Large aberration (slaad, shapechanger), chaotic neutral
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 127 (15d10 + 45)
Speed 30 ft. (suggested 40 ft.)
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +6 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 15 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 11 (+0) | 8 (-1) | 12 (+1) |
Skills Arcana +3, Perception +2
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Slaad, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Shapechanger. The slaad can use its action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Innate Spellcasting. The slaad’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12). The slaad can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: detect magic, detect thoughts, mage hand
- 2/day each: fear, invisibility (self only)
- 1/day: fireball
Innate Spellcasting (suggested). The gray slaad’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The gray slaad can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components. The gray slaad can pick up to two to spell-like powers from those marked as at will:
- At will: darkness, detect magic, fear, locate object, produce flame, see invisibility, telekinesis
- 1/day each: delayed blast fireball,
Magic Resistance. The slaad has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Regeneration. The slaad regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Summon Slaadi (suggested). Twice a day a gray slaad can attempt to gate in 1d4 red slaadi, 1 green slaad or 1 gray slaad.
- Note: include this special ability only if you consider the slaadi as fiends native from the plane of Limbo.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The slaad makes three attacks: one with its bite (slaad form) and two with its claws (slaad form) or two with its staff (humanoid form). Alternatively, it uses its Hurl Flame twice.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
- Bite (suggested). Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
- Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
- Hurl Flame. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage. The fire ignites flammable objects that aren’t being worn or carried.
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.
DESCRIPTION
A green slaad is a type of aberrant creature that resembles a large, bipedal frog with mottled green skin and long claws. It is a shapechanger that can assume the form of any humanoid it has seen or was once its host. A green slaad is spawned from a skilled arcane practitioner that was infected by a slaad egg and underwent a horrific transformation. A green slaad is more intelligent than the common red and blue slaadi, and has innate spellcasting abilities. It is a chaotic and selfish being that seeks to increase its magical power and eventually evolve into a gray slaad.
COMBAT
A green slaad is not very adept at melee combat, but relies on its spell-like abilities to harass and harm its foes. It can cast various spells, such as fear, darkness, telekinesis, invisibility, detect thoughts, detect magic, locate object, produce flame, shatter, and fireball. It can also polymorph into a humanoid form to deceive or infiltrate its enemies, or to escape from danger. A green slaad’s shapechange is not affected by dispel magic, but can be revealed by truesight. A green slaad reverts to its true form when it dies.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A green slaad’s natural habitat is the plane of Limbo, where it lives among the chaotic and ever-changing landscape. It often associates with other slaadi, especially blue slaadi, which it considers as its subordinates or servants. A green slaad may also travel to other planes in search of arcane secrets or new hosts for its eggs. A green slaad can implant an egg into a humanoid with its claw attack, which eventually hatches into a tadpole that bursts out of the host’s body and transforms into a blue or green slaad. A green slaad may also seek out a control gem, a magical device that can grant it control over another slaad of lower rank.
ECOLOGY
A green slaad is an aberration that feeds on the life force of other creatures. It has no natural predators, except for other slaadi that may challenge it for dominance or resources. A green slaad has a lifespan of several centuries, but can shorten or extend it by using its shapechange ability. A green slaad can also undergo a metamorphosis into a gray slaad, a more powerful and cunning type of slaad that can cast more spells and manipulate reality. The trigger for this transformation is unknown, but it may involve a certain amount of magical knowledge or exposure to some cosmic force.