Slithering Tracker

Slithering Tracker

Medium ooze
Challenge

STR
3
DEX
4
CON
2
INT
0
WIS
2
CHA
0

52
8d8+16
16
Soak
1
Fort
+3
Ref
+4
Will
+1
Damage vulnerabilities cold, fire
Condition immunities bleeding, blinded, deafened, exhausted, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, unconscious

Speed 5 m., climb 5 m., swim 5 m.
Skills Stealth +5 (16)
Senses blindsight 20 m.
Languages understands languages it knew in its previous form but can’t speak

Ambusher. In the first round of each combat, if the slithering tracker rolls Deception or Stealth for initiative, creatures that haven’t taken a turn yet are flat-footed to it.

Damage Transfer. While it is grappling a creature, the slithering tracker takes only half the damage dealt to it, and the creature grappled by the slithering tracker takes the other half.

False Appearance. While the slithering tracker remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary puddle.

Keen Tracker. The slithering tracker has advantage on skill checks to track prey.

Liquid Form. The slithering tracker can enter an enemy’s space and stop there. It can also move through a space as narrow as 2 centimeters wide without squeezing.

Maneuvers. The slithering tracker uses maneuvers (maneuver save Difficulty 14). It has 6 stamina dice which are d8s, a dice limit of 1, regains all expended stamina dice when it finishes a long rest, and regains half its total stamina dice when it finishes a short rest. It knows the following maneuvers:

1 stamina die: ambush, cripple, disorient, distract, feint, grievous wound, spring attack

Spider Climb. The slithering tracker can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make a skill check.

Watery Stealth. While underwater, the slithering tracker has advantage on Stealth checks made to avoid notice, and once on its turn it can use Stealth without using an action.

Actions (1)

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

Smother Life (1/turn). One Large or smaller creature that the slithering tracker can see within 1 meter of it must succeed on a Difficulty 13 Reflex saving throw or be grappled (escape Difficulty 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and unable to breathe unless it can breathe water. In addition, the grappled target takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The slithering tracker can grapple only one target at a time.

Underdark, Urbanvgtm

Maneuvers

As an action, you can use Stealth without using an action. Additionally, before the end of your next turn, you can add the stamina die to an attack’s damage (add half on a miss by 4 or less) if you have advantage on the attack, or if the creature is within 1 meter of an enemy of the creature that isn’t incapacitated and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack to cripple the creature.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and the creature must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or it is slowed 1 until the end of its next turn.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance
You can augment this maneuver with the following options, expending stamina dice for each option.
  • You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended and the slowed level by 1 for every two additional stamina die expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional stamina die so the creature is slowed for 1 minute/stamina die. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

1 minute/stamina die

As an action, make a weapon attack to disorient the creature.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and the creature must succeed on a Reflex saving throw or it can’t take reactions for the duration.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Enhance
You can augment this maneuver with the following options, expending stamina dice for each option.
  • You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

  • Stagger. You can expend 1 additional stamina die so the creature is staggered instead of not being able to take reactions, but only until the end of its next turn. You can expend 1 additional stamina die so the creature is staggered for the duration.

  • Incapacitate. You can expend 2 additional stamina die so the creature is incapacitated instead of not being able to take reactions, but only until the end of its next turn.

  • Stun. You can expend 4 additional stamina die so the creature is stunned instead of not being able to take reactions, but only until the end of its next turn.

As an action, make a weapon attack to distract the creature, giving your allies an opening.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and make a Deception check opposed by the creature’s passive Insight or it is flat-footed to creatures other than you until the end of its next turn.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack along with a deceptive or pretended blow, thrust, or other movement.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and make a Deception check opposed by the creature’s passive Insight or the creature is flat-footed to you until the end of its next turn.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, make a weapon attack to leave a twisted wound that can’t be healed so easily.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and the creature must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or its maximum health is reduced by the stamina die result for 1 hour. Any effect that removes a condition allows a creature’s maximum health to return to normal before that time passes.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, you can use the Dash action. If you move at least 3 meters straight toward a creature, you can make a melee weapon attack against it.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.