Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the stirge attaches to the target. While attached, the stirge doesn't attack. Instead, at the start of each of the stirge's turns, the target loses 5 (1d4 + 3) hit points due to blood loss.
The stirge can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. It does so after it drains 10 hit points of blood from the target or the target dies. A creature, including the target, can use its action to detach the stirge.
How many stirges for a fight?
A stirge is worth 25 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many stirges fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
1st
8
12
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 stirge compares at CR 1/8
Against the 18 other challenge 1/8 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the stirge has more hit points than 0 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 1/8 monster.
Statistic
Stirge
CR 1/8 average
Armor Class
14
12.3
Hit points
2
9
Best attack bonus
+5
+4
Stirge 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the stirge, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Its creature type changed from beast to monstrosity.
Armor Class: 14 → 13.
Hit points: 2 → 5.
New in its stat block: Proboscis.
Gone from it: Blood Drain.
Armor Class
13
Hit Points
5 (2d4)
Speed
10 ft., fly 40 ft.
Challenge
1/8 (25 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
4 (-3)
16 (+3)
11 (+0)
2 (-4)
8 (-1)
6 (-2)
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages
None
Actions
Proboscis. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) Piercing damage, and the stirge attaches to the target. While attached, the stirge can’t make Proboscis attacks, and the target takes 5 (2d4) Necrotic damage at the start of each of the stirge’s turns. The stirge can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. The target or a creature within 5 feet of it can detach the stirge as an action.
