Cerberus

Huge monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 152 (16d12+48)
Speed 50 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
22 (+6)	15 (+2)	17 (+3)	7 (‒2)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6
Skills Insight +5, Perception +7, Stealth +5, Survival +4
Damage Resistances cold, fire, necrotic, radiant
Senses darkvision 200 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Common
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Special Traits

• Ageless. Cerberus cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
• Snake-Tail. Cerberus’ uses its Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls with its snake-tail.
• Three Heads. Cerberus gains double his proficiency bonus to and has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. In addition, he has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, or knocked unconscious.

Actions

• Multiattack. Cerberus makes three bite attacks and one snake-tail attack.
• Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10+6) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
• Snake-Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
• Poison Foam (Recharge 5-6). Cerberus exhales a spray of toxic liquid in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

About

Cerberus has not only three heads, but a serpent for a tail and in many legends he is, indeed, part snake. This three-headed canine guards the gates of Hell, and keeps the dead from escaping the afterlife—really though Cerberus’ claim to bit extra tacked in (a breath weapon). fame is his capture by Hercules as one of the Twelve Labors, a story celebrated again and again throughout both Greek and Roman arts.

Hercules wasn’t the first to get past Cerberus. Orpheus the bard slipped past by charming the beast with music, on his way to seek his beloved Eurydice. Aeneaus threw the dog a honey cake spiced with ‘drowsy essences’ which sent Cerberus to sleep.

Hercules traveled into the underworld at the bidding of Eurystheus, by way of a cave in Tainaron, guided by Athena and Hermes. Once down there Hercules encountered the heroes Theseus and Pirithous, held captive for trying to rescue Hade’s wife Persephone from Hell. He freed Theseus from the Chair of Forgetfulness to which they were bound by snakes, but sadly Pirithous remained trapped.

On the way out, of course, Hercules ran into the three-headed guardian and wrangled the hound, overcoming it with sheer strength, wrapping the dog in chains of adamant and dragging it to the surface, completing his Twelfth Labor by presenting the monster to Eurystheus.