Monster Monday: Minocentaur - Half-Minotaur, Half-Centaur

Today's Monster Monday is the minocentaur, a minotaur centaur. It has the lower body of a bull and the upper body of a minotaur. I guess its kind of like if a bull's neck suddenly turned into a full human torso. This taurine beast combines all the power and fury of a raging bull with all the power and fury of a raging minotaur. So watch out, I guess. Also, it dual-wields greataxes, because of course it does.

While I was statting it up, I was considering what kind of ranged weapon it should have: should it chuck a mighty spear, or go a more centaurish approach and wield a bow. Neither option quite felt right, but then I realized that I could just make it throw greataxes.

Photo by Wolfgang Sauber, via Wikimedia

Gilded Minoan axes in Herakleion Archaeological Museum. 

The reason minotaurs are often depicted wielding two-headed axes comes from their origins on the island of Crete. The minotaur was the monstrous offspring of King Minos's wife, Pasiphaë, and a super sexy bull that Poseidon sent out of the sea. King Minos imprisoned the minotaur in the Labyrinth, the name of which (labyrinthos) probably derives from labrys, a type of two headed axe (pictured above) which was used in religious ceremonies by the Minoans. With the Minoans strongly associated with bulls, labrys, the minotaur, and the labyrinth, it is almost inevitable that modern depictions of the minotaur would have him wielding a two-headed axe, even if he was not described as such in the original stories.

But enough about boring old two-legged minotaurs. Let's learn more about this twin-labrys-wielding, four-hoofed minocentaur:

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2017 Jonah Bomgaars.

This beast has the shaggy upper body of a minotaur and the powerful lower body of a raging bull

Minocentaur           CR 6

XP 2,400

CE Large monstrous humanoid

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, +2 Dex, -1 size)

hp 76 (8d10+32)

Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +7

Defensive Abilities natural cunning

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft.

Melee two greataxes +10/+10/+5 (1d12+5/x3), gore +7 (1d6+2), and 2 hooves +7 (1d6+2)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Ranged greataxe +9 (1d12+7/x3) 10ft.

Special Attacks powerful charge (gore +14, 2d6+7), trample (1d6+7, DC 19)

STATISTICS

Str 21, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 10

Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 26

Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack^B, Run

Skills Intimidate +7, Perception +12, Stealth +4, Survival +12, Swim +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival

Languages giant

SQ greataxe mastery

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Greataxe Mastery (Ex)

Minocentaurs are masters of greataxe fighting. When attacking with greataxes, they gain access to the feats Double-Slice, Throw Anything, Two-Handed  Thrower, and Two-Weapon Fighting as bonus feats, even if they do not meet the prerequisites. Minocentaurs treat greataxes as light weapons for the purpose of determining two-weapon fighting penalties.

Unnatural Cunning (Ex)

Like true minotaurs, minocentaurs possess an innate cunning that gives them immunity to maze spells and prevents them from ever becoming lost or being caught flat-footed.

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forests and plains

Organization solitary, pair, gang (3-6), tribe (7-26 plus 3 hunters of 3^rd level and 1 leader of 6^th level)

Treasure standard (two greataxes, other treasure)

Minocentaurs are powerful, centauroid creatures with the bull-headed upper bodies of minotaurs and the quadrupedal lower bodies of bulls. They are legendary warriors, roaming their territories in bands and tribes, making frequent raids on local settlements purely for the sport of battle. They revel in warfare, especially in the art of the greataxe, which they learn to master from a young age. After battle, they amuse themselves by telling outlandish tales of their exaggerated exploits and giving each other intricate tattoos. Although outsiders tend to think of them as a cross between minotaurs and centaurs, minocentaurs (who refer to themselves as labyrontes) consider this a grave insult. They are known to slay centaurs on sight, and like to take minotaurs as slaves. They have been known, on rare occasion, to ally themselves with ogres or hill giant clans in order to attack walled cities.

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-your taurine d20 despot