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Hantu Penanggal

Medium · Fiend · CR 8 · Any Evil

Source. Tome of Beasts 2

14 (natural armor)

123 (19d8+38)

Ability Scores

Core attributes and their modifiers.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Overview

Category Monsters

Size Medium

Type Fiend

Alignment Any Evil

XP 3900

Initiative Bonus +3

Movement

Walk 30 ft (9.1 m)

Fly 40 ft (12.2 m)

Swim 15 ft (4.6 m)

Climb 15 ft (4.6 m)

Crawl 15 ft (4.6 m)

Senses

Truesight 60 ft (18.3 m)

Passive Perception 10

Saving Throws

Dexterity +6 Wisdom +3

Skills

Deception +10 Stealth +6

Languages

Abyssal, Common, Infernal

Resistances & Immunities

Damage Immunities

fire, poison

Damage Resistances

cold, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities

poisoned

Traits

Detachable Head

As a bonus action, the hantu penanggal detaches its head. The head trails entrails like flexible tentacles. While detached, the head and body act independently from each other on the same initiative, and each has hp equal to half its hp before detaching its head. Its statistics remain the same in both forms, except the body loses its truesight and gains blindsight out to a range of 60 feet.

The head and body can use the whole form’s innate spellcasting trait, expending daily uses as normal. The two forms can rejoin into the fiend’s whole form as a bonus action if they are within 5 feet of each other. If the head is destroyed while it is detached, the body also perishes. If the body is destroyed while the head is detached, the head has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until it acquires a new body. A creature within 30 feet of the penanggal and that can see the detachment must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened 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.

Innate Spellcasting

The hantu penanggal’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components.
At will: darkness, detect evil and good
2/day each: protection from evil and good, scorching ray
1/day each: gaseous form

Actions

Bite

+6 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 2d8+3 plus 2d6 necrotic damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target's hp maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the penanggal regains hp equal to that amount. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hp maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way becomes the new body for the penanggal, if it is detached and its body died. Otherwise, the humanoid rises 24 hours later as a new hantu penanggal.

Claw

+6 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 1d8+3 plus 1d6 necrotic damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.

Entrails

+6 to hit, reach 10 ft (3 m). Hit: 2d6+3 bludgeoning damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the penanggal can't use its entrails on another target.

Multiattack

When detached, the hantu penanggal's head makes one bite attack and one entrails attack, and its body makes two claw attacks. In its whole form, it can make three rapier attacks.

Rapier

+6 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 1d8+3 plus 2d6 necrotic damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage.

About Hantu Penanggal

Hantu Penanggal is a medium fiend with a Challenge Rating of 8. It has a any evil alignment.

In combat, this creature maintains an Armor Class of 14 and possesses 123 hit points (derived from 19d8+38).

Hantu Penanggal has communication capabilities including Abyssal, Common, Infernal. This allows it to interact verbally with various creatures and characters.

GM Tips: Using Hantu Penanggal

1 tips available

When using Hantu Penanggal in your D&D 5e campaign, consider these tactical approaches:

Flight Control Strategy: Target flying creatures with spells like 'Hold Person', 'Web', or 'Grease' to ground them. Without flight restriction, they can escape melee range easily. Consider area denial spells below their flight altitude to force them into disadvantageous positions.

Player Guide: Facing Hantu Penanggal

1 strategies available

When your party encounters this creature, keep these strategies in mind:

Counter Flight Advantage: This creature can fly! Use ranged attacks, reach weapons, or spells like 'Thunderwave' to push it away. Consider 'Gust of Wind' or 'Earthbind' to ground it. Melee characters need fly speed or flight magic to engage.

Encounter Building Calculator

Standard Party Encounter (4-5 characters):

This creature is a medium encounter for a party of 4 characters of level 8.

Solo Encounter:

A single character of level 11 (up to level 20) can face this creature in a medium to hard encounter.

Experience Point Thresholds:

Medium: 7,200 XP
Hard: 10,800 XP
Deadly: 14,400 XP

Based on D&D 5e Dungeon Master's Guide encounter building guidelines. CR roughly equals party level for medium encounters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the challenge rating of Hantu Penanggal?: Hantu Penanggal has a Challenge Rating of 8, making it appropriate for parties of level 8.0.
What type of creature is Hantu Penanggal?: Hantu Penanggal is a Medium Fiend, which affects how certain spells and abilities interact with it.
What languages does Hantu Penanggal speak?: Hantu Penanggal can communicate in Abyssal, Common, Infernal.