Back in the day, White Dwarf magazine was the British answer to the Dragon, and its regular "Fiend Factory" column was a source of many monsters for early D&D games. In fact, the first edition Fiend Folio (1981) was largely a collection of monsters submitted to WD. This 3e conversion is part of an ongoing project to resurrect some interesting WD monsters that, for one reason or another, fell by the wayside.

The cavewight debuted in "Chronicle Monsters" by Lewis Pulsipher, from White Dwarf 16 (Dec 1979/Jan 1980). This article converted several monsters from Stephen Donaldson's fantasy trilogy the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever into AD&D terms. Pulsipher was a frequent contribute to both the Dragon and White Dwarf; his most famed D&D contribution is probably the Elemental Princes of Evil. His Donaldson conversion proved so popular that it was reprinted in the first Best of the White Dwarf collection.

This stooped, loping humanoid has grey-colored skin and long arms ending in large, mitt-like claws.

Cavewight CR 2

Cavewight

Often NE Large monstrous humanoid (earth)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft; Listen -1, Spot -1

Languages Undercommon

AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 14
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural)

hp 13 (2 HD)

Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2

Spd 20 ft (4 squares), climb 20 ft

Melee 2 claws +4 (1d8+3) or
longsword +4 (2d6+3)

Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft

Base Atk +2; Grp +9

Abilities Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 9, Cha 11

SQ stonecunning

Feats Skill Focus (Craft [stoneworking])

Skills Climb +12, Craft (stoneworking) +3, Search +0 (+2 to notice unusual stonework)

Environment underground

Organization band (10–20) or colony (21–100)

Treasure standard

Advancement 3-4 HD (Large)

Level Adjustment +3

Stonecunning (Ex) This ability grants a cavewight a +2 racial bonus on Search checks to notice unusual stonework, such as sliding walls, stonework traps, new construction (even when built to match the old), unsafe stone surfaces, shaky stone ceilings, and the like. Something that isn't stone but that is disguised as stone also counts as unusual stonework. A cavewight who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a Search check as if he were actively searching, and a cavewight can use the Search skill to find stonework traps as a rogue can. A cavewight can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.

Skills Strong and in some ways agile, a cavewight can gain a climbing handhold by sinking its claws into stone, giving it a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks.

Cavewights are large, humanoid, cave or tunnel dwelling creatures. They are extremely good stoneworkers.