“A meteor hurls through space covered in giant amethyst crystal-like protrusions jutting out of it in odd angles. Its surface turns bright red as it enters the atmosphere hurdling toward the surface of an unknown world. Arising from a smoldering crater moments after impact, a creature made from the psionic energy of the far realm lurches forth, the conscious minds of living beings drawing it like a beacon.”
Elementals make for great monsters in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. They can be minions, boss level encounters or the very dungeon in which your players traverse. But in most circumstances elementals are summoned by mages, or are wayward travelers finding themselves lost in the material plane by accident. Over the next four weeks we'll take a look at the Elementals from the DnD 5e Monster Manual and re-flavor the abilities to change the monsters up, adding the more exotic damage types, making them into their own creatures and coming up with fun new ways to introduce them into your games.
What is a Crystalline Hulk?
Re-flavoring the Earth Elemental
The Crystalline Hulk in Combat
The New Stat Block
What is a Crystalline Hulk?
The Crystalline Hulk. An earth elemental so infused with psionic energy that the bludgeoning damage from its slam attacks transform into psychic energy. Imagine the Soul Knife rogue from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, but using hammering fists instead of mind slashing blades.
The Crystalline Hulk could be created in many different ways. Maybe from the crater of a falling meteor where an elemental of stone and gem was flung from the Far Realm where it was steeped with otherworldly energy. It could be an earth elemental captured by a colony of mind flayers, and experimented on until the creature it was before is only recognizable by boulders of crumbling earth that orbit around a quartz core. Or the Crystalline Hulk could be the guardian of a gem dragon’s treasure hoard. Originally a normal boulder, until a magic gem shard embedded in it’s forehead gave the stone sentience. The now intelligent elemental feels a sense of gratitude for it’s new life and guard’s the hoard from which it was born.
Re-flavoring the Earth Elemental
In my game this re-flavored elemental is made from a mix of rock and giant purple amethyst crystals; but for you it could be flavored as a being made completely of gemstones, or all stone with tiny gems shining through for eyes. Maybe your Crystalline Hulk has tiny motes of earth floating around it like moons orbiting a planet. You can flavor it anyway that will fit into the story of your campaign. If your party is going up against gem dragons like the ones introduced in Fizban's Treasury of Dragons then try flavoring the hulk to match the dragon’s type.
A few things change from the original stat block in this re-flavor. Even though the damage type changes from bludgeoning to psychic the Crystalline Hulk still uses its strength modifier as its To Hit bonus and damage modifier. But since this is a creature that uses psychic abilities lets increase its intelligence to 14 giving it a +2 bonus. An encounter with a creature with higher intelligence could turn from combat into a negotiation if your party is open to parleying with monsters. The new earth elemental keeps all of its damage resistances and we add psychic to the list of immunities along side poison.
Instead of Earth Glide the Crystalline Hulk can now use a bonus action to teleport moving up to it’s movement speed in any direction. You can have the teleport recharge on the roll of a d6 with a roll of 5 or 6 if it feels too powerful.
Psychic damage doesn’t affect objects or structures like buildings so keeping the Siege Monster trait on a creature that can’t deal damage to either is pointless. Instead we will replace this ability with Scintillating Stare; a renamed Confusing Gaze stolen from the Umber Hulk’s stat block. This version of the ability uses the Crystalline Hulk’s Intelligence Modifier instead of Charisma but the same requirements of having to meet the Hulk’s gaze remain the same.
The Crystalline Hulk in Combat
Smarter than the average Earth Elemental, the Crystalline Hulk doesn’t run in to smash it’s foes with brute force alone. It will use it’s teleport (or Earth Glide if you decide to maintain the original ability) to target the healer or ranged attackers first. Once within range the Hulk will unleash its psychic attacks pummeling its target into submission. It will also use the prismatic Scintillating Stare to sew confusion through it’s enemies.
If you're looking for a social encounter then think about what an elemental may want or need. In Tasha's Cauldron of Everything there is a section that describes a few items an elemental might be interested in. A gem worth 50g piece may suffice for an average earth elemental, but the Crystalline Hulk may have more exotic tastes.
You could have the Crystalline Hulk use its Limited Telepathy to message any member of the party before combat has time to breakout.
Crystalline Hulk Stat Block
Next Week...
Today we took our first look at adding an exotic damage type to the Earth Elemental. Next week we will talk about air elementals infused with necrotic energy that drives them with a hunger for the very breath that sustains the living.
What did you think about the Crystalline Hulk? Would you use this psychic elemental in your campaign? What do you think about the Scintillating Stare? Do you like this ability or would you change it? Leave a comment and let us know.
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