Sand Shark

Large monstrosity, neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 123 (13d10 +52)
Speed 15 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	18 (+4)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +6, Survival +2
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft.,tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Foreboding Fin. A creature within 30 feet of the sand shark that sees its fins cutting through the ground must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw, becoming paralyzed and frightened for 1 minute on a failed save or frightened for the same duration on a successful one. A paralyzed or frightened creature can make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns, overcoming one of the conditions on a success.
• Ground Cover. The sand shark is considered to have half cover if it is in contact with unworked earth. If only its dorsal fins can be seen, it is considered to have three-quarters cover.
• Mancatcher. A sand shark can detect a human within 60 feet of it with pinpoint accuracy.
• Liquefy Sand. A sand shark can liquefy sand in its immediate vicinity while burrowing. The sand resolidifies following its passage.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The sand shark makes both bite and claw attacks.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d10 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is standing in quicksand, it must succeed at a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled 1d4 feet into the quicksand and become grappled. A creature grappled in such a fashion can escape the quicksand by making a DC 15 Strength saving throw as an action.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) slashing damage.
• Quicksand (Recharge 5-6). As an action, the sand shark creates a 5-foot-radius, 10-foot deep area of quicksand centered on a point it can see within 30 feet of it. A creature standing in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or sink 1d4 + 1 feet into the sand and become restrained. on a successful save, a creature moves to the closest space that isn’t quicksand. At the start of each restrained creature’s turns, it sinks another 1d4 feet into the sand. If the creature isn’t completely submerged, it can use its action to escape the quicksand by making a DC 15 Strength check. A creature that is completely submerged in sand starts to suffocate. A creature can pull another creature from the sand by using its action and making a DC 10 Strength check.

TACTICS

Initial Round 1-The sand shark moves within 30 feet of a group of PCs and allows only its dorsal fins to be seen, allowing it to use its passive Foreboding Fin feature.

Subsequent Round(s)-The sand shark uses its Quicksand ability to cause the ground beneath as many characters as possible to liquefy. It then dives beneath the ground gaining total cover. The sand shark then multiattacks a submerged PC, hoping to drag them completely into the quicksand. While it’s doing this, it only gains half cover from its contact with the ground.

Successful Attack-If it successfully pulled a PC into the earth on round 3, the sand shark multiattacks them. If not, and it hasn’t taken more than 20 points of damage, it reattempts its subsequent round tactic.

Retreat-If it takes more than 40 points of damage or fails to have a PC in hand by the end of round 4, it submerges itself completely and burrows away to look for easier prey.

ABOUT

Sand sharks are bizarre monsters that dwell in the desert and other arid, sandy locales. They have small, diamondshaped brown, tan, and black scales, long, sharklike snouts filled with needle-like teeth. Their legs are fin-like and tipped with sharp claws. They have dorsal spines running the length of their bodies, which can lay flat against their torsos or raise into knife-like blades that cut through the sand.

Sand sharks are most often encountered burrowing near the surface of the desert while allowing their dorsal spines to stand erect. It’s been theorized that they aid the creature in navigation and may contain sensing organs. If a sand shark wishes to go undetected, it can do so easily by keeping its entire body submerged.

Sand sharks are ambush predators, always striking at a creature from hiding. If they fail to subdue prey within a few rounds, they submerge and retreat to seek out easier prey. Sand sharks rarely fight to the death.

Unlike most burrowing creatures, sand sharks don’t dig tunnels, they liquefy the sand in their immediate area and use their long tails to propel themselves through it. The sand re-solidifies once a sand shark has moved through it.

d6	Sand Shark Treasure*
1	3d6 silver arrowheads worth 5 gp each
2	1d6 bloodstones worth 50 gp each
3	God of the Hunt’s ivory holy symbol worth 50 gp
4	Pipes of the sewers
5	Palladium necklace with gold quartz pendant worth 350 gp
6	Hand-painted deck of cards worth 200 gp

*Treasure looted from a sand shark are almost always found in its gullet. The silver arrowheads are instead found buried under its skin.