Black Pudding

A Black Pudding is a terrifying creature known for its amorphous, gelatinous form. It appears as a thick, viscous mass of dark, ooze-like substance. Its surface ripples and quivers, constantly shifting and undulating. The Black Pudding lacks distinct features or appendages, making it a truly formless entity.

This aberration is a voracious predator, lurking in dark dungeons and subterranean environments. It has a remarkable ability to sense vibrations and movement, allowing it to detect potential prey from a distance. The Black Pudding engulfs its victims, swiftly corroding organic matter with its acidic body. It dissolves flesh, armor, and even magical items, leaving only a residue of melted remains in its wake.

Engaging a Black Pudding in combat is perilous, as its acidic attacks can swiftly deteriorate weapons and armor. Cutting or slashing weapons are less effective against its gelatinous form, while fire or cold-based attacks can slow down its corrosive abilities.

Adventurers must exercise caution when facing this deadly foe, as even a small fragment of a Black Pudding can regenerate into a full-sized creature given enough time.

Special Abilities

Amorphous

The pudding can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Corrosive Form

A creature that touches the pudding or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 4 (1d8) acid damage. Any nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that hits the pudding corrodes. After dealing damage, the weapon takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty drops to -5, the weapon is destroyed. Nonmagical ammunition made of metal or wood that hits the pudding is destroyed after dealing damage. The pudding can eat through 2-inch-thick, nonmagical wood or metal in 1 round.

Spider Climb

The pudding can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.

Actions

• Pseudopod: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 18 (4d8) acid damage. In addition, nonmagical armor worn by the target is partly dissolved and takes a permanent and cumulative -1 penalty to the AC it offers. The armor is destroyed if the penalty reduces its AC to 10.

Reactions

• Split: When a pudding that is Medium or larger is subjected to lightning or slashing damage, it splits into two new puddings if it has at least 10 hit points. Each new pudding has hit points equal to half the original pudding’s, rounded down. New puddings are one size smaller than the original pudding.