Buy me a coffee“Grindylow: The Murky Predator of Shadowed Waters”
“Lurking in dark, stagnant waters with slick green skin and eel-like claws, the malevolent Grindylow drags unwary swimmers beneath the surface, a nightmarish embodiment of the deepest fears.”
Grindylow – A sinister aquatic predator, the Grindylow lurks in dark, stagnant waters, its slick green skin and eel-like claws striking fear into unwary swimmers. Solitary and cunning, it ambushes prey with sudden, precise attacks, dragging victims beneath the surface to feed. Territorial and relentless, this malevolent creature embodies the lurking dangers of hidden waters, making it a nightmare for adventurers who venture too close.
Appearance
The Grindylow is a small, wiry aquatic humanoid with slick, greenish skin that glistens like algae-coated stone. Its elongated arms end in clawed, eel-like fingers capable of seizing prey with alarming strength. Wide, bulbous eyes gleam with predatory intelligence, and a lipless mouth reveals jagged teeth. Its hunched, amphibious form exudes menace, giving the impression of a shadowy predator rising silently from the water’s edge.
Behaviour
Solitary and fiercely territorial, Grindylows are patient ambush predators. They glide beneath the water with sinuous grace, striking suddenly at prey or intruders. Observant and cunning, they often test potential threats before committing to an attack. While aggressive, they prefer calculated engagement and will retreat if overmatched.
Habitat
Grindylows dwell in stagnant ponds, marshes, slow-moving rivers, and secluded lakes, favoring murky, overgrown waters where they can remain hidden. Each creature maintains a defined territory, rarely venturing beyond its chosen water body.
Modus Operandi
A Grindylow lies in wait just below the water’s surface, using long, clawed arms to snatch and drag victims beneath. It relies on stealth, patience, and sudden bursts of violence rather than raw strength. When confronted, it targets limbs to incapacitate foes, striking with precision before retreating or re-engaging based on opportunity.
Motivation
Driven by hunger and territorial instinct, the Grindylow seeks to secure prey and dominate its aquatic domain. Its predation is calculated and relentless, guided by survival and the imperative to defend its watery lair.
Grindylow 5e 2024
Grindylow, Pathfinder
Grindylow
Medium monstrosity, chaotic evil
A sinister aquatic predator, the Grindylow lurks in dark, stagnant waters, dragging unwary victims beneath the surface with its clawed, eel-like arms. Patient and cunning, it ambushes prey with deadly precision, using the murky depths to conceal its presence until the perfect moment to strike.
Armor Class: 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 8 (−1) | 14 (+2) | 7 (−2) |
Saving Throws: Dex +6, Con +7, Wis +5
Skills: Stealth +6, Perception +5
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages: Aquan, understands Common but cannot speak
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
Traits
Amphibious. The Grindylow can breathe air and water.
Water Camouflage. The Grindylow has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in water.
Actions
Multiattack. The Grindylow makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claw.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) slashing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the Grindylow cannot claw another target.
Acid Spray (Recharge 5–6). Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 20 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) acid damage. Nonmagical metal armor exposed to the spray takes a −1 penalty to AC until repaired.
Reactions
Snap Reaction. When a creature the Grindylow is grappling attempts to escape, the Grindylow can make one claw attack against that creature.
Tactics
Grindylows are ambush predators, lying in wait beneath the surface of their murky habitats. They target isolated or distracted prey first, using claw attacks to grapple and drag victims underwater while following up with bite attacks. In combat, they exploit stealth, water terrain, and sudden bursts of violence. If outnumbered or overpowered, a Grindylow will retreat into concealment, using hit-and-run tactics to strike again from advantageous positions.
Grindylow
With a large head and numerous teeth, this unsightly creature resembles a goblin from the waist up and a greasy octopus below.
About 4 feet long from head to tentacle tip, grindylows appear to be half-goblin and half-octopus, the split occurring at the waist. Grindylows are violent, ravenous creatures that use their spears to hunt or just to poke at things that scream and cry.
While grindylows resemble goblins, they are not humanoid creatures. Nonetheless, these aquatic monsters are just as wicked as the most sadistic of goblins, and take immense pleasure in others’ misfortunes and the spread of mayhem. Thanks to this twisted desire, grindylows have a nasty reputation among both other intelligent water dwelling creatures and most land-dwelling beings.
Grindylows eat whatever they can kill, giving them a rather wide selection of meals. High or low, no one is safe from the brutish assaults; tribes of merfolk have been overwhelmed by bands of grindylows, as have galleons full of experienced sailors.
While obvious predators such as giant eels or sharks evoke great fear from grindylows, no enemies are more hated than the squid, be it common or giant. None are sure where this disdain stems from, but it is speculated that a squid is to an octopus for a grindylow what a dog is to a Goblin Dog for goblins. Incredibly fond of their similarly designed kin, grindylows believe octopuses to be the epitome of beauty, with squids being regarded as hideous freaks in comparison. There is no greater insult to a grindylow than being called a squid.
While grindylows can take class levels to gain power, certain grindylows are freakish throwbacks to a primal age – these grindylows never cease growing, and in time can become massive beasts of Huge size. Unlike the typical grindylow, these giants can attack with all six of their tentacles and constrict with great effect. Giant grindylows are fortunately quite rare.
| Grindylow CR 1/2 |
| XP 200 CE Small aberration (aquatic) Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dexterity, +2 natural, +1 size) hp 5 (1d8+1) Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +2 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 15 ft., Swim 30 ft., jet 200 ft. Melee spear +3 (1d6+1/×3), bite -2 (1d3) Ranged spear +3 (1d6+1/×3) Special attack tangling tentacles |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 12, Dexterity 14, Constitution 13, Intelligence 9, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9 Base Atk +0; CMB +0 (+4 trip); CMD 12 (18 vs. trip) Feats Weapon Finesse Skills Perception +4, Stealth +14, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth, +8 Swim Languages Aquan SQ amphibious |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Tangling Tentacles (Ex) Although a grindylow can’t attack to cause damage with its six tentacles, these wriggling legs constantly writhe and reach out to tug at and trip adjacent foes. During the grindylow’s turn, it can make a single trip attack against any adjacent foe as a swift action. It gains a +4 racial bonus on trip attacks made with its tangling tentacles, and if it fails to trip a foe, that creature can’t attempt to trip the grindylow in retaliation. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any water Organization solitary, pair, gang (3-9), warband (10-16 with 1-2 octopus minions), or tribe (17-40 plus 1 ranger sergeant of 1st-3rd level per 20 members, 1 cleric or barbarian leader of 4th-8th level, 2-8 octopus pets, and 1-2 devilfish guardians) Treasure NPC gear (spear, other treasure |
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Bestiary 2
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 2, © 2010, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Wolfgang Baur, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Graeme Davis, Crystal Frasier, Joshua J. Frost, Tim Hitchcock, Brandon Hodge, James Jacobs, Steve Kenson, Hal MacLean, Martin Mason, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona, Jason Nelson, Patrick Renie, Sean K Reynolds, F. Wesley Schneider, Owen K.C. Stephens, James L. Sutter, Russ Taylor, and Greg A. Vaughan, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.