Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes

GRAY RENDER

A curious impulse drives the gray render. Despite its

hulking form and terrible appetite, it wants most of all to

bond with an intelligent creature and, once bonded, give

its life to protect that creature. Great strength and a sav-

age nature enable gray renders to be fierce guardians,

but they lack even a shred of cunning.

A Spreading Plague. Gray renders reproduce by

forming nodules on their bodies that, upon reaching

maturity, break off to begin life as young gray renders.

These monstrosities feel no obligation to their young,

and they have no inclination to gather with others of

their kind.

Chaotic Allies. As a side effect of its breeding, each

gray render has an overpowering need to bond with

an intelligent creature. When it encounters a suitable

master, the render sings to it- a weird, warbling cry

accompanied by scratching at the earth and a show of

deference. Once it forms the bond, the render serves its

master in all things.

Although this bond can be a great benefit, renders are

inherently chaotic. In a battle, a render fights with all

the savagery it can muster and never willingly harms

its master, but outside battle, a gray render might pres-

ent considerable difficulty for its master's associates. It

might follow its master even after being told to stay put,

destroy its master's house, burrow holes in the side of a

ship, kill horses, attack when it feels jealous, and more.

A gray render might be a boon companion, but it is al-

ways an unpredictable one.

The Gray Render Quirks table presents possible

quirks for gray renders that can be generated randomly

or selected as desired.

GRAY RENDER QUIRKS

dl2 Quirk

l 2 3 4 s 6 7 8 9

10

11

12

Hates horses and other mounts

Roars loudly when its bonded creature is touched

by another creature

Likes to snuggle

Uproots and chews on trees

Has terrific and eye-watering flatulence

Brings offerings of meat to its bonded creature

Compulsively digs up the ground

Attacks carts and wagons as if they were terrible

monsters

Howls when it rains

Whines piteously in the dark

Buries treasure it finds

Chases birds, leaping into the air to catch them,

heedless of the destruction it causes

Large monstrosity, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)

Hit Points 189 (18dl0 + 90)

Speed 30 ft.

STR

19 (+4)

DEX

13 (+ 1)

CON

20 (+5)

Saving Throws Str +8, Con +9

Skills Perception +2

INT

3 (-4)

WIS

6 (-2)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages-

Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

ACTIONS

• 
  

CHA

8 (-1)

.

• 
  
  
  
  • 
    
  
  
  
  

Multiattack. The gray render makes three attacks: one with its

bite and two with its claws.

Bite. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft ., one target.

Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage. If the target is Medium or

smaller, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving

throw or be knocked prone.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target.

Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) s lashing damage, plus 7 (2d6) bludgeoning

damage if the target is prone.

REACTIONS

Bloody Rampage. When the gray render takes damage, it makes

one attack with its claws against a random creature within its

reach, other than its master.

CHAPTER 6 I BESTIARY

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