Ghole

Medium monstrosity, neutral evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 165 (19d8 + 76)
Speed 40 ft., burrow 10 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	16 (+3)	19 (+4)	10 (+0)	15 (+2)	15 (+2)

Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Common
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Bolster Disease. Any creature that contracts Flesh Rot from a ghole is cursed. The creature has disadvantage on saving throws against Flesh Rot and any diseases the creature had when the curse was contracted. Flesh Rot. A ghole’s natural attacks transmit flesh rot. A creature afflicted with this disease has disadvantage on Charisma checks and vulnerability to all damage. At the end of each of the target’s turns, it must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. After failing three of these saving throws, the disease’s effects last for 1 week, and the creature stops making these saves. After succeeding on three of these saving throws, the creature recovers from the disease, and the disease ends. Constructs and undead are immune to Flesh Rot.
• Immunity to Disease. Gholes are immune to all forms of disease. Inured to Undeath. Gholes have resistance to necrotic damage caused by undead and are immune to having their maximum hit points reduced by an undead. Savage the Sick. A ghole has advantage on attacks against a creature that is diseased. Scent Sickness. The ghole senses any diseased creature within 30 feet, with the benefits of blindsense.
• Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The ghole deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the ghole that isn’t incapacitated and the ghole doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
• Swift. A ghole can use a bonus action to Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Dodge, or Hide.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The ghole attacks twice: once with its bite, and once with its claws.
• Bite. (Ghole Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6+4) piercing damage, plus the target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has contracted Flesh Rot. Claws (ghole form only). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) slashing damage, plus the target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has contracted Flesh Rot. Befouling Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target may make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. As long as the target is paralyzed, any creatures other than a ghole that starts its turn must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw; on a failure, that creaure is poisoned until the beginning of its next turn.
• Hide from Undead (3/Day). Undead treat the ghole as heavily obscured for 1 hour. If a ghole attacks or interacts with an undead, the effect ends for that undead. Prepare Corpse. The ghole can make halt decomposition, as the spell gentle repose, or the ghole can restore flesh to a skeleton. The restoration is sufficient to make a skeletal corpse eligible to be transformed into a zombie rather than a skeleton. The new flesh is rotten and not fit for eating for creatures other than by gholes. Shapechanger. The ghole can use its action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back into its true form. Other than its size and speed, its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

ABOUT

The hulking form has a long, vulturelike neck ending in a head with a disgusting, one-eyed visage. Gholes are foul denizens of the wilderness that feed upon rotten meat. Their ability to restore flesh to even the most ancient of skeletal remains allows them to harvest flesh from ruins long forgotten by the living. Many gholes keep their favorite skeletons handy to repeat beloved meals, while others hoard ancient skeletons and savor the flavor of restored flesh in a grisly mockery of a gourmand’s appreciation of well-aged wine or cheese. Many attempt to capture sick victims alive only to imprison them—sepulchers or crypts make for favorite prisons—so they perish of their sickness and thus provide the most delicious meal possible for the foul creature. A typical ghole is 6 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds.