Fiendish Elder Black Pudding — The Infernal Ooze

Fiendish Elder Black Pudding

Huge Ooze (Fiend-Tainted), Neutral Evil

AC 13 (natural armor); Initiative −1 (9); HP 310 (23d12 + 161); Speed 20 ft., Climb 20 ft.

Saving Throws Con +13, Wis +7; Skills Perception +7, Stealth +5
Resistances Fire
Immunities Acid, Cold, Lightning, Poison, Slashing; Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Grappled, Prone, Restrained
Senses Blindsight 60 ft.; Passive Perception 17; Languages None
CR 18 (20,000 XP; PB +6) — original elder encounter

Traits

Amorphous. It can enter openings as narrow as 1 inch without extra movement.

Corrosive Form. A creature that hits the pudding with a melee attack roll takes 10 (3d6) Acid damage. Nonmagical ammunition that damages it is destroyed. A nonmagical metal or wooden weapon that hits takes a cumulative −1 penalty to attack rolls, breaking at −5. Mending removes the penalty. In 1 minute it can consume 2 feet of nonmagical wood or metal.

Spider Climb. It climbs sheer surfaces and ceilings without an ability check.

Actions

Multiattack. The pudding makes two Dissolving Pseudopod attacks.

Dissolving Pseudopod. Melee Attack Roll: +12, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) Bludgeoning plus 27 (6d8) Acid damage. Nonmagical armour worn by the target takes a cumulative −1 penalty to the AC it provides; it is destroyed at AC 10, and Mending can repair it.

Engulf (Recharge 5–6). The pudding moves up to its Speed through the spaces of Large or smaller creatures. Each affected creature makes a DC 21 Dexterity save. On a failure it is engulfed, Blinded and Restrained; it takes 28 (8d6) Acid damage at the start of each pudding turn. It moves with the pudding. An engulfed creature can use an action to make a DC 21 Strength (Athletics) check, escaping into an unoccupied adjacent space on a success.

Reactions

Split. Trigger: While Huge, Large or Medium and with at least 10 HP, the pudding becomes Bloodied or is subjected to Lightning or Slashing damage. Response: It becomes two new puddings one size smaller. Divide its current HP evenly between them (round down). Both use these statistics except for their size and current HP, and both act on the original’s Initiative. Split occurs even if immunity prevents the triggering damage.

Legendary Actions

The pudding can take 2 Legendary Actions, one at a time at the end of another creature’s turn, regaining them at the start of its turn.

Corrosive Lash. One Dissolving Pseudopod attack.

Acidic Surge (Costs 2 Actions). Creatures in a 15-foot Cone make a DC 21 Constitution save, taking 27 (6d8) Acid damage on a failure or half on success.

Fiendish Elder Black Pudding

Huge ooze (fiend-touched), neutral evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor); Hit Points 297 (22d12 + 154); Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

Saving Throws Con +13, Wis +7; Skills Perception +7, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances fire; Damage Immunities acid, cold, lightning, poison, slashing
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, prone, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 17
Languages —; Challenge 18 (20,000 XP) — original elder encounter

Traits

Amorphous. The pudding can move through a gap as narrow as 1 inch without squeezing.

Corrosive Form. A creature touching the pudding, or hitting it with a melee attack while within 10 feet, takes 10 (3d6) acid damage. When a nonmagical metal or wooden weapon hits it, the weapon suffers a permanent cumulative −1 penalty to damage rolls and is destroyed at −5. Nonmagical metal or wooden ammunition is consumed after hitting. The pudding eats through 2 inches of nonmagical wood or metal in one round.

Spider Climb. The pudding climbs difficult surfaces, including ceilings, without a check.

Actions

Multiattack. Two Pseudopod attacks.

Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 28 (4d10 + 6) bludgeoning plus 27 (6d8) acid damage. Nonmagical armour worn by the target suffers a cumulative −1 penalty to its AC and is destroyed if its effective AC falls to 10.

Engulf (Recharge 5–6). It moves up to its speed through the spaces of Large or smaller creatures, each of which must succeed on a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw or become engulfed. An engulfed creature is blinded and restrained, travels with the pudding and takes 28 (8d6) acid damage at the start of each pudding turn. A creature can use its action to make a DC 21 Strength check to escape into an unoccupied adjacent space.

Reactions

Split. When a Huge, Large or Medium pudding with at least 10 hit points is subjected to lightning or slashing damage, it splits into two new puddings, each one size category smaller. The original’s remaining hit points are divided between them, rounded down; neither takes the triggering damage because of its immunities. This edition has no Bloodied trigger.

Legendary Actions

The pudding takes 2 legendary actions, one option at the end of another creature’s turn, refreshing at the start of its own turn. Tendril. Makes one Pseudopod attack. Acid Spray (Costs 2 Actions). Creatures in a 15-foot cone make a DC 21 Constitution saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) acid damage on a failed save or half on success.

Fiendish Elder Black Pudding — CR 14

XP 38,400; NE Gargantuan ooze (fiendish); Init −5; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception −5

DEFENSE

AC 5, touch 1, flat-footed 5 (−4 size, −5 Dex, +4 natural); hp 270 (20d8 + 180)
Fort +15, Ref +1, Will +1
Defensive Abilities split, ooze traits, suction; DR 10/good; Resist cold 15, fire 15; SR 19

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.; Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft.
Melee slam +18 (3d6+10 bludgeoning plus 2d6 acid plus grab)
Special Attacks constrict (3d6+10 plus 2d6 acid), corrosion (DC 29), smite good (1/day)

STATISTICS

SQ mindless, ooze traits, suction

Str 24, Dex 1, Con 28, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1
Base Atk +15; CMB +26 (+30 grapple); CMD 31 (41 vs. bull rush while using suction; can’t be tripped)
Feats — (mindless)
Skills Climb +15 (racial bonus), Perception −5; Languages —

ECOLOGY

Environment underground or lower planar fissures; Organization solitary; Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Acid (Ex). When its acid damages a creature, worn armour and clothing take equal acid damage unless the creature succeeds at a DC 29 Reflex save. A metal or wooden weapon hitting the pudding takes 2d6 acid damage unless its wielder succeeds at a DC 29 Reflex save. Remaining in contact for a full round deals 21 acid damage to wooden or metal objects.

Corrosion (Ex). An opponent being constricted takes a −4 penalty on Reflex saves to protect gear from its acid.

Grab and Constrict (Ex). A slam can start a grapple using grab; a successful grapple check can deal the listed constrict damage.

Smite Good (Su; 1/day). As a swift action, choose a visible good-aligned opponent. Against that opponent, the pudding gains +20 damage on successful attacks until the target dies or the pudding rests; its Charisma modifier is negative, so it gains no bonus to attack rolls.

Split (Ex). Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage; instead, while it has more than 10 HP, the pudding divides into two copies, each with half of its current HP (rounded down). Each retains the same statistics apart from current HP. There is no Will save and no lightning trigger.

Suction (Ex). It can cling to ceilings, moving at half speed while using suction; its CMD gains +10 against attempts to physically dislodge it.

Fiendish Elder Black Pudding — CR 14

NE Gargantuan Ooze (Extraplanar), fiendish elder variant

Hit Dice 20d10+180 (290 hp average; 380 hp if all Hit Dice are maximized, as in the original Jeff Rients variant); Initiative −5; Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Armor Class 1 (−4 size, −5 Dex), touch 1, flat-footed 1
Base Attack/Grapple +15/+35; Attack slam +19 melee (3d6+12 bludgeoning plus 3d6 acid); Full Attack slam +19 melee (3d6+12 plus 3d6 acid)
Space/Reach 20 ft./20 ft.

Special Attacks acid, constrict (2d8+12 plus 2d6 acid), improved grab, smite good
Special Qualities blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., ooze traits, split, DR 10/magic, resist cold 10 and fire 10, SR 25
Saves Fort +15, Ref +1, Will +1; Skills Climb +16; Feats —
Environment any evil-aligned plane; Organization solitary; Treasure none; Alignment always evil (any); Advancement —; Level Adjustment —

COMBAT

Acid (Ex). Its acidic contact harms living material and metal but not stone. A struck creature’s gear dissolves unless it succeeds on a DC 29 Reflex save. Metal or wooden weapons that hit it must likewise succeed on DC 29 Reflex saves or dissolve. Prolonged contact for 1 full round deals 21 acid damage to wooden or metal objects.

Improved Grab (Ex). After a successful slam, it may begin a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Winning establishes a hold and permits constrict damage.

Constrict (Ex). A successful grapple check deals the listed constrict and acid damage; the victim’s clothing and armour take a −4 penalty to saves against the acid.

Smite Good (Su; 1/day). On one normal melee attack against a good creature, add +20 damage if the attack hits.

Split (Ex). Slashing and piercing weapons deal no damage. Instead, provided the pudding has more than 10 hp, the blow divides it into two identical puddings, each with half of its original current hit points (rounded down). Neither split creature takes the triggering damage. Lightning does not trigger this ability.

Climb. The pudding has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can take 10 while threatened.

Source note. The 380 hp maximum is the historical custom build; 290 is the normal average of 20d10+180. Creature and fiendish template stats are specific to D&D 3.5e.