Salt Mephit Desiccator

Family: Mephits

Small elemental, neutral evil

Armor Class 11
Hit Points 36 (8d6+8)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
8 (-1)	13 (+1)	12 (+1)	9 (-1)	11 (+0)	12 (+1)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +3
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant, Water (see below)
Damage Immunities poison, necrotic
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 1
Languages Aquan, Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Death Burst. When a salt mephit desiccator dies, it explodes in a burst of salt fragments. Each creature within 5 feet of it must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) slashing damage and 3 (1d6) necrotic damage and becoming blinded for one minute upon a failure and taking half damage and not being blinded on a success. A blinded creature can repeat this saving throw on each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a success.
• False Appearance. While a salt mephit desiccator remains motionless it is indistinguishable from a formation or pile of normal salt or crystals of similar appearance.
• Inflict Wounds (1/Day). A salt mephit desiccator can touch a living victim and destroy fluid in it, inflicting 22 (4d10) necrotic damage on a hit, exactly as per the spell inflict wounds. It requires no material components and its innate spellcasting ability is Charisma.
• Destroy Moisture (1/Day). A salt mephit desiccator can destroy (i.e., vaporize) all atmospheric moisture in a 30-foot radius around itself, to include the non-magical contents of things like canteens and wineskins. It requires no material components and its innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. Any living creature in this area must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become uncomfortably parched and unable to speak. Victims of this effect can reattempt the saving throw at the end of each of their turns, doing so at advantage if they are able to drink something. Significant presence of water in the area will effectively negate this ability and instead cause up to 20 gallons of it to be destroyed.
• Water Susceptibility. A salt mephit desiccator is very susceptible to being dissolved and will suffer 9 (2d8) acid damage for every gallon of water splashed on it; a waterskin full of water will inflict 4 (1d8) points of damage. Water effects that cause damage inflict double damage to this monster, inflict acid damage to it, and cause it to have disadvantage on saving throws to avoid or reduce damage (e.g., the “Geyser” effect of a Decanter of Endless Water will inflict 2d4 acid damage rather than 1d4 bludgeoning damage, but the save to avoid being knocked prone is not made at disadvantage). Water-producing spells that do not normally inflict damage will inflict up to 1d6 acid damage per level of the spell or spell slot used to cast them (e.g., create or destroy water used to make rain fall on a salt mephit desiccator will inflict 1d6 acid damage if cast with a 1st-level spell slot, 2d6 acid damage if cast with a 2nd-level spell slot, etc.).
• Summon Mephits (1/Day). A salt mephit desiccator has a 25 percent chance of summoning 2 (1d4) salt mephits. Each summoned Mephit appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of its summoner, acts as an ally of its summoner, and cannot summon other mephits. It remains for one minute, until it or its summoner dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action.

ACTIONS

• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.
• Salt Breath (Recharge 6). A salt mephit desiccator can exhale a 20-foot cone of caustic salt. Each creature in that area must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) slashing damage and being blinded for one minute on a failed save and taking half damage and not being blinded on a successful save. A blinded creature can repeat this saving throw on each of its turns, ending the effect on itself with a success.

ABOUT

Salt mephit desiccators look much like regular mephits of their kind but are somewhat larger, are even nastier in disposition, and have shimmering occult runes pulsing faintly just below the surfaces of their hides. Such creatures are superior to their lesser cousins in most ways and sometimes summon and lead them in activities they cannot accomplish alone.

Salt mephit desiccators can speak Aquan, Common, and the language of the Negative Energy Plane.