Monster Manual Update:

Ghosts
By Logan Bonner
Illustration by Anne Stokes

The souls of the dead linger on, haunting dark and lonely places. Their incomplete lives tether them to the mortal world, their spirits unable to pass through to the other side.
Forbidding mansions, poisoned wells, abandoned templessuch are the forsaken places where ghosts dwell and where the living fear to tread. Often, rumors of hauntings are just thatrumors. But at sites tainted by misery, terror, and death, these rumors could be true. A ghost is what remains of a being whose soul should have moved on after death, but was trapped. This entrapment commonly occurs because the being has a strong urge to complete a task that tears and fragments its soul. Forsaken Souls: Ghosts, unlike some kinds of undead, retain their souls. This is not to say that the souls remain intact. Ghosts arise from beings that have already stained their souls with murderous, vengeful, cruel, or obsessive deeds. The corruption of an evil life or a limitless need to right a perceived wrong holds the soul back. Upon death, the beings other traits are wrested away. Compassion and love disappear, leaving the darkest, most obsessive remnants of the creatures personality. Lacking a rational mind to control its excesses, the soul goes after what it wants, no matter the consequences. Priests, particularly those who

worship the Raven Queen or Pelor, prefer to save the souls of ghosts peacefully. If such a priest finds that a ghost became trapped for a good reason (such as being the victim of a murder, or perishing while attempting to thwart an evil mastermind), he or she attempts to right the wrong and send the ghosts soul on to the Raven Queens domain in Letherna. Worshipers of Asmodeus also take a special interest in ghosts, but for a different reason: They imprison the souls, securing them for their evil master. Unfinished Business: An all-consuming purpose keeps a soul in the world and transforms it into a ghost. A sadistic torturer might return as a ghost to cause more pain and misery. The ghost of a victim of a cruel death often seeks revenge on her murderer. A soldier who died young might guard a chamber, ghostly blade in hand, eager to strike down any intruder to prove his worth. The bitter irony of becoming a ghost is that even though the souls existence is sustained in order to complete a goal, the ghost loses the power to attain that goal. A ghost that retains full knowledge of its purpose might be confined to a certain location or unable to manifest fully. Or the ghost might not fully recall its goal. A ghost can retain strong emotions and still feel an urgent need, but at the same time fail to recall the focus of its ire. Such a creature wanders aimlessly, doomed to never find rest without anothers help, and lashing out against anyone who comes into its domain.

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The Visage of Death: The appearance a ghost had in life forms the basis for its ghostly manifestation. A ghost might look exactly as it did in life, or one might appear more attractive if its cause for becoming a ghost stemmed from its vanity. Some ghosts exhibit a change in form or appearance that ref lects the way they died. A drowning victim constantly sheds ghostly water. A hanged mans head hangs loose on a broken neck, rolling back and forth. To pull itself into a somewhat corporeal form, a ghost has to exert the full strength of its will. It spends the rest of its time in a diffuse state, perceived as a chill in the air or an ineffable sensation that causes the hair to stand up on the back of ones neck. A ghost pulls itself together when it needs to confront someone (likely through violence) or communicate its message. Signs of Haunting: A ghost has no real body, just a manifestation it pulls together with its will. The soul reaches out to manipulate the world. In a place haunted by a ghost, doors slam seemingly on their own, candles snuff out, scrolls roll open, and latches snap closed. An angered ghost mightconsciously or unconsciouslyhurl objects at the cause of its anger or cause the floor to shake. In addition to wreaking havoc in the physical world, a ghosts soul can project illusions, such as blood running down walls or voices whispering. Answer to No One: Ghosts rarely come under the command of others. One willingly serves another creature only if it can be convinced that the way to attain its goal is by doing that creatures bidding. Bribes and threats never succeed in controlling a ghost. Instead, one might follow a charismatic master who feeds it untrue promises, or become a slave to a potent spellcaster who shackles it with a binding ritual. An enslaved ghost rankles under such compulsion, spewing hateful words at its master or causing nearby objects to rattle and shatter. A Mind Obscured: A ghost sees the world through a veil, filtering everything it senses to make it fit in with the creatures obsession. If a ghost has a hated enemy, it believes anyone it encounters to be agents of that enemy. A ghosts memories of life are vivid in its mind, causing it to continually relive the traumatic events of its past. Even though the ghost knows that the consequences of those events cant be changedor perhaps because it has this realization the flashbacks it recalls cause it to lash out, trying instinctively to prevent the pain it suffered when it lived and avoid its tragic fate. In rare cases, a ghost might perceive living creatures as people it respected or loved in life. An intruder who reminds the ghost of a dead spouse, a beloved comrade-at-arms, or its long-lost lost child could become an unwitting diplomat able to communicate on some level with the delusional spirit. A ghost experiences clarity of mind only when faced with the subject of its obsession. The person, place, or object it seeks remains true in its perception at all times. Ghostly Prisoners: Though a ghost most often arises because of the state of mind of a recently dead person, one can be artificially created. Cruel people who want to punish the deceased and who have a bit of arcane knowledge can create a ghost charma bit of metal, clay, or parchment inscribed with runesthat they inter with a fresh corpse. If the ritual is performed soon enough after death, the dead persons soul becomes trapped in the world as a ghost. The soul within a ghost charm can be freed if the charm is destroyed. Removing the object from the grave, barrow, or urn in which the corpse rests can also end the persons ghostly existence. A ghost charm made of an impermanent substance, such as parchment, might disintegrate on its own over time.
Phantom Warrior
Medium shadow humanoid (undead) HP 36; Bloodied 18 AC 18, Fortitude 16, Reflex 15, Will 16 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover); phasing Immune disease, poison

Level 4 Soldier
XP 175 Initiative +7 Perception +7 Darkvision

Traits

Insubstantial The ghost takes only half damage from any damage source except those that deal force damage. Phantom Tactics The phantom warrior has combat advantage against any enemy that has another phantom warrior adjacent to it.

Standard Actions

m Phantom Sword (necrotic) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d8 + 7 necrotic damage. Effect: The target is marked until the end of the phantom warriors next turn. Str 18 (+6) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 11 (+2) Con 12 (+3) Int 10 (+2) Cha 18 (+6) Alignment unaligned Languages Common

I recognize him. Denth Madros. He was a good man, and I cannot bear to see what he has become. We have to put him to rest. Ellis Temberon of House Harskel

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Monster Manual Update: Ghosts

Trap Haunt
Medium shadow humanoid (undead) HP 47; Bloodied 23 AC 20, Fortitude 18, Reflex 20, Will 19 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover); phasing Immune disease, poison

Level 8 Lurker
XP 350 Initiative +12 Perception +9 Darkvision

Tormenting Ghost

Level 21 Controller
XP 3,200 Initiative +19 Perception +17 Darkvision

Wailing Ghost (Banshee)

Level 12 Controller
XP 700 Initiative +8 Perception +13 Darkvision

Traits

Medium shadow humanoid (undead) HP 137; Bloodied 68 AC 33, Fortitude 30, Reflex 34, Will 32 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover); phasing Immune disease, poison

Traits

Medium shadow humanoid (undead) HP 81; Bloodied 40 AC 24, Fortitude 23, Reflex 23, Will 24 Speed 0, fly 6 (hover); phasing Immune disease, poison

Traits

Insubstantial The ghost takes only half damage from any damage source except those that deal force damage. Trapbound The ghost cannot voluntarily move more than 20 squares from the place where it died. If it is forced beyond this range, it is weakened and unable to use ghostly possession until it moves back within range. m Grave Touch (necrotic) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 9 necrotic damage. M Ghostly Possession (charm) Recharge 6 Attack: Melee 1 (one living humanoid); +11 vs. Will Hit: The trap haunt is removed from play, and the target is dominated (save ends). When the target is no longer dominated, the trap haunt reappears in a square of its choice adjacent to the target. The trap haunt can voluntarily end this effect at the end of its turn. Str 10 (+4) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 11 (+4) Con 14 (+6) Int 11 (+4) Cha 16 (+7) Alignment unaligned Languages Common

Insubstantial The ghost takes only half damage from any damage source except those that deal force damage. m Spirit Touch (necrotic) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +24 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 12 necrotic damage. M Ghostly Possession (charm) Recharge 5 6 Attack: Melee 1 (one living humanoid); +24 vs. Will Hit: The ghost is removed from play, and the target is dominated (save ends). When the target is no longer dominated, the ghost reappears in a square of its choice adjacent to the target. The ghost can voluntarily end this effect at the end of its turn. C Burst of Terror (fear, necrotic) Recharge when first bloodied Attack: Close burst 5 (enemies in the burst); +24 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 8 necrotic damage, the ghost pushes the target 5 squares, and the target is dazed and immobilized (save ends both). A Ghostly Terrain (zone) At-Will Effect: Area burst 1 within 10. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter or until the ghost uses this power again. Squares in the zone are difficult terrain and lightly obscured. Any creature that enters the zone or ends its turn there is immobilized (save ends). A creature can end the immobilization with a successful escape attempt (DC 26).

Standard Actions

Insubstantial The ghost takes only half damage from any damage source except those that deal force damage. m Spirit Touch (necrotic) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 5 necrotic damage. R Deaths Visage (fear, psychic) At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +15 vs. Will Hit: 3d6 + 9 psychic damage. Effect: The target takes a 2 penalty to all defenses (save ends). C Terrifying Shriek (fear, psychic) Recharge 5 6 Attack: Close burst 5 (enemies in the burst); +15 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 6 psychic damage, the banshee pushes the target up to 5 squares, and the target is immobilized (save ends). Skills Stealth +13 Str 14 (+8) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 14 (+8) Con 13 (+7) Int 10 (+6) Cha 17 (+9) Alignment unaligned Languages Common

Standard Actions

Standard Actions

About the Author

Ghostly Possession RemindeRs

The trap haunt and the tormenting ghost both have a ghostly possession attack. Although the creature is removed from play, it still takes the start and the end of its turn. This means you still make recharge rolls and have a chance to end the effect if the creature so chooses.

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

Triggered Actions Spectral Shift At-Will

Trigger: The ghost is missed by a melee attack. Effect (Immediate Reaction): The ghost shifts up to 3 squares. Skills Stealth +24 Str 11 (+10) Dex 28 (+19) Wis 14 (+12) Con 20 (+15) Int 12 (+11) Cha 25 (+17) Alignment evil Languages Common

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Monster Manual Update:

Wights
By Logan Bonner
Illustration by David Griffith

The soulless, brutal wights yearn to regain the souls they lost in death. Only drawing life force from the living, watching their blood flow, and feeling their bones crunch can momentarily sate the hunger.
Wights are undead that retain their human craftiness and martial skill after death, but whose minds are consumed with evil thoughts. A wight dwells in underground tombs and tunnels, and encountering a wight is a terrifying experiencecoming face to face with pure evil. A ghost can be sent to eternal rest, and a vampire can be reasoned with, but a wight can be stopped only if it is destroyed. As long as its corpse can still move, its hate drives it to fight and kill. No Souls, Only Malice: A creature that dies and becomes a wight loses its soul. A wight is far from mindless, however, and the loss of its soul fills it with constant pain. This sense of loss is tremendous and all-consuming; nothing can fill the void. A wight brutally attacks and slays creatures that have souls, trying in vain to reclaim what it has lost. Those who have witnessed wights being born swear that the creatures dont rise spontaneously from corpses. Rather, a forcean evil beyond mortal imagining flows into the body. This is something sensed rather than seen; the force fills every fiber of the creatures
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Monster Manual Update: Wights

being, a black whisper fundamentally opposed to life and the living. Superstitions claim that this evil escapes when a wight dies, and to prevent this, it must be trapped at the moment of death. Wights can be found in airtight rooms, chained to the bottom of bodies of water, or encased in magic ice to keep the evil from returning. Life-Draining Touch: The touch of a wight causes its victims life force to drain away. The wight feeds on this vitality, which provides it with a brief moment of bliss amid the agony of its existence. Where the wights claws dig in, the victims skin turns a sickly gray. The muscles atrophy, and hair falls out in ragged patches. Though the part of the body where the wight struck is most severely affected, the entire body shows signs of the attack. The eyes become sunken, streaks of hair turn white, and the whole body looks as though the victim were a decade older. It doesnt take long for the visible effect to pass when the victim breaks off contact with the wight, but the experience is unnerving. Years after a wight attack, the scars on a victim still show traces of supernatural power. Ashen streaks mark where the scratches once were, hair around the scars grows white, and joints near the wound remain stiff. Barrows and Catacombs: Wights shun the light and live underground. Few stray far from where they were buried. In fact, wights typically arise as a group, with each body interred in a particular crypt becoming a wight at the same time. Wights grow accustomed to living in the darkness underground. When they smell fresh air, they quickly come to suspect that creatures from above have wandered into their domain. They familiarize themselves with the entrances, exits, secret tunnels, traps, and pitfalls in their catacombs. A wight could spring out from a secret door or prepare a spell to snuff out lights and make its enemies fight blind. This is one of the reasons wights dont stray far from their crypt homes:

Just one look in its eyes, and you know a wight is not a man. It hates the living. It hates us and everything we have. All the beast wants is our souls and our blood. Garibanz of Harkenwold
They prefer to fight on familiar terrain where they have the advantage. Theyre quick to give chase, though, and a shrewd opponent can lead the ravenous wights away to gain an advantage. Tacticians and Warriors: Buried soldiers and mercenaries become wights more often than other kinds of corpses do. When a group of warriors turns into wights, the group maintains the same hierarchy it followed in lifecaptains remain in charge of their subordinates, and a king is still a king (although one without a kingdom). The new wights still know how to fight tactically and set ambushes. They maintain patrols, remaining active long after death. Though theyre driven by hate, theyre rational enough to avoid rushing heedlessly into combat when they have advance notice. They would rather set up a surprise attack that ensures victory than take a chance that might let living creatures escape. Servants to Undead Masters: Wights loathe the living and dont work for them willingly. They do follow intelligent undead, however, especially liches. If a wights master shows contempt for the living and a desire to bring violence, pain, and death, the wight is an eager servant. In undead armies, wights become elite troops. They rank below death knights and above the mindless skeletons and zombies. Unless theyre working for a more powerful master, wights rarely associate with mindless undead. They think of them the same way dungeon keepers doas

little more than tools. A skeleton is fit to eternally wander a passageway and serve as a minor deterrent, nothing more. Oddly enough, this is the same way wights are seen by more intelligent beings. Powerful wizards, liches, and masterminds relocate wights to their dungeons to act as unwitting guards. A wight might not like this situation, but that wont stop it from killing any living, breathing surface-dweller who comes along. Creatures of Greed and Envy: A wight desires what the living possess, and a wights life underground plays out like a sick imitation of life in the world above. The creatures covet treasure hoards and seek out wealth as though they had use for it. In actuality, wights dont buy anything, nor can they be bribed. A wight closely guards the possessions it was buried with. Whether these items are ancient treasures that used to belong to nobles, or simple baubles from wights that used to be peasants, they take on deep significance to the undead. The arms and armor of a wight might be centuries old, but they remain in excellent condition because the creatures maintain their gear. One exception would be a wight that had been long dead before it was raised. If enough time passed for the wights armor, weapons, and clothing to rust or decompose, the wight is unlikely to have the supplies to repair them.

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Monster Manual Update: Wights

Deathlock Wight Level 4 Controller Battle Wight Level 9 Soldier Slaughter Wight Level 18 Brute

Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 175 HP 54; Bloodied 27 Initiative +4 AC 18, Fortitude 15, Reflex 16, Will 17 Perception +1 Speed 6 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant

Standard Actions m Claw (necrotic) At-Will

Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 400 HP 98; Bloodied 49 Initiative +7 AC 25, Fortitude 22, Reflex 18, Will 22 Perception +3 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant m Soul-Draining Longsword (necrotic, weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 5 necrotic damage, the target loses a healing surge, and it is immobilized until the end of its next turn. R Soul Reaping (healing, necrotic) Recharge 5 6 Attack: Ranged 5 (one immobilized creature); +12 vs. Fortitude Hit: 3d8 + 9 necrotic damage, and the wight regains 10 hit points. Skills Intimidate +14 Str 20 (+9) Dex 13 (+5) Wis 9 (+3) Con 18 (+8) Int 12 (+5) Cha 20 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword

Standard Actions

Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 2,000 HP 212; Bloodied 106 Initiative +14 AC 30, Fortitude 30, Reflex 27, Will 26 Perception +13 Speed 7 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 15 radiant

Standard Actions m Claw (necrotic) At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +9 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 necrotic damage, and the target loses a healing surge. M Grave Bolt (necrotic) At-Will Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +7 vs. Reflex Hit: 1d6 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends). C Horrific Visage (fear, psychic) Recharge 4 5 6 Attack: Close blast 5 (creatures in the blast); +7 vs. Will Hit: 1d6 + 6 psychic damage, and the wight pushes the target up to 3 squares.

Minor Actions

Reanimate (healing) Encounter Effect: Ranged 10 (one destroyed undead creature of level 6 or lower that is not a minion). The target regains hit points equal to one-half its bloodied value. It can stand up as a free action. Skills Arcana +10, Religion +10 Str 10 (+2) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 9 (+1) Con 14 (+4) Int 16 (+5) Cha 18 (+6) Alignment evil Languages Common

C Death Wail (necrotic) Encounter Trigger: The wight drops to 0 hit points. Attack (No Action): Close burst 5 (each enemy in the burst); +21 vs. Fortitude Hit: 4d6 + 4 necrotic damage. Effect: Each undead ally in the burst can make a basic attack as a free action. Str 26 (+17) Dex 20 (+14) Wis 9 (+8) Con 22 (+15) Int 12 (+10) Cha 18 (+13) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Common

Triggered Actions

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 9 necrotic damage, the target loses a healing surge, and is it weakened until the end of its next turn.

Battle Wight Commander Level 12 Soldier (Leader)

Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 700 HP 124; Bloodied 62 Initiative +10 AC 28, Fortitude 25, Reflex 22, Will 25 Perception +13 Speed 5 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 10 radiant m Soul-Draining Longsword (necrotic, weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 7 necrotic damage, the target loses a healing surge, and it is immobilized and weakened until the end of its next turn. R Soul Reaping (healing, necrotic) Recharge 5 6 Attack: Ranged 5 (one immobilized creature); +15 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d6 + 18 necrotic damage, and the wight and all its undead allies within 2 squares of it regain 10 hit points. Skills Intimidate +16 Str 20 (+11) Dex 15 (+8) Wis 14 (+8) Con 20 (+11) Int 15 (+8) Cha 20 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Common Equipment plate armor, heavy shield, longsword

About the Author

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

Wight

Level 5 Skirmisher

Medium natural humanoid (undead) XP 200 HP 62; Bloodied 31 Initiative +7 AC 19, Fortitude 18, Reflex 17, Will 16 Perception +0 Speed 7 Darkvision Immune disease, poison; Resist 10 necrotic; Vulnerable 5 radiant

Standard Actions

Standard Actions m Claw (necrotic) At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +10 vs. AC Hit: 1d6 + 4 necrotic damage, and the target loses a healing surge. Effect: The wight shifts up to 3 squares. Skills Stealth +10 Str 18 (+6) Dex 16 (+5) Wis 6 (+0) Con 14 (+4) Int 10 (+2) Cha 15 (+4) Alignment evil Languages Common

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Monster Manual Update:

By Logan Bonner

Gibbering Beast
Illustration by Thomas M. Baxa and Pete Venters

A mass of pulsating, oozelike flesh writhes. It spouts mad gibberish from its many mouths, and it stares in all directions with bugged-out, alien eyes.
Gibbering beasts are like madness made flesh. The unnatural essence of the Far Realm comes to horrid life in their amorphous, shifting forms. To encounter a gibbering creature is to face nonsense and chaos a creature that has no place in the world and feels utterly, gut-wrenchingly wrong. Few people survive encounters with gibbering beasts, and even fewer of those retain their sanity. Incessant Nonsense: Gibbering beasts get their name from the garbled chatter that constantly flows from the creatures dozens or hundreds of misshapen mouths. The sound is a mix of humanlike voices, animal noises, and sounds impossible for any natural creature to replicate. Occasionally, a gibbering beast speaks snippets that seem to make sense. These short phrases can be in any number of languages, and might take the form of warnings or clues. Its impossible to predict whether a gibbering beasts words will come true. Psionic scholars believe the words arent even spoken at all; theyre simply brought forth from the minds of the people who hear them, a product

TM & 2011 Wizards of the Coast LLC. All rights reserved.

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Monster Manual Update: Gibbering Beast

of the same kind of psychic static that surrounds so many creatures of the Far Realm. Birthed from Flesh and Madness: Gibbering beasts arise in places where the Far Realm intrudes into the natural world. When a sentient creature dies in such a foul place, its flesh can distort as its face tears loose and congeals into a nascent gibbering beast. A faceless corpse with warped flesh and bones is evidence of the birthplace of a gibbering beast. Theres no predictable path for the beasts development into maturitythe creatures dont follow the rules of naturebut one tends to go through a stage of rapid growth whenever it consumes the flesh and blood of another sentient creature. The beasts take on more than just flesh. Their gibbering voices grow more diverse, more insane, each time another creature is consumed.
Gibbering Mouther Level 10 Controller Gibbering Abomination Level 18 Controller
XP 2,000 Initiative +13 Perception +13 All-around vision, darkvision

Medium aberrant magical beast XP 500 HP 110; Bloodied 55 Initiative +7 AC 24, Fortitude 24, Reflex 20, Will 22 Perception +4 Speed 5, swim 5 All-around vision, darkvision

Traits

Medium aberrant magical beast HP 168; Bloodied 84 AC 32, Fortitude 31, Reflex 30, Will 30 Speed 6, fly 4 (hover, altitude limit 1)

O Warped Ground F Aura 3 Squares in the aura are difficult terrain for enemies. All-Around Vision Enemies cant gain combat advantage by flanking the gibbering mouther.

Traits

Standard Actions m Bite (acid) F At-Will

Sbix grpligar. Nxfgasz! Shffu shffu. Ordorx ia! Naaaaaaaaar! Theren betray! Hrmlrmara nt zyx! a gibbering mouther
The formidable gibbering orbs present more of a mystery. They seem to be native to the Far Realm, but rumors suggest they might be highly advanced gibbering mouthers or gibbering beasts formed from dead gods or primordials. A gibbering orb follows some sort of odd agenda that makes sense only when the creature is observed over a long period of time. Reality Warps: Gibbering beasts appear to be from a different world, never quite adhering to the rules of reality and always seeming out of place. The earth around a gibbering mouther seems to recoil at its very presence. Stone and earth turn to a doughy substance, similar to quicksand, that gives way under the weight of other creatures. A gibbering orbs eye rays can warp flesh and deform bones, contorting them into inhuman shapes. The gibbering beasts themselves suffer this effect far more than denizens

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends). C Gibbering Feast (acid) F Recharge 6 Attack: Close burst 5 (dazed creatures in the burst); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 acid damage (save ends).

O Unnatural Utterances F Aura 5 Enemies take a 2 penalty to attack rolls while in the aura. All-Around Vision Enemies cant gain combat advantage by flanking the gibbering abomination. Combat Advantage Whenever the gibbering abomination hits a creature granting combat advantage to it with a melee or a ranged attack, the abomination deals 2d6 extra psychic damage to that creature. m Tentacles (psychic) F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +23 vs. AC Hit: 3d6 + 10 damage, and ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends). R Eye of Despair (psychic) F Recharge 4 5 6 Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +21 vs. Will Hit: 4d8 + 10 psychic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

Standard Actions

Free Actions C Gibbering F At-Will

Trigger: The gibbering mouther starts its turn. Attack: Close burst 5 (nondeafened creatures in the burst); +13 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed until the end of the gibbering mouthers next turn. Str 19 (+9) Dex 14 (+7) Wis 8 (+4) Con 22 (+11) Int 4 (+2) Cha 18 (+9) Alignment unaligned Languages

Free Actions C Gibbering F At-Will

of the world around them do; their bodies constantly shift form, and their eyes, mouths, and tentacles appear and disappear frequently. Dwellers in Inhospitable Reaches: Places touched by the Far Realm lie far from civilization. Gibbering beasts writhe through freezing underground caverns as well as bubbling acidic swamps. Two phenomena offer clues that a gibbering mouther might be nearby. First, the stone and earth are altered, turned soft where the mouther passed through. Second, the creature causes the floor and walls around it to heat up, creating warm edifices

Trigger: The gibbering abomination starts its turn. Attack: Close burst 5 (nondeafened creatures in the burst); +21 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed until the end of the abominations next turn. Str 20 (+14) Dex 18 (+13) Wis 19 (+13) Con 16 (+12) Int 11 (+9) Cha 12 (+10) Alignment unaligned Languages

or even steam in cold locations. Gibbering beasts prefer to eat flesh and blood, but they can devour any sort of animal, vegetable, or mineral. No one can tell whether they have an actual need to eat, but to a gibbering beast and its prey, such a determination hardly matters.

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Monster Manual Update: Gibbering Beast

2. Flesheating Ray (necrotic): Ranged 10; +30 vs. Fortitude; 3d8 + 11 necrotic damage, and ongoing 10 necrotic damage (save ends). 3. Bonewarping Ray: Ranged 10; +30 vs. Fortitude; 2d8 + 8 damage, and the target is weakened (save ends). 4. Bloodfeasting Ray: Ranged 10; +30 vs. Reflex; 3d8 + 11 damage, and ongoing 10 damage (save ends). 5. Farsending Ray (psychic): Ranged 10; +30 vs. Reflex; the target is removed from play until the end of the gibbering orbs next turn, when it reappears in the same space (or the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied). When it returns, the target takes 3d8 + 11 psychic damage, and takes a 5 penalty to saving throws until the end of the encounter. 6. Souleating Ray (necrotic): Ranged 10; +30 vs. Will; 2d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is slowed (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target is immobilized instead of slowed (save ends). Second Failed Saving Throw: The target dies.

Gibbering Orb

Level 27 Solo Controller

Huge aberrant magical beast XP 55,000 HP 984; Bloodied 492 Initiative +22 AC 41, Fortitude 38, Reflex 39, Will 40 Perception +20 Speed 0, fly 8 (hover) All-around vision, darkvision Saving Throws +5; Action Points 2

Traits

O Merciless Eyes F Aura 5 When an enemy starts its turn in the aura and in the gibbering orbs line of sight, the gibbering orb uses one random eye ray against that enemy. All-Around Vision Enemies cant gain combat advantage by flanking the gibbering orb.

Standard Actions m Bite F At-Will

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +32 vs. AC Hit: 6d6 + 14 damage, and one of the orbs mouths detaches and repeats this attack against the target at the start of each of the orbs turns. The mouth falls off when one of these attacks misses. R Eye Rays F At-Will Effect: The gibbering orb uses two of the following eye rays, each against a different target. This attack does not provoke opportunity attacks. 1. Mindcarving Ray (psychic): Ranged 10; +30 vs. Will; 3d8 + 11 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

Free Actions C Gibbering F At-Will

Trigger: The gibbering orb starts its turn. Attack: Close burst 5 (nondeafened creatures in the burst); +30 vs. Will Hit: The target is dazed until the end of the gibbering orbs next turn. Str 27 (+21) Dex 28 (+22) Wis 15 (+15) Con 22 (+19) Int 17 (+15) Cha 31 (+23) Alignment unaligned Languages

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

Author Bio

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Monster Manual Update:

Grell
By Logan Bonner

Illustration by Alexey Aparin and Francis Tsai

Flying, tentacled grells hunt their prey through dark, underground corridors. Though they psychically perceive the minds of the living, the monstrosities sense nothing more than another meal.
Grells have two priorities: colonizing new lands and eating. Instinct drives them to increase their numbers and extend their sway over as much territory as possible, but their intellect lets them plan their conquests better than any pack of predatory beasts can. Grells fall somewhere in the middle among aberrant creatures: They arent genius schemers as mind flayers are, nor are they utterly insane beasts like carrion crawlers. They have the intelligence of humans, but follow alien motivations that cause many of them to live and hunt like animals. Lives Spent in the Dark: Grells detest sunlight and avoid the surface world. Their ability to navigate without sight lets them pass through the unlit realms easily, and their psychic senses help them hunt down their prey. They hate to give up their natural advantages by going aboveground. The monsters originally hail from the Far Realm, but have infested the Underdark of every plane. That places enormous caverns can hold vast colonies of grells, providing plenty of room for them to feast and practice their alien alchemy. In the Shadowdark, they

are especially plentiful. The most ancient grells live there, devouring even the largest and most dangerous of subterranean beasts. Eaters of Flesh: To grells, humanoids provide fresh meatnothing more. Infiltrating societies, influencing affairs in the aboveground world, and amassing legions of slaves holds no appeal for the average grell. The larger and older a grell, the larger the creatures it hunts, and an adult humanoid provides the right amount of sustenance for a full-grown grell. When a grell kills a victim, it first cracks open the skull with its calcified beak. It removes the brain, since that organ is poisonous to a grell. Usually, the brain gets discarded immediately, but a grell colony might save brains if they know of mind flayers that live nearby. Then the grell devours the rest of the body, including the bones. Though grells dont worship deities, they show deference to great devourers, from the destructive tarrasque to the imprisoned Chained God. The Wild and the Civilized: An insular and reclusive race, grells dont live among other creatures. They might join a fight alongside other monsters in order to snag an easier meal, but they quickly disappear back to the nest or the colony with their meals. Many grells are feral and solitary, and the rest gather in colonies numbering from four to twelve members (though some populations can reach as high as fifty). Theres no animosity between

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Monster Manual Update: Grell

the two types. A grell is a grell, and each considers the decision to live and hunt alone or in a group a matter of personal taste. Feral grells live away from cities, making their lairs in wet caves near roads. The creatures pick off wanderers, either those who venture into the caves in search of water or fools traveling at night. The creatures are intelligent enough to move on after a time before the road gets a reputation for being haunted and the food supply dries up. Grell Colonies: Grells form colonies only in the Underdark. Occasionally, colonies keep herds of humanoid livestock to make feeding easier. None of these captives survives for long, except for the treacherous few who lead other humanoids into the grells clutches. Their society is divided into soldier, philosopher, and patriarch castes based on age and knowledge. Though a single grell defers to the wishes of a higher-caste member of the colony, any major decision is put to a vote that involves all adult members. Most grells fall within the soldier caste, and few colonies contain the powerful elder patriarchs. Philosophers stand out from their fellows, melding magic with their knowledge of the Far Realm in strange experiments. On the rare occasion when a colony pursues an agenda, its at the prodding of the colonys philosophers. Alchemy of the Far Realm: Grell philosophers practice a strange sort of magic referred to as grell alchemy. It mixes the study of arcane magic with alchemical formulas and natural science, but all following a bizarre set of rules. Instead of adhering to the ways of the natural world (or any of the other planes), grell alchemy draws on the laws that govern the Far Realm, such as they are. A creation of grell alchemy is not a spell, nor is it an alchemical formula. No words can describe it, and no one but the grells and other aberrant creatures can harness its power. When using grell alchemy, a philosopher first coats parts of its body in alchemical powders or lotions. It then gestures with its tentacles and utters a series of screeching, chittering sounds. The effects are usually subtle. Grell alchemy could be used to cloud the minds of a grells prey, or to warp the surrounding environment by subjecting it to the influence of the Far Realm. One of the more spectacular forms of grell alchemy produces a streak of lightning that creates a blinding flash where it hits. This is one of the first experiments a grell completes when becoming a philosopher, and it serves as both a sign of station and a means of defense.
Grell Level 7 Elite Soldier
XP 600 Initiative +9 Perception +9 Blindsight 12

Medium aberrant magical beast (blind) HP 156; Bloodied 78 AC 22, Fortitude 19, Reflex 20, Will 17 Speed 1 (clumsy), fly 6 (hover) Immune blinded, gaze Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

Traits

Human Shield The grell gains a +2 bonus to AC while it has an enemy grabbed.

Standard Actions

m Tentacle Rake (poison) At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +12 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, and the target is slowed and takes a 2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). M Tentacle Grab At-Will Requirement: The grell must not be grabbing a creature. Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +10 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d8 + 6 damage, and the grell grabs the target (escape DC 16). M Double Attack At-Will Effect: The grell uses tentacle grab and tentacle rake, or uses tentacle rake twice. M Venomous Bite (poison) At-Will (1/round) Attack: Melee 1 (one creature grabbed by the grell); +12 vs. AC Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is stunned (save ends). The stun also ends if the grell is no longer grabbing the target. Skills Stealth +17 Str 12 (+4) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 12 (+4) Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 9 (+2) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech

Minor Actions

As the creature bore down, our drow companion used the magic of his kind to fill the tunnel with darkness. We couldnt see in. We heard snapping and crunching. The beast emerged from the cloud, the entrails of our ally trailing from its beak. Only then did we see the monster up close. Only then did we see it had no eyes. Ella Laird, former explorer

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Monster Manual Update: Grell

Grell Philosopher Level 11 Elite Controller

Medium aberrant magical beast (blind) XP 1,200 HP 224; Bloodied 112 Initiative +10 AC 25, Fortitude 21, Reflex 24, Will 23 Perception +12 Speed 1 (clumsy), fly 6 (hover) Blindsight 12 Immune blinded, gaze; Resist 20 lightning Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1 m Tentacle Rake (poison) At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +16 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 6 damage, and the target is slowed and takes a 2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends both). R Lightning Lance (lightning) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d6 + 3 lightning damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). C Venomous Mind (psychic) At-Will Attack: Close burst 3 (enemies in the burst); +14 vs. Will Hit: 2d8 + 5 psychic damage, and when the target makes a melee attack, it must choose its target at random from all potential targets in range (save ends). A Psychic Storm (psychic, zone) Recharge 6 Attack: Area burst 2 within 10 (creatures in the burst); +14 vs. Will Hit: 3d8 + 3 psychic damage, and the target is dazed (save ends). Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone is dazed until the end of its next turn. Skills Arcana +13, Stealth +20 Str 14 (+7) Dex 21 (+10) Wis 14 (+7) Con 16 (+8) Int 16 (+8) Cha 13 (+6) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech

Standard Actions

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

About the Author

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Monster Manual Update:

Chuul
By Logan Bonner

Illustrations by Wayne Reynolds and Francis Tsai

Massive, hard-shelled chuuls lurk just below the water in murky swamps. With one touch of a chuuls tentacles, a victim is paralyzed, unable to escape a grisly death between the creatures claws.
Chuuls want only two things: to be left alone and to eat people. Fortunately for the creatures, when the first want is denied, the other is usually fulfilled. Chuuls coexist peacefully with only a small subset of creatures, and intruding on their terrain is extremely dangerous. Like many aberrant creatures, chuuls have psychic powers, but they rarely access those abilities early in their life cycle. As chuuls age, they begin to exude psychic static as they gain limited control over their natural psychic powers. Aquatic Lairs: Chuuls live in small groups, called pods, in bodies of still water large enough to support the pod. They use rivers and even oceans to travel, but they prefer to settle in swamps, jungle lakes, and underground seas. Some find comfort in lairs closer to urban areas, such as a sewer tunnel or a shipwreck near a coastline, since those sites provide a more accessible food supply. Some chuuls, especially older ones, create lairs by digging up lake bottoms and building rudimentary structures from trees and stones. Chuuls construct these lairs as a series

of roughly circular rooms (including a trophy room) connected by tunnels just big enough for the largest chuul in the pod to squeeze through. Egg Layers: Chuuls hatch from clusters of slimy, yellow-green eggs. Adults lay egg sacs only rarely, so they viciously protect them. They are also intelligent enough to understand the value in protecting the egg sacs of other chuuls in their pod. In environments that offer little food, adult chuuls collect humanoid prisoners to feed to hatchlings. Chuuls have been known to attach egg sacs to the undersides of ships and rafts to spread their race to new lands. Susceptible to Mutation: Polluted water, planar rifts, and magical experimentation alter chuuls much more easily than they do other creatures. Aberrant spellcasters love to experiment on their six-legged kin, warping them into bizarre servants and fully unlocking the chuuls mental powers. Even chuuls that arent altered in this way still display mutations, such as growing to immense size or becoming poisonous.

I fought a chuul once. My sword bounced right off its carapace! It still has that swordand the arm I swung it with. Lefty Lormengard
1

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Monster Manual Update: Chuul

Chuul
Large aberrant magical beast (aquatic) HP 109; Bloodied 54 AC 26, Fortitude 23, Reflex 20, Will 21 Speed 6, swim 6

Level 10 Soldier
XP 500 Initiative +10 Perception +9 Darkvision

Chuul Juggernaut

Level 23 Elite Soldier

XP 10,200 Initiative +17 Perception +17 Darkvision

Traits

Huge aberrant magical beast (aquatic) HP 434; Bloodied 217 AC 39, Fortitude 37, Reflex 33, Will 35 Speed 7, swim 7 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

Aquatic The chuul can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Tentacle Net (poison) A creature hit by the chuuls opportunity attack is immobilized until the end of the chuuls next turn.

Traits

Standard Actions m Claw F At-Will

Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 6 damage, or 4d6 + 6 if the target is immobilized. M Double Attack (poison) F At-Will Effect: The chuul uses claw twice. If both attacks hit the same creature, the chuul makes a secondary attack against it. Secondary Attack: +13 vs. Fortitude. Hit: The target is immobilized until the end of the chuuls next turn. Str 22 (+11) Dex 16 (+8) Wis 18 (+9) Con 21 (+10) Int 4 (+2) Cha 14 (+7) Alignment unaligned Languages Deep Speech

O Psychic Moan F Aura 1 Enemies take a 2 penalty to Will and gain vulnerable 5 psychic while in the aura. Aquatic The chuul can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Tentacle Net (poison) A creature hit by the chuuls opportunity attack is immobilized until the end of the chuuls next turn.

Standard Actions m Claw F At-Will

Hatred of Humanoids: These aberrant creatures are born with a racial memory, clearly recalling events from the previous generation and able to access cloudier information from far back in the races history. The memories deliver one clear message: Hate the humans. Kill them. Chuuls will attack humans (and elves, dwarves, halflings, or other intelligent humanoids of similar ilk) whenever they have the opportunity. They do not prey on other aberrants or subterranean creatures. Chuuls ally with mind flayers, grimlocks, and troglodytes against surface-dwellers.

Trophy Collectors: Born hoarders, chuuls keep trophies from their kills. Shining armor, glittering amulets, and well-crafted saddles can all be found in chuul hoards. The creatures are savvy enough to barter, but only when they are offered captive humanoids or other delicacies. If a victim carries no treasure or trinkets, the chuul keeps and displays its skull. The one part of a humanoid that a chuul never keeps is the brain. Brains are poisonous to them, so they either discard them far from the lair or trade them to mind flayers.

Attack: Melee 3 (one creature); +28 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 17 damage, or 5d8 + 17 if the target is immobilized. M Double Attack (poison) F At-Will Effect: The chuul uses claw twice. If both attacks hit the same creature, the chuul makes a secondary attack against it. Secondary Attack: +26 vs. Fortitude Hit: The target is immobilized (save ends). R Psychic Lure (psychic) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one or two creatures); +26 vs. Will Hit: 2d10 + 20 psychic damage, and the chuul pulls the target up to 5 squares. Str 27 (+19) Dex 19 (+15) Wis 22 (+17) Con 25 (+18) Int 4 (+8) Cha 16 (+14) Alignment unaligned Languages Deep Speech

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

About the Author

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Monster Manual Update:

Sahuagin
By Logan Bonner

Illustrations by Christopher Burdett and Daren Bader

The sea devils raid settlements and attack ships, showing no mercy. The hateful creatures return to their undersea cities with their plunder: treasure to hoard and flesh to eat.
In the dark of the night, the sahuagin rise from the sea. Riding sharks and carrying tridents, they obey the commands of their barons to hunt and kill. Though their homes look like cities and their society is highly structured, their barbaric hunting practices leave no doubt that sahuagin are far from civilized. Their worldview is simple: Sahuagin are predators, and all other creatures are prey. Strict Patriarchy: Sahuagin follow the orders of their superiors according to a rigid societal hierarchy. A male called a baron rules each village, a prince commands twenty villages, and a king might rule an entire coastline and live in a city six thousand strong. If a sahuagin questions a leader or accuses one of cowardice or betrayal, the accuser must issue a formal challenge to be settled by unarmed combat. Winning a challenge doesnt guarantee a higher status for the victor, though. A warrior who defeats a prince has proven the validity of its challenge, but it is still just a warrior; a capable baron ascends to the former princes station.

Female sahuagin dont rule but have a similar power structure in their roles as teachers and lorekeepers. Their elites become priestesses, adopting a title that means favored one in Abyssal. Just as a male can become a prince or a king, a female can ascend to the status of high priestess or royal priestess, titles equivalent in power to prince and king but directing matters of faith and culture instead of raids and hunting parties. Devotees of Sekolah: The sahuagin follow one patron god: Sekolah, an exarch of Melora that appears in the form of an enormous great white shark. The mantras of Sekolah are simple: Kill and devour. Be that which eats, not that which is eaten. The creation myth of the sahuagin claims that Sekolah brought the race into the world. In the early times, before the land had scarred the face of the water, Sekolah hunted. He tracked and killed a great behemoth of the deeps and, exulting in victory, sang a song that shook all the ocean. From a chasm below, echoes of his holy voice joined the song, and up rose his favored race. The sahuagin believe that Sekolah travels all oceansfrom the Stormy Sea around Gloomwrought in the Shadowfell to the frozen sea of Stygia in the Nine Hells. Wherever prey can be found, killed, and eaten, Sekolah will be present. The priestesses teach that Sekolah is the enemy of the demon lords Demogorgon and Dagon. The sea devils

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Monster Manual Update: Sahuagin

await the day when their god hunts and kills these hated foes. Swim with the Sharks: Sahuagin have few friends on land or in the water. Only sharks accompany them, serving as mounts or hunting hounds. Sahuagins see a strong resemblance to themselves in the sharks viciousness and tenacity. During a pitched battle in the water, when blood is spilled, sharks and sahuagin alike fly into a frenzy and become even more voracious. Simple, Pragmatic Beliefs: The priestesses teach a small number of maxims that support and reinforce the natural instincts of sahuagin.
F Be self-sufficient. F Obey the orders of your superiors and know your place. F A successful endeavor is a virtuous one. If a raid brings back sufficient treasure and food, then it was right. F Only the inadequate fail. F Meat is meat. Sahuagin see no difference between animals and sentient enemies. They consume enemies or leave them to bleed out rather than taking captives. Cannibalism is not uncommon among

the sea devilsthe weak and injured might have had a higher purpose once, but now they serve best as food.
F Truth is what we remember. Sahuagin take each others word as proof, rather than requiring a firsthand account of an event or physical evidence. The question is not Did this happen? but Does a sahuagin say this happened?

Altered by Mutation: Genetic anomalies run rampant in the sahuagin population. The most desired mutation, an extra set of fully functional arms, marks a hatchling as a potential ruler. The sahuagin barons (and by extension their princes and kings) all have four arms, and they are much larger than the others of their kind. These nobles breed more frequently than males of lower castes, with the goal of strengthening the race by creating as many four-armed mutations as possible. Working against this effort is the

fact that most of the nobles offspring are weak or deficient in some way. These inferior hatchlings are fed to the stronger young. About one of every hundred sahuagin hatchlings looks entirely different from the rest of its kind. These mutants, called malenti, appear less ferocious and alien to land-dwelling races, greatly resembling elves. Malenti are social pariahs within sahuagin society, but they serve an important purpose. The nobles send them out as ambassadors to make deals and treaties with coastal settlements. Such arrangements might be peaceful for a time but often end in betrayal, because the malentis true mission was to scout out and sabotage defenses and otherwise set the settlement up for attack.

I watched those devil men of the sea take my family away. They drowned them in the bay and dragged off the bodies, leaving me only a bleeding stump where my arm was torn away. As I passed out, I heard a keening, hissing noisea victory song. All that murder and chaos had brought those devils joy! Guardsman Klegg

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Superstitious of Magic: Displays of overt magic shock sahuagin, triggering a deep-seated superstition. The sea devils respect the natural forces of the world. The tides and tempests belong; fireballs, searing bolts, and psychic commands do not. The use of magic might frighten sahuagin warriors, but they are just as likely to become enraged and make the spellcaster their first target. The sahuagin make an exception only for the magic of their priestesses. Villages on the Ocean Floor: Sahuagin live only in saltwater oceans; they loathe fresh water. Their marine settlements greatly resemble the ancient cities of the world. Sahuagin of higher social castes live in large, opulent dwellings decorated on the inside with shells, pearls, and coral. All buildings are domed and camouf laged by plants. Ships passing overhead, and creatures or vessels that can travel underwater, might pass by one of the smaller villages without detecting it. Each settlement has an amphitheater near its center, where the sahuagin hold rallies before raids. Challenges settle disputes and matters of honor in sahuagin society, and the amphitheater also serves as an arena for these battles to the death. On the rare occasions when prisoners are taken alive, the sahuagin force them to fight in the amphitheater (using rituals or stolen magic items to grant them the ability to breathe water if necessary).
Sahuagin Guard Level 6 Minion Brute Sahuagin Raider
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 70; Bloodied 35 AC 21, Fortitude 19, Reflex 16, Will 15 Speed 6, swim 6

Level 6 Soldier
XP 250 Initiative +7 Perception +4 Low-light vision

Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 63 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative +5 AC 18, Fortitude 19, Reflex 18, Will 17 Perception +4 Speed 6, swim 6 Low-light vision

Traits

Traits

Aquatic The sahuagin can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Scent Blood Against bloodied enemies, the sahuagin gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and deals 2 extra damage. m Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 8 damage. r Thrown Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 8 damage. Str 16 (+6) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 12 (+4) Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 10 (+3) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal Equipment trident

Standard Actions

Aquatic The sahuagin can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Blood Frenzy Against bloodied enemies, the sahuagin gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls. m Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and the sahuagin marks the target until the end of the sahuagins next turn. r Thrown Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +11 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage.

Standard Actions

Triggered Actions

M Opportunistic Strike F At-Will Trigger: An enemy flanked by the sahuagin shifts. Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The sahuagin makes a melee basic attack against the triggering enemy. Str 20 (+8) Dex 14 (+5) Wis 12 (+4) Con 14 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 10 (+3) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal Equipment trident

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Sahuagin Priest
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 70; Bloodied 35 AC 22, Fortitude 19, Reflex 20, Will 21 Speed 6, swim 8

Level 8 Artillery
XP 350 Initiative +8 Perception +9 Low-light vision

Sahuagin Baron

Level 10 Elite Brute (Leader)

XP 1,000 Initiative +9 Perception +6 Low-light vision

Traits

Large natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 256; Bloodied 128 AC 22, Fortitude 23, Reflex 21, Will 20 Speed 6, swim 8 Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

About the Author

Aquatic The sahuagin can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Blood Frenzy Against bloodied enemies, the sahuagin gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls and a +2 bonus to damage rolls. m Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage. r Thrown Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage. R Water Bolt F At-Will Attack: Ranged 10, or 20 underwater (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 7 damage, or 3d8 + 7 damage underwater. R Spectral Jaws F Recharge when a creature saves against this power Attack: Ranged 20 (one creature); +13 vs. Will Hit: 4d6 + 5 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage and a 2 penalty to all defenses (save ends both). Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). Skills Intimidate +12 Str 16 (+7) Dex 18 (+8) Wis 20 (+9) Con 16 (+7) Int 12 (+5) Cha 16 (+7) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal Equipment trident, holy symbol, kelp robe

Standard Actions

O Blood Healing (healing) F Aura 10 Any ally in the aura that starts its turn adjacent to a bloodied enemy regains 5 hit points. Aquatic The sahuagin can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. Blood Hunger Against bloodied enemies, the sahuagin gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls and a +5 bonus to damage rolls. m Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 6 damage. m Claw F At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 2d6 + 4 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends). r Thrown Trident (weapon) F At-Will Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +15 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 6 damage. M Barons Fury F At-Will Effect: The sahuagin uses trident once and claw twice. Skills Intimidate +13 Str 22 (+11) Dex 18 (+9) Wis 12 (+6) Con 18 (+9) Int 12 (+6) Cha 16 (+8) Alignment chaotic evil Languages Abyssal Equipment trident, headdress

Traits

Developer and Editor Jennifer Clarke Wilkes Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrators Jason Felix, Daren Bader Graphic Production Erin Dorries

Standard Actions

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Monster Manual Update:

Kuo-Toa
By Logan Bonner

Illustrations by Jason Felix and Daren Bader

In the seas and lakes of the Underdark, these fish-people worship their alien gods. Madness infects the race, and entire colonies can regress to gibbering animals.
Other races of the Underdark know to take the long way around when they negotiate the underground lakes and seas of that realm. To do otherwise is to invite the maniacal wrath of the kuo-toas. The creatures strength and ingenuity make them formidable, and their fanaticism and insanity make them unpredictable. Kuo-toas rarely travel by themselves, unless theyve gone mad and have been abandoned by their kin. In the words of a common dungeoneers adage, The only thing more dangerous than a kuo-toa hunting band is a kuo-toa alone. Two characteristics define kuo-toas, their religion and their madness. The first brings them great pride, the second great shame. They entreat their unknowable gods to end their races curse, but trafficking with creatures from beyond is just as likely to cause madness as to cure it. Worship of Powers Beyond: Kuo-toas practice religion devoutly, but not in the name of a deity of the Astral Sea, an archdevil, or a demon lord. They instead follow creatures from beyond the world, beings of great knowledge and inscrutable motivations. The kuo-toas believe that these gods lurk in the

murky depths of bottomless oceans in the Underdark, and these worshipers are likely to attack anyone who intrudes in such a sacred place. Kuo-toas rites resemble those of some cults of the surface world. Only the priests (called whips) speak for the deep gods, but all kuo-toas believe in them. They do not scrutinize the edicts of their gods but merely follow any dictates they can understand. The kuo-toas view aboleths as their gods servitors in the physical realm, and someespecially those on the verge of madnessbecome willing thralls of the deep masters and guard their lairs. Cursed by Madness: Like a disease, insanity infects the kuo-toa race. The whips and their servitors practice mental disciplines that usually prevent madness from taking hold, but any members of the common populace can fall prey to delusion and rage. Plagues of madness have repeatedly brought the kuotoas to the brink of destruction. Smaller colonies have died out in such epidemics, and large colonies have been devastated. If a settlement falls to madness, all its works and treasures are buried. The new settlement built atop it cuts all ties with the old in a futile attempt at preventing the cause of the madness from returning. Whips Hold Power: Priests live at the top of kuotoa society. They act as oracles of the deep gods and master spells uniquely suited to the dank corridors of the Underdark. Just below the whips in social rank

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Monster Manual Update: Kuo-Toa

I had figured out how to counter the gogglers adhesive shield: I shot my crossbow from afar. Then the thing charged out from cover, screaming and slobbering. Its flesh had turned deep red! Thank Bane I had the quickness to fire a shot that went right between its bulging eyes and slew it before it reached me. Blackguard Fionne
are the monitors, monks that serve as their agents. Monitors are used to control insane kuo-toas, and they work to prevent any outbreak of madness from spreading. Captives for Slavery and Sacrifice: Kuo-toas attack when their territory is invaded, when they need supplies, or when they think their gods have ordered them to make war. They claim more than treasure when they plunder, taking healthy people to serve as slaves or to be sacrificed (along with beasts) to the deep gods. Each kuo-toa community maintains an altar at least large enough to hold a human body, and older settlements have built up multitiered ziggurats for their bloody ceremonies. A sacrifice to the deep gods is a grisly affair. A whip guts the victim like a fish, then uses its entrails in a ritual of augury. The true sacrifice, though, is the victims mind, which kuotoas believe is devoured by the deep gods during the ritual. Crafters of Specialized Gear: The unique equipment of kuo-toas, created to hunt the beasts of the Underdark and later adapted to capture humanoids, makes them tricky opponents. The most iconic is the sticky shield, coated with an adhesive that can snag a weapon and allow the shield bearer to pull it free from its wielder. Harpoons, originally used to catch giant garfish of the deep, have been adapted for use in combat outside the water. Whips carry special staffs with ends shaped like lobster claws that can snap shut and grab enemies. Sundered Cities and Shrines: The kuo-toas once inhabited the oceans of the surface world, including the shores and islands. Over time, due in part to their inherited madness, they were driven downward by the people of the surface, while the predators of the oceans slaughtered the colonies there. Eventually, only kuo-toas that sequestered themselves in the Underdark found a way to adapt. Where once great towns of kuo-toas sprawled in coastal areas of the world, rudimentary dwellings and shrines remain, built into the damp tunnels and shallow pools that lead belowground. The only large settlements that remain are enormous temples that served as hubs and meeting places for smaller colonies.
Kuo-Toa Guard Level 16 Minion Skirmisher

Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) XP 350 HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion.Initiative +13 AC 30, Fortitude 28, Reflex 29, Will 27 Perception +12 Speed 6, swim 6 Darkvision

Traits

Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures.

Standard Actions m Spear (weapon) At-Will Move Actions

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 12 damage.

Slick Maneuver At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy. Str 15 (+10) Dex 16 (+11) Wis 9 (+7) Con 15 (+10) Int 11 (+8) Cha 13 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment leather armor, light shield, spear

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Monster Manual Update: Kuo-Toa

Kuo-Toa Marauder
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 119; Bloodied 59 AC 26, Fortitude 22, Reflex 23, Will 21 (25 while bloodied) Speed 6, swim 6

Level 12 Skirmisher
XP 700 Initiative +11 Perception +11 Darkvision

Kuo-Toa Harpooner
Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 137; Bloodied 68 AC 30, Fortitude 26, Reflex 26, Will 24 Speed 6, swim 6

Level 14 Soldier
XP 1,000 Initiative +12 Perception +13 Darkvision

Kuo-Toa Monitor

Level 16 Skirmisher
XP 1,400 Initiative +15 Perception +15 Darkvision

Traits

Traits

Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 153; Bloodied 76 AC 30, Fortitude 27, Reflex 28, Will 26 Speed 6, swim 6

Traits

Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures.

Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures.

Standard Actions

Standard Actions

Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures.

m Skewering Spear (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +17 vs. AC (+19 while bloodied) Hit: 2d8 + 5 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).

Move Actions

Slick Maneuver At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy.

Minor Actions Quick Step At-Will

Triggered Actions M Sticky Shield At-Will

Requirement: The kuo-toa must be bloodied. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts 1 square.

m Harpoon (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the kuo-toa grabs the target (escape DC 21). Until the grab ends, the target takes ongoing 5 damage, and the kuo-toa cant make attacks using this harpoon. R Reeling Harpoon (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +19 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the kuo-toa makes a secondary attack against the target. Secondary Attack: +17 vs. Fortitude Hit: 1d8 + 6 damage, and the kuo-toa pulls the target up to 3 squares.

Standard Actions m Slam At-Will

Move Actions

Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d10 + 8 damage. r Crossbow (weapon) At-Will Attack: Ranged 15 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 3d8 + 8 damage. M Leap Kick At-Will Effect: The kuo-toa monitor shifts up to 2 squares and uses slam. M Lightning Fist (lightning) Encounter Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d10 + 8 lightning damage, and the target is stunned (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

Trigger: An adjacent enemy misses the kuo-toa with a melee weapon attack. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 1 (the triggering enemy); +15 vs. Reflex Hit: The weapon used for the triggering attack drops in the targets space. Str 15 (+8) Dex 16 (+9) Wis 11 (+6) Con 15 (+8) Int 11 (+6) Cha 13 (+7) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment leather armor, slimy light shield, spear

Slick Maneuver At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy.

Move Actions

Triggered Actions M Sticky Shield At-Will

Trigger: An adjacent enemy misses the kuo-toa with a melee weapon attack. Attack (Immediate Reaction): Melee 1 (the triggering enemy); +17 vs. Reflex Hit: The weapon used for the triggering attack drops in the targets space. Str 17 (+10) Dex 17 (+10) Wis 13 (+8) Con 17 (+10) Int 13 (+8) Cha 15 (+9) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment leather armor, slimy light shield, 4 harpoons

Slick Maneuver At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy. Skills Acrobatics +18, Dungeoneering +15 Str 19 (+12) Dex 20 (+13) Wis 15 (+10) Con 17 (+11) Int 15 (+10) Cha 16 (+11) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment leather armor, crossbow, 20 bolts

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Monster Manual Update: Kuo-Toa

Kuo-Toa Whip Level 16 Controller
XP 1,400 Initiative +12 Perception +16 Darkvision

Medium natural humanoid (aquatic) HP 156; Bloodied 78 AC 30, Fortitude 28, Reflex 27, Will 27 Speed 6, swim 6

Logan Bonners credits include The Slaying Stone and Monster Vault. He lives in the Seattle area and works as a freelance game designer, writer, and editor. You can follow him on Twitter, where hes @loganbonner.

About the Author

Traits

Aquatic The kuo-toa can breathe underwater. In aquatic combat, it gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls against nonaquatic creatures. m Pincer Staff (weapon) At-Will Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +21 vs. AC Hit: 2d8 + 9 damage, and the kuo-toa grabs the target (escape DC 22) until the end of the kuo-toas next turn. Until the grab ends, the kuo-toa cant make attacks with its pincer staff. The kuo-toa can end the grab as a minor action and slide the target up to 3 squares. The target must remain within 2 squares of the kuo-toa during this slide. Sustain Standard: The grab persists until the end of the kuo-toas next turn, and the target takes 2d8 + 9 damage. R Lightning Strike (lightning) At-Will Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +19 vs. Reflex Hit: 2d8 + 3 lightning damage, and the target is blinded until the end of the kuo-toas next turn. A Slime Vortex Encounter Attack: Area burst 2 within 20 (enemies in the burst); +19 vs. Fortitude Hit: 2d10 + 7 damage, and the target takes a 2 penalty to attack rolls (save ends). The target falls prone, and the kuo-toa slides it up to 3 squares. Miss: Half damage, and the kuo-toa can slide the target 1 square.

Developer and Editor Jennifer Clarke Wilkes Producers Christopher Perkins, Greg Bilsland Art Directors Kate Irwin, Jon Schindehette Illustrators Jason Felix, Daren Bader Graphic Production Erin Dorries

Standard Actions

Move Actions

Slick Maneuver At-Will Requirement: The kuo-toa must be adjacent to an enemy. Effect: The kuo-toa shifts up to 3 squares to another square adjacent to the enemy. Skills Dungeoneering +16, Religion +15 Str 17 (+11) Dex 18 (+12) Wis 17 (+11) Con 20 (+13) Int 15 (+10) Cha 18 (+12) Alignment evil Languages Deep Speech Equipment coat, pincer staff, headdress

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