Creature Reference Back to Creatures

Zimwi

Medium · Giant · CR 4 · Chaotic Evil

Source. Tome of Beasts

17 (natural armor)

76 (9d8+36)

Ability Scores

Core attributes and their modifiers.

STR

DEX

CON

INT

-2

WIS

-1

CHA

-2

Overview

Category Monsters

Size Medium

Type Giant

Alignment Chaotic Evil

XP 1100

Initiative Bonus +4

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

Darkvision 60 ft (18.3 m)

Passive Perception 11

Skills

Perception +1

Languages

Giant

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

Actions

Bite

+6 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 2d8 acid damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature grappled by the zimwi, that creature is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the zimwi, and it takes 14 (4d6) acid damage at the start of each of the zimwi's turns. If the zimwi's stomach takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the zimwi must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 5 feet of the zimwi. Damage done to a zimwi's stomach does not harm the zimwi. The zimwi's stomach is larger on the inside than the outside. It can have two Medium creatures or four Small or smaller creatures swallowed at one time. If the zimwi dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Claws

+6 to hit, reach 5 ft (1.5 m). Hit: 2d6 slashing damage.

Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage, and if the target is a Medium or smaller creature and the zimwi isn't already grappling a creature, it is grappled (escape DC 11).

Multiattack

The zimwi makes one claws attack and one bite attack.

About Zimwi

Zimwi is a medium giant with a Challenge Rating of 4. It has a chaotic evil alignment.

In combat, this creature maintains an Armor Class of 17 and possesses 76 hit points (derived from 9d8+36).

Zimwi has communication capabilities including Giant. This allows it to interact verbally with various creatures and characters.

GM Tips: Using Zimwi

2 tips available

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

Mid-level Encounter: Ideal for parties levels 3-8 as solo or small groups
Terrain Advantage: Use terrain to offset moderate combat abilities

Player Guide: Facing Zimwi

2 strategies available

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

Moderate Threat: Prepare standard combat tactics
Tactical Advantage: Use terrain and positioning

Encounter Building Calculator

Standard Party Encounter (4-5 characters):

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

Solo Encounter:

A single character of level 6 (up to level 20) can face this creature in a medium to hard encounter.

Experience Point Thresholds:

Medium: 2,000 XP
Hard: 3,000 XP
Deadly: 4,000 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 Zimwi?: Zimwi has a Challenge Rating of 4, making it appropriate for parties of level 4.0.
What type of creature is Zimwi?: Zimwi is a Medium Giant, which affects how certain spells and abilities interact with it.
What languages does Zimwi speak?: Zimwi can communicate in Giant.