Drowned Keelhand

medium undead, neutral evil

D&D 5.5 / SRD 5.2

Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)

Available with DM subscription
STR
17 (+3)
DEX
12 (+1)
CON
18 (+4)
INT
7 (-2)
WIS
11
CHA
6 (-2)

Defense

Armor Class
14 (natural armor)
Hit Points
68 (8d8+32 +4)
Speed
20 ft., swim 40 ft.

Treasure & Loot Common

No significant treasure

Proficiencies & Senses

Saving Throws strength, constitution
Skills
Stealth +3, Survival +2
Senses
darkvision 60 ft.
passive Perception 10

Characteristics

Damage Vulnerabilities
—
Damage Resistances
cold, necrotic
Damage Immunities
poison
Condition Immunities
exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, poisoned, prone
Languages Understands Common but can't speak

Traits and Actions

Amphibious

Trait
The keelhand can breathe air and water.

Bilge Camouflage

Trait
Advantage and Disadvantage Custom
While fully submerged, the keelhand has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Grasping Tide

Trait
Moving Around Other Creatures Rule
The keelhand can move through the space of any creature it has grappled without spending extra movement.

Multiattack

Action
The keelhand makes two Rope-Hand attacks.

Rope-Hand

Action
Grappled Condition Custom
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until the grapple ends, the keelhand can't use that hand on another target.

Drag Under

Action
Restrained Condition Custom
Suffocation Custom
One creature grappled by the keelhand must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw. On a failure, the keelhand pulls it up to 15 ft. toward or into water and the creature is restrained until the grapple ends; if the creature ends up fully submerged, it must hold its breath or begin suffocating.

Suffocation. Triggers suffocation rules if submerged.

Bilge Surge

Bonus Action
Prone Condition Custom
While in water, the keelhand churns the water around it; each creature within 10 ft. that is in the water must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Running the encounter

Combat Behavior

Tactics

  • Waits submerged in bilges or caves.
  • Ambushes trailing party members.
  • Drags victims underwater to drown.

Combat Style

Ambusher / Controller

Morale

Fights until destroyed; never retreats from water.

Appearance & presence

Monster Description

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