Segmented Body. The Colossal Tapeworm’s body is made up of many segments. Each time it takes damage that reduces it to below half its hit point maximum, it sheds a segment, reducing its overall length and allowing it to regain 30 hit points. This ability activates only once per turn.
Burrower. The Colossal Tapeworm can burrow through the ground, leaving behind difficult terrain as its body shifts the earth around it.
Regeneration. The tapeworm regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn, as long as it has at least 1 hit point.
Parasitic Nature. The tapeworm can burrow into a huge or larger creature's body (such as a dragon or behemoth), infecting it over time. If a creature that hosts a Colossal Tapeworm dies, it leaves behind an infestation of larvae in its remains.
Multiattack. The Colossal Tapeworm makes two Bite attacks.
Bite.
Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 21 (3d10+4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or become infected with a parasitic disease. While infected, the target takes 5 (1d10) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the infection on a success.
Acidic Spray (Recharge 5-6).
The Colossal Tapeworm ejects a stream of acidic bile in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures hit by the acid also take 5 (1d10) acid damage at the start of their next turn unless they use an action to wipe off the acid.
Death Burst
When the Colossal Tapeworm dies, it bursts, releasing hundreds of larvae in a 20-foot radius. Creatures in the area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be infected by larvae, which deal 5 (1d10) necrotic damage at the start of each of their turns. These larvae can be killed by fire or a successful Lesser Restoration spell.
Segment Shed (Recharge 5-6).
The Colossal Tapeworm sheds a portion of its segmented body, allowing it to heal. It immediately regains 30 hit points and leaves behind a Wriggling Segment in its space. The segment is a Tiny, mindless creature with 15 hit points, AC 12, and a movement speed of 10 ft. It attacks any living creature within 5 feet with a weak bite (+3 to hit, 1d4 piercing damage). The segment survives for 1 minute or until destroyed
Thrashing Retaliation.
When the Colossal Tapeworm is hit by a melee attack, it can use its reaction to thrash its massive body. The attacker must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone and take 10 (2d6+3) bludgeoning damage from the force of the blow.
The Colossal Tapeworm can take 1 legendary action, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Colossal Tapeworm regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
- Shift Body. The Colossal Tapeworm moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
- Thrash. The tapeworm makes a single bite attack.
Enter the description for how mythic actions work for your monster here.
Mythic Action Name (Costs # Actions). Enter the description for your mythic action.
Description
he Colossal Tapeworm is a terrifying parasite that grows to enormous size inside the bodies of gigantic creatures, feeding on their blood, tissues, and magical essence. Pale white and segmented, its body can stretch up to 50 feet in length, its translucent skin revealing pulsing organs and writhing larvae within. It is often found inside massive creatures like dragons, titans, or behemoths, but in rare cases, it can burrow through the earth in search of new hosts.
Unlike most mindless parasites, the Colossal Tapeworm is a ferocious predator. It bites through flesh with razor-sharp teeth, sprays corrosive bile to melt prey, and can regenerate from damage by shedding its segments, growing back over time. When killed, it releases a deadly swarm of parasitic larvae, which can infect any nearby living creatures.
Adventurers seeking to defeat a Colossal Tapeworm must be wary of its burrowing tactics and its ability to regenerate, making it a formidable foe for those unprepared for its tenacity.
Lair and Lair Actions
The Colossal Tapeworm typically makes its lair inside the rotting remains of gigantic creatures like dragons, behemoths, or titans. These remains form a twisted, decaying cavern of flesh and bone, with the tapeworm carving tunnels through the body as it burrows and feeds. The air is thick with decay and acidic vapors, and the ground is coated in a slippery, mucus-like substance secreted by the worm.
In rarer cases, the tapeworm makes its lair underground, where it burrows through stone and dirt, leaving behind a sprawling network of tunnels. These caverns are often dark, moist, and filled with parasitic creatures that thrive in the worm's wake. Wherever it lairs, the environment is hazardous to living creatures due to the worm’s influence, and the tapeworm has the ability to control its surroundings to defend itself.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing ties), the Colossal Tapeworm can take one of the following lair actions. It can’t use the same action two rounds in a row:
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Acidic Mucus Flood. The ground within 30 feet of the Colossal Tapeworm becomes coated in a slippery mucus-like acid. All creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone. Creatures that fall prone take 7 (2d6) acid damage at the start of each of their turns until they use their action to wipe off the mucus.
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Tunnel Collapse. The Colossal Tapeworm causes part of the lair to collapse. Choose a 10-foot-radius section of the ceiling or walls within 60 feet of the worm. Creatures in the area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The area is filled with difficult terrain after the collapse.
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Larval Surge. The Colossal Tapeworm releases a surge of its larvae into the environment. A 20-foot-radius area within 60 feet of the worm becomes swarmed with tiny, biting larvae. Creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be infected by the larvae. Infected creatures take 5 (1d10) necrotic damage at the start of each of their turns until they succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or are affected by magic that cures disease.
The region surrounding a Colossal Tapeworm’s lair is corrupted by its parasitic influence, creating one or more of the following effects:
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Infested Remains. Large remains of creatures (such as behemoths or dragons) within 1 mile of the lair are infested with tiny parasitic larvae. Any creature inspecting or disturbing these remains has a 50% chance of being infected by the larvae, which deal 5 (1d10) necrotic damage each hour until treated by magic or fire.
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Mucus Pools. Pockets of viscous, acidic mucus form naturally within 1 mile of the lair. These pools are 5 feet deep and can be up to 20 feet wide. Any creature that enters or ends its turn in one of these pools takes 7 (2d6) acid damage.
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Weakened Earth. The ground within 1 mile of the lair is unnaturally soft and prone to collapsing. Creatures moving at full speed on the ground must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or fall into a 10-foot-deep sinkhole, becoming restrained by dirt and debris.
If the Colossal Tapeworm is killed, these effects dissipate over the course of 1d10 days, as the land gradually returns to normal.
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