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Primate, Ape (Gorilla)

Primate, Ape (Gorilla)
Create

The gorilla is a massive, muscular primate, standing up to 6 feet tall on two legs and weighing up to 400 pounds. Its thick, glossy fur ranges from dark brown to black, with silver fur covering its back, a trait particularly prominent in mature males, known as silverbacks. The creature’s broad chest, powerful arms, and large hands are built for climbing and foraging, with fingers and toes adapted for gripping. Its face is characterized by deep-set eyes, a wide, flat nose, and a strong jaw, giving it an almost human-like expression.

Behavior: Gorillas are generally peaceful creatures but are highly territorial. They live in tight-knit family groups led by a dominant silverback, who maintains order and ensures the safety of the troop. Though they are herbivores, gorillas are intelligent and exhibit problem-solving skills, using tools to assist in feeding or protection. They are highly social, often grooming each other to strengthen social bonds. However, when threatened, gorillas can become fiercely protective, using their immense strength to defend themselves and their family.

Habitat: Gorillas primarily inhabit dense, tropical rainforests and lowland areas, often found in regions of Central Africa. They prefer lush, mountainous regions where they can easily forage for food, build nests, and remain concealed from potential predators. The dense vegetation offers protection from the elements and provides an abundance of plant material for their diet.

Modus Operandi: Gorillas are peaceful foragers, moving in groups to find food, primarily consisting of leaves, stems, and fruit. They build nests each night in trees or on the ground to rest. Their social structure is key to their survival, with the silverback maintaining control and managing threats. When encountering danger or rival groups, the silverback may display dominance through chest-beating, vocalizations, or forceful charges.

Motivation: The primary motivation of a gorilla is to protect and provide for its troop. They are driven by the need to maintain harmony within their group, ensure their offspring’s survival, and defend their territory. Gorillas are deeply attuned to their environment and show a complex understanding of their social dynamics, making them both formidable and peaceful in their approach to survival.


Gorilla
Create

Large beast, unaligned


Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 84 (8d10 + 40)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.


STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
20 (+5)14 (+2)20 (+5)2 (-4)12 (+1)7 (-2)

Skills: Athletics +8, Perception +3
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages: Understands Sylvan but cannot speak
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)


TRAITS

  • Keen Smell: The gorilla has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
  • Aggressive: As a bonus action, the gorilla can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.
  • Powerful Build: The gorilla counts as one size larger when determining its carrying capacity and the weight it can push, drag, or lift.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack: The gorilla makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its fists.
  • Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
    Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage.
  • Fist Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
    Hit: 15 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.
  • Rock Throw: Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target.
    Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. The gorilla hurls a large boulder or a piece of debris at a target, using its natural surroundings to gain an advantage.
  • Stunning Roar (Recharge 5–6): The gorilla lets out a terrifying roar that shakes the earth. Each creature within 30 feet of the gorilla that can hear it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the gorilla’s next turn.
    The gorilla can use this ability once every short or long rest.

REACTIONS

  • Parry: The gorilla adds 3 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it. To do so, the gorilla must see the attacker and be wielding its fists.

TACTICS

The Gorilla is a fierce and powerful combatant, relying on its natural strength, agility, and intelligence to overwhelm its foes. Here’s a breakdown of its combat style and tactics:

  • Opening Move: At the start of combat, the gorilla uses its Aggressive trait to close the distance between itself and the nearest threat. It’ll usually target the weakest or most obvious threat, charging into melee range and using Multiattack to deal a heavy amount of damage.
  • Tactical Engagement: The gorilla will often use its Rock Throw to target ranged or spellcasters hiding behind cover, as it has an excellent understanding of its surroundings and can make the best use of its environment. It prefers to keep its foes in front of it, never turning its back on a potential danger.
  • Stunning Roar: If there are multiple enemies clustered together, the gorilla will use its Stunning Roar to disrupt enemy formations and leave vulnerable targets open for follow-up attacks. This can be especially devastating if the gorilla is facing a spellcaster or a squishy target who relies on concentration.
  • Environment Awareness: If the fight takes place in a jungle or mountainous environment, the gorilla will climb trees or use the terrain to its advantage, keeping foes off balance. Its Climb speed allows it to avoid attacks of opportunity and take high ground during battles.
  • Defensive Maneuver: If injured and outnumbered, the gorilla will attempt to use its Parry reaction to avoid crucial attacks, aiming to wear down opponents until it can turn the tide of battle in its favor. If a fight is going poorly, it will retreat to the safety of the forest or the treetops, using its superior speed and agility to escape.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS (Optional for higher level encounters)

If you wish to make the gorilla more of a challenge, you can give it legendary actions that will allow it to act outside of its turn.

  • Lumbering Charge (Costs 2 Actions): The gorilla charges at a target, moving up to its speed in a straight line. Each creature in its path must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and take 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
  • Overhead Smash (Costs 1 Action): The gorilla smashes the ground with its fists, causing the earth to shake. All creatures within a 10-foot radius must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage and fall prone.

DESCRIPTION

The Gorilla is a mighty beast of the jungle, blending intellect and power. Standing 5 to 6 feet tall when upright, this towering creature is covered in thick fur, its massive muscles rippling beneath its hide. While it typically appears calm, with eyes that gleam with an intelligence almost human, a gorilla is a creature that should never be underestimated. It uses its keen sense of smell and sharp hearing to detect even the slightest movement in its environment, quickly reacting to threats.

The gorilla is primarily a territorial creature, though not mindlessly aggressive. It fights with methodical, crushing blows, preferring to use its raw physical power to overpower opponents. Its Stunning Roar echoes through the jungle, striking fear into those who hear it. In the wild, the gorilla is both a solitary hunter and a protector of its family, displaying loyalty to its kin and showing fearsome aggression if threatened.

When you encounter a gorilla, you face a creature of profound strength, intelligence, and natural instinct. Whether for survival, protection, or dominance, the gorilla will fight until its last breath, making it a worthy adversary in any campaign.

Gorilla

Family: Primates

Medium beast, unaligned

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.

STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
16 (+3)14 (+2)14 (+2)6 (-2)12 (+1)7 (-2)

Skills Athletics +5, Perception +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages –
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

Actions

  • Multiattack: The ape makes two fist attacks.
  • FistMelee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
  • RockRanged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 25/50 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

About

Large, deep-set eyes peer from beneath this great ape’s thick brow as it lumbers forward on its legs and knuckles.

Gorilla
Create

Large, deep-set eyes peer from beneath this great ape’s thick brow as it lumbers forward on its legs and knuckles.

An adult male ape is 8 feet tall and can weigh as much as 400 pounds. While generally shy and peaceful creatures when left to their own business, gorillas are territorial and become highly aggressive when provoked. This stat block can generally be used for any of the larger types of primates, such as gorillas—for smaller apes like orangutans and chimpanzees, apply the young simple template.

Even smaller primates should use the stats for monkeys. Gorillas typically make a large show of force before actually attacking, thumping their chests with their palms, stamping their feet, and roaring loudly. Any opponents who refuse to flee after this display are attacked. Troops of apes fight together in a frenzy, tearing opponents to pieces with their hands and teeth.

Gorilla CR 2

XP 600
N Large animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 12; (+2 Dex, +3 natural, –1 size)
hp 19 (3d8+6)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +3 (1d6+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Great Fortitude, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +14, Perception +8

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests
Organization solitary, pair, or troop (3–12)
Treasure none

APE LORE

Originally posted by Eric Cagle

Evandar_TAybara of the Wizards Community forums.

On this Thread

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can learn more about apes. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

Knowledge (nature)
DC 14This hairy, heavyset primate is an ape. This result reveals all animal traits.
DC 19Apes are omnivorous, but primarily feed on fruit and plants. However, they are powerfully built and highly territorial, and can pose a danger to intruders. Before an ape attacks, however, it usually displays seemingly violent acts of aggression,
hoping to scare off the interloper.