Seam Vein Wretch

large elemental, unaligned

D&D 5.5 / SRD 5.2

Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)

Available with DM subscription

STR

19 (+4)

DEX

9 (-1)

CON

17 (+3)

INT

6 (-2)

WIS

12 (+1)

CHA

7 (-2)

Defense

Armor Class

16 (natural armor)

Hit Points

102 (12d10+36 +3)

Speed

25 ft.

Treasure & Loot Common

No significant treasure

Proficiencies & Senses

Saving Throws Constitution, Wisdom

Skills

Athletics +7, Perception +4

Senses

darkvision 60 ft.

tremorsense 30 ft.

Seam Sight 60 ft. (The wretch senses heat and vibration through stone, letting it pinpoint creatures touching the same seam or floor within 60 feet.)

passive Perception 14

Characteristics

Damage Vulnerabilities

cold

Damage Resistances

bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

Damage Immunities

fire, poison

Condition Immunities

exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious

Languages Common (understands, speaks only in fragments of dead miners' voices), Terran

Traits and Actions

Seam Regeneration

Trait

While within 30 feet of a blackfire seam, the wretch regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn unless it took cold or radiant damage since its last turn. If it takes cold or radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of its next turn. The wretch dies only if it starts its turn at 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.

Heat Aura

Trait

A creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the wretch takes 1d6 fire damage. A creature that touches the wretch or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 1d6 fire damage.

Heat Aura. Homebrew damaging aura that triggers at the start of a creature's turn and on contact.

Immutable Form

Trait

The wretch is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Blackfire Body

Trait

The wretch's slam attacks are magical. When it deals fire damage, it ignores resistance to fire damage but not immunity.

Blackfire Body. Homebrew trait that makes the wretch's fire damage harder to resist without breaking fire immunity.

Miner's Echo

Trait

The wretch can speak only in broken phrases of the miners it absorbed. It has advantage on Intimidation checks made to frighten creatures that can hear it.

Multiattack

Action

The wretch makes two Slam attacks.

Multiattack. Standard action that lets the wretch make two Slam attacks.

Slam

Action

Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.

Slam. Standard melee attack dealing bludgeoning and fire damage.

Vent

Action

The wretch exhales a 30-foot line of smokeless black flame. Each creature in the line must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The area becomes difficult terrain until the end of the wretch's next turn.

Vent. Homebrew recharge breath weapon that leaves lingering difficult terrain.

Seam Lash

Reaction

When a creature within 10 feet of the wretch moves away from it, the wretch can force that creature to make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 7 (2d6) fire damage and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its turn.

Seam Lash. Homebrew reaction that punishes creatures trying to leave the wretch's reach.

Running the encounter

Combat Behavior

Tactics

Stays within 30 feet of the blackfire seam to keep Seam Regeneration active.
Uses Vent to punish clustered intruders, then closes to melee with Multiattack.
Uses Seam Lash to slow creatures trying to escape its heat aura.

Combat Style

Relentless area denial and close-quarters burning, anchored to the seam.

Morale

Fights to the death while the seam remains; it never retreats from the seam.

Appearance & presence

Monster Description

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