Creature Reference Back to Creatures

Hulking Whelp

Small · Fey · CR 5 · Chaotic Neutral

Source. Tome of Beasts

15 (natural armor)

94 (9d12+36)

Ability Scores

Core attributes and their modifiers.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

-2

WIS

CHA

-1

Overview

Category Monsters

Size Small

Type Fey

Alignment Chaotic Neutral

XP 1800

Initiative Bonus +0

Movement

Walk 40 ft (12.2 m)

Swim 20 ft (6.1 m)

Climb 20 ft (6.1 m)

Crawl 20 ft (6.1 m)

Senses

Passive Perception 12

Languages

Resistances & Immunities

Damage Resistances

bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Environments

Arctic or Tundra Caves Coast Desert Forest or Jungle Grassland or Plains Hills Laboratory Lake Mountain Ocean Ruins Sewer Shadowfell The Abyss Astral Plane Elysium Ethereal Plane Feywild Hell Material Plane Plane of Air Plane of Earth Plane of Fire Plane of Water Swamp or Marsh Temple Badlands Tomb Underworld Urban

Traits

Calm State

When a hulking whelp is calm and unafraid, it uses the following statistics instead of those listed above: Size Small; HP 9 (6d6 - 12); Speed 20 ft.; STR 8 (-1); CON 6 (-2); Languages Common, Sylvan

Poor Senses

A hulking whelp has poor hearing and is nearsighted. It can see in normal or dim light up to 30 feet and hear sounds from up to 60 feet away.

Unleashed Emotion

When a hulking whelp feels threatened - it's touched, intimidated, cornered, attacked, or even just if a stranger moves adjacent to the whelp - it immediately grows from size Small to Huge as a reaction. If the whelp was attacked, this reaction occurs after the attack is made but before damage is done. Nearby creatures and objects are pushed to the nearest available space and must make a successful DC 15 Strength saving throw or fall prone. Weapons, armor, and other objects worn or carried by the hulking whelp grow (and shrink again) proportionally when it changes size. Overcome by raw emotion, it sets about destroying anything and everything it can see (which isn't much) and reach (which is quite a lot). The transformation lasts until the hulking whelp is unaware of any nearby creatures for 1 round, it drops to 0 hit points, it has 5 levels of exhaustion, or it's affected by a calm emotions spell or comparable magic. The transformation isn't entirely uncontrollable; people or creatures the whelp knows and trusts can be near it without triggering the reaction. Under the wrong conditions, such as in a populated area, a hulking whelp's Unleashed Emotion can last for days.

Actions

Multiattack

The hulking whelp makes two slam attacks.

Slam

+8 to hit, reach 15 ft (4.6 m). Hit: 3d8 bludgeoning damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Reactions

Quick Step

A hulking whelp can move 20 feet as a reaction when it is attacked. No opportunity attacks are triggered by this move.

About Hulking Whelp

Hulking Whelp is a small fey with a Challenge Rating of 5. It has a chaotic neutral alignment.

In combat, this creature maintains an Armor Class of 15 and possesses 94 hit points (derived from 9d12+36).

Hulking Whelp has communication capabilities including -. This allows it to interact verbally with various creatures and characters.

GM Tips: Using Hulking Whelp

2 tips available

When using Hulking Whelp in your D&D 5e campaign, consider these tactical approaches:

Significant Threat: Challenging for parties of levels 5-10
Epic Potential: Consider legendary actions for memorable battles

Player Guide: Facing Hulking Whelp

2 strategies available

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

Significant Threat: Prepare spells and resources
Team Coordination: Coordinate attacks and defenses

Encounter Building Calculator

Standard Party Encounter (4-5 characters):

This creature is a medium encounter for a party of 4 characters of level 5.

Solo Encounter:

A single character of level 7 (up to level 20) can face this creature in a medium to hard encounter.

Experience Point Thresholds:

Medium: 3,000 XP
Hard: 4,500 XP
Deadly: 6,000 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 Hulking Whelp?: Hulking Whelp has a Challenge Rating of 5, making it appropriate for parties of level 5.0.
What type of creature is Hulking Whelp?: Hulking Whelp is a Small Fey, which affects how certain spells and abilities interact with it.
What languages does Hulking Whelp speak?: Hulking Whelp can communicate in -.