Shapechanger. The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form, except for the speed changes noted. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Magic Resistance. The quasit has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Claws (Bite in Beast Form). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Scare (1/Day). One creature of the quasit's choice within 20 feet of it must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if the quasit is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Invisibility. The quasit magically turns invisible until it attacks or uses Scare, or until its concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). Any equipment the quasit wears or carries is invisible with it.
Why isn't the Variant Familiar rules included in this card?
Shouldn't the to hit of the Quasit be +5 (+3 Dex +2 Prof)?
That what it should be.
With some monsters, their to hit bonus and other things aren't calculated the normal way. Sometimes they do the bonus based on the challenge rating or other factors rather than the proficiency bonus.
Extremely late, but I know that this is one thing that's important to clarify because the answer is anything from a simple "Paywalls yo" to an in-depth rules diatribe that's often referred to as "dumb" and "why". The Variant Familiar rules are only for creatures that willingly choose to become Familiar to an appropriate spellcaster; even if you're a Warlock of the Chain, you don't get those rules as your pact. The Warlock of the Chain, however, does get to summon a Familiar in the form of a Quasit (or Imp, Pseudodragon, Sprite).
That is to say, you get all of the above abilities in this statblock, but the Familiar rules still apply regarding Dismissal, Telepathy, Touch Spells etc, and you don't get the Variant Familiar rules. It also obeys your commands 100%, unlike the Variant Familiar rules which represent a creature that willingly chooses to serve you and may decide otherwise at its whim. This means that the "Chaotic Evil" thing above doesn't have to apply, and if your DM enforces that then they should be giving you the Variant Familiar rules too.
As the Warlock Pact rules say:
"When you cast the spell, you can choose one of the normal forms for your familiar or one of the following special forms: imp, pseudodragon, quasit, or sprite."
So it's just a "form", as defined in the Find Familiar spell. Arguably, that means that your Imp could in fact be of the Celestial creature type, but even a permissive DM would probably require that you put some effort into re-flavouring there. It also means that you can re-cast the spell with its components in order to change your familiar into any other form, as a more costly alternative to the Imp and Quasit shapechanger abilities.
The Variant rules are considered part of the Monster Manual, not the Basic Rules, so here you get all that's necessary to play yer Warlock. You can get the Familiar Variant by buying the Monster Manual on this site.
I think that last bit answers your question enough, but I felt the rest was important as a general thing for people to see when they scroll down looking to see which rules apply, because by-term the rules are quite simple... but only if you pretend that the Variant Familiar Quasit and the Quasit Pact of the Chain Familiar are in no way related. The rules are misleading at best.
Funny fact about how “FInd Familiar” is worded, you could have a Celestial Familiar in the form of a Quasit.
as per shapechanger, "The quasit can use its action to polymorph into a beast form that resembles a bat (speed 10 ft. fly 40 ft.), a centipede (40 ft., climb 40 ft.), or a toad (40 ft., swim 40 ft.), or back into its true form. Its statistics are the same in each form, except for the speed changes noted." but as far as I can tell there are no statistics for a centipede, there are giant centipedes, necrotic centipedes, and swarms of centipedes, but no regular centipedes. one could just modify an existing stat block such as spider, or giant centipede, but I do find it curious that they would include a monster that doesn't exist without some sort of explanation as to what they mean, such as with "frog (toad)" or "fish (quipper)" in the find familiar spell description, or the description of the hound of ill omen (a modified dire wolf)
if anyone has any thoughts explanations or suggestions they'd be greatly appreciated
I thought quasits were devils. Weird.
But you don't need statistics for a centipede, you use quasit's stats with the modified speed.
And ... what are the affects of Scare?
Late reply, but "Frightened" is a status and should explain everything you need!
I like to imagine it’s “scare” works by mentally projecting info about its true Abyssal nature, forcing the target to reconcile themselves with the existential threat to reality itself that it represents.
I can’t see the tiny fiend being that scary otherwise.
Why are the evil pact of the chain famialiars so much better than the good ones?
Thanks, that's how we've played it ...
Would be nice though if the rules specified that instead of making you guess. There's several spells like that too. Where it assumes you know the rules and have experience enough to make the mental connection.
Not user friendly for the new peeps.
If you hover over the word Frightened it tells you exactly what it does
A Familiar isn't bound by the alignment of the form that it takes; your Quasit Familiar needn't be the same alignment as real Quasits.
And if you're on mobile, like me, you can click it to be sent to the Conditions listing for it.
Am I the only one who is going to comment on the fact that this thing can turn into a centipede and yet can still move 40 ft. in 6 seconds?! I fail to see how something three inches long can move that fast (unless I'm missing something obvious, in which case I'm sorry).
I suppose that it would be because of it's unnatural demonic speed, but it is pretty weird. I guess it's a pretty big centipede.
Answering you a year later! I think you misunderstood, "its statistics are the same in each form, except for the speed changes noted." I think what that means is it still has the overall Quasit stats in any of these forms, just with the fly/swim/speeds adjusted. That's why they were okay including centipedes even though there's no actual stat block.