# Marsh Dire

*Medium* *Undead* *neutral evil*

- **Armor Class:** 15 (natural armor)
- **Hit Points:** 142 (15d8+75)
- **Speed:** walk 30 ft. swim 30 ft.
- **Challenge Rating:** 8 (3,900 XP)
- **Source:** Tome of Beasts 2, page 258

| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 18 (+4) | 13 (+1) | 20 (+5) | 7 (-2) | 11 (+0) | 8 (-1) |

- **Skills:** perception +3
- **Damage Immunities:** poison
- **Damage Resistances:** fire, necrotic
- **Condition Immunities:** charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
- **Senses:** darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
- **Languages:** understands all languages it knew in life but can’t speak

### Special Abilities

- **Cloying Stench:** Any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the marsh dire must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature has advantage on saving throws against the marsh dire's Cloying Stench for the next 24 hours.

### Actions

- **Multiattack:** The marsh dire makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its strangling vine.
- **Claws:** Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
- **Strangling Vine:** Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one creature. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target can't breathe, speak, or cast spells with verbal components; is restrained; and takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of the marsh dire's turns. The marsh dire has three vines, each of which can grapple only one target.