Plaguebringer
Large • Monstrosity • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +1 (11)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4) | 13 (+1) | 19 (+4) | 6 (-2) | 14 (+2) | 9 (-1) |
Saving Throws Str +8, Con +8
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages –
CR 9 (XP 5,000; PB +4)
Disease Immunity. The plaguebringer is immune to diseases.
Infectious. When a Humanoid is killed by the plaguebringer, roll a d10. On a 10, it is revived as a plaguebringer (with 10 HP) at the end of the next round. Otherwise, it is revived as a zombie at the end of the next round. The new creature rolls its own initiative and pursues and attacks the nearest non-Monstrosities or non-Undead to the best of its ability.
Regeneration. The plaguebringer regains 20 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the plaguebringer takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function on the plaguebringer’s next turn. The plaguebringer dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The plaguebringer makes three Claw attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) poison damage.
Plague Breath (Recharge 6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 16, each creature in a 30-foot cone. Failure: The target contracts the gravepox disease. While it is affected, the target must make another save at the start of each of its turns, gaining one level of exhaustion every time it fails the saving throw. After three successful saves against the disease, it devolves into the sewer plague disease. Success: The target becomes immune to this effect for 1 hour.
Plaguebringer
Large • Monstrosity • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 102 (12d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +1 (11)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 17 (+3) | 6 (-2) | 13 (+1) | 9 (-1) |
Saving Throws Str +6, Con +6
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages –
CR 6 (XP 2,300; PB +3)
Disease Immunity. The plaguebringer is immune to diseases.
Infectious. When a Humanoid is killed by the plaguebringer, roll a d10. On a 10, it is revived as a plaguebringer (with 10 HP) at the end of the next round. Otherwise, it is revived as a zombie at the end of the next round. The new creature rolls its own initiative and pursues and attacks the nearest non-Monstrosities or non-Undead to the best of its ability.
Regeneration. The plaguebringer regains 20 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the plaguebringer takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function on the plaguebringer’s next turn. The plaguebringer dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The plaguebringer makes three Claw attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Plague Breath (Recharge 6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 14, each creature in a 30-foot cone. Failure: The target contracts the gravepox disease. While it is affected, the target must make another save at the start of each of its turns, gaining one level of exhaustion every time it fails the saving throw. After three successful saves against the disease, it devolves into the sewer plague disease. Success: The target becomes immune to this effect for 1 hour.
Plaguebringer
Large • Monstrosity • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 199 (21d8 + 105)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +2 (12)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 (+4) | 14 (+2) | 20 (+5) | 6 (-2) | 15 (+2) | 9 (-1) |
Saving Throws Str +8, Con +9
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages –
CR 12 (XP 8,400; PB +4)
Disease Immunity. The plaguebringer is immune to diseases.
Infectious. When a Humanoid is killed by the plaguebringer, roll a d10. On a 10, it is revived as a plaguebringer (with 10 HP) at the end of the next round. Otherwise, it is revived as a zombie at the end of the next round. The new creature rolls its own initiative and pursues and attacks the nearest non-Monstrosities or non-Undead to the best of its ability.
Regeneration. The plaguebringer regains 20 hit points at the start of each of its turns. If the plaguebringer takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function on the plaguebringer’s next turn. The plaguebringer dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The plaguebringer makes three Claw attacks.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 13 (3d8) poison damage.
Plague Breath (Recharge 6). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 17, each creature in a 30-foot cone. Failure: The target contracts the gravepox disease. While it is affected, the target must make another save at the start of each of its turns, gaining one level of exhaustion every time it fails the saving throw. After three successful saves against the disease, it devolves into the sewer plague disease. Success: The target becomes immune to this effect for 1 hour.
QUICK REFERENCE
Habitat
- Sewers, plague-ridden ruins, and places steeped in disease and decay
- Laboratories of maddened scientists and alchemists
- Sometimes summoned or unleashed by dark cults or necromancers into cities or densely populated areas
Behavior
- Driven by instinct to spread its infection, hunting humanoids above all else
- While very aggressive and partially reckless, it knows to retreat to let its wound heal
- Obsessed with “finishing off” weakened prey before moving on
Information (Intelligence Check)
- DC 13 History: Known as a dangerous foe that can topple whole cities when surrounded by commoners or other humanoids that are easily killed
- DC 15 Medicine: Know that slain victims can rise as zombies or even other plaguebringers
- DC 17 Nature: Knows its regeneration is equal or even stronger than a troll
Combat
- Opens with Plague Breath to infect and weaken as many targets as possible
- Focuses attacks preferably on easy-to-kill humanoids, even running off the side to slay passing civilians
- Otherwise targets creatures that inflicted fire or radiant damage to it, halting its Regeneration
Loot Ideas
- Infected blood is highly sought after by poisoners, healers, and alchemists to produce cures, ailments, or other, more dubious medicines
- Still pulsating organ that can be used as a replacement organ for surgery if one is daring enough to take the risk of potential mutation
- Poison glands to extract a more basic form of poison for coating weapons and the like
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.