Jellyfish, Crimson

Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 120 (16d8+48)
Speed swim 10 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
4 (–3)	13 (+1)	16 (+3)	2 (–4)	13 (+1)	1 (–5)

Saving Throws Con +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Skills Stealth +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages –
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Special Traits

• Water Breathing. The crimson jellyfish can only breathe underwater.

Actions

• Multiattack. The crimson jellyfish makes two tentacle attacks.
• Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, 10 ft. reach, one target. Hit: 13 (3d8) poison damage. If the target was a creature it must succeed a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.

About

Unlike their smaller cousins, giant jellyfish are active predators that seek out prey. Capable of slithering through narrow cracks, a giant jellyfish is a horrifying beast to encounter lurking in the hold of a flooded or sunken ship. Other species of these vermin exist, as summarized on the following table— these variants often have different types of poison or other abilities like translucency or constriction.

Blood Feeders. The crimson jellyfish is a blood-drinking creature whose red color comes from the blood absorbed throughout its body after it feeds. A large fish or sea mammal encountering a pack or bloom of these creatures can be drained of blood in a matter of minutes. Fortunately, a crimson jellyfish’s bright color makes it fairly easy to avoid under well-lit conditions.

Deadly Drifters. Jellyfish often cluster together during springtime or when environmental conditions such as an increase in ocean temperature favor it. When conditions are right, jellyfish shift from being a nuisance to being a menace, if accidentally so, for a jellyfish swarm, unlike more aggressive monstrous kin like the giant jellyfish, comprises not aggressive hunters but rather opportunistic strikers.

They do not generally move to attack nearby prey, but their nearly translucent coloration makes it horrifically easy for a creature to swim into a swarm unawares. Once a jellyfish swarm deals damage to a creature, the swarm pursues it for several rounds before giving up the chase. Many aquatic races use jellyfish swarms as defensive guardians, trusting a swarm’s lack of interest in moving to keep it stationary for long periods of time.

Sapphire Stalkers. Sapphire jellyfish are active hunters. They store powerful electrical charges in their domelike bells, which are 16 feet in diameter. Their sensory tentacles can trail for twice that length, but the dangerous toxic tentacles are positioned within about 20 feet of the creature’s bell.