Shuten Doji 酒呑童子

Huge fiend (demon, shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 225 (18d12 + 108)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 24 (+7) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 22 (+6) · INT 16 (+3) · WIS 16 (+3) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Str +11, Dex +6, Con +10, Wis +7, Cha +8

Skills Deception +8, Intimidation +8, Perception +7

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

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Common, Infernal, Abyssal

Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As a bonus action Shuten Doji magically polymorphs into a Large or Medium humanoid, or back into his true form. While transformed he retains his statistics and can’t make Club attacks.

Magic Resistance. Shuten Doji has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Regeneration. Shuten Doji regains 15 hit points at the start of his turn. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of his next turn. He dies only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.

Demon of Sake. If Shuten Doji begins his turn with at least one gallon of alcohol within 5 ft., he can imbibe it (no action). Until the end of his next turn his Club damage increases by 5 (2d4) and his speed increases by 10 ft.

Elemental Fury (1/Turn). When Shuten Doji hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can cause it to take an extra 7 (2d6) fire damage.

Actions

Multiattack. Shuten Doji makes two attacks: one with his Club and one with Fiery Belch, or two Club attacks.

Iron Club (Tetsubo). Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.

Fiery Belch (Recharge 5–6). Shuten Doji exhales sake-fueled flames in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 35 (10d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Enlarge (1/Day). For 1 minute Shuten Doji magically grows, along with anything he is wearing. While enlarged, his size is Gargantuan, his reach increases by 5 ft., and his Club deals an extra 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage.

Reactions

Oni Mask of Demonic Vigor. When Shuten Doji would be critically hit, the damage is instead rolled normally and Shuten Doji regains 10 hit points.

Legendary Actions

Shuten Doji can take 3 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. He regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Move. Shuten Doji moves up to half his speed.

Club. Shuten Doji makes one Club attack.

Thunderous Stomp (Costs 2 Actions). Shuten Doji stomps the ground. Each creature within 15 ft. of him must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

Lore

The legendary demon chieftain who guzzles sake, abducts maidens, and spreads chaos in the mountains.

Shuten Doji, whose name is written with the characters 酒呑童子 and literally means “little drunkard” or “young sake lover,” belongs to the roster of demons in Heian-period Japanese folklore. The nickname itself points to his signature vice—an insatiable craving for alcohol. According to legend, the demon plundered the capital of Kyoto, kidnapped women from aristocratic families, and stashed his spoils in mountain caves until Emperor Ichijo ordered the general Minamoto-no Yorimitsu (Raiko) to wipe him out.

Shuten Doji is portrayed as an oni of enormous size—around 50 feet (15 m) tall—with scarlet or purplish skin, tangled long hair, razor-sharp claws, and eyes swollen with blood-red fury. Some tales emphasize an even more chaotic anatomy: five horns sprout from his head, fifteen eyes glare in all directions, and every limb is a different color—one leg white, the other black, one arm yellow, the other blue. Certain versions add shape-shifting abilities, letting him shrink to human size or loom up to gigantic height at will. Legends say a curse sparked this transformation. Ancient texts claim that, as a young acolyte, he donned a ritual oni mask that fused to his face. All attempts to remove it failed, and within days he was fully transformed into a demon.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 84 · Fern Flower Press