Lacquerfin

Layer 1 · Habitat: Resting Place

A fish about 1 m long from mouth to tail that hovers up to 1 m above the ground, skimming over the grass. Sharp teeth; huge bright-red scales plated like lacquered samurai armor. Delvers call it the land barracuda

Description

A fish about a meter long from mouth to tail that swims through the air, hovering no higher than a meter above the ground. It is covered in huge, bright-red scales layered like lacquered samurai armor, and its mouth is full of sharp teeth. Packs of them skim the tops of the grass in silence, then close in from every side at once. Delvers call them land barracudas.

Lacquerfin

Medium Monstrosity, Unaligned

AC 16 Initiative +3 (13)

HP 52 (8d8 + 16)

Speed 0 ft., Fly 40 ft. (hover; see Skimmer)

Ability scores
STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	3 (−4)	12 (+1)	5 (−3)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +5

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13

Languages None

CR 3 (XP 700; PB +2)

Traits

Skimmer. The lacquerfin can't rise more than 3 feet above a solid surface, and it can't fly over a drop.

Pack Tactics. The lacquerfin has Advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of its allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally doesn't have the Incapacitated condition.

Grass Hunter. While in tall grass, the lacquerfin can take the Hide action as a Bonus Action.

Actions

Multiattack. The lacquerfin makes two Bite attacks.

Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Piercing damage.

Reactions

Lacquered Plates. Trigger: The lacquerfin is hit by a melee attack roll from a creature it can see. Response: It turns its plates to the blow and gains a +3 bonus to AC against that attack, possibly causing it to miss.