AC 11 (natural armor)
HP 13 (3d4 + 6; bloodied 6)
Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
Initiative Dex +2 (12), Insight +1 (11), Perception +3 (13)
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 12
Saving Throws Str +0, Dex +4, Con +2, Int -2, Wis +1, Cha -2
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Damage Immunities psychic
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Psionic Hunter. The gruhnka tadpole has advantage on saving throws against psionic effects.
Track, Follow, Kill. The gruhnka tadpole ignores difficult terrain when moving in the direction of prey marked by its Eyes of the Hunter ability.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4) piercing damage.
BONUS ACTIONS
Eyes of the Hunter (1/Day). The gruhnka tadpole chooses a creature that it can see. The creature is marked as prey until the end of the encounter. When attacking this prey, the gruhnka tadpole receives a +2 bonus to attack and deals an additional 1d6 piercing damage. A creature remains marked in this way until either it or the gruhnka tadpole are incapacitated, dies, or either ends their turn out of line of sight from the other.
REACTIONS
Devour and Adapt. If a gruhnka tadpole reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it can use its reaction to mutate into a Small gruhnka hunter.
Legends and Lore
With a Science or Survival check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Gruhnkas hunt psionic creatures, but may kill everything on its path during the hunt.
DC 15 These creatures can develop new powers after feeding on strong psionic energy.
DC 20 Gruhnkas live in society and usually are found in packs. They rely on a monarch to keep the colony organized and focused.
Voidrunners are often experienced adventurers with powerful weapons and strange psionic powers—but those powers might be their doom when facing one or more gruhnka. These lizard-like humanoids can be found all around the galaxy on dangerous planets with killing atmospheres. They start their lives as seemingly innocent tadpoles that feed on psionic powers, and develop their bodies and abilities as they drain psionic creatures and devices. They reach adulthood as large humanoids with bodies mutated that resemble lizards and humans alike.
1–2 Waiting in ambush
3 Looking for its colony
4 A tracker, following a much more powerful psionic user
1 Gadgets and equipment that rely on psionic energy start to malfunction
2 Creatures have strong headaches and a constant feeling of something lurking
3 Several living creatures are found, their eyes lifeless and lost
4 Tracks of a two-legged creature that change to those of a three-legged one
Gruhnkas can adapt to any environment and seek out craters and isolated areas, making them extremely difficult to deal with in any habitable planet.
CR 0-2 1d4 + 1 tadpoles
Treasure an assault rifle smeared with blood
CR 3–4 1 gruhnka hunter
Treasure a starglaive and a focusing crystal, the last remains of a fallen psyknight
CR 5–10 1 1d4 + 1 gruhnka hunters , each with one psionic mutation
Treasure a still intact companion AI cybernetic implant amidst a pile of bones and shredded clothes
CR 11–16 1 1d6 + 3 gruhnka hunters , each with the “4” psionic mutation and two random
Treasure a surface exploration vehicle left behind by unfortunate explorers who wandered into gruhnka territory
Aberrations are unnatural beings that don’t belong to this plane of existence. Many aberrations are telepathic and use a mental power known as psionic power instead of magic. An aboleth is an aberration.