Creating a monster with mouths on each joint
I am about to be running a game set in Maztica, and made the decision to include an encounter with a "Cipactli". Cipactli is this mythic reptilian creature from Aztec folklore with mouths on each bodily joint, and I plan to re-interpret it as a D&D monster for a party of five level 3 players.
However, I'm not sure how it would work! I have a thrilling monster, but I'm unsure of how to actually depict its many mouths in the Crunch.
If anyone has any ideas of how I could introduce this idea into combat, I would be very thankful.
Posted Jun 6, 2018, 10:47 AM UTC
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I think I would use the stats of a Babau Demon (Volo’s Guide, 136) but replace the claw and spear with bite attacks that do the same damage: +6, 1d8+4 piercing.
Just for fun, give it the Rampage trait from the Maw Demon on the next page.
Better yet, give it the Incite Rampage trait from the Fang of Yeenoghu, and give it a bunch of Maw Demon minions
Thank you so much! The rampage trait works so well for what I have in mind as well.
Excellent. After thinking about it awhile, I think my ideal encounter would be 1 Babau with Incite Rampage, and a number of Maw Demons to match the party size (including the Babau)
Good boss encounters at low levels have one monster at a CR equal to or at most +1 above the party, and enough lower CR minions to eat up the action economy for a few rounds. You don’t want to go for a higher CR than that, or you risk a very short, very violent fight that maybe kills a PC for no good narrative reason.