Large monstrosity, chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 93 (11d10 + 33)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Proficiency Bonus +3
Proficiency Bonus +5 (5th Edition Advanced Mode)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 (+5) | 13 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 9 (-1) | 10 (+0) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws (suggested) Str +8, Con +6
Senses darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Umber Hulk
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Confusing Caze. When a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the umber hulk and is able to see the umber hulk’s eyes, the umber hulk can magically force it to make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, unless the umber hulk is incapacitated. On a failed saving throw, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn and rolls a d8 to determine what it does during that turn. On a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 or 6, the creature takes no action but uses all its movement to move in a random direction. On a 7 or 8, the creature makes one melee attack against a random creature, or it does nothing if no creature is within reach. Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the umber hulk until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the umber hulk in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
Tunneler. The umber hulk can burrow through solid rock at half its burrowing speed and leaves a 5 foot-wide, 8-foot-high tunnel in its wake.
ACTIONS
- Multiattack. The umber hulk makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its mandibles.
- Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage.
- Mandibles. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
UMBER HULK’s TACTICS (read the article)
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
Umber Hulk
An umber hulk is a terrifying and powerful creature that dwells in the dark depths of the earth. It resembles a cross between a gorilla and a beetle, with a massive body covered in chitinous armor and four eyes that can confuse and mesmerize its prey. It uses its ironlike claws to burrow through solid rock, creating tunnels that it can collapse behind it to escape or ambush its enemies. Umber hulks are not mindless brutes, but cunning and ruthless hunters that crave humanoid flesh.
DESCRIPTION
An umber hulk stands about 8 feet tall and weighs up to 1,750 pounds. Its body is mostly black, with a brown or yellowish-gray front. It has two sets of eyes: large compound eyes on the sides of its head, and small apelike eyes on its forehead. The compound eyes can emit a magical gaze that affects the minds of those who look at them, causing them to act randomly or freeze in place. The apelike eyes are used for normal vision and can see in the dark up to 120 feet. The umber hulk’s mouth is filled with rows of sharp teeth and flanked by two foot-long mandibles that can crush bones and metal. Its arms and legs end in claws that can rip through rock with ease. It has gill-like openings on its neck instead of a nose, possibly indicating an aquatic origin. It has hair-like feelers all over its body that sense vibrations and help it navigate underground.
Umber hulks have their own language of grunts and clicks that they use to communicate with each other or other subterranean creatures. They are not interested in treasure or magic items, unless they can use them as weapons or tools.
COMBAT
An umber hulk is a formidable opponent in combat, using its strength, speed, and cunning to overpower its foes. It prefers to ambush its prey from below or behind, bursting out of the ground or the walls with surprising agility. It can also retreat into its tunnels and collapse them behind it, making it hard to follow or escape from. It uses its confusing gaze to disorient and distract its enemies, making them vulnerable to its claws and mandibles. It can also use its tremorsense to locate hidden or invisible creatures within 60 feet.
An umber hulk is not afraid to fight against multiple opponents or larger creatures, as it knows it can inflict serious damage with its attacks. However, it is not reckless or suicidal, and will retreat if it faces overwhelming odds or serious injury. It will also avoid bright light or loud noises, as they can impair its vision and hearing.
HABITAT / SOCIETY
Umber hulks live deep underground, in caves, dungeons, or the Underdark. They are solitary creatures, only coming together to mate or fight over territory. They are territorial and aggressive, attacking any intruders that enter their domain.
Umber hulks reproduce by laying eggs in underground chambers that they guard fiercely. The eggs hatch after several months, releasing dozens of tiny umber hulks that quickly grow to full size within a year. The young umber hulks are independent from birth, and will leave their parents’ territory as soon as they can fend for themselves.
Umber hulks have a complex relationship with other races that dwell in the dark. They sometimes ally with duergar, drow, mind flayers, or other evil creatures that can offer them food or protection. They also sometimes enslave weaker creatures such as goblins, kobolds, or troglodytes, using them as servants or snacks. However, they are also known to betray or attack their allies or slaves if they sense weakness or opportunity.
Umber hulks are feared and hated by most other races that encounter them. They are especially despised by dwarves, who consider them a menace to their mining operations and settlements. Umber hulks have no respect for dwarven craftsmanship or culture, and will destroy their structures and artifacts without hesitation.
Umber hulks dwell in the depths of the earth. They raid dungeons for food, much the way anteaters raid ant colonies, eating their fill and then moving on to let the “colony” recover.
No umber hulk culture is known, but it is rumored that there may be entire cities of these beings underground with tunnels that radiate out, like threads in a spider’s web, toward the nearer dungeons and mountain ranges. If true, this would explain much, for umber hulks seem to disappear or spring up in a region at will and always take great care in hiding their tunnels behind them.
ECOLOGY
Umber hulks are carnivorous creatures that feed on any flesh they can find, but prefer humanoid meat above all else. They hunt by following the scent of blood or the sound of movement, using their burrowing ability to surprise their prey. They can eat almost anything organic, including bones, leather, wood, fungus, or even metal. They can also digest rock and minerals, which help them maintain their armor and claws.
Umber hulks play an important role in the ecology of the underground world, as they create and modify the tunnels and caverns that they inhabit. They also provide food and resources for other creatures that scavenge their kills or their corpses. They are a source of fear and awe for many subterranean races, who regard them as monsters or gods.
Umber hulks have few natural predators, as few creatures can match their strength and ferocity. However, they are sometimes hunted by dragons, beholders, purple worms, or other powerful monsters that inhabit the depths of the earth. They are also vulnerable to magic that affects their minds or senses, such as illusions, charms, or blindness.