Reek
DR 3.5Beast · Large·Recommended levels: 5-10
Abilities
Saves
- STR +10
- CON +10
Skills
- Perception +5
- Athletics +10
- Survival +5
Languages
- —
Traits
The Reek has advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell.
The Reek has advantage on saving throws against effects that would knock it Prone or push or pull it.
If the Reek moves at least 20 ft straight toward a creature and then hits it with a Gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 6 (1d12) kinetic damage and must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked Prone.
If the Reek knocks a creature Prone, it may move up to 10 ft without provoking opportunity attacks. If it ends this movement within 5 ft of the knocked Prone creature, the Reek may make one Slam attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Lore
Reeks are massive, horned apex predators bred for dominance and destruction, most famously known for their use in gladiatorial arenas and by criminal syndicates that value raw spectacle. Native to harsh plains, rocky badlands, and arid frontier worlds, a Reek is built like a living battering ram—thick hide layered with bone plates, powerful forequarters, and a stubborn, iron-framed physiology that shrugs off punishment.
Despite their brutish appearance, Reeks are not mindless beasts. They possess sharp instincts and an acute sense of smell, allowing them to track prey, recognize threats, and line up devastating charges with terrifying precision. Once a Reek commits to a target, it relies on momentum and repeated impacts to break formations, knock enemies off their feet, and turn organized resistance into chaos.
A Reek does not stalk or ambush like other predators. It dominates territory openly, asserting control through overwhelming force and intimidation. In confined spaces or crowded environments, its sheer mass and charging power become exponentially more dangerous, transforming streets, arenas, and canyon floors into lethal collision zones.
In SWURPG, Reeks should be treated as mobile disasters rather than tactical opponents. They are at their most dangerous when given room to move and space to build speed. A Reek encounter should feel loud, violent, and uncontrollable—forcing players to react quickly, manage positioning, and survive the storm rather than attempt a clean, orderly fight.
In Play
A Reek fights by creating momentum and exploiting panic. At the start of combat, it identifies the most prominent or threatening target through scent and posture, then lines up a straight-line charge whenever possible. Ramming Charge is the Reek’s primary opening move, designed to knock enemies Prone and immediately disrupt formation.
Once a creature is knocked down, the Reek uses Trample Follow-Through to stay on top of the chaos—pressing forward, repositioning without fear of retaliation, and delivering Slam attacks while enemies struggle to regain footing. The Reek thrives when opponents are clustered, knocked over, or forced into narrow lanes where dodging is impossible.
If surrounded, the Reek uses brute strength to shove enemies aside rather than disengage, creating new charge paths and forcing characters to constantly reposition. It does not fight defensively or retreat unless severely injured or denied room to move.
Smart GMs should emphasize terrain: open arenas, canyon passes, market streets, icy plains, or hangar bays where movement errors are punished immediately. A Reek encounter should feel relentless and kinetic, rewarding tactical spacing and punishing hesitation.
Adventure Hooks
- The Broken Arena — A crime lord’s prized Reek escapes containment mid-event, turning a packed gladiatorial arena into a stampede of screaming spectators. The party must evacuate civilians, stop the beast, or survive long enough for emergency containment systems to activate.
- Horns in the Dust — Frontier settlers report tremors and crushed homesteads along a trade route. The cause is a displaced Reek driven from its territory by mining operations—and it now charges anything that smells unfamiliar.
- The Beast Shipment — The party is hired to escort a sealed transport carrying ‘live cargo.’ When pirates attack and the containment field fails, a furious Reek is released inside a confined cargo deck.
- Champion of the Pit — An underground arena advertises an unbeatable champion. The truth: the ‘champion’ is a Reek trained to charge on command. The party must fight it, sabotage the arena, or rig the match to survive.
- The Scent of Blood — A noble’s hunting expedition vanishes during a prestige safari. Tracking them reveals a wounded Reek whose territory was violated—and it is now aggressively defending its grounds.
- Stampede Protocol — A remote military outpost uses Reeks as last-ditch perimeter weapons. When the control systems malfunction, multiple Reeks are released at once, and the party must shut the system down before the base is flattened.