AC 14
HP 625 (50d20 + 100; bloodied 312)
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (spacefaring average)
Initiative Dex +4 (14), Insight +0 (10), Perception +0 (10)
Proficiency +5; Maneuver DC 31
Saving Throws Str +18, Dex +4, Con +2, Int -3, Wis +0, Cha -3
Damage Immunities lightning
Senses passive Perception 10
Languages —
Energy Drain. Until the target is no longer in the same zone as the swarm, the target’s attacks deal half damage, and the swarm’s bites attack automatically hits the target. The energy drain ends if the swarm takes damage while it is bloodied. While the swarm is invisible and energy draining a starship or device, a creature can use a bonus action to make a DC 12 Engineering check to pinpoint the swarm’s location. On a success, the creature ignores the swarm’s invisibility until the swarm detaches from this target.
Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature’s space and move through any opening large enough for a Large creature. It can’t gain HP or temporary hit points
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +23 to hit, melee range, one target. Hit: 130 (2d12 x 10) piercing damage e and the target is subject to Energy Drain. The effect ends when the swarm dies or chooses to end it on a target (no action necessary).
Cloak. The swarm 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