By Alan McCoy from Dungeons & Dragons: Fundamentals
How to build challenging encounters against a Medusa
Note: This has been prepared utilizing the 5E Core Rules. The Medusa can be found in the Monster Manual page 214. Additional information has been taken from the 2E MM, page 247, and the 4E MM, page 186-187.
I had to do extensive research to present a reasonable and workable version of the Medusa to you, the 5E MM goes along the lines of classic mythology, but the lore given is very limited.
It is my opinion that the Medusa is one of the Monsters that can never be run simply ‘By the Book’. It is imperative that the Dungeon Master remember that before this creature was a foe, it was a woman. A significant woman with enough personal power to have attracted the attention of some otherworldly or fiendish power, made a bargain and been cursed as a result.
In order to run a challenging encounter against a Medusa, you must fill in the blanks regarding the former life and the former abilities. Imagine a woman with all the powers of a Medusa, that also had the abilities of a character class such as Bard, Rogue, Warlock, Wizard, or many others. Multi-class options are completely possible.
A Medusa is a female humanoid who has been cursed, either as a punishment for offenses against the Gods or for their association with evil deities. They have been granted renewed youth, physical beauty, immortality and the adoration of all that behold them, at the cost of a loss of humanity, physical beauty combined with hair of writhing snakes. Any admirer who comes close is immediately turned to stone. In short, they are forever alone with their vanity.
A Medusa prefers to lair in low light areas and to live in isolation. As they understand that their Petrifying Gaze power has a very limited range, they design or prepare their lairs to be full of nooks, crannies, secret doors and other means by which they can surprise invaders and foes. Note that LOW LIGHT does not mean dark, as a creature stumbling in the dark is effectively immune to their gaze. It should be noted that seeing a Medusa’s Petrifying Gaze with Darkvision has full effect.
As a large collection of horrified statues would be a dead giveaway, the Medusa will usually destroy statues that have no aesthetic value, keeping only those that appear to be interesting as sculpture. Medusae avoid the presence of any reflective surface within their lair and will not tolerate a mirror in their presence. First, they hate to be reminded of the curse that they are being affected by, and second, they can be affected by their own gaze.
Step 1) Let’s Review what we know about the Medusa:
Medusae are extremely tough, have a very high dexterity and charisma and above average Intelligence and Wisdom. Their physical strength is only average.
Medusae are proficient in the skills: Deception (+5), Insight (+4), Perception (+4) and Stealth (+5)
Medusae have Darkvision (60-foot) and a Passive Perception of 14.
Medusae speak the common language, as well as any languages spoken prior to becoming a Medusa.
Medusae have a Petrifying Gaze, that can turn anyone turn anyone effected by it to stone, first restrained and then petrified. It is important to note that this ability isn’t targeted, it works against every opponent that can see the Medusa’s eyes. While this is obviously not a full circle, a medusa is smart enough to make the ability count.
Step 2) Determine the probable Combat Strategy.
As noted above, a Medusa will prepare her lair to provide for a maximum number of opportunities to bring her Petrifying Gaze into play, this is primarily because even partial success has a negative effect on combatants, and also because it can have an effect on many combatants at the same time.
A Medusa is aware of the power of the Gaze, but they are willing to utilize other means to attack foes. They are competent archers and can use the venom from their snake-like hair to poison their arrows. They are skilled with the short sword and can easily wade into combat against creatures who are attempting to avoid their gaze, attacking with sword and snake-hair.
Step 3) Determine Tactics
To a Medusa in combat, surprise is everything, their Petrifying Gaze is usable against any number of opponents, who can choose to avert their eyes to avoid the effect UNLESS THEY ARE SURPRISED. Medusa know their lairs well and have often designed these places to be easily navigated by them, utilizing their stealth ability, the Medusa will attempt to surprise as many opponents as possible prior to entering combat.
The Medusa can use a longbow in combat, and even to enhance her arrows by using the poison of her snakelike hair, but ranged attacks do not bring people into range of the Gaze.
In Melee, the Medusa is a fast hand with her short sword, and her snake hair comes into play as well. Her Multi-attack allows two sword attacks and a snake hair attack each round. When you consider that attacks made in melee by the Medusa are against Blinded opponents (averting their eyes) This quickly becomes her best combat option.
Remember that anyone who attempts to lift their gaze to find her will risk being caught by her gaze and petrified.
Step 4) DM Tips and Observations
The double saving throw required for the Petrifying Gaze attack, especially at DC 14 Constitution Save is lower than it should be. I would increase this to a DC 16. While this is deadly to low level characters it is reasonable and possible vs higher levels.
A fight with a Medusa is one in which CONDITIONS must be adjudicated carefully. The Medusa herself can cause RESTRAINED or PETRIFIED with her Gaze. Those attempting to Avert their eyes (thus avoiding the Saving Throw and Petrification, should be considered BLINDED vs the Medusa.
Because the Medusa uses her short sword so successfully in melee combat, I suggest that we reverse the order of the Constitution and Dexterity scores, to allow a +3 Dexterity Bonus and a +2 Con.