Phooka are tree spirits who inhabit
wild, tangled forests. They are mischievous
and perverse, and humans and
their kin are often the target of cruel
Phooka pranks.
A Phooka. has two forms, that of a
gnarled, leafless tree, and the more common
form of a squat, withered man with a
goat-like face and small, twisted horns
protruding from its forehead. (Some statistics
vary from one form to the other; in
such cases, statistics for the man-like
form are given in parentheses in the list
above.) During the day a Phooka may
assume either form at will, but at night
the creatures will always take on the immobile
tree-shape, and thus they are
generally more vulnerable (because of
their inability to move along the ground)
when encountered after nightfall.
When in tree shape, a Phooka may
only be hit by iron or magic weapons. A
Phooka in tree shape may not move from
the place it is located, but may flail
with
its limbs at anyone who comes within
reach. It can reach potential victims
standing as far as 20 feet away from its
trunk, but any attack made at a distance
of greater than 10 feet will be at -2 to
hit
and to damage.
In man form, a Phooka is armed with a
short wooden club. In this form, the creature
can be hit and damaged by any type
of weapon.
Phooka have the following magical
abilities which may be performed at will:
Audible Glamer, Darkness, Trip, Speak
With Plants, Pass Plant and Levitate (the
latter two in man form only). Once per
day these creatures may use Wall of
Thorns, Hallucinatory Terrain, Fumble,
Transmute Metal to Wood, and Animate
Object.
A Phooka can see invisible objects or
creatures within 6, and these creatures
have superior infravision (range 12).
They surprise others on a roll of 1-4.
Any character(s) unfortunate enough
to encounter one or more Phooka will be
tormented relentlessly until the creature
becomes bored or is scared off. Ignoring
a band of Phooka will often cause the
creatures to drift away in search of more
exciting adversaries or the same action
may incite them to increase their
efforts to pester the party. A powerful
group of adventurers may frighten away
Phooka with a show of force, and the
creatures may also be bribed to get them
to go away, but it is unlikely (because
of
the chaotic nature of the beasts) that
Phooka which are frightened or bribed
will stay away forever afterward.
Phooka speak their own language,
their alignment tongue, and the languages
of satyrs and pixies. They can also
communicate in the common tongue, although
they seldom care to do so.
| Dragon magazine | - | Monster Manual III | - | Dragon #57 |