Shifting Sand Wyrm
Huge Elemental, Neutral
Armor Class: 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 210 (20d12 + 80)
Speed: 30 ft. (burrowing), 60 ft. (swimming through sand)
Challenge Rating: 10 (5,900 XP)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | 14 | 20 | 3 | 16 | 10 |
Saving Throws: Strength +11, Dexterity +5, Constitution +8, Wisdom +6
Skills: Perception +9, Stealth +10 (advantage when camouflaged), Survival +6
Damage Vulnerabilities: None
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage from non-magical attacks
Damage Immunities: Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses: Tremorsense 60 ft., Darkvision 60 ft.
Languages: Understands Primordial and Terran, but cannot speak.
Spellcasting
Spellcasting. The Shifting Sand Wyrm is a 10th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The Shifting Sand Wyrm has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): *Eldritch Blast*, *Minor Illusion*, *Thorn Whip*
1st level (4 slots): *Fog Cloud*, *Entangle*, *Mage Armor*
2nd level (3 slots): *Dust Devil*, *Mirror Image*
3rd level (3 slots): *Fear*, *Create Food and Water*
4th level (2 slots): *Hallucinatory Terrain*
**Special Notes:**
– The Shifting Sand Wyrm often casts *Fog Cloud* before combat to obscure vision and create an element of surprise.
– It can use *Minor Illusion* to create deceptive sounds or images, enhancing its ability to confuse adventurers during encounters.
– The *Dust Devil* and *Entangle* spells can be used tactically to control the battlefield and restrict the movements of its foes.
Actions & Abilities
Multiattack: The Shifting Sand Wyrm makes three attacks: one with its **Brutal Bite** and two with its **Sand Tendril**.
Brutal Bite: – **Melee Weapon Attack:** +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.
– **Hit:** 2d10 + 5 piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). The Wyrm can grapple only one creature at a time.
Sand Tendril: – **Melee Weapon Attack:** +7 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target.
– **Hit:** 2d8 + 4 bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the tendril until the end of its next turn.
Sand Eruption (Recharge 5-6): The Wyrm causes a surge of sand to erupt in a 20-foot radius around it. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3d8 bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone; on a success, it takes half damage and is not knocked prone. The area becomes difficult terrain until the end of the Wyrm’s next turn.
Illusory Mirage (3 per day): The Shifting Sand Wyrm can create three illusory duplicates of itself within a 60-foot range for up to 1 minute. The illusions appear as copies of the Wyrm and move in tandem, confusing foes. Each creature within 30 feet of the Wyrm must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be distracted. Disoriented creatures must make an additional attack roll at disadvantage against the real Wyrm until the end of its next turn.
Sand Whirlwind (Costs 2 Actions): The Wyrm creates a small whirlwind of sand in a 15-foot radius centered on itself. Each creature within that area must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw, taking 2d10 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. Additionally, affected creatures have disadvantage on the next attack roll they make before the end of their next turn due to the blinding sand.
Appearance
The Shifting Sand Wyrm is an awe-inspiring colossus, stretching over 40 feet in length, with a sleek, serpentine silhouette that appears to flow like water through its sandy domain. Its body is a mesmerizing combination of power and grace, undulating effortlessly beneath the surface of the desert, often indistinguishable from the dunes themselves.
The Wyrm boasts a captivating palette that blends ochre, sandy gold, and sun-kissed bronze. These colors shift with the light, recreating the dynamic hues of sunlit sands, ensuring its perfect camouflage in the arid landscape. As it glides through the grains, the interplay of colors creates a stunning visual effect, reminiscent of sunlight dancing on dunes.
Its skin is finely textured, akin to grainy sandpaper, while glimmering scales evoke the smoothness of polished quartz crystals. Each segment of its massive body is defined by wave-like patterns, slightly darker than the base color, mirroring the undulating topography of its sandy surroundings. The surface is both tough and shimmering, exuding a sense of resilience and ethereal beauty.
The Wyrm’s elongated head commands attention, crowned with two large, obsidian eyes that absorb sunlight, radiating ancient wisdom. These all-seeing eyes seem to pulse faintly, imbuing them with a mystical aura. Its formidable mouth, lined with serrated, translucent teeth resembling crystal shards, complements its menacing appearance. A forked tongue, textured like its skin, flicks in and out, sensing the currents of the desert air, adding to its predatory grace.
From its back extend elongated, scalloped fins, reminiscent of miniature dunes that ripple gently with each movement. These fins allow the Wyrm to create illusions, further enhancing its ability to blend seamlessly with its surroundings. Additionally, long, sandy tendrils trail from its body, serving to capture prey while harmonizing with the desert’s wind-blown landscape.
As the Wyrm moves, it undulates with an effortless fluidity, blending into the grains beneath it while maintaining a low profile. When it chooses to burst forth, the ground trembles as it emerges in a thunderous display reminiscent of a tidal wave crashing onto the shore, showcasing both might and speed in one breathtaking moment.
Surrounding the Wyrm is an unobtrusive veil of swirling sand, swirling with elemental energy and sparkling under the sun. This veil adds an air of mystique, heightening the creature’s ethereal qualities. Occasionally, flecks of dusty golden light glide through the Wyrm’s form, embodying its connection to the Sands of Time—a testament to the secrets it harbors from ages long past.
In its solid white background, the Shifting Sand Wyrm stands as a striking embodiment of desert majesty, a creature of both ancient knowledge and primal power. Its vivid colors, unique textures, and dynamic posture come together to create a legendary presence, perfect for storytelling and captivating the imagination.
Tactical Information
Behavioral and Combat Narrative for the Shifting Sand Wyrm
Behavior in Day-to-Day Life
In the endless expanse of the desert, the Shifting Sand Wyrm embodies the very essence of its environment. Typically, it spends its days beneath the shifting sands, moving through subterranean tunnels that it carves with a few undulating motions. While lurking in this concealed state, the Wyrm is a sentinel of the Sands of Time, perpetually attuned to the vibrations and movements of the world above. This connection heightens its awareness of changes in the environment, ensuring that it can respond to any intrusions or disturbances at a moment’s notice.
The Wyrm’s motivations primarily revolve around protecting its sacred duty. It is not malicious by nature; instead, it acts out of a deep-seated respect for the balance of the desert ecosystem. When it senses trespassers near ancient ruins or locations of hidden knowledge, it stirs; however, if the disturbance is simply a wandering caravan or a group of harmless nomads, it may choose to ignore them, often creating a mirage to guide them safely away from sensitive areas.
In interactions with other desert creatures, the Wyrm holds a position of both reverence and fear. Smaller animals have a mutual understanding of its dominion; they scamper aside when it stirs, often recognizing it as a powerful natural force. Occasionally, it might engage with reptilian hunters—their shared existence weaving a complex web of ecology where the Wyrm remains a mythical figure known by those few who dare wander through the sands under midnight skies.
Combat Behavior
When the tranquility of the desert is shattered by unwanted intruders, the Shifting Sand Wyrm transforms into an unstoppable force of nature. It lies in wait, letting its enemies approach, often activating its Camouflage ability to remain hidden from view. Once it senses sufficient movement, it triggers combat with a burst of action, erupting from the sands with a thunderous roar—a display of sheer size and power that sends tremors rippling through the ground.
The Wyrm instinctively prefers guerrilla tactics, leveraging its abilities to control the battlefield. It might initiate combat with a Sand Eruption, forming a wall of shifting grains to disrupt the adventurers’ formation and obscure their visibility. Its long, serpentine body allows it to weave through the sand with ease, rapidly disappearing after launching its initial assault. By utilizing Illusory Mirage, it creates duplicates of itself to disorient foes while striking from an unexpected direction with its Brutal Bite, aiming to restrain key threats such as spellcasters or archers first.
When faced with multiple opponents, the Wyrm employs hit-and-run tactics, prioritizing evasion over confrontation. If the battle turns against it, it might retreat into the sand, using its natural advantage to emerge in a different location, seeking to regroup and mount another ambush. Should the Wyrm find itself cornered, it can summon a Sandstorm Surge, creating a chaotic, obscured environment where it thrives amidst the confusion, damaging creatures caught within its grasp while also providing the opportunity for it to escape.
Roleplay/Narrative Interactions
In non-combat situations, the Shifting Sand Wyrm embodies the dual nature of predator and ancient guardian. Should adventurers approach cautiously, attempting diplomacy, it may choose to reveal itself through subtle tremors in the ground or by causing brief illusions of shifting sands to communicate its existence without direct contact. The Wyrm is not given to speech; rather, it communicates through the movement of the desert itself—an intricate dance of sand that hints at its wisdom and understanding.
If approached peacefully, the Wyrm may test the adventurers’ intentions through challenges of intellect or riddles, engaging them in a manner that aligns with its role as a guardian. If they prove worthy, it could grant them visions or knowledge about the Sands of Time—cryptic messages woven within mirages that reveal ancient secrets.
Conversely, if the Wyrm perceives an aggressive or greedy intent—especially if sorcerers are present—it will use psychological tactics, conjuring deceptive illusions to bewilder and intimidate, often trying to drive them away without outright violence. If cornered or threatened, it may roar to unsettle foes before vanishing into the sands, leaving behind a deceptive echo to haunt their memories.
Ultimately, the Shifting Sand Wyrm challenges adventurers not merely to confront it in battle but to reflect on their purpose within the natural world and the reverence owed to the balance of life—a creature of the dunes not just as an enemy, but as an ancient sentinel testing their worthiness in the face of forgotten mysteries.
