The legend of today’s Epic Monsters entry is as tall a tale as they come, a very humble lizard that’s grown into something so much more: the Loveland Frogman!
Determining where to begin with this myth from the rural state of Ohio is difficult, but that should be at the forefront: this creature is absolutely the result of a local legend gone awry. Let’s start as far back as it supposedly goes: May of 1955 near the Little Miami River nearabouts the city of Cincinnati. An unnamed salesman spots three amphibious frog people by the road, one waves a wand at him sending sparks flying, and he drives off. A little less than twenty years later there are not one but two police reports about a pet iguana, its tail gone, and in the latter it is shot alongside the road where it dies. Four decades after that one of those police officers has to call into a new station to confirm the story about a simple errant lizard after another supposed sighting. The most recent is definitely the most entertaining though as only six years ago there was a very provocative television report about the Loveland Frogman that turned out to be a high schooler in a frog costume. To be fair there is a musical about this creature (Hot Diggity Dog! It's the Loveland Frog!), but given the title it’s got an uphill climb to beat that flimsy news story.
Design Notes: Like Abraxas this is a subject with not so much to go on—at best we’re talking about a Small-sized humanoid frog person with a wand able to emit sparks, and at worst a scared iguana. Let’s focus on the former. To begin we’ll load him up with all the riggings of the frog-people-which-must-not-be-named, then trick out that wand with a sparks action to dazzle adventurers, some defensive spells to make him durable, and an offensive spell that makes the most out of that poisonous trait. Whether he’s introduced in a suit or naked as the day is long, the Loveland Frogman will be able to put up an engaging and tough fight (with a lot of poisoning going on) suitable for lower level parties. To make that combat versatile, we’ll throw in a Multiattack that allows him to assault multiple foes at a time or throw out an illusion to try and escape. Let’s do the numbers! The DMG comes in at 2.229 and the Blog of Holding at 2.833, leaving us with CR 2.
Armor Class 15 (mage armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d6+24)
Speed 25 ft.
Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +4; Proficiency +2
Skills Arcana +2, Athletics +3, Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Amphibious. The frogman can breathe air and water.
Innate Spellcasting. The frogman’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring only his wand as a material component:
Standing Leap. The frogman's long jump is up to 25 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Toxic Touch. When the frogman touches a creature to make an attack, when a creature hits the frogman with a natural weapon or unarmed strike, or when a creature grapples the frogman, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, as long as the poisoned creature is not in contact with the frogman it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on success.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The frogman casts a cantrip and attacks with his slam.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns the poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on success.
Sparks (Recharge 6). The frogman waves his wand sending a spray of sparks into a 20-foot square within 10 feet of it. Each creature in the area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Determining where to begin with this myth from the rural state of Ohio is difficult, but that should be at the forefront: this creature is absolutely the result of a local legend gone awry. Let’s start as far back as it supposedly goes: May of 1955 near the Little Miami River nearabouts the city of Cincinnati. An unnamed salesman spots three amphibious frog people by the road, one waves a wand at him sending sparks flying, and he drives off. A little less than twenty years later there are not one but two police reports about a pet iguana, its tail gone, and in the latter it is shot alongside the road where it dies. Four decades after that one of those police officers has to call into a new station to confirm the story about a simple errant lizard after another supposed sighting. The most recent is definitely the most entertaining though as only six years ago there was a very provocative television report about the Loveland Frogman that turned out to be a high schooler in a frog costume. To be fair there is a musical about this creature (Hot Diggity Dog! It's the Loveland Frog!), but given the title it’s got an uphill climb to beat that flimsy news story.
Design Notes: Like Abraxas this is a subject with not so much to go on—at best we’re talking about a Small-sized humanoid frog person with a wand able to emit sparks, and at worst a scared iguana. Let’s focus on the former. To begin we’ll load him up with all the riggings of the frog-people-which-must-not-be-named, then trick out that wand with a sparks action to dazzle adventurers, some defensive spells to make him durable, and an offensive spell that makes the most out of that poisonous trait. Whether he’s introduced in a suit or naked as the day is long, the Loveland Frogman will be able to put up an engaging and tough fight (with a lot of poisoning going on) suitable for lower level parties. To make that combat versatile, we’ll throw in a Multiattack that allows him to assault multiple foes at a time or throw out an illusion to try and escape. Let’s do the numbers! The DMG comes in at 2.229 and the Blog of Holding at 2.833, leaving us with CR 2.
Loveland Frogman
Small humanoid, neutralArmor Class 15 (mage armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d6+24)
Speed 25 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
8 (–1) | 15 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 11 (+0) | 14 (+2) | 17 (+3) |
Skills Arcana +2, Athletics +3, Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +4
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Amphibious. The frogman can breathe air and water.
Innate Spellcasting. The frogman’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring only his wand as a material component:
At will: dancing lights, minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
3/day each: mage armor, mirror image
Standing Leap. The frogman's long jump is up to 25 feet and its high jump is up to 15 feet, with or without a running start.
Toxic Touch. When the frogman touches a creature to make an attack, when a creature hits the frogman with a natural weapon or unarmed strike, or when a creature grapples the frogman, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, as long as the poisoned creature is not in contact with the frogman it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on success.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The frogman casts a cantrip and attacks with his slam.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns the poisoned creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on success.
Sparks (Recharge 6). The frogman waves his wand sending a spray of sparks into a 20-foot square within 10 feet of it. Each creature in the area must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
