Cranial Encyster

Alert. The cranial encyster cannot be Surprised or flanked.

Damage Transfer. While attached to a creature, the encyster takes only half damage dealt to it (rounded down), and the other creature takes the other half.

Gibbering. The encyster babbles incoherently while it can see any creature and isn’t Incapacitated, causing the following effect. Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature that starts its turn within 30 ft. of the encyster. Failure: The target is Frightened of the encyster until it dies. If the face on the back of the encyster is familar to a creature, it has disadvantage on this saving throw. Success: The target cannot be affected by the babbling of another encyster for 24 hours.

Needle. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) Piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) Psychic damage, and if the target is Small or larger, the encyster attaches to it. It moves into the creature's space and onto the creature's head, where it pierces the skull with needle-like legs. An attached encyster has an AC of 10, and the creature has disadvantage on any checks to escape it. The encyster moves with the creature whenever it moves.

While attached, the encyster can make this attack only against the target and has advantage on the attack roll. The encyster can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. A creature, including the target, can take its action to detach the encyster by succeeding on a DC 15 Strength check.

Encyst. Wisdom Saving Throw:  DC 11, one creature who has an encyster attached at the beginning of its turn. Failure: The target is filled with an impulse to end its own life that lasts until the start of its next turn. On its turn, it rolls a d8 to determine what it does during its turn. On a 1 to 3, the creature does nothing. On a 4 to 7, the creature takes no other Action or Bonus Action except to use all of its movement to move past a creature hostile to itself, potentially provoking an attack of opportunity, or to move itself into a hazardous area. On an 8, the creature makes a melee attack against itself, which automatically critically hits.