Shussebora 出世螺

Huge monstrosity, true neutral

Armor Class 20 (mineral shell)

Hit Points 189 (18d12 + 72)

Speed 25 ft., burrow 25 ft., swim 20 ft.; earth glide*

STR 23 (+6) · DEX 10 (+0) · CON 19 (+4) · INT 16 (+3) · WIS 15 (+2) · CHA 12 (+1)

Saving Throws Con +9, Int +8, Wis +7

Skills History +7, Perception +7, Stealth +4, Survival +7

Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities frightened, petrified, poisoned, prone

Senses darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 120 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Terran, Aquan, telepathy 120 ft. (to earth- or water-dwelling creatures only)

Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Traits

Ancient Carapace. Critical hits against Shussebora become normal hits. If the snail begins its turn with less than half its hit points, attack rolls against it gain advantage unless it is in Shell Defense.

Elemental Confluence. Whenever Shussebora would take acid, cold, fire, or lightning damage, it instead takes half damage of that type.

Shell Defense. As an action Shussebora can retreat inside its shell. Until it emerges (another action), its AC is 23, it has advantage on Strength and Constitution saves, and it is immune to being grappled or knocked prone, but it is incapacitated and its speed is 0.

Actions

Multiattack. Shussebora makes two Slam attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage.

Stone-Rending Surge (Recharge 5–6). Shussebora channels its stored earth-ki, triggering a localized quake. All creatures on the ground within 30 feet must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) bludgeoning damage and falling prone on a failed save, or half as much damage on a success and remaining standing. The ground becomes difficult terrain until cleared.

Reactions

Seismic Backlash. When Shussebora is hit by a melee attack, it can release a shock pulse. The attacker must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15 feet away and knocked prone.

Legendary Actions

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

Move. Shussebora burrows or crawls up to half its speed.

Slam. Shussebora makes one Slam attack.

*Shussebora can burrow through non-magical earth and stone while leaving a 10-foot-wide tunnel.

Lore

The shell that became a yokai after a long life, bringing wealth and luck to a household.

The yokai’s name breaks down as “the shell that made it.” In modern Japanese, 出世 (shusse) means success or climbing the career ladder, while 螺 (bora) is an abbreviation of 法螺貝 (horagai), the giant sea snail Charonia tritonis. Built right into the name is the idea that an ordinary triton, after living an unimaginably long life, “gets promoted” to a higher rank.

Shussebora begins life as a normal giant triton, but over a lifespan measured in millennia its shell undergoes mineralization: the walls thicken until they form a stone-like carapace capable of withstanding both the weight of solid earth and the crushing pressure of the deep ocean. As the yokai grows, its body becomes coated in dense scales and mineralized skin; during its middle phase it looks like a massive armored creature slowly tunneling underground, leaving behind passages later mistaken for natural caves.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 82 · Fern Flower Press