Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening large enough for a Tiny creature. The swarm can’t regain Hit Points or gain Temporary Hit Points.
Actions
Swarm of Grasping Hands. Melee Attack Roll: +4, reach 5 ft. Hit: 20 (4d8 + 2) Necrotic damage, or 11 (2d8 + 2) Necrotic damage if the swarm is Bloodied. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it has the Prone condition.
The swarm of crawling claws isn’t in the 2014 SRD 5.1; this is its stat block from the SRD 5.2.
How many swarms of crawling claws for a fight?
A swarm of crawling claws is worth 700 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many swarms of crawling claws 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
2nd
—
—
1
3rd
—
1
2
4th
1
2
2
5th
2
4
6
6th
3
5
8
7th
4
7
9
8th
5
9
12
9th
7
11
12+
10th
9
12+
12+
11th
10
12+
12+
12th
12
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 swarm of crawling claws compares at CR 3
Against the 22 other challenge 3 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the swarm of crawling claws has more hit points than 3 of them, which makes it one of the frailest at its CR. See every CR 3 monster.
