Defense
Hit Points
300 (20d12+140 +5)
Proficiencies & Senses
Saving Throws
strength, constitution
Skills
Stealth +2, Athletics +9, Acrobatics +2, Intimidation +5
Senses
darkvision 60 ft.
Cosmic Awareness 300 ft. (The ability to sense the presence of living beings in a vast area.)
passive Perception 10
Characteristics
Damage Resistances
poison, psychic
Damage Immunities
necrotic
Condition Immunities
frightened, paralyzed
Languages
Understand Galactic but cannot speak
Traits
Spine Barrage
When the Abyssal Spiketail takes damage, it can release a barrage of spines as a reaction, dealing 3d8 piercing damage to all creatures within 15 feet. This ability can be used once per round.
Cosmic Regeneration
The Abyssal Spiketail regains 20 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Actions
Multiattack
The Abyssal Spiketail makes three attacks: one with its Bite and two with its Claw.
Bite
Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5d12 + 9 piercing damage plus 3d8 necrotic damage.
Claw
Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 4d10 + 9 slashing damage.
Tail Swipe
Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 15 ft., all targets in a line. Hit: 6d6 + 9 bludgeoning damage and targets must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Combat Behavior
Tactics
• Engage foes quickly using physical attacks.
• Utilize Spine Barrage when threatened or surrounded.
• Retreat if heavily injured or outnumbered.
Combat Style
Aggressive and territorial, focusing on overwhelming force.
Morale
Fiercely protective of its territory, the Abyssal Spiketail fights valiantly until death or severe injuries.
Monster Description
The Abyssal Spiketail is a terrifying sight to behold in the vast emptiness of space. With its gigantic, spiny blue body covered in countless sharp protrusions, it roams the galaxy in search of prey. Its appearance is striking, featuring an elongated tail adorned with lethal barbs, broad shoulders, and an intimidating array of spikes that crown its back. Its piercing blue eyes glow ominously, reflecting the void of space. With an immense height that dwarfs many known creatures, the Abyssal Spiketail is not just a physical menace but also an enigmatic being, shrouded in cosmic mysteries. Its very presence seems to warp the fabric of space around it, leaving traces of energy in its wake. The creature is rarely seen up close, as it prefers to lurk in the shadows of cosmic debris, attacking anything that crosses its path with swift and brutal ferocity.
Monster behavior
The Abyssal Spiketail is a solitary predator that instills fear into the hearts of all who encounter it. Using its powerful legs, it can traverse celestial bodies with great speed, utilizing its intimidating stature to dominate its surroundings. Its attack strategy revolves around initiating fights with its devastating bite or claw attacks, quickly followed by the perilous Tail Swipe to make sure any foes are immobilized. The monster is known to unleash its Spine Barrage if provoked, effectively decimating adversaries in close range. The Abyssal Spiketail's intelligence is rudimentary, relying purely on instinct for hunting and self-preservation, making it unpredictable to encounter. Even in its rage, it displays an eerie silence, moving like a shadow against the bright backdrops of stars. With its ability to regenerate, this creature becomes even more challenging to defeat, requiring foes to outsmart it rather than simply overpower it.
Ecology
In the broader ecosystem of space, the Abyssal Spiketail plays the role of a top predator among the lesser cosmic entities. Feeding on space-dwelling organisms and occasionally scavenging remains of deceased celestial beings, it balances out population behaviors within its territories. Despite its predatory nature, the Spiketail is sometimes preyed upon by even more mysterious cosmic beings, indicating a cycle of life that spans across various layers of the universe. Its existence hints at an unexplored aspect of space life that thrives in the darkness between the stars, forming an interstellar harmony that remains obscure to many scholars of the cosmos.
History
The history of the Abyssal Spiketail is as enigmatic as its existence itself. Some legends claim that these creatures are the offspring of ancient cosmic forces, created as guardians of the void. Others suggest they are remnants of a failed experiment from a long-forgotten civilization aiming to harness the unimaginable power of the cosmos. Over the eons, they have become synonymous with terror, tales of their rampages through space becoming the nightmares of many a space-faring traveler. The few accounts of close encounters recount instances of whole ships being destroyed with a swift flash of spines followed by a piercing wail of the creature, leading many to believe that the Abyssal Spiketail embodies the very essence of chaos in the universe.