Hey everyone,
We're continuing our spooky season monster manual by traveling to the vast, primeval forests of Slavic folklore. This isn't just a simple creature that hides under the bed; this is one of the most powerful and enigmatic "boogeymen" in the world. She is a force of nature, an ancient crone who can be a terrifying villain or a fickle benefactor.
It's time to knock on the door of the dancing hut and meet Baba Yaga.
Baba Yaga
Medium Fey, Chaotic Neutral (often Evil)
Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor)
Hit Points 136 (16d8 + 64)
Speed 30 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 17 (+3) | 18 (+4) | 20 (+5) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) |
Saving Throws Int +9, Wis +8, Cha +7
Skills Arcana +9, Deception +7, Insight +8, Perception +8, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances Cold, Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Condition Immunities Charmed, Frightened
Senses Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 18
Languages Common, Giant, Sylvan, Primordial
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Baba Yaga fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Baba Yaga has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Baba Yaga's weapon attacks are magical.
Innate Spellcasting. Baba Yaga's innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: detect magic, disguise self, fog cloud, minor illusion
3/day each: bestow curse, geas, polymorph
1/day each: eyebite, flesh to stone, scrying
Actions
Multiattack. Baba Yaga makes two attacks with her Pestle.
Pestle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (3d8) necrotic damage.
Withering Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 18 (4d8) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be magically aged by 1d20 years. This aging effect can only be reversed by a greater restoration spell.
Fly in Mortar (Replaces Speed). Baba Yaga summons and climbs into her magical mortar, which grants her a flying speed of 40 ft. She steers it with her pestle, sweeping away her tracks with a broom.
Summon the Hut (1/Day). Baba Yaga magically calls her hut, which moves on giant chicken legs. The hut appears in an unoccupied space she can see within 120 feet of her. The hut is a Gargantuan object with AC 18, 200 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. It can take a Stomp action on its turn, and Baba Yaga can command it as a bonus action.
Description
Baba Yaga is an ancient and powerful witch of the deep forest, a figure of both immense fear and dark wisdom. She is not a simple monster; she is a primal force, often described as a hideously ugly crone with iron teeth and a nose so long it touches the ceiling when she sleeps. Her home is a hut that wanders the wilderness on a pair of giant chicken legs, and its fence is made of human bones topped with skulls.
Eater of Children. While Baba Yaga is known to sometimes help those who are clever, brave, or pure of heart, she is more famous for her hunger. She is a cannibal who preys on those who wander into her woods, with a particular fondness for children. She flies through the night in a giant mortar, rowing with a pestle, seeking out the unwary to drag back to her hut for her next meal.
Baba Yaga is the ultimate forest encounter, a powerful "boss" who can serve as a terrifying villain, a source of forbidden knowledge, or both. Just be careful what you promise her in return for her help.
As always,
Michael Garcia a.k.a. TheCrazyGM