Hunter Shark
Large Beast · · CR 2
- Beast
- Large
- Tier 1
Hunter Shark, CR 2, fills the large beast role with unaligned disposition. Encounter regions: underwater. Sourced from Monster Manual (5e 2014) and Monster Manual (5.5e 2024).
Stat Block
- Challenge Rating
- 2
- Type
- Beast
- Size
- Large
- Alignment
- —
- Speed
- —
- Habitats
- Underwater
- Sources
- Monster Manual (5e 2014), Monster Manual (5.5e 2024)
Ecology
Hunter sharks patrol coastal waters, deep reefs, and the edges of warm currents, hunting alone or in loose groups when prey is dense. They eat fish, seals, sea birds, and anything that bleeds. They are apex predators in their range, threatened only by larger sharks, krakens, and intelligent merfolk hunters. They breed in rocky shallows and produce a few large pups that begin hunting almost immediately, dispersing widely to avoid competing with parents.
Behaviour
Hunter sharks are patient and methodical, circling potential prey to assess threat before committing to an attack. They do not waste energy and rarely fight other apex predators unprovoked. Blood in the water draws them from miles away through senses that border on supernatural. They show no interest in territorial display; they roam, they hunt, they move on. A hunter shark recognizes patterns of vulnerability the way wolves recognize limps.
Origin
Sharks predate most mortal civilizations, with fossil teeth turning up in ancient strata across many worlds. Hunter sharks are the modern descendants of older, larger ancestors, and some druids claim their lineage stretches back to primordial sea elementals only loosely bound to flesh. In coastal cultures, they appear in foundation myths as devourers, judges, or psychopomps who decide which sailors return home and which become offerings to the deep currents.
Related Monsters
Frequently Asked Questions about Hunter Shark
- What is the challenge rating of Hunter Shark?
- Listed CR for Hunter Shark: 2. Match it to a party that suits an early or mid tier-1 group.
- What type of creature is Hunter Shark?
- The bestiary type for Hunter Shark is beast, large size.
- Where does Hunter Shark live?
- In the bestiary, Hunter Shark appears in Underwater.