Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli

Huge monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)

Hit Points 133 (14d12 + 42)

Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.; gecko form climb 30 ft.

STR 20 (+5) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 17 (+3) · INT 12 (+1) · WIS 15 (+2) · CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Str +8, Dex +6, Con +7, Wis +5, Cha +6

Skills Deception +6, Insight +5, Perception +7, Survival +5

Damage Vulnerabilities fire, lightning

Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical attacks while Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli is fully immersed in water

Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft. (in water only), passive Perception 17

Languages Common, Hawaiian, Aquan; telepathy 120 ft. (creatures that understand a language)

Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli can use a bonus action to magically transform into a Medium humanoid woman or a Tiny gecko, or back into her true dragon-like form. Her statistics are the same in each form. Anything she is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.

Amphibious. Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli can breathe air and water.

Water Regeneration. Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli regains 10 hit points at the start of her turn if she has at least 1 hit point and is touching a body of water. She doesn’t regenerate if she took fire or lightning damage since the end of her last turn.

Mist Weaver (Innate Spellcasting). Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: fog cloud, shape water

3/day each: wall of water (XGE), tidal wave (XGE)

1/day each: control water, water breathing (self only)

Keen Sight. Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions

Multiattack. Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli makes two attacks: one with her Bite and one with her Tail.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 10 feet away and knocked prone.

Flood Breath (Recharge 5–6). Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli exhales a surge of crushing water in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw, taking 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails the save is also knocked prone.

Reactions

Water Protection. When Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli is hit by an attack while standing in water, she can halve the attack’s damage against her and move up to 20 feet directly away from the attacker.

Lore

Dragon shapeshifters who can take the form of women to lure people; guardians of bodies of water.

The term Moʻo literally translates as “lizard” or “reptile,” yet in Hawaiian mythology it names a wide range of beings, from giant dragons to serpents. Even the small household gecko of today is revered as a sacred reflection—or lesser manifestation—of the great Moʻo. Moʻo belong to the class of kupua, supernatural entities who possess kino lau, the power to assume many bodies or forms. Their repertoire of shapes is broad, from fish to trees. In story and chant the most famous Moʻo is called Mo’o Guardian of Paliuli, but more on her in a moment.

In Hawaiian legend Moʻo are almost always female. This feminine aspect links them symbolically to water and its double nature: they are fierce guardians of life-giving freshwater sources, yet also seductive, deceptive predators who lure and consume men. Such duality shows that a Moʻo views human males—especially uninvited ones—not as potential partners but as threats to be eliminated or controlled.

From Oceanian Bestiary 5E, p. 54 · Fern Flower Press