D&D 5E Let’s Read Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

[Sulicius]

Bulezau (MToF, BGiA)​

When you think of a generic devil, you probably think of some kind of goat-man. D&D has never been all that close with its source materials (save for maybe the writing of Tolkien), so the Bulexau are classified as demons instead. As beings of animalistic violence, they serve no particular demons other than the ones who just happen to bully them into servitude. Though they have been explicitly tied to Baphoment in the past, their current description has only a vague connection due to their similar natures.

In combat the Bulezau will rush to the front line and stab with their Barbed Tail. Using their Rotting Presence for some minor damage and hoping their victims are infected with the disease on their Barbed Tail. The second round is where things get a little more interesting. They have a standing leap that lets them jump 10 feet into the air and 20 feet horizontally, combined with a 40’ movement speed, this makes them somewhat harder to pin down than other brute-type monsters. They can simply jump over the heads of the front line warriors, and land on the other side without expending any extra movement or provoking an OA. This immediately opens up any targets in the second ranks to their onslaught, removes any cover that the front line was using them for, and can even prevent the front line from receiving support from the back.

The Bulezau are one of the few creatures that are deadly long after the combat is ended. If a target fails their saving throw against disease, they can be poisoned for days on end. It takes an entire 24 hours for the next check, and if they fail that one (or subsequent ones) they lose maximum hp permanently.

In the changeover, the Bulezau’s Rotting Presence was made more consistent, and their Barbed Tail attack was given more damage.

The Bulezau’s Rotting Presence is one of the very few features that scaled with having more of those creatures in proximity. The scaling was negligible, but I do like the concept.

Makes sense that this is one of the rough edges that got filed off with the tighter design.

 

[Leatherhead]

Cadaver Collector (MToF)​

Cadaver Collectors are an intersection between the disparate themes of necromancers, constructs, and the lower plains of war. For something that started off as a slightly generic monster with a comfortable niche in a particular setting, it’s kind of interesting to see just how outlandish they have become in order to fit into the multiversal setting.

They like to wander around battlefields, doing as their name implies, picking up dead bodies and weapons to stick on their bodies like some kind of hermit decorator crab. While they can be summoned from their home on Acheron, they aren’t fiends, and if their summoner dies they can become stuck without a way back home, searching for a path for who knows how long. In the meantime, they go around amassing any number of dead bodies and weapons that the party may be interested in.

You may be shocked to learn that in combat, the CR 14 Cadaver Collector has no way of pinning you down on it’s many pointy protrusions. Instead it’s going to open up with it’s breath weapon of paralyzing gas, then summon 1d4 Specters to help it fight. These Specters don’t have sunlight sensitivity, so they can stick around until the Cadaver Collector is destroyed, allowing an army of them to amass should you need extra help on the battle. On subsequent rounds, it will use it’s Multiattack to Slam anyone stuck in melee range, waiting for it’s breath weapon to recharge. While it may be a slowish land-locked melee brute, it at least has the recourse of directing it’s Specters to harass any ranged units or fliers, making it not totally helpless against them.

In the changeover, the Specter reinforcements were cut from 1d6 to 1d4, and the Collector itself gained the Unusual Nature trait.

 

[Faolyn]

<pedant>

Not a hermit crab. A decorator crab.

</pedant>

 

[bergec]

<pedant>

Not a hermit crab. A decorator crab.

</pedant>

 

[THEMNGMNT]

Bodak is a truly awesome monster and was the centerpiece of one of the best combats I've ever run, ever. They deserve more love.

Conceptually, I dig boggles. But the 5E mechanics are lackluster. I've adapted the 4E version of this creature and it's much more interesting at the table.

 

[Leatherhead]

Canoloth (MToF)​

Canoloths are Yugoloths. The third flavor of fiend factions from the lower planes. Unlike Demons, they aren’t out to destroy or consume the multiverse, because that’s where all their stuff is. Unlike Devils, they can break any contract if a better one shows up.

The Canoloth, as Mordenkainen notes, is essentially a magical guard dog. And possibly where he got the inspiration for his namesake spell. But make no mistake, the Canoloth is far from loyal: It will follow it’s contract to the letter, which can be exploited by anyone who cares to ask the creature about it. While it is possible to absolutely bind a Yugoloth with it’s true name, they understandably hate this, and will actively work against any such attempts to control them in any way possible. Finally, should you not find a way to weasel past a contract, you could always just bribe them with a better deal.

Should you actually fight a Canoloth, you will find that they cannot be ambushed. Not only are they literally immune to surprise, they have truesight, a massive perception bonus, and most uniquely, the ability to block all teleportation within 60’ of their body. Which includes both incoming and outgoing teleportation. Despite being mostly a ground-bound melee brute, they have an impressive 50’ of ground speed, and a 30’ grappling tongue attack to keep targets close. Given their occupation, it’s not likely to encounter one in an area where range considerations beyond that are necessary. Like all fiends, Canoloth’s don’t fear death when outside of their home plane. Conversely, if encountered back home and faced with true death, they may plead for mercy and offer surrender.

In the changeover, Canoloth’s lost their redundant Darkvision (they have the superior Truesight), and had part of their attacks changed into force or acid damage due to the loss of the Magic Weapons ability.

 

[Leatherhead]

Catoblepas (VGtM)​

The Catoblepas is a strange creature, which in D&D tradition, is remolded from it’s Roman roots. The book calls them a “conglomeration of bloated buffalo, dinosaur, warthog, and hippopotamus parts.” I find this description a bit lacking, as it could mean any number of things. A more apt description would be “Long-necked Hell Pig.” The Catoblepas resembles a mish-mash of prehistoric megafauna mammals, but it is a monstrosity rather than a beast. It has the head of a warthog, on a long neck that can barely support it, a massive and slow moving core body that resembles a wooly rhino, and a tail that ends in a club. Their stench is great enough to make you gag, but their most defining feature is their bloodshot eyes, which can be used to shoot death rays.

They like to live in swamps, which their very presence corrupts. A friendly druid could hire the PCs to exterminate them in order to restore the balance. Alternatively, the Catoblepas could be domesticated. Hags like to use them as cattle, and in past lore some towns have been said to domesticate them for their exotic cheese.

Any creature unfortunate to get in melee combat range with the CR 5 Catoblepas stands a good chance of being poisoned by it’s stench. Naturally, the Catoblepas should open up with it’s Death Ray. Which can deal a massive 64 damage to a target if they get unlucky. You might be tempted to save it as a ranged reprisal attack, but with only 30’ of range and a recharge of 5-6, the Death Ray is ill-suited for that purpose. A Catoblepas will primarily fight with it’s tail club, which can stun the target, and win the action economy. The tail club has a decent reach, so it can go over the front line to reach squisher targets if need be. With only 30’ of movement speed, they aren’t going to be able to retreat from combat, and will likely fight to the death.

In the changeover, the Catoblepas lost Keen Smell, but gained proficiency in perception.

 

[JEB]

In the changeover, the Catoblepas lost Keen Smell, but gained proficiency in perception.

You know, initially this particular category of changes didn't seem to matter, but it bugs me more as time goes on... because it makes homebrewing ever so slightly tougher. Before, you had an obvious reason when and why creatures with Keen Smell etc. got an advantage to Perception. And you could extrapolate that to other monsters that should have better senses. Now such monsters will just have Perception proficiency, and it won't always be clear why.

 

[Marandahir]

You know, initially this particular category of changes didn't seem to matter, but it bugs me more as time goes on... because it makes homebrewing ever so slightly tougher. Before, you had an obvious reason when and why creatures with Keen Smell etc. got an advantage to Perception. And you could extrapolate that to other monsters that should have better senses. Now such monsters will just have Perception proficiency, and it won't always be clear why.

I guess the reasoning is less about helping you homebrew new monsters and more about reducing feature clutter.
I also imagine that in the 5.5e DMG they'll give suggestions such as rather than giving a monster a feature "Keen Senses," just give them adv on Perception if its a monster that has keen senses.

 

[Weiley31]

So Keen Senses joins Magic Weapons in traits that have been removed from a stat block and in this case, is now represented via Proficiency in Perception.