Grell

O
ne could be forgiven for, in the course of
observing a lone grell, coming to the
conclusion that it was of perhaps slightly
greater than animal intelligence, as few
pursuits of a grell in isolation rise beyond the
satisfaction of immediate needs. The grell's
lack of ambition, however, is caused not by a
lack of ingenuity, however, but by a deep and inescapable
ennui, one brought on by how utterly detestable they find this
plane and its inhabitants. It is unclear from whence the grell
came, but it is clear they have lost the ability to return there,
as no grell would spend an instant longer in the senseless
filth of this place than was required of it.
Grell Lore
Arcana DC 20: Though eyeless, grell are thought to sense
the presence of other creatures through a combination of
electrical fields and telepathic intrusion. Those who can keep
their minds empty of thoughts while approaching a grell are
often treated with indifference.
Nature DC 15: The venomous barbs that line a grell's
tendrils are retractible, allowing it a high degree of precision
and control when manipulating delicate objects.
Nature DC 20: Despite their brain-like appearance, the
wrinkled membrane that acts as the outer skin of a grell is
actually quite tough and leathery, the wrinkled appearance
derived from thick, heavily insulated conduits that conduct
powerful electrical charges between the nerve clusters that
control each of its tendrils.
Grell Philosopher Tactics
The grell philosopher tries to remain hidden for as long as is
feasible, keeping creatures within the radius of its telepathy
while stalking them. Once spotted, it stays on the edge of
their range, dodging until an enemy closes the distance, at
which points it grapples the nearest foe while trying to drag it
further away from its ranged allies, ideally behind full cover.
Grell Venom Mind Tactics
The venom mind opens with its psychic storm at a choke
point of some kind with walls that can restrict the possible
directions of movement. It then tries to grapple any melee
threats that close with it, preventing them from standing once
knocked down with Crushing Telepathy.
Grell Patriarch Tactics
The patriarch stays high and far back, making its opponents
come to it as it alternates between its Psychic Storm and
Lightning Burst. It usually refrains from using its
Dematerialize while it has more than half its hit points and
creatures are within range of its Oppressive Telepathy, which
it uses to push those that escape its Psychic storm back in if
there are no melee threats with allies in range.
In melee, the patriarch grapples as many creatures as it
can, then alternates between its Jolting Slam and Beak
attacks while seeking cover from any ranged attackers.
Grell Philosopher
Medium aberration, neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 74 (12d8 + 20)
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)
Skills History +3, Perception +4, Stealth +6
Damage Immunities Lightning
Condition Immunities Blinded, Prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
Passive Perception 14
Languages Grell, Telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Intrusive Telepathy. A conscious creature that starts
its turn within 60 feet of the grell must make a DC
11 Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic
damage. A creature that succeeds on this save by 5
or more becomes invisible to the grell until the
beginning of its next turn.
Distributed Nervous System. The grell makes saving
throws to end an ongoing effect at the beginning of
its turn, rather than at the end.
Actions
Multiattack. The grell makes two melee attacks, one
of which may be with its beak.
Spined Tendrils. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2)
piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape
DC 12).
A creature that starts its turn grappled in this way
must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving
throw or be Poisoned until the beginning of its
next turn.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one grappled target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing
damage and 3 (1d6) poison damage.
Reactions
Existential Crisis. As a reaction to being missed with
a melee attack, the grell forces the attacker to make
a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save,
the target is Paralyzed until the beginning of its
next turn as it is overwhelmed with confusion and
despair at its inability to make sense of the
universe.
Grell Venom Mind
Medium aberration, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 112 (15d8 + 45)
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 9 (-1)
Skills Nature +6, Perception +6, Stealth +6
Damage Immunities Lightning
Condition Immunities Blinded, Prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
Passive Perception 14
Languages Grell, Telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Crushing Telepathy. A creature that starts its turn
within 60 ft. of the grell must succeed on a DC 14
Wisdom saving throw fall prone. A creature that
succeeds on this save by 5 or more becomes
invisible to the grell until the beginning of its next
turn.
Distributed Nervous System. The grell makes saving
throws to end an ongoing effect at the beginning of
its turn, rather than at the end.
Actions
Multiattack. The grell makes two melee attacks, one
of which may be with its beak.
Spined Tendrils. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3)
piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape
DC 13).
A creature that starts its turn grappled in this way
must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving
throw or be Poisoned until the beginning of its
next turn.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft.,
one grappled target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing
damage and 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Psychic Storm (Concentration). The grell creates a
10 ft. radius area of psychic instability within range
that lasts for 1 minute. A creature in the area moves
in a random direction for each 5 feet they attempt
to move. Creatures in the area are immune to the
telepathic effects of any grell.
Reactions
Existential Crisis. As a reaction to being missed with
a melee attack, the grell forces the attacker to make
a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save,
the target is Paralyzed until the beginning of its
next turn as it is overwhelmed with confusion and
despair at its inability to make sense of the
universe.
 Grell Patriarch
Large aberration, neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 224 (24d10 + 92)
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 15 (+2) 19 (+4) 21 (+5) 14 (+2) 9 (-1)
Skills Arcana +9, History +9, Nature +9
Damage Immunities Lightning
Condition Immunities Blinded, Prone
Senses Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius),
Passive Perception 12
Languages Grell, Telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Oppressive Telepathy. A conscious creature that starts
its turn within 60 feet of the grell must succeed on a
DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or use its reaction to
move up to 10 ft. and make a melee attack against a
creature in range of the grell's choice. A creature that
succeeds on this save by 5 or more becomes invisible
to the grell until the beginning of its next turn.
Distributed Nervous System. The grell makes saving
throws to end an ongoing effect at the beginning of its
turn, rather than at the end.
Actions
Multiattack. The grell makes three attacks, one of which
may be with its beak.
Spined Tendrils. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach
15 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing
damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). A
creature grappled by two or more tentacles is
additonally restrained.
A creature that starts its turn grappled in this way must
succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be
Poisoned until the beginning of its next turn.
Jolting Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15
ft., one grappled target. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) bludgeoning
damage plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage.
Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one
grappled target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) piercing damage and
10 (3d6) poison damage.
Lightning lance. Ranged Spell Attack: +9 to hit, range
60 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) lightning damage.
Psychic Storm (Concentration). The grell creates a 10 ft.
radius area of psychic instability within range that lasts
for 1 minute. A creature in the area moves in a random
direction for each 5 feet they attempt to move.
Creatures in the area are immune to the telepathic
effects of any grell.
Lightning Burst (3rd level Spell, Recharge 5-6). Each
creature in a 20 ft. radius centered on a point the grell
can see within 120 ft. must succeed on a DC 17
Dexterity saving throw or take 28 (8d6) lightning
damage, or half as much on a success.
Reactions
Existential Crisis. As a reaction to being missed with a
melee attack, the grell forces the attacker to make a DC
17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is
Paralyzed until the beginning of its next turn as it is
overwhelmed with confusion and despair at its inability
to make sense of the universe.
Dematerialize (3rd Level Spell). As a reaction to being
targeted with an attack or harmful spell, the grell
attempts to dodge across the border ethereal. Roll a
d20. On an 11-20, the grell disappears until the
beginning of its turn, when it reappears in an
unoccupied space within 10 ft. of where it departed.

Encounters
CR 16 Encounter 6,400 XP
2 Grell Venom Minds (CR 6)
4 Quaggoths (CR 2)
CR 21 Encounter 10,200 XP
1 Grell Patriarch (CR 12)
2 Grell Philosophers (CR 3)
8 Derro Crawlers (CR 1/4)
Art Credits You Found the Free Books!
Grell copyright Wizards of the Coast
Grell Patriarch by Dan Scott
Bisk, Goblin King by Rae Elderidge

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