This week, Wizards of the Coast unveiled an updated Monster Manual, revisiting and enhancing many classic creatures from the 2014 Dungeons & Dragons core rulebook. Many of these monsters feature revised abilities, improved statistics, and more robust offensive capabilities. However, some creatures have undergone changes that seem to diverge from their original design intentions.
An example of such a creature is the carrion crawler. Recognized as a low Challenge Rating (CR) monster, the carrion crawler resembles a large, worm-like scavenger known for scavenging corpses in crypts. Traditionally, its tentacles are employed to paralyze prey, facilitating the consumption of fresher remains. Yet, the latest iteration of the carrion crawler has introduced a significantly increased challenge level, prompting numerous players to express concerns that this creature might now be overly formidable. The DnDNext subreddit has seen a trending discussion post addressing the monster’s unexpected difficulty, with many users pondering if this adjustment is an oversight.
The 2025 carrion crawler is a CR 2 monster with a minute-long, inescapable Paralyze: is this right? by u/EarthSeraphEdna in dndnext
The Power Struggles: How the Carrion Crawler Evolved
The Dominance of the Carrion Crawler’s Paralysis Ability
The current rendition of the carrion crawler presents a particular threat to low-level adventurers primarily due to its overhauled paralyzing tentacle ability. Specifically, players must now succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or face the consequences of being poisoned and paralyzed for an entire minute. Although players can attempt to repeat the save each turn, paralyzed characters automatically fail Dexterity saving throws. This means that if a character initially fails, they are effectively locked out of making saves to escape the paralysis for the entire duration, which becomes perilous, especially when the carrion crawler follows up with attacks.
Moreover, attacking a paralyzed target provides a significant advantage, resulting in automatic critical hits if the roll is successful. This means that the carrion crawler, if it strikes a paralyzed character successfully, inflicts an average of 19 points of damage, a lethal blow for any Level 1 or Level 2 player character.
It seems plausible that these changes represent an unintentional shift from previous designs, as the 2014 iteration of the carrion crawler required a Constitution saving throw to mitigate its paralysis effects. Regrettably, a Day 1 errata released for the Monster Manual on D&D Beyond did not address the carrion crawler, suggesting that this powerful paralysis ability might be intentional, at least for the moment. Players should remain wary as they navigate dungeons in the presence of this evolving threat.
Analysis: An Unforeseen Power Surge in the Monster Manual
A Pressing Need for Adjustments to the Carrion Crawler
Beyond the carrion crawler, other monsters in the D&D ecosystem have likewise seen changes that may not align with expectations set by previous editions. Thanks to various enhancements across numerous monster stat blocks, the carrion crawler can now pose a significant threat with just one unlucky throw from a player character. Given the volume of feedback and complaints emerging on platforms like Reddit, it’s likely that a revision will soon be forthcoming. Without intervention, Dungeons & Dragons enthusiasts may have to reevaluate their approach to battling carrion crawlers in upcoming campaigns for years to come.
Source: Reddit/DnDNext, D&D Beyond
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