Magical Beast Companions

Previously only available through the Beast Speaker feat and Monstrous Mount feats, the Improved Animal Companion legendary talent is added to the Beastmastery sphere, which grants Spheres of Might practitioners access to various exotic companions normally available through that feat.

The options presented in this section use the term “improved animal companion” and “improved companion” to refer to an animal companion available with the Improved Animal Companion talent, but also the Beast Speaker and Monstrous Mount feats.

Improved Companion Choices

The following creatures can be selected as an improved animal companion. The improved companion entries are the same as for animal companions, with three exceptions:

  1. Creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher have one or more additional prerequisites the character must meet to select the companion.
  2. Each improved companion has a mastery ability that it can use only if the character has the Beast Speaker Mastery feat, Monstrous Mount Mastery feat, or the Improved Animal Companion legendary talent. The minimum level to gain the mastery ability is listed in parentheses. Unless otherwise stated, the save DC for any improved companion’s special abilities is 10 + 1/2 the improved companion’s Hit Dice + the improved companion’s Constitution modifier.
  3. Unique to Spheres Bestiary: Magical Beasts and Climactic Encounters are creature variant options. Some of the improved companion choices have variants which may be selected either when first choosing the companion or when the creature’s mastery ability is unlocked. Once a variant is chosen, it cannot be changed. If an improved companion can choose a variant, it is listed as Variant in the companion entry.

About Improved Companion Strength: The improved animal companion choices listed here are balanced against existing options, but also take into consideration other subordinate options (Conjuration sphere, Leadership sphere, Tech sphere). Some of the options may be stronger than comparable options featured in the core rules.

Adamantortoise

Prerequisite(s): Survival 5 ranks or Swim 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics

Size Medium; Speed 20 ft.; AC +7 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 10; Defensive Abilities DR 5/adamantine

Special Abilities The creature gains the following special abilities:

Shielding Shell (Ex)

An adamantortoise gains a shield bonus to their AC equal to 1/2 their natural armor bonus. The adamantortoise treats its shell as though it were a shield and may use its shell for the Shield sphere. The adamantortoise does not lose its shield bonus to AC when making an attack with its shell, and can make shield bash attacks with its shell as if it were a light shield (1d4 Medium); Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision.

9th-Level Advancement

Size Large; AC +5 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), shell (1d6); Ability Scores +2 Str, +2 Con; Feats: Extra Combat Talent for the Shield sphere.

Mastery (11th level): Variant The adamantortoise gains one of the following variants:

  • Adamantortoise, Greater: Ability Scores +2 Str, +2 Con; Defensive Abilities DR 10/adamantine; Feats: Extra Combat Talent (2) for the Shield sphere.
  • Mystic-Shell Tortoise: Alignment lawful neutral; Ability Scores +4 Cha

Special Abilities The creature gains the following special abilities:

Mystic Defenses (Su)

The mystic-shell tortoise can spend 10 minutes to cast an aegis on itself, reducing the spell point cost by 1 (minimum 0); Special the mystic-shell tortoise is considered to possess the casting class feature with no casting tradition (natural casting) and uses Charisma as its casting ability modifier. The mystic-shell tortoise gains a spell pool equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier and is considered a Low-Caster with level equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Instead of the 2 bonus magic talents most casters gain, the mystic-shell tortoise gains 2 bonus magic talents for the Protection sphere, and may select magic talents with its feats.

Behir

Prerequisite(s): Diplomacy or Intimidate 7 ranks; Knowledge (arcana) 7 ranks.

Starting Statistics

Size Medium; Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.; AC +6 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), tail slap (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 12; Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. line, 1d6 electricity damage per 2 Hit Dice, Ref half, usable every 1d4 rounds); Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, electricity resistance 10.

Mastery (11th level): Size Large; AC +3 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), tail slap (1d8); Ability Scores +4 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con; Special Qualities immune to electricity. Variant In addition to the changes granted as part of the behir’s mastery, the behir gains one of the following variants:

  • Brutal Behir: Attack tail slap (1d8 and push); Special Qualities tremorsense 60 ft.; Feats: Extra Combat Talent (3) for the Brute sphere; Special the brutal behir’s tail slap is treated as a primary natural attack for all purposes.
  • Royal Behir: Attack 2 claws (1d6); Special The royal behir’s creature type changes to dragon (augmented magical beast); do not recalculate the royal behir’s statistics except as follows: Hit Dice the royal behir’s Hit Dice changes to d12; Base Attack Bonus the royal behir’s base attack bonus becomes equal to its Hit Dice; Saves the royal behir has a good Will save (equal to its base Fortitude and Reflex saves); Defensive Abilities immune to magic sleep effects and paralysis, as per the immunities granted by the dragon type.

Owlbear

Starting Statistics

Size Medium; Speed 30 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d6 plus grab); Ability Scores Str 17, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 6; Feats: Extra Combat Talent (2) for the Wrestling sphere; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision.

9th-Level Advancement

Size Large; AC +2 natural armor; Ability Scores +4 Str, +2 Con

Special Abilities The creature gains the following special abilities:

Wide Claws (Ex)

The owlbear does not gain the grappled condition if it grapples a foe using its claws.

Mastery (11th level): Feats Extra Combat Talent for the Wrestling sphere; Variant the owlbear gains one of the following variants:

  • Catchclaw Owlbear: Attacks The catchclaw owlbear’s natural reach with its claws increases by +5 ft. (to 15 ft.).
  • Spirit-Eyed Owlbear: Special Abilities

Spiritsense (Su)

The spirit-eyed owlbear notices, locates, and can distinguish between living and undead creatures within 60 ft., as though it had the blindsight ability; Special Qualities immune to death and negative energy effects.

Phoenix

Prerequisite(s): Diplomacy 5 ranks; Knowledge (arcana) or Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics

Size Small; Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good); AC +3 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4), 2 wings (1d4); Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 16; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, fire resistance 10; Special The phoenix is considered to possess the casting class feature with no casting tradition (natural casting) and uses Charisma as its casting ability modifier. The phoenix gains a spell pool equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier and is considered a Low-Caster with level equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Instead of the 2 bonus magic talents most casters gain, the phoenix gains 2 bonus magic talents for the Nature sphere and may select magic talents with its feats. The phoenix must choose the Nature sphere (fire) package with one of the bonus magic talents gained this way.

9th-Level Advancement

AC +1 natural armor; Speed fly 60 ft. (good); Variants the phoenix gains one of the following variants:

    • Blessed Flame: Ability Scores +2 Dex, +4 Int, +2 Cha; Feats: Extra Magic Talent for the Nature sphere
    • Special Abilities The creature gains the following special abilit(ies):

Glorious Flames (Su)

When casting any sphere effect that deals fire damage, a blessed flame may instead heal any affected targets. The sphere effect deals no damage and living creatures affected by the sphere effect instead gain a number of hit points equal to 1/2 the fire damage the sphere effect would normally deal. This healing cannot restore a creature’s hit points above half their normal maximum; any healing in excess of half their normal maximum hit points are instead gained as temporary hit points, lasting 1 minute.

  • Skyfire Avenger: Size Large; AC +3 natural armor; Attack bite (1d8), 2 wings (1d8); Ability Scores +8 Str, +2 Con; Special the skyfire avenger can carry a rider while flying, but reduces its fly speed by half while doing so.
  • Mastery (11th level): The phoenix gains the Nature sphere Phoenix Resurgence advanced talent as a bonus magic talent, even if it does not have any of the prerequisites normally required for this talent. The phoenix may use the Phoenix Resurgence talent once per day without spending spell points; Feats: Extra Magic Talent (x2) for the Nature sphere; Special Qualities fire resistance 20.

Serpopard

Prerequisite(s): Acrobatics 5 ranks or Survival 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics

Size Medium; Speed 40 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 6; Feats: Extra Combat Talent (2) for the Lancer sphere; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision.

9th-Level Advancement

Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.; AC +1 natural armor; Attack bite (2d6); Ability Scores +2 Str, +4 Dex

Special Abilities The creature gains the following special abilities:

Predator (Ex)

The serpopard gains one free rank in Acrobatics and Stealth for each Hit Dice it possesses.

Mastery (11th level): Attack bite (2d6 plus hemorrhaging poison); Feats: Extra Combat Talent for the Lancer sphere; Special Attacks hemorrhaging poison (frequency 1 round [3]; effect Duelist sphere Long Cuts [bleed damage cannot be cured unless sufficient healing or Heal check]; cure 1 save, Con-based DC).

Unicorn

Prerequisite(s): Heal 5 ranks or Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks.

Starting Statistics

Alignment choose one alignment (good, evil, lawful, chaotic). The unicorn’s alignment must be of that alignment (such as choosing good, the unicorn must be lawful good, neutral good, or chaotic good); Size Large; Speed 50 ft.; AC +3 natural armor; Attack gore (1d6), 2 hooves (1d6); Ability Scores Str 15, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 15; Special Qualities darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent.

7th-Level Advancement

Speed 60 ft.; Attacks gore (2d6); Variants the unicorn gains one of the following variants:

    • Anemoi Pegasus: Speed 60 ft. fly (good); Special the pegasus can carry a rider while flying, but reduces its fly speed by half while doing so.
    • Life Guardian Special Abilities

Life Guardian (Su)

Whenever an ally within 30 feet of the life guardian receives magical healing, the amount of healing received is increased by the life guardian’s Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

  • Royal Hippocampus: Speed 60 ft. swim

Special Abilities The creature gains the following special abilities:

Undersea Guide (Su)

Any friendly creature in physical contact with a hippocampus can breathe underwater normally (such as while mounted); Special Qualities aquatic.

Mastery (11th level): Ability Scores +2 Cha; Special Attacks the unicorn’s natural attacks are treated as magic and aligned weapons (with alignments matching the unicorn’s alignment) for the purposes of damage reduction; Special Qualities immune to poison; Special The unicorn is considered to possess the casting class feature with no casting tradition (natural casting) and uses Charisma as its casting ability modifier. The unicorn gains a spell pool equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice + its Charisma modifier and is considered a Low-Caster with a caster level equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice. Instead of the 2 bonus magic talents most casters gain, the unicorn gains 2 bonus magic talents for the Life sphere, and may select magic talents with its feats.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Spheres Bestiary: Magical Beasts and Climactic Encounters, © 2021, Drop Dead Studios; Author: Steven Alpert.

scroll to top