Sand elemental

Sand elemental (CR 4)

A being composed of shifting sand, the Sandman roams desert landscapes, blending seamlessly into its environment. It ambushes travelers, using its control over the sands to drain their energy and leave them vulnerable to the harsh desert.

Medium Elemental
AC: 15 (natural armor)
HP: 85 (10d8+40)
Speed: 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.

STR 14 (+2) | DEX 16 (+3) | CON 18 (+4) | INT 6 (-2) | WIS 12 (+1) | CHA 10 (+0)

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
Condition Immunities: exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses: blindsight 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages: understands Terran but doesn’t speak
Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)

Abilities:

Sand Form: The Sandman can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing. It can occupy the same space as another creature, and creatures it touches feel sand grains seeping into their skin, sapping their energy.
Dust to Dust: As a reaction when the Sandman is hit with a melee attack, it can disperse its body into a cloud of sand, gaining resistance to the triggering attack’s damage. The attacker must then make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of their next turn.
Sand Step: The Sandman can burrow into the ground as a bonus action, vanishing from sight. It can reappear in an unoccupied space within 30 feet by rising from the sand.

Actions:

Multiattack: The Sandman makes two Sand Strike attacks.
Sand Strike: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6+3 bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion as the sand pulls at their energy.
Sandstorm Burst (Recharge 5-6): The Sandman creates a violent burst of swirling sand in a 15-foot radius centered on itself. Each creature in the area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 3d8 slashing damage and be blinded for 1 minute. A blinded target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Tactics:

The Sandman works well in hit-and-run scenarios, using Sand Step to retreat into the sand after attacking.
Its Dust to Dust reaction helps it avoid heavy damage while blinding enemies to give itself or allies an advantage.
The Sandstorm Burst is ideal for ambushes or disrupting a group of adventurers, especially combined with its blindsight to continue fighting even when enemies are blinded.