Quipper
Tiny Beast, unaligned
10 XP
Special Abilities
Blood Frenzy
The quipper has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Water Breathing
The quipper can breathe only underwater.
Actions
Bite
Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Quick Reference
Running This Encounter
Quippers are best used in swarms to pose a genuine threat, as individual specimens are trivial. A school of 10-20 quippers can threaten even mid-level parties through action economy and cumulative damage. Use them to harass the party in water-based encounters, force difficult decisions about wasting resources, or create atmospheric tension in murky waters. They're excellent for encounters emphasizing environmental hazards rather than combat prowess.
Combat Tactics
Quippers attack in coordinated schools, using their mobility to swarm a single target or spread damage across multiple enemies. They prioritize any bleeding or injured targets, displaying feeding frenzy behavior that makes them more aggressive when allies are already damaged. In groups, they rely entirely on numbers to overcome AC through repeated attacks rather than tactical positioning.
Environment & Setting
Quippers thrive in any natural water setting—rivers, lakes, swamps, and coastal shallows where their 40 ft. swim speed provides superior mobility. Underground pools and flooded dungeon chambers work well for contained encounters where escape is limited, forcing the party to engage rather than simply swim away.