Scragglemaws appear in dreams often enough that sages who investigate the nature of dreams have a special classification for them. By all rights, they should be manifesting far more often, as people dream of them more often than many of the other common dream manifestations, but something functions differently about these creatures. While many dreams seem to manifest as though looking for an opening to invade another world or escape their own, scragglemaws only seem to follow those who they take a liking to and are much more tenacious than most. Usually dreams cannot bring themselves back without a conduit, but once a scragglemaw chooses a master it can return multiple times of its own volition if destroyed.
Their return is imperfect, with the exact mechanism of it unknown as studying dreams is difficult, but it seems that so long as its chosen master lives and for approximately a year after their death, the scragglemaw has a chance of reappearing. They always track down their master to protect them, or hunt the creatures that killed their master with a terrifying, brutal precision. Escape is near impossible, so anyone who incurs the anger of a loyal scragglemaw must be ready to put the creature down again and again until its manifestation finally fails. Quite a difficult prospect, as they shrug off the attacks of their prey easily.
In a different setting, the scragglemaw could be a monstrosity (though you may want to remove its rejuvenation trait if that feels inappropriate for a monstrosity), or could be a celestial or fiend that maeks the trip back and forth from its home plane if destroyed. In that case, there may be scragglemaw that have no master around the world, lacking access to any of its features that require a master to function.
Originally from the Dreamblade Base Set. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!
5th Edition
The scragglemaw is one creature that functionally has two different CR values, depending on whether the players are its target or not. If they are, the given CR is well representative of its abilities, but if they are not it’s closer to a CR 9 due to the reduced damage and lack of resistance.
Loyal Scragglemaw
Large aberration, unaligned
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 195 (17d10 + 102)
Speed 40 ft.
Str 19 (+4) Dex 13 (+1) Con 22 (+6) Int 5 (-3) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 11 (+0)
Saving Throws Con +10
Damage Resistances damage caused by a creature that killed its master
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages understands anything its master says
Challenge 12 (8400 XP)
Charging Pounce. If the scragglemaw moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a melee attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the attack was a bite attack, the target also takes an extra 14 (4d6) slashing damage.
Rejuvenation. When the scragglemaw is destroyed while it’s master lives or within 1 year of its master’s death, it must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw. On a success, it gains a new body in 2d4 days, with all its hit points. The new body appears within 1 mile of its master, or within 1 mile of a creature that killed its master.
Supernatural Tracker. The scragglemaw knows the distance to and direction of it’s master, or any creature that killed its master, even if the creature and the scragglemaw are on different planes of existence. If the creature being tracked by the scragglemaw dies, the scragglemaw knows.
Actions
Multiattack. The scragglemaw makes three attacks; two with its Claws and one with its Bite.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature that killed the scragglemaw’s master, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8+4) slashing damage. If the target is a creature that killed the scragglemaw’s master, the target takes an extra 9 (2d8) slashing damage.
13th Age
Loyal Scragglemaw
Large 7th level blocker [aberration]
Initiative: +9
Shredding Claws and Bites +12 vs. AC (3 attacks) – 18 damage
Natural Even Hit: The target pops free from the scragglemaw at the end of the scragglemaw’s turn.
Intercept for the Master: The scragglemaw can intercept an enemy when engaged with other enemies. When an enemy moves to engage the scragglemaw’s master, it can pop free and intercept that enemy.
Perfect Tracker: The scragglemaw always knows the distance and direction to its master or its master’s killer. It is impossible for its master’s killer to hide from the scragglemaw without powerful magic.
Rejuvenation: Whenever the scragglemaw is destroyed while its master lives or within a year of its master’s death, it can roll a hard save (16+). On a success, it regenerates after it’s killer’s next full heal up, appearing within a mile of its master or its master’s killer.
AC 22 PD 21 MD 17 HP 220
Writing and Rolling 