Fulminar

What seemed to be a storm cloud takes the shape of a feline predator. Flashes of lightning course through its semisolid body as it strikes with overwhelming speed.

Large elemental, neutral

Armor Class 15
Hit Points 112 (15d10 + 30)
Speed fly 90 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 8 (-1) 17 (+3) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Dexterity +9, Charisma +4
Skills Perception +7, Stealth +9
Damage Resistances lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Auran
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Special Traits

  • Flyby. The fulminar doesn’t provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.
  • Essence of Lightning. Bolts of lightning course around the fulminar’s body, shedding bright light in a 5- to 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional number of feet equal to the chosen radius. The fulminar can alter the radius as a bonus action.
  • Lightning Form. The fulminar can enter a hostile creature’s space and stop there. It can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. A creature that touches the fulminar or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) lightning damage.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The fulminar makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage and 7 (2d6) lightning damage and the target can’t take reactions until the end of the fulminar’s next turn.
  • Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage and 7 (2d6) lightning damage.
  • Lightning Shackles (Recharge 5-6). The fulminar magically creates three sets of shackles of lightning, each of which can strike a creature the fulminar can see within 60 feet of it. A target must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 18 (4d8) lightning damage and is restrained for 1 minute. On a success, the target takes half the damage but isn’t restrained. A restrained creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

About

Aerial Felines. Fulminars are creatures composed of semisolid elemental matter and roughly shaped like large feline predators.

Cloud Giant Allies. Fulminars were either created or first summoned by powerful cloud giant sorcerers. They can also be found in the company of djinnis, silver dragons, and other creatures strongly connected to the element of air. It is unclear whether they have their own motives or are directed by a higher, elemental power.

Lightning-Fast Slayers. Thanks to their speed, stealth, and a strange magical ability to entrap creatures with shackles of lightning, fulminars are extremely versatile, serving as spies, assassins, and shock troops.

Elemental Nature. A fulminar doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Alternate Traits and Actions

Source ExpCod (Open Design)

The following changes allow GMs to alter a fulminar without modifying its challenge rating.

  • Forked Lightning. When the fulminar flies at least 10 feet, it creates a duplicate lightning form that potentially fools attackers. Until the beginning of its next turn, after it moves, attack rolls against it have disadvantage. If it is hit by an attack, this trait is disrupted until it moves again. The fulminar loses its Flyby and Essence of Lightning traits.
  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage and 7 (2d6) thunder damage, and the target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target is stunned until the end of the fulminar’s next turn and deafened for 1 minute. On a success, the target is deafened until the end of the fulminar’s next turn but isn’t stunned. A deafened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The fulminar loses its bite attack and replaces its bite attack with the slam attack when taking a Multiattack action.
  • Thunderous Roar (Recharge 5-6). The fulminar unleashes a roar similar to the overwhelming thunderclap created in a lightning strike’s immediate area. Each creature within 30 feet of it must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 18 (4d8) thunder damage, is knocked prone, and is deafened for 1 minute. On a success, the target takes half the damage but isn’t knocked prone or deafened. The fulminar loses its Lightning Shackles action. Alternatively, it retains its Lightning Shackles action with Recharge 6 for both actions.
Section 15: Copyright Notice

Creature Codex. © 2018 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Dan Dillon, Richard Green, James Haeck, Chris Harris, Jeremy Hochhalter, James Introcaso, Chris Lockey, Shawn Merwin, and Jon Sawatsky.