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Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 172 (15d10 + 90)
Speed 20 ft., swim 10 ft.
Saving Throws Wisdom +5
Damage Vulnerabilities cold
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, unconscious
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)
Amphibious. The barnaclops can breathe air and water.
Barnacle Armor. A creature that touches the barnaclops or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (2d4 + 1) slashing damage. Additionally, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or take 5 (1d8 + 1) poison damage. It remakes this save at the start of each of its turns, taking 5 (1d8 + 1) poison damage on a failure and ending this effect on a success. A creature also affected by the barnaclops' club attack only makes one Constitution save, but takes twice as much damage if it fails.
Cirriphobic Gaze. If a creature starts its turn within 60 feet of the barnaclops and the two of them can see each other, the barnaclops can force the creature to make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw if the barnaclops isn't incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is frightened. It must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn if it can still see the barnaclops. On a success, the effect ends.
A creature that isn't surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If it does so, it can't see the barnaclops until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If it looks at the barnaclops in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
ACTIONS
Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 34 (9d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or take 5 (1d8 + 1) poison damage. It remakes this save at the start of each of its turns, taking 5 (1d8 + 1) poison damage on a failure and ending this effect on a success.
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| Art by Jonathan Wojcik
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These massive, animated mounds of barnacles consist of several thousand Cirripedia varying in size, shape and function. Most are feeding members, employing their spiny legs to sweep organic matter into their mouths and nourish the whole organism. An oversized "hatchet" barnacle serves as a heavier melee weapon, while a hypnotic "ocular" barnacle provides additional cognitive functions and an unusual defensive mechanism.
Faced with a particularly challenging adversary, a barnaclops will attempt to lock eyes and flood its target's mind with fear. Most sentient beings subjected to this attack suffer an immediate, visceral aversion to the sight of the monster's barnace-encrusted surface, and must avert their gaze to continue engaging the creature without an overwhelming sense of panic and nausea. This effect can extend to any pattern or texture evocative of barnacles for a period of hours or even days, and repeated attacks can imprint the victim with a permanent phobia.
Even without its mind-controlling abilities, a barnaclops is a fearsome foe: it lacks a central weak point of even a true "mind", and it covered in jagged, rock-hard shells which swarm with filth and disease. Even the lightest scratch from a barnaclops can be hazardously septic, quickly escalating to aggressive tissue necrosis within minutes of contact. Decomposing prey is usually dragged back to the water-filled pit or tunnel the barnaclops calls home, enriching a rancid "stew" in which the monster can submerge itself.
A single minded creature of simple interests, the average barnaclops slumbers in its festering stew during the day and forages for choice carrion by night, usually ignoring anything irrelevant to its immediate needs. Its only display of individuality is usually exhibited by the mouth of its lair, stacked with a unique arrangement of driftwood, seaweed, fish bones or garbage. It particularly favors objects encrusted with natural barnacles.
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