Kaiju (5e Template)
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Kaiju
Kaiju are tremendous monsters with a savage appetite for destruction and ruin. They dwell in distant, often inhospitable places, such as on volcanic islands, in the frozen polar regions, or at the bottom of the sea, where much of their time is spent in hibernation. Occasionally, a kaiju is awakened from its hibernation and begins wandering the land, often covering distances of hundreds of miles in the course of its journey.
Little can withstand the power and destructive force of an enraged kaiju, apart from another kaiju. They can destroy buildings in seconds, and entire cities can be razed if one is left unopposed. A kaiju's motives and reasons for rampaging are obscure; as magical creatures and personifications of primal forces they have no need to eat. They seem merely driven to destroy all in their path.
The natural result of one kaiju meeting another is a fight; entire provinces have been devastated by kaiju battling one another. A curious behavior that some have observed: When two kaiju are fighting and a third party intervenes, the battling kaiju set aside their normal aggression toward each other and attack the interloper.
Finally, all kaiju are one of a kind. No two are exactly alike, and each one in a campaign should be individually crafted and given a unique personality and history. In appearance, they superficially resemble the creature they are modeled after, save that they are much more savage: additional horns, dorsal spines, fins, bony ridges, spikes, and scales enhance their ferocious appearance.
- Prerequisites
Any creature of Tiny to Huge size.
Statistics
Size. The kaiju's size becomes Gargantuan. Its hit dice become d20's, and its hit points are adjusted accordingly.
Hit Dice. The kaiju gains 20 hit dice, and its hit points are increased accordingly.
Type. The kaiju gains the Titan tag. If the base creature's type is beast or humanoid, change its type to monstrosity.
Speed. Because of their immense size, kaiju are slow and ungainly. If the base creature has a movement speed of less than 20 feet, it increases to 20 feet. Otherwise, the kaiju's speed remains unchanged.
Ability Scores. The kaiju's ability scores are altered depending on the base creature's size. A creature's ability scores can't go above 30 or below 1.
- Tiny. The kaiju's Strength is increased by 16, its Constitution is increased by 8, and its Dexterity is reduced by 8.
- Small. The kaiju's Strength is increased by 14, its Constitution is increased by 8, and its Dexterity is reduced by 6.
- Medium. The kaiju's Strength is increased by 12, its Constitution is increased by 6, and its Dexterity is reduced by 4.
- Large. The kaiju's Strength is increased by 8, its Constitution is increased by 4, and its Dexterity is reduced by 2.
- Huge. The kaiju's Strength is increased by 4, and its Constitution is increased by 2.
Additionally, regardless of the base creature's size, the kaiju's Charisma increases to 11 if it isn't already higher, and its Intelligence is reduced by 2, to a minimum of 2.
Armor Class. The AC of the kaiju's natural armor increases by a number equal to the number of size categories smaller than Gargantuan the base creature is, plus 3.
Damage Immunities. The kaiju gains immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical weapons.
Damage Resistances. The kaiju gains resistance to one damage type.
Condition Immunities. The kaiju becomes immune to being charmed or frightened.
Senses. The kaiju gains darkvision to a range of 120 feet.
Skills. The kaiju becomes proficient in the Intimidation and Perception skills and adds double its proficiency bonus to checks with those skills.
Any traits or actions of the base creature that have an area of effect (for example, a breath weapon) has that area of effect increase. The length of the line or the radius of the effect increases by 5 feet for each size category smaller than Gargantuan the base creature is.
Traits
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the kaiju fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. If the base creature already has three or more uses of this trait, it instead gains one additional use of Legendary Resistance.
Magic Resistance. The kaiju has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Primal Strikes. The kaiju ignores other creatures' resistance and immunity to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Siege Monster. The kaiju deals double damage to objects and structures.
Trample (must have legs). When the kaiju enters any enemy's space for the first time on a turn, the enemy must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + the kaiju's Strength modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus.
Actions
Multiattack. The kaiju can use its Frightful Presence. Then, if the base creature makes three or fewer attacks in a turn, the kaiju can make four attacks. If the base creature makes four or more attacks in a turn, the kaiju can make one additional attack.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of the kaiju's choice that is within 120 feet of the kaiju and aware of it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + the kaiju's Charisma modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the kaiju's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
Additionally, the kaiju's weapon attacks gain additional dice of damage. If the base creature is Medium-sized or smaller, the kaiju's weapon attacks deal four times as many damage dice as the base creature's attacks. If the base creature is Large-sized, the kaiju's weapon attacks deal twice as many damage dice as the base creature's attacks. If the base creature is Huge-sized, the number of damage dice of the kaiju's weapon attacks increase to the next highest multiple of four. For example, a Huge base creature with a weapon attack that deals 6d6 damage would deal 8d6 damage as a kaiju with that same attack.
The reach of the kaiju's melee attacks increase as well. If the base creature is Large or smaller, the reach of its melee attacks increases by 10 feet. If the base creature is Huge, the reach of its melee attacks increases by 5 feet.
Legendary Actions
The kaiju can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The kaiju regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. If the base creature already has legendary actions, the kaiju gains one additional legendary action per round.
Detect. The kaiju makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Move. The kaiju moves up to half its speed.
Attack. The kaiju makes one weapon attack.
Cantrip (Only if the kaiju is a spellcaster). The kaiju casts a cantrip.
Wing Attack (Only if the kaiju has wings; Costs 2 Actions). The kaiju beats its wings. Each creature within 15 ft. of the kaiju must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to 2d6 + the kaiju's Strength modifier and be knocked prone. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + the kaiju's Strength modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus. The kaiju can then fly up to half its flying speed.
Cast a Spell (Only if the kaiju is a spellcaster; Costs 3 Actions). The kaiju casts a spell from its list of prepared spells, using a spell slot as normal.
Additional Features
In addition to the above features that all kaiju have, the kaiju also has some of the below features. The kaiju gains one each of an additional trait and an additional action or attack augmentation, and gains an additional one of each for every 3 hit dice the base creature has.
Additional Traits
Additional Energy Resistance. The kaiju gains resistance to one additional type of damage. This trait can be gained multiple times, choosing a different damage type each time.
Additional Movement Type. The kaiju gains a land, climb, fly, swim or burrow speed. New fly and swim speeds granted by this special quality are equal to the kaiju's base speed, and the kaiju's new burrow or climb speed is always half the kaiju's base speed. (If the creature has no land speed, it cannot burrow.) If the base creature did not possess a land speed, the kaiju can gain a land speed of 20 feet. The kaiju's body cosmetically changes to aid in its new movement mode: it gains wings, flippers, stubby legs, or burrowing claws. The ability can be chosen multiple times, granting the kaiju a new form of movement each time.
Breathless. The kaiju does not breathe and is immune to inhaled poisons and gas-based attacks. It can also exist buried in the earth, underwater, the vacuum of space, or in other airless environments with ease.
Death Throes. When the kaiju dies, it explodes, and each creature within 100 feet of it must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 70 (20d6) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + the kaiju's Constitution modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus, and the type of damage this trait deals is a damage type that the kaiju is resistant or immune to, and must not be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
Energy Absorbtion. Choose one damage type that the kaiju is immune to that is not bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. Whenever the kaiju is subjected to damage of the chosen type, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the damage dealt of that type. This trait can be gained multiple times, choosing a different damage type each time.
Energy Immunity. Choose one damage type that the kaiju is resistant to. The kaiju instead becomes immune to that damage type. This trait can be gained multiple times, choosing a different damage type each time.
Innate Spellcasting. The kaiju's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. Its spell attack bonus equals the kaiju's Charisma modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus, and its spell save DC is 8 + the kaiju's Constitution modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus. Choose two spells from the following list to allow the kaiju to innately cast without requiring material components:
5/day each: blur, darkness
3/day each: call lightning, cloudkill, dimension door, fireball, fly, gaseous form, ice storm, invisibility
1/day each: control weather, earthquake, haste, reverse gravity
This trait can be chosen more than once, choosing different spells each time.
Invisibility Sight. The kaiju sees invisible creatures and objects as if they were visible, and can see into the Ethereal Plane.
Regeneration. The kaiju regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Spell Reflection. When a creature targets the kaiju with a spell attack and misses, or the kaiju succeeds on its saving throw against a spell or other magical effect, the effect is reflected back at the caster as though it originated from the kaiju, turning the caster into the target.
Additional Actions/Attack Augmentations
Augmented Critical. The kaiju's attacks score a critical hit on a die roll of 18–20, and on a critical hit it rolls damage dice three times, instead of twice.
Battle Frenzy. When the kaiju is at or below one-quarter its maximum hit points, it can make one additional attack on its turn. When it does so, it adds its proficiency bonus to its damage rolls, but does not add its proficiency bonus to its attack rolls.
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). The kaiju exhales energy in a 100-foot line that is 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 49 (14d6) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The DC for this saving throw equals 8 + the kaiju's Constitution modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus, and the type of damage this trait deals is a damage type that the kaiju is resistant or immune to, and must not be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
Energetic Attacks. The kaiju deals an additional 2d6 damage on each of its attacks with its natural weapons, such as its bite, claws, et cetera. The type of damage this trait deals is a damage type that the kaiju is resistant or immune to, and must not be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
Ranged Attack. The kaiju possesses some form of physical ranged attack, such as the ability to fire spines from its torso, spit boulders from its mouth, or shoot bony discs from its hands. This ranged weapon attack has an attack bonus equal to the kaiju's Strength modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus, has a range of 200/800 feet, and deals damage equal to 4d6 + the kaiju's Strength modifier. The damage type of this attack can be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing.
Ray Attack (Recharge 5-6). The kaiju generates a beam of energy from its eyes, horns, mouth, or some other body part. This ranged spell attack has an attack bonus equal to the kaiju's Constitution modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus, has a range of 300 feet, and deals 16d6 damage of a damage type that the kaiju is resistant or immune to, and that is not be bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
Shockwave (must have legs). As an action, the kaiju rears up and comes crashing down to earth. All creatures and structures on the ground within 100 feet of the kaiju (other than itself) are affected as they would be by the earthquake spell. The save DC for this effect equals 10 + the kaiju's Strength modifier.
Swallow. As an action, the kaiju makes one bite attack against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. If the kaiju does not possess a bite attack, treat the bite as a melee weapon attack that deals 4d4 piercing damage for the purposes of this action. If the attack hits, the target takes the bite's damage, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the kaiju, and it takes 42 (12d6) acid damage at the start of each of the kaiju's turns.
If the kaiju takes 60 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the kaiju must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the kaiju. If the kaiju dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 30 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Windstorm (must have wings). As an action, the kaiju blasts an area with powerful gusts of wind by flapping its wings. Until the start of the kaiju's next turn, creatures and objects within a 100-foot cone are affected as they would be by the gust of wind spell. The save DC for this effect equals 8 + the kaiju's Constitution modifier + the kaiju's proficiency bonus.
Examples
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