Yamamba 山姥
Medium monstrosity (yokai), chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
Speed 30 ft.
STR 17 (+3) · DEX 15 (+2) · CON 16 (+3) · INT 12 (+1) · WIS 14 (+2) · CHA 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6, Wis +5
Skills Deception +6, Perception +5, Stealth +5, Survival +5
Damage Resistances necrotic
Condition Immunities charmed
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Sylvan (can mimic regional dialects), Yokai Speech
Challenge 6
Traits
Mountain Dweller. Yamamba ignores difficult terrain in mountainous or forested environments. She has an advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks made in such areas.
Illusory Guise. Yamamba can cast disguise self at will, requiring no components (spell save DC 14). When using this ability, she typically appears as a kindly (or at least normal) old woman.
Serpentine Locks. Yamamba’s tangled white hair sometimes transforms into writhing snakes. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of her starts its turn, she can use her reaction to force that creature to succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d10) poison damage from lashing serpents. If the creature succeeds, it is immune to Serpentine Locks for 24 hours.
Innate Spellcasting. Yamamba’s spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: disguise self (as noted above) (PHB, p. 233), minor illusion (PHB, p. 260), thaumaturgy (PHB, p. 282)
3/day each: hold person (PHB, p. 251), suggestion (PHB, p. 279)
1/day each: polymorph (PHB, p. 266), phantasmal killer (PHB, p. 265)
Note. In some tales, Yamamba’s magical repertoire changes based on her mood or region.
Actions
Multiattack. Yamamba makes two Claw attacks, or one Claw attack and uses Devouring Maw if available.
Claw (Humanoid Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.
Devouring Maw (Recharge 5-6). Yamamba’s mouth stretches to monstrous proportions. One creature within 5 feet must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be pulled into an adjacent space and take 13 (3d8) piercing damage as she bites down. On a success, the creature is not pulled and takes half damage. A creature that fails this saving throw by 5 or more also falls prone.
Bonus Actions
Ragged Dash. Yamamba can move up to her speed. During this movement, opportunity attacks against her have disadvantage, as her tattered clothing flares around her, obscuring her silhouette.
Reactions
Wicked Retort. When Yamamba takes damage from a creature within 60 feet that she can see, she can use her reaction to cast suggestion (if she has a daily use remaining) on that creature, whispering dire warnings of doom in a rasping voice.
Tactics & Behavior
Yamamba may initially appear as a friendly (though odd) old woman in the wilderness. She might invite travelers to her hut or share a meal before revealing her horrific nature.
Though cunning, she’s not above direct confrontation, using hold person (PHB, p. 251), phantasmal killer (PHB, p. 265), and her Devouring Maw to strike fear into interlopers.
Lore
Solitary mountain witch luring travelers, sometimes helpful but often dangerous.
In tales that cast Yamamba in a demonic light, she is a malicious yokai dwelling in the mountains and preying on travelers. She is described as a tall, emaciated woman with elongated arms ending in clawed fingers. Her mouth stretches from ear to ear, while her eyes glow in the dark with an eerie fire. Often, her tangled white hair writhes like snakes. Some legends claim her skin is bluish or gray and mottled with spots.
She lures victims by posing as a kindly old woman living in a hut. If a wanderer accepts her hospitality, by nightfall she reveals her true form. Usually, victims discover this too late—perhaps by glimpsing her immense, sharp-toothed maw, or by stumbling across the remains of earlier guests.
From Yokai Bestiary 5E, p. 22 · Fern Flower Press