Waterkledde

Large fiend, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 123 (13d10 + 52)
Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
19 (+4)	15 (+2)	18 (+4)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)

Saving Throws Cha +5
Skills Athletics +7, Deception +5, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +3

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Hold Breath. The waterkledde can hold its breath for 15 minutes.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The waterkledde makes one Bite attack and two Claw attacks. If it hits one Medium or smaller creature with both Claw attacks, the waterkledde latches onto the creature with its Beak, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the waterkledde can automatically hit the target with its Beak, and the waterkledde can’t make Beak attacks against other targets.
• Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
• Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
• Frightening Call (Recharge 5–6). The waterkledde screeches “Kludde! Kledde! Kleure!” in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 22 (5d8) psychic damage and is frightened for 1 minute. On a success, a creature takes half the damage and isn’t frightened. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

BONUS ACTIONS

• Change Shape. The waterkledde magically transforms into a Small or Medium Beast, or back into its true, fiendish form. Without wings, it loses its flying speed. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are the same in each form. No matter the form, its eyes are always an unnatural green. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
• Supernatural Speed. The waterkledde takes the Dash or Disengage action. The gentle kitten sitting by the riverbank mewls softly. Suddenly, it pounces, transforming into a wolfish, winged horror with eyes that smolder a supernatural green. The waterkledde is a fiendish shape-shifter that preys upon travelers after sunset. While it can assume the form of nearly any beast, its true form is a winged black wolf with the hindquarters of a horse and a sharp beak within a wolfish snout. The waterkledde often makes its lair by bodies of water and herds its prey there to drown it before tearing it apart.

ABOUT

• Insidious Tormentor. The waterkledde delights in causing suffering before claiming the lives of its prey. It can speak the common tongues of man and often likes to hound its prey from a distance, calling out “Kludde! Kledde! Kleure!” to confuse, startle, and terrify them. After harrying prey, it assumes a shape such as a lonely horse or eager mutt, which approach and attack without arousing suspicion.
• Stuff of Superstition. Warnings about the waterkledde are many and meant safeguard the kind and naive. Locals warn travelers not to pick up stray animals; if they carry a waterkledde it might transform into something large enough to crush the kindly carrier. They advise travelers to drop a handkerchief if they are being chased by the waterkledde, insisting the travelers will be safe because the creature must stop and tear apart the handkerchief before resuming pursuit. When adventurers arrive to rid an area of a waterkledde, locals often attempt to stop them, insisting seven more will arise to take its place if it is killed outside its watery lair.