Day 17 - Favorite Animal/Vermin (D&D 30 Day Challenge)

[HackMaster Edition]

The Dungeon Anemone

For this part of the challenge I will (mostly) review some of my favorite HackMaster monster variants. HackMaster 4E did an excellent job in providing all the AD&D monsters a DM could probably need (and then some). We're talking more than 1600 monsters in 8 "Hacklopedia of Beasts" volumes here, with aliases and ideas for the use of special monster parts in addition to a description and the stats. And it's funny. Here's about the Dungeon Anemone.

Hacklopedia of Beasts, Vol. 2 (p. 116)

Not much time today, so let's make this a short one. As a DM I like a broader palette of vermin and animals. Monsters in general are a DMs best friend. Anyhow, like I tried with my other entries, I go with the weird and unexpected. Like an anemone floating in dungeons and caverns.

Creatures living in the Underdark or any other underground setting with flora and fauna, really, often resemble things living in the deep sea (or should, anyway). Those beasts don't need to be magical or otherworldly to be strange and dangerous. Also I like the idea of a mushroom forest with these things floating around (to the right...).

Those beasts sure are big. It goes for the heat signature of creatures and is difficult to fool.

Eight tentacles (AC 6), if they hit, they keep strangling the victim. And their touch is toxic, paralyzing a victim (save vs. poison +4 negates). As soon as the prey stops moving, they start pulling them towards their body for digestion (1d6 damage per round).

If hit by a sharp weapon, there is a 20% + damage chance that the gas bladder is hit that keeps the thing afloat. Only full recovery will let it fly again.

I'd add a smaller glowing variant (the original likes to stay in the shadows...).