Large monstrosity, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (natural armor), 11 while prone
Armor Class (suggested) 18 (frontal), 14 (sides), 11 (underside)
Hit Points 39 (6d10 + 6)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +3 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (+3) | 11 (+0) | 13 (+1) | 1 (-5) | 13 (+1) | 6 (-2) |
Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
ACTIONS
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the ankheg can bite only the grappled creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so.
- Bite (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 2 (1d4) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the ankheg can bite only the grappled creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so.
- Acid Spray (Recharge 6). The ankheg spits acid in a line that is 30 feet long and 5 feet wide, provided that it has no creature grappled. Each creature in that line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
- Acid Spray (Recharge 6, suggested). The ankheg spits acid in a line that is 30 feet long and 5 feet wide, provided that it has no creature grappled. Each creature in that line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 20 (8d4) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
5th Edition Advanced Mode
Limiting the power of a character and making the overall difficulty of the game harder, does not reduce the creativity, indeed it does quite the opposite.
The Game Master has the option to use any and all of the instances proposed in this guide, or just some of them according to their preference.
It is the lack of something that move and motivate characters, not the abundance of it
DESCRIPTION
An ankheg is a large, insectoid creature that burrows underground and hunts from below. It has a segmented body covered in a strong chitin armor, usually brown or yellow, six legs with sharp claws, and a pair of antennae. Its head features a pair of mandibles that can deliver a powerful bite, as well as a nozzle that can spray acid at its enemies. An ankheg can see in pitch darkness, as well as detect vibrations in the earth, from up to 60 feet away . It has glistening black eyes, a small mouth lined with tiny rows of chitinous teeth, and a soft pink belly.
COMBAT
An ankheg prefers to ambush its prey by bursting out of the ground and grabbing it with its mandibles. It can then drag the victim into its tunnel and devour it at leisure, crushing and grinding while secreting acidic digestive enzymes that damage until the victim is dissolved. If the prey is too large or resistant, the ankheg can use its acid spray to weaken or kill it. The acid spray has a limited range and recharge, so the ankheg uses it sparingly . The ankheg can squirt a stream of acidic enzymes to a distance of 30 feet. However, since it is unable to digest food for six hours after it squirts enzymes, it uses this attack technique only when desperate. An ankheg is vulnerable when it is prone or exposed on the surface, as its armor is less effective and its movement is slower.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
An ankheg lives in temperate or warm forests or grasslands, where it can find enough food and soil to dig its tunnels. It is a solitary creature, except during the mating season, when it seeks out another ankheg of the opposite sex. The female lays a clutch of eggs in a chamber at the end of her tunnel, and guards them until they hatch. The young ankhegs then fend for themselves, digging their own tunnels and hunting for food . An ankheg is not intelligent, but it can learn to avoid certain threats or recognize certain sounds as signs of food or danger.
The ankheg uses its mandibles to continuously dig winding tunnels 30-40 feet deep in the rich soil of forests or farmlands. The hollowed end of a tunnel serves as a temporary lair for sleeping, eating, or hibernating. When an ankheg exhausts the food supply in a particular forest or field, it moves on to another. Autumn is mating season for ankhegs. After the male fertilizes the female, the female kills him and deposits 2d6 fertilized eggs in his body. Within a few weeks, about 75% of the eggs hatch and begin feeding. In a year, the young ankhegs resemble adults and can function independently.
While growing a new shell, an ankheg protects itself by hiding in a deep tunnel and secreting a repulsive fluid that smells like rotten fruit. Though the aroma discourages most creatures, it can also pinpoint the ankheg’s location for human hunters and desperately hungry predators.
Ankhegs living in cold climates hibernate during the winter. Within a month after the first snowfall, the ankheg fashions a lair deep within the warm earth where it remains dormant until spring. The hibernating ankheg requires no food, subsisting instead on nutrients stored in its shell. Though the ankheg’s metabolism is reduced, its antennae remain functional, able to alert it to the approach of an intruder. A disturbed ankheg fully awakens in 1d4 rounds, after which time it can attack and move normally.
ECOLOGY
An ankheg is a carnivore that feeds on any animal it can catch, such as deer, cattle, horses, or even humans. It can also digest plant matter, such as roots or crops, but it prefers meat. An ankheg’s acid spray can damage or destroy vegetation and soil, making it a pest for farmers and foresters . An ankheg’s chitin armor can be used to make shields or armor by skilled craftsmen , and its acid glands can be harvested for alchemical purposes. An ankheg has few natural predators, but it may be hunted by adventurers, soldiers, or bounty hunters who seek its valuable parts or want to protect their lands from its attacks.
Though a hungry ankheg can be fatal to a farmer, it can be quite beneficial to the farmland. Its tunnel system laces the soil with passages for air and water, while the ankheg’s waste products add rich nutrients. The ankheg will eat decayed organic matter in the earth, but it prefers fresh meat. All but the fiercest predators avoid ankhegs. Dried and cured ankheg shells can be made into armor with an AC of 16, and its digestive enzymes can be used as regular acid.
Ankheg is employed as material component to empower the following spells: