CORPSE WORMS
Corpse Worm Hive Cadaver
Medium monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 10 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9) [its
Internal Swarm has an additional 22 (4d8+4) hit points]
Speed 20 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---|
11 (+0) | 6 (–2) | 16 (+3) | 3 (–4) | 6 (–2) | 5 (–3) |
Saving Throws WIS +0
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, paralyzed, stunned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages —
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Cadavar Shell. A corpse worm hive cadaver cannot be poisoned or diseased by physical attacks that do less than 6 points of bludgeoning, slashing or piercing damage.
In addition, the corpse worm hive cadaver has resistance to poison and necrotic damage from attacks that do 10 points of damage or less.
Eerie Resemblance. The corpse worm hive cadaver resembles a zombie. A creature that can see the hive cadaver can discern its true nature with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature) or Wisdom (Survival) check.
Internal Swarm. If a corpse worm hive cadaver is reduced to 0 hit points or petrified, a corpse worm swarm emerges from the remains and acts on the corpse worms' next turn.
If an attack does more damage than the hive cadaver's remaining hit points, the emerging corpse worm swarm takes the excess. For example, a cadaver with 9 hit points taking 15 damage is an excess of 6, so the corpse worm swarm has 16 hit points (the swarm's 22 hit points less the 6 points of damage).
Actions
Multiattack. The corpse worm hive cadaver makes two slam attacks. If it is grappling a target, it makes a bite attack instead of its second slam attack.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the hive cadaver can only attack the grappled creature.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1 piercing damage and the target is infested by 1d4 corpse worms. At the start of each of the target's turns, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage per corpse worm infesting it. Applying fire to the bite wound before the end of the target's next turn deals 1 fire damage to the target and kills these corpse worms. After this time, these corpse worms are too far under the skin to be burned.
If a target infested by corpse worms ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the corpse worms burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all corpse worms infesting the target.
If a living Medium sized creature is killed by a corpse worm infestation, the worms multiply into a swarm and transform the dead body into a corpse worm hive cadaver in 6 (1d4+4) days.
Swarm of Corpse Worms
Medium swarm of Tiny monstrosities, unaligned
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
---|
2 (–4) | 11 (+0) | 12 (+1) | 3 (–4) | 6 (–2) | 5 (–3) |
Saving Throws CON +3, WIS +0
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 10 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages—
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Infest Corpse. If the corpse worm swarm spends 10 minutes burrowing into an intact Medium sized corpse that is relatively fresh (dead for 1 day or less), it transforms the corpse into a corpse worm hive cadaver piloted by the swarm.
Actions
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm's space.
Hit: The target is infested by 1d4 corpse worms. At the start of each of the target's turns, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage per corpse worm infesting it. Applying fire to the bite wound before the end of the target's next turn deals 1 fire damage to the target and kills these corpse worms. After this time, these corpse worms are too far under the skin to be burned.
If a target infested by corpse worms ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the corpse worms burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all corpse worms infesting the target.
If a living Medium sized creature is killed by a corpse worm infestation, the worms multiply into a swarm and transform the dead body into a corpse worm hive cadaver in 6 (1d4+4) days.
Description
Vile relatives of the rot grub, a corpse worm is nigh identical in appearance but is far faster and more agile. They are communal creatures that live in self-organizing swarms. Corpse worms are active predators who constantly crave flesh, no matter how rotten it might be.
Puppeteers of the Dead. Corpse worms have the strange ability to turn dead bodies into vehicles that offer the worms protection and a store of nourishment. A single worm that enters a fresh corpse of suitable size can breed into an entire swarm within a week or so, and the swarm then animates the body as a hive cadaver that wanders away in search of more flesh to feed on and new bodies to infest. A hive cadaver may last for several years if the worms find enough carrion to sustain the swarm, but if they find no other source of food the corpse worms will consume the cadaver within a month or two.
(Original monster designed by Cleon on the Creature Catalog Monster Homebrews forum.)