Saddle Mimic

Finding a few horses with their reins loosely tied to a tree in the forest wasn't a common occurrence, but the animals weren't skittish as your party approached to investigate. Not far off there was a small campsite that had clearly been attacked by some beast but the horses were spared. Having a steed for the trip would certainly be better than walking! When it was clear that a horse was calm and comfortable in your presence,you grabbed the saddle and swung yourself up into it. Though, now your hands... your rump... your legs are stuck to the leather. Rivets slowly turn to eyes and stitching to teeth as you find yourself sitting atop a mouth! The horse trotted off without a care, hopefully your companions can catch up soon! Roll for initiative.

Developed by a horse-riding bandit gang, saddled mimics were bred to both keep their riders in the saddle and horses calm in the heat of battle. Its adhesive nature worked wonders for the first, and the monstrosities' strange nature for the second. As is often the case, however, the malleable mimics changed in ways that couldn't be predicted. They gained the ability to transfer the irritation they often felt when a burr or the like caught on them to other creatures, which proved even more useful for the bandits. What didn't prove useful was the mimics developing first empathy for horses and then a way to communicate and command them. When faced with a choice between bandits or horses for their next meal, the horses won out.

Skip Mimic

Medium Mimic (shapechanger), neutral

Armor Class 12 (natural armor)

45 (6d8 + 18)

Speed 15 ft

Str 15 Dex 12 Con 16 Int 7 Wis 16 Cha 8

Skills Animal Handling +5, Stealth +5

Damage Immunities acid

Condition Immunities prone

Sensesdarkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 13

Languages -

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Shapechanger.

The mimic can use its action to polymorph into a saddle or back into its true, amorphous form. Its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.

Adhesive (Object Form Only).

The mimic adheres to anything that touches it. A Huge or smaller creature adhered to the mimic is also grappled by it (escape DC 12). Ability checks made to escape this grapple have disadvantage.

False Appearance (Object Form Only).

While the mimic remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an ordinary saddle.

Grappler.

The mimic mimic has advantage on attack rolls against any creature grappled by it.

Limited Telepathy.

The mimic can magically communicate simple ideas, emotions, and images telepathically with any beast or monstrosity within 5 ft. of it.

Actions

Pseudopod.

Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. If the mimic is in object form, the target is subjected to its Adhesive trait.

Bite.

Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) acid damage.

Burr in the Saddle.

Target creature the mimic can see within 30ft must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution save or feel that it has dozens of burns against its skin for the next minute. The creature subtracts 1d4 from every Skill Check and Attack roll for that duration. If the mimic is incapacitated or slain, this effect ends.

Bonus Actions

Bridle.

The mimic targets a beast or monstrosity with an Intelligence of 4 or less that it can see within 5ft and entices it with psychic images of comfort. The creature must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma save or be Charmed by the mimic and immune to the Frightened condition for the next hour. Any time the creature takes damage, it may repeat this save with the effect ending on success.