Manymaw Monster

[JNAProductions]

Manymaw
Large Undead, Neutral Evil

---

Armor Class 19 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 210 (20d10+100)
Speed 50', Swim 50', Climb 50'

---

Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
21 (+5)	25 (+7)	20 (+5)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	17 (+3)

---

Skills Athletics +13, Acrobatics +11, Perception +11, Intimidation +11
Damage Immunities Necrotic, Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned, Exhausted
Senses Darkvision 600', Passive Perception 21
Languages Many
Challenge 13

---

Regeneration A Manymaw regenerates 10 HP at the start of each of its turns, unless it took radiant damage in the last round, in which case this quality is suppressed for a round.

Magic Resistance A Manymaw has advantage on saving throws against magical effects.

Tentacled Monster A Manymaw has innumerable tentacles spilling from its back, allowing it to grapple any number of targets. In addition, it can grapple from up to 20' away.

Actions

---

Tentacle melee natural attack: +11 to-hit, reach 20', one target. Hit: 14 (2d6+7) damage, and the target is moved up to 10' in any direction.

Bite melee natural attack: +9 to-hit, reach 5', one target. Hit: 24 (3d12+5) damage, and the target is poisoned for one minute. At the end of each of their turns, they may attempt a DC 17 save to end the condition.

Extra Attack 4 The Manymaw makes five attacks or attack actions, though only up to two attacks may be bites.

Bonus Actions

---

Shadow Teleport The Manymaw teleports up to 60'-it must end its teleportation inside a shadowy area. Alternatively, if it is already in a shadowy area, it may teleport to any other shadowy area within its sight.

Consume The Manymaw consumes the body of a dying creature within 5' of it. It bites the creature, and quickly devours it, regaining 33 (6d10) HP and gaining advantage on all d20 rolls for the next round. The creature consumed quickly vanishes, shadowy tendrils linking into the Manymaw as another screaming face appears on it.

Unearthly Howl The Manymaw lets out a terrifying, unearthly howl from its many mouths. All creatures within 120' must make a DC 15 Wisdom save or be frightened of the Manymaw for one hour. They may make a new save at the end of each turn, ending the effect on a success, but the save is made with disadvantage if the Manymaw is still visible to them. Once a save is made, a creature is immune to this effect until they take a rest.

Reactions

---

Horrify When made the target of an attack, the Manymaw may attempt to horrify the attacker. It makes an intimidate check as opposed by the creature's insight check or Wisdom save (their choice). If the Manymaw succeeds, they are Frightened for one round.

Guilt When made the target of an attack, the Manymaw may attempt to have the nearest face appear to be the loved one of the attacker. It makes a deception check as opposed by the creature's insight check or Charisma save (their choice). If the Manymaw succeeds, they must target something else or waste their action.

Spoiler: Fluff

Show

The Manymaw is terrifying, in a word. It's about 8' long, and 6' tall at the shoulder, and upon first glance, bears similarity to a large dog, perhaps a displacer beast. But soon, the horrifying truth comes to bear. Its skin is nothing more than a constant morass of shifting, screaming faces, and the ones on its back open their mouths in a silent, unending scream, their tongues extending out 20' from the creature to be used as its manipulative tentacles. Its snout has more vicious faces on it, bared teeth ready for battle.

It typically appears from the shadow, teleporting perhaps miles if the path is clear, and lunging out with a brutal strike. Once the shock is over, it howls, each face letting loose with its own eerie roar. From there, it fights like a beast possessed,
tentacles lashing out and faces biting into people. Whenever it drops someone, it will attempt to consume them, draining their life away in an instant and adding a new face to itself.

If it seems to be losing, it will quickly retreat, and let itself heal, before coming back. It rarely gives up a fight for long-a few minutes is all it needs to recuperate, and it doesn't like letting prey go.

Spoiler: CR Math

Show

DCR starts with HP. 210 HP, +30 for Regen, for 240. Then, AC. 19 base, +2 for Magic Resistance, +2 for Horrify and Guilt, for Effective AC 23. So, base DCR is 10, +3 for AC. 13 DCR.

Then, OCR. We'll assume four Tentacles and one Bite, for 80 DPR. +11 on most attacks, with no special bonuses. OCR base is 12, +1 for attack bonus (and potentially -1 for Save DC, but since it's mostly attack-based, I won't count that) for 13. 13 OCR.

Wow, that works out great! CR 13, roundabouts.

[demonslayerelf]

I mean, I like the monster itself(Proposed Name: Manymaw).

I just have one question and one criticism, though.

Criticism; I would have the poison have a con save to begin with, not just to recover from it. Because hypothetically, this could just keep poisoning the same character over and over again, and they would just have disadvantage to everything the entire time.


Question;
Do you... Know, where the skill bonuses and DC's and bonuses to hit come from?
It's the same as it is for players. Proficiency, Ability Score Modifier. And for Saving throws, it's +8.
I can't decipher where yours are coming from, though. It has 20 hit dice, so it's proficiency should have +6.

So it's attacks should be 11, since it's strength and dex are the same. 5+6 is 11.

It's skill bonuses should be 11 on Athletics, 11 acrobatics, then 9 perception and 9 perception, since it's 6+ 5 for the first two, then +3 for the second two. I mean, expertise is a thing, but that would be another +6, so I have no clue where the numbers came from. Passive Perception should be 19, too...

The DC's are low, too. I mean, the poison would be higher, unless it's based on charisma/wisdom... Which makes very little sense. And the fear effect can't be based on anything, since there's no way to get a 15 without a DC penalty...

It's health is weird, too. It has 7 Con Mod, and 20 hit dice, so it should have a 140 bonus, not 100.

I mean, it technically doesn't need that stuff to all work out fine, it just seems weird, though, to have it not.

[JNAProductions]

Woops, that's my mistake. I meant to have 25 Dex and 20 Con.

Fixed now.

And I arbitrarily gave it +4 Proficiency, which is where its numbers come from. Monster Proficiency is based on CR, by the way, not hit dice.

[JNAProductions]

CR is 13. So technically, its proficiency is one too low, but eh, screw it. It stays.