Elemental Chaos, Maelstrom
Medium • Elemental (Titan) • Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 24
Hit Points 210 (20d8 + 120)
Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
Initiative -5 (5)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 1 (-5) | 23 (+6) | 8 (-1) | 16 (+3) | 19 (+4) |
Saving Throws Str +14, Int +6, Cha +11
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities cold, fire, lightning, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Primordial (as if four elementals speak at the same time)
CR 23 (50,000 XP; PB +7)
Avoidance. If the elemental is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Elemental Maelstrom. While in a 30-foot emanation originating from the elemental, creatures that start their turn take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) cold damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage plus 10 (3d6) lightning damage. Additionally, the area is lightly obscured and counts as difficult terrain for creatures other than Elementals.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the elemental fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, roll a d4 to determine to which damage type the elemental becomes vulnerable (temporarily overwriting the resistance or immunity) until the end of its next turn: 1 – bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing, 2 – cold, 3 – fire, or 4 – lightning.
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Siege Monster. The elemental deals double damage to objects and structures.
Unusual Nature. The elemental doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Elemental Rifts. The elemental conjures three randomly determined mephits in unoccupied spaces it can see within 120 feet. Roll a d6 for each rift to determine the kind of mephit: 1 – dust mephit, 2 – ice mephit, 3 – magma mephit, 4 – mud mephit, 5 – smoke mephit, or 6 – steam mephit.
BONUS ACTIONS
Gravitas (Recharge 4-6). Strength Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the elemental. Failure: The target is pulled 50 feet towards the elemental.
REACTIONS
Intercept. Trigger: The elemental is hit by a ranged attack roll. Response: The elemental adds 7 to its AC against that attack, possibly causing it to miss.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the elemental can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The elemental regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Explode. Up to three mephitis within 120 feet of the elemental can use their reaction to move up to their speed. Then they explode and die, activating their Death Burst trait. When activated this way, the range of Death Burst is doubled and it has a DC of 21.
Quake. Strength Saving Throw: DC 21, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the elemental. Failure: The target is knocked prone. Failure or Success: The elemental can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Rift. The elemental uses its Elemental Rifts.
Elemental Chaos, Maelstrom
Medium • Elemental (Titan) • Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 22
Hit Points 180 (19d8 + 95)
Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
Initiative -5 (5)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 (+6) | 1 (-5) | 21 (+5) | 8 (-1) | 16 (+3) | 17 (+3) |
Saving Throws Str +12, Int +5, Cha +9
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities cold, fire, lightning, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Primordial (as if four elementals speak at the same time)
CR 20 (XP 25,000; PB +6)
Avoidance. If the elemental is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Elemental Maelstrom. While in a 30-foot emanation originating from the elemental, creatures that start their turn take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) cold damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage plus 7 (2d6) lightning damage. Additionally, the area is lightly obscured and counts as difficult terrain for creatures other than Elementals.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the elemental fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, roll a d4 to determine to which damage type the elemental becomes vulnerable (temporarily overwriting the resistance or immunity) until the end of its next turn: 1 – bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing, 2 – cold, 3 – fire, or 4 – lightning.
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Siege Monster. The elemental deals double damage to objects and structures.
Unusual Nature. The elemental doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Elemental Rifts. The elemental conjures two randomly determined mephits in unoccupied spaces it can see within 120 feet. Roll a d6 for each rift to determine the kind of mephit: 1 – dust mephit, 2 – ice mephit, 3 – magma mephit, 4 – mud mephit, 5 – smoke mephit, or 6 – steam mephit.
BONUS ACTIONS
Gravitas (Recharge 4-6). Strength Saving Throw: DC 19, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the elemental. Failure: The target is pulled 50 feet towards the elemental.
REACTIONS
Intercept. Trigger: The elemental is hit by a ranged attack roll. Response: The elemental adds 6 to its AC against that attack, possibly causing it to miss.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the elemental can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The elemental regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Explode. Up to two mephitis within 120 feet of the elemental can use their reaction to move up to their speed. Then they explode and die, activating their Death Burst trait. When activated this way, the range of Death Burst is doubled and it has a DC of 19.
Quake. Strength Saving Throw: DC 19, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the elemental. Failure: The target is knocked prone. Failure or Success: The elemental can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Rift. The elemental uses its Elemental Rifts.
Elemental Chaos, Maelstrom
Medium • Elemental (Titan) • Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 26
Hit Points 253 (22d8 + 154)
Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
Initiative -5 (5)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 (+8) | 1 (-5) | 24 (+7) | 8 (-1) | 18 (+4) | 20 (+5) |
Saving Throws Str +16, Int +7, Cha +13
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities cold, fire, lightning, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, unconscious
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Primordial (as if four elementals speak at the same time)
CR 26 (XP 90,000; PB +8)
Avoidance. If the elemental is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Elemental Maelstrom. While in a 30-foot emanation originating from the elemental, creatures that start their turn take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) cold damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage. Additionally, the area is lightly obscured and counts as difficult terrain for creatures other than Elementals.
Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the elemental fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, roll a d4 to determine to which damage type the elemental becomes vulnerable (temporarily overwriting the resistance or immunity) until the end of its next turn: 1 – bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing, 2 – cold, 3 – fire, or 4 – lightning.
Magic Resistance. The elemental has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Siege Monster. The elemental deals double damage to objects and structures.
Unusual Nature. The elemental doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.
ACTIONS
Elemental Rifts. The elemental conjures four randomly determined mephits in unoccupied spaces it can see within 120 feet. Roll a d6 for each rift to determine the kind of mephit: 1 – dust mephit, 2 – ice mephit, 3 – magma mephit, 4 – mud mephit, 5 – smoke mephit, or 6 – steam mephit.
BONUS ACTIONS
Gravitas (Recharge 4-6). Strength Saving Throw: DC 23, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the elemental. Failure: The target is pulled 50 feet towards the elemental.
REACTIONS
Intercept. Trigger: The elemental is hit by a ranged attack roll. Response: The elemental adds 8 to its AC against that attack, possibly causing it to miss.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the elemental can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The elemental regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Explode. Up to four mephitis within 120 feet of the elemental can use their reaction to move up to their speed. Then they explode and die, activating their Death Burst trait. When activated this way, the range of Death Burst is doubled and it has a DC of 23.
Quake. Strength Saving Throw: DC 23, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the elemental. Failure: The target is knocked prone. Failure or Success: The elemental can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Rift. The elemental uses its Elemental Rifts.
QUICK REFERENCE
Habitat
- Elemental planes of fire, water, air, and earth
- Cataclysmic rifts between planes
- Sites of massive natural disasters or magical upheaval
Behavior
- Embodiment of chaotic destruction, driven by primal forces
- Shows no preference for enemies – everything that is not an element is a target
- Drawn to areas where elemental energy is unstable or where it is most disrupted
Information (Intelligence Check)
- DC 13 Nature / History: Recognized as a combination of all four elemental forces
- DC 16 Arcana: Knows that damaging its delicate balance can cause unpredictable elemental effects
- DC 20 Arcana: Understands that destroying its titanic form may lead to its collapsing into a more condensed form
Combat
- Simple-minded slowly move to what is closest and get as many targets inside its Elemental Maelstrom as possible
- Use Gravitas to pull targets close to it and Quake to ensure that they can’t get away so quickly
- Summon mephits within melee range of faraway ranged enemies
- Command mephits within range of multiple enemies before exploding them, otherwise amass mephits to distract enemies
Loot Ideas
- Extremely condensed elemental core containing the volatile energy of all four elements in a stable state
- Crafting ingredients for potions and magic items: extremely pure and magic-rich water, earth, air, and fire
- Consumable spell components that can be used to increase elemental damage (for example, a vial of elemental water that increases the damage of a spell dealing cold damage by 2d6 and then is consumed)
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.