Monster Analysis: Mimic (Cabinet)

Thanks to @ziforyu for this art piece!

• Encounter Appearance: 2-45 The Stowaway

• Armor Class 12

• Darkvision 60 ft, Passive 11

• Immune to acid damage

• Suggested Average, Max HP: 58, 96

• 81 damage taken, 28 HDYWTDT by Nott

Halas’s residence had many surprises for explorers who were clever enough to gain entry. The previous chamber had already found casualties in individuals smart enough to unlock the orb to this extra-planar dungeon, but not smart or prepared enough to respond to its defenses. The Nein, seeing the fall of their predecessors, took the appropriate precautions, progressing to the seemingly safer study of the great wizard. The Nein soon learned that the defenses didn’t stop there. As the party ransacked the room, Nott and Twiggy found themselves in the literal jaws of a cabinet… that didn’t stay still like a cabinet should.

Mimics are carnivorous creatures that, like their name suggests, mimic other objects as a means of survival. When disguised and unmoving, they are nearly indistinguishable from the object they are imitating. While most mimics find that adventurers will willingly stick their heads inside their mouths when they take the form of a treasure chest, the much larger size of this mimic easily accommodated both Nott and Twiggy as the smirking portrait of Halas watched. (Smaller mimics don’t innately have the swallow ability with their bite; this beastly monstrosity had the stats to match.)

Despite its size, though, only half the party felt it warranted enough of a threat for their attention. Jester and Caduceus helped the rogues out of their predicament while the other half of the Nein were distracted by exploring the rest of the room… and figure out where their “touches hot plates” warlock had disappeared to. Despite the relative ease of the fight, the mimic did manage to guarantee The Mighty Nein’s staggered arrival to the next chamber, making their next fight much more difficult.