Summary
Cautious players can avoid all kinds of dangerous situations in the worlds ofDungeons & Dragons. However, one of the most difficult types of enemies to properly prepare for is an assailant with a burrow speed.
These creatures can move through the ground as if it were water, allowing them to surface from underneath the PCs (Player Characters) and catch them by surprise. Even tried and true spells like the third level Tiny Hut offer no protection from these terrifying creatures. Let’s take a look at some standouts.
10Kruthik
Rarely Encountered Alone
The kruthik is an alien-looking monstrosity thatconjures up imagery out of a Ridley Scott movie. These carnivorous subterranean monsters are surprisingly perceptive and especially dangerous in large numbers thanks to their pack tactics feature.
Kruthiks create hives underground where their queen lays clutches of eggs. These warrens are often well-guarded as Kruthiks are known to allow the presence of other creatures if their company increases the defenses of their lair.
9Ankheg
Watch Your Step
Unlike the kruthiks, this insectile monstrosity is big enough to pose a threat on its own. The ankheg is a large subterranean predator with mandibles large enough to grapple a creature and pull it underground.
Additionally, these disgusting monsters can spit bile from their stomach sacks, creating a dangerous acid spray strong enough to melt even stone. Well-equipped adventurers may be aware that the Ankheg’s bile is always released in a straight line. This vital piece of information can be used to great effect with proper positioning, forcing the creature to choose a single target.
8Carrion Stalker
A Terrible Way To Go
This tiny monstrosity from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft will bring no small measure of horror to your game. The carrion stalker is a tentacled bug that attaches itself to a target before releasing an explosion of larvae on them and any other creatures nearby.
On a failed constitution saving throw, these larvae poison their targets giving them the poisoned condition and causing them to suffer 2d6 poison damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature knocked unconscious by this damage dies instantly. Its corpse then rises as a new carrion stalker in 1d4 weeks. Talk about disgustingly disturbing.
7Earth Elemental
Subterranean Surfers
The earth elemental has a unique burrowing speed in that it doesn’t leave a tunnel in the ground it moves through. Instead, it glides through the earth leaving no trace of its passage. While this creature only has a basic slam attack, its resistance to regular weapon damage and immunity to a slew of conditions make it a powerful foe to contend with.
Thankfully, this creature of stone does have one weakness: vulnerability to thunder damage. Spells like booming blade, thunderwave, shatter, and thunderous smite are all perfect attacks for crumbling an earth elemental to little more than a pile of inert rocks.
6Xorn
Thieving Subterranean Surfers
Like the earth elemental, xorn can glide through earth. Unlike the earth elemental, xorn covet precious gems and metals, including coins, as they are its only food source. They are quite good at sussing out the location of these items too thanks to their treasure sense ability that lets them know the location of any precious metal or stone within 60 feet of them.
Xorn are also notably stealthy as they are both proficient in stealth and receive advantage on stealth rolls made to hide in rocky terrain. Altogether, this results in a thieving creature that can be bargained with by discerning adventurers. Typically, it’s better to pay your way forward than risk life and limb.
5Bulette
Jaws Music Intensifies
Speaking of which, any player familiar with the Baldur’s Gate 3 rendition of the bulette knows to fear this monstrosity. These are literal land sharks in D&D. They have high perception, a leaping ability that can severely damage and knock prone any creature that their large body lands upon, and a deadly bite that deals 4d12 + 4 piercing damage.
To make matters worse, bulettes know no fear and will hunt whatever prey they come across, no matter if their quarry has superior numbers or size. If you ever come across a landscape dotted with sinkholes, you may have just wandered into a bulette’s hunting grounds. In which case, it’s best to leave quickly and quietly before it notices your presence.
4Umber Hulk
Look Away
This forlorn hunter of the Underdark would have an even scarier reputation than the bulette if those who are lucky enough to survive its attacks could piece together what happened to them. The umber hulk is an insect-like humanoid with four eyes, antennae bristling over its shelled body, and mandibles as long as scimitars extending from its pincer-shaped mouth.
Laying your eyes on an umber hulk is the first and last mistake adventurers make. Simply looking at this monster forces you to make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a failure, you either lose your turn doing nothing, wander in a random direction, or attack a random creature. No matter what, it’s a lose-lose situation that likely ends with your character becoming mince meat.
3Remorhaz
He’s Hot Then He’s Cold
Twice as strong and many times larger than the umber hulk is the terrifying giant centipede of the snow: the remorhaz. This huge bug monstrosity is big enough to swallow adventurers whole in one fell swoop. From there, you’ll be lucky to survive being blinded and restrained inside of its stomach while its digestive fluids burn away at your body for 6d6 acid damage at the start of your turn.
This centipede’s body produces heat that allows it to thrive in wintry environments and also burns any assailant brave enough to come near it. Immunity to cold and fire damage also make the remorhaz resilient to spellcasters. These ambush predators lie in wait beneath the ice before emerging, swallowing an unsuspecting victim, and disappearing into the frozen ground once more.
2Purple Worm
Dungeons & Dragons Dune Edition
You might be able to avoid the remorhaz by staying out of cold environments, but that won’t save you from its much more menacing big brother. The gargantuan purple worm is such a feared predator of the Underdark that even creatures as terrifying as the drow, mind flayers, and duergar had to develop special wards to hide their settlements from the worm’s predations.
Aside from swallowing you whole, the purple worm also has a stinger on its tail filled with a noxious poison that deals 12d6 poison damage.Purple worm poison is a highly sought-after reagentby spellcasters and assassins alike, as it’s exceedingly difficult to come by.
Should you be lucky enough to slay a purple worm, a hoard of treasure may await you inside of its stomach.
These worms swallow earth and stone as they burrow through the ground, and the precious gems buried in the earth often accumulate inside them.
1Blue Dragon
Some Dragons Like Sand
Finally, blue dragons are the only creatures of their kind capable of burrowing through solid stone. They make the best use of this ability by creating their lairs underground, typically beneath desert sands or other especially dry environments.
A blue dragon’s den is a massive underground network of tunnels and chambers with most areas large enough for the dragon to fly through. If you find such a massive cave in your journeys through the desert, be on your guard. It’s likely the lair’s master is already aware of your presence.
Thankfully, blue dragons are among the most agreeable ofall Chromatic dragons. Instead of devouring you whole, they often find uses for talented adventurers as minions. Strangely enough, blue dragons are even known to reward their servants quite lavishly. Don’t be fooled though. An evil dragon’s ambitions always ultimately serve itself.
