Blex, Vexing Pest
The life of a Witherbloom pest is pleasant but short. Raised by the students, pests are treated with great care and kindness — until their lifeforce is inevitably consumed in the casting of a powerful spell. After seeing many of his fellow pests taken from their enclosures and never returned, Blex plotted his escape.
In a show of atypical restraint and intelligence for a pest, Blex hid some of his food — live, squirming insects — until it was his time to be taken. The poor student who reached into his cage received a face full of centipedes, and Blex vanished into the undergrowth of the bayou.
As a form of hazing, new Witherbloom students are told a pest escaped and it is their job to retrieve it. Few students manage to locate Blex, but those who do are shocked by the belching, overgrown creature before them.
Blex, Vexing Pest
Small Monstrosity, Unaligned
- Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 44 (8d4 + 24)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 7 (-2) 13 (+1) 4 (-3)
- Skills Perception +3
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
- Languages understands Common but can't speak
- Challenge 3 (700 XP) _______ Proficiency Bonus +2
Infestation (1/Day). Blex can cast infestation, requiring no spell components and using Intelligence as the spellcasting ability.
Regeneration. Blex regains 10 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point. If Blex takes fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn.
Spiny Hide. At the start of each of his turns, Blex deals 10 (4d4) piercing damage to any creature grappling him or that he is grappling.
Actions
Multiattack. Blex makes one Bite attack and one Claw attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (4d4 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Blex can't bite another target.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) slashing damage.