Giant Owl

Name	Giant Owl
Sorted Name	Owl, Giant
Family	Owl, Giant
Size and Type	Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice Count	4
Hit Dice	4d10+4 (26 hp)
Random Hit Points	4d10+4 - 4
Initiative	+3
Speed	10 ft. (2 squares), fly 70 ft. (average)
Armor Class	15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple	+4/+12
Attack	Claw +7 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack	2 claws +7 melee (1d6+4) and bite +2 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	-
Special Qualities	Superior low-light vision
Saves	Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities	Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills	Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +17, Move Silently +8*, Spot +10
Feats	Alertness, Wingover
Environment	Temperate forests
Challenge Rating	3
Organization	Solitary, pair, or company (3-5)
Treasure	None
Alignment	Usually neutral good
Advancement	5-8 HD (Large); 9-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment	+2 (cohort)
Version	SRD
Sources	System Reference Document
Stat_Block	Giant owl; CR 3; Large magical beast; HD 4d10+4; hp 26; Init +3; Spd 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 70 ft. (average); AC 15 (-1 size, +3 dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12; Base Atk +4; Grp +12; Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, claw); Full Atk +7 melee (1d6+4, 2 claws) and +2 melee (1d8+2, bite); Space/Reach 10 ft./5 ft.; SA -; SQ Superior low-light vision; AL NG; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10 Skills and Feats: Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +17, Move Silently +8*, Spot +10; Alertness, Wingover

Owl, Giant

	Owl, Giant
	Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice:	4d10+4 (26 hp)
Initiative:	+3
Speed:	10 ft. (2 squares), fly 70 ft. (average)
Armor Class:	15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple:	+4/+12
Attack:	Claw +7 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack:	2 claws +7 melee (1d6+4) and bite +2 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach:	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:	-
Special Qualities:	Superior low-light vision
Saves:	Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities:	Str 18, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills:	Knowledge (nature) +2, Listen +17, Move Silently +8*, Spot +10
Feats:	Alertness, Wingover
Environment:	Temperate forests
Organization:	Solitary, pair, or company (3-5)
Challenge Rating:	3
Treasure:	None
Alignment:	Usually neutral good
Advancement:	5-8 HD (Large); 9-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment:	+2 (cohort)

Giant owls are nocturnal birds of prey, feared for their ability to hunt and attack in near silence. They are intelligent, and though naturally suspicious, sometimes associate with good creatures. A typical giant owl stands about 9 feet tall, has a wingspan of up to 20 feet, and resembles its smaller cousins in nearly every way except size.

Giant owls speak Common and Sylvan.

Combat

A giant owl attacks by gliding silently just a few feet above its prey and plunging to strike when directly overhead.

Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex): A giant owl can see five times as far as a human can in dim light.

Skills: Giant owls have a +8 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.

*When in flight, giant owls gain a +8 bonus on Move Silently checks.

Training A Giant Owl

Although intelligent, a giant owl requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, a giant owl must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly giant owl requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check. Riding a giant owl requires an exotic saddle. A giant owl can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Giant owl eggs are worth 2,500 gp apiece on the open market, while chicks are worth 4,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train a giant owl.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a giant owl is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301-600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601-900 pounds.