D&D 5E The crab that got away...

[Flamestrike]

Finally the crab took the Disengage action so it could join its crustaceans brethren overboard. Ah, but the Goliath Barbarian reminded me: Sentinel! He got another opportunity attack. He swung his greataxe down and... Missed!

The crab leapt into the water and waved with a claw as it sunk down into the depths...

And now the crab has a level of Fighter or Monk and it's coming back for revenge!

I prefer a few levels of Bard:

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Sometimes the dice elevate a random and lowly someone or something to the halls of glory. It is not for us to question this.

 

[Ancalagon]

And now the crab has a level of Fighter or Monk and it's coming back for revenge!

You should look into Yoon-Suin. Crab-men are a playable character race (they can't speak, but a number of people house rule it to make them poor speakers instead).

 

[pukunui]

Last year, I was running the Tyranny of Dragons AL season as an episodic campaign. The group finished one of the adventures early in the evening and were just a few XP short of gaining a level, so I suggested they could go for a patrol around the countryside and have a random encounter. I was like, "What could possibly go wrong?"

The dice decided that they'd disturbed a nest of giant wasps. It was very nearly a TPK.

 

[R_J_K75]

It was very nearly a TPK

Not close enough, now if they were Giant Murder Hornets that'd be another story.

 

[pukunui]

Not close enough, now if they were Giant Murder Hornets that'd be another story.

Unfortunately I didn't know about murder hornets back then.

 

[R_J_K75]

Unfortunately I didn't know about murder hornets back then.

I actually saw a show on Discovery about them around 2000. Thats when Discovery, TLC and the History Channel were relevant and didnt show 30 hours of Pawn Star or Cake Wars. Those things were terrifying looking, and it described how they attacked both man and bee alike. Back then they were only in Asia and Japan I believe.

 

[Bacon Bits]

Skip ahead to the end of the campaign.

DM: At last, this is the end. The final encounter. Countless foes you have bested, and at last the party confronts the final adversary. The one foe who has schemed against you for these many months. Before you is a wide stairway leading up to a massive seat of power. As you approach, you hear ominous music begin to play....

DM: <begins playing music from his phone>

DM: The mighty throne turns... revealing your ultimate nemesis!

 

[Bacon Bits]

View attachment 125380

DM: The crab speaks: "Hello! My name is Cangrejo Montoya. You killed my family. Prepare to die."

 

[GlassJaw]

I bet the barbarian wants another crack at that crab.