Styxopendra (5e Creature)
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Styxopendra[edit]
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Huge fiend, lawful evil Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Saving Throws Str +11, Dex +12, Con +10 Innate Spellcasting. The styxopendra's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: bestow curse, blight, fireball Crawler. The styxopendra can move through a space as narrow as 5 feet wide without squeezing. Sin Sense. The styxopendra automatically knows the direction of the nearest creature within 50 feet of itself that is not of lawful good alignment and not a fiend, undead, or construct. Tunneler. The styxopendra can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 5-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake. Hellish Weapons. The styxopendra's weapons are magical. When the styxopendra hits with a bludgeoning weapon it deals an extra 4d6 fire damage, and when the styxopendra hits with a slashing weapon it deals an extra 4d6 acid damage (both included in the attack). Hellish Dual-Wielder. The styxopendra can stow or draw two one-handed weapons as part of its move action, it gains a +1 to its AC (included in the AC) when it has two or more weapons drawn, and it can wield a weapon with the heavy and two-handed properties with one hand. Double-Ended. The styxopendra rolls initiative twice, once for each end of its body. On each of its initiatives, one end of its body can take one action, one bonus action, and move in any order it likes, each end can maintain concentration on a separate spell, and each can make a separate reaction. If the styxopendra is targeted by an effect that inflicts a condition on only one target, the condition affects only one end of the styxopendra. If the styxopendra takes 30 slashing damage or more from a single attack, it rolls a d6. On a 1, it splits into two styxopendra that are each Large size. Each Large styxopendra retains half the Huge styxopendra's current hit points and hit point maximum (each rounded up), and each styxopendra loses the benefits of this feature. The two Large styxopendra can reunite themselves into a Huge styxopendra if one Large styxopendra regains hit points while in a space adjacent to the other, or by resting together during a short or long rest. ACTIONSMultiattack. The styxopendra makes three melee weapon attacks or casts two spells. If it has been split in two (see Double-Ended above), the Styxopendra can only make two melee weapon attacks or cast one spell. Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage and 14 (4d6) acid damage. Maul. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage and 14 (4d6) fire damage. BONUS ACTIONSAssist. The styxopendra's other end gains advantage on its next melee weapon attack or ranged spell attack. If one end of the styxopendra is afflicted by an effect that can be ended by a saving throw, the other end can instead make a saving throw to end that effect. The styxopendra cannot use this bonus action if it has been split in two (see Double-Ended above). LEGENDARY ACTIONSThe styxopendra can take 2 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 styxopendra regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Twin Attack. The styxopendra makes one melee weapon attack and casts one spell. The styxopendra cannot use this legendary action if it has been split in two (see Double-Ended above) |
The second-strongest adult form of a wretch. A styxopendra resembles a titanic centipede with dark red armor and gold legs, but in place of both its head and tail the fiend has the upper body of an attractive, four-armed devil. This monster is as smart as it looks, and has a quick wit to boot, but its real power is the combination of its speed and strength, which overwhelm its victims often before the fiend even unleashes its magical knowledge as a spellcaster. Each head, though identical in appearance, possesses its own unique personality, and in some styxopendrae, the head with the stronger will often bullies the weaker-willed head into fighting in melee so the stronger head can cast spells from safety. Though they sound intimidating, they are still fiends, weak to the radiance of the upper planes, and they can be severely unbalanced by separating the styxopendra's two halves from each other with a hefty slash across the middle. Proud Warriors. Styxopendrae often work for much stronger fiends, such as demon lords, so they may continually test and train themselves to get stronger. To this end, they refuse to stoop to gathering minions and often fight alone, or at least as alone as one can get when literally joined at the hip to another end of a styxopendra. According to legends, the River Styx itself was unintentionally carved into its current shape by the tunneling of many styxopendrae training their bodies to dig through the rough stone of the lower planes back and forth every day, hence their name. Grub's Gratitude. A styxopendra will not forget a creature that protected it and allowed it to flourish as a wretch and as a pupa, avoiding attacking that creature if possible, and giving that creature its loyalty if that creature is both stronger than the styxopendra and asks fealty of it. A styxopendra can even teach this loyalty to its own children if it later has any, but those children may not recognize the one their parent so respected if that creature is not present. |
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