Giant Centipede
Small Beast · · CR 1/4
- Beast
- Small
- Tier 1
Giant Centipede at CR 1/4 is logged as a small beast; alignment unaligned. Habitat: underground and urban. Sourced from Monster Manual (5e 2014) and Monster Manual (5.5e 2024).
Stat Block
- Challenge Rating
- 1/4
- Type
- Beast
- Size
- Small
- Alignment
- —
- Speed
- —
- Habitats
- Underground, Urban
- Sources
- Monster Manual (5e 2014), Monster Manual (5.5e 2024)
Ecology
Giant centipedes infest cellars, sewers, ancient ruins, and tropical undergrowth. They hunt rodents, lizards, insects, and small humanoids, injecting venom that paralyzes prey for safe consumption. They lay eggs in damp crevices, and the young emerge fully venomous within weeks. A breeding cluster in a forgotten basement can produce dozens of adults that scatter through the building's foundations and walls.
Behaviour
The giant centipede is solitary, hostile, and quick to bite. It hides in cracks during the day, emerging at night to hunt. It uses scent and ground vibration to track prey rather than sight, attacking blindly when disturbed. It is highly territorial, fighting other centipedes that wander into its hunting ground. It cannot be domesticated, though certain dark cults keep them as test subjects for venom-coated weapons.
Origin
Giant centipedes are natural arthropods grown to enormous size in the right conditions, namely warm humid darkness with abundant prey. Some sages claim certain breeds were cultivated by ancient artificers as poison sources, escaping into the wild and becoming established pests. Their venom is harvested by alchemists for poisons and by healers for paralysis-reversal antidotes when carefully diluted and processed.
Related Monsters
Frequently Asked Questions about Giant Centipede
- What is the challenge rating of Giant Centipede?
- Giant Centipede's challenge rating is 1/4. A party in this band fits a tier-1 party (levels 1-4).
- What type of creature is Giant Centipede?
- The bestiary type for Giant Centipede is beast, small size.
- Where does Giant Centipede live?
- Habitats for Giant Centipede: Underground, Urban.