Goreheap
Gargantuan • Undead • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 245 (14d20 + 98)
Speed 40 ft.
Initiative -1 (9)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 9 (-1) | 24 (+7) | 6 (-2) | 8 (-1) | 14 (+2) |
Skills Athletics +11
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages -
CR 12 (XP 8,400; PB +4)
Endless Hunger. Whenever the goreheap deals piercing damage, it regains hit points equal to half that amount.
Unusual Nature. The goreheap doesn't require air, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The goreheap makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +11, reach 10 ft. Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 19). While grappled this way, a Large or smaller creature is also restrained.
Hungry Tongues (Recharge 6). Strength Saving Throw: DC 19, each creature in a 30-foot emanation originating from the goreheap that it can see. Failure: Tongue-like tendrils attach to the target's mouth. While affected, the target can't move further away than 30 feet, can't speak, and is pulled with the goreheap whenever it moves. The effect lasts until the goreheap is killed or until the tongue is destroyed (AC 15; HP 20). Additionally, a target takes 10 (4d4) piercing damage at the start of its turns. A creature reduced to 0 by this ability loses its own tongue and can't speak until healed by a regeneration spell or similar.
BONUS ACTIONS
Swallow. Strength Saving Throw: DC 19, one Large or smaller creature grappled by the goreheap (it can have up to four creatures swallowed at a time). Failure: The target is swallowed by the goreheap, and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the goreheap, and takes 15 (6d4) piercing damage at the start of each of the goreheap’s turns. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this is killed and ripped to pieces. If the goreheap takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the goreheap must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, each of which falls in a space within 5 feet of the goreheap and is prone. If the goreheap dies, any swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape from the corpse using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
REACTIONS
Gnashing Retaliation. Trigger: The goreheap takes damage from a creature within 5 feet of it or a creature affected by its Hungry Tongues. Response: The target takes 10 (4d4) piercing damage. If affected by the Hungry Tongues, this damage counts as if dealt by it.
Goreheap
Gargantuan • Undead • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 198 (12d20 + 72)
Speed 40 ft.
Initiative -1 (9)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 9 (-1) | 22 (+6) | 6 (-2) | 8 (-1) | 12 (+1) |
Skills Athletics +10
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages -
CR 9 (XP 5,000; PB +4)
Endless Hunger. Whenever the goreheap deals piercing damage, it regains hit points equal to half that amount.
Unusual Nature. The goreheap doesn't require air, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The goreheap makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10, reach 10 ft. Hit: 25 (3d12 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). While grappled this way, a Large or smaller creature is also restrained.
Hungry Tongues (Recharge 6). Strength Saving Throw: DC 18, each creature in a 30-foot emanation originating from the goreheap that it can see. Failure: Tongue-like tendrils attach to the target's mouth. While affected, the target can't move further away than 30 feet, can't speak, and is pulled with the goreheap whenever it moves. The effect lasts until the goreheap is killed or until the tongue is destroyed (AC 15; HP 15). Additionally, a target takes 7 (3d4) piercing damage at the start of its turns. A creature reduced to 0 by this ability loses its own tongue and can't speak until healed by a regeneration spell or similar.
BONUS ACTIONS
Swallow. Strength Saving Throw: DC 18, one Large or smaller creature grappled by the goreheap (it can have up to four creatures swallowed at a time). Failure: The target is swallowed by the goreheap, and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the goreheap, and takes 12 (5d4) piercing damage at the start of each of the goreheap’s turns. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this is killed and ripped to pieces. If the goreheap takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the goreheap must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, each of which falls in a space within 5 feet of the goreheap and is prone. If the goreheap dies, any swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape from the corpse using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
REACTIONS
Gnashing Retaliation. Trigger: The goreheap takes damage from a creature within 5 feet of it or a creature affected by its Hungry Tongues. Response: The target takes 7 (3d4) piercing damage. If affected by the Hungry Tongues, this damage counts as if dealt by it.
Goreheap
Gargantuan • Undead • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 296 (16d20 + 128)
Speed 40 ft.
Initiative -1 (9)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 (+8) | 9 (-1) | 26 (+8) | 6 (-2) | 8 (-1) | 16 (+3) |
Skills Athletics +13
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages -
CR 15 (XP 13,000; PB +5)
Endless Hunger. Whenever the goreheap deals piercing damage, it regains hit points equal to half that amount.
Unusual Nature. The goreheap doesn't require air, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The goreheap makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13, reach 10 ft. Hit: 41 (5d12 + 9) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 21). While grappled this way, a Large or smaller creature is also restrained.
Hungry Tongues (Recharge 6). Strength Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 30-foot emanation originating from the goreheap that it can see. Failure: Tongue-like tendrils attach to the target's mouth. While affected, the target can't move further away than 30 feet, can't speak, and is pulled with the goreheap whenever it moves. The effect lasts until the goreheap is killed or until the tongue is destroyed (AC 15; HP 25). Additionally, a target takes 12 (5d4) piercing damage at the start of its turns. A creature reduced to 0 by this ability loses its own tongue and can't speak until healed by a regeneration spell or similar.
BONUS ACTIONS
Swallow. Strength Saving Throw: DC 21, one Large or smaller creature grappled by the goreheap (it can have up to four creatures swallowed at a time). Failure: The target is swallowed by the goreheap, and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the goreheap, and takes 17 (7d4) piercing damage at the start of each of the goreheap’s turns. A creature reduced to 0 hit points by this is killed and ripped to pieces. If the goreheap takes 30 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the goreheap must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, each of which falls in a space within 5 feet of the goreheap and is prone. If the goreheap dies, any swallowed creature is no longer restrained and can escape from the corpse using 20 feet of movement, exiting prone.
REACTIONS
Gnashing Retaliation. Trigger: The goreheap takes damage from a creature within 5 feet of it or a creature affected by its Hungry Tongues. Response: The target takes 12 (5d4) piercing damage. If affected by the Hungry Tongues, this damage counts as if dealt by it.
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.