After my post on Mimics, I was going to do another one detailing some Lurkers Above and Trappers. I began by searching through the 5th Edition Monster Manual to "get a baseline" on these tricky monsters, but was shocked to find them missing. So I pulled out my OG 1st Edition Monster Manual and looked them up to refresh my memory. A quick review of their statistics left little doubt as to why these creatures hadn't been included in the newest edition of Dungeons and Dragons -- They are vastly unfair. A Lurker Above manages to attack with surprise 66.6% of the time. A Trapper is 95% undetectable by any normal means until they strike. These are not monsters that are easy to beat, especially given that they smother/crush their prey as their attack and generally attack the entire party at once. Don't even get me started on their hit points. These are BAD MONSTERS. You should NOT use them. OK, that having been said, below are the 5th Edition Stats for the Lurker Above and the Trapper. (I got the stats from http://brentnewhall.com/games/1e5e.html Thanks, BTW.)

Lurker Above

Uncommon

Number Appearing 1 / 1-4

AC 14

HP 112 (10d10+62)

1 ATK +8 To Hit 11 Dmg (1d6+7) to all opponents caught under the lurker's 20' wings per round.

Special: The Lurker Above strikes with surprise on a 1-4 on a d6. The creature will fight until dead and those trapped under its leathery tough wings will be smothered in 1d4+1 rounds.

Size L

Lurkers Above are large, non-intelligent, carnivorous creatures who live in subterranean areas. They hover near the ceilings of caverns and dungeon rooms. They resemble large manta rays and when up against the ceiling are 90% undetectable by observation unless prodded. When disturbed, the Lurker Above drops down upon its prey and smothers it or dies trying. Lurkers Above are generally solitary in nature, but a vast cavern might have as many as 4 living together.

Trapper

Rare

Number Appearing 1

AC 17

HP 130 (12d10+70)

1 ATK +8 To Hit 23 Dmg (4d8+7) - 1 for each point of AC beyond 13 to all opponents hit by the initial attack per round.

Special: The Trapper will smother any prey trapped within it in 6 rounds regardless of the number of hit points taken. Those caught by the initial attack are prevented from using weapons by the great musculature of the Trapper. Trappers are resistant to both fire and cold damage.

Size L (A typical Trapper covers an area of 400 square feet.)

Trappers are highly-clever, carnivorous monsters that are found only in caves, caverns, and other dark places under the earth. They shape their flat bodies to conform to the floor surface of their lair. Being of a consistency not unlike stone, Trappers are 95% likely to appear as a normal stone floor when tested by any normal means. Trappers attempt to lure their prey into their center, often by means of making a box-shape or something else attractive. Once the prey is there, it suddenly snaps shut upon its unsuspecting victims. Trappers will only release their prey if they are threatened with certain death.

So there you go, you now have 5th Edition D&D stats for the Lurker Above and the Trapper. Please use these monsters wisely, perhaps in a dungeon setting in your campaign that is "well-known" to have NO SURVIVORS. At least if you warn them ahead of time the PC's can't really blame you for pulling out the "killer monsters". Whatever you do; have fun!

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