Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the behir fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Multiattack. The behir makes three attacks: one with its Bite, one to Constrict, and one with its Tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (4d10 + 8) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Huge or smaller creature. Hit: 24 (3d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 24 (3d10 + 8) slashing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 18) if the behir isn't already constricting a creature, and the target is restrained until this grapple ends.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage.
Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). The behir exhales a line of lightning that is 40 feet long and 10 feet wide. Each creature in that line must succeed on a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw, taking 82 (15d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Swallow. The behir makes one Bite attack against a Large or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is also swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the behir, and it takes 28 (8d6) acid damage at the start of each of the behir's turns. A behir can have only up to one Large or two Medium creatures swallowed at a time.
If the behir takes 40 damage or more on a single turn from the swallowed creature, the behir must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the behir. If the behir dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
The behir can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The behir regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The behir makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (1d10 + 8) piercing damage.
Tail Sweep (Costs 2 Actions). The behir sweeps its tail violently. Each creature standing on the ground in a 15-foot cube originating from the behir must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or take 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
Description
Very rarely do behirs get to live past their prime. The few that do, the ancient ones, grow to immense sizes, measuring nearly a hundred feet long. These mighty beasts can challenge the older dragons and pose a serious threat to settlements that live near their lair.
Regional Effects
The region containing an ancient behir’s lair is warped by the behir’s magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Static electricity is constantly generated by the stalactites, stalagmites, and other natural formations within 1 mile of the behir's lair. While it doesn't deal any damage, it prevents anyone unprotected from lightning damage from using Short or Long Rests.
- Earthquakes are common within 6 miles of the behir’s lair.
- Air and lightning elementals (Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, pg. 163) scour the land within 6 miles of the lair.
If the ancient behir dies, the elementals disappear immediately, and the static phenomena and earthquakes abate within 1d10 days.
Lair and Lair Actions
An ancient behir usually lives in underground locations that are difficult to reach, even by flying creatures. They prefer deep, narrow caves atop towering cliffs or bottomless caverns accessible only through tight, maze-like tunnels. Entrances and areas around the ancient behir's lair are typically guarded by creatures that worship and/or pay tribute to it, such as grimlocks, kobolds, lizardfolk, and troglodytes. The ancient behir finds these creatures too small to be bothered eating but recognizes their value to keep them around, as long as they don't venture near its lair. An ancient behir encountered in its lair has a challenge rating of 20 (25,000 XP).
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the behir takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the behir can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Stalactites fall from the ceiling, striking up to three creatures underneath that the behir can see within 120 feet of it. The behir makes one ranged attack roll (+7 to hit) against each target. On a hit, the target takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage.
- One creature the behir can see within 120 feet of it must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the behir. The effect ends on initiative count 20 on the next round.
- The behir electrically charges its body. A creature that touches the behir or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage. The effect ends on initiative count 20 on the next round.
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