Melonhead

Small humanoid (melonhead), chaotic evil

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Armor Class: 13 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points: 68 (8d6 + 40)
Speed: 30 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	16 (+3)	20 (+5)	10 (+0)	14 (+2)	8 (-1)

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Saving Throws: DEX +5, CON +7
Skills: Stealth +7, Perception +4, Investigation +2
Damage Resistances: Psychic, Poison
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Infernal
Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP)

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TRAITS

• Eerie Presence:
  The Melonhead’s unnatural appearance causes fear in those around it. Any creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the Melonhead must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of its next turn. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to this ability for 24 hours.
• Bulbous Head:
  The Melonhead’s massive, bulbous head grants it advantage on Intimidation checks. Its head can also act as a bludgeoning weapon, using its Headbutt attack. If a creature grapples or restrains the Melonhead, it can make an automatic Headbutt attack as a bonus action.
• Darkvision:
  The Melonhead has darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.
• Regeneration (1/turn):
  The Melonhead regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
• Innate Illusions (Recharge 5–6):
  The Melonhead can cast Minor Illusion at will, without expending a spell slot.

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ACTIONS

• Multiattack:
  The Melonhead makes two attacks: one with its Claws and one with its Headbutt.
• Claws:
  Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  Hit: 7 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
• Headbutt:
  Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
  Hit: 8 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
• Sonic Scream (Recharge 5–6):
  The Melonhead unleashes a horrifying, high-pitched scream in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the cone must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Creatures that fail the saving throw are also deafened for 1 minute.
• Terrifying Grin (Recharge 6):
  The Melonhead can use its action to twist its face into a horrifying grin, forcing all creatures within 15 feet to make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, creatures are frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

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REACTIONS

• Unnerving Dodge (Recharge 5–6):
  When a creature the Melonhead can see attacks it with an attack roll, it can use its reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll, as it unnervingly jerks its head in a sudden, distracting motion. The creature must be within 30 feet of the Melonhead to use this ability.

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LEGENDARY ACTIONS

The Melonhead can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Melonhead regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Claw Attack: The Melonhead makes one attack with its Claws.
• Scream of Terror (Costs 2 Actions): The Melonhead releases a brief, terrifying sound that forces all creatures within 15 feet to make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is frightened until the end of the Melonhead’s next turn.

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TACTICS AND BEHAVIOR

Melonheads are predatory and highly intelligent creatures, typically stalking their prey before striking. They prefer to strike from the shadows and use their eerie abilities to disorient and frighten their victims. In combat, they first attempt to frighten their enemies with their Eerie Presence and Terrifying Grin. They then use their Sonic Scream to disorient enemies and create openings for their deadly Claws and Headbutt attacks.

Melonheads are known for their erratic behavior, often switching between careful stalking and frenzied attacks. They make use of their surroundings, using their ability to Minor Illusion to create distractions or hide their movements. If confronted by multiple enemies, they tend to use Unnerving Dodge to avoid attacks and make quick, efficient counterattacks with their Claws and Headbutt.

If reduced to half health or below, a Melonhead will try to retreat into nearby darkness, using its Minor Illusion and Sonic Scream to cover its escape or sow confusion among its enemies. It will attempt to draw enemies into narrow spaces, where its speed and dexterity will give it an advantage.

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ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE

Melonheads are typically found in dark, damp forests, deep caves, or abandoned ruins, where they can easily blend into their surroundings. They prefer environments where they can easily hide and stalk their prey, using their terrifying appearance and psychic abilities to instill fear. These creatures often form small, isolated tribes, though they are known to be fiercely territorial and attack anyone who dares encroach upon their space.

In some myths, Melonheads are said to be the result of unnatural experiments, cursed by dark magic to take on their bulbous appearance. In others, they are seen as vengeful spirits of the forest, punishing those who harm the natural world.

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NOTES FOR DUNGEON MASTERS

• Combat Encounters: Use the Melonhead’s abilities to create an atmosphere of tension. Its ability to frighten and disorient enemies makes it ideal for surprise attacks or ambushes.
• Setting: Melonheads thrive in environments that are dark, oppressive, and easy to navigate in shadows. Consider placing them in overgrown forests, ruins, or abandoned villages.
• Roleplay: The Melonhead’s eerie nature should be emphasized in interactions. It may not speak, but it can communicate through its unsettling expressions and terrifying gestures. When dealing with Melonheads, players should be cautious of their surroundings and the creature’s psychic abilities.

Melonhead

This wizened humanoid has pointed ears and an enormously swollen head. Its body is wiry and thin, as if it’s been stretched out of proportion. Its teeth are pointed and it wears little more than rags.

Taken from Creature Codex

Melonheads are simultaneously pathetic and frightening figures. Melonheads are developed from gnomish stock and are rumored to have been created by a gnomish alchemist attempting to bring gnomes to human size. He succeeded through the use of alchemical reagents and selective breeding, but the proportions were dramatically off, resulting in a humanoid with an oversized head and sharp teeth to match.

Most melonheads have been abandoned to the elements and live feral existences in small communities. They are carnivorous, as they need large stores of protein to fuel their strange, enlarged brains. Many tribes view other humanoids as food sources, as they have been rejected for their appearance and are jealous of the creature comforts that others enjoy. They are not inherently evil, but cults devoted to monstrosity and murder often recruit melonheads into their ranks, giving the creatures a sense of belonging while enticing them to ever more evil acts. A melonhead feels emotions very strongly and openly, which can make them either fast friends or frightening enemies depending on how they are treated.

The average melonhead stands about five feet tall and weighs 120 pounds. They have little material culture and view metal weapons and armor as rare treasure to be prized. Melonheads advance by class level, with ranger, rogue and barbarian being the most common among them. Melonheads do have a tendency towards psychic magic, and the leaders of melonhead communities are often psychics or mesmerists.

• Melonhead barbarian 1                 CR ½
• XP 200
• CN Medium humanoid (gnome)
• Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +3
• Defense
• AC 11, touch 10, flat-footed 9 (+2 Dex, +1 armor, -2 rage)
• hp 16 (1d12+4)
• Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +0
• Weakness off balance
• Offense
• Speed 40 ft.
• Melee bite +5 (1d6+6) or club +5 (1d6+4), bite +0 (1d6+2)
• Ranged rock +3 (1d4+4)
• Special Attacks mental fury,rage (6 rounds/day)
• Spell-like Abilities CL 1st, concentration +3
• 1/day—dancing lights, ghost sound (DC 12), prestidigitation, speak with animals (burrowing animals only)
• Tactics
• Base Statistics when not raging, a melonhead’s statistics are as follows, AC 13, touch 12, flat-footed 11; hp 14; Fort +4, Will -2; Melee bite +3 (1d6+3) or club +3 (1d6+2), bite -2 (1d6+1); Ranged rock +3 (1d4+2); Skills Climb +6; Str 14, Con 15; CMB +3; CMD 15 (13 vs. grapple, trip)
• Statistics
• Str 18, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 8, Wis6, Cha 14
• Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 17 (15 vs. grapple, trip)
• Feats Throw Anything
• Skills Acrobatics +6, Climb +8, Perception +4, Stealth +6, Survival +2; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, +2 Stealth
• Languages Gnome
• SQ fast motion
• Ecology
• Environment temperate forests
• Organization solitary, pair, gang (3-8) or tribe (10-40 plus 1 3rd-5thlevel elite per 10 members)
• Treasure standard (padded armor, club, other treasure)
• Special Abilities
• Mental Fury (Su) A melonhead can still use spells with emotion components when under a harmful emotional effect. This does not allow a melonhead to cast spells while raging. In addition, a melonhead with levels in the psychic class use their Charisma modifier for their phrenic pool and psychic discipline abilities, no matter their psychic discipline.
• Off Balance (Ex) A melonhead takes a -2 penalty to its CMB against grapple and trip attempts.

Melondheads as Characters

Melonheads are defined by their class levels; they do not possess racial Hit Dice. A melonhead character has the following racial traits

• +2 Con, +2 Cha, -4 Wis Melonheads have tough bodies and forceful personalities, but have an exaggerated form of gnomish flightiness and distraction.
• Senses: Melonheads have darkvision 60 ft.
• Natural Attacks:  Melonheads have a bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. This is a primary natural attack
• Hunter’s Senses A melonhead gains a +2 racial bonus on Perception and Stealth checks.
• Gnome-blooded Melonheads count as gnomes for the purposes of spells or abilities that effect gnomes specificially.
• Mental Fury (Su) A melonhead can still use spells with emotion components when under a harmful emotional effect. This does not allow a melonhead to cast spells while raging. In addition, a melonhead with levels in the psychic class use their Charisma modifier for their phrenic pool and psychic discipline abilities, no matter their psychic discipline.
• Off Balance (Ex) A melonhead takes a -2 penalty to its CMB against grapple and trip attempts.
• Languages: Melonheads begin play speaking Gnome. Melonheads with an Intelligence bonus may choose from the following bonus languages: Aklo, Common, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc or Sylvan