Campfire Mimic
Posted on Mar 2, 2022 by Admin
Hello Everyone!
This is the first of hopefully many new homebrew monsters that I plan to include on this blog! The content below was provided by Vexadextry, and can be found on Fiverr. The monster image was created by Tomassiart , and can be found on Fiverr.
Campfire Mimic
When weary travelers spy a distant campfire after a long day of journeying towards their destination, it often comes as a welcome and relieving sight; The comfort born from the warmth of the blaze as well as the ability to cook caught game, all with the convenience of already being lit, is an irresistible temptation.
The travelers grow curious however when the campfire is untended, but what looks to be scuff marks and streaks around the area carve a mystery into the minds of the weary. Nevertheless, a quick inspection does not yield anything in the surrounding area and the suspicions of bandit traps or monsters grow duller and duller as the warm allure of the campfire draws them into a restful respite.
A few hours later, when the travelers are dreaming and recovering from a hard day's trek, a scream suddenly pierces the cold night sky. One of the travelers looks to see their associate being pierced with a long spider-like leg, originating from the ground. Another leg bursts out and impales another companion, with the last traveler watching in horror as the campfire begins to rise and reveal a morphing monstrosity underneath.
The creature emerges, the lit campfire still roaring on its back, and bites down hard on one of the pierced travelers, leaving a cauterized wound into their shoulder. The unassaulted traveler draws their shortsword and runs in, swallowing their fear and striking the shapechanger. It strikes true, sending an unearthly scream that joins the chorus of his companion, but this brave traveler feels the blazing warmth burn his face as he remains close to the creature.
With an anguished screech, the campfire on the back of the monstrosity roars, sending ash, smoke, and a deluge of flame over the travelers. This marks the end of these travelers, as the overpowering flames are too much to withstand, and the monstrosity begins burying themselves and the travelers down into the ground so that they may feast without being disturbed.
Campfire Mimic Personalities
The Campfire Mimic is a creature that has adapted its shapechanging powers to imitate that of a lit and unlit campfire. This aids it in luring weary prey into its vicinity and gives it the opportunity to strike when whoever decides to use the campfire is fast asleep. It's developed its pseudopods into sharp piercing spider-like appendages that it uses to strike from underneath the earth and injure unsuspecting prey. If its prey shows resistance, it will aim to use its natural affinity with fire to burn them in a blazing torrent of fire. The mimic is intelligent as far as mimics are concerned but it largely focuses this intelligence to disguise and pretend, and is unable to speak or otherwise have a dialogue with other creatures.
Campfire Mimic
Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 20ft. burrow 20ft., climb 20ft.
Abilities Str 20 (+5) | Dex 12 (+1) | Con 17 (+3) | Int 9 (-1) | Wis 14 (+2) | Cha 8 (-1)
Skills Stealth +5
Damage Immunities acid, fire
Condition Immunities prone
Senses darkvision 60ft., tremorsense 60ft., passive Perception 12
Languages —
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Ambusher. In the first round of a combat, the mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it surprised.
Shapechanger. The mimic can use its action to polymorph into a campfire or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Blazing (Campfire Form Only). When a creature ends its turn within 5 feet of the mimic, it takes 3 (1d6) fire damage.
False Appearance (Campfire Form Only). While the mimic remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary campfire.
Actions
Multiattack. The mimic makes two attacks with its piercing pseudopods and one with its bite.
Piercing Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) fire damage.
Roaring Campfire (Recharge 5-6). The mimic erupts plumes of fire from its campfire back towards creatures within 20 feet of it. Each creature within this radius must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
If you would like to access the PDF version of this resource or would like to continue to see resources like this, you can subscribe to my patreon here.
Campfire Mimic follows the 5E Ruleset, the 5E SRD OGL can be found here