Drakken (4e Monster)

Drakken (both the singular and plural form of the creatures) are animal whose ancestry contains trace amounts of dragon blood. This gives drakken an unmistakeably draconic appearance, although they are otherwise still mundane beasts with no supernatural abilities. Drakkensteeds (Draconomicon 2) are a type of drakken believed to be descended from horses.

Huitzil


Originally descended from birds, huitzils are mischievous creatures that hoard shiny objects and other trinkets. They aren't generally aggressive but can be a nuisance to those that don't feel like sharing their possessions.


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Huitzil Tactics
A huitzil only attacks if provoked, and even then it prefers to use fleeing theft to grab the most readily obtainable object and fly off with it, hoping to return later for any other treasures it may have spotted. When attacking in flocks, a few huitzils stay near a target to make use of their fluttering distraction aura while the rest grab any items of interest.

Phynxkin


Phynxkin are drakken combining the traits of dragons and hunting cats. They are patient and stealthy predators that have been known to follow prey for days, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The dire phynxkin is essentially a larger and more powerful version of the same creature.


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Phynxkin Tactics
A phynxkin patiently stalks its prey, waiting until it reaches a region with plenty of hiding spots. It then strikes with pounce and retreats back into cover, relying on its draconic resistance to withstand any magical counterattack its foes might launch. The phynxkin continues to attack from hiding at uneven intervals to prevent its target from predicting when the next attack will come.

Drakken Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful Arcana or Nature check.
 * DC 15:
 * DC 20:
 * DC 25:

Encounter Groups
Dragonborn, kobolds, and the more intelligent varieties of dragonspawn often keep huitzils as pets or familiars, due to their shared draconic heritage. They are not otherwise frequently found in the permanent company of other creatures, although their curious nature means they could be encountered pestering virtually anyone or anything. Phynxkin are highly valued as guardians but adapt poorly to urban environments, so their use is limited primarily to those races that live in wilderness regions like elves and eladrin.

Level 1 Encounter (XP 500) — Dragonborn Keepers
 * 4 huitzils (level 1 minion skirmisher)
 * 1 kobold dragonshield (level 2 soldier, Monster Manual pg. 168)
 * 3 kobold slingers (level 1 artillery, Monster Manual pg. 168)

Level 2 Encounter (XP 625) — Defenders of the Wood
 * 2 phynxkin (level 2 lurker)
 * 2 wilden destroyers (level 2 soldier)
 * 1 wilden hunter (level 2 lurker)

Level 5 Encounter (XP 950) — Fey Hunters
 * 2 dire phynxkin (level 4 lurker)
 * 3 eladrin arcane archers (level 5 artillery)
 * 1 spring nymph (level 5 controller)