Aufhocker

Medium undead (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 95 (10d10 + 40)

Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 18 (+4) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 18 (+4) · INT 12 (+1) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +5, Cha +6

Skills Deception +6, Insight +5, Perception +5, Stealth +5

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant while in sunlight or running water (see traits)

Damage Resistances cold, necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered

Condition Immunities exhaustion

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages Common, Infernal

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. The aufhocker can use a bonus action to polymorph into a Large black wolf, a Medium crone, or a Medium or Large raven-haired beggar, or back into its true hybrid form. Its statistics are unchanged in each form except for its speed (wolf 50 ft., climb 20 ft.). Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Leaper in the Night. The aufhocker can jump up to 15 feet as part of its movement without a running start. If it ends this jump in a creature’s space, it can immediately attempt to grapple the creature (escape DC 16) as a bonus action.

Sunlight Banishment. At the start of each of the aufhocker’s turns in direct sunlight it takes 10 radiant damage, has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can’t use Leeching Ride.

Running-Water Aversion. The aufhocker can’t willingly cross running water wider than 5 ft. If it starts its turn in running water, it takes 10 radiant damage, and its speed is halved until the end of the turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The aufhocker makes two attacks: one Bite and one Claw.

Bite (Wolf or Hybrid Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage.

Claw (Any Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft. (wolf reach 5 ft.), one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.

Night-Terror Howl (Recharge 5–6). The aufhocker releases a soul-freezing howl. Each creature of its choice within 30 feet that can hear it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. While frightened by this howl, a creature that moves more than 60 feet from the aufhocker is no longer frightened.

Bonus Actions

Shapechange. The aufhocker uses Shapechanger.

Reactions

Cling. When a creature the aufhocker can see within 10 ft. leaves its reach, the aufhocker can attempt to grapple that creature.

Lore

A shape-shifting vampire that springs onto guilty travelers at lonely bridges and crossroads to drink their blood, fleeing only from sunlight, church bells, prayer.

Aufsitzer A shape-shifting vampire that springs onto guilty travelers at lonely bridges and crossroads to drink their blood, fleeing only from sunlight, church bells, prayer.

The Aufhocker most often appears in legend as an enormous black dog or wolf with blazing eyes. In that form its height on its hind legs rivals that of an adult human, its fur is thick and feels icy to the touch, and the glow of its eyes ranges from yellow to deep red. At times the entity chooses an anthropomorphic shape: a hunched old woman, a limping traveler, a ragged beggar—figures in which, on closer inspection, one notices fingers that are far too long, distorted facial features, or an uncanny lightness in movement.

From Vampire Bestiary 5E, p. 18 · Fern Flower Press