Tiny undead, neutral evil
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 2 (1d4)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +2 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 (+1) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 5 (-3) | 10 (+0) | 4 (-3) |
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Turn Immunity. The claw is immune to effects that turn undead.
ACTIONS
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) bludgeoning or slashing damage (claw’s choice).
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
A crawling claw is a severed hand or paw of a murderer that has been animated by dark magic. The limb retains some of the killer’s personality and bloodlust, and seeks to continue its murderous spree. Crawling claws are usually left hands, and can be made from the hands or paws of small-to-medium-sized creatures. They have a pale, leathery, and decayed appearance, with long nails and knobby joints. They use their fingers as legs, and can scuttle across the ground or climb on vertical surfaces. Crawling claws are often used by evil wizards and warlocks as extra hands in their labors, or as minions to carry out their nefarious schemes.
COMBAT
Crawling claws are not very powerful or dangerous on their own, but they can be deadly in large numbers. They are immune to effects that turn undead, and can sense their surroundings with blindsight. They have no language or intelligence, but they can understand Common and follow simple commands from their creators. Crawling claws attack with their claws, which can deal either bludgeoning or slashing damage at their choice. They prefer to target living creatures, especially those that are weak or wounded. They also enjoy strangling their victims, or crawling into their mouths or ears to cause suffocation or internal damage.
Crawling claws can be controlled in one of two ways: directly or via programming. The manner of a claw’s control must be specified when it is created and cannot be changed thereafter. All of the claws in a particular batch must be controlled in the same manner.
Programmed claws are given a single, brief instruction that they attempt to carry out to the best of their ability. The maximum length of the programming, in words, is 15 plus the level of the creator. This programming sets the conditions under which the claw attack. A sample command might be: Kill anyone except me who opens this chest.
Directly controlled claws are manipulated by the thoughts of their creator. The mental effort of controlling claws is quite tiring and cannot be maintained for more than three consecutive rounds without a one-round rest. Further, the range of such control is limited to 10 feet plus 5 feet per level of the creator. A person controlling claws cannot undertake spellcasting or any other activity. Injury to a controller does not break his control unless unconsciousness results. If direct control is broken for some reason, the claws continue to follow the last orders they were given.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
Crawling claws can be found anywhere where dark magic is practiced, such as dungeons, crypts, laboratories, or cult hideouts. They are usually created by evil spellcasters who need extra hands for their experiments or rituals, or who want to use them as disposable assassins or spies. Some crawling claws are also created by accident, when a murderer’s hand or paw is severed and exposed to necromantic energy. Crawling claws have no loyalty or affection for their creators, and will turn on them if they are mistreated or neglected.
Crawling claws have no culture or society to speak of. Despite this, crawling claws do have a limited ability to communicate with each other. This takes the form of a basic telepathic link between all the claws of a single “batch”. Whenever one claw finds a victim, all of the others in the area who were made at the same time move in to help it.
In addition, claws that have been instructed to do so can act in concert with each other to move large objects. The DM should use five pounds per claw as a reasonable limit to the weight that can be moved.
Crawling claws can also form into swarms known as “applauses”, which have no discernible front, back, or central body. Applauses are more aggressive and coordinated than individual crawling claws, and can overwhelm larger foes with sheer numbers.
ECOLOGY
Crawling claws are undead creatures that do not need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. They do not age or decay, but they can be destroyed by physical damage or magic. Crawling claws have no natural predators or allies, and are hated and feared by most living beings.
Crawling claws have no reproductive cycle, and can only be created by magic. Crawling claws have no purpose or goal in life, other than to kill and cause pain. They are driven by the residual malice and madness of their original owners, who were often murderers, psychopaths, or sadists.