Jellyfish, Giant

The bell of this enormous amber jellyfish is as large as a carriage. A sinister bloom of tentacles dangles and writhes below.

Giant Jellyfish CR 7

XP 3,200

N Large vermin (aquatic)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

Defense

AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 9 (+2 Dex, –1 size)

hp 94 (9d8+54)

Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +3

Defensive Abilities amorphous; DR 10/piercing or slashing; Immune mind-affecting effects

Offense

Speed swim 20 ft.

Melee 4 tentacles +9 (1d6+4 plus poison)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 15, Con 22, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1

Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 23 (can't be tripped)

Skills Swim +12

SQ compression

Ecology

Environment any oceans

Organization solitary, pack (2–5), or bloom (6–12)

Treasure None

Special Abilities

Poison (Ex) Tentacles—injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution based.

Unlike its smaller cousins, the giant jellyfish is an active predator that seeks out prey. Capable of slithering through narrow cracks, a giant jellyfish is a horrifying beast to encounter lurking in the hold of a flooded or sunken ship. Other species of these vermin exist, as summarized on the following table—these variants often have different types of poison or other abilities like translucency or constriction.

Jellyfish Swarm

All but invisible in the water, this foul swarm of fist-sized jellyfish wriggles and writhes, a virtual wall of stinging tentacles.

Jellyfish Swarm CR 6

XP 2,400

N Diminutive vermin (aquatic, swarm)

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0

Defense

AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 size)

hp 54 (12d8)

Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +4

Immune swarm traits, weapon damage

Offense

Speed swim 20 ft.

Melee swarm (3d6 plus distraction and poison)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks distraction (DC 16)

Statistics

Str 1, Dex 13, Con 10, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 2

Base Atk +9; CMB —; CMD —

Skills Swim +4, Stealth +29; Racial Modifiers Stealth +16

Ecology

Environment any aquatic

Organization solitary or bloom (2–8)

Treasure none

Special Abilities

Poison (Ex) Swarm–injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Jellyfish often cluster together during springtime or when environmental conditions such as an increase in ocean temperature favor it. When conditions are right, jellyfish shift from being a nuisance to being a menace, if accidentally so, for a jellyfish swarm, unlike more aggressive monstrous kin like the giant jellyfish, comprises not aggressive hunters but rather opportunistic strikers. They do not generally move to attack nearby prey, but their nearly translucent coloration makes it horrifically easy for a creature to swim into a swarm unawares. Once a jellyfish swarm deals damage to a creature, the swarm pursues it for several rounds before giving up the chase. Many aquatic races use jellyfish swarms as defensive guardians, trusting a swarm's lack of interest in moving to keep it stationary for long periods of time.