Summon a portrait of this monster
Describe it your way — Old Father Catfish is already filled in.
Summon art →

Old Father Catfish

Gargantuan beast, unaligned

AC
15
HP
186
Speed
10
CR
8

Every riverside tavern has a story about the one that took a whole skiff, and half of them are about him. Old Father Catfish has nosed the muddy bottom of the Reach since before the first levee, whiskers wide as mooring lines and a mouth like a flooded cellar door.


Armor Class 15 (armoured river hide)

Hit Points 186 (12d20 + 60)

Speed 10 ft., swim 50 ft.


STR
19 (+4)
DEX
9 (-1)
CON
21 (+5)
INT
3 (-4)
WIS
13 (+1)
CHA
7 (-2)

Saving Throws Con +8, Wis +4

Skills Perception +4

Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14

Languages —

Challenge 8


Traits

Hold Breath. The catfish can hold its breath for 1 hour.

River Lord's Bulk. The catfish has advantage on saving throws against being moved against its will while swimming.

Actions

Multiattack. The catfish makes one bite attack and one tail slap attack.

Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 15 ft. Hit: 26 (4d10 + 4) Piercing damage. If the target is Large or smaller it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until the grapple ends the target is restrained.

Tail Slap. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 15 ft. Hit: 25 (6d6 + 4) Bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away from the catfish.

Swallow. The catfish swallows one creature it is grappling that is Large or smaller. The swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks from outside, and takes 18 (4d8) Acid damage at the start of each of the catfish's turns. The catfish can hold only one swallowed creature at a time. If the catfish takes 20 or more damage in a single turn from the swallowed creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or spit the creature out, which falls prone within 10 feet of the catfish.

Whirlpool Pull (Recharge 5–6). The catfish beats the river into a sinking circle. Each creature swimming or floating within 60 feet of the catfish must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be pulled 20 feet toward the catfish and knocked prone. A creature pulled to within 10 feet of the catfish takes 13 (3d8) Bludgeoning damage.

Have art for this entry? Contribute art — sign in, then use Add image.

Related entries

matched by shared tags

6 same-category · 0 cross-category

Further reading

Jetpack7 Game Master Series
The Game Master's Book of Random Encounters
Jeff Ashworth · 2020
The Game Master's Book of Traps, Puzzles and Dungeons
Jeff Ashworth · 2022
The Game Master's Book of Legendary Dragons
Aaron Hübrich · 2022