| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 14 | +2 | +2 |
| DEX | 3 | -4 | -4 |
| CON | 20 | +5 | +5 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INT | 1 | -5 | -5 |
| WIS | 6 | -2 | -2 |
| CHA | 1 | -5 | -5 |
Ooze Cube. The cube fills its entire space and is transparent. Other creatures can enter that space, but a creature that does so is subjected to the cube’s Engulf and has Disadvantage on the saving throw.
Creatures inside the cube have Total Cover, and the cube can hold one Large creature or up to four Medium or Small creatures inside itself at a time.
As an action, a creature within 5 feet of the cube can pull a creature or an object out of the cube by succeeding on a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check, and the puller takes 10 (3d6) Acid damage.
Transparent. Even when the cube is in plain sight, a creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) check to notice the cube if the creature hasn’t witnessed the cube move or otherwise act.
Pseudopod. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 12 (3d6 + 2) Acid damage.
Engulf. The cube moves up to its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks. The cube can move through the spaces of Large or smaller creatures if it has room inside itself to contain them (see the Ooze Cube trait). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature whose space the cube enters for the first time during this move. Failure: 10 (3d6) Acid damage, and the target is engulfed. An engulfed target is suffocating, can’t cast spells with a Verbal component, has the Restrained condition, and takes 10 (3d6) Acid damage at the start of each of the cube’s turns. When the cube moves, the engulfed target moves with it. An engulfed target can try to escape by taking an action to make a DC 12 Strength (Athletics) check. On a successful check, the target escapes and enters the nearest unoccupied space. Success: Half damage, and the target moves to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the cube. If there is no unoccupied space, the target fails the save instead.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 7, 2025Nerfed a bit from 2014. HP reduced from 8 hit dice down to 6. Engulf only does 3d6 damage (down from 6d6), but it's suffocating you and preventing verbal spells.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Feb 14, 2025A little, but 6d6 damage at level 2 was deadly. I should note, the Cube no longer provokes opportunity attacks when trying to engulf, which means characters in the backline are now on the menu!
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Jun 11, 2025An engulfed creature is straight up immediately suffocating? As in, it doesn't matter how long they can hold their breath?
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Jun 14, 2025the description of suffocation says creatures can hold their breath and when they run out of breath they then start taking a level of exhaustion at the end of each turn. the status effect also specifies how long a creature can hold their breath in minutes, and has a minimum of 30 seconds; so I'd run this as they have at least 5 turns (depending on their constitution) of suffocating/holding their breath to try to escape before they start taking exhaustion.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Aug 1, 2025I read this differently, but I can totally see both interpretations.
"Before suffocation begins" implies to me that once suffocation has begun (as in this ability), the creature immediately starts suffering the effects. I also run it this way because otherwise, the suffocation mechanic is essentially unusable in combat - 5 rounds is plenty, and that's assuming a +0 Con, which isn't common. This way, it has the immediate panic effect that suffocation should have. Narratively, I describe the character's breath being taken out of them by the attack - even if you're really good at holding your breath, you won't last long without time to take a deep breath & raise your blood oxygen levels.
Anyone have any further thoughts? This has come up a few times in my games and I'm not 100% on my ruling.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Aug 12, 2025I concur. Your interpretation is the plain reading of the rule. The relevant part of the Engulf ability reads, "An engulfed target is suffocating." (emphasis added). The effects of suffocation are described by the second sentence in suffocating, which reads, "When a creature runs out of breath or is choking, it gains 1 Exhaustion level at the end of each of its turns." So, an engulfed creature immediately suffers that effect until it can breathe again.
The reason why a creature does not have additional time is because the creature "is suffocating" as soon as it is engulfed (see above). This section of the Engulf ability specifically bypasses the first sentence in suffocating which reads, "A creature can hold its breath for a number of minutes equal to 1 plus its Constitution modifier (minimum of 30 seconds) before suffocation begins." (emphasis added). Thus, we ignore the grace period described in the suffocating section's first sentence because suffocation has already begun.
If Engulf read along the lines of "An engulfed creature cannot breathe . . . ," then I would likely come to the opposite conclusion. But that is not the case.