Creature Loot: Volo's Guide A, B, & C

A is for.... nothing

What? What's this?

Oh yes.

We're back into the creature loot, and kicking it off right with Volo's Guide to Monsters! This is a continuation of this series, which has been summed up here in a fancy PDF.

Since Volo's is a fair bit shorter than the Monster Manual, I'll be going through more letters at a time each week. Again, I'm following the order the monsters are presented on the pages, not in the book's index (those just happened to line up in the MM).

Also, I'm planning on going back and doing some cleanup on my old articles. The articles are still the definitive source for Creature Loot, once I get through all of Volo's I can go back and update the PDF.

Let's get this party started!

Banderhobb (5) - monstrosity (nature)

Note: Unless the Banderhobb is killed in the Shadowfell, only the Tarry Goo and Wisps of Shadow can be harvested

• 1d4 Gobs of Tarry Goo: Can be thrown using a non-organic mechanism. Make a ranged weapon attack, without proficiency if you are using an improvised mechanism. On a hit, it sticks to a creature for 3 rounds, dealing 3 (1d6) necrotic damage at the start of the creature's turn. The creature can use its action to safely scrape off the goo.
• 1d4 Wisp of Shadow: Destroyed if exposed to sunlight. 5 of these can be carefully crafted (conjuration) by a spellcaster into a Shadow Crossing, a portal that leads to the Shadowfell. The portal is permanently affixed to the location where it is crafted. 20 of these can be mastercrafted (transmutation) by a spellcaster into a Portable Hole.
• 1 Hag’s Shadow Stone: Contains the soul of an evil creature. Destroying the stone puts the creature’s soul to rest. Can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (Transmutation) who knows a particular dark ritual into a Banderhobb. The Banderhobb has a 50% chance of disobeying non-evil commands.
• 2 Banderhobb Eye: A creature that can cast spells can use the eye to cast Scyring or Find the Path as an action. Casting one spell consumes the eye. When used this way, the range of the spell is limited to 1 mile.

Barghest (4) - fiend (religion)

• 1d4 Barghest Fangs: Acts as a dagger. If the fang is used to reduce a humanoid creature to 0 hit points, that creature's soul is trapped inside the fang. The soul remains in the fang until the fang is destroyed. While in the fang, any form of revival targeting the soul only has a 50% chance of working.
• 1 Barghest Hide: Acts as a cloak. While wrapped in the cloak, a humanoid creature can use an action to polymorph into a goblin, as per the Polymorph spell. Once the cloak has been used in this manner, it can't do so again until the next dawn.
• 1d4 Barghest Claws: Acts as a dagger. As an action a claw can be crushed by a creature to cast Minor Illusion, centered on the claw. The illusion appears as the creature intended, but with slight changes that indicate a fiendish nature to the image or sound, such as abyssal runes on the image or screams behind the sound.
• 1 Heart of Gehenna: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is shifted to the plane of Gehenna instead of the intended destination.

Beholders

The signature D&D monster for four decades

Death Kiss (10) - aberration (arcana)

• 1 Death Kiss Eye: Requires attunement. A creature attuned to the eye is aware of any creature that isn't undead or a construct within 30 feet of it, even through walls and floors, as they can sense the blood flowing through their veins. The attuned creature cannot be surprised by these creatures while attuned to the eye. Can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into a Sword of Wounding.
• 5 Death Kiss Tentacles: Acts as a whip. 4 Death Kiss Tentacles can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (Conjuration) to summon a Spectator to guard a location for 101 years. However, the Spectator loses its Eye Ray action and gains the Death Kiss's Tentacle and Blood Drain Actions.
• 3d4 Vials of Death Kiss Blood: Difficult to handle, deals 5 (1d10) lightning damage per round to any organic material in contact with it. If a spell or magic item requires blood of a particular race to function, Death Kiss Blood counts as blood of that race. Additionally, for spells that require blood as a material component, using Death Kiss Blood allows the spell to be cast as if it were one spell level higher than the slot being used to cast it.
• 2d10 Death Kiss Teeth: 20 teeth act as a bag of caltrops. Can be carefully crafted (jeweler's tools) into dice that always roll their highest value if they are in contact with blood before being rolled.

Gauth (6) - aberration (arcana)

• 1 Large Gauth Eye: Requires attunement. A creature attuned to the eye is constantly under the effects of a Detect Magic spell. The attuned creature cannot be surprised by creatures carrying magic items or creatures created by magic, such as undead or constructs. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (Divination) into a Wand of Magic Detection.
• 3 Small Gauth Eyes: Acts as an arcane focus. The eye can cast a particular Gauth ray once per day. The ray is determined randomly by the DM when the Eye is received.
• 1 Vial of Beholder Slime: Acts as Oil of Slipperiness.
• 2 Gauth Tentacles: Acts as a whip. 4 Guath Tentacles can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (Conjuration) to summon a Spectator to guard a location for 101 years. However, the Spectator loses its Eye Ray options and gains the Gauth's Devour Magic Ray, Enervation Ray, Pushing Ray, and Sleep Ray.

Gazer (1/2) - aberration (arcana)

• 1 Gazer Eye: Acts as an arcane focus. The eye can cast a particular Gazer ray once per day. The ray is determined randomly by the DM when the Eye is received.

Bodak (6) - undead (religion)

• 2 Bodak Eyes: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (evocation) into an Amulet of Withering, which can cast Inflict Wounds (+5 to hit) once per day. When cast this way, the spell has a range of 60 feet. 2 Can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (Necormancy) into a Poison of the Bodak. A humanoid creature that imbibes the potion must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 21 (6d6) poison damage. If the creature is killed by this damage, it immediately returns as a Bodak. The Bodak is hostile to all living creatures. On a successful save, the creature takes half the poison damage and is not transformed into a Bodak if killed.
• 1 Bodak Hide: Requires attunement. Any creature within 30 feet of the Bodak Hide takes 5 necrotic damage at the start of its turn. Undead, fiends, and the attuned creature are immune to this effect. The attuned creature has this immunity during the 1 hour attunement process, but if the creature abandons the attunement before it is completed, they take necrotic damage equal to the amount they would have taken if they had not been immune to it. If the Bodak Hide is exposed to sunlight, it loses these properties and becomes nonmagical.
• 1 Zombified Hand: Acts as an arcane focus when casting necromancy spells.
• 1 Dessicated Heart of Orcus: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is shifted to Orcus's layer in the Abyss instead of the intended destination.

Boggle  (1/8) - fey (religion)

• 1 Vial of Boggle Oil: Contains either slippery oil or sticky oil, determined randomly when received.
• Slippery Oil: As an action, you can douse yourself in oil. For 1 minute, until the oil dries, you gain advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks made to escape bonds, squeeze through narrow spaces, and break grapples.
• Sticky Oil: As an action, you can douse yourself in oil. For 1 minute, until the oil dries, you gain advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to grapple, and any ability check made to hold on to another creature, a surface, or an object. During this time, you can also climb difficult surfaces, including ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Catoblepas (5) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Catoblepas Hide: Acts as a cloak. Any creature other than a Catoblepas that starts its turn within 5 feet of the cloak must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of their next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the stench for 1 hour.
• 1d4 Catoblepas Hooves: Acts as a hammer. Can be carefully crafted (jeweler's tools) into 1d6 dice that always roll lower than the average of their faces. 4 of these can be mastercrafted by a spellcaster (divination) into Poison of Misfortune. A creature that imbibes the poison must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour. During that hour, the first time the creature would roll a natural 20 on a 20-sided die, they treat the roll as if it were a natural 1 instead.
• 1 Catoblepas Tail: Acts as a club. A creature struck by the club must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the start of the attacker's next turn. Once this property has been used three times, the club loses its magic and becomes a mundane club. While being carried, the club rattles conspicuously, causing disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. 
• 2 Catoblepas Eyes: Can be carefully crafted by a spellcaster (evocation) into a magical talisman. As an action, a creature can use the talisman to cast Inflict Wounds (+5 to hit), using their melee spell attack to touch the talisman to the target. Once the Talisman successfully casts the spell, it can't be used again until the next dawn

Woah, calm down there, Final Fantasy!

Cave Fisher (3) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Cave Fisher Filament: Acts as 25 feet of rope that is nearly invisible to the naked eye, requiring a DC 15 Perception check to see. 3 of these can be crafted (weaver's tools) into 25 feet of rope that has 5 hit points, requires a DC 18 Strength check to burst, and has the following property: any creature that touches the rope becomes stuck to it. An unwilling creature with speed greater than 0 can make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw to avoid be touched by the rope. Once stuck, a creature must use their action and succeed on a DC 13 Strength check to pull the rope off of themselves.
• 1 Cave Fisher Carapace: Sells for a high price. Can be carefully crafted (jeweler's tools) into a small but valuable item, worth 5 times as much as its normal cost. Can be carefully crafted (smith's tools) into a pair of gauntlets that ignore the sticky properties of rope made with Cave Fisher Filament.
• 1d6 Vials of Cave Fisher Blood: Acts as strong alcohol. If drunk by a character with levels in the Barbarian class, grants advantage on all Strength checks and Strength saving throws for 10 minutes. Can be carefully crafted (brewer's tools) into an alcoholic beverage that grants advantage on all Strength checks and Strength saving throws for 10 minutes to any creature.

Chitine (1/2) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Tattered Dagger
• 1 Heart of Lolth: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is shifted to Lolth's layer in the Abyss instead of the intended destination.

Choldrith (3) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 Tattered Dagger
• 1 Web Sac: When held, can cast Web one time before running dry.
• 1 Heart of Lolth: While holding the heart, it can be used to cast Plane Shift as a ritual. Only the creature holding the heart may shift. This consumes the heart. When the spell is cast, roll 1d20. On a 1, the bearer is shifted to Lolth's layer in the Abyss instead of the intended destination.
• 1 Vial of Choldrith Poison: Can be applied to a weapon or a piece of ammunition as an action. A creature hit by the poisoned weapon or ammunition must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 poison damage. Additionally, the creature is poisoned for 1 minute. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Cranium Rat (0 or 5) - beast (nature)

• 1 Crainum Rat Brain: If harvested from a Swarm of Cranium Rats, 5 Cranium Rat Brains can be obtained. Eating the brain grants the effects of a Mind Blank spell for 1 minute, though Cranium Rats are able to bypass this effect. 5 of these can be crafted by a spellcaster (Divination) into a Ring of Mind Shielding.

Whew. That felt good! Back in the groove. Remember to check out my suggested rules for harvesting loot here.

Next week, only one letter! Unsurprisingly, it's D.

FOR DARKNESS

Thanks for reading!