Gymnotid, Mist

Family: Gymnotid

Medium aberration (brutal), unaligned

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8); Wound Threshold 11
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft., fly 40 ft. (in thick mist)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	19 (+4)	12 (+1)	4 (-3)	10 (+0)	6 (-2)

Skills Perception +2
Damage Immunities lightning
Condition Immunities prone
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands simple words in Deep Speech but can’t speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Amphibious. The mist gymnotid can breathe air and water.
• Shocking Body. A creature that comes in contact with the mist gymnotid or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage.
• Variable Electric Intensity. Depending on the environment, the gymnotid can reroll a variable number of lightning damage dice (see the Variable Electric Intensity table).

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The gymnotid makes two electrocyte discharge attacks.
• Electrocyte Discharge. Melee Weapon Attack: + 6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage and 5 (1d10) lightning damage. In addition, the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, or be numb for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a successful roll.
• Coiling. Melee Weapon Attack: + 6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d4 +4) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 12). If the gymnotid grapples a creature, it can also use Coiling Discharge as a bonus action.
• Coiling Discharge (Recharge 4-6). The gymnotid lets out a powerful discharge at the creature its grappling, and which must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the save fails by 5 or more, the target is also paralyzed for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a successful roll.

ABOUT

With a silhouette similar to an Acoatl electric eel, the mist gymnotid is an aberration from Blackwater able to swim in thick mist-which would commonly be referred to as flying. As an adult, its serpentine body measures up to 10 feet long, its head framed by flexible growths that resemble seaweed or grass..

Normally, the mist gymnotid is a predator only interested in prey it can eat. It occasionally attacks travelers by accident, when it mistakes an arm or leg for an edible creature in murky waters. In addition, it will attack larger creatures if cornered, in order to flee.

Some gymnotid subspecies have developed group hunting tactics, similar to those of wolves or dolphins. They swim in a circle, strike, back away, and seek to wear down numerous prey.

Despite the power of this approach, gymnotids normally only use it to catch small prey.

However, intelligent and manipulative aberrations may use these creatures as weapons or living traps. They place them in tunnels to be guarded, or psychically dominate them to send on the front lines and weaken enemies.

A gymnotid’s attack has two steps. It first bites its prey, then coils around it to generate an electric shock strong enough to stun or even paralyze it (see Appendix: Conditions and Tactical Situations).

While the mist gymnotid seems naturally predisposed to swim in water or thick mist, it can also move around in drier air. Paradoxically, the lower the humidity, the more lightning damage it will deal.

Variable Electric Intensity

Hygrometry Damage

In water

The values written on the profile.

In thick mist (mostly shrouded area) The mist gymnotid can reroll up to 2 lightning damage dice, in which case the second result is kept even if it’s less than the first.

In the air

The mist gymnotid can reroll up to 4 lightning damage dice, in which case the second result is kept even if it’s less than the first.