Large aberration, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 93 (11d10+33)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +5 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4) | 10 (+0) | 16 (+5) | 5 (-3) | 11 (+0) | 5 (-3) |
Skills Perception +4
Damage Immunities Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Understands deep speech but can’t speak
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Amphibious. The chuul can breathe air and water.
Sense Magic. The chuul senses magic within 120 feet of it at will. This trait otherwise works like the detect magic spell but isn’t itself magical.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The chuul makes two pincer attacks. If the chuul is grappling a creature, the chuul can also use its tentacles once.
- Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature and the chuul doesn’t have two other creatures grappled.
- Pincer (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature and the chuul doesn’t have two other creatures grappled. A grappled creature also suffers 11 (2d6+4) constriction damage each round until the grapple is broken.
- Tentacles. One creature grappled by the chuul 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 effect on itself on a success.
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
The Chuul is a monstrous creature that resembles a giant lobster with a mass of writhing tentacles around its mouth. It has a hard, chitinous exoskeleton that protects it from physical attacks, and a pair of large, serrated claws that can crush bones and armor. It has four eyes on stalks that give it a wide range of vision, and a fan-like tail that propels it through water. It is about 8 feet long and weighs about 650 pounds. It can communicate telepathically with other chuuls and aboleths, but cannot speak any language. It has a keen sense of smell and can detect magic within 120 feet of it.
COMBAT
The Chuul is a cunning and ruthless predator that prefers to ambush its prey rather than engage in direct combat. It often lurks in shallow water or swampy terrain, waiting for unsuspecting victims to come close enough. It then strikes with its claws and tentacles, attempting to grapple and paralyze its foes. It can breathe both air and water, allowing it to pursue its prey in either environment. It is immune to poison and resistant to acid and cold damage. It has a racial memory that grants it advantage on intelligence checks related to events experienced by its ancestors. It also has a deep hatred for surface-dwelling humanoids, especially elves, and will often target them first.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
The Chuul lives in aquatic or swampy environments, such as lakes, rivers, marshes, or coastal areas. It prefers dark and murky waters where it can hide easily. It is a solitary hunter, but sometimes forms small groups with other chuuls for mutual protection or cooperation. It has a primitive society based on strength and survival, with the strongest chuul being the leader of the group. It has no concept of morality or loyalty, and will betray or abandon its allies if it suits its interests. It is loyal only to the aboleths, the ancient and evil fish-like beings that once ruled the world. The Chuul considers itself a servant of the aboleth empire, and will obey their commands without question.
ECOLOGY
The Chuul is an aberration, a creature that does not belong to the natural order of the world. It is a remnant of the aboleth empire, which was destroyed by the gods in a cataclysmic war long ago. The Chuul feeds on any living creature that it can catch, but prefers humanoid flesh over other types of meat. It has no natural predators, except for other aberrations or powerful aquatic creatures. It reproduces by laying eggs in underwater nests, which are guarded by the parent chuuls until they hatch. The young chuuls are independent from birth, and will leave their nest as soon as they are able to hunt on their own.
Chuul is employed as material component to empower the following spells: