Death leaper CR ???

The death leaper is a strange creature that resembles a marmoset with a beak, save that it can retract the fur and skin on its face to reveal what appears to be the glistening birdlike skull and musculature underneath. Combined with its strange, keening wail, this horrifying display is enough to paralyze prey and send formidable opponents running.

Death leapers’s retractable skin allows it to dine on carrion with a lower risk of picking up disease-carrying vermin, much like a vulture’s bare head and neck. When the creature finishes eating, restoring the facial skin to its normal position scrapes off gore and clinging bugs. The ability to retract their skin is demonstrated in other contexts as well—male death leapers bare their skulls at rivals as a challenge over mates, females use this ability to ward off undesired suitors, and hunting adults use it to scare prey into ambushes.

Additionally, when in dim lighting, hiding against folliage or rocks, Death Leapers possess the ability to blend in with their surroundings, tapping into mysterious powers tied to the shadow realm.

Though death leapers generally prefer to stalk herd animals like deer or cattle, they have no qualms about taking on humanoids when food is scarce. They average 2 to 3 feet in length and weigh approximately 80 pounds.

XP ???

Neutral Small magical beast

Init +4

Senses darkvision 60ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +10

Defense

AC 16, Touch 12, Flat-Footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size)

HP 13 (2d10+2)

Fort, Ref, Will +4, +5, +1

Offense

Speed 30 ft., climb 30ft. Melee 2 claws +4 (1d3), bite +4 (1d4)

Statistics

Str 8, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 14 Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 14 (18 vs. trip) Feats Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +10, Intimidate +1 (+5 to demoralize), Climb +12, Perception +5, Stealth +10 (+14 in treetops); Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate to demoralize, +4 Stealth (+8 in tree tops) Languages Anitou whisper (cannot speak)

Special Abilities

Shadow Camouplage (Su)

As a move action, when in dim lighting and hiding against folliage or rocks (including above or below itself) a death leaper can blend in with its surroundings. A DC 20 Perception or Knowledge(nature) check is required to notice it before it attacks for the first time.

Skullface (Ex)

As a standard action, a death leaper can pull the skin back from its face, revealing the musculature and bony structures of its skull. This counts as using Intimidate to demoralize an opponent, and is an extraordinary ability. The death leaper can emit a loud screech while peeling back its skin, causing potent fear in a single creature within 100 feet that can see the death leaper. The targeted creature must make a DC 12 Will save or become frightened (if the target has 6 or fewer Hit Dice) or shaken (if the target has more than 6 Hit Dice) for 1d4 rounds. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same death leaper’s skullface ability for 24 hours. This is a sonic, mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Table: Skinshifter Beast Form Progression

In addition to gaining the beast’s physical stats, its special abilities, attacks, movement, and AC as listed above, the skinshifter’s form takes on additional bonuses as it levels.

Class Level	Natural Armor Bonus	Str bonus	Dex Bonus	movement
1	+0	+0	+0	+0
2	+0	+0	+0	+0
3	+0	+0	+0	+0
4	+0	+0	+0	+0
5	+1	+0	+0	+0
6	+0	+0	+0	+0
7	+0	+0	+0	+0
8	+1	+2	+2	+0	climb + 5 ft
9	+0	+0	+0	+0
10	+0	+0	+0	+0
11	+0	+0	+0	+0
12	+2	+4	+4	+0	climb + 10 ft
13	+0	+0	+0	+0
14	+0	+0	+0	+0
15	+0	+0	+0	+0
16	+3	+6	+6	+0	climb + 15 ft
17	+0	+0	+0	+0
18	+0	+0	+0	+0
19	+0	+0	+0	+0
20	+4	+8	+8	+0	climb + 20 ft