Rotwing
Gargantuan • Undead • Neutral Evil
Armor Class 20
Hit Points 388 (21d20 + 168)
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft.
Initiative +7 (17)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 (+8) | 8 (-1) | 26 (+8) | 6 (-2) | 9 (-1) | 14 (+2) |
Saving Throws Con +16, Wis +7
Damage Resistances acid, thunder
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses blindsight 300 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
CR 26 (XP 90,000, PB +8)
Bloodied – Death’s Flight (1/Day). When the rotwing becomes bloodied, the ground in a 30-foot emanation originating from the rotwing becomes difficult terrain as parts of its body rip off; it then can immediately move up to its speed without provoking attacks of opportunity. Additionally, while bloodied, the rotwing's walking and flying speed is doubled.
Defensive Swarm (4/Day). If the rotwing fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, the damage of its Locust Cloud is cumulatively reduced by 1d4 until it finishes a long rest.
Locust Cloud. Any creature other than the rotwing that starts its turn in a 300-foot emanation originating from the rotwing takes 15 (6d4) piercing damage.
Magic Resistance. The rotwing has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The rotwing makes two Eye Ray and one Rotting Talons attack.
Eye Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +16, reach 150 ft. Hit: 36 (8d8) necrotic damage.
Rotting Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +16, reach 15 ft. Hit: 34 (4d12 + 8) slashing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 24) from both talons. While grappled this way, it is restrained.
BONUS ACTIONS
Miasma (1/Day). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 24, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the rotwing. Failure: A target contracts the quickrot disease. While diseased, it takes 10 (3d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns, and its hit point maximum is reduced by an equal amount. This damage ignores resistance to poison damage. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn, ending the effect after three successful saves.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the rotwing can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The rotwing regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Locust Surge. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 24, one creature the rotwing can see within 150 feet. Failure: The target takes 10 (4d4) piercing damage. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The rotwing regains hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt.
Carrion Storm. The rotwing creates a 30-foot-radius sphere on a point it can see within 150 feet. The area is heavily obscured and is difficult terrain until the start of the rotwing’s next turn. A creature that starts its turn inside the area becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Rotwing
Gargantuan • Undead • Neutral Evil
Armor Class 18
Hit Points 332 (19d20 + 133)
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft.
Initiative +6 (16)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 (+7) | 8 (-1) | 24 (+7) | 6 (-2) | 9 (-1) | 14 (+2) |
Saving Throws Con +14, Wis +6
Damage Resistances acid, thunder
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses blindsight 300 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
CR 23 (XP 50,000, PB +7)
Bloodied – Death’s Flight (1/Day). When the rotwing becomes bloodied, the ground in a 30-foot emanation originating from the rotwing becomes difficult terrain as parts of its body rip off; it then can immediately move up to its speed without provoking attacks of opportunity. Additionally, while bloodied, the rotwing's walking and flying speed is doubled.
Defensive Swarm (3/Day). If the rotwing fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, the damage of its Locust Cloud is cumulatively reduced by 1d4 until it finishes a long rest.
Locust Cloud. Any creature other than the rotwing that starts its turn in a 300-foot emanation originating from the rotwing takes 10 (4d4) piercing damage.
Magic Resistance. The rotwing has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The rotwing makes two Eye Ray and one Rotting Talons attack.
Eye Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +14, reach 150 ft. Hit: 28 (8d6) necrotic damage.
Rotting Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +14, reach 15 ft. Hit: 33 (4d12 + 7) slashing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 22) from both talons. While grappled this way, it is restrained.
BONUS ACTIONS
Miasma (1/Day). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 24, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the rotwing. Failure: A target contracts the quickrot disease. While diseased, it takes 7 (2d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns, and its hit point maximum is reduced by an equal amount. This damage ignores resistance to poison damage. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn, ending the effect after three successful saves.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the rotwing can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The rotwing regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Locust Surge. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 22, one creature the rotwing can see within 150 feet. Failure: The target takes 7 (3d4) piercing damage. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The rotwing regains hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt.
Carrion Storm. The rotwing creates a 30-foot-radius sphere on a point it can see within 150 feet. The area is heavily obscured and is difficult terrain until the start of the rotwing’s next turn. A creature that starts its turn inside the area becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn.
Rotwing
Gargantuan • Undead • Neutral Evil
Armor Class 22
Hit Points 429 (22d20 + 198)
Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft.
Initiative +8 (18)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 (+9) | 8 (-1) | 28 (+9) | 6 (-2) | 9 (-1) | 14 (+2) |
Saving Throws Con +18, Wis +8
Damage Resistances acid, thunder
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, exhaustion, paralyzed, poisoned
Senses blindsight 300 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages –
CR 29 (XP 135,000, PB +9)
Bloodied – Death’s Flight (1/Day). When the rotwing becomes bloodied, the ground in a 30-foot emanation originating from the rotwing becomes difficult terrain as parts of its body rip off; it then can immediately move up to its speed without provoking attacks of opportunity. Additionally, while bloodied, the rotwing's walking and flying speed is doubled.
Defensive Swarm (5/Day). If the rotwing fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. When it does so, the damage of its Locust Cloud is cumulatively reduced by 1d6 until it finishes a long rest.
Locust Cloud. Any creature other than the rotwing that starts its turn in a 300-foot emanation originating from the rotwing takes 21 (6d6) piercing damage.
Magic Resistance. The rotwing has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The rotwing makes two Eye Ray and one Rotting Talons attack.
Eye Ray. Ranged Spell Attack: +18, reach 150 ft. Hit: 44 (8d10) necrotic damage.
Rotting Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +18, reach 15 ft. Hit: 35 (4d12 + 9) slashing damage. If the target is a Huge or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 26) from both talons. While grappled this way, it is restrained.
BONUS ACTIONS
Miasma (1/Day). Constitution Saving Throw: DC 26, each creature in a 300-foot emanation originating from the rotwing. Failure: A target contracts the quickrot disease. While diseased, it takes 14 (4d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns, and its hit point maximum is reduced by an equal amount. This damage ignores resistance to poison damage. A target can repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn, ending the effect after three successful saves.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Legendary Action Uses: 3. Immediately after another creature’s turn, the rotwing can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The rotwing regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Locust Surge. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 26, one creature the rotwing can see within 150 feet. Failure: The target takes 14 (4d6) piercing damage. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The rotwing regains hit points equal to the amount of damage dealt.
Carrion Storm. The rotwing creates a 30-foot-radius sphere on a point it can see within 150 feet. The area is heavily obscured and is difficult terrain until the start of the rotwing’s next turn. A creature that starts its turn inside the area becomes poisoned until the end of its next turn.
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.