Editing Bhut

{{WTF}}
[[File:ParkinsonBhut.png|thumb|Watch your bhuts.]]
The '''Bhut''' (wut-wut) was one of David "Zeb" Cook's bright ideas for [[X4-5-10: Desert Nomads series]], which (somehow) didn't make the [[Companion Set]] as the [[malfera]] ''et al.'' would. Look for them instead in [[AC9: Creature Catalog]] and various [[Mystara]] supplements.

Sir Mix-A-Lot cannot lie. But ''these'' monsters can.

In daylight they take the form of humans (and can't be sussed out by Expert-level know-[[alignment]]!). At night they own their morally-true form: mostly-reptilian, with shaggy hair and claws and fangs (hey, [[Liber Bestarius|Triassic Park]]!). Then "they hunt humans and demi-humans for food" (per AC9), in bands of 2-8. Home base is best sited somewhere most humans would be transient... like, oh, beside a mountain pass where Iranian-themed merchants and army camp-followers are going to-and-fro.

They shun most weapons, even in human form, so the [[monk]] is a popular cover in-between predation. Instead bhuts use their bite which is numbingly cold, demanding a Paralysis saving-throw. Losing that 'throw costs -2 to-hit rolls and a loss of Initiative for 1-4 rounds.

They share [[undead]] immunities: [[poison]], for a start. Where they must take saving-throws, those are at "a level higher than their Hit Dice" usually "7+2**" in [[Basic Dungeons & Dragons]] terms.

Here's where Zeb's design got stupid, likely costing this monster its Companion berth: {{spoiler|a single hit from a <b>blessed weapon</b> will kill one instantly"}} Also Zeb never quite figured out where it should live on the vampire/lycanthrope spectrum. All that; and its name, glorious to ten year old gamers for a generation.

The bhut's origin is from the Indo-Aryan bestiary (which might not distinguish undead / demon / lycanthrope very well itself).

==Third Edition==
Nobody much liked Zeb's dumb design, but there ''were'' gamers from 2000-on who wanted the bhut done right. That is: as undead.

First [[Scott Greene]] floated the "bhuta" in [[Tome of Horrors]]. Then in 2003 WotC figured that the ''[[Fiend Folio]]'' line was still lying on the table and could take this one on. Both bhut-ae are somewhat like a [[revenant]] inasmuch as they arise from someone done-dirty in a wilderness, now seeking revenge, perhaps against all the living now.

In 3e official content (thereby) the bhut gets 8d12 hitpoints and is an incorporeal spirit. It hides by possessing a corpse, not always its own; otherwise in this form behaving like Zeb's version. Out of that physical cage it is a "humanoid head" with red eyes on a body of "roiling" smoke. (There's an illustration in the book which doesn't much do this justice.)

Although incorporeal this bhut dislikes to pass through stone, which is in fact a weakness (as with certain [[div]]). The ''FF'' proceeds that the bhut enjoys resistance against corporeal nonmagical attacks. So... except for, like, [[Game of Thrones|obsidian daggers]], we guess.

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[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Monsters]][[Category:Mystara]]