Amorphous. The Marrownet can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Spider Climb. The Marrownet can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Summon Puppets (3/day). As a bonus action, the Marrownet lowers the corpses of those it has slain; 3 (1d6) zombies or skeletons arise in unoccupied spaces within 15 feet of the Marrownet. While under the control of the Marrownet, these corpses are immune to the effects of Turn Undead. The puppets act right after the Marrownet on the same initiative count and fight until they’re destroyed. They become inert when the Marrownet is destroyed.
Caustic Compulsion. As a bonus action, the Marrownet burrows into the mind of up to five creatures within 120 ft of itself. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw to resist the influence of the Marrownet. On a failed save, it takes 9 (3d6) psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move (dash) as far as its speed allows closer to the Marrownet. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn’t have to move closer.
Multiattack. The Marrownet makes two pseudopod attacks and one Puppeteer.
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 60 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, plus 7 (2d6) psychic damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is considered restrained.
Puppeteer. The Marrownet can make a Puppeteer attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. The target must make an additional DC 18 Wisdom save, or be charmed by the Marrownet.
While under the effects of this charm, the Marrownet assumes total and precise control of the target. The creature takes only the actions the Marrownet commands. During this time the Marrownet can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this consumes the Marrownet's reaction. Each time the victim takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the effect. If the saving throw succeeds, the charm ends and it returns to being grappled and restrained.
Description
Slinking upon the ceilings of the Underdark is an ooze of frightening intelligence that enjoys playing with its meal. Unlike most oozes, the Marrownet is careful to expel and clean the weaponry and treasure of its victims. It forms a neat and tantalizing pile of wealth beneath its slithering mass to tempt more warm bodies. Using thin cords of slime that descend from above it sets a trap for careless creatures that blunder into its lair. The sticky tendrils latch on to the limbs of its prey and with a telekinetic shock the Marrownet forges a new play-thing to puppeteer for awhile.
If the ooze fails to commandeer a suitable live puppet, it will instead use a few of the expired models to deal with unruly guests. One of the more unsettling features of a Marronet’s lair is the leftover meals it binds to the ceiling. It puts these skeletal husks to quick use orchestrating their movements to strike adventurers in a macabre dance.
Though at first glance they seem impossible to reason with, Marrownets can be bribed with interesting or exotic live creatures. However, their hedonistic streak might mean their alliances are rather dubious. Never shake on a Marrownet’s word, lest you become another one of its many puppets.
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Posted Oct 25, 2019minor question but shouldn't the Caustic Compulsion be ether a once per day ability or be included in it's multiattack? why wouldn't it attempt to do some extra psychic damage and get wizards out of hidedyholes?
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Posted Oct 25, 2019I wanted it to infringe on its ability to spawn more enemies and make it a trade off. The DM can choose to draw in players or spawn more creatures each round using a bonus action. I may eventually take away the damage component in the final version because the ability is fairly nice on its own.
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Posted Oct 27, 2019Jess, the art for this is absolutely the thing of nightmares. I'm thinking of putting at least one of these in my Tomb of Annihilation game during one of my next few sessions. I can't wait to see how the players react to it.