Sea Squirt, Giant

Medium monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed 0 ft., swim 25 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 1 (-5) 10 (+0) 3 (-4)

Skills Perception +2, Stealth +5
Damage Vulnerabilities slashing
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened
Senses blindsense 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12
Languages
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Sea Squirt Venom. A creature exposed to sea squirt venom must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 4 (1d8) poison damage and is poisoned until the end of its next turn. If the creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.
  • Surprise Attack. If the sea squirt surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the target takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage from the attack.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The sea squirt makes two siphon attacks.
  • Siphon. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target is exposed to sea squirt venom. If it is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the sea squirt can’t make siphon attacks against another target.

ABOUT

These ovoid, translucent filter-feeders have markings that resemble a bleach-white skull and ribcage. Although sea squirts (known more formally as ascidians) usually pose no more threat than a loofah, some species can deliver painful stings or even pose a mortal threat to coastal swimmers and reef explorers.

Particularly among the crowded coral reefs they call home, the skeleton image on a giant sea squirt’s mostly transparent body provides natural and effective camouflage. In addition, the skull and ribcage markings serve as a rudimentary nervous system, allowing them to perceive the aquatic world immediately around them, even despite their nonexistent vision or even a brain.

A giant sea squirt’s size is dictated by its diet; those intelligent species that use sea squirts as indiscriminate waste disposal systems may find their living trash compactors grown to a size that they become a threat to the unwary. Animals as large as full-grown sharks have been found paralyzed, drowned, and slowly digesting in a sea squirt’s gut.

Even normal-sized sea squirts can constitute a simple (but deadly) hazard for unwary swimmers.

Sea Squirt Patch Hazard

A patch of venomous sea squirts blends in seamlessly with the coral reef around it. The patch covers the ground in a space that is 5 feet on a side or larger. Spotting the patch requires a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) check. A creature that starts its turn in the patch or enters the patch for the first time on a turn takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage and must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, it takes 4 (1d8) poison damage and is poisoned until the end of its next turn. If the creature fails the save by 5 or more, it is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

A sea squirt patch has AC 10, 20 hit points, and immunity to psychic damage. A creature can use its action to neutralize a 5-foot-square section of the sea squirt patch by making a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Survival) check.

Sea Squirt Gardens

Some aquatic species that worship death or the cycle of life hold these creatures in high regard and cultivate whole gardens of them.

Certain merfolk societies predisposed to necromancy, for example, find sea squirts to be quite beautiful-not to mention helpful in trapping animals and intruders.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Battlezoo Bestiary (5E) © 2022, Skyscraper Studios, Inc.; Authors: William Fischer, Stephen Glicker, Paul Hughes, Patrick Renie, Sen.H.H.S., and Mark Seifter.

This is not the complete license attribution - see the full license for this page