# [Medusa](3-Mechanics\CLI\bestiary\monstrosity/medusa-xmm.md)
*Source: Monster Manual (2024) p. 205*
## Medusa
*Snake-Haired Recluse with a Petrifying Gaze*
- **Habitat.** Desert
- **Treasure.** Any
With their hair of living snakes and their infamous petrifying gazes, medusas are hubristic creatures that inhabit sites of fallen glory. They often dwell beyond the fringes of civilization or travel in disguise, leaving trails of [petrified](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Petrified) victims. Some medusas dominate groups of monsters or criminals, controlling them with threats of [petrified](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Petrified) doom, while others recruit servants that are immune to being [petrified](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Petrified), such as gargoyles and gorgons.
Medusas are born or created through preternatural circumstances. Roll on or choose a result from the Medusa Fates table to inspire what led to a medusa's creation.
**Medusa Fates**
`dice: [](medusa-xmm.md#^medusa-fates)`
| dice: 1d6 | The Medusa Was... |
|-----------|-------------------|
| 1 | Born a medusa and lives unaware of whatever curse or circumstances afflicted its ancestor. |
| 2 | Created by a god and tasked with guarding a treasure or secret. |
| 3 | A cultist who made a fiendish bargain and enjoyed rewards that have since faded. |
| 4 | An explorer transformed and compelled to defend a cursed ruin. |
| 5 | A vain noble whose magical attempt to gain eternal beauty backfired. |
| 6 | The victim of a bite from a magical serpent or reptilian god in disguise. |
^medusa-fates
```statblock
"name": "Medusa (XMM)"
"size": "Medium"
"type": "monstrosity"
"alignment": "Lawful Evil"
"ac": !!int "15"
"hp": !!int "127"
"hit_dice": "17d8 + 51"
"stats":
- !!int "10"
- !!int "17"
- !!int "16"
- !!int "12"
- !!int "13"
- !!int "15"
"speed": "30 ft."
"saves":
"Wisdom": !!int "4"
"skillsaves":
"Deception": !!int "5"
"Stealth": !!int "6"
"Perception": !!int "4"
"senses": "darkvision 150 ft., passive Perception 14"
"languages": "Common plus one other language"
"cr": "6"
"actions":
- "desc": "The medusa makes two Claw attacks and one Snake Hair attack, or it makes\
\ three Poison Ray attacks."
"name": "Multiattack"
- "desc": "Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Slashing damage."
"name": "Claw"
- "desc": "Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) Piercing damage\
\ plus 14 (4d6) Poison damage."
"name": "Snake Hair"
- "desc": "Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 150 ft. Hit: 11 (2d8 + 2) Poison\
\ damage."
"name": "Poison Ray"
"bonus_actions":
- "desc": "Constitution Saving Throw: DC 13, each creature in a 30-foot [Cone](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/cone-area-of-effect-xphb.md).\
\ If the medusa sees its reflection in the [Cone](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/variant-rules/cone-area-of-effect-xphb.md),\
\ the medusa must make this save. 1st Failure: The target has the [Restrained](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Restrained)\
\ condition and repeats the save at the end of its next turn if it is still [Restrained](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Restrained),\
\ ending the effect on itself on a success. 2nd Failure: The target has the\
\ [Petrified](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Petrified) condition instead\
\ of the [Restrained](3-Mechanics/CLI/rules/conditions.md#Restrained) condition."
"name": "Petrifying Gaze (Recharge 5-6)"
"source":
- "XMM"
"image": "3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/token/medusa-xmm.webp"
```
^statblock
## Environment
desert