Gloamtide Anglerhound

Large monstrosity (amphibious), neutral evil · CR 6

by SaltmarshScribe

Gloamtide Anglerhound
Armor Class
15
natural armor
Hit Points
110
13d10 + 39
Speed
30 ft., swim 40 ft.
  • STR +4
  • DEX +2
  • CON +3
  • INT -3
  • WIS +2
  • CHA -2
Saving Throws
Str +7, Con +6
Damage Resistances
Cold
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages
understands Common, Aquan but can't speak
Challenge 6 2,300 XP

Traits

  • Amphibious. The creature can breathe air and water.
  • Pack Tactics. The creature has advantage on an attack roll against a target if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the target and the ally isn't incapacitated.
  • Bioluminescent Lure. A pale, dangling light grows from a stalk above the anglerhound’s maw. A creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of the lure and can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed until the start of its next turn. While charmed in this way, the creature must move on its turn toward the anglerhound by the most direct route, trying to get within 5 feet. The anglerhound can suppress or reveal the lure as a bonus action.

Actions

  • Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) piercing damage. On a hit the target is grappled (escape DC 15) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the anglerhound can drag it up to 20 feet toward deeper water.
  • Crushing Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Bonus Actions

  • Submerge. The anglerhound dims its lure and slips beneath the water’s surface, taking the Hide action. While submerged in murky water it has advantage on this check.

Reactions

  • Undertow Snap. When a creature the anglerhound can see ends its movement within 10 feet of it in or beside water, the anglerhound can make one Bite attack against that creature.

Origin Story

Gloamtide anglerhounds were never meant to walk the line between fish and beast. Coastal folk say they began as ordinary marsh hounds that drowned in the brackish shallows during a red tide, and that the drowning-light of a sunken shrine took root behind their eyes. Whatever the truth, the breed now whelps in flooded sea-caves, born already knowing the cold patience of deep water. Fishers blame them for lanterns seen bobbing offshore on moonless nights, and for the empty boats found drifting at dawn.

Habitat and Ecosystem

They haunt tidal estuaries, drowned mangroves, flooded ruins, and the lightless mouths of sea-caves, anywhere salt and fresh water mingle into murk. A pack stakes out a stretch of channel and hunts it for years, dragging carcasses into a shared larder-pool below the waterline. Herons and gulls abandon a stretch of coast once anglerhounds move in, and the local fish grow wary of any drifting glow.

Behavior Patterns

Anglerhounds hunt in silent pairs or trios. One drifts in open water with its lure aglow while the others lie buried in silt along the victim’s likely path. They are ruthless but not stupid: a pack that loses a member to a well-armed party will abandon the lure entirely and stalk from below, snapping at stragglers who linger near the water’s edge. They never stray far from water and will break off a chase the moment prey reaches dry, open ground.

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