ASOIAF D&D 5e

[Tyger]

My group and I have been having a blast playing my Game of Thrones game in the 5e system. We've had zero magic, and the group is playing a squad of Nights Watchmen. The game has progressed well, and the players are up to 8th level now.

They've fought wildlings, giants, wights and a few GoT inspired critters that I made up, but I am having a lot of trouble coming up with the stats for White Walkers in the 5e system.

I would love to hear any feedback on this:

White Walker
CR 9, Medium undead
Armor Class 20
Hit Points 100 (10d12)
Speed 40 ft.

STR 16
DEX 20
CON 16
INT 16
WIS 14
CHA 16

Saving Throws: Dex +10, Wis +6
Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire, Obsidian, Valerian Steel
Damage Resistances: all non-magical weapons (see vulnerabilities)
Damage Immunities: poison, cold, necrotic
Condition Immunities: Frightened, Poisoned, Stunned
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft, Passive Perception 17
Language: ???
Challenge: 9 (5,000 XP)

Snow Walk: White Walkers are not hindered by snow or ice - when these conditions cause difficult terrain, the White Walker ignores this penalty.

Additionally, when moving through snow, White Walkers move soundlessly (equivalent to Stealth 20 check)

Winter is Here: White Walkers create an aura of extreme cold (per rules in the DMG page 110). This cold is unnatural, and normal cold weather gear does not provide its usual protection. Additionally, the Constitution save must be made each minute, rather than each hour (as though submerged in frigid water).

Additionally, anyone touching a White Walker, or making an unarmed melee attack against one, take 2d6 cold damage.

Ice Kiss: A White Walker may use the Parry maneuver as its reaction each turn, with a D12 as its die. If the parry role is greater than the damage dealt, the attacking weapon shatters due to the cold. Magic, obsidian and/or valerian steel weapons are immune to this effect.

Regeneration: The White Walker regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the White Walker takes damage from fire, magic, obsidian or valerian steel, this trait doesn't function at the start of the White Walker's next turn. The White Walker only dies if it starts it turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.

ACTIONS
Multiattack: The White Walker makes two attacks.

Shard of Ice: Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft, one creature. Hit: 2d6 slashing damage + 2d6 cold damage.


Thanks for any comments at all.

[HerbertWest]

Overall, I really like it. The Others are supposed to be the thing of nightmares, and I like how you've incorporated their traits into the creature. One question I have is whether or not you intend to add an ability to the monster that represents their ability to make more Others. If that's not something you want to do in your campaign, I understand, but one of the most terrifying quality of the Others is that they are always growing their ranks. Perhaps that is an ability that you would reserve for more elite White Walkers, but I believe that the monster as a whole would benefit and add another layer of excitement to the game if it was able to create even more Wights, or if an advanced White Walker, another White Walker right before the characters' eyes. You could make it function where a character slain by a White Walker rises as either a Wight or a White Walker, depending on what power level of White Walker killed it, 12 or 24 hours later.

[Ninja_Prawn]

From a mechanical/design perspective, I have two complaints: firstly, a CR9 creature shouldn't have three damage vulnerabilities. If anything, it should have more resistances such that the current vulnerabilities are among the only things it doesn't resist. Secondly, I think the Winter is Here trait is unnecessarily complicated. Why not just copy the Balor's Fire Aura (but with cold damage, obviously)?

Other than that, it looks pretty good. From what I remember of the books, the White Walkers had an ability that worked exactly like the spell Animate Dead. That's only 3rd-level, so you might be able to add it as once/day innate spellcasting without skewing things too much.

[Mjolnirbear]

Make the resistances: slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage unless the weapon or attack is magical or made from obsidian or valerian steel.

Then make it vulnerable to obsidian, and maybe fire too.

I can't recall a Walker dying from Valyrian Steel in the books. Doesn't it require fire or obsidian? I could be wrong--i remember something about Snow needing fire, but it was before Longclaw.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I thought the fire vulnerability only applied to the 'wights' (zombies) to be honest. In fact, I thought the Walkers' presence actually extinguished flames.

[Inevitability]

First of all, this should be in Homebrew.

Second, I think this is a bit bland, to be honest. Sure, you have a bunch of immunities and passive traits, but your only attack is a couple of cold damage-dealing slashes. Unless you want this monster to be fought in large groups of its kind (which doesn't make a lot of sense) having only a single way to attack will not make for a good encounter.

Heck, why not turn this into a full-blown boss monster with Legendary Actions, designed to be fought with a host of lesser undead?

[Tyger]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Some great feedback there. One thing I was concerned about was the CR rating for it, which seems to be pretty close - though Ninja_Prawn did raise and excellent point.

I should have mentioned that we are staying very close to the books - there is almost no magic in the world at this point, though they have unwittingly picked up one magical weapon. They don't know it is magic though. No spell casting, no healing magic, nada. So that makes it a bit more challenging.


a CR9 creature shouldn't have three damage vulnerabilities.

You are likely right, but I am trying to stay true to the books and to give my players a chance - they have one magical weapon between them, no valerian steel (and not likely to get any) and they have no idea about obsidian.


I think the Winter is Here trait is unnecessarily complicated. Why not just copy the Balor's Fire Aura (but with cold damage, obviously)?

I thought about that, and the only issue is that the aura is huge... I am thinking 120 feet. Again, for working within the books.


Make the resistances: slashing, piercing or bludgeoning damage unless the weapon or attack is magical or made from obsidian or valerian steel.

Good point. Thanks for the note on that.


I thought the fire vulnerability only applied to the 'wights' (zombies) to be honest. In fact, I thought the Walkers' presence actually extinguished flames.

If you can remember where that was, let me know. I have a faint memory of that as well, but for the life of me can't remember where.


First of all, this should be in Homebrew.

Second, I think this is a bit bland, to be honest. Sure, you have a bunch of immunities and passive traits, but your only attack is a couple of cold damage-dealing slashes. Unless you want this monster to be fought in large groups of its kind (which doesn't make a lot of sense) having only a single way to attack will not make for a good encounter.

Heck, why not turn this into a full-blown boss monster with Legendary Actions, designed to be fought with a host of lesser undead?

Yeah, I agree, though the intent of these creatures, again with the books, is that they do fight with the swords. They would almost always be part of a larger group consisting of the Wights (the zombieish creatures), and I was trying to think of a way to make them more dangerous individually, but couldn't find anything in the books. Certainly open to ideas though!

On the Homebrew note, you are correct! I've notified a mod to ask that it be moved.

[Ninja_Prawn]

If you can remember where that was, let me know. I have a faint memory of that as well, but for the life of me can't remember where.

It's been years since I read the books, so I can't remember the specifics anymore, but the information on the wiki (http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Others#Weakness) says that they are vulnerable only to obsidian and Valyrian steel. It implies that the reason for this is because both obsidian and Valyrian steel (in the ASOIAF mythos) can only be created by dragonfire.

Therefore, there is a distinction between normal fire and dragonfire (and/or magical fire). Possibly, you could refuff this as the radiant damage type.

If you really want to stick to the source material, I'd make them immune to all damage except radiant and damage caused by obsidian/Valyrian weapons. That will have a huge impact on their effective HP for the CR calculation, so if you keep them at 9, they will end up with a very low HP total, which actually works well, because then obsidian weapons will kill them quickly, but others will just fail.

To quote Melisandre in A Storm of Swords, chapter 78: "Necromancy animates these wights, yet they are still only dead flesh. Steel and fire will serve for them. The ones you call the Others are something more."

On reflection, I'm not convinced the White Walkers are actually undead. I'd be tempted to type them as humanoids.

[Inevitability]

On reflection, I'm not convinced the White Walkers are actually undead. I'd be tempted to type them as humanoids.

How about making them Fey?

[Ninja_Prawn]

How about making them Fey?

It's an option, but honesty I still prefer humanoid. After all, Troglodytes, Grimlocks and Quaggoths are humanoids. There's nothing particularly monstrous or faerie-like about the Others, and we have no evidence that they're from another plane (they are described by some of the characters as "demons", but I don't think that should influence a D&D port, because the word doesn't have a specific, technical definition in ASOIAF).

The Children of the Forest are 100% fey. I have no argument there.

[Inevitability]

It's an option, but honesty I still prefer humanoid. After all, Troglodytes, Grimlocks and Quaggoths are humanoids. There's nothing particularly monstrous or faerie-like about the Others, and we have no evidence that they're from another plane (they are described by some of the characters as "demons", but I don't think that should influence a D&D port, because the word doesn't have a specific, technical definition in ASOIAF).

Fey don't have to be fairy-like. Take a look at the Green and Sea hag, for example.

The DMG defines Fey as:


magical creatures closely tied to the forces of nature.

White Walkers are definitely magical, and I'm pretty sure 'cold' is a force of nature. Making them humanoids would really undercut their mystical aspects. From a mechanical perspective, it makes little sense that simple spells such as charm/dominate/hold person work on them, instead of being immune to any but the most advanced versions of those spells.


The Children of the Forest are 100% fey. I have no argument there.

I have to agree with you there.

[Tyger]

White Walkers are definitely magical, and I'm pretty sure 'cold' is a force of nature. Making them humanoids would really undercut their mystical aspects. From a mechanical perspective, it makes little sense that simple spells such as charm/dominate/hold person work on them, instead of being immune to any but the most advanced versions of those spells.

This I like. A lot. Thanks.

[Ninja_Prawn]

This I like. A lot. Thanks.

I remain unconvinced, but it's your monster, at the end of the day. At least we're moving away from 'undead', which doesn't fit at all.

[Tyger]

I remain unconvinced, but it's your monster, at the end of the day. At least we're moving away from 'undead', which doesn't fit at all.

Yeah, it ain't perfect, but it fits better than anything else, especially with the definition in mind.

I also really like your suggestion to make them immune to all non-obsidian/valerian weapons, but this is one time I think verisimilitude has to take a back seat to game mechanics - the PCs won't have access to valerian steel for a long time, if ever, and even obsidian is hard to come by, so they need to have some way to fight these creatures. Though I am going to remove the fire vulnerability, based on the quote of Mellisandre, even if she is working for the bad guys!

[Ninja_Prawn]

even if she is working for the bad guys!

Philosophical question: if there are no good guys, is it still possible for there to be bad guys?