Rebuilt for Shadowdark RPG.
A hideous abomination with powerful hind legs, its front legs replaced with four long black tentacles and two yellowed misshapen eyestalks rises from the muck and slime before you. It towers over both man and elf alike. It opens its void like maw as the mud and slime drip off of it as it lets out a bellowing croak. What do you do?
AC 16, HP 72, ATK 4 Tentacles (Near) +11 (2d6) and 1 Bite OR 1 tongue +11 (See Below) and 1 bite +2 (1d6), MV near (swim), S +4, D +1, C +3, I -3, W +0, Ch -3, AL N, LV 14
Fire resistance: Half damage from fire based attacks.
Electricity immunity: Immune to electricity-based attacks but is instead slowed (Reduces movement to Close and Half the number of Tentacle Attacks) for 1 round.
*Frost Vulnerability: Ice/Cold based attacks make the Froghemoth sleepy. Any cold attacks cause the creature to make a DC12 CON save or go find a place to hibernate. Subsequent provocation of any kind will cause the creature awaken and resume its attacks as normal. Frost Vulnerability only works once per encounter
Sticky tongue: Near range. A successfully hit target (up to human size) DC 14 STR check or dragged to Close Range and bitten.
Swallow whole: An attack roll of 20 on a bite attack indicates a human-sized (or smaller) victim is swallowed.
Inside the froghemoth’s stomach: Suffer 3d8 damage per round (until the froghemoth dies); may attack with sharp weapons at -4 to hit; body digested in 6 turns after death. A froghemoth’s stomach can hold 1 human or elf or 2 dwarves or halflings.
*I added Frost Vulnerability to give low level parties a chance to escape from the creature. It is not part of the original text and strictly a balancing agent for my game.
A little history of the Froghemoth.
This entry comes to us courtesy of the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks circa 1980 TSR Games. You can learn more about the adventure here. If you search a little, you can probably find a free scan of it online, too.
Ironically, this seemingly Eldritch abomination was intended for use in a crossover with the TSR classic Metamorphosis Alpha, an early sci-fi RPG. Later the Froghemoth would go on to find its own entry in the Monster Manual 2. That’s where I first fell in love with our slimy friend for this entry.
Most recently this monster came to my attention in the Tome of Essential Horrors from Necromancer Games. ToEH is a sourcebook for Old School Essentials and converts easily to most B/X games and OSR adjacent products. I am not a paid spokesperson and have not been compensated in any way for this promotion. I backed the Kickstarter and I really like the book.
Jeff's Game Box 