[h3]Giant Aquatic Animals[/h3]
[SBLOCK=Giant Anglerfish]
Giant Anglerfish
Large beast, unaligned
AC 14 (natural armor)
HP 60 (8d10+16)
Speed 0 ft, swim 30 ft
Str 16 (+3) Dex 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Int 1 (-5) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 2 (-4)
Damage Resistances cold
Damage Immunities pressure
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 4 (XP 1,100)
TRAITS
Perfect Camouflage. An anglerfish on the ocean floor (or in a similar habitat) with its mouth open appears to be a cavern full of stalactites and stalagmites with something glowing inside. The light source is actually the anglerfish's luminous illicium. A creature that wanders within and doesn't realize the anglerfish's true nature is surprised.
Water Breathing. The anglerfish can breathe only underwater.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +5 hit, reach 5-ft, one target. Hit: 16 (3d8+3) piercing damage. The anglerfish makes a Strength (Athletics) check to grapple the target, and if successful swallows the target whole. When the target ends its turn still grappled by the anglerfish they take 16 damage automatically. Piercing attacks against an anglerfish with a swallowed creature also deal a similar amount of damage to the swallowed creature. A creature swallowed by the anglerfish can only use small weapons against it from the inside. The anglerfish may only have one creature swallowed at a time, and may not make bite attacks while it digests the creature.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Anemone]
Giant Anemone
Large beast, unaligned
AC 13 (natural armor)
HP 91 (14d10+14)
Speed 5 ft
Str 16 (+3) Dex 6 (-2) Con 12 (+1) Int 1 (-5) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 1 (-5)
Skills (+3)
Senses blindsight 15 ft, passive perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 5 (XP 1,800)
TRAITS
Regeneration. The anemone regains 1 hit point at the start of its turn, always beginning with its tendrils. Each tendril has 5 hit points and is immune bludgeoning damage.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The anemone makes 10 tendril attacks.
Tendril. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +6, reach 10-ft, one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) poison damage, and the creature must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or it is poisoned for 1 minute. If the anemone hits a creature it has already poisoned, and if that creature fails its save, then it is also paralyzed; at the start of each of their turns, the creature may repeat the Constitution save to shake off the paralysis (but not the poisoning, which lasts the full minute).
BONUS ACTION
Reel Victim. The anemone uses 2 of its tendrils to drag one paralyzed victim into its mouth, a process which doesn't complete until the start of the anemone's next turn. A creature deposited into the anemone's mouth goes directly into its trunk cavity which fills with acid. Each turn the creature begins trapped within the cavity, it takes 7 (2d6) acid damage. While trapped within the anemone's cavity, the creature can only use small piercing and slashing weapons. If 45 damage is dealt to its trunk cavity, the creature is freed; however, piercing and slashing weapons used from outside deal half the damage inflicted to the anemone to the trapped creature as well.
REACTIONS
Acid Spew. When the anemone suffers 30 or more damage in a single round, it withdraws all of its tentacles inside its body and spews acidic juices in a 10-ft radius. All creatures within range take 7 (2d6) acid damage, though a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw allows a creature of take only half damage. The anemone may continue to spew for up to five rounds if it feels especially threatened, taking no actions except spewing acid; once it finishes spewing, the anemone releass its tendrils again.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Eel]
Giant Eel
Large beast, unaligned
AC 14 (natural armor)
HP 60 (8d10+16)
Speed 5 ft, swim 25 ft
Str 15 (+2) Dex 14 (+2) Con 14 (+2) Int 1 (-5) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 2 (-5)
Skills perception +2, stealth +6
Condition Immunities disease
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive perception 12
Languages --
Challenge 3 (XP 700)
TRAITS
Disease. Any creature bitten by the eel must make a DC 12 Constitution check or contract a wasting disease. After 12 hours the bitten body part becomes swollen and sore to the point of being useless (a swollen foot imposses a -5 speed penalty, and a swollen leg halves the creature's speed, rounded down). The bitten body part rots away in 1d4+4 days unless treated.
Water Breathing. The eel can breathe only underwater.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +4 hit, reach 5-ft, one target. Hit: 12 (3d6+2) piercing damage, and the eel makes a Strength (Athletics) check to grapple the creature. When the creature ends its turn grappled, it takes the same amount of damage again automatically. Once an eel has latched onto prey, it becomes immune to all fear effects. If the eel is killed with its jaws still locked on the creature, one minute and a DC 12 Medicine check is required to safely remove the head of the eel, otherwise the target takes bite damage again. If the head of the eel is not removed, the creature bleeds out 1 hit point per round.
Electric Discharge (recharge 5-6). The eel releases an electric discharge in a 15-ft radius thru the water. All non-eel creatures adjacent to the eel take 21 (6d6) lightning damage, while those further away but still within the 15-ft radius take 10 (3d6) lightning damage. In either case, a DC 12 Constitution saving throw reduces this damage by half and prevents the stunning. However, a creature failing this save is stunned until the start of the eel's next turn.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Nautilus]
Giant Nautilus
Gargantuan beast, neutral
AC 17 (natural armor)
HP 203 (14d20+56)
Speed 0 ft, swim 40 ft
Str 22 (+6) Dex 8 (-1) Con 18 (+4) Int 18 (+4) Wis 22 (+6) Cha 18 (+4)
Saving Throws Wisdom +11
Skills Perception +11
Senses tremorsense 1,320 ft (underwater only), passive perception 21
Languages telepathy 120 ft (or 1,320 ft underwater) that allows communication with all creatures and aquatic beasts
Challenge 13 (XP 5,000)
TRAITS
Innate Spellcasting. The giant nautilus innately casts the following spells as a 20th level Druid (save DC 19, spell attack +11). All the giant nautilus' spells are cast as if using a 9th level spell slot.
At-Will: animal messenger (aquatic only), conjure animals (aquatic only), control water, detect evil and good, detect magic, detect poison and disease, locate animals or plants (aquatic only), wall of stone (coral)
3 / Day: conjure elemental (water elementals only)
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The giant nautilus makes 12 tentacle attacks.
Tentacle. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +11 hit, reach 30-ft, one target. Hit: 9 (1d6+6) bludgeoning damage, and if the giant nautilus has no creature currently grappled, the target is grappled and has one arm pinned (01-25% left, 26-50% right), no arms pinned (51-75%), or both arms pinned (76-100%). A creature with both arms pinned cannot attack or use spells requiring somatic components.
If a creature remains grappled at the end of their turn, they automatically take this damage again. Additionally, the grappled creature can be wielded as a club, dealing the giant nautilus' normal tentacle damage to both target and the grappled creature. Severing a tentacle requires 15 slashing or piercing damage (AC 11), which counts agains the giant nautilus' total hit points. The giant nautilus has 20 tentacles total, so the number of attacks it makes with multiattack only diminish if its total number of tentacles are brought below 12.
Ship Squeeze. For each tentacle that the giant nautilus hits a ship's hull with, the ship is slowed by 2 knots. Once the giant nautilus hits a ship with six or more tentacles, it begins squeezing the hull, dealing 10 points of damage each round it maintains the squeeze with at least six tentacles.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The Giant Nautilus can take 3 legendary actions each round, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used per turn and only during or after another creature’s turn. The Giant Nautilus regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Elemental Sojourn. The giant nautilus transports itself and all creatures within up to 120 feet to the Elemental Plane of Water, an ocean on another plane, or back to the ocean of the mortal world.
Frigid Waters. The giant nautilus causes water up to a quarter-mile away to become frigid, and the Constituion save DC is 19. Any creatures within 120 feet of the giant nautilus must immediately begin making Constitution saves as if they'd already reached the maximum time they can withstand frigid water without consequences (see DMG page 110).
Tentacle Flurry. The giant nautilus makes up to 4 extra tentacle attacks (provided it has sufficient intact tentacles to do so).
Will of the Sea. All charmed aquatic beasts and water elementals within 1,320 feet of the giant nautilus are immediately freed of control.
Monster Calculations: Giant Nautilus
Defense CR 9 = 9 (203 HP) + 0 (17 AC)
Offense CR 17 = 17 (110 damage/round) + 0 (+11 attack)
Avg CR 13 = (9 + 17) / 2
Known as the "Druid of the Deeps", the Giant Nautilus roams the deep oceans, the Elemental Plane of Water, and more exotic planar seas. In most campaigns there are only one or two such creatures. It is a keeper of ecological balance, living for up to 4,000 years before either mating or undergoing a Phoenix-like chrysalis that kills the the aging parent and births a new Giant Nautilus. Keeping ocean waters clean and reefs thriving, ensuring a marine species isn't over-hunted, removing sunken shipwrecks from the ocean floor, and preserving the boundaries between the Abyss and the mortal world all fall within the Giant Nautilus' purview. It is an implacable enemy of Wastriliths and the Kraken, though lacks sufficient might to contest the Kraken in a straight fight.[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Squid]
Giant Squid
Gargantuan beast, unaligned
AC 10
HP 125 (10d20+20)
Speed swim 40 ft
Str 18 (+4) Dex 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Int 3 (-4) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 3 (-4)
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 6 (XP 2,300)
TRAITS
Hold Breath. While out of water, the giant squid can hold its breath for 30 minutes.
Underwater Camouflage. The giant squid has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made while underwater.
Water Breathing. The giant squid can breathe only underwater.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The giant squid makes 8 tentacle attacks and 1 bite attack.
Bite. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +7 hit, reach 5-ft, one target. Hit: 17 (3d8+4) piercing damage.
Tentacle. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +7 hit, reach 15-ft, one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4) bludgeoning damage, and if the giant squid has no creature currently grappled, the target is grappled and has one arm pinned (01-25% left, 26-50% right), no arms pinned (51-75%), or both arms pinned (76-100%). A creature with both arms pinned cannot attack or use spells requiring somatic components.
If a creature remains grappled at the end of their turn, they automatically take this damage again. Additionally, the grappled creature can be wielded as a club, dealing the giant squid's normal damage to both target and the grappled creature. Severing a tentacle requires 12 slashing or piercing damage, which counts agains the giant squid's total hit points.
Ship Squeeze. For each tentacle that a giant squid hits a ship's hull with, the ship is slowed by 2 knots. Once the giant squid hits a ship with six or more tentacles, it begins squeezing the hull, dealing 10 points of damage each round it maintains the squeeze with at least six tentacles.
REACTION
Ink Cloud (recharges after a short or long rest). When the giant squid feels especially threatened, such as having half its tentacles severed or being reduced to half hit points, it squirts a cloud of black ink in a 60 ft diameter area which is obscured for 1 minute, although a significant current can disperse the ink. After releasing the ink, the giant squid can Dash as a bonus action.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Urchin]
Giant Sea Urchin
Small beast, unaligned
AC 13 (natural armor)
HP 27 (5d8+5)
Speed 15 ft, swim 15 ft
Str 7 (-2) Dex 10 (+0) Con 12 (+1) Int 1 (-5) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 1 (-5)
Senses blindsight 30 ft, passive perception 10
Languages --
Challenge 1 (XP 200)
TRAITS
Spiny. Anyone touching or grappling an urchin without studded leather or better armor is immediately automatically hit by a spine attack.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The urchin makes 3 spine attacks.
Spines. Ranged weapon attack. Attack: +2 hit, range 80-ft, one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) piercing damage, and the creature must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. If the creature fails its saving throw by 5 or more, it is also paralyzed. At the start of its turn the creature makes this saving throw again to remove the poisoned / paralyzed condition, and if they fail by 5 or more they take 4 (1d8) poison damage. If they succeed, the condition ends and they are immune to that particular urchin's poison for 24 hours.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Giant Whale (Leviathan)]
Giant Whale (Leviathan)
Gargantuan beast, neutral
AC 12 (natural armor)
HP 203 (14d20+56)
Speed 0 ft, swim 40 ft
Str 25 (+7) Dex 10 (+0) Con 18 (+4) Int 10 (+0) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 10 (+0)
Skills perception +6
Senses blindsight 300 ft, passive perception 16
Languages whale song (miles underwater)
Challenge 9 (XP 5,000)
TRAITS
Belly of the Whale. Anything swallowed by the giant whale take 1 acid damage per round, at the end of their turn unless protected in some way. A DC 16 Constitution saving throw reduces this damage to once per minute. Additionally, the stomach is often flooded with saltwater, making drowning an ever present risk. There may be certain chambers of the giant whale's stomach where there is no danger of acid damage and there are pockets of breathable air; such chambers may hold previous meals, swallowed ships, and even treasure. Escaping the belly of the whale should be a challenge unto itself adjudicated by the DM.
Echolocation. The giant whale can’t use its blindsight while deafened.
Hold Breath. The giant whale can hold its breath for 30 minutes.
Keen Hearing. The giant whale has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing.
Unimpeded. So long as the giant whale is not bloodied (at half hit points), it is immune to being grappled, incapacitated, knocked prone, restrained, slowed, or stunned. Once it is bloodied, it loses these immunities.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +11 hit, reach 5-ft, all creatures by its mouth. Hit: 50 (2d4 x 10) piercing damage. If the target is under 20 feet long (like most auxiliary ships), it is swallowed whole unless it succeeds a DC 25 Strength (Athletics) check to swim clear, or a DC 25 Wisdom (watercraft) check to pilot the ship clear.
Ram. Melee weapon attack. Attack: +11 hit, reach, reach 5-ft, one ship or Huge/Gargantuan aquatic creature. Hit: 50 (2d4 x 10) bludgeoning damage, roll on the Random Ship Damage table, and all creatures aboard must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone and slide 10 feet in a random direction.
Crush. To perform a crush, the giant whale must begin at a depth of at least 50 feet. It then hurtles toward a ship on the surface, using Dash as a bonus action. The ship must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be crushed under the giant whale's body or tail. A helmsman aware of what the giant whale is attempting can use their reaction to make a DC 25 Wisdom (watercraft) to grant the ship advantage on its save. If the ship is crushed, it takes 100 (3d6 x 10) bludgeoning damage and roll three times on the Random Ship Damage table (if the ship isn't destroyed outright). The crew collectively takes 55 (10d10) bludgeoning damage and about half the crew is knocked overboard; a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half and reduces the number of crew knocked overboard to about one-quarter. Individual characters like PCs and other officers must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 26 (8d6) bludgeoning damage, and a DC 16 Strength check or be knocked overboard.
THE LEVIATHAN (LEGENDARY ACTIONS)
Unimaginably fierce giant whales earn the appellation of "Leviathan" from sailors. What exactly the Leviathan represents depends on your campaign. It may be a unique lord of all whales who acts as intermediary between cetaceans and the sea gods. It may be a battle-scarred albino giant whale with a hatred for whalers. Or it may be a slumbering telepathic creature of the depths summoned by ancient magic to enact vengeance upon an arrogant king. Regardless, the Leviathan has an Intelligence of 15, gains Legendary Actions, and you may wish to consider giving it higher than average hit points.
The Leviathan can take 3 legendary actions each round, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used per turn and only during or after another creature’s turn. The Leviathan regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Control Water. The Leviathan casts control water without any components centered on itself.
Legendary Swallow. The Leviathan inhales, creating a strong current affecting any creatures or small boats smaller than 40-feet long in the water within 50 feet of the Leviathan. They must make a check as described under Bite or be swallowed.
Tail Slap. The Leviathan cracks the water with its tail, creating a boom of deafening sound. All creatures within 50 feet must make a DC 16 Constitution save or be incapacitated until the start of the Leviathan's next turn and deafened for 1 minute. Even cratered making their save are deafened until the start of their next turn.
Terrible Waves (costs 2 actions). By rushing to the surface and breaching only to slam its body violently upon the water, the Leviathan creates a wave effecting every ship within 500 feet. Ships list (roll from side to side) heavily for 5 rounds, causing the upslope to act as difficult terrain and the downslope to be slippery and any creatures falling prone slides across the deck. Additionally, the ship turns out of control so its broadside is to the waves, and there is the risk of crew getting washed overboard as per Crush. The helmsman must make a DC 15 Wisdom (watercraft) check or the hatchways take on water, in which case 50% of the crew is required to bail out the ship and discard unnecessary weight to prevent the ship from beginning to sink within a minute.[/SBLOCK]
