A manticore attacks from the ground with two claws and bite. Airborne, it does a fly-by, first firing tail spikes (1d2 per volley, no more than four volleys daily), then raking with claws at +4 to-hit
Manticores are Large magical beasts. They regenerate at a rate of 1 HP/round of combat. The manticore has twenty-four tail spikes. Used spikes regrow when the manticore finishes a long rest. When the manticore launches tail-spikes (it can do this grounded or airborne), roll 1d3 to determine how many spikes are launched. A single to-hit roll is made for all of them.
Unlike most other evil beasts, the manticore is intelligent and can speak Common. When given a choice, manticores prefer human flesh to that of other humanoids, and they prefer humanoid flesh to that of other beasts.
Manticore can survive nearly anywhere but prefers to make their lairs underground. They take pride in having a dreary and depressing home, perhaps to torment those it keeps captive until dinner.
When choosing a climate, they will opt for warmer areas. If there aren’t any caves nearby, then it will live in the lower mountains or marshes. The upper mountains will likely be too cold for its liking.
The manticore doesn’t have many predators, but it isn’t an apex predator. That said, most predators won’t hunt it down to eat it. Instead, it is adventurers that tend to hunt manticore.
The adventurers either hunt it down so it won’t harass nearby villages or to harvest its hide — or both. Manticore hide is known to be valuable, especially for making furniture and cloaks. Manticore hide lends itself, in particular, to the fashioning of cloaks of protection that have greater than a +1 enhancement bonus.