Ushi-oni 牛鬼

Large fiend (shapechanger), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 153 (18d10 + 54)

Speed 40 ft.

STR 22 (+6) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 17 (+3) · INT 14 (+2) · WIS 16 (+3) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +7, Wis +7, Cha +8

Skills Deception +8, Insight +7, Perception +7, Stealth +6

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

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17

Languages Abyssal, Common; telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. The ushi-oni can use its action to polymorph into a Medium or Small humanoid, or back to its true form. Other than its size, its statistics are the same in each form. Anything it is wearing transforms with it. A mirror or other reflective surface always shows its bull-headed true form.

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

Shadow Hunger. At the start of its turn, if the ushi-oni is in dim light or darkness and isn’t at its temporary hit-point maximum (30), it absorbs nearby shadows, gaining 10 temporary hit points.

Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the ushi-oni fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The ushi-oni makes two attacks: one Gore and one Claw.

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

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage.

Shadow-Eating Gaze (Recharge 5–6). The ushi-oni targets one creature it can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed as its shadow is pinned to the ground. The paralyzed creature repeats the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. On a second failure the creature takes 45 (10d8) necrotic damage; if this reduces it to 0 hit points, the creature dies and its shadow is devoured, preventing revival short of a resurrection spell.

Toxic Breath (Recharge 5–6). The ushi-oni exhales a cloud of venomous vapor in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much on a success. Creatures that fail are also poisoned for 1 minute (repeat the save at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a success).

Bonus Actions

Night Stalker. The ushi-oni moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks if it begins this movement in dim light or darkness.

Reactions

Sudden Reflection. When a creature the ushi-oni can see within 30 feet targets it with an attack, the ushi-oni can force that creature to glimpse its true visage in a reflective surface. The attacker must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or suffer disadvantage on the triggering attack roll.

Legendary Actions

The ushi-oni 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. The ushi-oni moves up to half its speed.

Claw. The ushi-oni makes one Claw attack.

Crushing Stomp (Costs 2 Actions). The ushi-oni slams the ground. Each creature within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

Lore

An ogre with the head of an ox that snatches people on the shore and feeds on their fear.

The Ushi-oni is not a single creature but as an entire class of coastal or aquatic demons, linked by their bovine features and extreme ferocity. Buddhist lore depicts them as bull-headed guardians.

A bull’s head with horns is always present; the horns are often described as vivid crimson, the hide as rotting like decayed bark, the eyes blood-shot. Yet this is a demon that can reshape its guise, posing as an ordinary human. One fatal flaw spoils the disguise: its reflection. Glance at any shiny surface—water, polished metal—and the bull-headed monster looks back, no matter how human its borrowed form appears.

From Yokai Bestiary 5E, Book Two, p. 104 · Fern Flower Press