Smoke-Shoal Serpent

huge monstrosity, unaligned

D&D 5.5 / SRD 5.2

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Available with DM subscription
STR
18 (+4)
DEX
14 (+2)
CON
13 (+1)
INT
4 (-3)
WIS
13 (+1)
CHA
6 (-2)

Defense

Armor Class
15 (natural armor)
Hit Points
90 (12d12+12 +1)
Speed
10 ft., swim 50 ft.

Treasure & Loot Common

No significant treasure

Proficiencies & Senses

Saving Throws Dexterity, Wisdom
Skills
Stealth +5, Survival +4, Perception +4
Senses
darkvision 60 ft.
blindsight 30 ft.
Smoke-Scent 120 ft. (The serpent pinpoints creatures touching smoke or scalding water within 120 feet.)
passive Perception 14

Characteristics

Damage Vulnerabilities
—
Damage Resistances
fire
Damage Immunities
—
Condition Immunities
—
Languages —

Traits and Actions

Amphibious

Trait
Amphibious Custom
The serpent can breathe air and water.

Amphibious. Standard monster trait allowing breathing in both air and water.

Smoke Veil

Trait
Heavily Obscured Rule
Blindsight Custom
While in smoke or burning water, the serpent is heavily obscured. It can see through smoke and steam normally, and its blindsight is unimpeded there.

Heat Shimmer

Trait
Disadvantage Custom
Ranged attacks against the serpent have disadvantage unless the attacker is within 30 feet of it, as rising heat warps its outline.

Multiattack

Action
Multiattack Custom
The serpent makes one Bite attack and one Tail Lash attack.

Multiattack. The serpent combines its two natural attacks in a single action.

Bite

Action
Melee Attack Custom
Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) fire damage.

Tail Lash

Action
Prone Condition
Strength Saving Throw Custom
Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone or pushed 10 feet (serpent's choice).

Scalding Breath (Recharge 5-6)

Action
Dexterity Saving Throw Rule
The serpent exhales scalding smoke in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the cone must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failure, or half as much damage on a success.

Smoke Slip

Bonus Action
Hide Rule
Stealth Rule
While in smoke or burning water, the serpent takes the Hide action.

Bloodied Retreat

Reaction
Opportunity Attacks Custom
When the serpent is first reduced to half its hit points or fewer, it can move up to its swim speed without provoking opportunity attacks and sinks into burning water.

Running the encounter

Combat Behavior

Tactics

  • Lurks in smoke and strikes the rudder and rowers first.
  • Uses Scalding Breath on clustered crew, then Smoke Slip to vanish.
  • Tail Lash knocks rowers prone before slipping back into burning water.

Combat Style

Ambush lurker that disables a vessel's steering and propulsion.

Morale

Strikes from ambush and retreats into burning water when bloodied.

Appearance & presence

Monster Description

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