Malleable, Minor

Family: Malleable

Medium aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 11 (natural armor)
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)

Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +4, Cha +2
Damage Immunities psychic
Condition Immunities blinded, prone
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 12
Languages all, telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Special Traits

  • Amorphous. The malleable can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
  • Controlled Mutability. Any spell or effect that would alter the malleable’s form only alters it until the end of the malleable’s next turn. Afterwards, the malleable returns to its amorphous form. In addition, the malleable can use its action to change itself into any shape, but it always looks like an inside-out fleshy creature no matter the shape it takes. If it changes into the shape of a creature, it doesn’t gain any statistics or special abilities of that creature; it only takes on the creature’s basic shape and general appearance.
  • Psychic Absorption. Whenever the malleable is subjected to psychic damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hp equal to the psychic damage dealt.
  • Spider Climb. The malleable can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

  • Flesh Tendril. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 12).
  • Psychic Drain. One creature grappled by the malleable must make a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw, taking 4 (1d8) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The target’s hp maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies and becomes a minor malleable if this effect reduces its hp maximum to 0.
  • Join Malleables. As long as the malleable is within 10 feet of at least three other minor malleables, each minor malleable in range can use this action option at the same time to join together and create a larger malleable. The new malleable’s hp total is equal to the combined hp total of all the minor malleables. and it is affected by any conditions, spells, and other magical effects that affected any of the minor malleables. The new malleable acts on the same initiative count as the malleables that formed it and occupies any unoccupied space that previously contained at least one of the malleables that formed it.
    • Four minor malleables can join to create one moderate malleable.
    • Eight minor malleables can join to create one major malleable.
    • Sixteen minor malleables can join to create one massive malleable.

About

A pile of red, gooey flesh slurps along the ground. The meat climbs upon itself, squishing as it creates a formidable, hungry wall.

Malleables are malevolent, formless piles of flesh that absorb psychic energy and grow smarter and stronger when combined together.

Consumers of Psychic Power. Creatures that consume psychic energy can become so infused with it that their bodies implode. The power lingers in the grotesque mass of flesh, warping the creature’s mind even more than its body and creating a hunter that hungers to consume and grow. Malleables do not remember their personal lives before implosion, but they do retain facts and lore. They think themselves superior to all other creatures, which are simply prey. Their goals are simple: drain every creature they can of psychic energy and rule the world as a massive, roiling meat puddle. Malleables have infinite patience and can wait centuries until they feel the time is right to go on a psychic energy binge.

Many Shapes. Malleables have no set form, but they can stretch and alter their forms easily, moving on appendages or flowing like an ooze. They might form a face (or many faces at once) if they wish to convey an emotion to another creature, or take the shape of a truly terrifying beast (like a giant spider) if they wish to create panic. No matter the shape they take, malleables always appear to be a fleshy creature turned inside out.

Our Powers Combined. Malleables can join together, creating a larger, more powerful creature that shares the intellect of all the combined intelligences. These bigger malleables can separate into smaller aberrations when it suits them.

Ancient Knowledge Hoarders. It is said that malleables have perfect memories and the oldest of these creatures remember ancient lore other creatures have long forgotten.

Many sages have tried and failed to capture malleables to prod their minds for secrets, but the creatures almost always find a way to escape. Adventurers are often given the dangerous tasks of capturing, guarding, or questioning a malleable.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts 2. © 2020 Open Design LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Celeste Conowitch, Darrin Drader, James Introcaso, Philip Larwood, Jeff Lee, Kelly Pawlik, Brian Suskind, Mike Welham.

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