Today on Epic Monsters we visit the underworld which means of course crossing paths with Hades’ guard dog: Cerberus!
This three-headed (possibly as many as 100 heads depending on where you look) canine keeps the dead from escaping the afterlife—really though Cerberus’ claim to fame is his capture by Heracles/Hercules as one of the twelve labors, a story celebrated again and again throughout both Greek and Roman arts. The hero is initiated into the Eleusian Mysteries and then travels into the underworld probably by way of a cave in Tainaron, guided afterward by Athena and Hermes. Once he’s down there Heracles/Hercules runs into Theseus and Pirithous (held captive for trying to rescue Persephone from hell—that whole pomegranate seeds and winter thing) then wrangles the beast. How he does so (and much more) is written about in great length and changes from author to author, but at the end of the day comes back up with Cerberus, typically with Theseus, and sometimes Pirithous too.
Design Notes:This is actually a conversion from Sean K. Reynold’s excellent New Argonauts with a little bit extra tacked in (a breath weapon). He thought a smaller puppified version would be useful for folks and I am in full agreement on that—if you are too here’s a cerberean hound.
Cerberus
Huge monstrosity, neutral
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 152 (16d12+48)
Speed 50 ft.
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6
Skills Insight +5, Perception +7, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic, radiant
Senses darkvision 200 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Ageless. Cerberus cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
Snake-Tail. Cerberus’ uses its Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls with its snake-tail.
Three Heads. Cerberus gains double his proficiency bonus to and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. In addition, he has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Cerberus makes three bite attacks and one snake-tail attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10+6) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Snake-Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Poison Foam (Recharge 5-6). Cerberus exhales a spray of toxic liquid in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
This three-headed (possibly as many as 100 heads depending on where you look) canine keeps the dead from escaping the afterlife—really though Cerberus’ claim to fame is his capture by Heracles/Hercules as one of the twelve labors, a story celebrated again and again throughout both Greek and Roman arts. The hero is initiated into the Eleusian Mysteries and then travels into the underworld probably by way of a cave in Tainaron, guided afterward by Athena and Hermes. Once he’s down there Heracles/Hercules runs into Theseus and Pirithous (held captive for trying to rescue Persephone from hell—that whole pomegranate seeds and winter thing) then wrangles the beast. How he does so (and much more) is written about in great length and changes from author to author, but at the end of the day comes back up with Cerberus, typically with Theseus, and sometimes Pirithous too.
Design Notes:This is actually a conversion from Sean K. Reynold’s excellent New Argonauts with a little bit extra tacked in (a breath weapon). He thought a smaller puppified version would be useful for folks and I am in full agreement on that—if you are too here’s a cerberean hound.
Cerberus
Huge monstrosity, neutral
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 152 (16d12+48)
Speed 50 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
22 (+6) | 15 (+2) | 17 (+3) | 7 (-2) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6
Skills Insight +5, Perception +7, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic, radiant
Senses darkvision 200 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Ageless. Cerberus cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
Snake-Tail. Cerberus’ uses its Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls with its snake-tail.
Three Heads. Cerberus gains double his proficiency bonus to and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. In addition, he has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Cerberus makes three bite attacks and one snake-tail attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10+6) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Snake-Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Poison Foam (Recharge 5-6). Cerberus exhales a spray of toxic liquid in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
