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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8727243" data-attributes="member: 6915329">I REGRET NOTHING.Growf (Draco pholius ridiculus)There can never be too many dragons, right?, Dragon Magazine #96Created by Matt Legare[ATTACH=full]257304[/ATTACH]Artist: Phil FoglioThese creatures closely resembles small, purple-scaled dragons with cow-like horns. Their faces bear a permanently befuddled expression which many find endearing. The growf gets its name from the only sound it makes: a questioning “growf?” noise.Growfs can and do eat anything, even rocks and books. It’s unclear if they actually need the food to survive, however, since they seem to suffer no ill effects when they don’t eat.Flawed Creation. It is rumored that the growf was created by an mage who—either by design or through drunken mistake—magically merged a dragon, a cow, and a small terrier together. The result was the first growf, who promptly burned down the mage’s lab and flew away. The archmage then gave up magic and drinking and became a monk. Whether this legend is true or not, growfs are most definitely not natural creatures.Rapid Reproduction. Growfs don’t breed normally, and it’s unclear if they even have sexes in the first place. Instead, a growf that comes into contact with water nearly instantly buds copies of itself, as if by fission. While most of these copies melt into goo shortly afterwards, a few survive and become new growfs. A torrential rainstorm can cause a sudden surge in the growf population. Their only saving grace is that, much like cats, growfs hate getting wet and will never willingly do so.Favored By Someone On High. Growfs are amazingly, supernaturally lucky. They seem to always survive even the most determined efforts to kill them. Weapons miss and spells seem to take no effect more often than not, no matter how skilled the warrior or caster. A rogue who attempts to sneak up on one will always seem to find a squeaky board to step on or twig to snap. They seem to be able to saunter away from disasters and massive attacks that would have instantly killed anyone else. While it’s clear that somebody likes them and wants them to survive, their propensity for accidentally burning down their surroundings, their ability and willingness to eat just anything, regardless of what it is, their habit of following people around, and their incessant spawning makes them into major pests that most creatures loathe.Legends and LoreWith an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:DC 10. If you say “growf” back to a growf, it may befriend you and follow you everywhere.DC 15. A growf may look like a dragon, but it is actually something completely different.DC 20. Growfs are difficult to kill, are blessed with supernatural luck, and reproduce like mad when they get wet.Growf EncountersTerrain: caverns, forest, grassland, hills, laboratory, mountain, ruins, settlements.CR 0-1 1 growf; 1 growf and 1d4 copies.Signs1. With a DC 15 Investigation or Perception check, tiny dragon footprints.2. The sound of a growf saying “growf?” nearby.3. The sound of a growf and its copies all saying “growf?” nearby.4. Piles of purple goo.5. A completely burned-down farmhouse and devastated and singed farmers, raving about the horrible dragon that destroyed it.6. A poster marking a bounty for growf horns. There is a 50% chance it warns against getting the growf wet, although it doesn’t explain why.Behavior1. Sleeping.2. Eating something it shouldn’t be eating.3. Following the party around; it will get bored and stop in 2d10 days, if the party doesn’t drive it off first.4. Ignoring its copies, which are mostly wandering around in circles.GrowfSmall dragon (aberration)Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)AC 13 (natural armor)HP 16 (3d8+3; bloodied 8)Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.STR 8 (-1) DEX 13 (+1) CON 12 (+1)INT 2 (-4) WIS 11 (+0) CHA 6 (-2)Proficiency +2Maneuver DC 11Damage Immunities fireCondition Immunities charmed, strifeSenses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10Languages —Aberrant Nature. The growf doesn’t require air or sustenance.Regeneration. The growf regains 5 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the growf takes psychic damage, this trait doesn’t function on its next turn. The growf dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.Breed Like Bacteria. If the growf is splashed with a gallon of water or submerged in water, then at the start of its next turn, 1d4 copies emerge. The copies have the same attributes as the original but lack the Breed Like Bacteria trait and are under the effect of the confused condition.After 24 hours, the Narrator will roll a d10 for each copy. On a roll of 1, the copy is permanent and gains all the growfs normal abilities and is no longer confused. On a roll of 2-9, the copy melts into harmless purple goo.Evasion. When the growf makes a Dexterity saving throw against an effect that deals half damage on a success, it take no damage on a success and half damage on a failure.Strange Luck. Any roll made to attack the growf, sneak up to it or past it, to trap it (even if the growf is nowhere in sight when the trap is made), or otherwise harm, annoy, or distract the growf is rolled with disadvantage. The growf has advantage on all ability checks and saving throws. If the growf rolls a 1 on any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw, it may reroll the die and must keep the new result.ActionsBite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) force damage. The growf’s bite does double damage to objects and ignores damage thresholds.Fire Breath (Recharge 4-6). The growf breathes fire in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. A creature also takes 1 ongoing fire damage, whether or not it failed its save. A creature can use an action to extinguish this flame on itself on a creature within 5 feet. The fire ignites any flammable, unattended objects in the area.CombatUpon meeting a creature, the growf will say “growf?” several times. If the creature doesn’t say “growf” back to it or otherwise acts in a friendly manner, it will immediately blast the creature with fire. The growf doesn’t otherwise attack.</blockquote>

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