D&D Creature Feature: Gibbering Mouther

There is nothing more frightening in the D&D bestiary than creatures who ignore death saving throws… and at CR2, the Aberration known as Gibbering Mouther is possibly the first enemy with this horrifying ability that your party will encounter.

Give a Gibbering Mouther a chance and it WILL dissolve you as a tasty treat....

I’d already hinted during the Blindness/Deafness Spell Focus that the Gibbering Mouther has seen some changes in the 2025 Monster Manual and boy was that an understatement. Almost every aspect of this malformed monster has been messed with and massively manipulated the way it manoeuvres. Starting with movement, our marvellous sack of mouths can now move 20ft a turn, sluggish, yes, but a vast improvement on the 10ft it had in 2014. For the DM this means on Turn 1, a 40ft dash gets it much closer to the party, which despite the literally squishy AC9 is exactly where this guy wants to be. The stat block hasn’t changed, but the nominal HP has dropped from 67 to 52, which is a theme we will continue to encounter going forward as the deadly Mouther has been nerfed. Yes, I’m calling it early; these mushy red mounds made up of the mouths and eyes of their defeated prey are now not quite as scary as they previously were. Apart from the speed buff, almost every other aspect has been softened like the mucus they are made of.

The 10ft emanation of difficult terrain around the Mouther, known as the Aberrant Ground ability, makes its return in 2025. This is to help the slow-moving mass keep pace with faster prey that tries to escape. Except whereas in the 2014 version, creatures in the affected area had to pass a DC10 STR check each turn or have their speed reduced to zero, that extra effect has been eradicated.  So now it is just 10ft of difficult terrain to cross. Their signature Gibbering ability, this time a 20ft emanation, has likewise had a downgrade. It is still a DC10 WIS save, and uses the same d8  table for a fail that either does nothing, moves randomly or makes a random melee attack, but now failure doesn’t stop reactions from being taken. 

Eat. Absorb. Grow. #MoutherLife

I am guessing here they didn’t want the situation where a player was making TWO saves a turn to be able to move if they were within 10ft of the mouther… because was REALLY not a great place to be. It only has a +2 Bite to hit, but when it did… BAM! 5d6 damage, which, if it reduced the target to 0HP meant the unconscious victim was automatically, and instantly, consumed and amalgamated into the writhing ball of flesh with its eyes and mouth joining the endless mad hunt. Terrifying stuff. But before you soil your Level 2 britches relax, it is now only 2d6 damage in the new rules. It’ll still absorb you, but it takes a lot longer. There is a small uptick here however for the Mouther as a successful hit used to trigger a DC10 STR save or be knocked prone, whereas now that happens EVERY hit, no save possible. Then the ‘resist gibbering’, ‘spend half your movement to stand’ and having to cross 10ft of difficult terrain combo meant escape was rarely a simple matter despite its low movement speed.

If that wasn’t scary enough, in 2014 it had Multi-Attack, where before biting you it could unleash “Blinding Spittle” on a 5/6 recharge. This DC13 DEX save against the blinded condition in a 5ft radius blast could shoot up to 15ft away… which if successful then gave it advantage on that bite attack and…. Ouchy. This ability has been completely reworked and seems to be the ‘make-up’ for the loss of melee attack dice damage. It now has a 10ft radius blast and a 30ft foot range… AND it now deals 2d6 Radiant damage! Buuuuuut. It is only DC10, does nothing on a successful save ANNNND… is a whole action. No more multi-attack.

The Flesh Meld - What every GIbbering Mouther aspires to eat enough to become.

So is the Gibbering Mouther now nerfed and a less deadly opponent than it was in 2014? Yes… if you were within 20ft and it could dissolve your tasty tissues. But of course in most encounters due to its 10ft speed it was also very easily avoidable. Stand back, unload ranged attacks and it was quickly defeated. Now, with addeded ranged damage and speed, it is a much more balanced opponent. Less OP at close range (and let’s face it at CR2 it was WAAAY too dangerous before), but now tactically more interesting especially when paired up with other local underdark denizens who can hold up the party long enough for the mind melting mouther to make its way into range… and probably eat friend and foe alike.

If you’d like paper minis for the this terrifying early game Aberration it makes an appearance in my “Phandelver and Below, the Shattered Obelisk” campaign minis set along with a bunch of other creepy creatures, including the Flesh Meld, a CR7 evolution of the Gibbering Mouther just in case you thought it wasn’t badass enough already. As always, you can  click here to visit the ZG Store and see my full range of products, designed by me, for my table, that I’d love to see you drop on yours.