A braxat looming menacingly. The illustration doesn't convey how big it is. Copyright 2010 Wizards of the Coast.

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The Lore

Braxats used to be natural beasts long ago, but according to the book were uplifted by a “grim magical influence” over centuries of exposure to become the huge and extremely antisocial insectile/reptilian humanoids they are today.

Braxats view all relationships, including those with other braxats, in terms of dominance and coercion. They treat anyone weaker than them with contempt at best, viciously hate anyone they see as equals, and only grudginly submit to those they perceive as stronger. Each group is smaller than the one before, of course. They have a particularly hate for half-giants for some reason.

Sometimes one of Athas’ many shady organizations manages to convince young braxats to work for them as muscle through either bribery or intimidation. This never lasts long, as the creatures are incapable of forming true loyalties and either leave or betray their bosses if they survive and grow strong enough.

That same emphasis on coercion also applies to braxat reproduction (yikes!). Braxats reproduce when there’s enough surplus food to go around, and lay their eggs in secluded caves and other similar shelters.

The Numbers

Braxats are Natural Humanoids, with young specimens starting at Large and adults reaching Huge size. They have Speed 8, acid resistance that increases with tier, low-light vision, and the Threatening Reach trait, which means they can make opportunity attacks against anyone inside their full melee reach, not just adjacent enemies. They rely on their carapace for protection and use their fists or heavy clubs as weapons. They can also spit acid and use psychic powers, though the exact mechanics vary on each stat block.

Braxat Juvenile

A still-young individual that’s nevertheless old and large enough to strike out on its own. As mentioned above, some juveniles are conditioned from an early age to view another creature as its superior, but that only lasts until the braxat grows large and smart enough to see it’s stronger. Mercenary arrangements tend to last a bit more. Many juveniles never grow to see adulthood, dying during their work as muscle for Athas’ various villainous organizations.

Juveniles are Level 9 Soldiers with 96 HP. They’re “merely” size Large, and have Acid Resistance 10. Their melee attacks are reach 2 and consist of either a basic Slam that marks for a turn on a hit, or a Thrash ability that does the same damage and knocks prone on a hit.

At range, they can use their Caustic Spit (ranged 5 vs. Reflex) to deal immediate and ongoing acid damage, also slowing the target (save ends both). When a marked enemy within 3 squares tries to move away from the juvenile, they can use a Telekinetic Barrier as an interrupt to slide the enemy back towards a square adjacent to the braxat.

Braxat Raider

A typical adult specimen, now grown to Huge size. It wanders the wastes alone or with a small band of followers, setting up camp near caravan routes or villages that they periodically raid for livestock and people to eat.

Raiders are Level 14 Elite Soldiers with 280 HP. Their melee reach is 3, and their acid resistance is 15. They fight with greatclubs whose basic attacks damage and slide 1 square on a hit, and mark for a turn as an effect. They can also be used for Greatclub Sweeps (recharge 5+) that target a Close Burst 2 and knock prone on a hit.

The raider’s acid spit is a Scathing Spray (Close Blast 5 vs. Reflex, recharges when first bloodied) that has similar effects to the juvenile’s spit on anyone it hits, and does half damage on a miss. Its TK barrier evolves to Telekinetic Harness (immediate reaction), letting it pull marked enemies that end their turns not adjacen to the raider up to 6 squares.

They also get an entirely new psychic power: Agonize (ranged 10 vs. will) deals psychic damage and slows for a turn, and doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when used.

Braxat Lord

Braxats who live to reach the peak of their power are strong enough to set themselves up as regional despots, as only the most powerful creatures in Athas can hope to win against them. They view pretty much anyone else as either potential slaves, or potential meals.

The Braxat Lord is a Level 23 Elite Soldier with 428 HP and 20 acid resistance. Like the Raider, it’s Huge and its melee reach is 3. It fights with a Maul that damages and slides 2 squares on a hit, and marks for a turn as an effect. It can attack at range with the Crushing Pain (ranged 10 vs. Fort) psychic power, which deals psychic damage, immobilizes for a turn, and slows for another turn as an aftereffect. The Attack Flurry power lets it use the maul twice and Crushing Pain once in the same standard action, against 2 or 3 targets.

Its acid spit power is Vitriolic Spew, a Close Blast 5 vs. Reflex that deals immediate and ongoing acid damage. It also turns the blast area into lightly obscured difficult terrain that deals acid damage to anyone ending their turn inside, and lasts until the end of the lord’s next turn.

The psychic powers don’t end there either! Overawe (recharge 5+) is a minor action Close Burst 10 that targets all creatures marked by the lord, deals psychic damage, makes them grant combat advantage, and forbids them from using opportunity or immediate actions (save ends both). And its Telekinetic Harness works like the raider’s but also restrains those pulled by it and deals ongoing psychic damage (save ends both).

Encounters and Final Impressions

I think the encounter examples are pretty well described above. As for my impressions, braxats seem to be some of the worst people in Athas, and that’s saying something. They feel like Darker and Sunnier evil ogres or giants. The three variants slot neatly into the ogre/giant/titan role, respectively.