Creature Loot: Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes - R and S Part 1

Spider-demon! Spider-demon! Does whatever a spider-demon does!

It's Creature Loot week again! Hooray! This week we run through the lone R monster, then start to dig in to the first half of the S's.

As usual, don't forget to check out the index, get the PDFs of the previous creature loot articles, and let me know if you see any items that have typos or could be improved!

Retriever (14) - construct (arcana)

• 1 Demon Heart: 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 a random location in the Abyss instead of the intended destination.
• 2 Vials of Ectoplasm: No immediate use. Can be crafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a Potion of Invisibility or an Oil of Etherealness.
• 3d4 Vials of Foul Ichor: No immediate use. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist’s supplies) into a potion of poison immunity. When consumed, grants immunity to poison damage and the poisoned condition for 1 hour, and heals any poisons currently affecting the creature.
• 2d4 Retriever Legs: Acts as a longsword that can't be damaged or corroded.
• 1 Retriever Force Beam: A creature holding the beam can use their action to fire it at a creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (5d10) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once used, the force beam loses this property.
• 1 Retriever Paralyzing Beam: A creature holding the beam can use their action to fire it at a creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for l minute . The paralyzed target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Once used, the force beam loses this property.
• 1 Retriever Web Sac: A creature holding the sac can squeeze it to cast the Web (save DC 13) spell. Once the sac has been used in this way three times, it becomes nonmagical.
• 1 Tracking Orb: A creature holding the orb can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check. On a failure, the Orb is indecipherable. On a success, the creature learns the direction and distance of the Retriever's Quarry if they are on the same plane of existence, and the location of the Retriever's master. 
• 2d4 Retriever Plates: Acts as a shield +1. 6 of these can be mastercrafted (smith's tools) into Armor of Invulnerability. 

Frost Salamander (9) - elemental (arcana)

• 3 Frost Salamander Hides: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (leatherworker's tools) into the equivalent of Studded Leather, Scale Mail, or Chain Mail armor, which requires attunement. An attuned creature wearing the armor gains immunity to cold damage and vulnerability to fire damage.
• 2d6 Frost Salamander Fangs: Acts as a longsword that does an additional 1d10 cold damage on a hit. 
• 3d4 Motes of Elemental Ice: Can be used as a material component for a Conjure Minor Elementals spell, reducing the casting time to 1 action. The spell can only summon water or air elementals when cast this way.
• 1 Frost Salamander Ice Gullet: A creature holding the gullet can use it to cast Cone of Cold (save DC 17). Once used in this way, the gullet loses this property.

Shadar-Kai

Gloom Weaver (9) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Shadow Spear: Acts as a magic spear. The first time the spear hits a creature, that creature takes an additional 26 (4d12) necrotic damage. The spear then loses this ability.
• 1 Set of Shadar-Kai Shrouded Robes: Requires attunement. When the attuned creature takes damage, it can turn invisible and teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. It remains invisible until the start of its next turn or until it attacks or casts a spell. Once used three times, this property of the cloak can't be used again until the next dusk.
• 2d4 Strands of Shadar-Kai Hair: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Necrotic Resistance. 
• 1 Heart of the Gloom Weaver: Beasts and humanoids, other than shadar-kai, have disadvantage on saving throws while within 10 feet of the heart.
• 3d4 Wisps 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 Sigil of the Raven Queen: Acts as a Holy Symbol of the Raven Queen. A creature holding the Sigil will receive strange omens and visions at the whim of the Raven Queen.

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Shadow Dancer (7) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Shadar-Kai Spiked Chain: Acts as a magic whip. The first time the whip hits a creature, that creature takes an additional 22 (4d10) necrotic damage. The whip then loses this ability.
• 1 Set of Shadar-Kai Studded Leather: Acts as magic Studded Leather that dissolves in direct sunlight.
• 1d4 Strands of Shadar-Kai Hair: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Necrotic Resistance. 
• 1 Heart of the Shadow Dancer: As a bonus action, a creature can crush the heart to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Both the space it teleports from and the space it teleports to must be in dim light or darkness. The creature can use this ability between the weapon attacks of another action it takes.
• 2d4 Wisps 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 Sigil of the Raven Queen: Acts as a Holy Symbol of the Raven Queen. A creature holding the Sigil will receive strange omens and visions at the whim of the Raven Queen.

Soul Monger (11) - humanoid (survival)

• 1 Phantasmal Dagger: Acts as a magic dagger. The first time the dagger hits a creature, that creature takes an additional 19 (3d12) necrotic damage and has disadvantage on saving throws until the end of its next turn. The dagger then loses this ability.
• 1 Set of Shadar-Kai Studded Leather: Acts as magic Studded Leather that dissolves in direct sunlight.
• 2d4 Strands of Shadar-Kai Hair: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Necrotic Resistance. 
• 1 Heart of the Soul Monger: Any beast or humanoid, other than a shadar-kai, that starts its turn within 5 feet of the heart has its speed reduced by 20 feet until the start of that creature's next turn.
• 3d4 Wisps 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 Sigil of the Raven Queen: Acts as a Holy Symbol of the Raven Queen. A creature holding the Sigil will receive strange omens and visions at the whim of the Raven Queen.
• 2d4 Stolen Souls: Each soul is held in a trinket or body part taken from the creature who once owned the soul. A creature can use their action to destroy the object to release the soul in a 30-foot sphere centered on the object. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 45 (10d8) psychic damage and suffers l level of exhaustion. On a successful save, it takes 22 (5d8) psychic damage.

Skulk (1/2) - humanoid (survival)

• 1d4 Skulk Fingers: A creature can use their action to consume a finger. For the next 10 minutes, that creature is invisible. However, the invisibility can be seen through by the following methods:
• The creature's reflection can be seen in a mirror
• The creature appears as a dim, translucent form in the light of a candle made of fat rendered from a corpse whose identity is unknown
• Humanoid children, aged 10 and under, can see the creature

Skull Lord (15) - undead (religion)

• 1 Set of Skull Lord Plate Armor: Acts as a set of Plate Armor of Necrotic Resistance. 
• 1 Bone Staff: Acts as a magic quarterstaff that deals an additional 2d6 necrotic damage on a hit.
• 1 Cloak of the Skull Lord: Requires attunement. If the attuned creature is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half the damage, the attuned creature instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails. Curse. The attuned creature has its personality split into three voices, who argue constantly in its head, imposing disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws the attuned creature makes.
• 1 Tabbard of the Skull Lord: Requires attunement. An attuned creature can cast Animate Dead as a 5th-level spell. The creatures only remain under the attuned creature's control while they are attuned to the tabbard. Once used, the tabbard cannot cast the spell again until the next dusk.
• 1 Crown of the Skull Lord: Requires attunement. While within 30 feet of the attuned creature wearing the crown, any undead ally of the attuned creature makes saving throws with advantage, and that ally regains 1d6 hit points whenever it starts its turn there.
• 3 Skulls of the Skull Lord: The remains of a warlord of Vecna, can reveal lore about the Lich God if spoken to via Speak With Dead. If more than one skull is spoken to together, they can be targeted by the spell as a group, but will argue and fight instead of answering questions. Acts as an arcane focus for necromancy spells. 
• 3d6 Bones of the Skull Lord: No immediate use. Can be carefully crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of Necrotic Resistance. During the duration of the potion, if the creature fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead. Once used, this ability can't be used again for the duration of the potion.
• 1 Desiccated Heart: If the heart is placed in the chest of a corpse that died within the past 10 days, the corpse regains its soul and turns into a Ghoul. It retains the personality it had while alive, but its alignment becomes evil if it wasn't already. The creature is driven by hunger and will do anything to feed constantly. This affect can affect even unwilling souls, although a God or master of a plane can prevent the soul from leaving its domain, in which case the ghoul is mindless. If the ghoul is killed, the soul goes to Vecna's secret lair instead of the plane it would have traveled to.
• 1 Left Hand of the Skull Lord: A creature holding the hand can use it to cast Finger of Death (save DC 18). Once used, the hand becomes nonmagical.
• 2d4 Wisps of Shadows: 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.

Three for the price of one!

Sorrowsworn

The Angry (13) - monstrosity (nature)

• 4d4 Wisps 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.
• 4d4 Flesh of the Sorrowsworn: No immediate use. Can be crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Draught of the Sorrowsworn. A creature that drinks this potion gains resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage while in dim light or darkness, but gains vulnerability to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage in bright light for 10 minutes.
• 2 Heads of the Angry: Continues to bicker even after being severed. Can substitute for 500gp of material components required for an evocation spell.
• 2 Hooks of the Angry: Acts as a Greataxe that deals piercing damage instead of slashing.
• 1 Heart of Anger: No immediate use. Destroyed if exposed to bright light. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of The Angry. For 10 minutes, a creature that uses the potion has disadvantage on attack rolls if no other creature has dealt damage to it since the end of its last turn. If a creature deals damage to it, its attack rolls have advantage until the end of its next turn.

The Hungry (11) - monstrosity (nature)

• 3d4 Wisps 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.
• 4d4 Flesh of the Sorrowsworn: No immediate use. Can be crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Draught of the Sorrowsworn. A creature that drinks this potion gains resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage while in dim light or darkness, but gains vulnerability to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage in bright light for 10 minutes.
• 2 Claws of the Hungry: Absorbs liquids it is placed into. Can substitute for 500gp of material components required for an necromancy spell.
• 1d10 Teeth of the Hungry: Acts as a dagger that deals an additional 1d6 necrotic damage on a hit.
• 1 Heart of Hunger: No immediate use. Destroyed if exposed to bright light. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of The Hungry. For 10 minutes, a creature that uses the potion has advantage on attack rolls until the end of its next turn if it sees another creature regain hit points.

The Lonely (9) - monstrosity (nature)

• 2d4 Wisps 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.
• 4d4 Flesh of the Sorrowsworn: No immediate use. Can be crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Draught of the Sorrowsworn. A creature that drinks this potion gains resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage while in dim light or darkness, but gains vulnerability to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage in bright light for 10 minutes.
• 2 Harpoons of the Lonely: Acts as dart that deals 1d8 damage on a hit. On a hit, a creature is grappled (escape DC is equal to the wielder's Strength modifier + the wielder's proficiency bonus + 8) if it is a Large or smaller creature.
• 1 Heart of Loneliness: No immediate use. Destroyed if exposed to bright light. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of The Lonely. For 10 minutes, a creature that uses the potion has advantage on attack rolls while it is within 30 feet of at least two other creatures. It otherwise has disadvantage on attack rolls.

The Lost (7) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1d4 Wisps 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.
• 3d4 Flesh of the Sorrowsworn: No immediate use. Can be crafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Draught of the Sorrowsworn. A creature that drinks this potion gains resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage while in dim light or darkness, but gains vulnerability to nonmagical bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing damage in bright light for 10 minutes.
• 2d3 Arms of the Lost: Acts as a War Pick that deals 1d10 damage on a hit.
• 1 Heart of Loss: No immediate use. Destroyed if exposed to bright light. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of The Lost. For 10 minutes, a creature that uses the potion deals 9 (2d8) psychic damage at the start of its turn to any creature it has grappled.

The Wretched (1/4) - monstrosity (nature)

• 1 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 Heart of the Wretched: No immediate use. Destroyed if exposed to bright light. Can be mastercrafted (alchemist's supplies) into a Potion of The Wretched. For 10 minutes, a creature that uses the potion has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the creature's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated. The creature otherwise has disadvantage on attack rolls.

That's all for this week! Next time, we'll finish off the S's. There's certainly enough of them left to fill an article.

Footballs with legs... of horror!

Thanks for reading!