Centipedes

Typically, the centipede is of no threat (or even interest, except perhaps as material components for spells), but its larger kin can be unnerving--and deadly.

Jump to: Carrion Crawler | Giant Centipede | Swarm of Centipedes

Carrion Crawler

Carrion crawlers scour putrid flesh from carcasses and gobble the slimy bones that remain. They aggressively attack any creature that trespasses on their territory or disturbs their feasting.

Carrion Eaters. A carrion crawler follows the scent of death to its food, but it prefers not to compete with other scavengers. These foul creatures thus hunker down in territories where death is plentiful and other carrion eaters have limited mobility. Caves, sewers, dungeons, and forested marshes are their favored lairs, but carrion crawlers are also drawn to battlefields and cemeteries.

A carrion crawler roams on the hunt, its tentacles probing the air for the scent of blood or decay. In tunnels or ruins, carrion crawlers scurry across the ceiling as they move toward food. In this way, they avoid contact with oozes, otyughs, and other dangerous inhabitants of the darkness, even as they surprise potential meals that don't think to look up.

Patient Predators. Whether in subterranean darkness or while hunting at night, light signals a potential meal. A carrion crawler might follow a light source from a distance for hours, hoping to pick up the scent of blood. Despite their great size, carrion crawlers can also easily set up ambushes by waiting around blind corners for prey to come to them.

When facing potential prey or intruders, a carrion crawler lets its poison do the work. Once a victim goes rigid with paralysis, the carrion crawler wraps it with its tentacles and drags it away to a high ledge or isolated passageway, where it can be killed safely. The monster then resumes patrolling its territory while waiting for its meal to ripen.

Environment

Forest, Ruins, Swamp, Underdark, Urban

Token

Carrion Crawler

Large monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 51 (6d10 + 18)
  • Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 1 (-5) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)
  • Proficiency Bonus +2
  • Saving Throws
  • Damage Vulnerabilities
  • Damage Resistances
  • Damage Immunities
  • Condition Immunities
  • Skills Perception +3
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft.,passive Perception 13
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 2

Keen Smell. The carrion crawler has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Spider Climb. The carrion crawler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

Multiattack. The carrion crawler makes two attacks: one with its tentacles and one with its bite.

Tentacles. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. Until this poison ends, the target is paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the poison on itself on a success.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Giant Centipede

Giant centipedes can be found in many cavern systems across Azgaarnoth, particularly close to easy sources of food (such as down-on-their-luck kobold tribes).

Environment

Forest, Ruins, Swamp, Underdark, Urban

Token

Giant Centipede

Small beast, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 4 (1d6 + 1)
  • Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
5 (-3) 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 1 (-5) 7 (-2) 3 (-4)
  • Proficiency Bonus +2
  • Saving Throws
  • Damage Vulnerabilities
  • Damage Resistances
  • Damage Immunities
  • Condition Immunities
  • Skills
  • Senses blindsight 30 ft.,passive Perception 8
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 1/4

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Swarm of Centipedes

The swarms presented here aren't ordinary or benign assemblies of little creatures. They form as a result of some sinister or unwholesome influence. Even druids can't charm these swarms, and their aggressiveness is borderline unnatural.

Environment

Forest, Ruins, Swamp, Underdark, Urban, Conjured/Summoned

Token

Swarm of Centipedes

Medium swarm, unaligned

  • Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 22 (5d8)
  • Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
3 (-4) 13 (+1) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 7 (-2) 1 (-5)
  • Proficiency Bonus +2
  • Saving Throws
  • Damage Vulnerabilities
  • Damage Resistances bludgeoning,piercing,slashing
  • Damage Immunities
  • Condition Immunities charmed,frightened,grappled,paralyzed,petrified,prone,restrained,stunned
  • Skills
  • Senses blindsight 10 ft.,passive Perception 8
  • Languages —
  • Challenge 1/2

Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny insect. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.

Actions

Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit: 10 (4d4) piercing damage, or 5 (2d4) piercing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by a swarm of centipedes is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and paralyzed while poisoned in this way.