The floor moves. Then you realize the ceiling moves too. Then you realize it is not the floor or the ceiling — it is one thing, and your sword just made it two things.
Core Statistics #
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Hit Dice | 10d8* (avg 45 HP) |
| AC | 14 |
| AV | 0 |
| HR | +6 |
| FR | +6 |
| FD | 16 |
| Move | 60 ft (20 ft encounter) — on floor, wall, or ceiling |
| Attacks | 1 touch (3d8 acid damage + material dissolution) |
| Save As | Fighter 5 |
| Morale | 12 (never checks — INT 0, no fear response) |
| Treasure | None (gems possibly nearby — see Treasure) |
| Alignment | Neutral |
| CR | 10 |
| Size | Large (variable 5–30 ft diameter) |
| Intelligence | None (INT 0) |
| XP | 1,750 |
AC/AV Reasoning #
RC original is AC 6 (descending) = Ascending AC 14. The black pudding has no armor — its protection is the difficulty of striking a semi-liquid blob effectively.
- AC 14 — Hitting a pudding with a weapon is not like hitting a solid creature. The blade sinks into the mass, the mass flows around the impact, and the attack may simply divide the pudding rather than damage it. AC 14 reflects this genuine difficulty of landing a meaningful strike against a substance that does not maintain a fixed shape or surface. A blade that connects with a pudding technically “hits” — but see the Split Mechanic for what that means.
- AV 0 — The pudding has no physical structure to absorb impacts. Anything that qualifies as an attack and hits deals full damage to the mass. The challenge is not AV — it is what happens when you attack it at all.
- FR +6 / FD 16 — The pudding has no bones, no leverage points, and no grip for a Wrestling attempt. FR +6 represents the crushing flow-around pressure of a massive acidic blob. FD 16 reflects that shoving a 30-foot-diameter blob of acid is not something most creatures can accomplish — it flows back into position unless removed by barrier or fire.
Skill Slots #
(4 total — 10 HD = 4 base slots; asterisk = 1 special ability slot)
Standard 10 HD budget: 4 base slots (1–8 HD tier, no jump at 9 HD since 9 HD bump applies at 9 HD exactly — at 10 HD the creature has moved into the 9+ tier). Corrected: 4 base + 5 at 9 HD + 1 (HD 10) = 10 slots. However INT 0 caps meaningful slot use to physical/innate capabilities only. This entry uses 5 slots to cover the creature’s full mechanical profile; the remaining 5 are unused (INT 0 cannot develop skills).
| Slot | Skill / Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HR Investment (Basic) | HR +6; the touch attack is simply contact — the pudding does not aim, it flows. HR +6 represents the near-inevitability of contact when the pudding occupies the same space as the target |
| 2 | Corrosive Touch (innate, special) | 3d8 acid damage on contact. Dissolves wood in 1 turn. Corrodes metal in 1 turn. Cannot affect stone. Full mechanics below. The asterisk special ability |
| 3 | Split Response (innate) | Any non-fire, non-magical attack that damages the pudding creates smaller puddings. Full mechanics in the Split section below |
| 4 | Surface Travel (innate) | Moves on walls and ceilings at full movement speed. Can pass through openings as small as 1 inch diameter (very slowly — 1 full turn or longer per opening). Covers the RC’s explicit statements about these capabilities |
| 5 | Constant Hunger (innate) | The pudding attacks every creature it encounters without exception, without reaction rolls, without hesitation. INT 0 with no self-preservation response means Morale 12 is actually “never checks” — there is no fear mechanism to engage |
Martial Style #
Style: Hard (Basic rank, flow-contact) Rank: Basic
The black pudding does not fight — it feeds. The touch attack is the pudding’s feeding mechanism applied to anything that is not stone. Hard Basic represents maximum contact pressure with zero defensive consideration. The pudding does not move away from attacks, does not seek cover, and does not respond to damage except to split.
No Combat Breath: INT 0, no cognitive processing, no fatigue. The pudding cannot Winden or Exhaust — it does not have a CB pool.
The Split Mechanic — Core Rule #
This is the defining feature of the black pudding and the most important rule to understand before running any encounter.
What Triggers a Split #
Any attack that deals damage to the pudding from a non-fire source causes a split:
- Non-magical weapon attacks (any weapon that connects)
- Non-fire spells that deal damage (Lightning Bolt, Magic Missile, Cold, force damage)
- Physical impact (falling rocks, a dropped heavy object)
- Exception: A flaming sword causes full normal damage without splitting — the fire component prevents the split even in a melee weapon
What Does Not Trigger a Split (Causes Normal Damage) #
- Fire damage from any source (Fireball, Burning Hands, flaming oil, torches)
- A flaming sword (the fire component dominates — full damage, no split)
- Fire is the only reliable kill mechanism
Split Resolution #
When a non-fire attack deals any damage to the pudding:
- The attack’s damage is not applied to the original pudding’s HP
- Instead, one new pudding is created with 2 HD and 1d8 damage per blow
- The original pudding retains all its original HP — it is not damaged by the attack
- The new pudding appears adjacent to the original, in the space the attack came from
Repeated splits: Each new 2 HD pudding can also be split by non-fire attacks, creating further 2 HD puddings. There is no stated limit to the number of splits — a party that repeatedly attacks with non-fire weapons is multiplying the number of puddings with every blow.
The multiplication math:
- Round 1: Party attacks original pudding 4 times (non-fire) → 4 new 2 HD puddings created, original unharmed
- Round 2: Party attacks all 5 puddings (non-fire) → up to 5 more new puddings created, none of the originals harmed
- Round 3: The party now potentially faces 10+ puddings
2 HD pudding statistics:
- HP: 2d8 (avg 9 HP)
- Damage: 1d8 per hit (vs. 3d8 for the original)
- AC: 14 (same)
- AV: 0 (same)
- All other properties identical to the original — wall/ceiling travel, material dissolution, fire-only kill, and can itself be split again
- CR: 1 (individual) — but a party facing 10 split puddings faces an effective CR problem far exceeding 10 × CR 1
Split puddings do not merge back together. Once created, each pudding is a separate entity with its own HP pool. The party now has multiple problems instead of one.
Why This Mechanic Matters #
The split mechanic transforms the black pudding from “a 10 HD damage-dealer” into “a puzzle that punishes conventional combat thinking.” The correct response to a black pudding is fire. The incorrect response is any weapon attack that does not involve fire. A party that enters a black pudding encounter without fire capability and tries to hack it apart will find themselves facing an exponentially growing number of puddings within 3–4 rounds.
Corrosive Touch — Material Dissolution #
The RC states the pudding “can dissolve wood and corrode metal in one turn.” This applies to:
Living Creatures #
3d8 acid damage on a successful touch attack (HR +6 vs. AC). This damage is acid — it bypasses AV partially: the acid eats through armor to reach flesh, so treat AV reduction as halved for the acid damage (1 point always penetrates as normal, but only half the remaining AV value applies). A character in chain mail (AV 4) struck by the pudding takes: 1 point guaranteed penetration + (damage –1) reduced by AV 2 (half of 4) instead of AV 4.
Design note on acid vs. AV: The RC does not specify this — it is a reasonable interpretation. The DM may rule standard AV applies if preferred. The half-AV interpretation rewards heavier armor meaningfully while reflecting that acid is more penetrating than a physical blow.
Wooden Objects #
Any wooden object that contacts the pudding is dissolved in 1 turn (10 minutes) of sustained contact. This includes:
- Wooden weapons: A wooden-hafted weapon (axe, spear, hammer) that strikes the pudding begins dissolving on contact. After 1 round of contact, the weapon has taken damage sufficient to weaken it (–1 to damage rolls). After 3 rounds of contact, the wooden component is structurally compromised (weapon breaks on next use, no save). After 1 full turn of contact, the wood is fully dissolved.
- Wooden shields: Same progression — 3 rounds weakens, 1 turn destroys. A character using a wooden shield against a pudding loses that shield within 1–3 rounds of combat.
- Wooden doors, floors, walls: The pudding can eat through a wooden door in 1 turn, creating a passage. Wooden flooring contacted for 1 turn becomes structurally unsound (may collapse under weight — Muscle check difficulty –4 or fall through).
- Wooden containers: A pouch or backpack with a wooden frame dissolves in 1 turn. Items inside fall out (and may contact the pudding).
Practical combat consequence: Most weapons used against a pudding in melee have wooden components. After the first contact hit, the clock starts on weapon degradation. A Fighter who attacks twice per round with a wooden-hafted battleaxe has approximately 2 rounds before the weapon becomes unreliable. Metal-hafted weapons (rarer, more expensive) avoid this problem.
Metal Objects #
Metal corrodes in 1 turn of sustained contact:
- Metal weapons striking the pudding: A metal sword that hits the pudding takes acid damage. After 1 round of contact: –1 to attack rolls (pitting, edge damage). After 3 rounds: –2 attack, –1 damage (significant corrosion). After 1 full turn: weapon is destroyed.
- Metal armor: If a character is engulfed or contacts the pudding for sustained periods, their metal armor corrodes. After 1 turn of contact: armor AV reduced by 1. Sustained contact (multiple turns): further reduction each turn.
- Magical metal items: Magical weapons and armor have a saving throw against acid dissolution — Save vs. Breath Weapon (using the item’s effective saving throw, not the character’s). On a success, the item resists the acid for that contact. On a failure, magical items take the same degradation as non-magical items but at half the rate (2 turns to first degradation instead of 1).
- Exception — flaming swords: A flaming sword is explicitly immune to the dissolution effect when used against the pudding. The magical fire component protects the weapon.
Coins and standard metal items: Metal coins contacting the pudding are corroded and destroyed in 1 turn. A character who falls into or is engulfed by the pudding loses metal coins in their pouches within 1 turn unless pouches are sealed.
Stone Objects #
The RC is explicit: puddings cannot affect stone. Stone walls, stone floors, stone weapons (obsidian, flint), stone containers — all are immune to the pudding’s acid. This is the material that safely contains a pudding permanently. Stone dungeon walls are not at risk; the dungeon structure is safe.
Practical implication: Stone weapons (rare but possible in some settings), stone containers, and ceramic vessels are safe from dissolution. A clever party could theoretically seal a pudding in a stone room by blocking the entrance with stone.
Wall and Ceiling Travel #
The pudding moves on walls and ceilings at its full 60 ft (20 ft encounter) speed — identical to floor movement. There is no penalty for surface type.
Tactical implications:
- The pudding can approach from above — a party that clears the floor may not be watching the ceiling
- In caverns with irregular surfaces, the pudding flows around corners, over ledges, and through architectural features that would stop a walking creature
- Characters watching a pudding approach along the floor may not notice a second approach along the ceiling
- Torchlight does not necessarily illuminate ceilings in large caverns — a pudding approaching from the cave ceiling may trigger no detection until it drops or reaches a wall adjacent to the party
Combat positioning: The pudding can attack from any surface. A character adjacent to a wall faces potential attacks from their side and above simultaneously if the pudding is large enough (30 ft diameter) to occupy multiple surfaces.
Small Opening Passage #
The pudding can squeeze through openings as small as 1 inch in diameter — very slowly, taking 1 full turn or longer per opening.
What this means:
- No door is sealed against a pudding that has sufficient time
- A party that seals a room against the pudding has bought time, not permanent safety
- A locked wooden door delays the pudding twice: the lock passage takes 1 turn, and then the wood begins dissolving in the next turn (total 2 turns before the pudding is through)
- A locked stone door with a 1-inch gap delays the pudding for 1 turn per gap — and the stone is not dissolved
- The only reliable physical barrier is a completely sealed stone chamber with no gap of any size
Encounters with doors: If the party closes a door between themselves and a pudding, the DM should track turns. A wooden door buys 1–2 turns before the pudding is through (either via gap passage or wood dissolution). A stone door with normal door-gap clearance buys approximately 1 turn via gap passage. A hermetically sealed stone vault with no gaps would stop a pudding indefinitely — but such doors do not typically exist in dungeon environments.
Treasure — Gems Only #
The RC’s statement: “Puddings normally have no treasure, but gems (the only remnants of previous victims) might be found nearby.”
Gems are the only material that survives contact with a black pudding indefinitely — wood dissolves, metal corrodes, organic matter is consumed. Gems are stone-equivalent in terms of pudding immunity, so they survive intact as the pudding feeds on the rest of its victims.
Finding the gems:
- Roll 1d6 for each significant victim the pudding has consumed in the past 1d6 months: on a 3–4 the victim carried gems, on a 5–6 the gems are locatable near the pudding’s current position
- Alternatively: roll percentile on Type C treasure (gems and jewelry only) to determine what was carried by previous victims, then apply gems-only filter
- Gems are found near the pudding, not inside it — they accumulate in the vicinity as organic and metal components of victims are consumed
Practical gem recovery: A party that kills or drives away the pudding using fire can search the area for gems. No skill check is required to find them (they are on the floor or lodged in crevices), but the search takes 1 turn per 10 ft radius searched. Rushing the search means gems may be missed (DM rolls secretly for any gems in unexamined areas).
Coin note: Coins are metal — they are corroded and destroyed by the pudding. Only gems survive. The pudding’s treasure is literally “what it cannot dissolve.”
Encounter Notes #
The correct tactical approach — fire: A party with fire capability fights a pudding straightforwardly — fire deals full damage, no splits, and the pudding has no immunity or resistance to fire. A Fireball against a black pudding is devastating and exactly correct. Flaming oil (thrown, ignited) works well. The challenge is positioning — the pudding may be on the ceiling above the fire user, making thrown oil awkward.
The incorrect approach — any weapon: Every non-fire weapon attack creates a new 2 HD pudding while leaving the original unharmed. After 4 rounds of conventional melee by a party of four, the party faces 17 puddings (original + 16 splits from 4 attacks per round). The original is still at full HP. This is a catastrophic outcome that the party can only escape by fleeing or pivoting to fire.
Running the split in real time: The DM should clearly communicate the split the first time it happens. “Your sword hits the pudding — but instead of wounding it, the blow causes a portion to separate. The original is unharmed, and you now face a second, smaller pudding.” A party that does not understand this mechanic will keep attacking and create more puddings. A party that does understand it will immediately ask “who has fire?”
The flaming sword option: A Fighter with a flaming sword (magical weapon with fire damage component) can fight the pudding in melee without triggering splits and without weapon dissolution risk (the fire protects the weapon). This is the correct melee option when fire spells are not available. It implies significant wealth (flaming swords are rare, expensive magic items) — the DM should reward a party that has invested in appropriate equipment.
Escaping a room with a pudding: The pudding moves at 60 ft / 20 ft encounter speed — slower than most characters at 30–40 ft encounter speed. A party that runs can outpace it on the floor. However:
- If the pudding is on the ceiling, it drops onto the fleeing party’s path
- The exit door may have a gap the pudding can follow through (1 turn delay for gap passage)
- A wooden door slammed behind fleeing characters buys approximately 2 turns (gap passage + wood dissolution) before the pudding follows
Stone barriers as final defense: If the party can retreat into a stone room and seal a stone door with no gaps (jammed shut, iron bar across, no clearance), the pudding cannot follow. The party is trapped as surely as the pudding is blocked — but alive and with time to plan.
CR 10 justification:
- 10* HD = CR 10 + 1 (asterisk) = CR 11 theoretical
- Reduced to CR 10: Morale 12 (never retreats) is partially offset by slow movement (60 ft — can be outrun), no intelligence means no tactics adaptation, and the fire weakness is exploitable with common resources
- Against a party without fire: treat as CR 13 — the split mechanic against a non-fire party creates an exponentially growing problem that may be unwinnable
