AC 7
HP 85 (10d10 + 30; bloodied 42)
Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 13
Damage Immunities acid, cold, lightning, slashing
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, fatigue, frightened, prone
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 8
Languages —
Amorphous. The pudding can pass through an opening as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.
Corrosive Body. A creature that touches the pudding or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet takes 9 (2d8) acid damage. A nonmagical weapon made of metal or wood that hits the black pudding corrodes after dealing damage, taking a permanent -1 penalty to damage rolls per hit. If this penalty reaches -5, the weapon is destroyed. Wooden or metal nonmagical ammunition is destroyed after dealing damage. Any other metal or organic object that touches it takes 9 (2d8) acid damage.
Spider Climb. The pudding can use its climb speed even on difficult surfaces and upside down on ceilings.
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the pudding has disadvantage on attack rolls .
Ooze Nature. An ooze doesn’t require air or sleep.
ACTIONS
Pseudopod. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage. Nonmagical armor worn by the target corrodes, taking a permanent -1 penalty to its AC protection per hit. If the penalty reduces the armor’s AC protection to 10, the armor is destroyed.
REACTIONS
Split. When a Medium or larger pudding with at least 10 hit points is subjected to lightning or slashing damage, it splits into two puddings that are each one size smaller. Each new pudding has half the original’s hit points (rounded down).
Combat
The pudding lurks on walls or ceilings or conceals itself in shadows. It attacks creatures who venture into range and pursues the closest creature. It retreats only if exposed to sunlight, in which case it tries to climb away or squeeze into a crack.
Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Nature check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Mindless and able to squeeze through the narrowest of cracks, oozes inhabit dank, dark places all over the world.
DC 15 There are many different types of oozes. Perhaps the strangest is the gelatinous cube: a nearly transparent ooze that engulfs dungeon explorers who stumble into it.
DC 20 Oozes dissolve any organic matter they come into contact with. Some oozes, such as black puddings, corrode metal as well.
A black pudding undulates along the ground and climbs walls, cresting and falling like a slow sea of oil or tar. When motionless, it resembles a dark pool of shadow and may be lost in an area of darkness.
Black puddings devour living and dead organic materials, like flesh, wood, and bone, and melt metal as well. An adventurer who falls into a pool of black pudding leaves nothing behind but the gemstones of their jewelry.
A black pudding doesn’t shrink from swords or axes. When a black pudding is cut in half, it simply becomes two smaller black puddings.
1–2 DC 13 Perception check: pristine floors or walls
2 A door missing its metal hinges (gray ooze), a door missing its lower half (black pudding), or a skeleton (gelatinous cube or ochre jelly)
3 A bit of writhing ooze stuck in a crack
4 Wet and dripping walls and floors. DC 14 Investigation or Survival: The area is completely free of lichen, fungus, and other life that might thrive in this environment
Oozes lurk in sunless areas such as caverns, dungeons, and the ocean depths, as well as in areas of the Abyss and the Bleak Gate.
CR 0–2 gelatinous cube ; ochre jelly ; 1 to 3 gray oozes ; gray ooze in pit trap
Treasure flat carnelian gem carved with a lion, possibly once part of a signet ring (75 gp)
CR 3–4 black pudding ; gelatinous cube in pit trap; 2 gelatinous cubes or ochre jellies ; ochre jelly with 1d4 flying swords
Treasure flint, chalk, marble chess pieces (125 gp), malachite gem (10 gp), 1 dagger enchanted with continual flame
CR 5–10 elder black pudding ; gelatinous wall ; black pudding with walking statue or mimic
Treasure 3 sealed wine bottles containing fine wine (100 gp each), 4 amethyst gemstones (100 gp each), 2 elemental gems (fire)
Oozes are ambulatory, predatory amoeboid creatures that infest caverns and other dark places. A gelatinous cube is an ooze.