Page 262 - D&D Bestiary
P. 262

ROPER
        Living in caves and caverns throughout the Underdark,
        voracious ropers feast on whatever they can catch and
        seize. A roper eats any creature, from Underdark beasts
        to adventurers and their gear.
          A roper has the appearance of a stalagmite or
        stalactite, which often allows it to attack with surprise.
        The creature can move slowly using thousands of
        sticky cilia beneath its base. It creeps up cave walls
        and along stone ceilings, finding the best position from
        which to attack.
          Underdark Hunters. The roper is an evolved,
        mature form of piercer, with which it shares its rock-
        like appearance and hunting tactics. A roper can hold
        still for long hours, shutting its single eye to look like
        nothing more than a mundane formation of rock.
        Creatures that come too close are surprised when
        that eye snaps open and sticky tendrils shoot out
        to seize them. The roper then makes horrible
        guttural sounds as it reels in its struggling
        victims, drawing them close for the fatal bite of
        its stony teeth.
          A roper can digest anything it eats with the
        exception of platinum, gemstones, and magic
        items,'~hich can sometimes be retrieved from the
        creature's gizzard after death. A roper's digestive juices
        are also valuable, fetching a high price from alchemists
        who use them as a solvent.
          Weakening Tendrils. A roper has six nubs set
        along its body, through which it extrudes sticky
        tendrils that bond to whatever they touch. Each
        tendril sends out hair-like growths that penetrate
        a creature's flesh and sap its strength, so the
        victim can struggle only weakly as the roper
        reels it in. If a tendril is cut through or broken,
        the roper produces a new one to replace it.

        ROPER                                             cleals no damage to the roper, which <1an extrude a repla<1ement
                                                          tendril on its next turn. A tendril can also be broken if a '
        Large monstrosity, neutral evil
                                                          creature takes an action and succeeds on a DC 15 Strength
                                                          check against it.
        Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
        Hit Points 93  (lld10 + 33)                       Spider Climb. The roper can climb difficult surfaces, including
        Speed 10ft., climb 10ft.                          upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an
                                                          ability check.
          STR     DEX    CON     INT    WIS    CHA
         18 (+4)   8 (- 1)   17 (+3)   7 (-2)   16 (+3)   6 (-2)   ACTIONS
                                                          Multiattack. The roper makes four attacks with its tendrils,
        Skills Perception +6, Stealth +5
        Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 16    uses Reel, and makes one attack with its bite.
        Languages-                                        Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
        Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)                            Hit: 22  (4d8 + 4)  piercing damage.
                                                          Tendril.  Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit,  reach 50 ft., one
        False Appearance. While the roper remains motionless, it is   creature. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the
        indistinguishable from a normal cave formation, such as a   grapple ends, the target is restrained and has disadvantage
        stalagmite.                                       on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and the roper
        Grasping Tendrils. The roper can have up to six tendrils at   can't use the same tendril on another target.
        a time. Each tendril can be attacked (AC 20; 10 hit points;
                                                          Reel. The roper pulls each creature grappled by it up to 25 feet
        immunity to poison and psychic damage). Destroying a tendril   straight toward it.
   257   258   259   260   261   262   263   264   265   266   267