Hormagaunt

Proficiencies: Athletics +5

Senses: Sees normally in total darkness

Bounding Lope. The hormagaunt ignores difficult terrain and leaps barricades, trenches, and wrecks without slowing. Its leaps count as normal movement.

Bred to Close. While under synapse, the hormagaunt ignores Suppression and cannot be Pinned. Something with no self-preservation must be hit, not discouraged.

Scything Leap. The hormagaunt leaps up to 20 feet toward a target and attacks in the same motion. Melee Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 1 slashing damage, and the target makes a Strength Save DC 11 or is knocked Prone.

Talon Flurry. The hormagaunt makes two attacks against one Prone or Exposed target, each with Advantage. Melee Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d4 + 1 slashing damage.

Hunting Reflex. When a creature within 30 feet moves away from the hormagaunt, it may immediately move up to 15 feet toward that creature.

Morale: Does not make Morale checks under synapse. Without it the brood reverts to pack predation — it still kills, but can be baited, scattered, and fled.

Tactics: Start far enough away that the party thinks they have time, then show them the leap distance. Flow around cover and corners to reach flesh; overwatch thins the brood but never stops it. The synapse creature behind the wave is the actual encounter.

Loot / Evidence / Hooks: Adrenal glands cut from fresh kills are a stimm-trade commodity in less reputable ports.

The hormagaunt is a leaping melee organism bred for one instruction: close the distance and cut. It crosses open ground faster than a human decision and arrives in numbers that make Reactive Fire arithmetic, not salvation.

Use this enemy when the encounter's question is time — how many rounds of shooting the party gets before the talons arrive.

Threat Profile: Low durability, very high closing speed, bounding leaps, slashing swarm melee, relentless under synapse, feral without it.

Bounding Lope. Moves faster than any human sprint and leaps barricades, trenches, and wrecks without slowing.

Hunting Reflex. When any creature within 30 feet moves away from it, the hormagaunt may immediately move toward it as a reaction.

Bred to Close. Ignores Suppression while under synapse; Pinning a thing with no self-preservation requires hitting it.

Scything Leap. Leaps into reach and attacks in the same motion; the first target of its charge saves or is knocked prone.

Talon Flurry. Multiple light slashes; against a prone or Exposed target the whole flurry gains Advantage.

Morale: No Morale under synapse; without it, the brood reverts to pack predation — it still kills, but can be baited, scattered, and fled.

Tactics: Start hormagaunts far enough away that the party thinks they have time, then show them the leap distance. They flow around cover and corners to reach flesh; overwatch thins them but never stops them. The synapse creature behind the wave is the actual encounter — the gaunts are its reach.

Full Stat Block Priority: Medium