Daesa 대사

Gargantuan monstrosity (shapechanger), unaligned

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 217 (14d20 + 70)

Speed 40 ft., swim 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR 24 (+7) · DEX 16 (+3) · CON 20 (+5) · INT 10 (+0) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +10, Wis +7

Skills Perception +7, Stealth +8

Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Common, Draconic

Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As a bonus action, Daesa can magically polymorph into a specific Medium human it has devised or back into its true serpent form. While in humanoid form its statistics are unchanged except that it is Medium, its speed becomes 30 ft., it can’t use Bite, Constrict, or Swallow, and it can wield weapons. It reverts to serpent form if it dies.

Spring-Strike. If Daesa moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a Bite attack on the same turn, the attack deals an extra 13 (3d8) piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Head Weakness. If Daesa takes 30 or more bludgeoning damage from a single attack made within 10 feet of its head, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Hold Breath. Daesa can hold its breath for 1 hour.

Actions

Multiattack. Daesa makes two attacks: one with Bite and one with Constrict or Tail Smash.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 34 (6d8 + 7) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Daesa can’t bite another target. If the target is Medium or smaller, Daesa can also attempt to Swallow it.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Daesa can’t constrict another target.

Tail Smash. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (4d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 ft. and knocked prone.

Swallow. Daesa makes one Bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the creature is swallowed and the grapple ends. The swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside Daesa, and it takes 21 (6d6) acid damage at the start of each of Daesa’s turns. If Daesa takes 35 or more damage on a single turn from a creature inside it, Daesa must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of Daesa. If Daesa dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Bonus Actions

Change Shape. Daesa uses Shapechanger.

Reactions

Coiled Riposte. When a creature within 10 ft. of Daesa misses it with an attack, Daesa can make a Tail Smash attack against that creature.

Legendary Actions

Daesa can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Daesa regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. Daesa makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Move. Daesa moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Strike (Costs 2 Actions). Daesa makes one Bite or Tail Smash attack.

Lore

A man-eating serpent that can speak and briefly assume human form.

Daesa (대사) literally means “great serpent.” It is crucial to distinguish a Daesa from other Korean mythical beings. Unlike many monsters that long to become dragons, a Daesa has no such aspiration; it already is what it wants to be—a top predator.

Korean folklore offers no single creation myth for the Daesa. According to old superstitions, an ordinary snake can, over time, grow and transform into this great serpent. Thus, a Daesa is less a separate species than a stage or class of snake that has reached colossal size: about 65–100 feet long and roughly 6 feet thick.

From Korean Bestiary 5E, p. 32 · Fern Flower Press