Apocalypse Horse

Little more than a walking corpse, this frightful horse’s hide stretches tight over its bones.

Apocalypse Horse CR 25

XP 1,638,400
NE Large outsider (evil, extraplanar)
Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft., scent, true seeing; Perception +38
Aura unholy aura (DC 25)

DEFENSE

AC 43, touch 23, flat-footed 33 (+4 deflection, +9 Dex, +1 dodge, +20 natural, –1 size)
hp 555 (30d10+390); fast healing 20
Fort +27, Ref +30, Will +28
Defensive Abilities unyielding to oblivion; DR 15/epic and good; Immune ability damage, ability drain, acid, death effects, disease, energy drain, negative levels, poison; Resist cold 30, electricity 30, fire 30; SR 36

OFFENSE

Speed 90 ft.; air walk
Melee bite +39 (6d10+10/19–20 plus energy drain), 2 hooves +39 (8d8+15/19–20 plus energy drain)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks apocalyptic breath weapon, crushing hooves, trample (4d10+15 plus energy drain, DC 32)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 25th; concentration +32)

Constantair walk, unholy aura (DC 25)
At willgreater teleport (self plus rider only)
3/dayplane shift (self plus rider only)

STATISTICS

Str 30, Dex 28, Con 36, Int 13, Wis 21, Cha 25
Base Atk +30; CMB +41 (+45 bull rush); CMD 65 (67 vs. bull rush, 69 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite, hoof), Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Staggering Critical
Skills Acrobatics +42, Intimidate +40, Knowledge (planes) +34, Perception +38, Sense Motive +38, Stealth +38, Survival +38
Languages Abyssal, Infernal; telepathy 300 ft.
SQ favor of the four

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Apocalyptic Breath Weapon (Su)

Each apocalypse horse has a breath weapon it can use once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action. The breath weapon always fills a 90-foot cone, and can be resisted with a successful DC 38 Reflex save, but the exact effects of the breath weapon depend on the horse. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Crushing Hooves (Ex)

An apocalypse horse’s hoof attacks are primary natural attacks that deal bludgeoning and slashing damage, and add 1-1/2 times its Strength modifier to damage.

Energy Drain (Su)

An apocalypse horse inflicts 1 negative level whenever it hits with a bite or a hoof attack. When it tramples a creature, it inflicts 1 negative level unless the creature trampled fails a DC 32 Fortitude save, in which case the creature takes 1d4 negative levels. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Favor of the Four (Su)

Each apocalypse horse has several unique, thematic spell-like abilities and a unique breath weapon based on which of the four Horsemen it serves.

Unyielding to Oblivion (Su)

Intrinsically linked to their riders, apocalypse horses cannot die in the presence of their Horsemen. When being ridden or within 300 feet of its associated Horseman, rather than falling unconscious when below 0 hit points, an apocalypse horse instead gains the staggered condition, with additional damage simply increasing its number of negative hit points but carrying no other penalties. An apocalypse horse that is slain by a spell that causes instantaneous death rises as per true resurrection 1 round later, reconstituted in a manner consistent with its rider’s theme. Whenever an apocalypse horse fails a saving throw against any mind-affecting, petrification, polymorph, or immobilizing effect (including binding, imprisonment, and temporal stasis), it can attempt a new saving throw at the end of its turn to remove the effect as long as its associated Horseman remains within 300 feet of where the effect originally targeted the apocalypse horse. Attempting this new saving throw requires no action. An apocalypse horse can attempt a new save to end the effect once per round.

An apocalypse horse more than 300 feet from its associated Horseman loses all benefits of the Unyielding to Oblivion ability.

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Abaddon)
Organization solitary (unique), group (all four apocalypse horses), or with associated Horseman
Treasure none

The apocalypse horse is less a particularly puissant nightmare or powerful equine daemon than a living extension of one of the Four Horsemen. There only four at any time: the white horse of Pestilence, the pale horse of Death, the red horse of War, and the black horse of Famine.

While for the most part the Horsemen use their mounts themselves, they have been known to lend these mounts to favored daemonic or mortal servitors. The four apocalypse horses have also been known to travel the Material Plane or other planes on their own or in a group, often as a precursor to more direct attention to a world from the Horsemen. While each of the four apocalypse horses have similar statistics overall, they have unique abilities and personalities suited to their specific theme.

An apocalypse horse is similar in size to a large horse, standing 7 feet tall at the shoulder and weighing 1,500 pounds despite its nearly skeletal frame.

The Black Horse of Famine

The Black Horse of Trelmarixian is the Horse of Famine.

Its body looks particularly emaciated, with its midnight flesh clinging to its skeletal frame, showing the bones beneath in stark relief. Its body seems to tremble and shake as it moves, yet the Black Horse remains hearty and healthy despite this apparent malnutrition.

The Black Horse has the following specific abilities in addition to those detailed previously.

Additional Spell-Like Abilities

3/daydiminish plants, feast of ashes (DC 19), waves of fatigue
1/daycurse of fell seasons, mass hunger for flesh (DC 24)

Apocalyptic Breath Weapon (Su)

The Black Horse’s breath weapon deals 2d4 points of Constitution damage (Reflex half). A creature that takes damage from this breath weapon becomes exhausted. This is a curse effect.

The Pale Horse of Death

The Pale Horse of Charon is the Horse of Death. Its body looks long-dead; its flesh is tinged green with mold and decay and pocked with holes that allow the bones within to show through.

The Pale Horse has the following specific abilities in addition to those detailed previously.

Additional Spell-Like Abilities

3/daydeath knell (DC 19), sands of time (DC 20), slay living (DC 22)
1/daydestruction (DC 24), power word kill

Apocalyptic Breath Weapon (Su)

The Pale Horse’s breath weapon deals 20d8 points of negative energy damage (Reflex half). A creature that takes damage from this breath weapon also gains 1 negative level.

This is a death effect.

The Red Horse of War

The Red Horse of Szuriel is the Horse of War. It appears hearty and fit and almost as a living horse (unlike the other three apocalypse horses’ appearances), though it is soaked in blood and covered in gore. Often, the Red Horse manifests horrific and gory wounds on its body, but these wounds are entirely cosmetic and do not weaken the Red Horse at all.

The Red Horse has the following specific abilities in addition to those detailed on the facing page.

Additional Spell-Like Abilities

3/dayhaste, mass pain strike (DC 22), spiritual weapon
1/dayimplosion (DC 26), mass inflict serious wounds (DC 24), mass pain strike

Apocalyptic Breath Weapon (Su)

The Red Horse’s breath weapon causes wracking, crippling pain, dealing 2d4 points of Dexterity damage (Reflex half). A creature that takes damage from this breath weapon becomes staggered for 1 round. This is a pain effect.

The White Horse of Pestilence

The White Horse of Apollyon is the Horse of Pestilence.

Its body looks filthy and festering, covered with foul pusdripping sores and rancid boils squirming with maggots.

The White Horse has the following specific abilities in addition to those detailed on the facing page.

Additional Spell-Like Abilities

3/dayfester (DC 19), greater contagion (DC 22), stinking cloud (DC 20)
1/daycursed earth, plague storm (DC 24)

Apocalyptic Breath Weapon (Su)

The White Horse’s breath weapon causes the victim to atrophy and grow feeble from wasting disease and leprous symptoms, dealing 2d4 points of Strength damage (Reflex half). A creature that takes damage from this breath weapon is sickened for 24 hours. This is a disease effect.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 6 © 2017, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, James Jacobs, Thurston Hillman, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, Jason Keeley, Isabelle Lee, Jason Nelson, Tim Nightengale, F. Wesley Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Todd Stewart, Josh Vogt, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.

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