Medium humanoid (gnoll), chaotic evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +2 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 8 (-1) | 12 (+1) | 5 (-3) | 5 (-3) | 5 (-3) |
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 7
Languages understands Gnoll but can’t speak
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Rampage. When the witherling reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, it can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make a bite attack.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The witherling makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its club, or two with its club.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
- Club. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.
REACTIONS
- Vengeful Strike. In response to a gnoll being reduced to 0 hit points within 30 feet of the witherling, the witherling makes a melee attack.
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 gnoll witherling is a twisted undead creature that was once a living gnoll. It is created by a ritual to the demon lord Yeenoghu, who grants a semblance of life to the bones of gnolls that were killed by their own kind. Sometimes gnolls turn against each other, perhaps to determine who rules a war band or because of extreme starvation. Even under ordinary circumstances, gnolls that are deprived of victims for too long can’t control their hunger and violent urges. Eventually, they fight among themselves. The survivors devour the flesh of their slain comrades but preserve the bones. Then, by invoking rituals to Yeenoghu, they bring the remains back to a semblance of life in the form of a gnoll witherling. A gnoll witherling has a skeletal body covered with patches of rotting fur and flesh. Its eyes glow with a faint red light, and its mouth is filled with sharp teeth. A gnoll witherling usually carries a crude club made from a bone or a stick, and is incapable of wielding any weapon more sophisticated than that.
COMBAT
A gnoll witherling fights with the same ferocity and bloodlust as a living gnoll, but without any sense of self-preservation or fear. It attacks the nearest enemy with its bite and club, or two clubs if it has them. A gnoll witherling is immune to poison and exhaustion, and does not need to eat, drink, or sleep. A gnoll witherling has a special ability called rampage, which allows it to move and attack again after killing an enemy. A gnoll witherling also has a vengeful strike reaction, which lets it make an attack in response to another gnoll being killed nearby.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A gnoll witherling travels with its living comrades, serving as the vanguard of a gnoll war band. It does not eat or take any share of the loot, leaving more for the rest of the group. A gnoll witherling does not speak, but it understands the gnoll language. A gnoll witherling obeys the orders of its leader, usually the strongest or most cunning gnoll in the band. A gnoll witherling does not have any personality or individuality, and does not care about anything except killing and pleasing Yeenoghu.
ECOLOGY
A gnoll witherling is an unnatural creature that disrupts the balance of nature. It is hated by most living beings, especially those who worship good or nature gods. A gnoll witherling does not have any natural predators or enemies, except for those who oppose the gnolls and their demonic patron. A gnoll witherling does not reproduce or grow, but it can be created by a ritual that involves devouring the flesh of a fallen gnoll and preserving its bones. A gnoll witherling can be destroyed by physical damage or by magic that affects undead.