Monster of the week: The Doppelganger

The Doppelganger is a master spy, deceiver and assassin. A strong fighter in itself, the Doppelganger has the power to take the form of any creature it sees, and excellent skills at disguise, bluffing and hiding.

The Doppelganger's natural form is a grey-skinned, slender humanoid with large claws and strangely elongated limbs. It's joints are disturbingly flexible and its eyes large and blank.

The Doppelganger can change form to that of any other humanoid at will. Doppelgangers do not form communities, but live by mimicking other humanoids, stealing and murdering. Though not often evil, they have few compunctions about doing whatever is necessary to survive, and often hire themselves out as spies, assassins and scouts to the highest bidder. Lacking the power to detect magical disguise themselves, they are happy to kill their own.

Doppelgangers usually adventure as Rogues, Rangers or Wizards. They have no gods and are rarely found in the Priestly professions. Being uncomfortable with direct conflict, they rarely pursue lifestyles which will force them to behave as fighters, soldiers or leaders. Their preferred tactic when dealing with groups of powerful individuals is to kill an isolated member of the group, take his or her form, and infiltrate the group for long enough to achieve their purpose. This purpose is usually merely robbery, but may also be information gathering, misdirection, or entrapment. At all of these deceptions they are proven masters, and for this reason alone any sensible adventurer would be well advised to slay such a beast as soon as it is uncovered.

The creature's statistics follow.

Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +1
Armor Class: 15 (+1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d6+1)
Special Attacks: Detect thoughts
Special Qualities: Change shape, immunity to sleep and charm effects
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +6
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 13
Skills: Bluff +10*, Diplomacy +3, Disguise +9* (+11 acting), Intimidate +3, Listen +6, Sense Motive +6, Spot +6
Feats: Dodge, Great Fortitude
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair, or gang (3–6)
Alignment: Usually neutral

A doppelganger’s appearance is deceiving even when it’s in its true form. A doppelganger is hardy, with a natural agility not in keeping with its frail appearance.

Doppelgangers make excellent use of their natural mimicry to stage ambushes, bait traps, and infiltrate humanoid society. Although not usually evil, they are interested only in themselves and regard all others as playthings to be manipulated and deceived.

It is natural form a doppelganger is about 5-1/2 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds.

COMBAT

When in its natural form, a doppelganger strikes with its powerful fists. In the shape of a warrior or some other armed person, it attacks with whatever weapon is appropriate. In such cases, it uses its detect thoughts ability to employ the same tactics and strategies as the person it is impersonating.

Detect Thoughts (Su): A doppelganger can continuously use detect thoughts as the spell (caster level 18th; Will DC 13 negates). It can suppress or resume this ability as a free action. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Change Shape (Su): A doppelganger can assume the shape of any Small or Medium humanoid. In humanoid form, the doppelganger loses its natural attacks. A doppelganger can remain in its humanoid form until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, but a doppelganger reverts to its natural form when killed. A true seeing spell or ability reveals its natural form.

Skills: A doppelganger has a +4 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.

*When using its change shape ability, a doppelganger gets an additional +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. If it can read an opponent’s mind, it gets a further +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.