monster

Black Pudding

CR 4

Large Ooze, Unaligned

Reveal Stat Block

Armor Class

Hit Points

68 (8d10 + 24)

Speed

20 ft., climb 20 ft.

str

dex

-3

con

int

-5

wis

-2

cha

-5

Traits

Amorphous.The pudding can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch without expending extra movement to do so.

Corrosive Form.A creature that hits the pudding with a melee attack roll takes 4 (1d8) Acid damage. Nonmagical ammunition is destroyed immediately after hitting the pudding and dealing any damage. Any nonmagical weapon takes a cumulative -1 penalty to attack rolls immediately after dealing damage to the pudding and coming into contact with it. The weapon is destroyed if the penalty reaches -5. The penalty can be removed by casting the Mending|XPHB spell on the weapon. In 1 minute, the pudding can eat through 2 feet of nonmagical wood or metal.

Spider Climb.The pudding can climb difficult surfaces, including along ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

Dissolving Pseudopod.m 5, reach 10 ft. ({@damage 4d6 + 3) Acid damage. Nonmagical armor worn by the target takes a -1 penalty to the AC it offers. The armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10. The penalty can be removed by casting the Mending|XPHB spell on the armor.

Reactions.Reactions the creature can take:

Split.While the pudding is Large or Medium and has 10+ {@variantrule Hit Points|XPHB, it becomes Bloodied|XPHB or is subjected to Lightning or Slashing damage. The pudding splits into two new Black Puddings. Each new pudding is one size smaller than the original pudding and acts on its {@variantrule Initiative|XPHB. The original pudding's Hit Points|XPHB are divided evenly between the new puddings (round down).

Black Pudding

Divisible, Corrosive Blob

Black puddings are shapeless masses of predatory cells. Once a pudding detects organic matter, it oozes toward its prey, dissolving living matter and various objects. If a black pudding is split by lightning or slashing attacks, it divides into two smaller, independent puddings.

Various supernatural conditions might bring black puddings into being. Roll on or choose a result from the Black Pudding Sources table to inspire a pudding's origins.