CR 30 Aberration - She'baz

[JamesIntrocaso]

I wrapped up my homebrew campaign about a month ago and the big bad was She'baz, mother of all aberrations. I shared her story and stats in a PDF on my blog and I'm wondering what you all think of this monster.

https://worldbuilderblog.me/shebaz-queen-of-aberrations/

[JNAProductions]

Lair actions should have a range. Otherwise... You know, they don't actually do damage. So nevermind-sure, it can snipe a party from ten miles away (on a clear day) but all it can do is poison or frighten them.

Ouch! No long rests? That's brutal, dude! And appropriate.

No damage resistances? I'd think it could resist elemental damage, at least.

Minor typo-Arcana is bolded, when it should not be.

Aberrant Environment needs work. What happens if She'Baz is flying 100' in the air? Do flying people within 30' immediately drop to 20'?

HOLY CRAP, AMORPHOUS! It works. But god-DAMN is that a terrifying image!

Gibbering is... Not fun. It's thematic, and powerful, but not fun. If you don't have at least +9 to Wisdom saves, you have over a 50% chance of having NO CONTROL over your character.

DC 27 Dominate Monster is ALSO not fun. You need +7 to even succeed on a nat 20, and the best a player can realistically get is +17 (+1 magic item, +5 Aura Of Protection, +5 Wisdom, +6 Proficiency) for a 55% chance of success. If She'Baz targets someone who has +6 or less, it's game over for them.

Magic Immunity/Resistance, Magic Weapons, and Siege Monster, all good.

Grappling doesn't have an Escape DC-it's an opposed check.

26d6 (save for half) psychic damage? That's pretty crazy.

Okay, checking the numbers...

Defensive CR 26 (from HP), +3 for AC, for 29.
Offensive CR (assumes 4 bites, 1 Legendary Tentacle, and 2 targets hit with Chorus of Wails) is 350 DPR, for OVER 30. Attack bonus ups that by 2, and save DC ups it by 2 as well, so around... 34? 35?

So, JUST RAW NUMBERS, you're looking at around CR 32, actually.

The issue is Gibbering and DC 27 Dominate Monster. Those are just too damn strong, even for an end boss.

[JamesIntrocaso]

Lair actions should have a range. Otherwise... You know, they don't actually do damage. So nevermind-sure, it can snipe a party from ten miles away (on a clear day) but all it can do is poison or frighten them.

Ouch! No long rests? That's brutal, dude! And appropriate.

No damage resistances? I'd think it could resist elemental damage, at least.

Minor typo-Arcana is bolded, when it should not be.

Aberrant Environment needs work. What happens if She'Baz is flying 100' in the air? Do flying people within 30' immediately drop to 20'?

HOLY CRAP, AMORPHOUS! It works. But god-DAMN is that a terrifying image!

Gibbering is... Not fun. It's thematic, and powerful, but not fun. If you don't have at least +9 to Wisdom saves, you have over a 50% chance of having NO CONTROL over your character.

DC 27 Dominate Monster is ALSO not fun. You need +7 to even succeed on a nat 20, and the best a player can realistically get is +17 (+1 magic item, +5 Aura Of Protection, +5 Wisdom, +6 Proficiency) for a 55% chance of success. If She'Baz targets someone who has +6 or less, it's game over for them.

Magic Immunity/Resistance, Magic Weapons, and Siege Monster, all good.

Grappling doesn't have an Escape DC-it's an opposed check.

26d6 (save for half) psychic damage? That's pretty crazy.

Okay, checking the numbers...

Defensive CR 26 (from HP), +3 for AC, for 29.
Offensive CR (assumes 4 bites, 1 Legendary Tentacle, and 2 targets hit with Chorus of Wails) is 350 DPR, for OVER 30. Attack bonus ups that by 2, and save DC ups it by 2 as well, so around... 34? 35?

So, JUST RAW NUMBERS, you're looking at around CR 32, actually.

The issue is Gibbering and DC 27 Dominate Monster. Those are just too damn strong, even for an end boss.

Thanks so much! Hugely helpful.

[JNAProductions]

I'm gonna ask a friend to make a party of 4 level 20 PCs, with any four magic items (excluding artifacts) of their choice.

Then I'll compare them to She'Baz. If there are any specific things that they might know about She'Baz, or special items/potions that can help, let me know.

Because, assuming that you KNOW you're fighting She'Baz, it'd be appropriate to have, say, a ritual that makes you immune to Gibbering and Domination for 24 hours-expensive, and needing a lot of help, but it turns the fight from nigh-impossible to doable.

[JamesIntrocaso]

I'm gonna ask a friend to make a party of 4 level 20 PCs, with any four magic items (excluding artifacts) of their choice.

Then I'll compare them to She'Baz. If there are any specific things that they might know about She'Baz, or special items/potions that can help, let me know.

Because, assuming that you KNOW you're fighting She'Baz, it'd be appropriate to have, say, a ritual that makes you immune to Gibbering and Domination for 24 hours-expensive, and needing a lot of help, but it turns the fight from nigh-impossible to doable.

Whoa. That is awesome.

Her aura is messed up. I'll likely remove the flying restriction from it all together.

So when my party went up against her they knew some stuff (she could dominate people, she dealt psychic damage, she had tiamat level save DCs), and I allow them to buy potions and scrolls as outlined here:

https://worldbuilderblog.me/big-purchases/

[JNAProductions]

So a potion of psychic resistance for each person is easily achievable. And then, does Protection From Good And Evil still help against Domination? I think it's just advantage, which means jack diddly unless you have +7 or better to your Wisdom saves.

[AvatarVecna]

Greetings! So, my friend (JNA) asked me to make a party of 4 20th lvl characters for an unspecified threat. I ended up making a pretty cliche party: ranged/scout Champion Fighter (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264021), melee/social Swashbuckler Rogue (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264103), melee/tank Life Cleric (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264070), and blaster/utility Evoker Wizard (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264117). I guess we're gonna go see how they compare to your monster now. :smallsmile:

[JamesIntrocaso]

Greetings! So, my friend (JNA) asked me to make a party of 4 20th lvl characters for an unspecified threat. I ended up making a pretty cliche party: ranged/scout Champion Fighter (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264021), melee/social Swashbuckler Rogue (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264103), melee/tank Life Cleric (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264070), and blaster/utility Evoker Wizard (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1264117). I guess we're gonna go see how they compare to your monster now. :smallsmile:

Thanks! I've already playtested her once with 5 level 20s and it went pretty well too.

JNA one thing I noticed in your notes, you save grapples aren't a save DC, but rather an opposed check. That's not true for many monsters in 5e. Just a heads up.

[JNAProductions]

Thanks! I've already playtested her once with 5 level 20s and it went pretty well too.

JNA one thing I noticed in your notes, you save grapples aren't a save DC, but rather an opposed check. That's not true for many monsters in 5e. Just a heads up.

Are they? Weird.

Well, it works-basically taking 10 on grapple checks.