Silt-Skimmer Soldier

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♻ Remixed from Silt-Skimmer Queen 1 remix

Medium Monstrosity, Lawful Evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)

Hit Points 26 (4d8+8)

Speed 30 ft. swim 50 ft.

STR 16 (+3)

DEX 12 (+1)

CON 14 (+2)

INT 3 (-4)

WIS 10 (+0)

CHA 5 (-3)

Skills Perception +2

Damage Resistances acid

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages —

Challenge 1 (200 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Chitinous Reef Armor. The soldier's layered chitin plates grant it advantage on saving throws against being knocked prone while it is touching the ground or submerged.

Amphibious Silt-Strider. The soldier can breathe air and water. Difficult terrain caused by silt, mud, coral, or shallow water doesn't cost it extra movement.

Colony Obedience. The soldier has advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened while it is within 60 feet of a Silt-Skimmer Queen or at least two other silt ants.

Actions

Multiattack. The soldier makes two Serrated Mandible attacks.

Serrated Mandible. Melee weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) slashing damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be grappled. Until this grapple ends, the soldier can't use this attack against another target.

Acid-Flecked Bite. Melee weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature grappled by the soldier. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage, plus 2 (1d4) acid damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be unable to regain hit points until the start of the soldier's next turn.

Green Acid Spit (Recharge 5-6). The soldier spits glowing green acid at one creature it can see within 20 feet. The target must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Reactions

Coral Scramble. When a creature the soldier can see misses it with a melee attack, the soldier moves up to 10 feet toward a space containing coral, rubble, mud, or water without provoking opportunity attacks.

Environment Coastal, Swamp, Underdark, Underwater

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"When the reef clicks, stop moving. The soldier has already chosen where to bite." — Captain Veyra's last surviving deckhand

Lore & Description

Appearance

A Silt-Skimmer Soldier is a human-sized ant with thick, armor-like chitin plates layered across its thorax and limbs. Its shell is charcoal black with bands of muted green and rust-red, while hooked legs grip coral and barnacle-crusted stone. Massive serrated mandibles jut from its wedge-shaped head, constantly dripping glowing green acid that hisses when it strikes the wet reef. Its antennae twitch toward movement beneath the waves as ocean spray breaks behind its battle-ready silhouette.

Behavior & Origins

Silt-Skimmer Soldiers are the drowned colony's living guardians, bred to defend egg chambers, drag captives through flooded tunnels, and drive predators from the reef. They possess little individual intelligence, but their pheromonal coordination makes them unnervingly disciplined; one soldier pins a victim while another strikes from beneath the water. The harbor of Blackwake has begun finding green acid burns on its pilings, a sign that the soldiers are scouting the foundations for their queen's next expansion.

Running Silt-Skimmer Soldier

Tactics

The soldier begins by spitting acid at a lightly armored target, then closes on the nearest isolated creature and uses its mandibles to establish a grapple. It fights near coral, mud, or water so it can use Coral Scramble to reposition and exploit its superior swimming speed. If bloodied, it retreats toward nearby colony members while continuing to harry pursuers; it fights to the death if ordered to defend a queen or egg clutch.

DM Tips

Telegraph the soldiers with clicking beneath the surf, narrow trails through wet silt, and green acid sizzling on coral before the ants emerge.
Play them as coordinated and nearly silent, using antennae gestures and sudden synchronized movements rather than individual speech.
For a weaker party, remove the Acid-Flecked Bite's healing-prevention rider; for a stronger party, deploy the soldiers in pairs so Colony Obedience and grapples matter more.

Loot

Acid-Slick Mandible — A serrated mandible that can be mounted as a dagger or used by an alchemist to produce a small vial of corrosive green venom.
Reef-Chitin Plate — A curved armor plate mottled with coral colors. A skilled craftsperson can turn it into a shield boss or reinforce light armor with it.
Pheromone Relay Gland — A translucent gland that releases a faint clicking scent when crushed, potentially allowing an investigator to track or lure nearby silt ants.

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Generation Info

Original prompt:
"A D&D 5e monster reference card on weathered parchment paper combining fantasy concept art and a structured stat block. The artwork depicts a human-sized soldier ant in a battle-ready stance on a jagged coral reef, featuring thick armor-like chitin plates and massive serrated mandibles dripping glowing green acid, with ocean waves breaking in the background. Beside the illustration is a clear 5e stat block titled 'Silt-Skimmer Soldier', displaying AC 14, HP 26, Speed 30 ft / Swim 50 ft, Chitinou"

Created: Sep 4, 2026
Modified: Sep 10, 2026

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