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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Balancing the Barrow King homebrew monster



Tesla_pasta
2017-08-10, 10:57 PM
I need a hand getting this monster right. I'm using him as the boss for a dungeon in a homebrew campaign I'm running soon, and I'm unsure if his CR works out the way I want it to.

Daegan, the King under the Barrows (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1egBl5vOwbvBmxFZtfqxoAcJqNAX76o8f-itXBs0x0sY/edit?usp=sharing)


King Daegan
Medium Undead, Lawful Evil

Armor Class: 15 (mage armor)
Hit Points: 108 (12d8+48)
Speed: 30ft

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
17 (+3) 14 (+0) 19 (+4) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 16 (+3)

Saving Throws: Con +7, Wis +5, Cha +6
Skills: Arcana +3, Deception +6
Damage Resistance: necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non-magical weapons that aren’t silvered.
Damage Immunities: poison
Condition Immunities: exhaustion, poisoned
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft, passive perception 15
Languages: Common, Elvish, Undercommon
Challenge: 4?5?
Armor of Shadows: King Daegan can cast mage armor on himself at will, without expending a spell slot or material components.

Fey Presence (1/short rest): with an action, each creature in a 10ft cube originating from King Daegan make a DC 16 Wisdom save. On a failure, they become frightened or charmed until the end of his next turn.

Lifedrinker: King Daegan adds his charisma bonus to damage rolls as necrotic damage

Misty Escape (1/short rest): When King Daegan takes damage, he can use his reaction to turn invisible and teleport 60ft to an unoccupied space he can see. He is invisible until the start of his next turn or until he attacks or casts a spell.

Spellcasting: King Daegan is a 6th level spellcaster. His spellcasting stat is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +6 to hit with spell attacks). He always casts spells with 2nd level slots. He knows the following Warlock spells.

Cantrips (at will): Chill Touch, Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand
Spells (2/short rest): Unseen Servant, Faerie Fire, Blur, Misty Step, Magic Circle, Vampiric Touch

Sunlight Sensitivity: While in sunlight, King Daegan has disadvantage on attack rolls, and wisdom (perception) checks that rely on sight.

ACTIONS

Multiattack: King Daegan makes 2 greatsword attacks. He may use his lifedrain in place of one attack.

Life Drain: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft, one creature. Hit: (1d6+6) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces it hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain by this attack rises 24 hours later as a zombie under King Daegan’s control, unless the humanoid is restored to life or its body destroyed. King Daegan can have no more than 12 zombies under his control at one time.
While benefiting from Vampiric Touch, this attack inflicts both effects on a hit.

Greatsword: Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft, one target. Hit: (2d6+6) slashing and necrotic damage.

Strategy
King Daegan fights aggressively and intelligently, relying on his Misty Escape to save him if the fight turns against him. He begins the battle by ganging up with any minions on the softest-looking target, leading with Vampiric Touch so that his Life Drain attack is as lethal as possible. If he is locked down by a stronger melee fighter, he will use his Fey Presence and attempt to move past them to weaker foes. If his minions fall, he will use it to escape if possible. If he loses concentration on his Vampiric Touch, he might re-cast it OR switch to Blur depending on the situation. If most foes still alive weapon users, he will Blur himself to increase survivability. If the enemies have low defenses, he will keep up the aggression with another Vampiric Touch.




mechanically, I took a wight and gave it 6 levels of warlock (pact of the blade, Fey patron). The issue I'm running into is his CR. With Vampiric Touch up, his multiattack hits for about 33 at +6 to hit which is at the bottom of CR 5, and since he only gets 1 attack the turn he casts it, he averages out a strong CR 4 offensively.

His AC is a CR 5, his HP a CR 3, but he also has access to Blur, the healing from vampiric touch, and Misty escape. Does he need more beef to be a CR 5 monster?