Actions

Vacuum Gulp.

The anglerfish sucks up the water in a 30- foot cone in front of it. Each creature in that area that is in the same body of water as the anglerfish must succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be pulled to the anglerfish. A creature pulled to the anglerfish takes 25 (3d12+ 6) piercing damage and is swallowed by the anglerfish if it is huge or smaller and the anglerfish has room in its stomach. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the anglerfish, and it takes 24 (7d6) acid damage at the start of each of the anglerfish's turns.

If the anglerfish takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the anglerfish must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the anglerfish. The anglerfish can have up to 9 creatures swallowed at a time. Large creatures count as 4 creatures, and huge creatures count as 9. If the angler fish dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Bonus Actions

Flashing Lure (Recharge 5-6)

Each creature within the light radius of the anglerfish's lure must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be blinded until the end of the anglerfish's next turn. While blinded this way, a creature moves at half speed and has disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws and ability checks.

Lair Actions

Internal Actions

Peristaltic Wave

The internal walls of the creature contract violently. Every creature inside must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and pushed 10 feet in a random direction (potentially toward a pool of acid or a hazard).

Gastric Acid Surge

A torrent of digestive juices bubbles up from the floor or cascades down the soft tissue walls. Each creature inside the lair must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Choking miasma

Pockets of foul, pressurized fermentation gas rupture from the lining. The air becomes heavily obscured in a 20-foot radius, and any creature that ends its turn there must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.

Suggested Environments

Abyssal Oceanic environment for nesting, but hunts at night closer to surface due to size and need for larger prey.