Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Large creature. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
Hive Mind. The swarm is controlled by a hive mind, which allows it to divide and recombine as a bonus action. The swarm can split into two smaller swarms, each with half the swarm's hit points, or combine with another swarm within 30 feet to form a larger swarm with double the swarm's hit points.
Carnivorous Hunger. The swarm deals extra damage when it has advantage on the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes an additional 13 (3d8) piercing damage.
Devour and Divide. Once per day, the swarm can expend its action to summon a number of smaller versions of itself. The swarm takes 20 (4d8) piercing damage and splits into two swarms, each with half the original swarm's hit points. These new swarms appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the original swarm.
If the two new swarms are not destroyed within 1 minute, they consume each other and the original swarm is healed for 42 (8d8) hit points, as it absorbs the energy of its consumed duplicates.
Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack +6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit 17 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage, or 8 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage if the swarm has disadvantage on the attack roll.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack +6 to hit, reach 0 ft., one target in the swarm's space. Hit The target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the swarm can't constrict another target.
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Carnivorous Swarm can take one Lair Action to harness the environment to its advantage. The swarm can use only one Lair Action per round.
Savage Burst: The Carnivorous Swarm releases a burst of feral energy, causing the ground to tremble. Each creature within 30 feet of the swarm must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
Terrifying Howl: The Carnivorous Swarm emits a bone-chilling howl that resonates throughout the lair. Each creature within 60 feet of the swarm must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.
Voracious Swarm: The Carnivorous Swarm summons a horde of smaller creatures from the shadows of its lair. Two swarms of creatures (such as rats, spiders, or insects) appear in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of the Carnivorous Swarm. These swarms act immediately after the Carnivorous Swarm's turn in the initiative order and are under the swarm's control.
Description
The Carnivorous Swarm is a terrifying and relentless entity, comprised of countless carnivorous creatures that combine their strength and instincts to form a unified mass of death and destruction. As a swarm, it moves with eerie coordination, its constituent creatures working in perfect harmony under the control of a hive mind. The swarm appears as a seething mass of writhing bodies, with beady white eyes in the midst of its shadowy form.
The swarm is known for its insatiable hunger, driven by an instinctive desire to consume and devour all in its path. It feeds on the flesh of its victims, leaving behind nothing but skeletal remains as a grim testament to its presence. The swarm possesses an uncanny ability to divide and recombine, allowing it to adapt its size and strategy based on the situation at hand.
Those unfortunate enough to encounter the Carnivorous Swarm are faced with a relentless onslaught of biting and rending attacks. The swarm's movements are swift and agile, as it darts and weaves through the air or across the ground with uncanny speed. It can engulf and suffocate its prey, trapping them within its mass of wriggling bodies, where escape becomes nearly impossible.
The Carnivorous Swarm exudes an aura of dread and malevolence, its presence accompanied by unsettling whispers and a foreboding sense of impending doom. It is a creature of darkness and instinct, devoid of mercy or remorse, driven solely by its insatiable hunger.
Those who dare to confront the Carnivorous Swarm must steel themselves for a relentless battle against a relentless foe, one that thrives on the fear and vulnerability of its victims. Only the bravest and most resourceful adventurers have a chance at surviving an encounter with this monstrous entity.
Lair and Lair Actions
The lair of the Carnivorous Swarm is a sprawling network of interconnected tunnels, hidden deep within a dense forest or in the depths of a dark cavern. The tunnels are lined with the remnants of the swarm's previous victims, serving as a macabre testament to its voracious appetite. The air is thick with the stench of decay, and the ground is littered with bones and discarded carcasses. The lair exudes an eerie aura, with unsettling whispers that seem to emanate from the walls themselves. In the heart of the lair lies the central chamber, where the monstrous entity controlling the swarm resides.
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Swarm Assault: The walls of the lair tremble as the swarm summons a surge of smaller creatures to aid it. Each creature within the lair that is part of the swarm's hive mind gains temporary hit points equal to half their hit point maximum. Additionally, the swarm's next melee attack deals an extra 1d6 damage on a hit. This extra damage increases to 2d6 if the target is already restrained or grappled by the swarm.
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Suffocating Darkness: The lair fills with an oppressive darkness, thickening the shadows. All non-swarm creatures within the lair must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become blinded until the end of their next turn. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
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Rending Swarm: The swarm's movements become frenzied and unpredictable. Each creature within the lair that is part of the swarm's hive mind can use its reaction to make a melee attack against a target within its reach. The swarm's hive mind creatures gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls for these attacks.
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