Kappa

Small humanoid (kappa), chaotic neutral

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 54 (12d6+12)
Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	15 (+2)	13 (+1)	8 (–1)	15 (+2)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws Dex +4, Wis +4
Damage Resistances acid, cold
Skills Insight +6, Perception +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Aquan, Common
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Amphibious. The kappa can breathe air and water.
• Head Bowl. The basin atop a kappa’s head contains water from its home river or lake. The water is emptied only if the kappa willingly tips its head or a creature grappling the kappa for a minimum of 3 turns forces it to do so. If the water is emptied, the kappa becomes immobile. It can still take actions, but it cannot move from the spot on its own. If the emptied head bowl is refilled with water, the kappa recovers from this condition immediately. This replacement water doesn’t have to be from the kappa’s home, but the kappa refills its head bowl from there at its first opportunity.
• Water Gourd. A kappa has a 25% chance to carry a gourd of water from its home with it. These are typically older, wiser kappas, as younger kappas are proud to the point of overconfidence in their ability to maintain their head bowl without spilling a drop. In the hands of the kappa, this gourd never runs out of water. The kappa can use this gourd to cast create and destroy water at will, but only use it to create water. Once per day, the kappa can allow a creature to drink from its gourd to gain the benefit of aid as if cast in a 3rd level spell slot. The gourd does not function in this way for any creature other than the kappa.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The kappa makes four claw attacks.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, 5 ft. reach, one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
• Ancient Shell. The kappa can “turtle up” in its shell, causing it to gain immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from non-magical attacks, resistance to all other types of damage except psychic damage, and its Armor Class to increases to 16. The kappa cannot take any other actions except to leave its shell, which causes it to lose these benefits.

ABOUT

A kappa is a strange amphibian resembling a humanoid turtle. It dwells in fresh water, preferring a stream or river to a lake or pond. It has a small shell on its back, a blunt face, and webbed hands and feet that end in short claws. A typical kappa is green in color, but kappa skin tones can vary toward blue or yellow hues. The creature has a shallow basin in the top of its head, in which the creature carries water from its home at all times.

Tricky. Kappas are puckish and like to play tricks on those who pass near or swim in their home. Kappa pranks are usually harmless and annoying, such as peeking under robes, stealing a bathers’ clothing, or pretending to be an aquatic predator. A kappa might also challenge others to grappling matches, hoping potential foes underestimate its wrestling ability. An angry kappa can be dangerous, attempting to drown mounts, animal companions, or even people who enter its home waters. The most degenerate kappas have been known to drown bathers and eat them.

Peculiar Habits. Those wise to the ways of kappas know the creatures have a few weaknesses. First of all, kappas love cucumbers and horseflesh. If plied with such treats, a kappa is likely to not bother intruders, and might even be convinced to offer aid. Further, despite a kappa’s penchant for pranks, it is unfailingly polite to courteous visitors. A kappa confronted with a verbal rebuke rather than combat quickly and almost shamefully apologizes for its pranks, begging for forgiveness. If its head bowl is emptied, a kappa usually remains stationary and pleads for help, continuing to fight only if forced to. An opponent who refills the kappa’s head bowl after spilling it receives the kappa’s deepest gratitude. Only the wisest and smartest of kappa carry flasks of water with them when they are forced to travel far from their home—most kappa don’t think this far ahead.