Ravening Minotaur

Family: Minotaur

Large monstrosity, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	11 (+0)	16 (+3)	6 (–2)	16 (+3)	9 (–1)

Skills Perception +7
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Giant, Minotaur
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Charge. If the minotaur moves at least 10 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and forced prone.
• Keen Smell. The minotaur has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
• Labyrinthine Recall. The minotaur can perfectly recall any path it has traveled.
• Ravening Madness. The ravening minotaur has disadvantage on Intelligence checks and saving throws. It considers every creature hostile and doesn’t gain any benefit from the Help action or similar spells or effects that involve helping or receiving help from friendly creatures. This trait doesn’t prevent a spellcaster from restoring hp to the minotaur or curing the ravening with magic.
• Reckless. At the start of its turn, the minotaur can choose to have advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls it makes during that turn, but attack rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The minotaur makes one Bite and two Claw attacks.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the ravening minotaur gains temporary hp equal to the damage dealt. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or becoming infected with the ravening (see sidebar).
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage.
• Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.

BONUS ACTIONS

• • Ravening Hunger. When a ravening minotaur reduces a creature to 0 hp with a melee attack on its turn, the minotaur can take a bonus action to consume the creature’s heart. The minotaur’s hp maximum increases by 5 for every ten hearts it consumes in this way.

ABOUT

Blood coats the claws and mouth of this wild-eyed minotaur. It holds the dripping remains of a heart in its claw.

Mad Minotaur. This feral minotaur is driven by a monstrous hunger that can be sated only by consuming the hearts of its foes. Its fur stained with blood, it fights with teeth, sharp claws, and lethal horns—though its greatest weapon is its ferocity.

Created by Disease. The ancient minotaur clans once deliberately exposed their warriors to a disease called the ravening, hoping to strengthen them. This practice led to disaster as the highly contagious disease spread, creating large numbers of ravening minotaurs—wild creatures filled with uncontrollable fury and a lust for consuming the hearts of other creatures.

The Ravening Disease

This affliction causes uncontrollable fury, and it can be transmitted by contact with infected fluids or clothing, or by the bite of a ravening minotaur. The ravening is highly contagious and can infect giants, humanoids, and monstrosities. A creature exposed to it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or become infected. Minotaurs have disadvantage on the saving throw.

After 24 hours, the infected creature gains the ravening minotaur’s Ravening Hunger and Ravening Madness traits until cured. If the infected creature is cured after its hp maximum increased from Ravening Hunger, it retains its new hp maximum.

After the first 24 hours, a minotaur infected with the ravening can be cured only by the greater restoration spell or similar powerful magic. Other creatures can be cured by the lesser restoration spell or similar disease-ending magic, as normal.