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Kraken 5e: Tentacles, Swallow and Lightning at CR 23
A kraken is a CR 23 Gargantuan monstrosity (titan) with AC 18, 472 hit points (481 in the 2024 rules), ten tentacles that reach 30 feet and grab on a hit, and a bite that swallows whatever it holds. It also calls down lightning, takes legendary actions and has Intelligence 22. In the 2014 rules it's immune to lightning and to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks, and it needs a separate action to swallow. The 2024 kraken can grab and swallow in the same turn, gains Legendary Resistance and Grappled and Restrained immunity, and loses its immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks.
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Kraken Stat Block (2014)
This is the kraken from SRD 5.1, matching the 2014 Monster Manual.
Kraken
Gargantuan monstrosity (titan), chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 472 (27d20+189)
Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft.
STR
30 (+10)
DEX
11 (+0)
CON
25 (+7)
INT
22 (+6)
WIS
18 (+4)
CHA
20 (+5)
Saving Throws STR +17, DEX +7, CON +14, INT +13, WIS +11
Damage Immunities lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities Frightened, Paralyzed
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages understands Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, and Primordial but can't speak, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 23 (XP 50,000; PB +7)
Traits
Amphibious.The kraken can breathe air and water.
Freedom of Movement.The kraken ignores difficult terrain, and magical effects can't reduce its speed or cause it to be restrained. It can spend 5 feet of movement to escape from nonmagical restraints or being grappled.
Siege Monster.The kraken deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack.The kraken makes three tentacle attacks, each of which it can replace with one use of Fling.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d8 + 10) piercing damage. If the target is a Large or smaller creature grappled by the kraken, that creature is swallowed, and the grapple ends. While swallowed, the creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the kraken, and it takes 42 (12d6) acid damage at the start of each of the kraken's turns. If the kraken takes 50 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the kraken must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the kraken. If the kraken dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Tentacle.Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 30 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (3d6 + 10) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The kraken has ten tentacles, each of which can grapple one target.
Fling.One Large or smaller object held or creature grappled by the kraken is thrown up to 60 feet in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.
Lightning Storm.The kraken magically creates three bolts of lightning, each of which can strike a target the kraken can see within 120 feet of it. A target must make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Legendary Actions
The kraken can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The kraken regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Tentacle Attack or Fling.The kraken makes one tentacle attack or uses its Fling.
Ink Cloud (Costs 3 Actions).While underwater, the kraken expels an ink cloud in a 60-foot radius. The cloud spreads around corners, and that area is heavily obscured to creatures other than the kraken. Each creature other than the kraken that ends its turn there must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw, taking 16 (3d10) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A strong current disperses the cloud, which otherwise disappears at the end of the kraken's next turn.
Stat block from the SRD 5.1 (2014 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
The 2014 kraken's action options are separate, which shapes the whole fight:
•Multiattack: three tentacle attacks (+17, reach 30 feet, 20 bludgeoning). Each hit grapples (escape DC 18) and restrains. Any tentacle attack can be swapped for Fling.
•Bite: a separate action, not part of Multiattack. If the target is a Large or smaller creature the kraken has grappled, it's swallowed.
•Lightning Storm: also an action. Three bolts at targets within 120 feet, DC 23 Dexterity, 22 (4d10) each.
It has three legendary actions a round: a tentacle attack or Fling (1 action), Lightning Storm (2 actions) or Ink Cloud (3 actions, underwater only). It has no Legendary Resistance in the 2014 SRD.
Freedom of Movement (the trait) means difficult terrain and magical slowing don't affect it, and it can spend 5 feet of movement to escape a grapple or nonmagical restraint.
The Kraken in the 2024 Rules
The 2024 kraken (SRD 5.2.1) is a rebuilt monster at the same CR.
Languages Understands Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, and Primordial but can’t speak; telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 23 (XP 50,000, or 62,000 in lair; PB +7)
Traits
Amphibious.The kraken can breathe air and water.
Legendary Resistance (4/Day, or 5/Day in Lair).If the kraken fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Siege Monster.The kraken deals double damage to objects and structures.
Actions
Multiattack.The kraken makes two Tentacle attacks and uses Fling, Lightning Strike, or Swallow.
Tentacle.Melee Attack Roll: +17, reach 30 ft. Hit: 24 (4d6 + 10) Bludgeoning damage. The target has the Grappled condition (escape DC 20) from one of ten tentacles, and it has the Restrained condition until the grapple ends.
Fling.The kraken throws a Large or smaller creature Grappled by it to a space it can see within 60 feet of itself that isn’t in the air. Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 25, the creature thrown and each creature in the destination space. Failure: 18 (4d8) Bludgeoning damage, and the target has the Prone condition. Success: Half damage only.
Lightning Strike.Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 23, one creature the kraken can see within 120 feet. Failure: 33 (6d10) Lightning damage. Success: Half damage.
Swallow.Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 25, one creature Grappled by the kraken (it can have up to four creatures swallowed at a time). Failure: 23 (3d8 + 10) Piercing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is swallowed and no longer Grappled. A swallowed creature has the Restrained condition, has Total Cover against attacks and other effects outside the kraken, and takes 24 (7d6) Acid damage at the start of each of its turns. If the kraken takes 50 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the kraken must succeed on a DC 25 Constitution saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, each of which falls in a space within 10 feet of the kraken with the Prone condition. If the kraken dies, any swallowed creature no longer has the Restrained condition and can escape from the corpse using 15 feet of movement, exiting Prone.
Legendary Actions
Legendary Action Uses: 3 (4 in Lair). Immediately after another creature’s turn, the kraken can expend a use to take one of the following actions. The kraken regains all expended uses at the start of each of its turns.
Storm Bolt.The kraken uses Lightning Strike.
Toxic Ink.Constitution Saving Throw: DC 23, each creature in a 15-foot Emanation originating from the kraken while it is underwater. Failure: The target has the Blinded and Poisoned conditions until the end of the kraken’s next turn. The kraken then moves up to its Speed. Failure or Success: The kraken can’t take this action again until the start of its next turn.
Stat block from the SRD 5.2.1 (2024 rules) by Wizards of the Coast, licensed under CC-BY-4.0. Check an encounter with this monster in the encounter calculator.
What the SRD says about the lair. SRD 5.2.1 gives the kraken an in-lair version: 62,000 XP instead of 50,000, Legendary Resistance 5/day instead of 4, and 4 legendary action uses instead of 3. The SRD doesn't describe the lair itself, and it gives no lair actions or regional effects. The 2014 SRD has no lair rules for the kraken at all. If your kraken has a lair, its terrain is your design.
How the Kraken Fights
Grab first. Against AC 20, a +17 tentacle hits on a 3 or higher, 90% of the time. Grabbed characters are Restrained: attacks against them have Advantage and they have Disadvantage on Dexterity saves. Almost everything else the kraken does builds on the grab.
The swallow, 2014. Swallowing takes two of the kraken's turns:
•On its turn, Multiattack: three tentacles, about 2.7 grabs on average.
•After a character's turn, a legendary action makes another tentacle attack.
•On its next turn, it uses the Bite action on a grappled Large or smaller creature. The bite hits a restrained target about 99% of the time. The character is swallowed: blinded, restrained, total cover from everything outside, and 42 (12d6) acid damage at the start of each of the kraken's turns.
The swallow, 2024. It happens in one turn:
•Two Tentacle attacks, each about 90% to hit. Each grabs and restrains.
•Swallow on a grabbed creature: DC 25 Dexterity save. A character with +5 to Dexterity saves needs a 20, and Restrained gives Disadvantage, so the save succeeds about 1 time in 400. A character with +11 needs a 14 on both dice, about 12%.
•On a failure: 23 piercing damage, then swallowed. The character takes 24 (7d6) acid at the start of each of their own turns.
The 2024 version deals less acid per round but can hold four victims and takes them faster.
Getting out. In both editions, a swallowed creature that deals 50 or more damage to the kraken in a single turn forces a DC 25 Constitution save at the end of that turn. Fail, and the kraken spits out everyone it has swallowed, prone, within 10 feet.
Regurgitation save (DC 25)
2014 (Con +14)
2024 (Con +15)
Kraken succeeds on
11 or higher, 50%
10 or higher, 55%
Legendary Resistance
None
Can turn a failure into a success, 4/day (5 in lair)
Against the 2024 kraken, plan to trigger the save more than once. The first few failures will likely be turned into successes.
Lightning. Against a character with Dexterity save +5, a DC 23 bolt succeeds on 18 or higher (15%). Average damage per bolt is about 20 (2014, 22 on a fail) or about 30 (2024, 33 on a fail). The 2014 kraken can use Lightning Storm as its action and again with two legendary actions: six bolts a round. The 2024 kraken uses Lightning Strike in its Multiattack, then can spend every legendary action on Storm Bolt: four bolts a round, five in its lair, all on whoever is out of tentacle reach.
Fling. The 2014 version throws a Large or smaller creature 60 feet in a random direction. It takes 1d6 per 10 feet only if it hits a solid surface, so at sea it often lands in water. The 2024 version picks a space within 60 feet that isn't in the air, so the kraken can aim at a deck, a rock or another character. The thrown character and anyone in the destination space make a DC 25 Dexterity save: 18 (4d8) and prone on a failure, half on a success.
Underwater. Ink Cloud (2014) makes a 60-foot radius heavily obscured, with poison damage for anyone who ends a turn there. Toxic Ink (2024) Blinds and Poisons characters within 15 feet on a failed DC 23 Constitution save, then lets the kraken move up to its Speed while the characters closest to it can't see where it goes.
Ships. Siege Monster doubles its damage to objects and structures. A kraken can sink a ship by attacking the ship instead of the crew, and doing that is a good way to force the party to fight it on its terms.
Running a Kraken Encounter
A kraken is worth 50,000 XP (62,000 in its lair in 2024). With the 2024 SRD budget for four characters:
Party (4 characters)
Low / Moderate / High budget
Kraken encounter
Level 17
18,000 / 28,800 / 46,800
1 kraken is above High. Avoid it
Level 18
20,000 / 34,800 / 56,800
1 kraken is High
Level 20
25,600 / 52,800 / 88,000
1 kraken is Moderate (50,000 of the 52,800 Moderate budget); in its lair (62,000) it's High
The 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide guidelines, which our encounter calculator uses, rate one kraken as Hard for four level 20 characters (Deadly starts at 50,800). That's close to the edge.
The XP assumes the party can breathe and move underwater. Without that, a kraken in its element is far deadlier than the numbers show. With it, and with ranged magic, it's a long but winnable fight.
How Players Beat a Kraken
•Freedom of Movement. The spell lets a character spend 5 feet of movement to escape a creature grappling them, automatically. Against a monster whose whole plan is grabbing, that's the best single preparation. In the 2024 rules it also gives a swim speed equal to the character's speed.
•Don't use lightning, and in 2024 don't use cold. It's immune. Fire works, but fire damage underwater is resisted by everything, kraken included. Thunder, force and radiant are the safe choices.
•Bring magic weapons (2014). The 2014 kraken is immune to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing. The 2024 kraken isn't, so every martial character contributes.
•Mind the underwater rules. Without a swim speed, melee weapon attacks underwater have Disadvantage unless the weapon deals piercing damage (2024) or is a dagger, javelin, shortsword, spear or trident (2014). Ranged weapon attacks automatically miss beyond normal range and have Disadvantage within it (2014 exempts crossbows, nets and thrown weapons like javelins from the Disadvantage).
•Stay out of reach. Every tentacle reaches 30 feet, and every grab feeds Swallow and Fling. Characters who don't need to be in melee should stay more than 30 feet away and accept the lightning instead: a bolt averages 20 to 30 damage, while a grab can end in the kraken's stomach.
•Burn its Legendary Resistance (2024). Charisma is its weakest save at +5. Cheap Charisma-save spells like Bane force it to spend Legendary Resistance before you cast Banishment or anything else that ends the fight.
•Get swallowed on purpose (carefully). A character inside the kraken always has a target and needs 50 damage in one turn to force the save. Swallowed creatures are Restrained, so their attack rolls have Disadvantage. A high-level fighter with Action Surge, or a caster with a big save-based spell, has the best chance.
Kraken Encounter Ideas
The harbor wall. A kraken has started attacking a port's sea wall at high tide every night. Siege Monster means each night takes out a section. The harbor master wants it killed. The party finds out someone is calling it with a stolen artifact and has to decide whether to fight the kraken, find the caller, or both before the wall breaches.
The voice in the deep. The kraken can't speak, but it has telepathy out to 120 feet, Intelligence 22 and understands Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal and Primordial. A sailor who speaks Primordial has been hearing it in his head for weeks, offering safe passage in exchange for a service. The party is on his ship, and he's already agreed.
Beached. A spring storm has left a kraken stranded in a drained tidal basin, and the tide comes back in six hours. On land it moves at 20 feet (30 in 2024), and the Ink Cloud and Toxic Ink actions only work underwater. The party can kill it while it's weak, or help a cult refill the basin to earn something it wants.
Fights at this level span sessions. Loreify can record each one so the party remembers which characters were swallowed and what the kraken said in their heads.
Frequently Asked Questions
What CR is a kraken in 5e?
A kraken is CR 23, worth 50,000 XP. In the 2024 rules, a kraken fought in its lair is worth 62,000 XP and gets 5 uses of Legendary Resistance and 4 legendary action uses instead of 4 and 3.
How do you escape from inside a kraken?
Deal 50 or more damage to it in a single turn from inside. At the end of that turn it makes a DC 25 Constitution save, and on a failure it regurgitates every swallowed creature, prone, within 10 feet. If the kraken dies, swallowed creatures can climb out using 15 feet of movement.
Is a kraken immune to lightning?
Yes, in both editions. The 2014 kraken is also immune to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. The 2024 kraken drops that weapon immunity and is immune to cold instead.
Does the kraken have lair actions in 5e?
Not in the SRD. SRD 5.2.1 only gives in-lair numbers (more XP, one more Legendary Resistance and one more legendary action use). The 2014 SRD has no lair content for the kraken.
How many tentacles does a kraken have?
Ten. Each tentacle can grapple one creature. The 2014 kraken attacks with three tentacles a turn plus legendary actions; the 2024 kraken attacks with two.
Stat blocks: System Reference Document 5.1 (2014) and 5.2.1 (2024), Wizards of the Coast, CC-BY-4.0. Tactics, encounter math and ideas are Loreify's own.
This page includes material from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2.1 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Loreify is not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast.