Couatl icon: a snake, in gold
Icon by Lorc, CC BY 3.0

Couatl 5e stat block

Medium celestial, lawful good · CR 4 · 2024 stat block below

Armor Class
19 (natural armor)
Hit Points
97 (13d8+39)
Speed
30 ft., fly 90 ft.
Challenge
4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency bonus
+2
STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
16 (+3)20 (+5)17 (+3)18 (+4)20 (+5)18 (+4)
Saving throws
Con +5, Wis +7, Cha +6
Damage resistances
radiant
Damage immunities
psychic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses
truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages
all, telepathy 120 ft.

Traits

Innate Spellcasting. The couatl's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring only verbal components: At will: detect evil and good, detect magic, detect thoughts 3/day each: bless, create food and water, cure wounds, lesser restoration, protection from poison, sanctuary, shield 1/day each: dream, greater restoration, scrying

Magic Weapons. The couatl's weapon attacks are magical.

Shielded Mind. The couatl is immune to scrying and to any effect that would sense its emotions, read its thoughts, or detect its location.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 24 hours. Until this poison ends, the target is unconscious. Another creature can use an action to shake the target awake.

Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one Medium or smaller creature. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the couatl can't constrict another target.

Change Shape. The couatl magically polymorphs into a humanoid or beast that has a challenge rating equal to or less than its own, or back into its true form. It reverts to its true form if it dies. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying is absorbed or borne by the new form (the couatl's choice). In a new form, the couatl retains its game statistics and ability to speak, but its AC, movement modes, Strength, Dexterity, and other actions are replaced by those of the new form, and it gains any statistics and capabilities (except class features, legendary actions, and lair actions) that the new form has but that it lacks. If the new form has a bite attack, the couatl can use its bite in that form.

How many couatls for a fight?

A couatl is worth 1,100 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many couatls fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.

Party levelLowModerateHigh
3rd——1
4th—11
5th124
6th235
7th246
8th367
9th479
10th5811
11th61012+
12th812+12+
13th912+12+
14th1012+12+
15th1212+12+

Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.

How the couatl compares at CR 4

Against the 14 other challenge 4 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the couatl has more hit points than 10 of them, which makes it tougher than most at its CR. See every CR 4 monster.

StatisticCouatlCR 4 average
Armor Class1912.2
Hit points9787
Best attack bonus+8+6

Couatl 2024 stat block

The 2024 Monster Manual revised the couatl, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:

Armor Class
19
Hit Points
60 (8d8 + 24)
Speed
30 ft., fly 90 ft.
Challenge
4 (1,100 XP)
STRDEXCONINTWISCHA
16 (+3)20 (+5)17 (+3)18 (+4)20 (+5)18 (+4)
Damage resistances
bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage immunities
psychic, radiant
Senses
truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages
All; telepathy 120 ft.

Traits

Shielded Mind. The couatl’s thoughts can’t be read by any means, and other creatures can communicate with it telepathically only if it allows them.

Actions

Bite. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 5) Piercing damage, and the target has the Poisoned condition until the end of the couatl’s next turn.

Constrict. Strength Saving Throw: DC 15, one Medium or smaller creature the couatl can see within 5 feet. Failure: 8 (1d6 + 5) Bludgeoning damage. The target has the Grappled condition (escape DC 13), and it has the Restrained condition until the grapple ends.

Spellcasting. The couatl casts one of the following spells, requiring no spell components and using Wisdom as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15): At Will: Detect Evil and Good, Detect Magic, Detect Thoughts, Shapechange (Beast or Humanoid form only, no Temporary Hit Points gained from the spell, and no Concentration or Temporary Hit Points required to maintain the spell) 1/Day Each: Create Food and Water, Dream, Greater Restoration, Scrying, Sleep

Bonus actions

Divine Aid (2/Day). The couatl casts Bless, Lesser Restoration, or Sanctuary, requiring no spell components and using the same spellcasting ability as Spellcasting.

Similar monsters

Browse: all CR 4 monsters · celestials · every monster