BX Monsters A to Z: Hawk

 It seems fitting, after the harpy, to focus on another creature of wing and feather, this time one of a more natural and less malevolent persuasion. I give you the hawk.

We all know what hawks are, so there's no need to recapitulate that here, even though the monster entry in fact does describe what a hawk is. What is of note is that all hawks do double damage on their first attack if they surprise their targets. Two varieties are detailed, normal and giant. It is noted that normal hawks won't attack human-sized or larger targets unless they appear unable to defend themselves. (It seems extremely unlikely that they'd attack even halfling-size creatures unless for the same reasons or maybe in cases of desperate hunger.) Their stats, AC 8, 1/2 Hit Die, and 1-2 damage per attack, bear this out pretty soundly. Their movement rate is an impressive 480' (160'), though, and their Morale of 7 is decent.

It's the giant hawk you might need to watch out for, especially if you're a halfling. They are stated to be the size of a large dog or small pony, and will attack human-size prey if hungry. They are also strong enough to carry off halfling-size or smaller creatures. Their AC of 6 is respectable, if unspectacular, and they have a very sturdy 3+3 HD, so even a very strong fighter probably can't simply knock them out of the air with a single blow. Dealing 1-6 points of damage per attack, they're also quite capable of killing low-level characters, especially if surprise bumps that to 2-12.  They're just marginally slower than normal hawks, at 450' (50') and slightly braver, with a Morale score of 8.

Both kinds of giant hawk may be trained as pets or guards, and one would presume as hunting birds. This requires the services of an animal trainer, but could potentially be well worth the expense. Hawks might assist in overland adventures, being possibly useful for spotting hazards and enemies from the air and shrieking warning, and able to hunt even while the party moves its full daily allotment. Normal hawks could bring back rabbits and other small game, while characters fortunate enough to have a giant hawk might receive game from the smaller range of herd animals (see Expert Rules, "Antelope".)   Obviously, hawks aren't homing pigeons, but with the assistance of a little magic, a swift-flying trained hawk would make a fabulous messenger too. As DM, you could leverage this to use hawks as guards and hunting birds for NPCs and humanoid monsters. Though it's not explicitly supported in the B/X rules, a hawk would also make a fine familiar for either PC or NPC magic-user characters.

Despite specifically being for hawks, the stats given in the monster entry could also be used for other large birds of prey, such as falcons and eagles. 

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