Petrifying Gaze. When a creature that can see the medusa’s eyes starts its turn within 30 feet of the medusa, the medusa can force it to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw if the medusa isn’t incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is restrained. The restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can’t see the medusa until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the medusa in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
If the medusa sees itself reflected on a polished surface within 30 feet of it and in an area of bright light, the medusa is, due to its curse, affected by its own gaze.
Multiattack. The medusa makes either three melee attacks--one with its snake hair and two with its shortsword--or two ranged attacks with its longbow.
Snake Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) poison damage.
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) poison damage.
Description
A victim of a terrible curse, the serpent-haired medusa petrifies all those who gaze upon it, turning creatures into stone monuments to its corruption.
What are their relation to Yuan-Ti and vice versa?
Do you think it'll be funny if medusa is the sculpture for saten.
Stone cursed were made to give medusa's thematic minions. Sure any spellcaster with flesh to stone can make them but a lich can use wights.
Hi, could you please help me with some questions:
- if there is no light, and the PCs use darkvision (60feet) and the medusa uses it as well, would they be the target of her gaze?
- if a druid shapechange into a bear form and goes to meele, fail his saving throw, then turns back to human, does she affeted by the gaze or start with a new saving throw?
- how many "targets" have the medusa in one turn of her gaze?
The correct name for this creature should be gorgon, Medusa is the proper name of a woman who was transformed into a gorgon. This is a bizarre error of historical knowledge.
It would be like races being written Adam race instead of human race.
How have people handled averting the gaze within the action economy? Do you use it as a reaction or say it is something that people can only do on their own turn?
I made a character for one of my players that was a redeemed medusa. I dropped the immortality, natural armor, multiattack and the petrification. The character still had the snake hair for dramatic effect and to discourage anyone from getting to close. I threw in an immunity to petrification as well and kept the same ability scores. I chose ranger for the class.
This was for the high school kid that wanted something different.
You cannot polymorph to a Stone Gollum. Its not a beast.
Yes. Because otherwise it would say "Constructs and undead are immune to Medusa's gaze" or something along those lines.
Actually, considering that the description of the item Steel Mirror mentions "keeping an eye on a medusa" in its list of uses, I'd say you can use reflections to safely keep an eye on it. Though you'd still have disadvantage on attacks and such. That's how I'd rule it as a DM anyway.
Damm Pit was really weak if this was a strong being
Sometimes I'd like to think that their gaze is just leagues more effective at turning themselves to stone than turning other beings to stone.
Yes but there are rules for the rotting process of the head I believe it's 1d12+1 for the days
But I think there's a spell that stops the rotting process of the corpse or body part if there is I don't remember the name of it
I've been looking everywhere to find the real life equivalent or comparable style of dress in artwork to the Medusa's wrap-around dress here. Does anybody know what the name of this dress is? Or any links to similar representations of her dress? I've researched a lot of ancient Greek clothing for starts, but none of them are a close enough style representation.
Would a Minor Illusion of a bucket on its head stop the gaze effect?
Allamus, over hundreds of years Greek speakers told many myths in several countries that weren't consistent. Some used one name and some another for these creatures. I prefer Medusa for the individual and Gorgons for her and her two sisters. That said, D&D does NOT try to accurately represent any single myth, but has a monster called a medusa (and gorgon for a different monster entirely.) Likewise, Perseus' trick of watching Medusa in his reflective shield would not work in D&D because the gaze effect reflects. In other myths, Perseus' trick of reflecting her gaze with his reflective shield would work in D&D. In other myths, Perseus' trick of petrifying the orc (a sea serpent) to save Andromeda by showing the severed head of Medusa would not work in D&D. Other Editions, at least, have specified that the magical gaze dies with the medusa.
And, of course, in your game you will be dealing with whatever interpretation your DM chooses, because that's how it works.