Blade Beast

Large monstrosity (titanspawn), unaligned

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	12 (+1)	17 (+3)	6 (-2)	13 (+1)	8 (-1)

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 59 (7d10 + 21)
Speed 40 ft.
Skills Perception +3
Damage Resistances fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Titan Speech (can’t speak)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Special Traits

• Bristling Hide. At the start of each of its turns, the blade beast deals 4 (1d8) piercing damage to any creature grappling it.
• Illumination. The blade beast sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.
• Keen Smell. The blade beast has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Actions

• Multiattack. The blade beast makes three melee attacks.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.
• Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
• Extruded Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.

Reactions

• Absorb Weapon. When a metal weapon hits the blade beast, the beast can use its reaction to force the attacker to make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the weapon deals damage normally (after accounting for the blade beast’s damage resistance, if applicable), but then it is absorbed into the blade beast. An absorbed weapon is lost and cannot be recovered until the beast is slain.

Tactics

Blade beasts are brutish, yet they are also surprisingly clever. While they prefer direct assaults, they have been known to use clever ruses or to wait for distractions to make their approach easier. Blade beasts are rightly feared even by village smiths, whose shops are sometimes raided by the beasts in search of tools and weapons to absorb.

Description

The blade beast earns its name from its strange ability to absorb any metal weapon or implement into its body. The blades and spikes of such tools can then be extruded through the creature’s hide, like metallic spines.

The hulking blade beast resembles a big panther, or perhaps a construct made in the fashion of one. Its jet-black skin seems hard, like rock, covered in a pattern of fine cracks; a faint, fiery glow, like the one from the creature’s eyes, emerges from these cracks and also from subtle runes and symbols on the creature’s stony hide.

Always Hostile. Highly aggressive by nature, a blade beast tends to attack without provocation; if potential victims carry metal weapons openly and the beast thinks it can prevail, it is certain to attack. Once combat is joined, the beast fights ferociously, without subtlety.