Worms
Some of the most frightening creatures to discover are the oversized worms that wander the Underdark. Some of the equally most frightening are the small ones that dig through the body. Come to think of it, are there any non-frightening ones?
Jump to: Purple Worm | Adult Lava Worm | Young Lava Worm | Swarm of Rot Grubs | Spawn of Kyuss
Purple Worm
The massive burrowing monster known as the purple worm terrorizes the creatures of the Underdark as it chews through solid rock in pursuit of prey. A dim-witted, ravenous force of nature, this creature regards anything it encounters as food.
Ravenous Hunters. Loud noise attracts purple worms, which have been known to interrupt underground battles and tear through subterranean cities seeking prey. The underground civilizations of the drow, the duergar, and the mind flayers maintain special wards around their settlements to deter these monsters.
Though most common in the Underdark, purple worms are frequently seen on the surface world in rocky and mountainous lands. The maw of a purple worm is large enough to swallow a horse whole, and no creature is safe from its hunger. It lunges forward by rhythmically compressing and expanding its body, catching other Underdark dwellers by surprise with the speed of its advance.
Boons of the Worm. When a purple worm burrows through the ground, it consumes earth and rock, which it breaks down and constantly excretes. Precious metals and gems can thus be found within the bodies of purple worms, which are targeted by particularly brave and foolhardy treasure hunters.
A burrowing purple worm constantly creates new tunnels throughout the Underdark, which are quickly made use of by other creatures as corridors and highways. Because a purple worm rarely returns to its own tunnels, such passageways are a good place to avoid these monsters. Areas rich in prey quickly become interlaced with complex tunnel systems resulting from several worms hunting together.
Environment
Underdark
Token
Purple Worm
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 247 (15d20 + 90)
- Speed 50 ft., burrow 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 28 (+9) 7 (-2) 22 (+6) 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 4 (-3)
- Proficiency Bonus +5
- Saving Throws Con +11,Wis +4
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Damage Resistances
- Damage Immunities
- Condition Immunities
- Skills
- Senses blindsight 30 ft.,tremorsense 60 ft.,passive Perception 9
- Languages —
- Challenge 15
Tunneler. The worm can burrow through solid rock at half its burrow speed and leaves a 10-foot-diameter tunnel in its wake.
Actions
Multiattack. The worm makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its stinger.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d8 + 9) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the worm. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the worm, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the worm's turns.
If the worm takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 21 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 worm. If the worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Tail Stinger. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 19 (3d6 + 9) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Adult Lava Worm
A fully grown lava worm is the most terrifying predator to be found near lava or magma. Its entire body is superheated to the same temperature as lava, allowing it to withstand volcanic heat and tunnel into solid rock with speed and ease. Some legends claim that lava worms were born when a mad wizard tried to combine the fiery power of a salamander with the might of a purple worm. Others say it was created by the gods of earth and flame, but it betrayed them and escaped to live beneath the ground. However most believe the lava worms are simply a close relative of the purple worm adapted for life near and within volcanoes.
A lava worm's saliva contains oils that cause fire to bum hotter. It prefers to defend itself against serious threats from afar, staying within lava and spitting flame at the danger to wear them down. Evasive prey that it can't consume in one bite may be easier to devour once caught in the worm's lava breath. This worm has no problem biting through solid rock to swallow restrained prey using its super-heated jaws.
Environment
Exotic, Underdark
Token
Adult Lava Worm
Gargantuan monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 350 (20d20 + 140)
- Speed 40 ft., burrow 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 28 (+9) 13 (+1) 24 (+7) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
- Proficiency Bonus +6
- Saving Throws Con +13, Wis +6
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Damage Resistances
- Damage Immunities cold, fire
- Condition Immunities
- Skills
- Senses blindsight 60 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 16
- Languages --
- Challenge 20
Heated Body. A creature that touches the worm or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 14 (4d6) fire damage. At the start of each of the worm's turns, it deals 14 (4d6) fire damage to any creature that is grappling it and any object that is restraining it.
Lava Tunneler. The worm can burrow through lava, magma, and solid rock. Its tremorsense treats lava and magma as if it were solid stone.
Molten Tunnels. When the worm burrows, it leaves a 10-foot diameter tunnel in its wake. The sides of this tunnel remain burning hot for 10 minutes, after which the tunnel collapses. When a creature enters the tunnel for the first time on a turn or starts its turn inside the tunnel, it takes 11 (2d10) fire damage.
Siege Monster. The worm deals double damage to objects and structures, and it treats immunity to fire damage as resistance to fire damage when it hits objects or structures with its bite attack.
Actions
Multiattack. The worm makes two attacks, one with its Bite and one with its Flame Spit. It may substitute a Break Weapon attack for either, if the Breath Weapon is recharged.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (3d12 + 9) piercing damage plus 28 (8d6) fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 11 (2d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns. In addition, if the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw or be swallowed by the worm.
While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the worm, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage plus 21 (6d6) fire damage at the start of each of the lava worm's turns. If the worm takes 40 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the worm must succeed on a DC 25 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 worm. If the worm dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Flame Spit. Ranged Spell Attack: +13 to hit, range 120 ft., one creature. Hit: 55 (8d10 + 7) fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 11 (2d10) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.
Breath Weapon (Recharge 5-6). The worm sprays molten rock in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. On a failed saving throw, a creature is also restrained by the hardening rock. A creature can make a DC 21 Strength (Athletics) check as an action, freeing itself or a creature within reach from the rock on a success. The rock has AC 17 and 60 hit points, and it is immune to fire, poison, and psychic damage, but it is vulnerable to any damage dealt by a lava worm's bite attack.
Young Lava Worm
(No description given)
Environment
Exotic, Underdark
Token
Young Lava Worm
Large monstrosity, unaligned
- Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
- Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33)
- Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 10 (+0) 4 (-3)
- Proficiency Bonus +3
- Saving Throws
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Damage Resistances
- Damage Immunities cold, fire
- Condition Immunities
- Skills
- Senses 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages --
- Challenge 5
Heated Body. A creature that touches the worm or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Lava Tunneler. The worm can burrow through lava, magma, and solid rock. Its tremorsense treats lava and magma as if it were solid stone.
Molten Tunnels. When the worm burrows, it leaves a 10-foot diameter tunnel in its wake. The sides of this tunnel remain burning hot for 10 minutes, after which the tunnel collapses. When a creature enters the tunnel for the first time on a turn or starts its turn inside the tunnel, it takes 11 (2d10) fire damage.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Swarm of Rot Grubs
Rot grubs are finger-sized maggots that eat living or dead flesh, although they can survive on plant matter. They infest corpses and piles of decaying matter and attack living creatures that disturb them. After burrowing into the flesh of a living creature, a rot grub instinctively chews its way toward the heart in order to kill its host.
Rot grubs pose a threat both singly and as a swarm. A single rot grub has no stat block. Any creature that comes into contact with it must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the rot grub burrows into the creature’s flesh and deals 3 (1d6) piercing damage at the start of each of the host creature’s turns. Applying fire to the wound before the end of the host creature’s next turn deals 1 fire damage to the host and kills the infesting rot grub. After this time, the rot grub is too far under the host creature’s skin to be burned. If a creature infested by one or more rot grubs ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the grubs burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target. Burning a body kills any rot grubs infesting it.
Environment
Ruins, Underdark
Token
Swarm of Rot Grubs
Medium swarm, unaligned
- Armor Class 8
- Hit Points 22 (5d8)
- Speed 5 ft., climb 5 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 2 (-4) 7 (-2) 10 (+0) 1 (-5) 2 (-4) 1 (-5)
- Proficiency Bonus +2
- Saving Throws
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Damage Resistances piercing,slashing
- Damage Immunities
- Condition Immunities charmed,frightened,grappled,paralyzed,petrified,prone,restrained
- Skills
- Senses blindsight 10 ft.,passive Perception 6
- 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 maggot. The swarm can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Actions
Bites. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 0 ft., one creature in the swarm’s space. Hit: The target is infested by 1d4 rot grubs. At the start of each of the target’s turns, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage per rot grub infesting it. Applying fire to the bite wound before the end of the target’s next turn deals 1 fire damage to the target and kills these rot grubs. After this time, these rot grubs are too far under the skin to be burned.
If a target infested by rot grubs ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the rot grubs burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target.
Spawn of Kyuss
Kyuss was a high priest of Orcus (appears in this book) who plundered corpses from necropolises to create the first spawn of Kyuss. Even centuries after Kyuss's death, his malign disciples continue performing the horrific rites he perfected.
From a distance or in poor light, a spawn of Kyuss looks like an ordinary zombie. As it comes into clearer view, however, the scores of little green worms crawling in and out of it become visible. These worms jump onto nearby Humanoids and burrow into their flesh. A worm that penetrates a Humanoid body makes its way to the creature's brain. Once inside the brain, the worm kills its host and animates the corpse, transforming it into a spawn of Kyuss, which breeds more worms.
Spawn of Kyuss are expressions of Orcus's intent to replace all life with undeath. Left to its own devices, a solitary spawn of Kyuss travels aimlessly. If it stumbles across a living creature, the spawn attacks with the sole intent of creating more spawn. Whether spawn are dispersed or clustered, they reproduce exponentially if nothing stops them.
Spawn of Kyuss
Medium undead, Typically Chaotic Evil
- Armor Class 10
- Hit Points 76 (9d8 + 36)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 18 (+4) 5 (-3) 7 (-2) 3 (-4)
- Proficiency Bonus +3
- Saving Throws Wis +1
- Damage Vulnerabilities
- Damage Resistances
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities exhaustion,poisoned
- Skills
- Senses darkvision 60 ft.,passive Perception 8
- Languages understands the languages it knew in life but can't speak
- Challenge 5
Regeneration. The spawn of Kyuss regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or a body of running water. If the spawn takes acid, fire, or radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the spawn's next turn. The spawn is destroyed only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Worms. If the spawn of Kyuss is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away, and it loses its Burrowing Worm action.
Unusual Nature. The spawn of Kyuss requires no air, food, drink, or sleep.
Actions
Multiattack. The spawn of Kyuss makes two Claw attacks, and it uses Burrowing Worm.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.
Burrowing Worm. A worm launches from the spawn of Kyuss at one Humanoid that the spawn can see within 10 feet of it. The worm latches onto the target's skin unless the target succeeds on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw. The worm is a Tiny Undead with AC 6, 1 hit point, a 2 (-4) in every ability score, and a speed of 1 foot. While on the target's skin, the worm can be killed by normal means or scraped off using an action (the spawn can use Burrowing Worm to launch a scraped-off worm at a Humanoid it can see within 10 feet of the worm). Otherwise, the worm burrows under the target's skin at the end of the target's next turn, dealing 1 piercing damage to it. At the end of each of its turns thereafter, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage per worm infesting it (maximum of 10d6), and if it drops to 0 hit points, it dies and then rises 10 minutes later as a spawn of Kyuss. If a worm-infested target is targeted by an effect that cures disease or removes a curse, all the worms infesting it wither away.