D&D 5E Epic Monsters: Grendel’s Mother

D&D 5E – Epic Monsters: Grendel’s Mother | EN World | Dungeons & Dragons | Tabletop Roleplaying Games

Grendel’s mother—who is never named—is a bit of an open book. There’s centuries of debate over the nature of this monster, and very little to go on for what her abilities were or what she looked like. What is not debated from the original manuscript are that she birthed Grendel, is a descendant of Cain, vengefully attacks the mead hall Heorot, lives in a cave under a lake, and that she almost kills Beowulf before he grabs at an ancient sword and decapitates her.

Design Notes: With the scant details available for Grendel’s mother lets use the 2007 film Beowulf as the general basis for her statistics. It makes sense for her to naturally be a giant like her son (meaning we never see her true form), but she can assume the shape of a human or dragon too—although not instantly. She’s got a few innate spells and a Toxic Blood feature similar to her boy, plus some fun with a crazy long hair braid. Let’s do the numbers! The DMG 14.25 came in higher on this one while the Blog of Holding hit 13.66. Seems sensible to round up a smidge with the Toxic Blood feature so we’ll settle on CR 14.

Grendel’s Mother​

Large giant, neutral evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 252 (24d10+120)
Speed 50 ft.

STR​	DEX​	CON​	INT​	WIS​	CHA​
25 (+7)​	19 (+4)​	21 (+5)​	16 (+3)​	18 (+4)​	16 (+3)​

Skills Athletics +12, Intimidation +8, Perception +9, Persuasion +13
Damage Resistances cold, fire; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities acid
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages Giant, Olde English
Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. Grendel’s mother’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

3/day: charm person, fear, mislead, suggestion​

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Grendel’s mother fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. Grendel’s mother has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. Grendel’s mother’s weapon attacks are magical.

Toxic Blood. When a creature within 5 feet of Grendel’s mother hits her with a melee attack that deals piercing or slashing damage, that creature takes 7 (2d6) acid damage. While in the form of an adult brass dragon, the attacking creature takes 9 (2d8) fire damage instead.

ACTIONS
Multiattack. Grendel’s mother attacks four times with slam and once with her braid whip.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8+7) bludgeoning damage.

Braid Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 25 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d4+7) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, Grendel’s mother can grapple the target (escape DC 20).

Thrown Object. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 250/500 ft., multiple targets (determined by object size; make one attack roll per target). Hit: 14 (1d8+10) damage. The damage type depends on the object (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) and at 100 pounds and every 100 pounds thereafter, the damage increases by 1d8 (up to a maximum of 10d8+10 at 1,000 pounds). A creature thrown at an object bigger than it is takes regular damage, but only takes half damage when thrown at another creature.

Change Shape. Grendel’s mother starts to magically polymorph into a Medium humanoid, into an adult brass dragon, or back into her true form. If Grendel’s mother dies, she reverts to her true form. At the start of her next turn, her transformation completes.
In a new form, Grendel’s mother retains her game statistics and ability to speak, but her movement modes and other actions are replaced by those of the new form, and she gains any statistics and capabilities (except for class features) that the new form has but that she lacks.

This strange creature is shaped vaguely like a woman, but she is bony and gaunt, and taller then any normal woman. Her skin is covered in a layer of tough scales, and sharp claws tip her webbed fingers. Her gate is awkward and bent on land, but she moves with unusual grace underwater.

Originally Posted by demiurge1138 of the En World forums.

On this Thread

The true name of Grendel’s mother is unknown; her small role in history is completely defined by her son. She was a large hag-like creature who lived in a submerged hall in a haunted mere with her son. She was more intelligent and wary than her offspring, and she often lurked in the swamps, feeding on lost travelers and wildlife while her son brought her treasures from the outside world.

When she found Grendel dead in the mere from obvious battle-wounds, she flew into a flurry of rage, and traced her son’s blood back to Herorot. She waited until the warriors had fallen asleep, then stalked into the hall and killed Aeschare, Hrothgar’s counselor, taking his body into the swamp to mimic how her son was taken from her. Beowulf followed Grendel’s mother into the swamps and dove after her. Although Grendel’s mother was able to out-grapple Beowulf, her claws could not find purchase in
his chainmail. After dragging Beowulf into her hall to finish him with her knife, he used a giant sword from her hoard to behead her.

Grendel’s Mother
Cain-son* Advanced Annis Hag fighter 4
Large Giant (Augmented monstrous humanoid)
Hit Dice	11d8+4d10+105 (176 hp)
Initiative	+5
Speed	20ft, Swim 40ft
Armor Class	24 (-1 size, +1 Dexterity, +14 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple	+15/+36
Attack	Claw +28 melee (1d6+13) or Large +2 shortsword +29 melee (1d8+15)
Full Attack	2 claws +28 melee (1d6+13), bite +25 melee (1d8+6) or Large +2 shortsword +29/+24/+19 melee (1d8+15) and bite +25 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach	10ft/10ft
Special Attacks	Improved grab, rake 1d6+13, rend 2d6+19
Special Qualities	Blood curse, Darkvision 60ft, DR 15/adamantine, hold breath, Scent, SR 19
Saves	Fort +14, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities**	Strength 36, Dexterity 12, Constitution 24, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 15, Charisma 10
Skills	Hide +11, Listen +14, Move Silently +15, Spot +14, Survival +8, Swim +21
Feats	Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment	Cold marsh
Organization	Unique, or troupe (Grendel’s mother plus 1d4+1 nycars)
Challenge Rating	13
Treasure	Large +2 shortsword, Large +1 adamantine giantbane greatsword and double coins
Alignment	Chaotic evil
Advancement	By character class

Combat

Grendel’s mother dislikes fighting fair; she usually attacks from ambush. She prefers to grapple opponents, drag them into the mere, and tear them to pieces with her claws. If this fails, she relies on weapons, which she keeps in her hall.

• Blood Curse (Su) In addition to her damage reduction, Grendel’s mother is protected by a vindictive curse should she happen to die. Any slashing or piercing weapon that deals the killing blow to Grendel’s mother is utterly destroyed, melting into a puddle of bloody metal. A magical weapon gets a Fortitude save (DC 22) to avoid this effect.
• Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, Grendel’s mother must hit an opponent with a claw attack. If she gets a hold, she deals automatic claw damage every round and can rake.
• Hold Breath (Ex) Grendel’s mother can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to 6x her Constitution score before she risks drowning.
• Rake (Ex) Attack bonus +28, 1d6+13 damage.
• Rend (Ex) If Grendel’s mother hits an opponent with two claw attacks, she grabs and tears the opponent’s flesh. This attack automatically deals 2d6+19 points of damage.
• Skills Grendel’s mother has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform a special action or avoid a hazard. She can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. She can use the run action while swimming, provided she swims in a straight line.

• * The Cain-son template is the half-troll template, with the fast healing replaced with damage reduction
• ** These ability scores are based on an elite array.