AC 14
HP 52 (7d10 + 14; bloodied 26)
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (spacefaring average)
Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 26
Damage Immunities lightning
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Energy Drain. The cloak ray attaches itself to a target starship or other device that is huge or larger in the same zone. While a cloak ray is attached, the target’s attacks deal half damage, its shields cannot recharge, it cannot go to FTL, and the ray’s bite attack automatically hits the target. A creature operating in the same combat zone (or the target itself if it is a creature or has the mecha property) can use an action to make a DC 12 Strength check, detaching the ray on a success. While the ray is invisible and attached to a starship or device, a creature can use a bonus action to make a DC 12 Engineering check to pinpoint the creature’s location. On a success, the creature ignores the ray’s invisibility until the ray detaches from its target.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, melee range, one target. Hit: 17 (2d12 + 4) piercing damage and the cloak ray attaches to the target (see Energy Drain). The attachment ends when the ray dies or chooses to end it (no action necessary).
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage and the ray can immediately move to an adjacent combat zone.
Cloak. The ray turns invisible until it attacks or is reduced to 0 hit points.
Combat
The cloak ray approaches invisibly. It bites a target, clamping on with its mouth. If it has attached itself to a Huge target and is undetected, it turns invisible and doesn’t attack, using Energy Drain to feed itself. If the cloak ray is hit while it is bloodied, it uses Tail to detach itself and flee.
Legends and Lore
With a Nature or Science check, characters can learn the following:
DC 10 Cloak rays feed on energy and are naturally drawn towards space ships.
DC 15 Cloak rays are so called because they can turn invisible, even to creatures and ships they are in the midst of draining.
DC 20 While rare, swarms of cloak rays can occasionally form, posing a danger to even starships. Cloak rays are rarely known to travel with energy anomalies.
Natives to the dark places beyond solar systems, cloak rays resemble stingrays. However, they are both larger and far more dangerous.
1 Flitting at the edges of an astral whale pod
2 Attached to a small space ship
3 Traveling alongside an energy anomaly
4 A swarm purposefully moving towards a starship
1 A mostly undamaged starship entirely drained of power
2 Satellites or remote probes losing connection suddenly
3 Astral whales telepathically complaining to each other of ray bites
4 Ship’s energy levels dropping sharply
Cloak rays can be found both in deep space and within solar systems, wherever the hunt for food takes them.
CR 3–4 cloak ray
CR 5–10 2 or 3 cloak rays
Treasure ship wreckage worth 1,000 cr
CR 11–16 swarm of cloak rays, 2 or 3 cloak rays with a brainstorm
Treasure ship wreckage worth 3,000 cr