Legendary Resistance (2/day). If the equoid fails on a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The spawning equoid has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Reactive. The spawning equoid can make one reaction on every turn of a combat.
Spellcasting. The equoid is a 14th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). It has following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): thorn whip friends infestation minor illusion mind sliver
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle, bane
2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, wither and bloom, calm emotions
3rd level (3 slots): bestow curse, fear, hypnotic pattern
4th level (3 slots): black tentacles, confusion, blight
5th level (2 slots): contagion
6th level (1 slot): wall of thorns
7th level (1 slot): reverse gravity
Toxic Flesh. If a creature eats an equoid’s flesh, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) poison damage. Regardless of save success, its Wisdom score is reduced by 1d4 until it finishes a long rest. If it conceives offspring while its Wisdom score is reduced (and conception is unusually likely while affected), that offspring is a Mythos satyr, outer mutant, or other creature influenced by Shub-Niggurath.
Unearthly. The equoid is immune to confusion, insanity, and diseases.
Unnerving Susurrus. The equoid constantly whispers and murmurs from its numerous mouths unless it is unconscious. Whenever a non-aberration creature starts its turn within 90 feet and can hear the equoid, it must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is magically frightened by the eerie, grating sound until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, that creature is immune to that equoid’s Unnerving Susurrus for 24 hours.
Multiattack. The equoid either makes three tentacle attacks and one bite attack, or casts a spell using a spell slot of up to 5th level and makes two tentacle attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (8d4 + 8) piercing damage. The target creature must make a DC 18 constitution saving throw or suffer an additional 24 (8d6) poison damage (half as much on a successful save) and become poisoned until the end of their next turn.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 19). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained as the equoid tosses and juggles it in the air. The equoid can attack other creatures with that tentacle while grappling a creature this way since the target is only in its tentacles part of
the time. Each of the equoid’s five tentacles can grapple up to two creatures this way.
Swallow. The equoid makes a Bite attack (+11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target) against a Large or smaller creature it is grappling. On a hit, the grapple ends, and the equoid swallows the target. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the equoid, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the equoid’s turns. If the creature dies while inside the equoid, the equoid regains hitpoints equal to half the consumed creature’s hit point maximum, and may immediately use the Spawn legendary action, even if it used it in the last turn. If the equoid takes 30 or more damage on a single turn from attacks made inside it, the equoid 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 equoid. If the equoid dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Negate Magic (2/day). In response to a spell being cast within 60 feet of it, the equoid can choose to cast counterspell at level 5 without requiring components.
Turn Magic. In response to a spell being cast within 30 feet of it, the equoid can choose to make a Charisma check against the spellcaster's save DC. On a success, the spell is redirected in a random direction from the spellcaster (roll a d10 for the direction, which includes up and down), and travels its maximum distance before taking effect unless stopped by a creature or obstacle, in which case it takes effect on/at that creature or obstacle.
The equoid 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 equoid regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Cast a Middling Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The equoid casts a spell of up to 4th level, using a spell slot of up to 4th level.
Evoke Affinity. The equoid casts sanctuary (save DC 18) on itself without expending a spell slot or providing any components.
Tentacle. The equoid makes a tentacle attack.
Description
An abominable mass of tentacles, pulpy flesh, and pulsing mouths, the sessile equoid is the final stage of the equoid life-cycle. Once an equoid has mated with a cone-snail and consumed enough flesh, it becomes immobile and begins spawning new cone-snails and infant equoids. As it grows in size and creates sterile equoids, the sessile equoid grows in knowledge and begins to unceasingly call upon Shub-Niggurath, altering and perverting reality around itself. The few adventurers who have encountered one and lived to tell the tale will repeat just one thing: "Kill it with fire."
Lair and Lair Actions
The Equoid’s Lair
A sessile, spawning equoid generally lairs in a deep woodland or similarly difficult wilderness, especially those featuring one or more sites of worship for its foul mother, Shub-Niggurath.
Regional Effects
The equoid’s presence might cause any of the following magical effects after dwelling in the same place for a time (5 mile radius):
- Addled. Creatures native to the area are worse at controlling their impulses, some becoming aggressive, others defensive, and still others self-indulgent. They have disadvantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks and advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.
- Fertility. Living things grow strong and hardy. Procreation is quick and easy. When a worshiper of Shub-Niggurath casts a spell such as bless to add a die roll to another creature’s die rolls or casts a spell such as cure wounds to cause another creature to regain hit points, any dice for the spell are rolled twice and the higher result is used.
- Mutations. Living creatures conceived or born in the area are mutated in ways ranging from minor external mutations to being born as outer mutants. If the equoid dies, these effects disappear over the course of 1d10 days.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the equoid takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the equoid can’t choose the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Draw in Power. The equoid rolls 1d6, regaining a spell slot of up to that slot level and regaining 5 hit points.
- Spawn. The equoid chooses either cone-snails or tiny horses and rolls 1d6 to determine how many of the creatures spawn. If tiny horses spawn, treat them as rats until 1 round has passed, at which time, if at least one of each (tiny horses and cone-snails) is alive, they will mate to become a juvenile equoid (false unicorn).
- Evoke Sympathy. The equoid casts sympathy (save DC 18) on itself without expending a spell slot or providing any components.
- Plant Growth. The equoid casts plant growth without expending a spell slot or providing any components. It takes effect as if cast with 1 action.
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