Buy me a coffeeSwarm of Dire Piranhas, “Crimson Maelstrom”
“The Swarm of Dire Piranhas is a ravenous torrent of fangs and fury that can skeletonize a creature in seconds at the first drop of blood.”
A roiling mass of enlarged piranhas, each roughly 3 feet long—about the size of a large predatory river fish with broad, muscular bodies built for speed and power. Their dark, iridescent scales shimmer with streaks of deep crimson, stained by countless past victims. Their jaws are wide and filled with rows of jagged, razor-sharp teeth that jut out even when their mouths are closed. Glowing red eyes pierce through the murky water, reflecting their relentless, bloodthirsty nature.
Behavior:
The swarm moves as a fluid, coordinated entity, using instinctive pack tactics to encircle and overwhelm prey. Each fish strikes rapidly and viciously, aiming for vulnerable or wounded targets to maximize bleeding. While individually aggressive, their greatest strength lies in their collective ferocity and ability to retreat and regroup if the prey proves too strong.
Habitat:
Native to murky, warm freshwater rivers, lakes, and dense swamps, these dire piranhas favor environments rich in aquatic vegetation and underwater caves that allow them to ambush unsuspecting prey. Blood-stained waters and remnants of prey mark the territories they fiercely defend.
Modus Operandi:
Drawn by the scent of blood and the vibrations of struggling creatures, the swarm erupts suddenly into a feeding frenzy, inflicting deep, bleeding wounds that attract even more piranhas. If confronted by powerful foes, they scatter temporarily, waiting for a safer opportunity to strike again.
Motivation:
Driven by unrelenting hunger and territorial aggression, the Swarm of Dire Piranhas exists to dominate its hunting grounds and feed endlessly, attacking anything that crosses its path without hesitation.
Swarm of Dire Piranhas 5e
Swarm of Dire Piranhas, Pathfinder
Swarm of Dire Piranhas
Medium swarm of beasts, unaligned
Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 85 (10d8 + 40)
Speed: 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
Space: 10 ft.
Reach: 0 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 2 (–4) | 12 (+1) | 5 (–3) |
Saving Throws: Dex +7, Con +7
Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities: Charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages: —
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +4
Traits
- Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny piranha. It can’t regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
- Blood Frenzy. The swarm has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that doesn’t have all its hit points.
- Aquatic Ambush. While submerged or partially submerged, the swarm has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and can attempt to Hide as a bonus action.
- Water Dependency. The swarm can survive up to 10 minutes out of water before it begins to suffocate.
- Keen Smell. The swarm has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
- Swarming Bite (Multiattack).
The swarm attacks all creatures in its space with vicious bites.
Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 0 ft., all creatures in the swarm’s space.
Hit: 15 (4d6 + 4) piercing damage. Targets must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or begin bleeding. - Bleeding (Condition).
A bleeding target takes 5 (1d10) damage at the start of each of its turns. The target can use an action to staunch the wound or receive magical healing to stop the bleeding. - Blood Rush (Recharge 5–6).
The swarm surges violently, forcing creatures in its space to make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. On a failure, they are knocked prone and pushed 10 feet away, taking 12 (3d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Tactics
The Swarm of Dire Piranhas uses Aquatic Ambush to silently stalk prey, striking quickly and focusing on wounded or vulnerable targets with Blood Frenzy advantage. They relentlessly bite to inflict bleeding wounds, slowly wearing foes down. When threatened, the swarm employs Blood Rush to disrupt enemy formations, knocking them prone and scattering them in the water to retreat or regroup.
Ideal combat environments include narrow waterways and murky swamps where movement is restricted and escape is difficult.
Lair Actions (Optional)
In their lair—typically blood-stained rivers or shadowy swamps—the swarm can cause the water to turn murky and red, granting them advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks and imposing disadvantage on ranged weapon attacks made through the water by non-aquatic creatures.
Lore
Legends tell of the crimson waters where no prey escapes, haunted by a ravenous storm of fangs known as the Swarm of Dire Piranhas. This relentless predator embodies the savage brutality of the wild, stripping flesh from bone with terrifying efficiency and defending its territory with unyielding ferocity.
Swarm of Dire Piranhas
Swarm (Aquatic, Swarm Subtype)
CR 6
XP 2,304
N
Init +8
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +6 natural)
HP 68 (8d8+32)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Defensive Abilities swarm traits, blood frenzy
OFFENSE
Speed 0 ft., swim 50 ft.
Melee swarm (4d6+8 plus bleeding)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks bleeding (DC 15), blood frenzy, blood rush (DC 15, recharge 5–6)
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 15, Con 18, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 5
Base Atk +6; CMB —; CMD —
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +14 (+18 in water)
Feats Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite), Dodge, Mobility
ECOLOGY
Environment warm freshwater rivers, lakes, and swamps
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (8–12)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Swarm Traits (Ex):
The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. It is immune to single-target effects and cannot regain hit points but may gain temporary hit points.
Bleeding (Ex):
A creature hit by the swarm’s bite attack must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save or begin bleeding. Bleeding creatures take 1d6 damage per round until they receive magical healing or succeed on a DC 15 Heal check to staunch the wound.
Blood Frenzy (Ex):
The swarm gains a +4 bonus on melee attack rolls against any creature that is wounded or bleeding.
Blood Rush (Ex) (Recharge 5–6):
The swarm surges violently, forcing all creatures in its space to make a DC 15 Strength check or be knocked prone and pushed 10 feet away, taking 3d6+2 damage.
Aquatic Ambush (Ex):
While submerged or partially submerged, the swarm gains a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks and can attempt to Hide even when only lightly obscured.
Keen Smell (Ex):
The swarm gains a +4 racial bonus on Perception checks based on smell.
Description
A roiling mass of oversized, blood-red piranhas, this swarm moves with deadly precision as a single entity. Each piranha, about 3 feet long, boasts razor-sharp teeth and muscular bodies, making them formidable predators in murky tropical waters. They attack with relentless ferocity, inflicting bleeding wounds that wear down foes over time. Fiercely territorial, they defend their hunting grounds mercilessly against any intruders.