Small aberration (star spawn), neutral evil
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 17 (5d6)
Speed 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +2
Proficiency Bonus +3 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (-2) | 13 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 9 (-1) | 11 (+0) | 6 (-2) |
Damage Immunities psychic
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Deep Speech
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Aura of Madness. Creatures within 20 feet of the grue that aren’t aberrations have disadvantage on saving throws, as well as on attack rolls against creatures other than a star spawn grue.
ACTIONS
- Confounding Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (2d4 + 1) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of the grue’s next turn.
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 Star Spawn Grue is a small aberration that serves as a minion of more powerful star spawn. It has a fanged and lipless mouth that grins constantly, and eerily staring eyes that lack lids. Its grayish skin is covered with bristles and spines, and its long fingers end with broken and dirty nails. A Star Spawn Grue has no sense of self or individuality, and acts only to further the will of its master.
COMBAT
A Star Spawn Grue is not a formidable opponent on its own, but it can be dangerous in large numbers or when accompanied by other star spawn. It has two main abilities that make it a threat to non-aberrant creatures:
- Aura of Madness: Creatures within 20 feet of the grue that aren’t aberrations have disadvantage on saving throws, as well as on attack rolls against creatures other than a star spawn. This aura reflects the grue’s connection to the alien realms that spawned it, and the madness that seeps from its mind.
- Confounding Bite: The grue can bite a creature with its sharp teeth, dealing piercing damage and forcing the target to make a Wisdom saving throw or suffer from confusion. Attack rolls against the confused target have advantage until the start of the grue’s next turn. This bite injects a dose of psychic venom that scrambles the target’s thoughts and actions.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
A Star Spawn Grue has no habitat or society of its own. It is created by the influence of more powerful star spawn, such as seers, emissaries, or hulks, who shape the matter and minds of lesser creatures into grues. A grue has no free will or personality, and obeys the commands of its master without question. A grue can communicate telepathically with other star spawn, using a language called Deep Speech.
ECOLOGY
A Star Spawn Grue has no natural role in the ecology of any world. It is an aberration that defies the laws of nature and reality. It does not need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe, and it does not reproduce or age. A grue exists only to serve the agenda of its master, which usually involves spreading terror, chaos, and madness among other creatures. A grue can be destroyed by physical or magical means, but it leaves no corpse or trace behind.