Digestive Acid. If the ankheg has a grappled creature underground, it will begin secreting digestive acid on the creature, dealing 1d4 acid damage per round. The grappled creature makes a DC 18 Constitution saving throw, on a successful save the creature takes half damage (rounded up), on a failed save the creature takes full damage. On every third round of sequential damage, any armor worn by the creature takes a permanent and cumulative -1 to its AC rating, if its penalty drops to -5, the armor is destroyed. If a creature is not wearing armor, or its armor is destroyed, then the creature takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to its Max HP, instead. The permanent penalty to a creatures Max HP, lost in this way, may be restored by the greater restoration spell.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) acid damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 17). Until this grapple ends, the ankheg can bite only the grappled creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so. If the ankheg has pulled the grappled creature underground, the grappled creature becomes restrained. The restrained creature has disadvantage and a -2 penalty on Strength and Dexterity checks to break loose.
Acid Spray (Recharge 6). The ankheg spits acid in a line that is 30 feet long and 5 feet wide, provided that it has no creature grappled. Each creature in that line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Description
Combat Tactic. An ankheg usually lies 5 to 10 feet below the surface until its antennae detect the approach of prey. It then burrows up to attack. (Treat this as a charge, even though the ankheg does not need to move 10 feet before attacking.) Clusters of ankhegs share the same territory but do not cooperate. If several attack, each tries to grab a different foe. If there aren’t enough targets, two might grab the same creature in a tug-of-war. Once an ankheg has grappled its prey, it will then burrow backwards 5 to 10 feet below the surface, pulling its prey underground, dragging it to the ankheg's lair. Along the way the ankheg will release digestive acids to begin breaking down its prey for easier digestion. If the ankheg is damaged after grabbing its prey, it retreats backward down its tunnel at its land speed (not its burrow speed), dragging its prey with it.
Soft Underbelly. The back half of the ankheg's underbelly, under its abdomen, is softer and less armored than the rest of the ankheg's body. The ankheg's resistance to piercing and slashing damage does not apply to this area.
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