Buy me a coffeeDemon, Shrroth (Squid Demon)
“The Shrroth: a tentacled demon that drags heroes to the depths—and then takes their souls!”
A Shrroth is a towering 15-foot monstrosity with a copper-skinned humanoid upper body fused grotesquely to the lower half of a massive octopus. Its six-fingered claws are tipped with black talons, and from its back trail six long, muscular tentacles lined with jagged suckers. Its face is a mask of hatred, with serrated teeth, glowing violet eyes, and a tangle of oily black hair hiding two curved obsidian horns. Its presence is accompanied by the faint stench of brine, blood, and rot.
Behavior:
Shrroths are cunning and malevolent, reveling in domination, manipulation, and cruelty. Though chaotic by nature, they follow a brutal warrior code shaped by their service in the Abyssal legions of Vepar. In combat, they fight with ruthless efficiency, favoring ambushes, overwhelming grapples, and drowning tactics. Outside battle, they display a deceptive intelligence—offering power to mortals while hiding sadistic intent.
Habitat:
Native to the ink-black Abyssal seas, Shrroths dwell in drowned fortresses, kelp-choked trenches, and coral cathedrals carved from the bones of sea serpents. On the Material Plane, they haunt cursed coastal regions, sunken ruins, or planar rifts connected to the Abyss. They avoid dry land, preferring environments where they can exploit their speed, stealth, and aquatic might.
Modus Operandi:
Shrroths begin encounters with confusion and disruption—unleashing chaos hammer and sickening cloud to divide foes. They then target arcane casters with feeblemind before grappling and dragging enemies into deep water. One of their cruelest tactics involves casting water breathing on a foe, then swimming to crushing depths before dispelling the effect, letting them drown in helpless panic. If endangered, a Shrroth summons reinforcements and escapes with a powerful backward jet motion.
Motivation:
Shrroths exist to serve Vepar, Demon Lord of Drowned Vengeance, but their loyalty is driven by shared wrath, not obedience. They despise surface-dwellers and mortals who defy them, seeking to enslave or destroy all who reject their offers of power. Every soul dragged screaming to the ocean floor is a tribute to their lord—and a moment of personal ecstasy. Among their own kind, they are volatile and territorial, often killing rivals to assert dominance or settle petty insults.
Shrroth 5e
Shrroth, Pathfinder
Shrroth
Huge Fiend (Demon), Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 210 (20d10 + 100)
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 (+8) | 10 (+0) | 20 (+5) | 14 (+2) | 16 (+3) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +10, Wis +8
Skills Perception +10, Insight +8, Deception +9, Intimidation +9
Damage Resistances cold, fire, acid
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Abyssal, Common, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Amphibious.
The Shrroth can breathe both air and water.
Magic Resistance.
The Shrroth has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons.
The Shrroth’s weapon attacks are magical.
Jet (Recharge 5–6).
As a bonus action, the Shrroth can expel a burst of water to propel itself up to 120 feet in a straight line. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. If it ends this movement within 5 feet of a creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Sickening Cloud (Recharge 6).
As an action, the Shrroth expels a swirling cloud of gray ink in a 30-foot-radius sphere centered on itself. The area is heavily obscured for 1 minute or until dispersed by a strong wind. Creatures that enter or start their turn in the cloud must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be sickened until the end of their next turn (disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks).
Actions
Multiattack.
The Shrroth makes three attacks: one with its Trident and two with its Tentacles.
Trident. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) piercing damage.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). While grappled, the target is restrained, and the Shrroth cannot use that tentacle on another creature. The Shrroth can grapple up to two creatures simultaneously.
Constrict.
While grappling a creature with a tentacle, it can use a bonus action to constrict.
Hit: 16 (2d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of their next turn.
Devouring Plunge (Recharge 5–6).
The Shrroth targets a creature it is grappling and swims up to 60 feet downward in a straight line. If underwater, the target must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or begin to drown at the start of its next turn (unless it can breathe water). At the end of the movement, the target takes 21 (3d10 + 5) bludgeoning damage from crushing pressure.
Spellcasting.
The Shrroth is a 12th-level spellcaster (Charisma is its spellcasting ability, spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells:
- At will: Chaos Bolt, Dispel Magic, Mirror Image, Water Breathing (others only)
- 2/day each: Feeblemind
- 1/day: Power Word Blind, Summon Abyssal Reinforcements (see below)
Summon Abyssal Reinforcements (1/day).
The Shrroth magically summons either:
- 2d6 Melethzu demons (aquatic dretches, swim speed 50 ft.), or
- 1 additional Shrroth (35% chance)
Summoned creatures appear within 60 feet and act immediately after the Shrroth’s initiative. They vanish after 1 hour or upon reaching 0 hit points. Summoned Shrroths cannot use this ability.
Tactics
- Opening Moves: Begins combat with Sickening Cloud and Mirror Image for disruption and defense.
- Focus Fire: Targets casters with Feeblemind and attempts a quick grapple.
- Drag & Drown: Uses Water Breathing on foes, grapples, then submerges with Devouring Plunge, dispelling the effect to drown them.
- Mob Tactics: Summons demons to overwhelm or screen for retreat.
- Repositioning: Uses Jet to escape melee or cross battlefields rapidly.
Legendary Actions (Optional for Epic Variant)
The Shrroth 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.
- Tentacle Swipe. Makes one tentacle attack.
- Abyssal Glare (Costs 2). One creature the Shrroth can see within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.
- Jet Surge (Costs 2). The Shrroth uses its Jet ability.
Demon, Shrroth (Squid Demon)
This huge creature has the lower torso of an octopus and the upper torso of a copper-skinned humanoid. Its arms end in 6-fingered talons and it wields a wicked trident. A mass of long black hair hangs from its head; from under which protrude two forward-curving, blackish horns.
| Shrroth CR 12 |
| XP 19,200 CE Huge outsider (aquatic, chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar) Init +4; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +26 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 23 (+11 natural, -2 size, +4 profane) hp 162 (12d10+96) Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +7 DR 10/good; Immune electricity, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10, fire 10; SR 23 |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 20 ft., Swim 60 ft. Melee trident +19/+12/+9 (3d6+9) or 2 claws +19 (1d6+9), bite +19 (1d8+9), 6 tentacles +14 (2d6+4 plus grab) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks constrict (tentacle, 2d6+4), sickening cloud Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th) At will – chaos hammer (DC 18), dispel magic, mirror image, greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), water breathing (others only) (DC 17) 2/day – feeblemind (DC 19) 1/day – power word blind, summon (level 9, 2d8 melethzu demons [aquatic dretches, Swim speed 50 ft.] 50% or 1 shrroth 35%) |
| STATISTICS |
| Strength 28, Dexterity 10, Constitution 27, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 16, Charisma 18 Base Atk +12; CMB +23 (+27 grapple); CMD 37 Feats Blind-Fight, Cleave, Deceitful, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack Skills Bluff +23, Diplomacy +19, Disguise +6, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (planes) +17, Perception +26, Sense Motive +18, Stealth +7, Swim +32; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception Languages Abyssal, Common, plus one more; telepathy 100 ft. SQ amphibious, jet |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Sickening Cloud (Ex) A shrroth can emit a cloud of grayish liquid in a 40-foot spread once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides concealment and any creature in the area or entering the area must make a successful DC 24 Fortitude save or be sickened for 3 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. Jet (Ex) A shrroth can jet backward once per round as a full-round action at a speed of 240 feet. It must move in a straight line, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment any (Abyss) Organization solitary or gang (2-5) Treasure standard |
Shrroths are the warriors of Vepar, Master of Angry Waters and serve in his abyssal army. When not fighting the abyssal wars among the demon princes, shrroths are often sent to the Material Plane to tempt and corrupt mortals with promises of power and wealth. Those refusing such offers are captured by the shrroth and brought to its Abyssal layer. They are confined in a stone cage and thrown into the Abyssal sea where they sink to the bottom and are never seen again.
Shrroths are malevolent creatures and though they follow the orders of their superiors, they are difficult to control. Fights amongst groups, packs, or battalions is not uncommon when there demons are involved, and such fights always end with the deaths of several of their number.
A shrroth is a 15-foot tall copper-colored demon with the lower torso of an octopus and the upper torso of a powerful humanoid. Its arms end in 6-fingered talons. Its lower torso sports a mass of writing tentacles reaching lengths of 10 feet. Six larger tentacles stretching 20 feet surround the smaller tentacles. The shrroth’s visage is one of hatred and despair. Its mouth is filled with serrated teeth and its eyes are violet. A mass of long black hair hangs from its head; from under which protrude two forward curving, blackish horns.
Shrroths rarely confront creatures on land; they prefer to fight in the Abyssal waters of their native plane where they have the advantage. These demons open combat using chaos hammer to batter their foes. This is quickly followed by feeblemind against an arcane caster if one is present. If a shrroth grabs an opponent in its tentacles, it hangs on, constricts it and stabs it with its trident. When facing an air-breathing creature, the shrroth likes to cast water breathing on it, grab it, and Swim as deep as it can in the water before dispelling the water breathing effect and watching the air-breather drown.
If in danger, or if facing powerful adversaries, the shrroth summons a horde of melethzus (see summon above) to aid it in battle or to cover its retreat.
Section 15: Copyright Notice – Tome of Horrors Complete
Shrroth from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.