Few creatures have so much appeal to me as a DM as the Displacer Beasts. Furious predators with an otherworldly look, these creatures are fantasy staples, and maybe that’s why Wizards of the Coast has reserved them also a proprietary.

Physical description

A displacer beast is considered to be a «magical beast». It resembles a black puma with a pair of powerful black tentacles sprouting from its shoulders, and two additional forelimbs. Its hide is colored blue-black, like a dark panther. The tentacles are tipped with horny edges which can inflict terrible wounds and resemble the club-shaped catching tentacles of a squid.

Society & Ecology

Displacer beasts are fierce and vicious, and they seem to hate all other creatures. They primarily live in temperate forests and mountains, often looking for prey to kill just because they like to hunt, though they never fight among themselves. This beast uses a magical displacement ability, a form of illusion which causes it to appear to be a few feet away from where it actually is. This makes the creature hard to hit, while it attacks with its long tentacles. Its hide has many useful magical properties, making it highly sought after by wizards and alchemists.

In Eberron

The displacer beast shows up in the coat of arms of House Thuranni, probably a metaphor on how difficult to detect its members are. Displacer beasts can be trained as attack beasts or guard animals, but they’re prone to turning against their trainers. Thuranni agents have learned how to avoid such behavior.

In your campaign

I always use a pack of displacer beasts when my players are wondering through a forest or jungle. These creatures show great cunning in battle, stalking their prey and darting past defenders to attack easier targets and gaining advantage by flanking with an ally. If its displacement is negated, it moves to make it work again (risking opportunity attacks if necessary). The pack leader will ambush prey even in difficult terrain, where it can benefit from its reach. The whole pack relies on speed and displacement to maneuver safely on the battlefield.