Kelp angler

Kelp anglers were carnivorous aquatic creatures that often were indistinguishable from clumps of mundane kelp.

Description
A kelp angler resembled a giant jellyfish-shaped kelp cluster of the same color as all other local aquatic plant life. On average, they reached in length and were  or  in diameter.

Abilities
These aquatic hunters had some minor magical abilities. They could create effects similar to those of the confusion spell and dispel magic. Kelp anglers could also produce vegetation that entangled their foes and escape danger via the use of displacement spell.

Not truly blind, kelp anglers used sonar to perceive their surroundings at the range of. However, if the spell of silence was cast upon a kelp angler, it was forced to rely on its eyesight that was comparable to that of a human.

Kelp anglers could change the color of their body to camouflage themselves with the surroundings. The creatures were unaffected by mundane and magical cold, bludgeoning weapons were useless against them, and, like other plant creatures, they were immune to poisons, magical sleep, paralyzation, being stunned, and polymorph. Kelp anglers regenerated when they were well-fed.

Behavior
Kelp anglers could spend days laying in wait for their next meal. When kelp anglers laid in waiting, their appearance and lack of movement relaxed small creatures that went on with their regular lives around the deadly predators. Small fish and other aquatic creatures often surrounded kelp anglers, making them appear harmless. The creatures preferred to consume large-sized prey.

Combat
Not surprisingly, kelp anglers remained undetected until they were ready to strike. They often started the assault by using the ability to cause confusion, disorienting the prey. When faced with multiple targets, kelp anglers tried to confuse some while safely grappling and entangling the others. Once a creature was ensnared, kelp angler dispelled any magical effects that could be protecting the prey. This strategy was especially effective when dealing with surface creatures who traveled underwater using the water breathing spell.

Ecology
Kelp anglers were sometimes called reef assassins for their deadlines and stealth. Harmless-looking bodies of seaweed and kelp found in dark shoals or coral reefs could hide one of these dangerous creatures. They were patient hunters who laid in wait until fresh prey presented itself. Many kelp anglers learned what waters brought the most bountiful catch, lairing along various shipping routes and coastal waters. No creature that wandered into a kelp angler's reach was safe from being devoured.

Preying lone kelp anglers were known to be encountered in the sewers of Waterdeep.

Beyond the Prime Material plane, kelp anglers are found floating in the ocean layers of the Abyss.

A talented spell-caster could bring a kelp angler to their air using the summon nature's ally VII spell.