Rot grubs are finger-sized maggots that eat living and dead creatures, although they can survive on vegetation. They infest corpses and piles of decaying matter and attack anyone that disturbs them. After burrowing into a creature, rot grubs instinctively chew their way toward vital parts.

Rot grubs recoil from flames, and fire is the main weapon against rot grubs once they're inside a body. Magic that neutralizes poison can also stop them before they kill their host.

!!Single Rot Grub

Rot grubs pose a threat both singly and as a swarm. See the stat block for the mechanics of a swarm of rot grubs. A single rot grub has no stat block.

Any creature that comes into contact with a single rot grub must succeed on a 10 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned, as the rot grub burrows into the creature. The poisoned creature takes 3 (1d6) poison damage at the end of each of its turns. Whenever the poisoned creature takes fire damage, the creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the poisoned creature ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies, as the rot grub kills it.

Rot grubs are finger-sized maggots that eat living or dead flesh, although they can survive on plant matter. They infest corpses and piles of decaying matter and attack living creatures that disturb them. After burrowing into the flesh of a living creature, a rot grub instinctively chews its way toward the heart in order to kill its host.

Rot grubs pose a threat both singly and as a swarm. See the accompanying stat block for the mechanics of a swarm of rot grubs. A single rot grub has no stat block. Any creature that comes into contact with it must make a 10 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the rot grub burrows into the creature's flesh and deals 3 (1d6) piercing damage at the start of each of the host creature's turns. Applying fire to the wound before the end of the host creature's next turn deals 1 fire damage to the host and kills the infesting rot grub. After this time, the rot grub is too far under the host creature's skin to be burned. If a creature infested by one or more rot grubs ends its turn with 0 hit points, it dies as the grubs burrow into its heart and kill it. Any effect that cures disease kills all rot grubs infesting the target. Burning a body kills any rot grubs infesting it.