Giant Echidna, (Murrayglossus)

“Discover the mind-boggling secrets of the giant Echidna, (Murrayglossus), the mythical creature that defies all scientific explanation!”

Murrayglossus 5E Stat Block

Large Monstrosity, Neutral

Armor Class: 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 150 (20d10 + 40)

Speed: 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
18 (+4)	16 (+3)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	14 (+2)	10 (+0)

Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +7
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16

Actions

• Multiattack: The Murrayglossus makes two claw attacks.
• Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.
• Enthralling Song: All creatures within 30 feet of the Murrayglossus must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 1 minute. The charmed creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0 while enthralled, and can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Challenge Rating: 8 (3,900 XP)

Physical Description: Murrayglossus is a colossal creature resembling a giant Giant Echidna. Its large body is covered in thick, scaly hide, featuring an array of sharp and sturdy spines that run along its back. Towering at an impressive height, Murrayglossus possesses an aura of raw power. Its massive head sports a wide snout filled with rows of sharp teeth, suited for rending flesh.

Its eyes gleam with an ancient intelligence, peering out from beneath its bony ridges. The creature’s forelimbs are strong and muscular, ending in formidable claws that can tear through its prey with ease. With each movement, the ground trembles beneath the weight of this majestic beast. Murrayglossus is a true marvel of nature’s design, embodying both ferocity and primal grace.

Giant Echidna, (Murrayglossus) 3.5 Stat Block

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.
On this Thread

A Giant Echidna, (Murrayglossus) is an egg-laying mammal that resembles a spiky ball. The wander with a rolling, waddling gait in search of ants and other insects. They use their powerful claws to tear into trees, termite nests, and other insect-rich structures, then slurp up large amounts of this prey with their sticky tongues.

Thanks to their powerful claws, echidnas are swift burrowers, and can dig through substances as strong as iron. Their spines connect to special muscles, giving giant echidnas great control over their spines, which assists them in Climbing. Because their bodies are exceptionally tolerant to cold, giant echidnas range across a large variety of environments. They are equally likely to be active during day or night. A giant echidna is 10 feet long and weighs 100 pounds. It has a lifespan of 50 years or more.

Giant Echidna, (Murrayglossus)
Large animal
Hit Dice	9d8+27 (67 hp)
Initiative	+0
Speed	30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft.
Armor Class	15 (-1 size, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple	+6/+15
Attack	Bite +10 melee (1d6+5)
Full Attack	Bite +10 melee (1d6+5) and 2 claws +5 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach	10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks	Chew, drag, tongue sweep
Special Qualities	Low-Light Vision, improved burrowing, scent, temperature regulation
Saves	Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities	Strength 20, Dexterity 11, Constitution 17, Intelligence 2, Wisdom 11, Charisma 8
Skills	Climb +9, Listen +4, Spot +4, Survival +4*
Feats	Ability Focus (tongue sweep), Endurance, Great Fortitude, Track
Environment	Temperate or cold land
Organization	Solitary
Challenge Rating	5
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral
Advancement	10-18 HD (Large); 19-27 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment	–

COMBAT

A Giant Echidna, (Murrayglossus) uses its tongue sweep to gather up prey, then drags it to its mouth to chew. Although generally non-aggressive except to insects, a giant echidna will defend itself if threatened.

Chew (Ex): Each round, a giant echidna deals 3d6+5 points of bludgeoning and piercing damage to any opponent held in its mouth. A giant echidna cannot use its bite attack in any round in which it chews.

Drag (Ex): Any creature damaged by the spiny anteater’s tongue sweep becomes stuck to the tongue. The giant echidna drags stuck opponents 5 feet closer each subsequent round (provoking no attack of opportunity) unless that creature breaks free, which requires a DC 21 Escape Artist check or a DC 21 Strength check.

The check DCs are Constitution-based and include a +4 racial bonus. The tongue has 10 hit points and can be attacked by making a successful sunder attempt. However, attacking an anteater’s tongue does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the tongue is currently attached to a target, the anteater takes a -4 penalty on its opposed attack roll to resist the sunder attempt. Severing the tongue deals 5 hp of damage to the anteater.

Once a stuck opponent reaches the giant echidna’s space, the echidna may make a grapple attempt as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it succeeds, it establishes a hold and can chew. The echidna may hold only one opponent at a time. The others remain stuck to its tongue (unless they escape as detailed above) but are not dragged closer.

A giant echidna cannot use its bite attack in any round in which it drags an opponent.

Improved Burrowing (Ex): A giant echidna may use its burrow speed to travel through wood and even metal. Additionally, a giant echidna’s claw attacks ignore the first 5 points of hardness.

Temperature Regulation (Ex): An echidna’s lukewarm blood and embedded spines allow it to better tolerate cold temperatures, but also makes it more vulnerable to heat. A giant echidna need not make a Fortitude save to avoid nonlethal damage in cold temperatures. However, it suffers a -4 penalty on Fortitude saves to avoid nonlethal damage in hot temperatures (see Heat Dangers in the DMG).

Tongue Sweep (Ex): The giant spiny anteater attacks by sweeping with its tongue as a standard action. The sweep affects a half-circle with a radius of 20 feet, extending from an intersection on the edge of the anteater’s space in any direction. Creatures within the swept area are affected if they are one or more size categories smaller than the anteater. Affected creatures must make a DC 19 Reflex save or become stuck to the tongue (see Drag below). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: A giant echidna has a +4 racial bonus on Climb checks due to its ability to the special muscles to which its spines are attached. *Giant echidnas have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #186 (1992).