Gurgohemoth
Gargantuan fiend, chaotic evil
Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 525 (30d20 + 210)
Speed 40 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|
29 (+9) | 10 (+0) | 25 (+7) | 10 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 12 (+1) |
Saving Throws CON +14, INT +7, WIS +8, CHA+8
Damage Resistances fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing attacks
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities paralyzed, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Understands Abyssal but cannot speak, telepathy with creatures touched by its trunk (reach 20 ft.)
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +7
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the gurgohemoth fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The gurgohemoth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Siege Monster. The gurgohemoth deals double damage to objects and structures.
Trampling Charge. If the gurgohemoth moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 24 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the gurgohemoth can make one stomp attack against it as a bonus action.
Vulnerable to Great Enemies. The gurgohemoth's damage resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing is ineffective against magical attacks from creatures of size Large or bigger and nonmagical attacks from creatures of size Gargantuan. Its damage immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks is ineffective against siege engines and creatures that have the
Siege Monster trait or are size Huge or bigger.
Actions
Multiattack. The gurgohemoth can use its Frightful Presence. It then makes three attacks: one gore attack or one stomp attack together with two tail-lightning attacks or two different attacks from its tail and/or trunk (i.e. its tail, tail-flick and tail-lightning attacks or its trunk, trunk-crush, trunk-hurl and trunk-snort attacks, but it cannot use the same melee attack twice). An opponent attacked by the gurgohemoth's tail melee attacks cannot be targeted by gore or trunk attacks. Its tail and tail-flick can only be combined with a stomp attack or other attacks from its tail (its tail-lightning ranged attack can freely combine with other attacks).
Alternatively, the gurgohemoth can use Frightful Presence and then make two attacks: one gore and one stomp against separate opponents.
Breath Weapon (Recharge 6). The gurgohemoth exhales a 40-foot-radius cloud of toxic gas centered on a point within 40 feet. The cloud spreads around corners. Gurgohemoths and gurgotches are immune to this attack, so a gurgohemoth can safely center the gas cloud on itself. Each creature within the cloud must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failed roll they take 39 (6d12) poison damage and are poisoned for 1 minute, on a successful one they take half as much damage and are not poisoned. Poisoned targets can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the poisoned condition with a success.
Earsplitting Trumpet (Recharge 5-6). The gurgohemoth uses its trunk as a magical trumpet. The trumpet affects each creature within 200 feet of the gurgohemoth or a 300-foot cone, as the gurgohemoth chooses. Each creature in that area able to hear the trumpet must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 13 (2d12) thunder damage and is deafened for 5 (1d10) rounds, and if the creature is size Large or smaller it is also stunned for 1 round. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn't deafened or stunned. Gurgohemoths and gurgotches are immune to this attack.
Juggernaut of Destruction (Recharge 5-6). The gurgohemoth moves up to 80 feet, trying to crush underfoot any creature in its path that is smaller than itself. This attack covers the 20-foot-square space occupied by the gurgohemoth's starting position plus the 20-foot wide zone the gurgohemoth's space enters as it moves along this
path of destruction. The gurgohemoth stomps over Large or smaller creatures on the ground without slowing, but a prone Huge creature count as difficult terrain. If the juggernaut path of destruction contacts a non-prone Huge creature, the creature must make a DC 24 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and stomped. On a success the gurgohemoth cannot enter the Huge creature's space and they take no damage, ending its path of destruction. The path of destruction cannot move over or damage a Gargantuan creature even if it is prone, although the gurgohemoth may be able to sweep the creature out of its path (see below).
Each creature in the path of destruction must make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw or take 42 (6d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. Large or smaller creature take no damage if they succeed, Huge creatures take half as much damage if they succeed.
The gurgohemoth can also
sweep up to three areas with its trunk and tusks, each swept area costs 10 feet of movement. The gurgohemoth can sweep across a 20 ft. by 20 ft. square (in any direction) or along the length of a 15 ft. by 30 ft. rectangle or a 10 ft. by 50 ft. line; the sweep always has a direction that determines the order creatures in its area are affected. Swept areas can overlap with each other but this does not increase their effectiveness. Every part of a swept area must be within 20 feet of the gurgohemoth's path of destruction. A gurgohemoth can sweep an area and then overlap it with its path of destruction, but it cannot sweep into its space or the path behind it. A gurgohemoth cannot sweep through a Gargantuan creature or object, such obstacles are affected by the
Sweep but block the swept area from extending past them.
Each creature in the swept area much make a DC 24 Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they take 30 (6d6 + 9) bludgeoning (falling) damage, or half as much damage on a successful one. Should the swept area overlap with the gurgohemoth's path of destruction, the creature takes the path of destruction's 42 (6d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage instead of the sweep's normal damage even if the creature is Gargantuan, or half as much damage on a successful save. With a failed save the target also suffers the following:
If the target is Huge size or smaller, they are tossed a distance of 40 ft. (8d6 + 12) in the direction of the sweep, or 20 ft. (4d6 + 6) for a Huge creature. If the gurgohemoth tosses its victim over a cliff or into a pit that also causes falling damage, the target takes whichever falling damage rolls higher (do not add the sweep's 6d6 + 9 or 6d10 + 9 falling damage to other falling damage).
If the target is Gargantuan size, the sweep hits their legs and slams the creature into the ground, causing them to fall prone. If the sweep overlaps with the path of destruction, there is a 50% chance the target will fall off to one side of the path, allowing the gurgohemoth to continue along the path at the cost of 10 feet of movement.
Forked Lightning (Recharge 5-6). The gurgohemoth's tail shoots black lightning in a 100-foot line that is 5-feet wide. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried. Gurgohemoths and gurgotches are immune to this attack.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the gurgohemoth's choice that is within 120 feet of the gurgohemoth and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the gurgohemoth's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 42 (4d12 + 16) piercing damage.
Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature that must be prone or Large size or smaller.
Hit: 42 (6d10 + 9) bludgeoning damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (2d6 + 14) piercing damage.
Tail-Flick. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: No damage on hit, but target must make a DC 22 Dexterity or Strength saving throw (target's choice). The target takes 3 (d6) bludgeoning damage on a successful save, but on a failed save the target suffers the following:
If the target is Large size or smaller, they are thrown a distance of up to 30 ft. (6d6 + 9) in a random direction, or 15 ft. (2d8 + 6) for a Large creature. When the target hits the ground it takes 10 (3d6) falling (bludgeoning) damage and lands prone. If the gurgohemoth flicks its victim over a cliff or into a pit that also causes falling damage, the target takes whichever falling damage rolls higher (do not add the tail-flick's 3d6 falling damage to other falling damage).
If the target is Huge size or bigger, the tail knocks them over, the target takes 10 (3d6) falling (bludgeoning) damage and falls prone.
Tail-Lightning. Ranged Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, range 100 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (6d6) lightning damage. Gurgohemoths and gurgotches are immune to this attack.
Trunk. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (4d6 + 7) bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 24 Dexterity or Strength saving throw (target's choice) or be grabbed (escape DC 24).
Trunk-Crush. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit (can only target opponents that are grabbed and up to Huge size; automatically hits restrained targets), reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (2d4 + 16) bludgeoning damage and the target is restrained.
Trunk-Hurl. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit (automatically hits grabbed opponents), reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: The target must make a DC 24 Dexterity or Strength saving throw (target's choice) or take 21 (4d6 + 7) bludgeoning (falling) damage, halved on a successful save. With a failed save the target also suffers the following:
If the target is Huge size or smaller, they are scooped up and hurled a distance of up to 40 ft. (8d6 + 12), or 20 ft. (4d6 + 6) for a Huge creature. The gurgohemoth can hurl the target in any direction and may throw them to land a shorter distance away than the listed maximum range if it desires. If the gurgohemoth hurls its victim over a cliff or into a pit that also causes falling damage, the target takes whichever falling damage rolls higher (do not add the trunk-toss's 4d6 + 7 falling damage to other falling damage).
If the target is Gargantuan size, the trunk sweeps their legs and slams them into the ground, causing them to fall prone.
Trunk-Snort. The gurgohemoth puffs toxic gas at a single creature within 30 feet. The creature must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw. On a failed roll they take 11 (2d10) poison damage and are poisoned for 5 (1d10) rounds, on a successful one they take half as much damage and are not poisoned. Poisoned targets can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the poisoned condition with a success. Gurgohemoths and gurgotches are immune to this attack.
Legendary Actions
The gurgohemoth can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The gurgohemoth regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The gurgohemoth makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Scatter Nuisance. The gurgohemoth makes a tail-flick or trunk-snort attack.
Tail Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The gurgohemoth makes a tail or tail-lightning attack.
Trident Tail-Lightning (Costs 3 Actions). The gurgohemoth unleashes intertwined bolts of black lightning from the three points of its pitchfork-like tail, producing a
Forked Lightning attack.
Trumpet of Doom (Costs 3 Actions). The gurgohemoth broadcasts an
Earsplitting Trumpet.
Trunk Attack (Costs 2 Actions). The gurgohemoth makes a trunk, trunk-crush or trunk-hurl attack.
Description
A gurgohemoth is also known as a gurgotch juggernaut, for they are titanic relatives of that demon elephant. The size of a small castle keep, this enormous fiend appears very similar to a gurgotch: a coal-black elephant with great ears, ebony tusks, and a tail ending in a three-point trident. Black lightning occasionally sparks from the tips of this tail. Its glowing white eyes are no larger than a gurgotch's so appear tiny in its vast head. Like gurgotches, gurgohemoths occasionally snort puffs of noxious gas from their trunks.
Elephants of Annihilation. A gurgohemoth is a siege monster called on to destroy armies and fortifications. They are often a prized weapon in the army of a fiendish lord, such as a demon prince. When not in such service, these demonic juggernauts mostly sleep inside mountains or tors, occasionally emerging to wander around and amuse themselves by destroying creatures and buildings they happen upon.
A gurgohemoth in military service usually wears a harness that supports an armored howdah containing elite troops. It often has spiked anklets and trunk-rings that look intimidating but do not improve its combat effectiveness. Some also wear cloth coverings (a caparison) decorated with crests of its army or faction.
A prince's personal gurgohemoth is often elaborately and richly caparisoned, especially if its fiendish lord is particularly vain or going on procession. The gurgohemoth sometimes serves its master as a mobile throne room, with a howdah crammed with deceitful and mighty demon nobles, guards and attendants.
(Inspired by the Gurgotch created by Roger Musson; appeared in
White Dwarf Magazine #14 (Aug/Sept 1979) as part of "The Fiend Factory", edited by Don Turnbull.)
