Godzilla. Gamera. Gorgo. Reptilicus, Yongary… OK, I admit it. The only “giant monster that tramples a city” movies I watch are on MST3k, so I’m fresh out of names. But yep, Dragon Mag had a
kaiju template. So here’s the updated version, in case you want something
other than Mr. Tarrasque for your insanely high-leveled games.
Note: In many of the movies I've seen, the giant monster feeds on fire or nuclear energy. I altered it for LU by saying it feeds on magical energy and that it can drain planar portals, enchanted faerie groves, even artifacts. I'm not including rules for that; it's more a plot point than anything else.
View attachment 378886
Kaiju (Template)
Thunder and Fire, Dragon Magazine #289
Creature by James Jacobs
Created by divine forces or through the effects of extreme magical or planar contamination, kaiju are the largest and most powerful of all titans. They were once normal animals but have been mutated into tremendous monsters to the point that they now only vaguely resemble the beasts they once were. Their bodies are thickened and made coarser and are covered in armored hide and studded with spikes, horns, and bony knobs. Claws, beaks, and teeth have become oversized. Most have developed a bipedal stance, albeit one that is often hunched over, with paws and hooves having been transformed into clumsy fists. They have developed a variety of powers, nearly all of which are destructive in nature. Worst yet is their size. Whatever caused the kaiju’s mutation also caused them to grow. They are so large as to dwarf all but the most ancient of dragons—and even great wyrms are not nearly as large as they are. Attacking a kaiju is like attacking a mountain—almost entirely pointless. Kaiju are all but unkillable. Even the gods have trouble fighting one. It takes the strength of entire nations to make a dent against them. At best, the most one can hope for is to temporarily drive one off.
Agents of Destruction. Kaiju are not creatures so much as they are forces of nature. They are destructive simply by dint of walking around. They seem to not even be able to notice even large buildings as anything other than an annoying obstacle getting in the way of their wanderings. People, even many giants, are simply too small for them to register. Kaiju aren’t malicious but can’t help the devastation that trails in their wake.
Fortunately for everyone else, kaiju sleep for decades or centuries at a time and are usually only active for a few months before falling back asleep. They journey underground, to the deepest underwater trenches, to remote islands, the most desolate of badlands, or sometimes to the Astral plane or outer space—anywhere they can be alone to sleep in peace.
Energy Eaters. Kaiju feed on energy drawn from raging wildfires, thunderstorms, blizzards, and on magical emanations from natural or artificial sources. Possible sources of these emanations include planar gates, places where magical artifacts are stored, very large powerful magical libraries and universities, and the largest of consecrated temples and sites where gods live. When they wander, they do so only to find these sources, absorb them (kaiju are one of the few things that can remove the magic from artifacts and gods), and then move on.
Each One Unique. There is no kaiju species. They are created only through magical means and don’t reproduce. Even if they could, they are too aggressive towards one another to even think about such things. The natural inclination when two kaiju meet is to battle. There’s no obvious reason for this, as they do not appear to be fighting for territory, food, dominance, or as a mating ritual—they fight just to fight. Some sages believe that kaiju know, deep down inside, that the world they are on simply isn’t big enough for the two of them.
The only time kaiju put this aggressive inclination aside and work together, is when they come across a very large, very powerful, and very evil or chaotic being, such as archfiends and evil gods, or invasions of khalkoi or similar entities. They seem to have an innate hatred of such beings and are willing to team up with one other in order to kill them.
Friend of all Children? For unknown reasons, some kaiju—certainly not all—develop a fondness for other intelligent beings, especially their young. They become strangely protective of these children and those around them. If a kaiju has befriended children, and another kaiju or similarly powerful being threatens the children’s community, the kaiju may hear those children’s pleas, awaken, and come to their aid. Of course, their protection is incredibly destructive, but sometimes such a dangerous cure is worth it.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or History check, the characters can learn the following:
DC 15. Kaiju are incredibly powerful, mutated animals of titanic proportions who feed on energy both from natural storms and from magic. They are almost unstoppable.
DC 20. The only way to kill a kaiju is with a carefully worded
wish spell—and even then, all the
wish can do is prevent the kaiju from healing, thus making it
technically possible to kill it with violence.
Signs
1. Rhythmic earthquakes; the kaiju approaches
2. A place of great magic is suddenly destroyed as all of the magic is drained away
3. A cataclysmic natural disaster, caused by the kaiju’s awakening
4. An eclipse, caused by the kaiju hovering overhead
5. All natural animals in the area are fleeing.
6. Once-powerful magical item or place that has been drained of power.
--
“Kaiju” is a template that can be added on any beast, monstrosity, or plant that can’t speak any languages and has an Intelligence score of 5 or lower. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.
Type and Size. The kaiju becomes an elite legendary titanic monstrosity (titan).
AC. The kaiju’s natural armor increases by 10.
Hit Dice. The kaiju Hit Dice become d20s and it gains an additional 40 HD.
Speed. The kaiju’s base speed can’t be lower than 20.
Attributes. The kaiju’s Strength and Constitution increase by 15 (minimum of 22) and its Charisma increases by 4 (maximum of 30), its Dexterity becomes 10, unless its already lower, and its Charisma becomes 20 (+5).
Saving Throws. The kaiju is proficient in all saving throws.
Immunities. The kaiju is immune to poison damage and to damage from nonmagical weapons. It is also immune to one other type of elemental energy damage (acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, radiant, or thunder). It is immune to the charmed, confused, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, and poisoned conditions.
Altered Attacks. The kaiju inflicts 4 extra dice of damage with each melee attack, and the die type is increased by one size (e.g., if the base creature inflict 1d6 damage with a bite, the kaiju inflicts 5d8 damage with a bite). Additionally, the reach for all of its melee attacks increases by 10 feet. If the base creature had a ranged attack, the range is tripled.
Altered Trait. If the base creature as an ability that is dependent on damage it inflicts or takes, such as Relentless, multiply the listed number by 10.
Immortal Nature. The kaiju doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the kaiju fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Senses. The kaiju gains one of the following types of senses: blindsight 120 ft., darkvision 120 feet, or tremorsense 60 feet.
Magic Resistance. The kaiju has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Siege Monster. The kaiju deals double damage to objects and structures.
Action: Multiattack. The kaiju may make two attacks plus however many attacks the base creature can make. Only one of these attacks can be a bite (unless the base creature has more than one head). It can replace its bite with Swallow.
Action: Bite. The kaiju makes a melee attack against a creature. If the attack hits, the creature is grappled (escape DC = the kaiju’s maneuver DC). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and the kaiju can’t bite a different creature. If the base creature doesn’t have a bite attack, it gains one that inflicts 5d10 piercing damage.
Action: Claw, Fist, Hoof, or Slam. The kaiju makes a melee attack against a creature. If the base creature doesn’t have a Claw, Fist, Hoof, or Slam attack, it gains one that inflicts 5d8 bludgeoning or slashing damage.
Action: Swallow. The kaiju makes a bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature has total cover from attacks from outside the kaiju, it is blinded and restrained, and it takes 35 (10d6) acid damage and 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage at the start of the kaiju’s turns. If a swallowed creature deals 70 or more damage to the kaiju in a single turn, or if the kaiju dies, the kaiju vomits up all swallowed creatures.
Kaiju Abilities. The kaiju also gains 10 abilities chosen from the following:
•
Additional Attacks. The kaiju can make two additional attacks each round.
• Additional Immunities. The kaiju has immunity to one additional type of damage. The kaiju make take this ability twice.
• Additional Resistances. The kaiju has resistance to two types of damage. The kaiju make take this ability twice.
• Additional Senses. The kaiju gains another type of sense (blindsight, darkvision, tremorsense).
• Additional Movement Type. The kaiju gains one of the following speeds: burrow 20 ft., walk 30 ft., fly 80 ft., swim 40 ft. The kaiju make take this ability more than once. If it takes this ability more than once and chooses the same movement type, the speed for that movement is doubled.
•
Astounding Leap. The kaiju’s high jump distance is equal to its Speed.
• Augmented Criticals. The kaiju scores a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.
• Legendary Action: Battle Roar. Each creature of the kaiju’s choice within 500 feet must make a Charisma saving throw (save DC = 8 + the base creature’s PB + the base creature’s Charisma modifier) or be rattled 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 it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends on it, it is immune to any kaiju’s Roar for 24 hours.
• Bloodied Frenzy. While the kaiju is bloodied it makes all attacks with advantage and all attacks against it are made with advantage.
• Bloodied Regeneration. While the kaiju is bloodied, it regains 50 hit points at the start of each of its turns. A
wish spell can suppress this trait for 24 hours. The kaiju dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
• Action: Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). The kaiju breathes a 120-foot long, 10-foot wide line 120-foot cone of energy of an energy type to which it is immune. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Constitution modifier), taking 45 (10d8) damage of that type on a failed save or half as much on a success. The kaiju may take this action twice, choosing a different damage type each time.
• Legendary Action: Cast Spell (Costs 3 Actions). The kaiju casts a spell. It must have the Innate Spellcasting ability.
• Death Throes. When the kaiju dies, it explodes. Each creature within 30 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Constitution modifier), taking 35 (10d6) damage of the type to which it is immune on a failed save, or half damage on a success.
• Bonus Action: Energized Attack (Recharge 5-6). The kaiju causes its natural attacks to be imbued with energy of a type to which it is immune. If it is immune to more than one type of damage, choose one type for this ability. Until the end of its next turn, its natural attacks inflict an additional 10 (3d6) damage of that type. The kaiju may take this action twice, choosing a different damage type each time.
• Energy Absorption. When the kaiju is subjected to damage from energy to which it is immune, it instead regains hit points equal to the damage dealt.
• Legendary Action: Frightening Roar. Each creature of the kaiju’s choice within 120 feet must make a Charisma saving throw (save DC = 8 + the base creature’s PB + the base creature’s Charisma modifier) or be frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the kaiju is in line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends on it, it is immune to any kaiju’s Roar for 24 hours.
•
Legendary Action: Inescapable Earth (Costs 3 Actions). Each flying creature or object within 300 feet falls and its flying speed is reduced to 0 until the end of the kaiju’s next turn.
• Innate Spellcasting (3/day). The kaiju can cast one of the following spells without the need for material components, and as if with a 9th-level spell slot, using Charisma as its spellcasting ability:
blur, call lightning, cloudkill, conjure elemental, control water, control weather, earthquake, enlarge/reduce (reduce only),
firestorm, fly, freezing sphere, gaseous form, haste, ice storm, invisibility, plane shift, raise hell, ravaging roots, wall of fire, wind wall. The kaiju can take this ability more than once, choosing a different spell each time.
• Action: Ranged Attack. The kaiju can fire spines, spit boulders, shoot bony discs from its paws, etc., at up to two targets within 15 feet of each other. It must make a ranged weapon attack (range: 100 ft.). On a hit, it inflicts 21 (6d6) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (whichever is most appropriate).
• Action: Ray Attack (Recharge 5-6). The kaiju fires a beam of energy from its mouth, eyes, horns, etc., of energy of a type to which it is immune. It must make a ranged weapon attack (range: 300 ft.) On a hit, it inflicts 67 (15d8) damage of that type. The kaiju may take this action more than once, choosing a different damage type each time.
• Legendary Action: Recharge. When the kaiju is first bloodied, it recharges any breath weapons, energized attacks, rays, or windstorms it has, if they are not already available.
• Reflective. When the kaiju is targeted by a
magic missile spell, a line spell, or a spell that requires a ranged attack, roll a d6. On a 1-3, the kaiju is unaffected. On a 4-6, the kaiju is unaffected and the spell is reflected back, targeting the caster as if it originated from the kaiju.
Action: Stomp. The kaiju stomps, jumps up and lands, or rears up and comes crashing back to earth. Each creature within 60 feet of the kaiju must make a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Strength modifier) or take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and fall prone.
• Legendary Action: Stunning Roar. Each creature of the kaiju’s choice within 120 feet must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + the base creature’s PB + the base creature’s Charisma modifier) or be stunned until the end of the kaiju’s next turn and rattled for 1 minute. A rattled creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends on it, it is immune to any kaiju’s Roar for 24 hours.
• Legendary Action: Thunderous Roar. Each creature within 120 feet must make a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + the base creature’s PB + the base creature’s Charisma modifier) or take 21 (6d6) thunder damage and be deafened for 1 minute. A creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
•
Action: Trample. The kaiju moves up to its speed in a straight line and can move through the spaces of Large and smaller creatures. Each of these creatures must make a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Strength modifier), taking 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful on. On a failed save, the creature also falls prone.
• Action: Windstorm (Recharge 5-6). The kaiju flaps its wings, spins around rapidly, breathes out a powerful gust of air, etc., creating a 90-foot cone of blasting air. All flames in this area are extinguished, and creatures in the area must make a Strength saving throw (save DC = 8 + the base creature’s PB + the base creature’s Constitution modifier) or go flying back 1d4 × 10 feet and take 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every ten feet pushed back. On a success, the creature is instead knocked prone. Large or larger creatures are pushed back only half as far, and Huge and larger creatures have advantage on this saving throw. Additionally, until the end of the kaiju’s next turn, ranged attacks and talking are impossible in that area.
Legendary Actions. The kaiju can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. The kaiju makes a melee attack other than bite.
Move. The kaiju moves up to half its Speed.
Elite Recovery (While Bloodied). The kaiju ends one negative effect currently affecting it. It can use this action as long as it has at least 1 hit point even while unconscious or incapacitated.
Chomp (Costs 2 Actions). The kaiju makes a bite attack or uses Swallow.
--
The following uses a boar as the base creature:
Inosh, The Hellboar
Elite legendary titanic monstrosity (titan); Challenge 30 (155,000 XP)
AC 22 (natural armor)
HP 740 (40d20+320; bloodied 370)
2d8+2; bloodied 5)
Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.
STR 28 (+9)
DEX 10 (+0)
CON 27 (+8)
INT 4 (-3)
WIS 10 (+0)
CHA 20 (+5)
Proficiency +9;
Maneuver DC 26
Saving Throws Str +19, Dex +10, Con +18, Int +7, Wis +10, Cha +15
Damage Resistances acid, cold
Damage Immunities fire, poison; damage from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, confused, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Bloodied Regeneration. While the kaiju is bloodied, it regains 50 hit points at the start of each of its turns. A wish spell can suppress this trait for 24 hours. The kaiju dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Immortal Nature. Inosh doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.
Innate Spellcasting (3/Day). Inosh can cast
cloudkill without the need for material components. Its spellcasting trait is Charisma (spell save DC 22).
Legendary Resistance (3/day). If Inosh fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Inosh has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Relentless (1/Day). If Inosh takes 50 or less damage that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is instead reduced to 1 hit point.
Siege Monster. Inosh deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack. Inosh makes three attacks, only one of which can be a bite. It can replace its bite attack with Swallow.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 36 (5d10+9) piercing damage. If the attack hits and the target is a creature, the creature is grappled (escape DC 26) and restrained, and Inosh can’t bite a different creature.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 31 (5d8+9) bludgeoning damage.
Tusk. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
Hit: 31 (5d8+9) slashing damage. If the boar moves at least 20 feet straight towards the target before the attack, the attack deals an extra 22 (5d8) slashing damage and the target must make a DC 26 Strength saving throw falling prone on a failure.
Shoot Tusks. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 100 ft., two targets within 15 feet of each other.
Hit: 21 (6d6) piercing damage.
Poison Eyes (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 300 feet.
Hit: 67 (15d8) poison damage.
Cloudkill (5th-level; V, S, Concentration). A 20-foot radius sphere of poisonous, sickly green fog appears centered on a point within 120 feet. If lasts for 10 minutes and spread around corners, heavily obscuring the area. It can be dispersed by a strong wind, ending the spell early. Until the spell ends, when a creature starts its turn in the area or enters it for the first time on a turn, it makes a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (5d8) poison damage on a failure or half damage on a success. The fog moves away from Inosh 10 feet at the start of each of its turns, sinking to the level of the ground in that space.
Swallow. Inosh makes a bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature has total cover from attacks from outside Inosh, it is blinded and restrained, and it takes 35 (10d6) acid damage and 35 (10d6) bludgeoning damage at the start of Inosh’s turns. If a swallowed creature deals 70 or more damage to Inosh in a single turn, or if Inosh dies, Inosh vomits up all swallowed creatures.
Trample. The kaiju moves up to its speed in a straight line and can move through the spaces of Large and smaller creatures. Each of these creatures must make a DC 26 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (5d10) bludgeoning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful on. On a failed save, the creature also falls prone.
Bonus Actions
Energized Attack. Inosh causes its bite, hooves, and tusks to be imbued with fire. Until the end of its next turn, those attacks inflict an additional 10 (3d6) fire damage.
Legendary Actions
Inosh can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. Inosh makes a melee attack other than bite.
Move. Inosh moves up to half its Speed.
Elite Recovery (While Bloodied). Inosh ends one negative effect currently affecting it. It can use this action as long as it has at least 1 hit point even while unconscious or incapacitated.
Frightening Roar. Each creature of the kaiju’s choice within 120 feet must make a Charisma saving throw (save DC = 8 + the base creature’s PB + the base creature’s Charisma modifier) or be frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the kaiju is in line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If it succeeds on a saving throw or the effect ends on it, it is immune to any kaiju’s Roar for 24 hours.
Chomp (Costs 2 Actions). Inosh makes a bite attack or uses Swallow.
