Umber Hulk

Source: Monster Manual p. 292

An abominable horror from deep beneath the earth, an umber hulk burrows into cave complexes, dungeons, or Underdark settlements in search of food. Those lucky enough to survive an umber hulk attack often remember precious little of the incident, thanks to the umber hulk’s mind-scrambling gaze.

Devious Delvers

Umber hulks can burrow through solid rock, forming new tunnels in their wake. The steel-hard chitin of its body can withstand the cave-ins, tunnel collapses, and rock falls that commonly follow it.

Burrowing into the wall of a cavern or passageway, an umber hulk lies in wait for creatures to pass by on the other side, its hair-like feelers sensing any movement around it. When it explodes out in a shower of earth and rock, its unsuspecting quarry turns to face the oncoming threat-and is entranced by the umber hulk’s bewildering eyes, forced to stand helpless as its mandibles snap shut.

Mind Scrambler

Many survivors of an umber hulk encounter recollect little about the attack, because the monster’s confusing gaze scrambles their memory of the event. Those who have fought and killed umber hulks recognize the signs. For other denizens of the Underdark, grisly tales of vanished explorers and wanton destruction speak of an unknown foe. Umber hulks take on supernatural status in these harrowing stories, many of which convey the same warning: once an umber hulk has been spotted, it is already too late to escape it.

A quote from A survivor's account of an umber hulk attack

The wall caved in. That’s the last thing I remember.

"name": "Umber Hulk"
"size": "Large"
"type": "monstrosity"
"alignment": "Chaotic Evil"
"ac": !!int "18"
"ac_class": "natural armor"
"hp": !!int "93"
"hit_dice": "11d10 + 33"
"modifier": !!int "1"
"stats":
  - !!int "20"
  - !!int "13"
  - !!int "16"
  - !!int "9"
  - !!int "10"
  - !!int "10"
"speed": "30 ft., burrow 20 ft."
"senses": "darkvision 120 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 10"
"languages": "Umber Hulk"
"cr": "5"
"traits":
  - "desc": "When a creature starts its turn within 30 feet of the umber hulk and\
      \ is able to see the umber hulk's eyes, the umber hulk can magically force it\
      \ to make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, unless the umber hulk is incapacitated.\n\
      \nOn a failed saving throw, the creature can't take reactions until the start\
      \ of its next turn and rolls a d8 to determine what it does during that turn.\
      \ On a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 or 6, the creature takes no\
      \ action but uses all its movement to move in a random direction. On a 7 or\
      \ 8, the creature makes one melee attack against a random creature, or it does\
      \ nothing if no creature is within reach.\n\nUnless surprised, a creature can\
      \ avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the\
      \ creature does so, it can't see the umber hulk until the start of its next\
      \ turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the umber\
      \ hulk in the meantime, it must immediately make the save."
    "name": "Confusing Gaze"
  - "desc": "The umber hulk can burrow through solid rock at half its burrowing speed\
      \ and leaves a 5 foot-wide, 8-foot-high tunnel in its wake."
    "name": "Tunneler"
"actions":
  - "desc": "The umber hulk makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its\
      \ mandibles."
    "name": "Multiattack"
  - "desc": "*Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 9 (1d8\
      \ + 5) slashing damage."
    "name": "Claw"
  - "desc": "*Melee Weapon Attack:* +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. *Hit:* 14\
      \ (2d8 + 5) slashing damage."
    "name": "Mandibles"
"source":
  - "MM"
"image": "/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/token/umber-hulk.webp"

Environment

underdark