Buy me a coffeeGrootslang
A Grootslang is a legendary creature from South African folklore that is often described as a massive and fearsome serpent-like being. Physically, it is depicted as an enormous hybrid creature with characteristics of both an elephant and a snake.
The body of a Grootslang is massive and elongated, resembling the shape of a colossal snake. Its skin is said to be tough and scaly, with earthy, mottled colors that blend into its natural surroundings, making it well-camouflaged in the rocky terrain of its habitat.
The head of a Grootslang is often described as having the features of an elephant, including large, fan-like ears and a long, flexible trunk. Its eyes are said to be intelligent and gleaming with a malevolent intelligence. Its mouth is lined with rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth, which it uses to capture and devour its prey.
Overall, the Grootslang is a creature of immense size and strength, with a blend of reptilian and pachyderm attributes that make it a formidable and awe-inspiring creature in South African mythology.
D&D 5E Epic Monsters: Grootslang
D&D 5E – Epic Monsters: Grootslang | EN World | Dungeons & Dragons | Tabletop Roleplaying Games
This monster is said to lair in a diamond-filled cave in Richtersveld (in South Africa) called the Bottomless Pit and Wonder Hole, said to be a tunnel to the sea 40 miles away (64 kilometers).
The enormous snake (20–30 feet long and with a head nearly a foot across) prefers warmer waters and fine stones, trading the lives of its victims in exchange for valuable jewels. Its creation was thought by the gods to be a mistake so they split them all into snakes and elephants—except one grootslang escaped, spawning more of itself afterward.
Grootslang
Gargantuan monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 145 (10d20+40)
Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| 24 (+7) | 13 (+1) | 18 (+4) | 19 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 9 (–1) |
Skills Athletics +10, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +5, Stealth +7
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Ageless. Grootslang cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
Magic Resistance. Grootslang has advantage on saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.
Serpentine Charge. If Grootslang moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a bite or gore attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, Grootslang can make one constrict attack against it as a bonus action.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8+7) piercing damage.
Gore. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one prone target. Hit: 18 (2d10+7) piercing damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10+7) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained. The snake can constrict up to 2 targets at the same time.
Swallow. Grootslang makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, that creature takes the bite’s damage and is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside Grootslang, and it takes 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of Grootslang’s turns.
If Grootslang takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, Grootslang must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of Grootslang. If Grootslang dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement per round it was swallowed, exiting prone.
Grootslang
This enormous beast has the combined features of an elephant and a serpent. Its tremendous maw sports six frightening tusks.
Legends claim that the grootslang is a primordial creature as old as the world itself. Such tales state that in those ancient days, the gods “new to the crafting of things” made a terrible mistake in the grootslang’s creation, for they gave it tremendous strength, cunning, and intellect.
Upon realizing their mistake, the gods split the grootslang into separate creatures and thus created the first elephants and the first snakes. But one of the original grootslangs escaped, and from this first sire all other grootslangs were born. Scholars debate the veracity of such stories and have looked to either biological or magical explanations of the creature’s origins, but nevertheless bards and sages alike agree that the grootslang’s fearsome reputation is well deserved.
A grootslang’s thick, leathery hide has a metallic sheen and a dull copper color, shot through with thin veins of green. Both males and females grow to a length of 60 feet and stand 20 feet tall. Little differentiation exists between sexes save for a lighter green hue to the female’s hide. Grootslangs can weigh 20 tons and live up to 500 years.
All grootslangs covet gems, particularly diamonds, and despite the creatures’ lust for cruelty, victims can often bargain for their freedom by offering a grootslang enough precious gems.
| Grootslang CR 16 |
| XP 76,800 CE Gargantuan magical beast Init +4; Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Scent; Perception +28 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 31, touch 11, flat-footed 26 (+4 Dexterity, +1 Dodge, +20 natural, -4 size) hp 283 (21d10+168) Fort +20, Ref +16, Will +12 DR 10/magic; SR 27 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 40 ft., Swim 30 ft. Melee bite +30 (4d8+13/19-20), 2 stomps +25 (2d6+6), tail slap +25 (2d6+6) Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. Special Attacks impaling bite, thunderous stomp (DC 28), trample (2d6+19, DC 33) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 36, Dexterity 19, Constitution 26, Intelligence 15, Wisdom 20, Charisma 15 Base Atk +21; CMB +38; CMD 53 (55 vs. trip) Feats Awesome Blow, Bleeding Critical, Cleave, Critical Focus, Dodge, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Mobility, Multiattack, Power Attack, Spring Attack Skills Acrobatics +15 (+19 when jumping), Bluff +4, Intimidate +15, Perception +28, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +10, Swim +45 Languages Aquan, Common, Draconic SQ aquatic elusion, hold breath |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Aquatic Elusion (Su) As a standard action, a grootslang that is fully immersed in water can teleport to another body of water without error. This ability functions like tree stride, but the grootslang can exit from any body of water within 1 mile so long as both the entry and exit are wide enough for the creature to enter. Impaling Bite (Ex) A grootslang can make a bite attack against any creature it is grappling with its tail. If this attack hits, it is automatically treated as a critical threat. Thunderous Stomp (Ex) As a full-round action, a grootslang can rear up on its serpentine body to bring its massive forelimbs down with awesome force. The grootslang chooses two adjacent targets to be affected as though trampling them. In addition, each creature within 10 feet must make a DC 28 Reflex save or be knocked prone. The save DC is Constitution-based |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment warm lakes and rivers Organization solitary Treasure double (at least 50% gems) |
| Section 15: Copyright Notice – Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams. |