Merfolk Wavehunter
Small or Medium • Humanoid (Merfolk) • Any Alignment
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 32 (5d8 + 10)
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Initiative +2 (12)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 14 (+2) | 11 (+0) | 13 (+1) | 12 (+1) |
Skills Perception +3
Gear trident
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Primordial (Aquan)
CR 1 (XP 200; PB +2)
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The merfolk makes two Trident attacks.
Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage. Hit or Miss: When the merfolk throws its trident, it magically swims back to it, provided the trident is in water.
Tidal Surge (Recharges after a Rest). Strength Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature in a 30-foot cone submerged in water. Failure: The target is pulled or pushed (the merfolk’s choice) up to 15 feet.
REACTIONS
Tail Counter. Trigger: The merfolk is hit by an attack from a creature within 5 feet of it. Response - Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 12, the attacker. Failure: The target is knocked prone, if it was swimming and can't get up this turn anymore.
Merfolk Wavehunter
Small or Medium • Humanoid (Merfolk) • Any Alignment
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Initiative +1 (11)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 12 (+1) | 10 (+0) | 11 (+0) | 10 (+0) |
Skills Perception +2
Gear trident
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Primordial (Aquan)
CR 1/8 (XP 25; PB +2)
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
ACTIONS
Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage. Hit or Miss: When the merfolk throws its trident, it magically swims back to it, provided the trident is in water.
Tidal Surge (1/Day). Strength Saving Throw: DC 11, each creature in a 30-foot cone submerged in water. Failure: The target is pulled or pushed (the merfolk’s choice) up to 10 feet.
REACTIONS
Tail Counter. Trigger: The merfolk is hit by an attack from a creature within 5 feet of it. Response - Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 11, the attacker. Failure: The target is knocked prone, if it was swimming and can't get up this turn anymore.
Merfolk Wavehunter
Small or Medium • Humanoid (Merfolk) • Any Alignment
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 75 (10d8 + 30)
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Initiative +3 (13)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 16 (+3) | 11 (+0) | 15 (+2) | 12 (+1) |
Skills Perception +4
Gear trident
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Primordial (Aquan)
CR 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)
Amphibious. The merfolk can breathe air and water.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The merfolk makes two Trident attacks. The merfolk can replace one of these attacks with a use of Tidal Surge if available.
Trident. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage. Hit or Miss: When the merfolk throws its trident, it magically swims back to it, provided the trident is in water.
Tidal Surge (Recharges after a Rest). Strength Saving Throw: DC 12, each creature in a 30-foot cone submerged in water. Failure: The target is pulled or pushed (the merfolk’s choice) up to 20 feet.
REACTIONS
Tail Counter. Trigger: The merfolk is hit by an attack from a creature within 5 feet of it. Response - Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 13, the attacker. Failure: The target is knocked prone, if it was swimming and can't get up this turn anymore.
QUICK REFERENCE
USING MONSTER VARIANTS
Monster variants allow the GM to adjust encounters to better match the party’s strength, narrative needs, or world-building logic. A weaker variant may represent a juvenile, wounded, or lesser specimen, while a stronger variant can serve as a leader, champion, ancient creature, or apex predator.
Variants can be used to fine-tune difficulty without changing the core identity of the monster, making them ideal for scaling encounters, reinforcing hierarchy within a faction, or creating memorable boss-style enemies. You can even use the same stat block but different variants in the same encounter if you want.
Design Note. Each monster is primarily balanced around its normal version. Weaker and stronger variants are derived adjustments and may not always preserve every tactical nuance or “feel” of the original creature. GMs are encouraged to review variants carefully and adjust abilities or tactics as needed to best suit their table.