Monster archetype, to mess up mages.

[Lolzyking]

I feel that if in a campaign, like one I am currently playing, mages steal the spotlight, even at low levels, when the 3-4 hour game session doesn't have enough encounters to eat up the mages spell slots, Ie only 1-4 encounters per long rest, and short rests never happen.


For these kinds of campaigns this archetype eats up the mages unbalanced resources.

Spell Eater

Creature gains resistance to magical damage.

Siphoning thirst CR times per day
Roll 1d10 when an attack hits a creature w regain ith a spellcasting ability, 10 fails, otherwise it takes the designated spell level slot, or highest, from the creature, the spell eater can either then regain yDx hit points (1/2 creatures cr=y and x= spell level) or cast a spell from the victims spell list of equal or lower spell level of the slot stolen

[Shining Wrath]

There's precedent for monsters being able to steal spell energy from casters in one form or another clear back to 2e (at least).

It might make a Template:

Anti-magic Monster

These monsters evolve (or are created) in areas where magic and / or magic users are common enough that a creature can't survive without some protection against spells.


An anti-magic monster has resistance against all forms of magical damage.
An anti-magic monster has resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from the weapons of conjured creatures, whether natural or not.
An anti-magic monster saves against any spell with advantage.
When an anti-magic monster hits a creature with spell slots with a melee attack, the monster and the creature make opposed ability checks; the monster may choose any one of Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, and so may the creature struck. The anti-magic monster gets to add the damage done by the attack to its roll, up to a maximum bonus of 10. If the anti-magic monster wins the opposed ability check, it may drain one spell slot from the creature struck. The level of the spell slot is equal to the amount by which the monster won the opposed ability check or the highest unused spell slot the struck creature has, whichever is less.

[CyberThread]

The CR modifer for such a thing, would be very hard to do.


I would suggest two arch types instead.


One that is immune to all magic, and the other that is a spell theif.

[JellyPooga]

I feel that if in a campaign, like one I am currently playing, mages steal the spotlight, even at low levels, when the 3-4 hour game session doesn't have enough encounters to eat up the mages spell slots, Ie only 1-4 encounters per long rest, and short rests never happen.

Hmm, I get the impression that you're mixing up "game session" with "in-game time" a bit. Sure, your gaming session might only last 3-4 hours, but that doesn't mean that when you and the guys, in real life, decide it's time to go home/sleep/whatever, that the characters must have a long rest. That's what cliffhangers are for!

In my experience, 3-4 hours is a relatively short gaming session and I'd really only expect two, maybe 3 encounters in that time. Try extending the players "adventuring day" a little, even if it means it takes two or even three sessions to resolve that whole in-game day. Under such circumstances, the limitation on use-per-day focused characters (like spellcasters) is much more pronounced.

Try to force those short rests in place of long rests, despite the length of your gaming session. I think you'll find that the non-mage characters will have much more spotlight. It's probably a better solution than trying to introduce houserules for monsters that will probably have unintended side-effects and/or completely unbalance a game that is, as written, pretty well balanced with the right play-style.

Things you can try to do this;
- Interrupt long-rests with night-time ambushes/wandering monsters.

- Give the players time-critical missions;
--- Offer a greater reward for completing missions quickly.
--- Give the players multiple quests at once; if they're swift, they can do both/all, if not they miss out on one or the other.

- Restrict the places they can have a long-rest;
--- Trap the entrance to dungeons to block their retreat.
--- Make the environment, if not actively hostile, unsuitable for "proper" rest.

- Split the party (controversial, perhaps, but many players will do anything to regroup before they rest! They know that their chances of survival are that much slimmer when they're split up! Do it at the end of a session and they'll spend as much of the next session as possible, perhaps even the whole session, trying to regroup, without a long rest until they do so.)

[Ashrym]

I don't care why it's being added. That just looks like trolling to me, tbh, but I like the ability.

I would be more inclined to add a caster ability score saving throw, and an additional concentration check at disadvantage if applicable, maybe a short recharge (not sure yet), and let slots eaten add 5 + slot level thp to the spell eater.

Random doesn't feel right and I would just go with the highest, working down. The save makes up for it.

Instead of a template, it seems suitable as an additional or alternative ability to several existing monsters, and a person could create for to match the flavour.

[Ralanr]

With how powerful high level caster tend to be, I'd imagine things looking to conquer the mortal plane would have some magic deterrents.

Anti-magic zone as a spell a high CR monster could cast once a day is a thought.

[Easy_Lee]

Gnomes. They're sneaky and have advantage on half of all spell saves.

[Ralanr]

Gnomes. They're sneaky and have advantage on half of all spell saves.

This is genius.

[eastmabl]

I feel that if in a campaign, like one I am currently playing, mages steal the spotlight, even at low levels, when the 3-4 hour game session doesn't have enough encounters to eat up the mages spell slots, Ie only 1-4 encounters per long rest, and short rests never happen.

If you're afraid that mages are stealing the spotlight, maybe you should try to include more more adventures per long rest to allow for more short rests. For classes with abilities built around short rest recharges, the adventures are rebalanced to allow them to shine.

Otherwise, you're trying to put a band-aid (negate the mage classes by eating their spells) instead of fixing the real problem that everyone else doesn't have their chance to shine.

But if you're set on targeting casters, gnomes are way to do it.

[Kryx]

Another option is to change the rate of long rests to better account for number of encounters.

I'm trying to increase the number of encounters to hopefully make it better. Also decreased short rests to 5 min so classes like monk and warlock can shine a bit more.

[Brendanicus]

Lay more ambushes. Nothing messes up mages more than discovering that the toughest orcs were waiting for them to walk past them.

In general, opening up a second front is a good way to force the party to think. I try to do it whenever possible.

[Lolzyking]

I'm advising my friend who is dming the campaign.

the reason this campaign needs something to eat mages slots is that we have a larger than norm party, and that we are mage heavy

2 Druids, 1 wizard, 1 sorcerer, and a paladin.
I'm playing a monk, and my friend is playing a fighter, its gotten so bad that we've been sidelined by mageageddon that my friend wants to change his subclass to EK just so he can do something in a fight.


The Dm wanted a solution that eats their resources. Since his fiance is playing one of the druids, and she lacks a fair bit of patience for the game ( and whines when spells don't do what she wants, like murdering everything with flame sphere) So making the game last longer or making her play faster is not going to work. He wants something that lets everyone contriute.

[Ralanr]

Well you might have to make something that specifically eats spell slots or start handing out the spell thief ability from arcane trickster (it's level 17. So just giving the ability might be better than giving the monsters 17 class levels).

I would also suggest monsters with magic resistance, but that would only annoy the people who don't like it when their spells don't work.

[BW022]

I feel that if in a campaign, like one I am currently playing, mages steal the spotlight, even at low levels, when the 3-4 hour game session doesn't have enough encounters to eat up the mages spell slots, Ie only 1-4 encounters per long rest, and short rests never happen.


Trying to make specific monsters to 'nerf' specific classes is somewhat pointless and will get tiring fairly soon. It wouldn't take long before players realize that is happening.

There are lots of ways to balance out encounters between casters and non-casters.

More Combats
Nothing says you have to arrange gaming sessions over multiple days. You can have a cave complex which requires six combats and will take multiple sessions to complete. A raid on a small keep. After two or three combats, end the session -- have everyone note their spells, abilities, and hit points -- and the next session continues immediately after the previous. Players simply can't long rest.

Have Real World Consequences for Resting
Without over-doing it, have some encounters where you can't rest. If they rest in the keep... the bad guys all get together and attack on-mass, or they all flee with the treasure. Have encounters where players need to rush -- deliver a key message, rescue to kidnapped elf before the sacrifice, bad guys keep attacking every night, etc.

Unusual Locations
There are lots of locations where spell casting might not be possible, or desirable. A city, bar, underwater, on ships, etc. There might be civilians, prisoners, or valuables nearby. A mill (full of wheat dust), a tavern (full of patrons), etc. might prevent casting spells. Fighting on a violently moving ship or on an intense horseback or wagon chase -- i.e. concentration checks. Swimming across a fast flowing river, climbing up a cliff, etc. Caves with narrow passages and limited sight lines. A poison-filled room.

Specific Ways of Negating Casters
Fog, darkness, obscuring mist, etc. Other casters with counterspelling. Using illusions or dummies to cause spellcasters to waist big spells. Grappling the casters. Silence is a common way of limiting spellcasters.

Non-Combat Encounters
Most mages have limited abilities outside of combat. Social interactions, overland travel, physically exhausting travel (desert, mountain climbing, etc.), many city adventures, etc. tend to make other characters (bards, barbarians, rogues, etc.) take the lead and feel appreciated.

Follow Rules on Casting
Pay attention to needing a hand free and components. Situations such as climbing, riding, being on a heaving ship, etc. can make this difficult or possibly disadvantages on checks. Without being punitive... rogues might pickpocket someone's focus, component pouch, or holy symbol before ambushing them.

Surprise and Getting Close
Try coming up with encounters in which combat starts with some surprise and getting close to the caster(s). Some screaming women in the street is being chased by six armed men. The woman runs up, grabs the wizard, and screams for someone to help her -- then starts stabbing the wizard. Invisible foes, summoning monsters near the wizard, etc. With some surprise and getting close, the casters often have to waste time on defensive spells, getting out of trouble, not getting their big spells off at the beginning of combat, etc. This means non-casters in the party often save the day getting the caster out of trouble or at least the caster isn't spending the entire combat to maximum effect.

Monsters
If you need monsters able to level the playing field for casters... you don't need to make them specific to the purpose. Honestly, mundane creatures used in specific ways can be equally effective and don't lead to the appearance that you are 'nerfing' specific classes. An enemy caster is a good equalizer to casters. Fireball the party. Most mages will immediately be sucking for health after a couple of these. The might even drop, while the martials can often continue fighting on. Spreading out large numbers of lesser creatures to avoid AoEs and using missile weapons against the party. Casters with counterspelling is also fine. Creatures which has magic or certain elemental damage resistance.

[Kryx]

List
This list is a great resource. Thanks for typing this out!

[Shining Wrath]

To add to what bw022 said: alcoves at the back of the room. Party enters, party moves toward known enemies, and goblins emerge from behind the tapestries and take the casters from behind.

[mephnick]

Another option is to change the rate of long rests to better account for number of encounters.

Yep, I have long rests take 3 days in a safe place, because 6-8 encounters a day is ludicrous unless you're in a dungeon. I mainly run sandbox campaigns and if I let them rest every night the PCs would be at full power for almost every single encounter. Take a look at the style of your game and change the rules accordingly. The game is balanced on 6-8 encounters per long rest, so change the rate of long rests.

[Slipperychicken]

If you're afraid that mages are stealing the spotlight, maybe you should try to include more more adventures per long rest to allow for more short rests. For classes with abilities built around short rest recharges, the adventures are rebalanced to allow them to shine.

Otherwise, you're trying to put a band-aid (negate the mage classes by eating their spells) instead of fixing the real problem that everyone else doesn't have their chance to shine.


This. Sure the casters and barbarians are sitting pretty at the first three fights in a day, but once they've blown their loads (or are on their last few slots), they'll all be really happy to have the fighters, rogues, and rangers around.


Remember that 5e is balanced around 6-8 fights between long rests, with short rests coming every 1-3 fights. If you only give 3 fights in a day, then casters and barbarians can splurge on them and make the fighters look useless. If you give that 6-8 or more in a day, then casters will have to budget their spells while fighters just keep on trucking through. Also, when casters have to watch their slots, then that puts an emphasis on mundane problem-solving too. It's a weird balance, but I've seen it work in my games.