Dread Megalodon
The megalodon is the largest known predatory animal in existence and the tyrant king of the oceans. Anyone able to control one has a terrifying beast at their disposal, capable of dominating the seas. Still, for some, a "mere" megalodon is not enough.
Aquatic despots and mad artificers may opt to enhance their megalodon minions with extra weaponry and armor plating. This equipment is fused to the megalodon, and its physiology is permanently altered to allow it to control its new weapons as they are an extension of its body. Thus, a dread megalodon is born.
Dread Megalodon
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 217 (14d20 + 70)
- Speed 0 ft., swim 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 25 (+7) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 6 (-2)
- Saving Throws Int + 3, Cha + 3
- Skills Perception +8
- Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 18
- Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5
Blood Frenzy. The megalodon has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Keen Sense. The megalodon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
Water Breathing. The megalodon can breathe only underwater.
Magic Resistance. The megalodon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The megalodon's weapon attacks are magical.
Siege Monster. The megalodon's attacks deal double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack. The megalodon makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its cannon.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 65 (9d12 + 7) piercing damage.
Cannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 600/2,400 ft., one target. Hit: 51 (8d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage to the target.
Devestating Arsonal. Dread megalodons are terrifying weapons capable of singlehandedly destroying small fleets and laying siege to coastal settlements. Their weaponry gives them long-range striking capabilities against enemies normally safe from a shark's attacks. Arcane cannons are among the most popular weapons attached to dread megalodons, and these magical devices can conjure and fire heavy cannon balls at the shark's will. Other weapon options include massive harpoon launchers, which can reel in prey, and energy beam devices capable of cooking lines of enemies at once.
Diabolical Pets and Warbeasts. Dread megalodons are prized weapons of anyone who controls them. Seafaring or aquatic conquerers will utilize a dread megalodon like a flagship nautical weapon capable of tearing apart enemy fleets and bombarding coastal defenders. Mad geniuses with ambitions of world domination may see a dread megalodon as a prized pet to feed lackluster minions to. Such villains often enjoy subjecting captured heroes to elaborate (though often impractical) death traps involving their dread megalodon.
Alternate Weapons
If you wish to arm your dread megalodon with something other than a cannon, you can replace it with one of the following weapons which each provide an attack that replaces the dread megalodon’s cannon attack.
Eldritch Ray Gun
Radiant Beam. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 1,000 ft., the megalodon chooses a straight line up to 100 feet long within range, and makes its attack roll against each creature of its choice in that line. If the line is no longer than 10 feet long, it has advantage on these attack rolls. Hit: 7d6 (24) radiant damage to the target.
Harpoon Launcher
Harpoon. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 100/200 ft., one target. Hit: 55 (9d10 + 7) piercing damage. If the target must succeed on a Strength contest against the megalodon or be pulled up to 100 feet toward the megalodon.
Dread Megalodon Adventures
The following table provides some ways to incorporate dread megalodons into your adventures.
Dread Megalodon Adventure Hooks
| d6 | Plot Hook |
|---|---|
| 1 | A sea goddess sent megalodons to teach a lesson to a group of brazen pirate artificers. This plan backfired when the pirates captured the sharks and modified them into dread megalodons |
| 2 | The players have been captured by a self-styled supervillain who has opted to kill them by slowly lowering them into a large enclosure with giant sharks with ray guns strapped to their heads. |
| 3 | A tyrant sahuagin king has begun laying siege to a walled coastal settlement using dread megalodons in preparation for a full-scale assault. |
| 4 | A sea god sends a megalodon armed with a harpoon cannon to hunt down ships that fail to pay tribute and drag them to a watery grave. |
| 5 | High-ranking military leaders and public officials of a coastal city are being systematically killed by cannon fire that seems to come from the ocean itself. |
| 6 | A dread megalodon’s magical headpiece has granted it sentience and the ability to control other sea creatures. It now sees itself as a nautical warlord and leads sea creatures in a campaign of ocean conquest. |
Art Credit
- Dread Megalodon - Micheal Spears & Joseph Snouwaert
- Coral Atoll - John Avon, Wizards of the Coast
1.0.0
- Public release
- Fix cannonball damage type
1.0.1
- Update dread megalodon art