IADnDMN Stream Monsters! (2019/02/27)
As always, tune into ItsADnDMonsterNow's weekly monster-making stream on Twitch every Wednesday at 11am Pacific! We hang out, talk DnD, and make monsters together as I explain my process and share my tips for making fun and effective monsters that you can use in your own games!
Mud Demons
Suggested by @Andreasfr1, based on the creatures from film Riddick (2013).
The so-called "mud demons" are actually a species of beast endemic to a specific region of desert floodplain. The creatures use a waving motion of their long, pincered tails to distract prey as they prepare to strike from beneath the surface of mud pools.
Mud demons spend most of their lives hibernating underground, but emerge during the region's monsoon season to hunt in packs during the torrential rain, or as solitary ambush predators in the muddy pools the rains leave behind in between storms.
Juvenile Mud Demon
Small beast, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 13 (3d6 + 3)
Speed 35 ft., burrow 5 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 2 (-4) 8 (-1) 5 (-3)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages —
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Ambush Burrow. While burrowed and within 5 feet of the surface, the mud demon has total cover from creatures on the surface, has tremorsense out to a range of 60 feet, and its burrow can only be spotted with a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. The mud demon has advantage on the first attack roll it makes after emerging from its burrow before the end of that turn.
Pack Tactics. The mud demon has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the mud demon's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Tail Breathing. The mud demon can hold its breath for up to 1 hour and breathes through small openings in its tail, such that it only needs to lift its tail above water or from its burrow to take a breath. However, the mud demon needs to be fully wetted with mud or water at least once every 4 hours to avoid dying of dehydration.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Hypervenomous Bite (1/Day). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 13 (2d12) poison damage, and if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 10 minutes. A poisoned creature is paralyzed, and can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
original image artist unknown
Mud Demon
Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 5 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 9 (-1) 6 (-2)
Skills Perception +1
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Ambush Burrow. While burrowed and within 5 feet of the surface, the mud demon has total cover from creatures on the surface, has tremorsense out to a range of 60 feet, and its burrow can only be spotted with a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. The mud demon has advantage on the first attack roll it makes after emerging from its burrow before the end of that turn.
Pack Tactics. The mud demon has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the mud demon's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Tail Breathing. The mud demon can hold its breath for up to 1 hour and breathes through small openings in its tail, such that it only needs to lift its tail above water or from its burrow to take a breath. However, the mud demon needs to be fully wetted with mud or water at least once every 4 hours to avoid dying of dehydration.
Actions
Multiattack. The mud demon makes three attacks: one with its bite, one with its claws, and one with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison damage, and if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 10 minutes. A poisoned creature is paralyzed, and can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4 + 4) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14).
Mud Demon Matriarch
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)
Speed 50 ft., burrow 5 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Ambush Burrow. While burrowed and within 5 feet of the surface, the mud demon has total cover from creatures on the surface, has tremorsense out to a range of 60 feet, and her burrow can only be spotted with a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check. The mud demon has advantage on the first attack roll she makes after emerging from her burrow before the end of that turn.
Brood Pheromones. When the mud demon is attacked or otherwise in distress, she releases pheromones detectable by all mud demons of its brood within 1 mile, attracting them to her location.
Pack Tactics. The mud demon has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the mud demon's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Tail Breathing. The mud demon can hold her breath for up to 1 hour and breathes through small openings in her tail, such that she only needs to lift her tail above water or from her burrow to take a breath. However, the mud demon needs to be fully wetted with mud or water at least once every 4 hours to avoid dying of dehydration.
Actions
Multiattack. The mud demon makes four attacks: one with its bite, two with its claws, and one with its tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage, and if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 10 minutes. A poisoned creature is paralyzed, and can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16).
Darkeater Midir
Suggested by twitch viewer @Siravia, based on the boss from Dark Souls 3.
A loyal dragon charged by its deity to guard a doomed city, Darkeater Midir succumbed to the dark corruption that destroyed the city. This darkness diminished Midir's mind such that, at this point, he remains only as an angry and confused husk of himself.
Darkeater Midir
Gargantuan dragon (titan), unaligned
Armor Class 24 (natural armor)
Hit Points 328 (16d20 + 160)
Speed 60 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 30 (+10) 17 (+3) 30 (+10) 3 (-4) 7 (-2) 9 (-1)
Saving Throws Str +18, Dex +11, Con +18, Wis +6, Cha +7
Skills Perception +6
Damage Vulnerabilities lightning
Damage Resistances force, necrotic, psychic
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages understands Celestial and Draconic, but can't speak
Challenge 26 (90,000 XP)
Dragon Scales. If Midir takes 40 or more lightning damage in a single turn (after vulnerabilities and resistances), his AC decreases by 1, to a minimum of 20. This reduction lasts until he regains all his hit points.
Flyby. Midir doesn’t provoke an opportunity attack when he flies out of an enemy’s reach.
Incomprehensible Mind. If a creature would subject Midir to psychic damage, or target Midir with a divination or enchantment spell, Midir is unaffected by the spell, and the caster must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against their own spell save DC, or take psychic damage equal to twice the level of the triggering spell.
Legendary Resistances (3/Day). If Midir fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Limited Magic Immunity. Midir can't be affected or detected by spells of 6th level or lower unless he wishes to be. He has advantage on saving throws against all other spells and magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Midir's weapon attacks are magical.
Siege Monster. Midir deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack. Midir makes three attacks: one with his bite and two with his claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 21 (2d10 + 10) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage and 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d6 + 10) slashing damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 6). Midir exhales fire in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Darkness Beam (Recharge 6). Midir can use this action only while he has fewer than half his hit points. Midir focuses a beam of darkness which he projects in a 20-foot wide, 120-foot long line, forcing each creature in the area to make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 63 (14d8) necrotic damage and is knocked prone on a failed save, or takes half as much damage and is not knocked prone on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
Midir can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Midir regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Tail. Midir makes a tail attack.
Immortal Resilience. Midir makes a saving throw against an effect that a save could end.
Homing Soulmasses (Costs 2 Actions). Midir releases 2d6 black masses of darkness which seek out living creatures within 120 feet of him, each hitting targets of his choice within range. Each mass deals 4 (1d8) necrotic damage to the creature it hits.
Abyssal Nova (Costs 3 Actions). Midir channels dark energy, then releases it all at once in a 40-foot radius. Each creature in the area must make a DC 24 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Malboro
Suggested by @IADnDMN, based on the notorious enemy from the Final Fantasy franchise.
Malboros are not actually plants, but actually aberrations that have adapted to life in thick, dark jungles. Their plantlike appearance allows them to blend into the foliage, only attacking once their prey is suitably close.
Malboro
Huge aberration, unaligned
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 150 (12d12 + 72)
Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 3 (-4) 23 (+6) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
Saving Throws Str +7, Con +9
Damage Vulnerabilities fire
Damage Resistances cold, radiant
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 15 ft., tremorsense 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
False Appearance. While the malboro remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a mass of normal vines, or a giant Venus Flytrap.
Actions
Multiattack. The malboro makes either one attack with its bite and two with its tentacles, or it makes two bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 hour. A poisoned creature can repeat its save at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.
Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14).
Inhale. Each Medium or smaller creature in a 15-foot cone must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 15 feet to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the malboro. As a bonus action, the malboro can then make a bite attack with advantage against a single creature of its choice that failed its save.
Bad Breath (Recharges After a Short or Long Rest). The malboro belches forth a choking cloud of miasma and rot, filling a 20-foot cube. Each other creature in the area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. A poisoned creature is blinded, deafened, frightened, stunned, and gains 1 cumulative level of exhaustion, which lasts until the creature completes a short or long rest.
A poisoned creature repeats the save at the end of its next turn, ending the condition on a success, or becoming paralyzed on a failure. A paralyzed creature then repeats its save again at the end of its following turn, ending the conditions on a success, or becoming petrified on a failure.
Image source: FinalFantasy.fandom.com