Zaratan
_One of the rocks suddenly lurches, and rises out of the water. A great eye glides open in the side of what seemed to be a boulder, and a massive, beaklike mouth gapes in the surf._ **Island Reefs.**
- Armor class
- 25
- Hit points
- 507
- Challenge
- 26
- Creature type
- Monstrosity
- Size
- Gargantuan
- Alignment
- unaligned
- Legendary
- Yes
_One of the rocks suddenly lurches, and rises out of the water. A great eye glides open in the side of what seemed to be a boulder, and a massive, beaklike mouth gapes in the surf._
Island Reefs. The zaratan is an impossibly huge sea turtle so large that entire ecosystems develop and grow on its stony, mountainous shell. Drifting on warm ocean currents or settled on shoals, they are often mistaken for small tropical islands. The creature’s head is at least 100 feet in diameter, with a ridge in the center like a tall hill. Its head resembles a massive boulder, and its 200-foot long flippers are mistaken for reefs.
Ageless Slumber. Zaratans spend their millennia-long lives in slumber. They drift on the surface of the ocean, their mouths slightly open, and reflexively swallow larger creatures that explore the “cave.” They spend centuries at a time asleep. A zaratan may know secrets long lost to the world, if only it can be awakened and bargained with.
Deep Divers. Waking a zaratan is a dangerous proposition, as their usual response to any injury severe enough to waken them is to dive to the crushing black depths. Some zaratan commune with oceanic races in this time, such as deep ones, sahuagin, or aboleth.
Stat block
- Cha
- 11
- Con
- 28
- Dex
- 3
- Int
- 10
- Str
- 30
- Wis
- 11
- Speed
- Swim: 50; Walk: 10
- Senses
- blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 10
- Skills
- Actions
- Multiattack. The zaratan makes one bite attack and two flipper attacks.
- Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (3d10 + 10) piercing damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 20). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained and the zaratan can't bite another target.
- Flipper. Melee Weapon Attack: +18 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d8 + 10) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 26 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from the zaratan.
- Swallow. The zaratan makes one bite attack against a Huge or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target takes 26 (3d10 + 10) piercing damage, is swallowed, and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, but has total cover against attacks and effects outside the zaratan. A swallowed creature takes 28 (8d6) acid damage at the start of each of the zaratan's turns. The zaratan can have any number of creatures swallowed at once. If the zaratan takes 40 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the zaratan must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the zaratan. If the zaratan dies, swallowed creatures are no longer restrained and can escape by using 30 feet of movement, exiting prone.
- Languages
- Aquan
- Saving throws
- Wisdom: 8; Charisma: 8; Intelligence: 8
- Damage immunities
- cold, poison
- Legendary actions
- Move. The zaratan moves up to half its speed.
- Swipe. The zaratan makes one flipper attack.
- Consume (2 actions). The zaratan makes one bite attack or uses Swallow.
- Special abilities
- Fortified Shell. The zaratan ignores any attack against its shell that doesn't do 30 points of damage or more. Attacking the zaratan's head or flippers bypasses this trait.
- Endless Breath. The zaratan breathes air, but it can hold its breath for years.
- False Appearance. While the zaratan remains motionless on the surface of the ocean (except for drifting) it is indistinguishable from a small island.
- Siege Monster. The zaratan does double damage to objects and structures.
- Damage resistances
- fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
- Condition immunities
- frightened, paralyzed, poisoned
Source and licence
From Tome of Beasts.
Licence: Open Game Content (OGL 1.0a).