Tunnel Crawler

Large beast, unaligned

The tunnel crawler is the apex predator of the Underdark's middle depths --- a six-legged, segmented creature that resembles a monstrous cross between a centipede and a crocodile. Its body is covered in chitinous plates the color of wet stone, and its wide, flat head splits open into a four-part jaw lined with rows of backward-curving teeth. Tunnel crawlers anchor themselves to the ceilings of caverns and drop onto prey passing below. The Deep Dwarves call them *gravenmaul* --- "grave hammers" --- because the sound of one detaching from a ceiling sounds like a coffin lid slamming shut.

Armor Class:15 (natural armor)

Hit Points:52 (7d10 + 14)

Speed:30 ft, climb 30 ft

Challenge:CR 3

STR

17 (+3)

DEX

12 (+1)

CON

15 (+2)

INT

3 (-4)

WIS

13 (+1)

CHA

5 (-3)

Skills:Stealth +3, Perception +3

Senses:Blindsight 30 ft, tremorsense 60 ft, passive Perception 13

Fear Check:DC 12 Wisdom save when first encountered.

Traits

Spider Climb. The crawler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing an ability check.

Ceiling Drop. If the crawler drops onto a creature from at least 10 feet above, the target must succeed on a DC 13 DEX save or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The crawler can then make a bite attack as a bonus action against the prone target.

Stone Camouflage. The crawler has advantage on Stealth checks made in rocky or underground terrain.

Actions

Multiattack. The tunnel crawler makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its tail slam.

Bite. Melee: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crawler can't bite another target.

Tail Slam. Melee: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage.

Swallow (Recharge 5-6). The crawler makes a bite attack against a Medium or smaller creature it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed and the grapple ends. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, has total cover from attacks outside the crawler, and takes 7 (2d6) acid damage at the start of each of the crawler's turns. The crawler can have one creature swallowed at a time. If the crawler takes 15 or more damage in a single turn from the swallowed creature, it must make a DC 12 CON save at the end of that turn or regurgitate the creature, which falls prone in a space within 5 feet of the crawler.