
Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

All Creatures
Abilities | Monsters | NPCs
All | Families | Templates
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

PFS StandardBone Croupier

For many, gambling is just fun and games, but for some, it can become a bad habit or even a life-consuming addiction. Bone croupiers take the meaning of “life-consuming” to its literal extreme. These gamblers' lust for cards and dice couldn't be sated in life, so in undeath they haunt the shadowy corners of gambling halls and continue their search for that next hit of adrenaline.

For bone croupiers, gaming takes on a different flavor; with nothing left to lose, these undead turn their attentions toward others, cajoling and palavering normally casual gamers into committing themselves to ever-higher stakes. Before they know it, these unsuspecting victims have called in decadesold favors and put liens on their homes in the hope of winning back just a fraction of the pot. By then, the bone croupier has already claimed their prize—to this undead chiseler, any earnings are incidental, and the real prize is encouraging others to lose their own.

Bone croupiers often enshroud themselves in thick layers of cigar smoke or voluminous robes to mask their undead nature, but they almost always wear wicked grins at the table. This smile is no ruse or part of their poker face, however—the truth is that bone croupiers truly delight in games, regardless of whether they win or lose, and despite their incredible skills of deception and trickery, most simply can't disguise their unbridled mirth.

Recall Knowledge - Undead (Religion): DC 22
Unspecific Lore: DC 20
Specific Lore: DC 17

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Changes from being Weak are marked in red below.
NOTE: The -2 damage penalty to non-strike offensive abilities (-4 if the ability is limited, such as spells) is NOT factored in.

Weak Bone CroupierCreature 4

Legacy Content

Uncommon NE Medium Undead 
Source Book of the Dead pg. 77, Pathfinder #151: The Show Must Go On pg. 80
Perception +11; darkvision
Languages Common, Necril
Skills Acrobatics +12, Deception +12, Diplomacy +12, Games Lore +10, Stealth +12, Thievery +12
Str +2, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +2, Cha +5
AC 20; Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +12
HP 35 (negative healing); Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Resistances cold 5, piercing 5, slashing 5
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] claw +12 [+8/+4] (agile, finesse), Damage 2d8-2+5 slashingOccult Innate Spells DC 20 (-4 dmg); 4th discern lies; 3rd mind reading; 1st illusory disguise; Cantrips (3rd) prestidigitation
Change of Luck [free-action] (divination, occult) Frequency once per day; Trigger A creature within 30 feet of the bone croupier attempts a check but hasn't rolled the check yet; Effect The bone croupier pulls on the threads of luck that bind all things. The target rolls twice, and then the bone croupier decides which result applies. If the bone croupier chooses the lower roll, this is a misfortune effect; if the bone croupier chooses the higher roll, it's a fortune effect; if they're the same, the croupier decides which trait to apply. If this ability is expended, the bone croupier rolls 2d6 at the start of each of their turns, recharging the ability if the sum is 7 or 11.Roll the Bones [two-actions] (necromancy, occult) The bone croupier designates an adjacent living creature to roll the bones. The chosen creature finds a pair of dice in its hand and is compelled by fate to roll them; it can and must roll the dice even if its hands are full or it is unable to act. The creature rolls 2d6, adding them together to determine the effect.
7 or 11 (healing, positive) The target regains 15 HP.
2, 3, or 12 (negative) The target takes 30 negative damage. If the target is dying, this damage increases its dying condition by 2 instead of 1.
Any Other Roll (negative) The target takes 15 negative damage.

Sidebar - Additional Lore A Deal you Can't Refuse

Bone croupiers rely on than their charm to manipulate their victims. Rather, these undying gamers pride themselves on using good old-fashioned guile and persuasion to drive others to destitution and doom. To these bone croupiers, magical compulsion is the laziest form of influence. This corrupt form of honor, of course, doesn’t extend toward using magic to cheat or swindle in games of chance—a bone croupier is all too glad to use its divinatory powers to change the outcomes of its dread bargains.