Steam Salamander
This monster was inspired by (and the image above was cropped from) this map from Cze and Peku.
The steam salamander is an ancient elemental related to (but distinct from) the fire snakes and other more common
salamanders of the elemental plane of fire. Permanent bodies of water are very rare on the plane of fire, but the ones that do exist are hot geothermal springs, which suit the steam salamanders perfectly, but as a result, the elementals are very rare, as their numbers are relatively few.
With such habitats being so rare, the occasional steam salamander makes its way to the material plane, residing in hot mountain springs, sometimes reawakening dormant geothermal vents just with their mere presence.
Steam salamanders are typically quite even-tempered and slow to anger, as long as they are not directly provoked. In fact, there are individual salamanders which coexist with humanoid settlers attracted by the beautiful hot springs which the salamander sustains. They reach a mutually beneficial arrangement where the settlers make use of the springs, while the salamander is fed and revered by the local population, possibly even worshipped.
Steam Salamander
Gargantuan elemental, neutral
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 188 (13d20 + 52)
Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 23 (+6) 9 (-1) 19 (+4) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Str +11, Dex +4, Cha +8
Skills History +6, Insight +7, Perception +7
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Primordial
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
Steam Shroud. While at least partially submerged in water, the salamander's intense body heat generates a shroud of steam which rises from the body of water in which the salamander is submerged. The shroud rises from the surface of the water to a height of up to 20 feet, extending in a 20-foot radius centered on the salamander. This shroud lightly obscures the area and causes ranged attacks that pass through any part of the shroud's area to be made at disadvantage.
At the start of each of the salamander's turns that it remains at least partially submerged within the same area of water, the steam shroud expands by 15 feet, extending outward from the area of heated water, doing so each round, to a maximum radius of 120 feet. If the salamander dies or is no longer submerged in the area of water, the shroud dissipates after 1 minute.
If the salamander leaves the original area of water but remains submerged, the effect immediately begins again, centered on the new area of water. A wind ofmoderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the shroud immediately.
Limited Amphibiousness. The salamander can breathe air and water, but it needs to be submerged at least once every 12 hours to avoid suffocating.
Heated Body A creature that touches or ends its turn within 5 feet of the salamander takes 10 (3d6) fire damage.
Water Sense. While in a body of water, the salamander can sense objects and creatures in the same body of water as if it had blindsight, out to a range of 30 feet.
Actions
Multiattack. The salamander makes three attacks: one bite attack, and two slam attacks, either of which can be replaced with a tail attack. The bite attack and the tail attack can't be made against the same target on a turn.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage, and if the target is a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 18). Until the grapple ends, the salamander can't bite another target.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (4d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet and knocked prone.
Steam Breath (Recharge 5–6). The salamander exhales a 60-foot cone of searing hot steam. Each creature in the area must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 44 (8d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The area of the effect is then clouded in steam, becoming heavily obscured until the start of the salamander's next turn, or until dispersed by a light wind.