This site is games | books | films

Charybdis

Charybdis, beach, wave, ocean

Charybdis was a sea monster, daughter of Poseidon and Gaia. She takes form as a monstrous mouth. She swallows huge amounts of water three times a day and then belches them back out again creating whirlpools. Charybdis was originally a sea-nymph who flooded land to enlarge her father’s underwater kingdom, until Zeus turned her into a monster. He was angry that she was taking so much of his land and made it so that she would be incredibly thirsty three times a day and suck in the water.

The myth has Charybdis lying on one side of a narrow channel of water. On the other side of the strait was Scylla, another sea-monster. The two sides of the strait are within an arrow’s range of each other, so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis will pass too close to Scylla and vice versa. The phrase between Scylla and Charybdis has come to mean being in a state where one is between two dangers and moving away from one will cause you to be in danger of the other.

The Argonauts were able to avoid both dangers because they were guided by Thetis, one of the Nereids. Odysseus was not so fortunate; he chose to risk Scylla at the cost of some of his crew rather than lose the whole ship to Charybdis. Traditionally, the location of Charybdis has been associated with the Strait of Messina off the coast of Sicily, opposite the rock called Scylla.

Originally Posted by Kain Darkwind of the Dicefreaks d20 Community.

On this Thread

Charybdis is a monstrous creature of water, which produces devouring whirlpools.

It lives beneath a rock, across the strait from the cave of Scylla.

Charybdis
Colossal outsider (Aquatic, Chaotic, Evil)
Hit Dice40d8 + 800 (1,120 hp)
Initiative+1
SpeedSwim 80 ft.
Armor Class47 (+1 Dexterity, +8 insight, +36 natural, -8 size), touch 11, flat-footed 38
Base Attack/Grapple+40/+76
AttackBite +52 melee (8d6 + 17 /19-20/x3 and death (DC 42))
Full AttackBite +52 melee (8d6 +17 /19-20/x3 and death (DC 42)) and 2 slams +47 melee (3d6 + 8)
Space/Reach50 ft. /50 ft.
Special AttacksMassive attacks, swallow whole, whirlpool
Special QualitiesDamage reduction 25/lawful and cold iron, Darkvision, fast healing 20, Spell Resistance 43
SavesFort +45, Ref +23, Will +30
AbilitiesStrength 44, Dexterity 12, Constitution 45, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 27, Charisma 20
SkillsClimb +60, Hide +36, Intimidate +48, Knowledge (nature) +45, Listen +51, Move Silently +44, Spot +51, Survival +51, Swim +68
FeatsAbility Focus (whirlpool), Great FortitudeImproved Critical (bite), Improved Toughness, Multiattack, Power Attack, Swim-by Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Epic FeatsDevastating Critical (bite), Epic Ability Focus (whirlpool), Epic Fortitude, Epic ToughnessEpic Weapon Focus (bite), Overwhelming Critical (bite)
Climate/TerrainThe Mediterranean, Warm Aquatic
OrganizationSolitary (unique)
Challenge Rating28
TreasureDouble Standard
AlignmentChaotic Evil

Improved Grab: If Charybdis hits with her bite attack, she can immediately make a grapple check as a free action. If she wins she establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow whole.

Massive Attacks (Ex): Charybdis’ bite attack targets all creatures within a 15 foot square. Her slam attacks target any two adjacent 5 foot squares.

Swallow Whole (Ex):Charybdis can attempt to swallow a grabbed opponent by making a grapple check. Once inside, an opponent takes 5d8 points of crushing damage plus 20d6 points of acid damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut its way out using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 50 points of damage to Charybdis (AC 30). The inside of Charybdis is entirely filled with liquid, so creatures who cannot breathe water must hold their breath or drown.

Whirlpool: 3/day, Charybdis may swallow all of the water in the immediate area. Every creature within 200 feet of her must make a Swim check (DC 53) or be drawn into her gullet, taking damage as per her swallow whole ability. Success merely exhausts the victim.

Charybdis may also spew forth the water she has swallowed. All creatures within a 500 foot cone take 30d10 points of crushing damage. (Reflex save DC 53 for half.) In addition, the water level rises 40 feet in the immediate area, which may cause other issues.

Scroll to Top