Stargazer

Huge monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64)
Speed 15 ft., burrow 20 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 3 (–4) 14 (+2) 4 (–3)

Saving Throws Str +9
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +8
Condition Immunities prone
Senses tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Tendril Whip Regrowth. The stargazer has twelve tendrils. If all twelve tendrils are destroyed, it can’t use Tendril Whip. Destroyed tendrils regrow when the stargazer finishes a long rest.
  • Magic Resistance. The stargazer has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The stargazer makes three Bite or Slam attacks and two Tendril Whip attacks. It can replace one Bite attack with a use of Wing Trap.
  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) piercing damage.
  • Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
  • Tendril Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 20 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the stargazer can’t use the same tendril on another target. A tendril can be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 20; immunity to poison and psychic damage). Destroying a tendril deals no damage to the stargazer.
  • Wing Trap. If the stargazer has no creatures trapped, it snaps its wing-like appendages shut, attempting to trap nearby creatures.

BONUS ACTIONS

  • Reel. The stargazer pulls up to two creatures grappled by it up to 15 feet straight toward it.

REACTIONS

  • Wing Trap Snap. When one or more creatures step onto a space on the ground no more than 10 feet directly above a hidden stargazer, the stargazer can burrow up to 10 feet and snap its wing-like appendages shut, emerging on the ground in a space directly above where it was buried and that contains one or more other creatures. Each of those creatures must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be trapped as if it failed a saving throw against the stargazer’s Wing Trap. Each creature within 5 feet of the stargazer must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. A creature grappled by the stargazer has disadvantage on the saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and becomes trapped, ending the grapple if it was grappled. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t trapped. A trapped creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the stargazer, and it takes 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the stargazer’s turns. A trapped creature can take its action to escape the trap by succeeding on a DC 16 Strength check. A stargazer can have up to two creatures trapped at a time. While it has at least one creature trapped, the stargazer can’t burrow and can’t Bite creatures outside its Wing Trap.

ABOUT

This massive creature looks like a bizarre cross between a stingray, a Venus fly trap, and a crocodile. The stargazer can be found in deserts, wastelands, and along the coast—anywhere with sand deep enough for it to bury itself. Its eyes and massive mouth are on the top of its body, flanked by tentacled, wing-like appendages.

Trap Hunter. When hungry, the stargazer buries itself beneath the sand and waits for prey to walk atop it. When a creature steps on the stargazer, it snaps its broad, wing-like appendages shut, trapping the prey. It then uses the tendrils around its mouth to hold the trapped creatures close to its waiting mouth.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts 3 © 2022 Open Design LLC; Authors: Eytan Bernstein, Celeste Conowitch, Benjamin L. Eastman, Robert Fairbanks, Scott Gable, Basheer Ghouse, Richard Green, Jeremy Hochhalter, Jeff Lee, Christopher Lockey, Sarah Madsen, Ben Mcfarland, Jonathan Miley, Kelly Pawlik, Sebastian Rombach, Chelsea Steverson, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham

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