Monster Monday: Overhunters

RPG monsters

After hours wandering through caves, you see a dim yellow light ahead. You hurry towards it, gratefully, to see that it hovers in the middle of the room. Your skin crawls as you look up and confirm your horrible suspicion: hidden among the stalactites of the ceiling hangs a bulbous creature that now leaps down to attack you!

Art

Overhunters live on the ceilings of caves, caverns, and other large underground spaces. They lure their prey by unfurling their long tongues, which end with a bioluminescent tip. When prey investigates, the overhunter drops down and consumes them with its multi-part jaws. It handles particularly difficult prey by clawing at it.

To build these, I need a basic creature with CR 3-4 that has both a bite and claw attack. I've decided to base it on the venerable owlbear, replacing its keen sight and smell with spider climb, increasing its dexterity and wisdom (thus bumping up its passive perception), and giving it extra stealth. I'll also add an optional tongue wrap attack that restrains one target.

Let's do this!

Stat block

Homebrewery stat block:

Overhunter

Medium monstrosity, unaligned

  • Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 60 (7d10 + 22)
  • Speed 40 ft.
    STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
    20 (+5) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 3 (-4) 14 (+2) 7 (-2)
  • Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5
  • Senses passive Perception 14
  • Languages --
  • Challenge 3 (700 XP)

    Spider Climb. The overhunter can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

Multiattack. The overhunter makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.

Tongue Wrap. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) bludgeoning and the target is restrained (DC 11 Strength (Athletics) save to escape). At the beginning of its turn, a target restrained with this attack takes 5 (1d10) bludgeoning damage.

View the art for this monster here (scroll down)

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