Aladdin go bye bye

I'm guessing a character named "Dyson" would have advantage against this construct.

A creature grappled by the monster can use its action to try to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the escape DC in the monster's stat block. If no escape DC is given, assume the DC is 10 + the monster's Strength (Athletics) modifier.

would you consider an unconscious creature, grappled by the rug, to take an automatic crit from the rugs bludgeoning damage, thus equalling two death save failures? or would you not consider it a "melee" attack within 5 feet thus only taking one? 

its considered part of a melee weapon attack and if its being grappled the unconcious creature is within 5ft  hope this clears that up

thank you for your response

How is this not considered an Urban enemy? I highly doubt that walking through the forest, swamp, or literally anything except an urban (town, city, castle, etc) setting would have these things laying about.

Quote from YoshiGoomba123 >>

Aladdin go bye bye

Can I wear this as a cape?

So how would a party notice and/or avoid the rug? It's indistinguishable from a normal rug, so is there any other way aside from Detect Magic that a player could see this is a rug of smothering? I'm creating an encounter for my group (new to DMing), and trying to determine if there is a perception check high enough for them to know that it's a trapped rug.

Due to the rug's purpose as a sentient trap, and a magical one at that, player characters probably won't be able to find out unless it's too late. However, if they have detect magic active, they'll be able to sense the animating magic (I flavor it as transmutation magic) around and within the rug.

Got attacked by one of these tonight. Tried to fight back, but had a little conflict between RAW and what I believe the RAI was. 

I understood damage transfer's intent was to redirect half the damage from attacks by those not restrained, but as written, if you try to cut your own way out, you still take half the damage.

Yeah, I understand damage transfer from outside a R.o.S., a lurker above, a trapper, a cloaker & similar monsters, but not from Inside. That simply doesn't make sense to me.

Good point, Drawfonaf. Unless you were casting an area effect spell in there :)

A DM has to make a lot of judgement calls on the fly without bogging the game down. Sometimes we get it wrong.
I'm using one soon and I'll probably limit attacks from the inside to light and finess weapons - or spells without S components.  I cant see how you can swing a maul while wrapped in a rug.

I put this question up on forums. General response was RAW probably matches RAI. For my own campaigns though, I'm gonna keep running it the same way I have for years.

I wonder if this creature is inspired by the old-school Sheet Phantom and Sheet Ghoul from 1st and 2nd editions?

It was a cursed magic item version of a carpet of flying in the old editions.

A tamed one of these at a front door with the words “please wipe your feet” stitched into it, it only activates when someone doesn’t wipe their feet...

Quote from Drawfonaf >>

Got attacked by one of these tonight. Tried to fight back, but had a little conflict between RAW and what I believe the RAI was. 

I understood damage transfer's intent was to redirect half the damage from attacks by those not restrained, but as written, if you try to cut your own way out, you still take half the damage.

Yeah, I understand damage transfer from outside a R.o.S., a lurker above, a trapper, a cloaker & similar monsters, but not from Inside. That simply doesn't make sense to me.

Ever been rolled tightly in carpet? Even a dagger could be difficult to wield safely while wrapped in a rug! A sword, club, or other weapons larger than a foot long, would be even more difficult to attack with without striking oneself, in such a confined condition. I believe the intent with this creature's Grapple + Damage Transfer, was to be just shy of Pinned, in regard to a single smothered creature's conditional impairment. I think Smother is intended to be markedly different mechanically, than Envelop/Engulf(sp?) or Swallow, in this respect. 

If I wanted to weaken it a bit, I'd give the rug Fire vulnerability; then a Smothered creature can at least get 2:1 damage against it.

Quote from Geophreigh_the_rather_large >>

Can I wear this as a cape?

If you want people to whisper behind your back about your "wearing a rug", I guess so?

Given the flexibility in appearance described, similar constructs might include almost any textile object sturdy enough to trod on. There are also trunks containing duvets & other sheets\bedding in one of the books, & I think a Rug of Smothering may be among them? I would find the existence of a Cape of Smothering plausible; though I'd probably knock its Hit Dice down to d6.

Quote from JonDonley >>

How is this not considered an Urban enemy? I highly doubt that walking through the forest, swamp, or literally anything except an urban (town, city, castle, etc) setting would have these things laying about.

 Agreed.