Swarm of Crawling Claws
Medium Swarm of Tiny Undead · · CR 3
- Swarm of Tiny Undead
- Medium
- Tier 1
Ranges across any; Swarm of Crawling Claws lists at CR 3 as a medium swarm of tiny undead (neutral evil). Sourced from Monster Manual (5.5e 2024).
Stat Block
- Challenge Rating
- 3
- Type
- Swarm of Tiny Undead
- Size
- Medium
- Alignment
- —
- Speed
- —
- Habitats
- Any
- Sources
- Monster Manual (5.5e 2024)
Ecology
Swarms of crawling claws are necromantically animated severed hands, often the result of mass executions or necromancer experiments. They lair in old workshops, abandoned dungeons, and battlefield mass-graves. They do not feed but persist on dark magic. They cannot reproduce, but new swarms form when fresh hands are added via additional necromantic binding. They share territory with other undead, often coexisting with skeletons or zombies. They are loyal to their creator's binding, attacking based on necromantic command structure.
Behaviour
Crawling claws are mindless, relentless, and silent. They flow through cracks and grates, swarming targets without strategy. They cannot be turned via Wisdom-aimed effects, as they lack minds. They occupy creature spaces to grapple internally. They scuttle in eerie silence, broken only by clicking knuckles. They cannot communicate or be reasoned with. Their binding to creator-commands persists after death; orders given decades ago still execute. They never tire, never rest, and never forgive.
Origin
Crawling claw swarms are created by necromancers who animate severed hands in batches, often using remains from prisons or battlefields. Single crawling claws are common; swarms require deliberate ritual to bind dozens together. Some swarms are byproducts of necromantic experiments gone wrong, persisting after their creators' deaths. They have appeared in haunted manors, cult-shrines, and war-graves. The first swarms are attributed to ancient necromancer-kings who animated entire execution-aftermaths during sieges.
Frequently Asked Questions about Swarm of Crawling Claws
- What is the challenge rating of Swarm of Crawling Claws?
- Swarm of Crawling Claws is rated CR 3. The rating matches tier-1 encounter math.
- What type of creature is Swarm of Crawling Claws?
- Swarm of Crawling Claws is classified as a swarm of tiny undead in D&D 5e, medium size.
- Where does Swarm of Crawling Claws live?
- The bestiary doesn't pin Swarm of Crawling Claws to a single terrain.