Behir

Huge Monstrosity, Typically Neutral Evil

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Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64)
Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	7 (−2)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)

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Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +8, Wis +6
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities Paralyzed, Prone
Senses Darkvision 90 ft., Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Draconic
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4

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Innate Lightning Magic

The Behir’s connection to storm energy grants it innate spellcasting (save DC 16). It can cast the following spells, requiring no components:

• At will: shocking grasp (as a melee spell attack, +7 to hit)
• 3/day each: call lightning, lightning bolt (cast at 5th level)
• 1/day: storm sphere

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Storm Conduit (Recharge 5–6)

When the Behir takes lightning damage, it instead absorbs the energy, regaining 10 hit points and causing its scales to flare with electric light until the end of its next turn. During this time, any creature that hits it with a melee attack takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage.

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Actions

Multiattack. The Behir makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its constrict.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 17 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the Behir can’t constrict another target.

Lightning Breath (Recharge 5–6). The Behir exhales lightning in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Swallow. The Behir makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and effects outside the Behir, and takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the Behir’s turns.

If the Behir takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the Behir must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the Behir. If the Behir dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

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Reactions

Coiling Reprisal. When a creature the Behir can see misses it with a melee attack, the Behir can use its reaction to make a constrict attack against that creature.

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Legendary Actions

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

• Move. The Behir moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Crackle. The Behir releases a surge of static energy; each creature within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) lightning damage.
• Constrict (Costs 2 Actions). The Behir makes one constrict attack.

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Combat Tactics

The Behir is an ambush predator that strikes with cunning precision.

• It begins combat from concealment, unleashing its Lightning Breath or lightning bolt spell from elevated terrain.
• If multiple targets resist its lightning, it uses Constrict to isolate and crush weaker prey.
• The Behir uses Swallow to eliminate single foes, retreating into tunnels or cliffsides while digesting them.
• Against spellcasters, it climbs or circles with superior mobility, forcing opponents into confined spaces.
• If wounded, it leverages Storm Conduit to regenerate and punish melee attackers.
  A Behir will flee only if gravely injured and unable to recharge its lightning powers, often retreating to a high cavern where intruders can’t easily follow.

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Lore

Storm sages claim Behirs are remnants of the first thunder dragons, exiled when their kin took to the skies. Each storm that rolls across the mountains is said to awaken their hunger—and every lightning flash marks another victim claimed by the tempest below.

Behir

This slithering, multi-legged blue reptile has a fearsome head crowned with two large, curling horns.

Family: Behir

Huge monstrosity, neutral evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 168 (16d12 + 64)
Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
23 (+6)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	7 (-2)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)

Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7
Damage Immunities lightning
Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Draconic
Challenge 11 (7,200 XP)

Actions

• Multiattack: The behir makes two attacks: one with its bite and one to constrict.
• Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (3d10 + 6) piercing damage.
• Constrict: Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one Large or smaller creature. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 16) if the behir isn’t already constricting a creature, and the target is restrained until this grapple ends.
• Lightning Breath (Recharge 5-6): The behir exhales a line of lightning that is 20 feet long and 5 feet wide. Each creature in that line must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 66 (12d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
• Swallow: The behir makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is also swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the behir, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of the behir’s turns. A behir can have only one creature swallowed at a time.
• If the behir takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from the swallowed creature, the behir must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 10 feet of the behir. If the behir dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

System Reference Document 5.1 Copyright 2016, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Chris Perkins, Rodney Thompson, Peter Lee, James Wyatt, Robert J. Schwalb, Bruce R. Cordell, Chris Sims, and Steve Townshend, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Behir

This slithering, multilegged blue reptile has a fearsome head crowned with two large, curling horns.

Temperamental and avaricious, the behir spends most of its time slithering through the sandy hills and desert cliffs that make up its territory, preying upon all creatures who dare to enter its hunting grounds. The creature’s six pairs of powerful, clawed legs remain folded against its sides most of the time, only extending in combat to grapple foes or carry the behir forward in a terrifying, low-slung gallop, or else when climbing the sheer cliff faces common to behir lairs.

The average behir is 40 feet long and weighs 4,000 pounds. In addition to the two prominent horns on its head, many have additional decorative spines at regular intervals along the central ridges of their backs.

While territorial and bestial in its fury, the behir is neither stupid nor necessarily evil, though its self-centeredness and tendency to lay claim to everything visible from its high lairs frequently bring it into conflict with other races. As such, a behir can often be bought off or reasoned with by those brave negotiators willing to get close enough to make their pitch. In these cases, a behir’s tendency to attack first and ask questions later (or not at all) means that anyone seeking to strike a deal must bring powerful incentives and impress the behir immediately with his offer.

It’s often been speculated that behirs are somehow related to blue dragons, but the exact nature of this link remains unknown. Most dragons deny any such association and look down on the behir for its relative lack of intelligence—a snubbing that infuriates the already short-tempered behir. Thanks to this casual disparagement, many behirs carry deep grudges against dragons, and attack without pause any who cross into their territories.

Behir CR 8

XP 4,800
N Huge magical beast
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+1 Dex, +12 natural, –2 size)
hp 105 (10d10+50)
Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +5
Immune electricity

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +15 (2d6+9 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (20-foot line, 7d6 electricity damage, Reflex DC 20 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds), constrict (2d6+9), rake (6 claws +14, 1d4+6), swallow whole (2d8+9 bludgeoning damage, AC 16, 10 hp)

STATISTICS

Str 23, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 12
Base Atk +10; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 29 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Alertness, Cleave, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +14, Perception +8, Stealth +5
Languages Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Grab (Ex)

A behir’s grab attack works against creatures of any size category. It can constrict the same round it establishes a hold. On any round thereafter that it maintains its hold, the behir can choose to rake the grappled target or swallow it whole.

ECOLOGY

Environment warm hills and deserts
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure double