Today’s entry in Epic Monsters has a bit of history with it, and some of the OSR gamers in the crowd may already know about the confusing relationship that D&D has with the catoblepas!
Coming to us from the continent of Africa, this oxen has a fearsome mane (which is here, curiously, not depicted as terribly fearsome) and just loves munching on poisonous herbs—enough of them that it can breathe toxic gas! It’s also known to pop up on its hind legs and splay out its mane, scaring whatever so offended it before the poison breath is unleashed to mute and blind its foes. If you are like, “wait a minute there Mike, this sounds like a gorgon,” you’re kind of right! The catoblepas is also referred to as a gorgon in the 400 year old book The History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents, which is probably where the confusion that led to the modern steely incarnation in 5E began. Its first appearance in D&D was in the 1976 TSR magazine The Strategic Review #7 followed the next year with full statistics in the AD&D 1E Monster Manual where it rocks a big whipping tail that stuns and a death stare (which offers no saving throw to resist, but its crazy long neck has a low chance of rising high enough to use the gaze so it's not necessarily TPK-ing all the time).
Design Notes: We will not be employing an instant death stare here. Starting with an oxen, this statblock has gotten spruced up with a terrifying bonus action (that mane!) and of course a “historical” poison breath. Let’s do the numbers! The DMG landed at 2.22, the Blog of Holding an even 3, and that averages out to a confident CR 2—which should make for a great surprise encounter!
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 37 (5d10+10)
Speed 35 ft.
Skills Perception +3
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Charge. If the catoblepas moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Prodigious. The catoblepas counts as Huge-sized when determining its carrying capacity.
Startling Rear. The catoblepas can use a bonus action to rear up in a manner that terrifies its foes. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and become frightened for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, a frightened creature can repeat the saving throw, 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 catoblepas’ Startling Rear for the next 24 hours.
ACTIONS
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing damage.
Poison Breath (Recharge 5–6). The catoblepas exhales poisonous gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails its save by 5 or more is poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned, the creature is blinded and unable to speak. At the end of each of its turns, the poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Coming to us from the continent of Africa, this oxen has a fearsome mane (which is here, curiously, not depicted as terribly fearsome) and just loves munching on poisonous herbs—enough of them that it can breathe toxic gas! It’s also known to pop up on its hind legs and splay out its mane, scaring whatever so offended it before the poison breath is unleashed to mute and blind its foes. If you are like, “wait a minute there Mike, this sounds like a gorgon,” you’re kind of right! The catoblepas is also referred to as a gorgon in the 400 year old book The History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents, which is probably where the confusion that led to the modern steely incarnation in 5E began. Its first appearance in D&D was in the 1976 TSR magazine The Strategic Review #7 followed the next year with full statistics in the AD&D 1E Monster Manual where it rocks a big whipping tail that stuns and a death stare (which offers no saving throw to resist, but its crazy long neck has a low chance of rising high enough to use the gaze so it's not necessarily TPK-ing all the time).
Design Notes: We will not be employing an instant death stare here. Starting with an oxen, this statblock has gotten spruced up with a terrifying bonus action (that mane!) and of course a “historical” poison breath. Let’s do the numbers! The DMG landed at 2.22, the Blog of Holding an even 3, and that averages out to a confident CR 2—which should make for a great surprise encounter!
Catoblepas
Large beast, unalignedArmor Class 10
Hit Points 37 (5d10+10)
Speed 35 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
18 (+4) | 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) | 2 (–4) | 13 (+1) | 4 (–3) |
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Charge. If the catoblepas moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) piercing damage.
Prodigious. The catoblepas counts as Huge-sized when determining its carrying capacity.
Startling Rear. The catoblepas can use a bonus action to rear up in a manner that terrifies its foes. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or drop whatever it is holding and become frightened for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, a frightened creature can repeat the saving throw, 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 catoblepas’ Startling Rear for the next 24 hours.
ACTIONS
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) piercing damage.
Poison Breath (Recharge 5–6). The catoblepas exhales poisonous gas in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails its save by 5 or more is poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned, the creature is blinded and unable to speak. At the end of each of its turns, the poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
