monster

Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker

CR 4

Medium Monstrosity (shapechanger, yuan-ti), Neutral Evil

Reveal Stat Block

Armor Class

14 (natural armor)

Hit Points

71 (13d8 + 13)

Speed

30 ft.

str

dex

con

int

wis

cha

Traits

Shapechanger.The yuan-ti can use its action to polymorph into a Medium snake or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. If it dies, it stays in its current form.

Death Fangs (2/Day).The first time the yuan-ti hits with a melee attack on its turn, it can deal an extra 16 (3d10) necrotic damage to the target.

Magic Resistance.The yuan-ti has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack (Yuan-ti Form Only).The yuan-ti makes one constrict attack and one scimitar attack.

Constrict.mw 5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. ({@damage 2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape 14) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the yuan-ti can't constrict another target.

Scimitar (Yuan-ti Form Only).mw 5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. ({@damage 1d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Invoke Nightmare (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest).The yuan-ti taps into the nightmares of a creature it can see within 60 feet of it and creates an illusory, immobile manifestation of the creature's deepest fears, visible only to that creature. The target must make a 13 Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 11 (2d10) psychic damage and is frightened of the manifestation, believing it to be real. The yuan-ti must concentrate to maintain the illusion (as if concentration||concentrating on a spell), which lasts for up to 1 minute and can't be harmed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the illusion on a success, or taking 11 (2d10) psychic damage on a failure.

Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker

Yuan-ti malisons who become priestly devotees of a particular god-be it Sseth, Dendar the Night Serpent, or Merrshaulk-often rise through the ranks to become spiritual leaders among the serpent folk. These priests perform sacrificial rites to appease their vile gods.

Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker

Nightmare speakers are female yuan-ti malison priests that make a pact with the Dendar the Night Serpent to feed their deity the fears and nightmares of their victims in exchange for power in the mortal world. The priestesses receive nightmarish visions from Dendar, which they interpret as prophecies, and then use their magic and influence to make these visions come true.

The cruelest of all yuan-ti, nightmare speakers revel in torturing prisoners and slaves, leaving them in a constant state of fear and dread. They prefer to terrify rather than kill their opponents. They manipulate humanoid communities for the purpose of acquiring more victims, and enjoy the company of undead.

This malison is the type that has a human head and upper body with a serpentine lower body instead of legs.

I'm the explorer who likes to travel on roads and spend my evenings in cozy inns, not hacking through jungles or trudging across deserts through blinding sand to learn the secrets of the serpent folk. I've met a few purebloods and broodguards in my day, but if I had met a yuan-ti pit master, I'm quite sure I'd not be here to tell the tale!

Ye almost certainly would not.