IADnDMN Stream Monsters! (2019/01/02)
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!
Rock Trolls
Suggested by Discord regular @SherlockHole, based on the trolls from Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.
Not actually a true troll species, rock trolls are a sapient race of elementals whose entire body is comprised solely of
minerals. A rock troll's body might be made of any variety of stone that one might find in the mountainous regions they call home, and in fact, their teeth are most often made of solid diamond, a fact that sometimes causes these creatures to be "poached" by treasure seekers who catch wind of this closely-guarded secret.
An interesting trait of rock trolls is that their brains are always comprised of some kind of silicate, and as such, their potential intelligence varies widely according to temperature. Where rock trolls are reasonably intelligent in the cool slimes of their mountain homes, they become increasingly intelligent in freezing temperatures that might kill them. Likewise, in sweltering heat, rock trolls are known to become completely feral.
Rock Troll
Large elemental, variable
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 115 (11d10 + 55)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 12 (+1) 21 (+5) 9 (-1) 13 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Perception +4
Damage Vulnerabilities acid, thunder
Damage Resistances lightning, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities petrified
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Terran
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Silicon Brain. The rock troll's intelligence increases and decreases with temperature, as its silicon brain becomes more or less conductive. For every 10 degrees the ambient temperature drops below 70 degrees Fahrenheit†, the troll's intelligence score increases by 2. Likewise, for every 10 degrees the ambient temperature increases above 50 degrees, the troll's intelligence score decreases by 3 (minimum 1). If the troll's intelligence score is decreased to 1 or below, it is paralyzed until it increases above 1.
At the start of each of the troll's turns, its intelligence score decreases by 2 for every 10 fire damage it has taken since the end of its last turn. Likewise, its intelligence score increases by 2 for every 10 cold damage it has taken since the end of its last turn.If at the start of the troll's turn, it has taken neither cold or fire damage, its intelligence score changes by up to 2 closer to its starting value.
False Appearance. While the troll remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a collection of normal rocks.
Rock Resistances. The troll has advantage on saves against being paralyzed, poisoned, or put to sleep.
Seige Monster. The troll deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack. The troll makes two attacks with its fists.
Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Diamond Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. The target receives no benefit to its AC against this attack from nonmagical armor.
"Hand" Ballista (Recharge 4–6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (5d10 + 1) piercing damage.
Flaming Bolt (1/Day). The troll over-cranks its hand ballista, causing the bolt to launch at an unfathomable speed, causing the the bolt to disintegrate into a cloud of supersonic shrapnel which bursts into flame from air friction. Each creature in a 10-foot wide, 120-foot long line from the troll must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 17 (5d6) piercing damage plus 17 (5d6) fire damage.
†50 degrees F ≈ 10 degrees C
±10 degrees F ≈ ±5 degrees C
Hydroid Krasis
Suggested by redditor /u/ShawshankHarper, who tagged me in this reddit thread about a Magic the Gathering card from an upcoming Ravnica release.
The Hydroid Krasis is a conjured creature which is used as a tool of reconnaissance and surveillance by only the most powerful and sinister of wizards.
If its intended use weren't disconcerting enough, the krasis also borrows some of the most frightening features of the infamous hydra. Its many heads allow it to see in all directions, and careless destruction of them only leads to them multiplying, consequently making the creature even stronger and more dangerous.
Only by carefully attacking the creature from afar with fire can one avoid the full wrath of its many heads, however doing so also incurs another different risk. One of the unique features of a hydroid krasis is its ability to mimic the spells used against it. The creature's natural inquisitive attraction to magic causes it to carefully observe hostile magic users in an attempt to intuit and recreate their spells for its own use. This ability also makes them even more valuable to their conjurers, as these learned spells can potentially be studied in turn by their masters.
Image source: this reddit thread.
Hydroid Krasis
Huge monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 189 (18d12 + 72)
Speed 0 ft., fly 20 ft (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +5, Cha +6
Skills Arcana +6, Perception +5, Stealth +3
Damage Vulnerabilities slashing
Damage Immunities bludgeoning
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages understands all languages but can't speak
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
Multiple Heads. The krasis has five heads. While it has more than one head, the krasis has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Whenever the krasis takes 25 or more damage in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the krasis 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 fire damage since its last turn. The krasis regains 10 hit points for each head regrown in this way.Reactive Heads. For each head the krasis has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks.
Wakeful. While the krasis sleeps, at least one of its heads is awake.
Spell Intuition. When a creature the krasis can see and hear casts a spell that includes the krasis as a target, the krasis can use its reaction to make a Wisdom check of a DC equal to 10 + the spell's level (cantrips have a spell level of 0 for this purpose) to attempt to intuit the spell's composition. The krasis has advantage on this check if it has been targeted by this spell already in the past hour. On a success, the krasis learns that spell, and can innately cast it twice per day (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks), requiring no components.
Each day, the krasis can cast up to 10 spell levels worth of any of the spells it knows.Actions
Multiattack. The krasis makes as many bite attacks as it has heads.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage, and if the target is a creature of a size smaller than the krasis, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Each of the krasis's heads can grapple one creature at a time.
Trampling Drop. The krasis moves up to its speed, then drops. When it does so, it can enter Large or smaller creatures' spaces. When the krasis enters a creature's space, the creature must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw.
On a successful save, the creature can choose to be pushed to the nearest unoccupied space within 5 feet of the krasis. A creature that chooses not to be pushed suffers the consequences of a failed saving throw.
On a failed save, the krasis enters the creature's space, and the creature takes 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone.
Chisel Tooth
Suggested by patron and Discord regular @whistlehunter, based on this rad artwork made by ArtStation user nclong.
Of the myriad creatures seen as guardians of nature by the various civilizations of the world, the being known simply as "Chisel Tooth" is certainly one of the most ancient.
This gentle but towering creature reminiscent of a stocky, muscular baboon with great boar-like tusks moves through the woods and marshes of the world, seeming to meander aimlessly, but still with surprising speed and subtlety.
Chisel Tooth is known to disappear for dozens, if not hundreds of years at a time, particularly in times when the expansion of civilizations into the wilderness has slowed, and other various threats to safety of the wilds have waned. Chisel Tooth spends this time hibernating in a shallow (relative to its own great size) burrow during which the beast's great back appears simply as a small, muddy hill.
Chisel Tooth
Gargantuan monstrosity (titan), unaligned
Armor Class 23 (natural armor, improvised shield)
Hit Points 390 (20d20 + 180)
Speed 40 ft. burrow 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 27 (+8) 7 (-2) 29 (+9) 6 (-2) 16 (+3) 15 (+2)
Saving Throws Str +15, Dex +5, Con +16, Wis +10
Skills Insight +10, Intimidation +9, Perception +10
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, petrified, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages understands Druidic, Sylvan, and Terran but can't speak
Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)
Amphibious. Chisel tooth can breathe air and water.
Charge. If chisel tooth moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 22 (4d10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 23 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
False Appearance. While chisel tooth is at least partially buried and remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from normal swamp or forest terrain.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If chisel tooth fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Weapons. Chisel tooth's weapon attacks are magical.
Siege Monster. Chisel tooth deals double damage to objects and structures.
Swamp Walk. Difficult terrain composed of marshy conditions such as mud or dense vegetation doesn't cost chisel tooth extra movement.
Innate Spellcasting. Chisel tooth’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells:
At-will: meld into stone, wrath of nature
1/day each: conjure animals (9th level), control weatherActions
Multiattack. Chisel tooth makes three attacks: two with its tree trunk spear, plus one gore attack.
Tree Trunk Spear. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 36 (8d6 + 8) piercing damage.
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 34 (4d12 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: + to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Boulder. Ranged Weapon Attack: + to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. Hit: 41 (6d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Animate Boulders (1/Day). Chisel tooth magically animates up to three boulders it can see within 60 feet of it. A boulder has statistics like those of a galeb duhr, except it has Intelligence 1 and Charisma 1, it can’t be charmed or frightened, and it lacks this action option. A boulder remains animated for up to 1 day or until it dies; until chisel tooth dies or is more than 120 feet from the boulder; or until chisel tooth takes a bonus action to turn it back into an inanimate boulder.
Animate Trees (1/Day). Chisel tooth magically animates up to two trees it can see within 60 feet of it. These trees have the same statistics as a treant, except they have Intelligence and Charisma scores of 1, they can't speak, and they have only the Slam action option. An animated tree acts as an ally of chisel tooth. The tree remains animate for 1 day or until it dies; until chisel tooth dies or is more than 120 feet from the tree; or until chisel tooth takes a bonus action to turn it back into an inanimate tree. The tree then takes root if possible.