Creature Types
Each creature has one type, which broadly defines its abilities. Some creatures also have one or more subtypes. A creature cannot violate the rules of its subtype without a special ability or quality to explain the difference—templates can often change a creature’s type drastically.
A creature type’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saving throw progression, skill points, and class skills only apply if a creature has racial Hit Dice. For creatures with only class levels (such as most player characters), use only the statistics based on the class levels the creature takes.
Aberration
An aberration has a bizarre anatomy, strange abilities, an alien mindset, or any combination of the three.
Features
- d8 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Die (medium progression).
- Good Will and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Darkvision 60 feet.
- Proficient with its natural weapons. If generally humanoid in form, proficient with Basic Weapons and any weapon it is described as using.
- Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Aberrations not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor.
- Aberrations are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
- Aberrations breathe, eat, and sleep.
Animal
An animal is a living, nonhuman creature, usually a vertebrate with no magical abilities and no innate capacity for language or culture. Animals usually have additional information on how they can serve as companions.
Features
- d8 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Die (medium progression).
- Good Fortitude, Reflex, and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal).
- Low-light vision.
- Alignment: Always neutral.
- Treasure: None.
- Proficient with its natural weapons only. A noncombative herbivore treats its natural weapons as secondary attacks. Such attacks are made with a –5 penalty on the creature’s attack rolls, and the animal receives only 1/2 its Strength modifier as a damage adjustment.
- Proficient with no armor unless trained for war. (See the Handle Animal Skill.)
- Animals breathe, eat, and sleep.
Beast
Beasts are particularly powerful animals with advanced intelligence but reasonably normal abilities. They often have supernatural or extraordinary abilitiesand are sometimes bizarre in appearance or habits.
Features
- d10 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Die (fast progression).
- Good Fortitude, Reflex, and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Low-light vision.
- Darkvision 60 feet.
- Alignment: Always neutral.
- Treasure: None.
- Proficient with its natural weapons only.
- Proficient with no armor unless trained for war. (See the Handle Animal Skill.)
- Beasts breathe, eat, and sleep.
Construct
A construct is an artificially created creature or animated object.
Features
- d10 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Die (medium progression).
- No good saves.
- Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- No Constitution score. Any DCs or other Statistics that rely on a Constitution score treat a construct as having a score of 10 (no bonus or penalty).
- A construct is hard to destroy, and gains bonus hit points and damage reduction based on size, as shown on the following table.
Construct Bonus Hit Points & Damage Reduction Construct Size HP DR Fine — 1/— Diminutive — 1/— Tiny 5 2/— Small 10 2/— Medium 20 3/— Large 30 4/— Huge 40 4/— Gargantuan 60 5/— Colossal 80 5/— - Low-light vision.
- Darkvision 60 feet.
- Immunity to all mind-affecting effects, bleed, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning and to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
- Not subject to ability damage, ability drain, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage.
- Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
- Cannot heal damage on its own, but often can be repaired via exposure to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. Constructs can also be healed through spells such as make whole. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
- A construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
- Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
- Proficient with no armor.
- Constructs do not breathe, eat, or sleep.
Dragon
A dragon is a reptile-like creature, usually winged, with magical or unusual abilities.
Features
- d12 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Die (fast progression).
- Good Fortitude, Reflex, Will, and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Low-light vision.
- Darkvision 60 feet.
- Immunity to magic sleep effects and paralysis effects.Proficient with its natural weapons only unless humanoid in form (or capable of assuming humanoid form), in which case proficient with all Basic Weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
- Proficient with no armor.
- Dragons breathe, eat, and sleep.
Fey
A fey is a creature with supernatural abilities and connections to nature or to some other force or place. Fey are usually human-shaped.
Features
- d6 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ½ total Hit Die (slow progression).
- Good Reflex, Will, and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (6 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Low-light vision.
- Proficient with Basic Weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
- Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Fey not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Fey are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
- Fey breathe, eat, and sleep.
Humanoid
A humanoid usually has two arms, two legs, and one head, or a human-like torso, arms, and a head. humanoids have few or no supernatural or extraordinary abilities, but most can speak and usually have well-developed societies. They are usually Small or Medium (with the exception of giants). Every humanoid creature also has a specific subtype to match its race, such as human, dark folk, or goblinoid.
Features
- d8 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Die (medium progression).
- Good Reflex and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Proficient with Basic Weapons or by character class
- Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, or by character class. If a humanoid does not have a class and wears armor, it is proficient with that type of armor and all lighter types. Humanoids not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Humanoids are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
- Humanoids breathe, eat, and sleep
Ooze
An ooze is an amorphous or mutable creature, usually mindless.
Features
- d10 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Die (medium progression).
- No good saves.
- Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Mindless: No Intelligence score, and immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). An ooze with an Intelligence score loses this trait.
- Blind (but have the Blindsight special quality), with immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.
- Immunity to paralysis, poison, polymorph, precision damage, sleep effects, and stunning.
- Some oozes have the ability to deal acid damage to objects.
- Not subject to critical hits or flanking.
- Proficient with its natural weapons only.
- Proficient with no armor.
- Oozes eat and breathe, but do not sleep.
Outsider
An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence.
Features
- d8 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to total Hit Die (fast progression).
- Good Fortitude, Will, and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (8 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Darkvision 60 feet.
- Unlike most living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.
- Proficient with Basic Weapons and the weapon groups of any weapons mentioned in its entry.
- Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Outsiders not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Outsiders are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
- Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Native outsiders breathe, eat, and sleep.
Plant
This type comprises vegetable creatures. Note that regular plants, such as one finds growing in gardens and fields, lack Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores; even though regular plants are alive, they are treated as objects, not creatures.
Features
- d8 Hit Die.
- Base attack bonus equal to ¾ total Hit Die (medium progression).
- Good Fortitude and 1 saves.
- Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die.
Traits
- Low-light vision.
- Immunity to all mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning.
- Proficient with its natural weapons only.
- Not proficient with armor.
- Plants breathe and eat, but do not sleep.
Creature Subtypes
Some creatures have one or more subtypes. Subtypes add additional abilities and qualities to a creature.
[Creature Type] Subtype
Every individual creature type above can also be a subtype. A creature with a subtype of a different creature type is usually of mixed heritage or is the subject of magical experimentation.
Spells, effects, powers, and abilities which affect or target the [Creature Type] Subtype can also affect or target the creature as if they possessed that creature type. In addition, they can use magic items as if they were that creature type.
However, the creature gains none of the features or traits associated with this type. This also does not allow them to count as that creature type for the purposes of meeting prerequisites, such as for selecting feats or entering prestige classes.
This is most readily visible with the Elf race which possesses the Fey subtype. Spells, effects, powers, and abilities which affect or target Fey creatures also affect and can target elves. Elves can use magic items as if they were Fey. However, an elf does not gain any of the features or traits of the Fey type, nor do they meet the prerequisites to gain any feat, class, ability, or option restricted to Fey.
Augmented Subtype
A creature receives this subtype when something (usually a template) changes its original type. Some creatures (those with an inherited template) are born with this subtype; others acquire it when they take on an acquired template. The augmented subtype is always paired with the creature’s original type.
[Race] Subtype
Any race can also be a subtype (though not every race is used as one). All members of a race have their own race as an inherent subtype, while members of subraces and racial variants possess their parent race as a subtype. Any creature with a race subtype is treated as a member of that race for all purposes.
The most common race subtypes are Dwarf, Elf, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblinoid, Halfling, Human, and Orc.
For example, Duergar possess the Dwarf subtype, causing them to be treated as a standard dwarf for all purposes, including selecting dwarf-specific feats, classes, and abilities. However, a duergar still counts as a member of their own race, so they can still select duergar-specific options, such as the duergar variant of the Dwarf Paragon class, which other dwarves cannot gain.
[Alignment] Subtype
This subtype is usually applied to outsiders native to a strongly aligned Outer Plane. Most creatures that have an alignment subtype also have a matching alignment; however, if their alignment changes, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with an alignment subtype as if the creature had a matching alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. For example, a Lawful Good creature with the Evil subtype would still be vulnerable to a paladin’s ability to smite an evil creature and would detect as evil to a detect evil spell. A creature with an alignment subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields have that alignment.
[Element] Subtype
These subtypes consist of the four elements (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water), the five phases (Earth, Fire, Metal, Water, and Wood), and elements such as Light and Darkness. A creature with one of these subtypes is generally ties to one of these elemental planes or is composed largely of that element (whether physically or spiritually).
Air
This subtype is usually used for outsiders with a connection to the Elemental Planes Air. Air creatures always have fly speeds and usually have perfect maneuverability. Air creatures always gain a +4 racial bonus on Aerial Acrobatics checks.
Darkness
This subtype is used for outsiders from the lowest of the Lower Planes which are tied closely to the powers of destruction, which results in a pervasive absence of light.
Earth
This subtype is usually used for outsiders with a connection to the Elemental Planes of Earth. Earth creatures usually have burrow speeds, and most earth creatures can burrow through solid rock. Earth creatures with a burrow speed possess Tremorsense.
Creatures with this subtype are spiritually attuned to the Water phase.
Fire
This subtype is often used for outsiders with a connection to the Elemental Planes of Fire. A creature with the fire subtype has immunity to fire and vulnerability to cold.
Creatures with this subtype are spiritually attuned to the Water phase.
Light
This subtype is used for outsiders from the highest of the Upper Planes which are tied closely to the powers of creation, the majority of which takes the form of light.
Metal
This subtype is used for creatures spiritually attuned to the Metal phase.
Water
This subtype is usually used for Outsiders with a connection to the Elemental Planes of Water. Creatures with the water subtype always have swim speeds and can move in water without making Swim checks. A water creature can breathe underwater and can usually breathe air as well. Water creatures always gain a +4 racial bonus on Athletics checks made while swimming.
Creatures with this subtype are spiritually attuned to the Water phase.
Wood
This subtype is used for creatures spiritually attuned to the Wood phase.
Akashic Subtype
Any creature with the ability to use akashic magic has the akashic subtype. An akashic creature can be born with the subtype or can gain the subtype during its life. The akashic subtype applies to creatures that can weave akashic veil or possess an essence pool or possess veil-like abilities. Characters who have levels in any class that grants the use of veils or akashic essence, or who have akashic abilities as racial traits, gain the akashic subtype.
Traits
- Other than the fact that all akashic creatures have a pool of akashic essence or the ability to weave veils, akashic creatures have no specific traits. The akashic subtype simply identifies creatures that may be vulnerable to spells, powers, and effects targeting akashic creatures.
Aquatic Subtype
These creatures always have swim speeds and can move in water without making skill checks.
Traits
- An aquatic creature can breathe water. It cannot breathe air unless it has the amphibious special quality.
Celestial Subtype
These are creatures native to the Upper Planes. Many of them are the servants of deities, employed as messengers or agents in the mortal realm and throughout the planes. Many races of celestials are inherently good by nature, so the exceptional celestial who strays from a good alignment is a horrifying rarity.
Traits
- Darkvision 60 feet and low-light vision.
- Truespeech (Su): All celestials with an Intelligence of 3 or higher can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level equal to celestial’s Hit Dice). This ability is always active but may be disabled or reactivated as a free action, even if it isn’t the celestial’s turn.
Angel Subtype
Angels are a race of celestials native to the good-aligned Upper Planes.
Traits
- Immunity to acid, cold, and petrification.
- Resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10.
- +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
- Protective Aura (Su): This aura provides allies within 20 feet with a +4 sacred bonus to AC and saving throws against attacks and effects that original from evil creatures. In addition, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect and a lesser globe of invulnerability, with a caster level equals angel’s HD. (The defensive benefits from this aura are not included in an angel’s statistics block.)
Archon Subtype
Archons are a race of celestials native to the lawful-aligned Upper Planes.
Traits
- Immunity to electricity and petrification.
- +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
- Aura of Menace (Su): This aura affects an archon’s enemies who venture within 20 feet but can be resisted by a successful Will save (DC varies with the type of archon, is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus). On a failed save, the enemy suffers a -2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon’s aura for 24 hours.
- Teleport (Sp): Archons can use greater teleport at will, as the spell (caster level 14th), except that the creature can transport only itself and up to 50 pounds of carried objects.
Cold Subtype
A creature with the cold subtype has immunity to cold and vulnerability to fire.
Elemental Subtype
An elemental is a being composed entirely from one of the four classical elements (air, earth, fire, or water) or other basic components of reality (such as light and darkness).
Traits
- Immunity to bleed, paralysis, poison, precision damage, sleep effects, and stunning.
- Not subject to critical hits or flanking.
- Proficient with natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with Basic Weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
- Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Elementals not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Elementals are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
- Elementals do not breathe, eat, or sleep.
Extraplanar Subtype
This subtype is applied to any creature when it is on a plane other than its native plane. A creature that travels the planes can gain or lose this subtype as it goes from plane to plane. Monster entries assume that encounters with creatures take place on the Material Plane, and every creature whose native plane is not the Material Plane has the extraplanar subtype (but would not have it when on its home plane). Every extraplanar creature has a home plane mentioned in its description. Creatures not labeled as extraplanar are natives of the Material Plane, and they gain the extraplanar subtype if they leave the Material Plane. No creature has the extraplanar subtype when it is on a transitive plane, such as the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, or the Plane of Shadow.
Fiend Subtype
Fiends are native to the Lower Planes. A few are the servants of deities, but many more labor under the leadership of archdevils and demon princes. Not all fiends are evil, but the harsh realities of the Lower Planes lead to a life of pragmatic cynicism in even the most benevolent of individuals.
Traits
- Darkvision 60 feet and low-light vision.
- Summon (Sp): Fiends share the ability to summon other fiends, typically another of their own kind or a small number of less powerful fiends.
Demon Subtype
Demons are a race of chaotic evil fiends that call the Abyss their home.
Traits
- Immunity to electricity and poison.
- Resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10.
- Telepathy 100 feet.
- Except where otherwise noted, demons speak Celestial, Draconic, and Infernal.
- A demon’s natural weapons, as well as any weapon it wields, is treated as chaotic and evil for the purpose of resolving damage reduction
Devil Subtype
Devils are a race of lawful evil fiends that hail from the plane of Hell.
Traits
- Immunity to fire and poison.
- Resistance to acid 10 and cold 10.
- Telepathy 100 feet.
- Except where otherwise noted, demons speak Celestial, Draconic, and Infernal.
- A devil‘s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as lawful and evil for the purpose of resolving damage reduction.
- See in Darkness (Su): Devils can see perfectly in darkness of any kind, even magical darkness.
Giant Subtype
A giant is a creature of great strength, usually of at least Large size. Giants are usually considerably larger than other creatures of their general type. Giants have low-light vision and always treat Intimidate as a class skill.
Incorporeal Subtype
An incorporeal creature has no physical body. An incorporeal creature is immune to critical hits and precision damage unless the attacks are made using a weapon with the ghost touch special weapon quality. In addition, creatures with the incorporeal subtype always have the incorporeal condition.
Monstrous Subtype
These creatures are truly monstrous and unusual in nature compared to others of their type. The monstrous subtype is primarily used to describe a set of humanoid races, animals, and beasts, but it can apply to any creature type.
Traits
- A monstrous creature’s racial Hit Die is increased by one step above that normal for their creature type, to a maximum of d12.
- A monstrous creature is outside the norms for creatures of their type, so they gain a +4 racial bonus to saving throws against any spell or effect that targets their type. For example a Humanoid (monstrous) would gain a +4 bonus to its saves against charm person and hold person spells.
Mutant Subtype
This subtype is applied to any creature that possesses one or more mutations or Mutation Points. Any creature that gains a mutation or any number of MP also gains this subtype. This subtype has no effects and simply serves to identify creatures that may be vulnerable to powers, spells, and effects targeting mutated creatures.
Native Subtype
This subtype is applied only to outsiders. These creatures have mortal ancestors or a strong connection to the Material Plane and can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Creatures with this subtype are native to the Material Plane. Unlike true outsiders, native outsiders need to eat and sleep.
Psionic Subtype
Any creature with the ability to use psionics has the psionic subtype. A psionic creature can be born with the subtype or can gain the subtype during its life. The psionic subtype applies to creatures that can use psionic powers or abilities or that have the ability to manifest powers. (In other words, a creature with the psionic subtype either has a power point reserve or has psi-like abilities.) It also applies to creatures from other sources that have spell-like abilities labeled as “psionics.” Characters who have levels in any class that grants the use of psionics, or who have psi-like abilities as racial traits, gain the psionic subtype.
Traits
- Other than the fact that all psionic creatures have power points, psionic powers, or psi-like abilities, psionic creatures have no specific traits. The psionic subtype simply identifies creatures that may be vulnerable to powers, spells, and effects targeting psionic creatures, as well as granting access to psionic feats and the ability to gain and maintain psionic focus.
Reptilian Subtype
These creatures are scaly and usually cold-blooded. The reptilian subtype is only used to describe a set of humanoid races, not all animals and monsters that are true reptiles.
Shapechanger Subtype
A shapechanger has the supernatural ability to assume one or more alternate forms. Many magical effects allow some kind of shapeshifting, and not every creature that can change shape has the shapechanger subtype.
A shapechanger possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
Traits
- Shapechangers have greater control over their own form than most creatures. As a result, they gain a +4 racial bonus to saving throws against any effect that would change their form.
- Proficient with its natural weapons, with Basic Weapons, and with any weapons mentioned in the creature’s description.
- Proficient with any armor mentioned in the creature’s description, as well as all lighter forms. If no form of armor is mentioned, the shapechanger is not proficient with armor. A shapechanger is proficient with shields if it is proficient with any type of armor.
Undead Subtype
Undead are once-living creatures animated by spiritual or supernatural forces. Creatures of any type can become undead, but many types of undead can only apply to certain types of creatures.
Traits
- An undead creature’s racial Hit Die are increased to d12, regardless of its creature type.
- No Constitution score. Undead use their Charisma score in place of their Constitution score when calculating hit points, Fortitude saves, and any special ability that relies on Constitution(such as when calculating a breath weapon’s DC).
- Darkvision 60 feet.
- Immunity to all mind-affecting effects, bleed, death effects, disease, paralysis, poison, precision damage, sleep effects, and stunning and to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless) and to damage to its physical ability scores (Constitution, Dexterity, and Strength).
- Not subject to ability damage, ability drain, exhaustion, energy drain, or nonlethal damage.
- Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
- Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. The fast healing special quality works regardless of the creature’s Intelligence score.
- Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities. Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
- Proficient with its natural weapons, Basic Weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
- Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
- Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep, regardless of creature type.