, you can hear what your spawn hears, see what it sees, or communicate telepathically with it. WoW5
Mortal Visage Monster Lich You do not appear to be undead. WoW5
Red Feast Monster Vampire You deal 1d6 Con damage and gain 10 hp or 10 temporary hp from your blood drain special attack. WoW5
Sunlight Resistance Monster Vampire You are able to withstand direct sunlight longer than normal. WoW5
Undead Overlord Monster Lich, 15th level You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks when dealing with the undead. WoW5
Unnatural Armor Monster Lich Your natural armor bonus is increased to +8. WoW5
Vampiric Nobility Monster Vampire, 15th level You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy checks when dealing with the undead, your channel resistance increases to +6, and your Dominate DC is increased by +2. WoW5
Withering Touch Monster Lich Your touch attack is more effective than normal. WoW5

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