Wendigo Forest Protector

← Back to Bestiary

👁 Read Only by Jeppe Jensen 👁 74 views

Large Monstrosity, Chaotic Neutral

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)

Hit Points 114 (12d10+48)

Speed 40 ft. climb 30 ft.

STR 20 (+5)

DEX 16 (+3)

CON 18 (+4)

INT 10 (+0)

WIS 16 (+3)

CHA 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +7, Wis +6

Skills Stealth +6, Survival +6, Perception +6

Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Condition Immunities frightened

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16

Languages Common, Sylvan

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3

Spirit of the Untamed Wood. The wendigo ignores difficult terrain caused by plants, snow, ice, mud, or roots. Beasts and plants within 60 feet of it are not hostile toward it unless magically compelled. While in a forest, the wendigo can attempt to Hide even when only lightly obscured by foliage, mist, snowfall, or shadows.

Guardian's Hunger. The wendigo does not need to eat, drink, or sleep, and it cannot be compelled to harm an innocent creature by magical means. When a creature within 30 feet damages a beast, plant, or willing humanoid that has done no harm during the current encounter, the wendigo has advantage on attack rolls against that creature until the end of its next turn.

Whiteout Stalker. The wendigo is invisible while standing motionless in falling snow, heavy fog, or dense forest shadow. It becomes visible immediately after it moves, attacks, or uses an ability.

Actions

Multiattack. The wendigo makes two Antler attacks and one Frostbitten Bite attack.

Antlers. Melee weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet and knocked prone.

Frostbitten Bite. Melee weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (2d10+5) piercing damage, plus 7 (2d6) cold damage. The target's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn. If the target is already suffering from this reduction, it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be restrained by spectral ice until the end of its next turn.

Winter's Howl (Recharge 5-6). The wendigo releases a bone-chilling howl. Each creature of the wendigo's choice within 60 feet that can hear it must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 4d8 cold damage and is frightened for 1 minute. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn't frightened. A frightened creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to this wendigo's Winter's Howl for 24 hours.

Rootsnare (3/Day). The wendigo causes roots and thorny vines to erupt from a point on the ground it can see within 60 feet. The area in a 20-foot-radius circle centered on that point becomes difficult terrain for 1 minute. Each creature of the wendigo's choice in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d6 piercing damage and become restrained by the vegetation. A restrained creature can use its action to make a DC 16 Strength (Athletics) check, freeing itself on a success. The vegetation withers early if the wendigo is incapacitated.

Bonus Actions

Between the Trees. While in a forest, the wendigo teleports to an unoccupied space within 30 feet that is adjacent to a tree, large root, or patch of dense vegetation. It must begin and end this movement in dim light, darkness, or natural foliage.

Reactions

Antler Intercession. When a creature the wendigo can see within 10 feet is hit by an attack, the wendigo imposes disadvantage on that attack roll by sweeping its antlers between the attacker and the target. The wendigo must be able to reach the target.

Environment Forest, Arctic, Mountain

📷 Export as Image

Share your monster as a beautiful PNG image styled like classic D&D sourcebooks.

📥 Download PNG

Includes: Full stat block, monster image (if selected), CR badge, and QuickMonster branding.

Resolution: High-quality PNG at 2x scale for crisp display on any device.

"It is not the cold that kills you. It is the forest deciding it has no place left for you." — Ranger Maelin's final journal entry

Lore & Description

Appearance

This towering guardian resembles a gaunt elk stretched into a predatory humanoid shape. Its charcoal-black hide is pulled taut over pale ribs, while long, frost-coated limbs end in hooked claws. A magnificent rack of branching antlers rises from its skull, each tine wrapped with strips of bark, feathers, and faded prayer ribbons. Blue-white fire glows deep within its empty eye sockets, and its breath spills into the air as drifting snow even in summer. Moss, lichen, and tiny evergreen needles cling to its shoulders and spine, suggesting that the forest is slowly reclaiming it.

Behavior & Origins

The first wendigo forest protector was once a ranger named Avarra Vale, who gave her life to stop a logging army from burning the ancient forest of Evershade. The forest answered by filling her body with winter and hunger, but bound that hunger to a sacred purpose: punish those who despoil the wild and defend creatures unable to defend themselves. The current guardian is called White Antler by nearby villagers. It leaves three frozen pinecones on the doorstep of anyone who has been marked for judgment, giving them one night to abandon the forest or make amends. A logging baron named Odran Pike is currently felling trees in Evershade to uncover the buried shrine that anchors the wendigo's soul.

Running Wendigo Forest Protector

Tactics

The wendigo begins from concealment, using Winter's Howl against clustered intruders before teleporting between trees to isolate the most destructive target. It uses Rootsnare to divide the battlefield, then focuses its attacks on creatures harming the forest or its animals. When bloodied, it becomes more aggressive and uses Between the Trees every round to strike from unexpected angles, but it flees rather than die if the intruders stop their desecration and retreat. It fights to the death only to defend its heartwood shrine or a creature under its protection.

DM Tips

Telegraph the wendigo with silent hoofprints that end at tree trunks, frost on summer leaves, and animals watching the party without fear.
Roleplay it as a solemn, unsettling protector rather than a mindless killer; it speaks in short phrases and addresses trespassers as if they are storms passing through.
For a weaker party, remove Whiteout Stalker and reduce Winter's Howl to 3d8 cold damage; for a stronger party, give it 20 temporary hit points when it uses Winter's Howl.
Let the party avoid combat by returning stolen resources, rescuing trapped wildlife, or confronting Odran Pike and his loggers.

Loot

White Antler Shard — A frost-cold piece of antler that can be fashioned into a druidic focus. Once per dawn, its bearer can cast speak with animals without material components.
Avarra's Ranger Token — A cracked wooden badge bearing the symbol of the Evershade wardens. It opens the sealed shrine beneath the oldest tree in the forest and bears Avarra's unfinished warning about Odran Pike.
Winterheart Resin — A lump of blue-white resin found where the wendigo fell or vanished. When burned, it produces freezing smoke that reveals invisible creatures and tracks for 10 minutes.

♻ Remix This Monster

Make it yours — one tap creates your own variant of Wendigo Forest Protector.

Free — no account needed.

Generation Info

Original prompt:
"wendigo the forest protecter"

Created: Sep 28, 2026
Modified: Oct 27, 2026

Find more: Monstrosity monsters CR 5-10 Monstrosity Monsters for a level 13 party 🎲 Random monster