Those Left Behind

A selection of Monsters from the 3.5e SRD, Updated for Fifth Edition
Table Of Contents

Aranea (Werespider)

An aranea is an intelligent, shapechanging spider with sorcerous powers. In its natural form, an aranea resembles a giant spider, with a humpbacked body a little bigger than a human torso. It has fanged mandibles like a normal spider, however two small arms lie below the mandibles, each bearing a hand with four many-jointed fingers and a double-jointed thumb.

Aranea prefer to live in forest caverns where they can be out of the way, but not too distant from a settlement of humanoids where they can find entertainment, knowledge, and profit.

Deceptive Spinners. Aranea can take on a humanoid form that they use as a more pleasing face to interact with other humanoids. In this form, their true nature is almost undetectable, unless they choose to reveal some of their true selves with a fanged and web-spinning hybrid form.

Weavers in the Dark. Aranea are smugly content to manipulate events at a distance from their quiet, web-strewn lairs, generally using others as the front lines in their plans and designs. They only put in a personal appearance when necessary, using a combination of deft touches, misdirection, and even sincere promises to ensure an amusing and profitable outcome.

Collectors and Hoarders. Aranea are habitual collectors of nearly anything they think may have value. If they can gain the upper hand over an opponent, they will often attempt to profit from the encounter by ransoming them rather than killing them.

Manipulative Combatants. An aranea avoids physical combat and uses its webs and spells when it can. They prefer illusions and enchantments and usually prefer not to learn or use fire spells. In a battle, an aranea tries to immobilize or distract the most aggressive opponents first, and seeks to escape if at all possible.

Unstable Sisterhoods. It isn't uncommon to find groups of a few aranea lairing together, however such relationships are difficult for them to maintain for very long, as each aranea's layered schemes of personal enrichment and entertainment inevitably end up tangled in the others', causing squabbles and fractured friendships.

Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast

Aranea

Medium monstrosity, neutral

  • Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  • Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  • Speed 50 ft., climb 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)
  • Skills Athletics +4, Perception +3
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
  • Languages Common, Sylvan
  • Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Spellcasting. The aranea is a 3rd-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The aranea knows the following sorcerer spells:

  • Cantrips (at will): friends, chill touch, light, minor illusion
  • 1st Level (4 slots): mage armor, sleep
  • 2nd level (2 slots): suggestion, invisibility

Shapechanger. The aranea can use its action to polymorph into a small or medium female humanoid, into a hybrid spider-humanoid, or back into its true form. The humanoid form the aranea assumes is unique to that individual, and always the same.

Its other statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. The changed form remains until the aranea chooses another one. It does not revert to its natural form when killed. A true seeing spell, however, reveals its natural form.

False Appearance. The aranea's hybrid form is indistinguishable from a normal humanoid of its type until it attacks with its bite or uses its web.

Actions

Bite (Natural or Hybrid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Web (Natural or Hybrid Form Only, Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).

Arrowhawks

An arrowhawk is a predator and scavenger from the Elemental Plane of Air that looks like a vicious, four-winged bird of prey. By twisting its body and varying the cadence of its wingbeats, an arrowhawk can fly at top speed in any direction. Though they appear completely bestial, they are capable of speech in the language of their native plane. They are not, however, generally inclined to talk to their food.

Voracious Hunters. Arrowhawks are extremely territorial and always hungry. They attack almost any other creature they meet, seeking a meal or trying to drive away a rival, though they sometimes aggregate to take down larger prey.

Hot Meals. An arrowhawk's primary mode of attack is an electricity ray, fired from the tail. The creature also bites, but it prefers to stay out of reach until its prey is cooked.

Ravenous with Age. Some arrowhawks survive to become enormous, to the point that their electric rays can roast several creatures at once - the better to sate their equally huge appetites.

Arrowhawk

Medium monstrosity, neutral

  • Armor Class 13
  • Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7)
  • Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 13 (+1)
  • Damage Resistances cold, fire
  • Damage Immunities acid, lightning, poison
  • Condition Rmmunities poisoned
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages Auran
  • Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.

Electricity Ray. Ranged Weapon Attack. +5 to hit, range 50 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) lightning damage

Greater Arrowhawk

Large monstrosity, neutral

  • Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30)
  • Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 13 (+1)
  • Damage Resistances cold, fire
  • Damage Immunities acid, lightning, poison
  • Condition Immunities poisoned
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages Auran
  • Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Electricity Ray. The arrowhawk fires a line of electricity that is 50 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Assassin Vine

The assassin vine is a semi-mobile plant that collects its own grisly fertilizer by grabbing and crushing animals and depositing the carcasses near its roots.

A mature plant consists of a main vine, about 20 feet long. Smaller vines up to 5 feet long branch off from the main vine about every 6 inches. These small vines bear clusters of leaves, and in late summer they produce bunches of small fruits that resemble wild grapes. The fruit is tough and has a hearty but bitter flavor. Assassin vine berries make a heady wine.

Patient Ambush. An assassin vine can move about, albeit very slowly, but usually stays put unless it needs to seek prey in a new vicinity. It typically lies still until prey comes within reach, then attacks. It uses its ability to control surrounding plant life both to catch prey and deter counterattacks.

Underground Offshoot. A subterranean version of the assassin vine grows near hot springs, volcanic vents, and other sources of thermal energy. These plants have thin, wiry stems and gray leaves shot through with silver, brown, and white veins so that they resemble mineral deposits. An assassin vine growing underground usually generates enough offal to support a thriving colony of mushrooms and other fungi, which spring up around the plant and help conceal it.

Assassin Vine

Large plant, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 34 (4d10 + 12)
  • Speed 5 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 13 (+1) 9 (-1)
  • Damage Resistances cold, fire
  • Damage Immunities lightning
  • Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

False Appearance. The assassin vine is indistinguishable from a normal plant until it moves or attacks.

Actions

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained, and the assassin vine can't constrict another target.

Animate plants. As a bonus action, the assassin vine causes weeds and vines to erupt from the ground in a 20 foot square centered on a point within 30 feet of it. The area filled by plants becomes difficult terrain. In addition, each creature within the area when the plants erupt must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the entangling plants (escape DC 15).

The plants remain for 1 minute, or until the assassin vine uses this ability again.

Athach

An athach is a hulking, misshapen biped, similar in appearance to an oversized ogre or ogrillon, but with a third arm sprouting from the center of its chest. Angry and outcast, even among giants, it considers itself "superior" to smaller or less intelligent giants like ogres, ettins, and hill giants.

Lipstick on a Pig. An athach is typically acquisitive and covetous - they are drawn towards beautiful goods and jewelry, which they use to adorn themselves, believing such decorations make them more lovely.

Vile Bite. The accreted filth and noxious saliva coating its fangs make the bite of an athach essentially venomous, inducing weakness in its victims.

Athach

Huge giant, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 13 (hide armor)
  • Hit Points 161 (14d12 + 70)
  • Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 13 (+1) 19 (+5) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
  • Skills Athletics +8
  • Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages Giant
  • Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Actions

Multiattack. The athach makes three morningstar attacks, or throws three rocks. It can choose to substitute a bite attack in place of one morningstar attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) piercing damage.

Rock. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 60/240 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Belker

Belkers are creatures from the Plane of Air. They are composed primarily of smoke. Although undeniably evil, they are very reclusive and usually have no interest in the affairs of others. A belker’s winged shape makes it look distinctly demonic.

In most cases, a belker fights with its nasty claws and painful bite, but if it is feeling particularly spiteful, it is capable of forcing its smoky body down a creature's throat and tearing it apart from the inside.

Belker

Large elemental, neutral evil

  • Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 45 (7d10 + 7)
  • Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 21 (+5) 13 (+1) 6 (-2) 11 (+0) 11 (+0)
  • Skills Stealth +7, Perception +2
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, unconscious
  • Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 12
  • Languages Auran
  • Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Smoke Form. The belker can change between its normal solid form and a smoke form as a bonus action on its turn. While in smoke form, it has resistance to nonmagical damage and advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws. It can enter and occupy the space of another creature, pass through small holes and crevices, and treats liquids as if they were solid surfaces. It can't attack (except using Smoke Claws) or manipulate objects while in smoke form.

Actions

Multiattack (Solid Form Only). The belker makes three attacks: one with its bite, and two with its claws.

Bite (Solid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) slashing damage.

Claw (Solid Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Wings (Solid Form Only). The belker flaps its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 11 (2d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage and is pushed 5 feet away from the belker. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed.

Smoke Claws (Smoke Form Only). The belker enters another creature's space. If the creature is Large or smaller, it must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. Creatures that do not breathe succeed automatically.

On a failed save, the creature takes 14 (4d6) slashing damage as the essence of the belker flows inside it and solidifies into vicious claws. The affected creature can't breathe, is restrained, and takes 14 (4d6) slashing damage at the start of each of the belker's turns.

The affected creature can make a new saving throw against the smoke claws as an action on each of its turns. On a success, it expels the belker's smoke and escapes, and can enter a space of its choice within 5 feet of the belker.

Chaos Beast

The horrific creatures known as chaos beasts have mutable, ever-changing forms. A chaos beast’s dimensions vary, but it always weighs about 200 pounds.

For all its fearsome appearances, whether it has claws, fangs, pincers, tentacles, or spines, a chaos beast's continual transmutations prevent the coordination needed to bring all of its weaponry to bear at once, making it seem less of a threat than it might otherwise become.

The true danger of a chaos beast, however, is its corrupting touch, which causes creatures it attacks to melt and degenerate into writhing masses of unstable flesh.

Chaos Beast

Medium aberration, chaotic neutral

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
  • Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
  • Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Magic Resistance. The chaos beast has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Immutable Form. The chaos beast is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Actions

Multiattack. The chaos beast makes two attacks.

Claw or Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be infected with the disease Corporeal Instability.

The diseased creature's form becomes warped and flowing, similar to the chaos beast. It immediately suffers two level of exhaustion.

A creature can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, reducing its level of exhaustion by two on each successful save and increasing by one on each failed save. If it reaches the sixth level of exhaustion, however, the creature becomes a chaos beast under the DM's control.

A lesser restoration spell or similar magic can remove the condition as long as the victim has not yet transformed.

 

Corporeal Instability

A creature that takes damage from a Chaos Beast risks becoming one itself. Any living creature (non-undead, construct, or elemental) that becomes a chaos beast retains its statistics except as described below.

Type. The creature's type changes to aberration.

Armor Class. The creature gains a +2 bonus to AC from natural armor, but can no longer benefit from manufactured armor or shields.

Personality. The creature's alignment changes to chaotic evil, and it loses the ability to speak or understand language.

Traits. The creature gains the Magic Resistance and Immutable Form traits.

Actions. The creature loses the ability to cast spells or use manufactured weapons. Creatures damaged by its natural weapons must succeed on a DC 15 saving throw or be infected with Corporeal Instability.

Legendary Actions. If the creature had legendary actions, it loses its former options and gains the following options instead:

  • Appalling Presence. The chaos beast transforms into a mockery of its past form. Each creature within 10 feet of the chaos beast must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the chaos beast until the start of its next turn.
    • Slithering Mass. The chaos beast moves up to half its speed, ignoring difficult terrain. Opportunity attacks triggered by this move are made with disadvantage.

Choker

These vicious little predators lurk underground, grabbing whatever prey happens by. Their hands and feet have spiny pads that help them grip almost any surface.

Ceiling Stalkers. A choker likes to perch near the ceiling, often at intersections, archways, wells, or staircases, and reach down to attack its prey. A choker attacks creatures of almost any size, but prefers lone prey of its size or larger. If one is very hungry, it may attack a group, but it waits to grab the last creature in line.

Bauble Fascination. While not very bright, chokers are intelligent enough to understand that some things are valuable or important. Sometimes, this leads them to fixate on stealing a certain item from a person, like a brooch or shiny dagger, while other times a choker might become desirous of a fancy hat or cloak. As such, it’s entirely possible to find chokers bedecked in odd bits of clothing or secreting away odds and ends of uncertain value.

Feygrove Chokers. Chokers native to the feywild lurk in treetops and other natural foliage, relying on their natural camoflage to hide them instead of darkness.

Feywild Choker

Small aberration, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)
  • Speed 30 ft..
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 13 (+1) 7 (-2)
  • Skills Stealth +6
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages Undercommon, Sylvan
  • Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Aberrant Quickness (Recharge after a Short or Long Rest). The choker can take an extra action on its turn.

Chameleon Hide. A choker is considered heavily obscured unless it is grappling a creature, or is itself grappled.

Spider Climb. The choker can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

Multiattack. The choker makes two tentacle attacks, each of which it can replace with one use of strangle.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the choker can't use this tentacle on another target (the choker has two tentacles). If this attack is a critical hit, the target also can't breathe or speak until the grapple ends.

Strangle. One creature grappled by the choker takes 3 (1d6) piercing damage and the target also can't breathe or speak until the grapple ends.

Reactions

Body Shield. When the choker is targeted by an attack and has a creature grappled, it can impose disadvantage on the attack roll. If the attack misses, it hits a creature the choker is grappling instead. The choker can't force a creature to attack itself.

Delver

A delver is an enormous creature that lives in the Underdark, burrowing here and there between caverns while searching for food.

Defensive Tunneler. A delver's territory is honeycombed with tunnels separated by mere inches of stone, allowing the delver to burst through them at a moment's notice to attack or retreat. It prefers to fight in a tight tunnel when it can, allowing the stone walls to protect its rear and flanks.

Corrosive Slime. A delver secretes an acidic mucus that dissolves stone and flesh alike, which is the secret of its ease of travel even through solid rock. When it wants to, it can utilize the slime to soften stone and shape it into useful forms, much like a stone shape spell.

Delver

Huge monstrosity, neutral

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 172 (15d12 + 75)
  • Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
27 (+8) 13 (+1) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1)
  • Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4, Survival +5
  • Damage Immunity acid
  • Senses darkvision 60ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  • Languages Terran, Undercommon
  • Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Acid Touch. The delver's skin is covered in an acidic gel. A creature hit by the delver's slam attack takes an extra 7 (2d6) acid damage (already included).

Corrosive Defense. Any nonmagical weapon that hits the delver begins to dissolve. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition that hits the delver is destroyed after dealing damage.

Siege Monster. Objects and constructs take double damage from the delver's slam attacks and acid.

Tunneler. The delver can burrow through solid rock at its full burrowing speed, and leaves a 10-foot-wide, 10-foot-high tunnel in its wake.

Actions

Multiattack. The delver makes two slam attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d7) acid damage.

If the attack misses a creature, the target must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, any nonmagical armor or shield the creature is using takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to the AC it offers. A shield reduced to a +0 bonus or armor reduced to an AC of 10 is destroyed. If the creature is using a shield, that must be destroyed first before the armor begins to be damaged.

Stone Shape. The delver can soften and reshape up to a 5 foot cube of stone, as if by the spell stone shape. Since this is an extraordinary ability and not a spell or magical effect, it can't be counterspelled or dispelled.

Destrachan

Destrachan

The destrachan is a subterranean carnivore that hunts in absolute darkness using echolocation. It has no eyes, and is completely blind, but possesses a pair of complex, tripartite ears it can adjust to different levels of sensitivity to sound. While noise soothes destrachans, they are agitated by music, and will curiously investigate any unusual sounds.

Despite its bestial appearance, the destrachan is in fact a creature of cunning and cruel intellect that enjoys inflicting pain and listening to the screams made by its victims. After stunning their prey, a destrachan will carry it unconscious back to its lair. There, the victim is encased in a mucous saliva and trapped alive as entertainment or a future meal.

Pack hunters. Destrachans hunt in packs, using a complex series of clicks, shrieks, and whistles to communicate with each other. While destrachans cannot speak, they are capable of understanding spoken languages like Undercommon, and are sometimes trained as mounts by grimlocks.

Metamorphosis. Destrachans live underground, but during the mating season, groups of destrachan will migrate to the surface and cocoon themselves in their resinous secretions. Several months later, they emerge as winged yrthaks ready to hunt the open world above. Mature yrthaks will guard these cocoons as if they were eggs.

Destrachan

Large monstrosity, neutral evil

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 18 (+4) 12 (+1)
  • Skills Perception +6, Stealth +3
  • Damage Resistances thunder
  • Condition Immunities blinded
  • Senses blindsight 100 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 17
  • Languages understands Undercommon but can't speak
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Echolocation. The destrachan can't use its blindsight while deafened.

Eyeless. The destrachan is immune to illusions and any other attack or effect that requires the target to see it.

Actions

Multiattack. The destrachan makes two attacks with its claws.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Harmonics (Recharge 5-6). The destrachan uses one of the following effects.

Disruptive Harmonics. The destrachan projects a blast of sonic energy in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures reduced to 0 hit points by this damage are stablilized and unconscious.

Painful Harmonics. The destrachan emits a high pitched shriek. Each creature within 20 feet of the destrachan that can hear the shriek must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated and deafened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. This ability has no effect on undead, constructs, or creatures with resistance or immunity to thunder damage.

Digester

A digester is a bizarre bipedal creature of uncertain origin. Of nearly human size, it loosely resembles an armless and featherless rattite bird with a distended belly. The head of a digester is elongated and bears short fleshy "whiskers" that dangle from either side of its tube-like, jawless, and toothless mouth. Strangest of all, however, is the protrusion in its forehead from which it can spray copious amounts of corrosive acid at its next meal-to be.

Skirmishers. A digester is a hunting and eating machine. When it is not hungry (which is rarely), it lies low and avoids most other creatures. When hunting, it looks about for a likely target, then charges forth and delivers a gout of acid. If the initial attack is insufficient to kill the prey, the digester breaks off and lets its digestive juices do their work before attacking again. It attacks with the claws on its feet only as a last resort.

Digester

Medium monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
  • Speed 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 2 (-5) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
  • Damage Immunity acid
  • Skills Athletics +5, Stealth +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Keen Smell. The digester has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Nimble Escape: The digester can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Actions

Acid Spray (Recharge 5-6). The digester sprays acid in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 18 (4d8) acid damage immediately and 9 (2d8) acid damage at the end of its next turn. On a success, the target takes half as much of the initial damage and no damage at the end of its next turn.

Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.

Dragonne

Combining the ferocious appetites of the creatures it most resembles, a dragonne is fearsome predator that challenges any who would dare invade its territory.

Limited Flight. A dragonne’s wings are useful only for short flights, carrying the creature for 10 to 30 minutes at a time. Nevertheless, it uses its wings effectively in battle. If opponents attempt to charge or encircle it, the dragonne simply takes to the air and finds a more defensible position.

 

Dragonne

Large monstrosity, neutral

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 76 (9d10 + 27)
  • Speed 40 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1)
  • Skills Perception +5
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  • Languages Draconic
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Pounce. If the dragonne moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the dragonne can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4)

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d4 + 4)

Roar (Recharge 5-6). The dragonne unleashes a devastating roar. Each creature within 120 feet must make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a sucess.

Ethereal Creatures

These strange creatures spend as much time in the ethereal plane as they do in the material. Ethereal creatures tend to be lurking opportunists, and very difficult to pin down even after they reveal themselves.

Ethereal Filcher

A curious creature with a penchant for petty theft, an ethereal filcher patrols its territory unseen, hiding in the ethereal plane before popping out and attempting to make off with the contents of a creature's pockets. It is particularly fond of magical items, which it has an innate ability to sense.

Ethereal filchers are a pest in ports and cities where luxury goods are traded, especially those that experience traffic from other planes.

While not hesitant to bite to distract its victim (or pursuer), it is more likely to attempt an escape when caught.

Etheral Filcher

Medium aberration, neutral

  • Armor Class 14
  • Hit Points 22 (5d8)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 11 (+0) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
  • Skills Sleight of Hand +8, Stealth +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Etheral Jaunt. As a bonus action, the ethereal filcher can magically shift from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane, or vice versa.

Detect Magic. The ethereal filcher can sense the presence and location of any magic within 30 feet of it, including areas of magical effects and magic items.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 2 (1d4)

Etheral Marauder

Carnivorous and cunning, ethereal marauders live in the ethereal plane, roaming freely until they detect prey in the material plane. Only then do they shift to the material plane to attack, only to immediately vanish into the ethereal plane once more. They repeat these startling attacks until either their prey is dead or they are driven off or killed themselves.

Ethereal Marauder

Medium aberration, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 18 (4d8)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 7 (-2) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Etheral Jaunt. As a bonus action, the ethereal marauder can magically shift from the Material plane to the Ethereal plane, or vice versa.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Formians

A formian resembles a cross between an ant and a centaur. Formians are generally aggressive, seeking to subdue all they encounter. If they perceive even the slightest threat to their hive-city or to their queen, they attack immediately and fight to the death. Any formian also attacks immediately if ordered to do so by a superior.

Hive Mind. All formians within 50 miles of their queen are in constant communication. If one is aware of a particular danger, they all are. In battle, if even one member of a group is not surprised, none of them are.

Capable Royalty. The formian queen is an immobile hulk directing the colony's actions from deep within the hive city. Although she cannot move, she has formiddable spellcasting abilities, and can communicate telepathically with any creature of whom she is aware within 50 miles.

Formian Worker

Small monstrosity, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 4 (1d6 + 1)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning, thunder
  • Damage Immunities cold, poison
  • Condition Immunities petrified
  • Senses passive Perception 10
  • Languages - (hive mind and body language only)
  • Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The formian's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom. The formian can innately cast the following spells, requiring no verbal or material compoments:

At-will: mending

3/day: cure wounds

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage

Formian Warrior

Medium monstrosity, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 39 (6d8 + 12)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
  • Skills Athletics +5, Stealth +5
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning, thunder
  • Damage Immunities cold, poison
  • Condition Immunities petrified
  • Senses passive Perception 12
  • Languages - (hive mind and body language only)
  • Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Magic Resistance. The formian has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. The formian makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its stinger.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage

Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

 

Variant: Formian Taskmaster

A formian taskmaster has a challenge rating of 3 (700 XP). It has the same statistics as a formian warrior, except that it has 52 hit points (8d8 + 16), its Charisma score is 19 (+4), it can communicate telepathically with any creature within 100 feet, and gains the following ability:

Innate Spellcasting. The formian's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (Save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material or verbal components:

3/day: dominate beast

1/day: dominate monster

Formian Myrmarch

Large monstrosity, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 114 (12d10 + 48)
  • Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 17 (+3)
  • Skills Athletics +7, Stealth +7, Perception +6, Persuasion +6
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning, thunder
  • Damage Immunities cold, poison
  • Condition Immunities petrified
  • Senses passive Perception 16
  • Languages Formian, Common
  • Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Magic Resistance. The formian has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Innate Spellcasting. The formian's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (Save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At-will: clairvoyance, detect thoughts

1/day: divine word

Actions

Multiattack. The formian makes two weapon attacks, only one of which can be with its stinger.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 20 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Formian Queen

Large monstrosity, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100)
  • Speed 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
2 (-5) 2 (-5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 20 (+5) 21 (+5)
  • Skills Arcana +9, Intimidation +9, Perception +9, Persuasion +9
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning, thunder
  • Damage Immunities cold, poison
  • Condition Immunities petrified, prone
  • Senses passive Perception 16
  • Languages Formian, Common
  • Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Magic Resistance. The formian has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Immobile. The queen is incapable of moving under her own power. She automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws. She cannot be forced to move by any creature or group of creatures that would not otherwise be able to lift or carry 3,500 pounds.

Innate Spellcasting. The queen is a 17th level spellcaster whose spellcasting ability is Charisma (Save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). She requires no components to cast the spells she knows:

  • Cantrips (At-will): acid splash, mage hand, light, resistance
  • 1st-Level (4 slots): comprehend languages, heroism, identify, magic missile, shield
  • 2nd-Level (3 slots): invisibility, scorching ray
  • 3rd-Level (3 slots): dispel magic, hypnotic pattern, nondetection, protection from energy, slow
  • 4th-Level (3 slots): banishment, confusion, Evard's black tentacles
  • 5th-Level (2 slots): cone of cold, geas, scrying, wall of force
  • 6th-Level (1 slot): forbiddance, true seeing
  • 7th-Level (1 slot): plane shift, teleport
  • 8th-Level (1 slot): power word stun
  • 9th-Level (1 slot): prismatic wall

Actions

Calm Emotions. The queen chooses a point within 60 feet of her. Creatures within 20 feet of that point must make a DC 17 Charisma saving throw, which they can choose to fail. For any creature that fails the saving throw, the queen chooses one of the following effects, which lasts while the queen conentrates, as if concentrating on a spell:

Supress Emotion: Any effect causing the creature to be charmed or frightened is suppressed for up to 1 minute. When this suppression ends, the effect resumes, unless it has expired.

Indifference: The creature becomes indifferent toward creatures of the queen's choice to which the target was previously hostile. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell, or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When this effect ends, the creature may or may not become hostile again, depending on how it was treated during the effect's duration.

Frost Worm

Frost worms are voracious predators that lurk in frozen wastes, buried in snow until prey comes near enough for ambush.

Frost Worm

Huge monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 161 (14d12 + 70)
  • Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
26 (+8) 10 (+0) 20 (+5) 2 (-5) 11 (+0) 11 (+0)
  • Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  • Damage Immunities cold
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Cold Aura. A creature that starts its turn within 5 feet of the frost worm takes 10 cold damage.

Death Burst. When the frost worm is reduced to 0 hit points, it turns to ice and shatters explosively. Creatures within 100 feet of the frost worm when it died must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) cold damage plus 28 (8d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save.

Tunneler. The frost worm can burrow through ice and frozen earth. It leaves behind a round tunnel 5 feet in diameter.

Actions

Multiattack. The frost worm can use Trill. It then makes two bite attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (3d8 + 8) piercing damage.

Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). The frost worm exhales an icy blast in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 54 (12d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Trill. The frost worm emits a loud, mind-paralyzing shriek. Each creature within 100 feet that is not a frost worm must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is stunned for 1 minute. A stunned creature can attempt a new saving throw if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to try to shake the creature out of its stupor. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the frost worm's trill for the next 24 hours.

 

 

Frozen Dinner. Frost worms not only live in the coldest areas of the world, they also radiate their own freezing aura that chills prey to the bone.

Shrieking Ambush. When a frost worm erupts from the snow, it lets off a terrible shrieking cry that overhwelms the senses of its prey, making them easy targets for its bite and freezing breath.

Larder Keeper. A frost worm prefers to freeze its prey solid and swallow it whole or in large pieces so that it can regurgitate some to store in its lair for later hunger.

Giant Insects

Whether the product of magical enhancement or environmental effects, giant-sized insects amplify one-thousandfold the problems caused by their smaller kin.

Blasting beetles feed primarily on carrion and offal, gathering heaps of the stuff in which to build nests and lay eggs. They normally attack only to defend themselves, their nests, or their eggs.

Blasting Beetle

Medium beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack; +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage.

Acid Spray. The beetle sprays acidic vapor in a 10 foot cone. Each creature within that area must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 4 (1d8) acid damage.

Giant stag beetles are serious pests that greedily devour cultivated crops. A single beetle can strip an entire farm in short order.

Giant Stag Beetle

Large beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21)
  • Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
23 (+6) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Trampling Charge. If the beetle moves at least 10 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the beetle can make a stomp attack against it as a bonus action.

Actions

Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage.

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

A giant praying mantis waits in a camouflaged location for careless pray to wander by, lashing out in a hungry frenzy.

Giant Praying Mantis

Large beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12)
  • Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 8 (-1) 15 (+2) 1 (-5) 14 (+2) 11 (+0)
  • Skills Stealth +3, Perception +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Camouflage. The mantis has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in foliage.

Actions

Multiattack. The mantis makes three attacks: two with its claws, and one with its bite.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft. one creature. Hit:

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit

Giant ants are among the hardiest and most adaptable vermin. Most ant colonies leave the business of defense to soldier ants, which wield acidic stingers in addition to their powerful mandibles.

Giant Soldier Ant

Medium beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
  • Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 1 (-5) 13 (+1) 11 (+0)
  • Skills Athletics +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Keen Smell. The ant has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). The ant cannot bite another target while it has a creature grappled.

Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one grappled target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage.

 

Variant Giant Ants

Worker ants are similar to soldier ants without the Stinger attack, however, they have only 11 (2d8 + 2) hit points and their bite deals 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage. Their challenge rating is 1/4 (50 XP)

An ant queen also loses the Stinger attack and is Large size, has 39 (6d10 + 6) hit points, and its bite deals 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage. Its challenge rating is 1/2 (100 XP).

Gray Render

Standing over 9 feet tall and weighing in excess of 4,000 pounds, a gray render is a solitary and savage predator. Renders are gifted with immense strength, and some reports claim to have witnessed a gray render uprooting a fully grown tree and tearing it to splinters in order to catch prey hiding within. However renders are generally not malicious, and only attack if hungry or if they or their pets are threatened. A render protecting its pets fights to the death.

Solitary Existence. Gray renders actively avoid forming groups or communities with their own kind, and perhaps only tolerate the presence of other renders when it is time to mate. Some sages claim they do not even require a mate to reproduce, spontaneously generating a single offspring which is abandoned to fend for itself as soon as it can hunt.

Affectionate Guardians. Despite its solitary existence, a gray render often develops an affectionate bond with other creatures, typically a herd of herbivores or a small tribe of humanoids, but in some cases a solitary denizen of its swamp. The render acts as a guardian for this creature or creatures, never straying more than a mile away, running to protect them if they are attacked, and providing an offering of meat once each day, as might a domesticated cat. A gray render never harms its protected creatures, and retreats in confusion if they attack it. Most animal “pets” grow to accept its presence, and primitive humanoid “pets” often believe their guardian is a sign of favor from the gods. A render’s bond may last from a few months to as long as 10 years, after which it wanders to a new territory and ignores its former favorites.

Losing a Limb

The gray render earns its name from its dismembering tear and bite. At your option, a character whose hit point maximum is reduced in this way could lose an arm or a leg, or suffer one of the other lingering injuries described on DMG pg. 272.

A creature whose hit point maximum is reduced to 0 suffers a more grisly fate of being decapitated or ripped in half. These victims can't be raised back to life by revivify or raise dead.

 

Gray Render

Large monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 136 (13d10 + 65)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
23 (+6) 10 (+0) 21 (+5) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
  • Skills Perception +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Keen Sight. The gray render has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions

Multiattack. The render makes two claw attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 6) slashing damage. If the target has already been hit by a claw attack this round, the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the render can't use its claws on another target.

Rend. One creature grappled by the gray render must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (8d8 + 6) slashing damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the target must repeat the saving throw; on a failure, the target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target receives healing magic of 6th level or higher, such as heal or regenerate. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Howler

Howlers live on planes where chaos and evil hold sway. Although they are surprisingly intelligent, howlers do not speak - they only howl. If there is a language within the howls, as some have suggested, even spells cannot decipher it.

Howler

Large fiend, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 45 (6d10 + 12)
  • Speed 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 8 (-1)
  • Skills Athletics +7, Stealth +5, Perception +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Howl. Any creature other than fiends that can hear the howler has disadvantage on Wisdom ability checks and saving throws.

Actions

Multiattack. The howler attacks with its bite, it then makes two attacks with its quills against the same creature.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage.

Quills. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or quills remain lodged in their flesh. Whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or ability check, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or ability check.

A creature can use its action to remove the quills with a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check. On a failed check, the quills are still removed, but the process deals 1d8 piercing damage to the patient.

Reactions

Quill Defense. When a creature within 5 feet of the howler makes a melee attack against it, the howler can make an attack with its quills against that creature.

 

Games of Death. Howlers attack in groups, for they are cowardly and cruel. They prefer to charge into combat, race out, and then charge in again, harrying and tormenting their prey before ending the battle.

Quills. A howler’s neck bristles with long quills. While biting, the creature thrashes about, hoping to lodge them into its prey and increase their agony. Howlers rely on these quills to punish opportunity attacks as they dance around the battlefield.

Howl. The howler's cry is supernaturally unnerving, with those who hear it reporting difficulty concentrating and involuntary shudders, even if the howlers themselves are far distant. Other fiends and even evil spellcasters sometimes foster the presence of a pack of howlers to leave victims more vulnerable to their own magics.

Hydras

Legendary hydras are touched by the elements, sometimes being native to the inner planes or through draconic ancestry. True primordial hydras are rare outside the Elemental Chaos, but subspecies infused with a single element (known as pyrohydras or cryohydras for fire or ice, respectively) are more common in the world. They can sometimes be found as guardians in the service of giants, hags, and other intelligent creatures brave enough to tame them.

Primordial Hydras. These greenish hydras can breathe jets of frost, fire, and lightning. Fire attacks cannot prevent a primordial hydra’s stump from growing new heads, but acid damage does.

Pyrohydras. These reddish hydras can breathe jets of fire. Fire attacks cannot prevent a pyrohydra’s stump from growing new heads, but cold or acid damage does.

Cryohydras. These purplish hydras can breathe jets of frost. Cold attacks cannot prevent a cryohydra’s stump from growing new heads, but fire or acid damage does.

Primordial Hydra

Huge monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 172 (15d12 + 75)
  • Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 2 (-4) 10 (+0) 9 (-1)
  • Skills Perception +8
  • Damage Immunities cold (cryo-) or fire (pyro-)
  • Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning (primordial)
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Hold Breath: The hydra can hold its breath for 1 hour.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day): If the hydra fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Multiple Heads: The hydra has five heads. While it has more than one head, the hydra has advantage on saving throws against being Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Frightened, Stunned, and knocked Unconscious.

Whenever the hydra takes 25 or more damage in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the hydra dies.

At the end of its turn, it grows two heads for each of its heads that died since its last turn, unless it has taken acid damage (or cold for pyro-, or fire for cryo-) since its last turn. The hydra regains 10 hit points for each head regrown in this way.

Reactive Heads: For each head the hydra has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for Opportunity Attacks.

Wakeful: While the hydra sleeps, at least one of its heads is awake.

Actions

Multiattack: The hydra makes as many bite attacks as it has heads.

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Legendary Actions

The hydra can take a number of Legendary Actions equal to its number of heads, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary actions are regained at the start of each turn.

Slither: The hydra moves up to half its speed, or stands up from prone.

Spit: Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d10) cold, fire, or lightning damage. A pyrohydra can only spit fire, and a cryohydra can only spit cold.

Elemental Breath (Costs 2 Actions): The hydra exhales a jet of cold, fire, or lightning in a 30-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) cold, fire, or lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A pyrohydra can only breathe fire, and a cryohydra can only breathe cold.

Inevitables

Inevitables are constructs whose sole aim is to enforce the natural laws of the universe. Their forms vary, but all inevitables are gold-and-silver clockwork creatures, with gears and pistons where muscles would be on flesh-and-blood creatures. Their eyes glow with a golden radiance.

Purpose Made. Each type of inevitable is designed to find and punish a particular kind of transgression, hunting down a person or group that has violated a fundamental principle. When an inevitable is created, it receives its first mission, then finds the transgressors and metes out appropriate punishment. The sentence is usually death, although some inevitables insist on compensation to the wronged party instead, using magic to ensure compliance. From its first step, an inevitable focuses totally on its target. It continues its efforts no matter how cold the trail or hopeless the task. Inevitables are single-minded in pursuit of their quarry, but they are under orders to leave innocents alone. Accomplices to their prey are fair game, however, which sometimes creates conflicts within their programming.

Inexorable. Inevitables gladly sacrifice themselves to complete a mission, but they aren’t suicidal. Faced with impending defeat, they are likely to withdraw and seek a way to even the odds. They are determined but patient foes. They ally with others if that helps accomplish their mission, but they have a hard time keeping allies for long.

Custom Build. In addition to the planar languages, each inevitable also speaks the native language of their first target.

Kolyaruts

Kolyaruts mete out punishment to those who break bargains and oaths.

Before beginning a mission against a deal-breaker, a kolyarut learns as much about the contract or oath as possible. It’s not interested in those who break deals accidentally or against their will— only those who willingly break contracts violate the principle that kolyaruts are created to uphold. If a written contract was broken, the kolyarut typically carries a copy of the contract with it.

Kolyarut

Medium construct, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 16 (half plate)
  • Hit Points 97 (13d10 + 26)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 16 (+3)
  • Skills Deception +5, Insight +5, Investigation +2, Perception +5
  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  • Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal
  • Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The kolyarut's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At-will: disguise self, vampiric touch

3/day each: fear, invisibility, hold monster

1/day each: bestow curse, geas

Magic Resistance. The kolyarut has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Magic Weapon. The kolyarut's longsword is a magic weapon that deals an extra 9 (2d8) necrotic damage on a hit (already included).

Truth Sense. The kolyarut knows if it hears a lie.

Actions

Multiattack. The kolyarut makes two longsword attacks. It can substitute vampiric touch for one longsword attack.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage, and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target's maximum hit points are reduced by the same amount as the necrotic damage. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.

Kolyaruts are the most talkative of the inevitables, making credible attempts at social niceties such as proper greetings before getting down to the matter at hand. They can use their innate magic to appear as almost any kind of humanoid — useful if they need to go undercover to catch their quarry.

Maruts

Maruts are hulking constructs built in an enormous humanoid shape. Armor plated and ponderous, they fixate on their quarry and walk steadily towards it, no matter where it attempts to hide.

Maruts confront those who would try to deny the grave itself. Any who use unnatural means to extend their life span could be targeted by a marut. Those who take extraordinary measures to cheat death in some other way might be labeled transgressors as well. Once it has found its target, a marut brings it the death it has been trying to avoid.

Those who use magic to reverse death (such as a raise dead spell) aren’t usually worthy of a marut’s attention unless they do so repeatedly or on a massive scale.

Zelekhuts

Zelekhuts are imposing beings like clockwork centaurs, charged with hunting down those who would deny justice—especially those who flee to escape punishment. Expert trackers, they use a combination of natural skill and magic to find fugitives wherever they may hide.

Reconfigure. A zelekhut adapts its body in a moment to deal with the situation at hand. Golden wings unfold from its back whenever it needs to fly, and when it enters combat, chains crackling with electricity emerge from its arms.

Marut

Large construct, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 18 (plate armor)
  • Hit Points 112 (15d10 + 30)
  • Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
25 (+7) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 18 (+4)
  • Skills Insight +6, Perception +6
  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  • Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal
  • Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Magic Resistance. The marut has advantage on saving throws against magic and magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The marut's fists count as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance and immunity.

Innate Spellcasting. The marut's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Save DC 14). It can cast the following spells inantely, requiring no material components:

At-will: misty step, feather fall

3/day each: command, dimension door, dispel magic, fear

1/day each: chain lightning, geas

Actions

Multiattack. The marut uses thundering fist and lightning fist.

Lightning Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) lightning damage and the target must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded by the lightning flash for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect early on a successful save.

Thundering Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) thunder damage and the target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or become deafened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect early on a successful save.

Zelekhut

Large construct, lawful neutral

  • Armor Class 16 (half plate)
  • Hit Points 68 (8d10 + 24)
  • Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 10 (+0) 17 (+3) 15 (+2)
  • Skills Insight +6, Perception +6
  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  • Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal
  • Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Magic Resistance. The marut has advantage on saving throws against magic and magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The zelekhut's chain counts as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage resistance and immunity.

Innate Spellcasting. The marut's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Save DC 12). It can cast the following spells inantely, requiring no material components:

At-will: clairvoyance

3/day each: dispel magic, hold monster, locate creature

1/day each: geas

Actions

Multiattack. The zelekhut makes two chain attacks.

Chain. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft. one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 4 (1d8) lightning damage.

Dimensional Anchor. The zelekhut fires a green ray of energy from its mouth at a creature it can see within 120 feet. The target must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature cannot be affected by any spell or effect that would teleport them, shift them to another plane, or any similar effect. The zelekhut must concentrate on this effect (as if concentrating on a spell), and can do so for up to 1 minute.

Krenshar

The krenshar is a strange, catlike carnivore with extremely flexible skin on its head. It has the ability to reflexively pull this skin back, revealing its flesh and bone underneath. Combined with a terrifying shriek, the krenshar is perhaps the only predator known to deliberately scare its prey to death.

Krenshar

Medium monstrosity, neutral evil

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 38 (7d8 + 7)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
11 (+0) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 13 (+1)
  • Skills Intimidation +3, Stealth +4
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Keen Smell. The krenshar has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions

Multiattack. The krenshar can use Scare. It then makes three attacks: two with its claws, and one with its bite.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage.

Scare. The krenshar shifts its face to reveal its skull and lets out a terrifying shriek. Each creature that can see or hear the krenshar must make a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of its turn, end the effect early on a successful save. If a creature saves or the effect ends for it, that creature cannot be affected by the krenshar's Scare for 24 hours.

Lammasu

A lammasu resembles a lion with a golden-eyed human face and the wings of a giant eagle. These noble hearted guardians of righteousness are unflinching and active champions of justice, taking on the burdens of goodly creatures wherever they find them.

Lammasu are strong-minded and sure of their own judgement. To them, the line between good and evil offers little room for gray in between, and they are quick to make up their minds as to where any given action or creature falls.

Righteous Defenders. A lammasu will always rush to engage with an evil creature they observe threatening a goodly one.

Sacred Protectors. Many sacred sites, including temples and holy cities long forgotten, are the claimed territory of a protective lammasu. They defend such sites from all comers, unless the intruder can prove themselves either legitimate or else worthy of entry.

Divine by Proxy. Their divine magic and noble bearing have led to a lammasu being worshipped in its own right from time to time. Most lammasu discourage this sort of attention, but there are legends of ancient kingdoms or temples where a lammasu reigned as a benevolent tyrant.

Lammasu

Large monstrosity, lawful good

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21)
  • Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 14 (+2)
  • Saving Throws Constitution +6, Wisdom +6
  • Skills Arcana +6, Insight +6, Perception +6
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  • Languages Common, Celestial, Draconic
  • Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Protective Aura. An aura of divine energy surrounds the lammasu to a distance of 20 feet. Fiends and undead attempting to enter this area must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. Any fiend or undead that attacks a creature within the aura has disadvantage on the attack roll, and cannot charm, frighten, or possess creatures within the aura.

Innate Spellcasting. The lammasu is a 7th level spellcaster whose casting ability score is Wisdom. It can cast the following spells innately, requiring no material components:

At-Will: bless, detect magic, guidance, resistance

3/day each: enhance ability, lesser restoration, dispel magic

1/day each: remove curse, greater invisibility (self only), dimension door

Actions

Multiattack. The lammasu makes two claw attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target; Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Mohrg

Mohrgs are the animated corpses of mass murderers or similar villains who died without atoning for their crimes. Created by only the foulest and most recklessly destructive necromancers, a mohrg has predatory intelligence and an unceasing drive to snuff out life.

Mohrgs may take adventurers by surprise when they burst out of a group of zombies, as they are much faster than the shambling husks that their destruction creates.

Lashing entrails. A mohrg's skeleton contains a wriggling mass of viscera that lashes out at its opponents, covering them with a paralyzing necrotic slime.

Brood spawn. When a mohrg kills a creaure, the corruption of the mohrg causes the victim to rise as a zombie some time later. Unchecked, a single mohrg can be the source of a plague of zombies.

Undead Nature. Mohrgs do not need to eat, breathe, or sleep.

Mohrg

Medium undead, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 14
  • Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
  • Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 19 (+4) 15 (+2) 11 (+0) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
  • Skills Perception +2, Stealth +6
  • Damage Resistances necrotic
  • Damage Immunities poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  • Languages any languages it knew in life
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Actions

Multiattack. The mohrg can make paralyzing tongue attack. It then makes two slam attacks.

Paralyzing Tongue. The mohrg lashes a living creature within 5 feet with its tongue. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target; Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

 

Making a Mohrg

A mohrg can be created or controlled using the create undead spell. For the purpose of determining the spell slots needed to create or control one or more mohrgs, treat it as a wight.

Nightshades

Nightshades are hateful undead beings of pure shadow that spread death and suffering. Normally found in the deepest reaches of the Shadowfell, they sometimes stalk the world on unhallowed nights or linger near places where great evil was done. Nightwalkers prowl the surface of the Shadowfell, while the depths are plumbed by nightcrawlers and the heights are scoured by nightwings.

Undead Nature. Nightshades do not require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Nightcrawler

A nightcrawler is a massive behemoth that burrows through nightmarish depths. When it emerges, terror and madness ripple outward from it in waves of transforming energy. Living shadows and wailing wights spring up in its wake, feeding on the energy of the panicking masses fleeing the nightcrawler's hunger.

Devourer of Life. Although nightcrawlers do not require food, they are driven to devour all life they encounter.

Nightcrawler

Gargantuan undead, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 387 (25d20 + 125)
  • Speed 50 ft., burrow 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
21 (+5) 7 (-2) 20 (+5) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 21 (+5)
  • Saving Throws Con +12, Wis +9
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that are not silvered
  • Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
  • Senses blindsight 30 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  • Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
  • Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

Aura of Blight. Undead creatures within 20 feet of the nightcrawler benefit from the nightcrawler's resistances and immunities, and have advantage on attack rolls.

Aura of Madness. At the start of each of the nightcrawler's turns, each living creature within 20 feet of it must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened of the nightcrawler until the end of its next turn. A target frightened by this effect must use its movement and action to make a single melee attack against a random target within its reach on its next turn. If it has no targets within its reach even after moving, it loses its action on that turn. A frightened creature reduced to 0 hit points within the aura immediately dies, and rises as a wight at the start of its next turn.

Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the nightcrawler fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The nightcrawler takes 10 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Tunneler. The nightcrawler can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 10-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake.

Actions

Multiattack. The nightcrawler makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its stinger.

Bite. Melee weapon attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (4d8 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the nightcrawler. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, and it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the nightcrawler. The nightcrawler can have up to one Huge creature, four Large creatures, or eight Medium or smaller creatures swallowed at one time.

A swallowed creature takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the nightcrawler’s turns, and must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or have its maximum hit points reduced by the same amount. This reduction lasts until the creature finishes a long rest. The creature dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0, emerging as a shadow in a space within 10 feet of the nightcrawler at the start of its next turn.

If the nightcrawler takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the nightcrawler must succeed on a DC 21 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the nightcrawler. If the nightcrawler is destroyed, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Stinger. Melee weapon attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Nightwalker

The first Nightwalkers came about when Orcus converted the seven Hierophants of Annihilation into these dread creatures. Only the ancient, unyielding will and malice of the long-dead spirit holds a nightwalker in its corporeal shape.

A nightwalker exudes a deathly cold aura that harms living creatures and can channel the cold, dark energies of the Shadowfell through its attacks. A nightwalker uses telepathy to communicate.

Bodak Spawners. Nightwalkers can warp the void energies of the Shadowfell to create undead horrors. A humanoid slain by the nightwalker rises 24 hours later as a bodak under the nightwalker’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body is destroyed.

Nightwalker

Huge undead, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 243 (18d12 + 126)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
27 (+8) 13 (+1) 25 (+7) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 21 (+5)
  • Skills Perception +8, Stealth +6
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  • Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
  • Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  • Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
  • Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Voidchill Aura. Any creature other than fiends and undead that ends their turn within 30 feet of the nightwalker takes 10 (3d6) cold damage.

Death Gaze. When a creature that can see the nightwalker’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the nightwalker, the nightwalker can force it to make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw if the nightwalker isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature dies. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save takes 55 (10d10) psychic damage. The target dies if this effect reduces it to 0 hit points. Creatures immune to fear automatically succeed on this saving throw.

Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the nightwalker until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the nightwalker in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The nightwalker takes 10 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Actions

Multiattack. The nightwalker makes two slam attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.

Withering Gaze. The nightwalker fixes its gaze on one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Nightwing

Nightwings are batlike flyers that prowl the night sky and dive onto their victims. They are all but invisible, detectable only because of the stars they obscure in their passing. Nightwings sow confusion and chaos in their wake, delighting in picking up targets and carrying them far from their allies, then dropping them from great heights.

Nightwing

Huge undead, chaotic evil

  • Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 243 (18d12 + 126)
  • Speed 20 ft., fly 120 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
28 (+9) 18 (+4) 24 (+7) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 21 (+5)
  • Saving Throws Con +12, Wis +8, Cha +10
  • Skills Perception +8, Stealth +14
  • Damage Resistances fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  • Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
  • Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  • Languages Abyssal, telepathy 120 ft.
  • Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The nightwing's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18). The nightwing can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: darkness, invisibility

3/day each: blight, confusion

1/day each: cone of cold, contagion, hold monster

Arcane Sight. The nightwing has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. It can sense the presence of magic within 120 feet of it, as if concentrating on the spell detect magic. The nightwing can detect creatures bearing magical items even if they are invisible or otherwise concealed.

Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The nightwing takes 10 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.

Actions

Multiattack. The nightwing makes two attacks: one with its beak and one with its talons.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 8) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.

Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6 + 8) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 20). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the nightwing can’t use its talons on another target.

Creatures grappled by the nightwing have their magical powers and properties of their magic items suppressed, as if they were in an antimagic field. Grappled creatures cannot cast spells or teleport. Any active spell or other magical effect on a creature or an object in the nightwing's grasp is suppressed while the creature or object is in it. A magic item, such as armor or potion, that is worn, held, or carried by a creature grappled by the nightwing has its properties and powers suppressed. If a magic item fully leaves the nightwing's grasp (for example, if a grappled creature fires a magic arrow at a target other than the nightwing), the magic of the item ceases to be suppressed as soon as it exits.

Phantom Fungus

When dead, a phantom fungus looks like a brown and greenish-brown mass with a cluster of tube-like structures atop the main trunk. It has a gaping maw lined with tough, rasping teeth, and four stumpy legs that allow it to move about. By the time an adventurer is able to take all of this in, however, it must be completely dead. For until then, it cannot be seen at all.

Invisible Life. In life, a phantom fungus is completely and constantly invisible. Frustratingly, this invisiblility is an innate quality of the creature, and cannot be dismissed as simply as if it were a mere spell.

Underdark Stalkers. Phantom fungi roam the subterranean labyrinths of the world, feeding on anything dead, dying, or wounded enough to make an attractive potential meal.

Plant Nature. A phantom fungus does not need to sleep.

Phantom Fungus

Medium plant, unaligned

  • Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 30 (4d8 + 12)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 2 (-4) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)
  • Skills Perception +2, Stealth +4
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Invisible. The phantom fungus is always invisible as long as it is alive.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Razor Boar

This enormous boar has a black-bristled hide marked by hundreds of old scars. Its eyes are wild and bloodshot, and its tusks are more than three feet long, gleaming like polished ivory and sharper than many swords.

Fiendish Heritage. The first razor boars were the offspring of giant boars and goristro demons, which were released into the wild. The fiendish bloodline has been diluted, but razor boars are unmistakably far more dangerous than their counterparts.

Bladed Tusks. The tusks of the razor boar are supernaturally sharp and can remove arms, legs, or even heads. If the boar is slain and tusks carefully removed, a skilled craftsman can create a sword of sharpness from them.

Pack Leaders. Razor boars in the world become alphas of roaming packs of wild boars, stampeding over huge territories and driving off any rival monsters. There have been tales of entire villages trampled into the ground, leaving hundreds of severed body parts in their wake.

 

Losing a Limb

When a razor boar lands a critical hit, the target creature could suffer lingering injuries as described on Dungeon Master's Guide page 272.

When a creature's hit point maximum is reduced to 0 from the razor boar's tusks, it instead loses its head, and can't be raised back to life by revivify or raise dead.

Razor Boar

Large monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 127 (15d10 + 45)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 2 (-4) 14 (+2) 9 (-1)
  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage from nonmagical attacks
  • Senses passive Perception 12
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Trampling Charge. If the razor boar moves at least 20 ft. straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the razor boar can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.

Magic Resistance. The razor boar has advantage on saving throws against magic and magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The razor boar's tusk attacks are magical.

Siege Monster. The razor boar deals double damage to objects and structures.

Actions

Tusks. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. one target. Hit: 19 (4d6 + 5) slashing damage. If the razor boar scores a critical hit, it rolls damage dice three times, instead of twice, and if the target is a creature it must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw.

On a failed save, the target's maximum hit points are reduced by an amount equal to the damage dealt, and the razor boar lops off one of the target's limbs, with the effect of such loss determined by the DM. A creature whose maximum hit points are reduced to 0 by this effect loses its head and dies.

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one prone creature. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Sea Cat

A sea cat is a fearsome monster with the head and forepaws of a lion and the lower body and tail of a fish.

Sea cats attack on sight, either for food or to defend their territory, and use both claws and teeth to grab and rend their prey. They display tremendous courage, always fighting to the death, even against creatures many times their size. Pairs and prides of sea cats, often led by a sea lion, attack in concert, trying to wear the opponent down until one beast can dispatch it.

Sea Cat

Large monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 75 (10d10 + 20)
  • Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
  • Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
  • Senses passive Perception 13
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Amphibious. The sea cat can breathe air and water.

Keen Smell. The sea cat has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Pack Tactics. The sea cat has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the sea cat's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Swimming Leap. With a 10-foot swimming start, the sea cat can long jump out of or across the water up to 25 feet.

Actions

Multiattack. The sea cat makes three attacks: one bite attack and two claw attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) piercing damage.

 

Shocker Lizard

Shocker lizards are a hazard of deep jungles and warm, wet forest regions. They are social creatures, forming colonies that range in size from a handful of individuals to dozens.

Defensive Shock. Shocker lizards take their name from the painful shock they can administer to creatures that make them feel threatened. This shock is not usually fatal, but is extremely painful.

Lethal Numbers. If two or more shocker lizards are in close proximity, the combined effect of their electrical discharges escalates from painful to deadly.

Shocker Lizard

Small monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 12
  • Hit Points 18 (4d6 + 4)
  • Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 6 (-2)
  • Damage Immunities lightning
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages -
  • Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Electricity Sense. The shocker lizard automatically detects any source of lightning damage within 100 feet.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Shock. Ranged Spell Attack: +3 to hit, range 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6) lightning damage. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this damage is automatically stable.

Reactions

Combine Shock. The shocker lizard can use its reaction to add 3 (1d6) lightning damage to another shocker lizard's shock attack that hits a creature within 5 feet of it. If it does so, the target creature does not automatically become stable if the damage reduces it to 0 hit points.

Skum

Aboleths deploy skum as spies and sentries around their lairs, and if pressed into combat, use a skum’s jarring psychic presence to soften up enemies for assaults on the senses.

Misbegotten creatures. Abolethic skums are usually the results of failed attempts by aboleths to turn humanoids into servitors. However there are horror stories of aboleths using charmed humanoid females as "incubators" for new skum. The actual process is unknown, but whatever happens, it's alien, horrible, and ultimately fatal.

Skum

Medium aberration, lawful evil

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
  • Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
  • Skills Stealth +3
  • Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10
  • Languages Understands the languages it knew in life but cannot speak
  • Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Amphibious. The skum can breathe air and water.

Aquatic Tremorsense. While in contact with water, the skum knows the exact location of any other creature in contact with the same body of water within 30 feet.

Aqueous Form. The skum has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide underwater.

Psychic Dissonance. Each creature other than aberrations within 5 feet of the skum has disadvantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.

Actions

Multiattack. The skum makes one bite attack and two claw attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.

Spider Eater

"Spider Eater" is the Common translation of an Elven name for a monstrous creature that inhabits the darkest corners of the Feywild. The Unseelie Fey created the Spider Eaters to hunt Drow that emerge above ground, a task at which they excel.

Implantation. Female spider eaters lay their eggs inside paralyzed creatures of Large or larger size. The young emerge about six weeks later, literally devouring the host from inside.

Trained Mounts. A spider eater can be trained to bear a rider in combat. The eggs and young can be worth thousands of gold pieces on the open market.

 

Spider Eater

Large fey, unaligned

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 52 (5d10 + 25)
  • Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 20 (+5) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 10 (+0)
  • Condition Immunities paralyzed
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  • Languages understands Sylvan but can't speak
  • Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Freedom of Movement. The spider eater ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can’t reduce its speed or cause it to be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled.

Actions

Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Tendriculos

A tendriculos resembles a giant tentacled pitcher plant that attracts prey with its deceptive appearance, then traps and devours them in its acidic maw.

Patient Predators. A tendriculos will seek out a forest clearing or grassy knoll, and lie motionless waiting for local animals to fall into its trap. It is exceedingly rare for a tendriculos to chase after prey that has escaped or attacked it, preferring to wait for an easier meal.

Deadly Sweetness. The tendriculos' digestive juices have an attractive scent, but are actually a numbing acid that make it difficult for prey to escape. A character proficient with alchemist's supplies can make a DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) check to harvest up to eight vials of the liquid, which can be thrown as an acid or used as a poison.

Tendriculos

Huge plant, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 85 (9d12 + 27)
  • Speed 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 9 (-1) 16 (+3) 3 (-4) 8 (-1) 3 (-4)
  • Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
  • Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion
  • Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

False Appearance. While the tendriculos remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a small hillock and pool of clear, fresh water. A DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation) or (Nature) check reveals the trap. A creature that tries to enter or drink the water while unaware of the tendriculos is surprised by it.

Regeneration. The tendriculos regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the tendriculos takes fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the tendriculos’s next turn. The tendriculos dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.

Actions

Multiattack. The tendriculos makes three attacks: two with its tendrils and one with its bite.

Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The tendriculos has two tendrils, each of which can grapple one target.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage, and if the target is Large or smaller, it falls into the tendriculos' maw and is submerged.

While submerged, the target has partial cover against attacks and other effects outside the tendriculos. At the start of each of the tendriculos' turns, a submerged creature must make on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 14 (4d6) acid damage and is poisoned until the start of the tendriculos' next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not poisoned.

A submerged creature can attempt to escape with a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) check, or by dealing 20 damage or more to the tendriculos on a single turn, falling prone in a space within 10 feet of the tendriculos on a success. If the tendriculos dies, it becomes an ordinary hazard.

Tojanida

Tojanidas are bizarre creatures native to the Elemental Plane of Water, where they seek culinary pleasures and the adoration of other races. Inside a tojanida's leathery shell is a fleshy body from which extend seven stalks. Four of these stalks have paddles for locomotion, two are tipped with claws, and one bears the creature’s head. Eight vents in the shell, four at each end, allow the tojanida to thrust its stalks out in whatever configuration it finds convenient.

Heralds from the Plane of Water. Friendly and loquacious, especially on the subject of food, tojanidas make excellent diplomats between the races native to that plane and even outsiders. They also form lasting relationships with bronze dragons.

Water Dependency. A tojanida that fails to immerse itself in water for at least 1 hour during a day suffers one level of exhaustion at the end of that day. A tojanida can recover from this exhaustion only through magic or by immersing itself in water for at least 1 hour.

Tojanida

Medium elemental, neutral

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14)
  • Speed 10 ft., swim 90 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 9 (-1)
  • Skills Insight +3, Perception +5
  • Damage Resistances acid, cold
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  • Languages Aquan
  • Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Amphibious. The tojanida can breathe air and water.

Actions

Multiattack. The tojanida makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its bite.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). The tojanida has two claws, each of which can grapple one target.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Ink (Recharge 6). The tojanida uses one of the following options:

Ink Cloud. The tojanida creates a 30-foot-radius sphere of ink centered on itself. Underwater, the sphere's area is heavily obscured. Above water, the area becomes difficult terrain. The ink lasts for one minute or until dispersed by water of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour).

Ink Jet. One creature within 30 feet of the tojanida must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, or be blinded for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Tojanida Emissary

Medium elemental, neutral

  • Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  • Speed 10 ft., swim 90 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 16 (+3)
  • Skills Arcana +3, Insight +4, Perception +7, Persuasion +6
  • Damage Resistances acid, cold
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
  • Languages Aquan, Common
  • Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Amphibious. The tojanida can breathe air and water.

Spellcasting. The tojanida emissary is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It knows the following sorcerer spells:

Cantrips (at will): mage hand, message, minor illusion, prestidigitation, ray of frost

1st level (4 slots): charm person, chromatic orb, comprehend languages

2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, suggestion

3rd level (3 slots): hypnotic pattern

Actions

Multiattack. The tojanida makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its bite.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). The tojanida has two claws, each of which can grapple one target.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Ink (Recharge 6). The tojanida uses one of the following options:

Ink Cloud. The tojanida creates a 30-foot-radius sphere of ink centered on itself. Underwater, the sphere's area is heavily obscured. Above water, the area becomes difficult terrain. The ink lasts for one minute or until dispersed by water of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour).

Ink Jet. One creature within 30 feet of the tojanida must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw, or be blinded for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Xill

This evil creature exists only to perpetuate its own race, at the expense of living creatures on the Material Plane. It lurks in the Ethereal Plane but watches for prey, ambushing its victim by teleporting to the Material Plane and attacking with either its four claws or a variety of weapons. Though they see most other life forms as incubators, they have been known to ally with devils and goblinoids, and particularly prize phase spiders as hunting companions.

Implantation. A xill that bites an incapacitated creature can lay eggs in their victim. The eggs typically go unnoticed for 60 days, after which the victim feels unwell and is poisoned. After another 30 days, 2d6 young hatch and devour the target from the inside out. A remove disease spell or similar magic rids a victim of the eggs, as does a DC 20 Wisdom (Medicine) check. If the check fails, the healer can try again, but each attempt (successful or not) causes the patient to suffer one level of exhaustion.

Xill

Medium fiend, lawful evil

  • Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)
  • Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 11 (+0)
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  • Languages Infernal
  • Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Etheral Jaunt. As a bonus action, the xill can magically shift from the Material plane to the Ethereal plane, or vice versa. It can take one willing or incapacitated creature with it.

Magic Resistance. The xill has advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects.

Nimble Escape. The xill can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.

Actions

Multiattack. The xill can bite one target it has grappled, then make four claw attacks or two shortbow attacks. It can replace any of its claw attacks with a short sword attack.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature grappled by the xill. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for one hour.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). The xill can have only one target grappled at a time.

Short Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage.

Yrthak

Swift, cunning, and perpetually ravenous, the yrthak terrorizes the barren wastelands in which it makes its home, swooping down from on high to blast prey with bursts of pure sound. Completely blind, the yrthak senses its surroundings via acute hearing and echolocation. While its powerful jaws and claws are equally capable of taking down opponents, the yrthak generally prefers to wheel through the sky on its membranous wings, firing bolt after bolt of sound from its horn into its prey, and exulting in the thrill of the hunt.

An adult yrthak is 20 feet long with a wingspan twice as wide. Yrthaks spend most of their time aloft—a yrthak hunt often lasts several days, with the yrthak skimming roughly one hundred feet over the ground in its wide-ranging search for live prey, only resorting to grazing on carrion in direst need. They are intelligent enough to refrain from attacking creatures obviously too powerful for them, such as rocs and dragons.

Curious listeners. Yrthaks typically roost in areas that thrum with regular noise, such as near waterfalls, seaside cliffs, or near brewing thunderheads. They are attracted to unusual sounds, such as the music of a wandering minstrel, the clamor of a pitched battle, or a raucous city faire. Like destrachan, yrthak are soothed by noise and stimulated by music.

Metamorphosis. Sages speculate that what appear to be yrthak eggs are in fact cocooned destrachan in a state of transformation. Mature yrthak will guard these nests until they emerge, then lead a new pack to hunt above ground.

Yrthak

Huge monstrosity, neutral evil

  • Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
  • Speed 20 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 13 (+1) 18 (+4) 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 13 (+1)
  • Skills Perception +7, Survival +4
  • Damage Resistances thunder
  • Condition Immunities blinded
  • Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 17
  • Languages understands Undercommon but doesn't speak
  • Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Echolocation. The yrthak can't use its blindsight while deafened.

Eyeless. The yrthak is immune to illusions and any other attack or effect that requires the target to see it.

Actions

Multiattack. The yrthak makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Sonic Lance. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 60/120 ft., one target. Hit: 45 (10d8) thunder damage. Miss: If the attack was made with disadvantage and the higher roll would have hit the target, the yrthak's explosion takes effect centered on the target's space.

Explosion. The yrthak targets a point on the ground or a stone wall, boulder, statue, or similar object within 120 feet with its sonic lance. The resulting explosion forces each creature within 10 feet of the point or object to make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

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