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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8732574" data-attributes="member: 6915329">Watch out for snakes! This next article is “Sharper Than A Serpent’s Tooth” and contains, well, snakes. Not all of them real, and those that are based on real snakes have some differences from the actual animal (including the odd magical ability). I’m writing them as variants on the existing shakes, as they don’t really need full statblocks.By the way, my wizened little soul hurts every time I have to write poisonous snake.Snake VariantsSharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth, Dragon Magazine #115Created by Ray Hamel and David HageKing CobraKing cobras are a dusty olive green in color, with distinctive black and white bands and a notable hood that gives them regal appearance when they rear up. They range from 10 to 13 in length, but can get as long as 19 feet. They have a reputation for being highly aggressive, in part because their hissing is so low-pitched it sounds like growling. But it’s primarily an undeserved reputation; except when guarding their eggs or acting in self-defense, they are normally fairly passive. Their bite injects the an incredibly noxious venom and causes severe pain, blurred vision, paralysis, and eventually, death.The king cobra uses giant poisonous snake attributes. It is CR 1/2 (100 XP) and it gains the following trait and its bite has been altered:Keen Smell. The king cobra has advantage on Perception checks that rely on smell.Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failure or half damage on a success. Additionally, the creature is poisoned for 10 minutes on a failed save or 1 minute on a success. While poisoned, it takes 3 (1d6) ongoing poison damage and has disadvantage on Perception checks that rely on sight, due to blurred vision, and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws. If the saving throw was a critical failure, the creature is also paralyzed while poisoned. The creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.Giant Ringed SnakeNormal ringed snakes are small, inoffensive animals, black-scaled with a yellow ring around their neck. They will play dead if attacked or will expose their bright orange-red bellies in the hopes of scaring off predators. Although they are constrictors, they are venomous as well, but their venom is harmless to anything larger than Tiny. Giant ringed snakes, however, underwent magical transformation, possibly by a snake god. They are truly gigantic and can magically hypnotize their prey.A ringed snake uses giant constrictor snake attributes. t is a monstrosity of CR 3 (750 XP). It has 59 (7d12+14; bloodied 29) hit points, Constitution 14 (+2), Intelligence 6 (-2), and Charisma 14 (+2). It can understand Draconic but can’t speak it. Its bite action has been altered and it gains a new bonus action:Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) piercing damage and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.Hypnotic Stare (Gaze). A creature within 60 feet makes a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it is incapacitated until the end of its next turn and its Speed is reduced to 0 ft. A creature that can’t be charmed is immune to this trait.Giant Spitting CobraA giant spitting cobra uses giant poisonous snake attributes. It gains the following new action:Spray Venom. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 15 feet, one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) poison damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute on a failure or until the end of its next turn on a success. If the creature rolls a natural 1 and isn't wearing a helmet or other form of eye protection, it is blinded permanently. A lesser restoration or similar spell is needed to remove the blindness.RattlesnakeWell-known for the rattling sound their tail makes, rattlesnakes are not terribly dangerous, as their bites are rarely fatal if treated promptly. Diamondback rattlesnakes are, however, far more dangerous than most other rattlers. Their bite causes severe pain, necrosis, and spontaneous bleeding.The diamondback rattlesnake uses giant poisonous snake attributes. It is CR 1/2 (100 XP), has tremorsense to 30 feet and its bite has been altered:Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage and the target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) poison damage on a failure or half damage on a success. Additionally, the creature is poisoned for 10 minutes on a failed save or 1 minute on a success. While poisoned, it takes 3 (1d6) necrotic damage and its Speed is reduced by 10 feet due to extreme pain, and has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws.. The creature may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.Saw-Edged Scaled SnakeA mutation of the saw-scaled viper, the jet-black saw-edged scaled snake is covered in tiny, needlelike spines, similar to a porcupine’s quills. The saw-edged scaled snake uses constrictor snake attributes and has the following trait:Barbed Hide. A creature that grapples or is grappled by the snake takes 5 (1d10) piercing damage at the beginning of the snake’s turn. When the creature escapes its grapple, the snake releases it, or the snake dies, the creature takes 1 ongoing piercing damage, as several spines remain stuck in the creature’s skin and begin to work their way inwards. A creature can end the ongoing damage by making a DC 10 Medicine check as an action to remove the spines.Spitting CobraSpitting cobras are dusty gray or brick red with black markings. They are hooded snakes and have the distinctive eye-like pattern on the underside of their hoods. They tend to be aggressive but rely on threat displays rather than attacking. The spitting cobra uses poisonous snake attributes. It gains the following new action:Spray Venom. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 10 feet, one target. Hit: 2 (1d4) poison damage, and the target must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute on a failure or until the end of its next turn on a success.</blockquote>

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