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The Monstrous Chuul: Expanding the Horror in Your D&D Game

In the murky depths of ancient ruins, along the edges of eldritch swamps, or lurking beneath the seas of your Dungeons & Dragons world, the Chuul is a terror waiting to strike. These crustacean horrors, created by the aboleths as their hunters and enforcers, combine the worst aspects of an amphibious predator with a deep-rooted psychic malevolence. Their pincers are strong enough to snap a knight in half, and their tentacles drip with paralytic venom. This article is inspired by the minis from Wizkids Icons of the Realms – Quests from the Infinite Staircase. One of my favorite picks from my booster Brick was of course the Chuul. Head of to shop.wizkids.com and pick up some new minis for your collection.

This article will help Dungeon Masters elevate the Chuul into a true nightmare, adding new lore, custom abilities, and a modified stat block to make encounters with them truly memorable.

The Chuul: A Creation of Aboleth Tyranny

Long ago, the aboleths dominated vast swaths of the world, their psychic grip unchallenged. To enforce their rule, they shaped the Chuul—twisted, half-crustacean horrors bred for war and servitude. Though the aboleths’ empire crumbled, their monstrous enforcers persisted, lurking in forgotten places, awaiting the return of their old masters.

Chuul are more than just monsters—they are relics of a lost empire. They hoard magical items as offerings for their creators, and their connection to the ancient past can serve as a powerful narrative hook in your campaign.

Encountering the Chuul: Narrative Hooks

1. The Sunken Vault

The ruins of an aboleth’s temple rest at the bottom of an eerie swamp. A group of explorers has gone missing. When the party investigates, they find clawed bodies impaled on barnacle-encrusted spears. The Chuul are still watching the ruins—guardians waiting for their masters to return.

2. The Dreaming Horror

A small coastal town has fallen silent. The only survivors mumble in an ancient, forgotten language, eyes wide with terror. At night, something climbs from the black waters, scuttling through the streets, dragging bodies back into the sea.

3. Mind in the Deep

A Chuul of immense size and intelligence has discovered a relic of its aboleth creators—an artifact that allows it to project whispers into the minds of sentient beings. It has assembled a cult, luring people into the ocean to be drowned… and transformed.

Custom Chuul Stat Block: The Abyssal Broodmother

Below is an enhanced version of the Chuul, complete with new abilities to turn them into a true nightmare.

Chuul, Abyssal Broodmother

Huge Aberration, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 136 (13d12 + 52)
Speed: 30 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR 20 (+5) | DEX 10 (+0) | CON 18 (+4) | INT 7 (-2) | WIS 14 (+2) | CHA 5 (-3)

• Saving Throws: Str +8, Con +7, Wis +5

• Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +4

• Damage Resistances: Cold, Psychic

• Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned, Paralyzed

• Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Tremorsense 30 ft., Passive Perception 16

• Languages: Understands Deep Speech but cannot speak

• Challenge: 9 (5,000 XP)

Abilities

• Magic Sense. The Chuul can innately detect the presence of magic within 120 feet.

• Grasp of the Deep. If the Chuul grapples a creature, it immediately drags them 10 feet closer to the nearest body of water. If fully submerged, the creature begins suffocating.

• Paralyzing Tentacles. When a creature is grappled by the Chuul, it must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns or become paralyzed for 1 minute (repeating the save at the end of its turns).

Actions

• Multiattack. The Chuul makes two attacks: one with its pincers and one with its tentacles.

• Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (DC 16).

• Mind Drowning. Recharge 5-6. The Chuul emits a psychic pulse in a 30-foot radius. All creatures must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or take 4d10 psychic damage and become incapacitated for 1 minute, trapped in visions of drowning in endless water.

How to Use the Abyssal Broodmother in Your Campaign

• Tactical Threat. This Chuul actively drags creatures into dangerous environments like lakes, swamps, or even underground reservoirs.

• Terrifying Horror. The Mind Drowning ability simulates a psychic drowning effect, making it feel more than just a brute—it’s an eldritch horror.

• Narrative Power. The Chuul should be more than a random encounter—make it a guardian of ancient secrets, or a minion of something far worse.

Final Thoughts: Make Chuul Scary Again!

Chuul are fantastic horror creatures, but too often they’re treated like simple brutes. By adding psychic elements, tactical depth, and terrifying lore, you can make them a truly memorable enemy in your game.

Would you use the Abyssal Broodmother in your campaign? How have you used Chuul in your games before? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Thanks for reading. Until Next Time, Stay Nerdy!!