Bilge Hull-Ghoul

medium undead, neutral evil

D&D 5.5 / SRD 5.2

Challenge 0.5 (100 XP)

Available with DM subscription
STR
13 (+1)
DEX
14 (+2)
CON
12 (+1)
INT
7 (-2)
WIS
10
CHA
9 (-1)

Defense

Armor Class
12 (natural armor)
Hit Points
22 (4d8+4 +1)
Speed
30 ft., swim 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

Treasure & Loot Common

Coins

Proficiencies & Senses

Saving Throws —
Skills
Stealth +4
Senses
darkvision 60 ft.
passive Perception 10

Characteristics

Damage Vulnerabilities
fire
Damage Resistances
—
Damage Immunities
poison
Condition Immunities
poisoned, exhaustion, charmed, frightened
Languages understands Common but can't speak

Traits and Actions

Bilge Dweller

Trait
Stealth Rule
Difficult Terrain Rule
The hull-ghoul has Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks while in water or in shadowed bilge muck. It can hold its breath indefinitely and ignores Difficult Terrain made of water, mud, or slime.

Unquiet

Trait Custom
Unquiet Reforming Custom
When the hull-ghoul drops to 0 Hit Points, it falls into a heap of tarred bone and bloated hide. It is destroyed permanently only if its remains are burned with salt; otherwise it reforms after 24 hours with full Hit Points in the nearest bilge water.

Unquiet Reforming. Homebrew: the hull-ghoul returns after 24 hours unless its remains are burned with salt, so the party must finish the job.

Moan of the Drowned Ship

Trait
Disadvantage Custom
The hull-ghoul endlessly mutters the name of the ship it drowned in. It has Disadvantage on attack rolls against a creature that openly carries a lit flame within 30 feet of it, and it will not willingly move within 10 feet of an open flame.

Multiattack

Action
The hull-ghoul makes one Claw attack and one Bite attack.

Claw

Action
Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) Slashing damage.

Bite

Action
Poisoned Condition
Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) Piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) Poison damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or have the Poisoned condition until the end of its next turn.

Slip Away

Bonus Action
Disengage Custom
Hide Rule
The hull-ghoul takes the Disengage or Hide action.

Running the encounter

Combat Behavior

Tactics

  • Lies submerged in bilge water until a lantern passes, then strikes from hiding with Advantage.

Combat Style

Ambush from concealment, then bite and slip away into the muck.

Morale

Attacks until destroyed or until open flame drives it back into the water.

Appearance & presence

Monster Description

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