| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 18 | +4 | +9 |
| DEX | 16 | +3 | +3 |
| CON | 14 | +2 | +7 |
| Mod | Save | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INT | 19 | +4 | +4 |
| WIS | 11 | +0 | +5 |
| CHA | 16 | +3 | +3 |
Ambusher. In the first round of combat, the monster has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.
Mimicry. The monster can mimic sounds it has heard, including voices. Creatures that hear the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.
Surprise Attack. If the monster surprises a creature and hits it with an attack during the first round of combat, the creature takes an extra 14 (4d6) damage from the attack.
Multiple Heads. The Crebru has four heads. While it has more than one head, the Crebru has advantage on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Whenever the Crebru takes 20 or more damage in a single turn, one of its heads dies. If all its heads die, the hydra dies.
At the end of its turn, it grows two heads for each of its heads that died since its last turn, unless it has taken fire damage since its last turn. The Cebru regains 10 hit points for each head regrown in this way.
Reactive Heads. For each head the Crebru has beyond one, it gets an extra reaction that can be used only for opportunity attacks.
Multiattack. The Crebru makes as many breath attacks as it has heads.
Sting. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 22(3D8+8) poison damage. The target must succeed on a DC 19 constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Breath Weapon. The Crebru exhales strangely colored flames in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 21 (6d6) damage of a type of the Crebru's choosing: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison.
Mindspike. (Recharge 5-6) Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 69 (6D12 + 30) psychic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 17 intelligence saving throw or be stunned for 1 minute.
Thieve Skin. As a bonus action, the Crebru steals the skin of a creature within 5 feet, gaining a +1 bonus to AC. If the act wasn’t witnessed, a creature must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom (Perception) check to recognize the disguise.
The Crebru can take 4 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 Cebru regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Sting. The Crebru makes a sting attack.
Mindspike (Costs 4 actions). The Crebru makes a mindspike attack, if possible.
Description
A Crebru is a cunning, many-headed aberration that stalks the fringes of civilization. Born from twisted flesh and warped hunger, it can thrive in nearly any environment, so long as there are humanoids to feed upon. Its strength lies not only in its monstrous form but also in its unsettling ability to wear the stolen skins of its prey.
Masters of Disguise
When a Crebru slays a humanoid, it can strip away its victim’s flesh and drape it over its body as a grotesque disguise. With its natural gift for mimicry and deception, a Crebru can blend seamlessly into villages, camps, or caravans, often for days at a time. Those who encounter it in disguise rarely suspect the truth until it is too late, when the creature reveals its writhing heads and strikes with venom and flame.
Predatory Instincts
Crebru are patient hunters. They prefer to shadow their prey unseen, listening for speech patterns and mannerisms before striking. Once among their victims, they sow doubt and fear, feeding on both the bodies and the paranoia of their quarry. They are most dangerous when unrecognized, using stolen skins to lure victims into isolation, only to shed the false face and devour them.
Survivors in Any World
Crebru are not bound to one habitat. They have been found in mountain caves, abandoned ruins, storm-torn coasts, and even deep underground. Their physiology allows them to endure extreme heat, cold, and toxins, and they consume only humanoid flesh. They can go weeks without feeding, but hunger eventually drives them into violent frenzies, forcing them to seek out new settlements or travelers.
Alien Intellect
Despite their monstrous appetites, Crebru are not mindless beasts. Each head shares a single, calculating mind that delights in deception and cruelty. Their motives are rarely complex—hunger, dominance, and the thrill of the hunt—but they pursue these goals with unnerving cleverness. To a Crebru, humanoids are both prey and masks, tools to prolong its survival and expand its hunt.
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