Sand Squink

Medium monstrosity, neutral evil

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Armor Class: 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points: 58 (9d8 + 18)

Speed: 40 ft., burrow 20 ft.

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14 (+2)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	8 (-1)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)

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Skills: Perception +3, Stealth +5

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13

Languages: Understands Common but can’t speak

Challenge: 3 (700 XP)

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Keen Senses. The sand squink has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Ambusher. The sand squink has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.

Pounce. If the sand squink moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the sand squink can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Electric Discharge. Once per day, the sand squink can release a powerful surge of electricity. Each creature within a 15-foot radius sphere centered on the sand squink must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 18 (4d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Multiattack. The sand squink makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its claws.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.

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Actions

Metallic Distraction (Recharge 5-6). The sand squink emits a series of high-pitched chittering noises, causing metal objects within 30 feet of it to vibrate and emit faint sparks. Creatures wielding metal weapons or wearing metal armor within this radius must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become distracted by the sound, gaining disadvantage on attack rolls until the start of the sand squink’s next turn.

Burrow. The sand squink burrows into the ground, disappearing from sight. It can remain burrowed as long as it chooses, and can emerge from the ground as a bonus action on its turn.

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Reactions

Evasive Maneuvers. When the sand squink is targeted by a melee attack, it can use its reaction to dodge out of the way, imposing disadvantage on the attacker’s roll.

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Legendary Actions

The sand squink can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The sand squink regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Strike from Below. The sand squink makes one claw attack against a creature within 5 feet of it.

Disorienting Chitter. The sand squink emits a disorienting chittering noise, targeting one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The targeted creature must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become stunned until the end of its next turn.

Vanishing Act (Costs 2 Actions). The sand squink burrows into the ground, disappearing from sight.

This fanciful creature resembles a small dog, with long, rabbit-like ears and a tufted tail as long as its body. A palpable aura of electricity crackles around it.

Taken from the Creature Codex

Sand squinks are wicked and cunning predators that use their scintillating patterns to entrance foes and their electrical abilities to destroy them. Although a squink can live easily on a diet of fish and small game, they are greedy creatures that delight in collecting the artifacts of civilization, both magical and mundane. Most sand squinks are perfectly happy to kill to obtain even the simplest trinkets, and a squink’s den is as stuffed with treasure as it can be.

Sand squinks are not averse to working for more powerful creatures as bodyguards or scouts in exchange for treasure, and the wealthiest squinks are those that have allied with a powerful fey, green dragon or other woodland entity. On the other hand, squinks will also masquerade as gods or spirits in order to extort forest-dwelling humanoids for tribute.

Sand squinks are typically distrustful of each other, coming into contact only to mate or to steal from each other (or both). They are monotremes—the females lay four to six eggs with a strange, resinous shell. Baby sand squinks are cared for only until they are capable of hunting on their own.

The young are then chased from the den and forced to fend for themselves. Many squinks make a habit of hunting down and killing their siblings, and cooperation between family members is extremely rare. Squinks are skilled swimmers, and prefer to lair on the banks of rivers and lakes. A sand squink grows to six feet long, and more than half of that length is tail. They typically weigh about 50 pounds.

Sand Squink       CR 9
XP 6,400
NE Small magical beast
Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +15, scent

Defense

AC 22, touch 19, flat-footed 22(+1 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural, +3 deflection)
hp 112 (15d10+30)
Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +7
Immune electricity
Defensive Abilities shock shield, uncanny dodge

Offense

Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +18 (1d4+2), 2 claws +18 (1d4+2)
Special Attacks mesmerizing lights, sneak attack +3d6
Spell-like Abilities CL 10th, concentration +13
At will—aggressive thundercloud (DC 15), detect magic, elemental aura (electricity only, DC 16), shocking grasp
3/day—empowered lightning bolt (DC 16)
1/day—chain lightning (DC 19)

Statistics

Str 15, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 14, Wis14, Cha 16
Base Atk +15; CMB +15; CMD 34 (38 vs. trip)
Feats Blind-fight, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Empower SLA (lightning bolt), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spring Attack
Skills Acrobatics +18 (+26 when jumping), Bluff +13, Perception +15, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +22, Swim +19; Racial Modifiers +4 Swim
Languages Common, Sylvan

Ecology

Environment temperate forests
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard

Special Attacks

Mesmerizing Lights (Su) A sand squink can, as a standard action, create a field of shimmering lights 60 feet across. All creatures within the area must succeed a DC 20 Will save or be entranced, taking no action except for moving towards the squink. A squink can maintain this aura by taking a standard action each round. A creature that passes through hazardous terrain or is attacked by another creature gets another Will save to break the effect. A creature adjacent to the squink can take no actions and is considered to be flat-footed against the squink’s attacks.

This effect lasts as long as the sand squink maintains the lights, plus for one round thereafter. A creature that successfully saves against a squink’s mesmerizing lights is immune to the lights of that squink for the next 24 hours. This is a visual, mind-influencing, glamer effect. The save DC is Charisma based.

Shock Shield (Su) A sand squink is surrounded by a defensive aura of electricity. This ability gives it a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma modifier and all ranged attacks made against a sand squink have a 50% miss chance.