PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Al-Jahar (Dazzle) [PEACH]



Wryte
2017-12-23, 03:17 PM
Updating an AD&D 2e creature for 5th edition.

Al-Jahar (Dazzle)
Dazzles are humanoid shapeshifters whose bloodlines were touched by an efreeti somewhere in the distant past. They hide among the populations of cities, generating and feeding upon base emotions of other intelligent creatures. Dazzles usually appear as attractive humanoids, often seeming to be a lovely human or elf woman, but their angelic beauty hides inner evil and manipulation. The creatures' true form is that of genderless, winged humanoids comprised of sparkling white motes and waves of almost invisible heat.
Charming Manipulators. A dazzle prefers to avoid combat, though it often encourages other to fight, for it feeds upon strong emotions. If anger, greed, or lust is present, the dazzle absorbs it; if not, the creature attempts to generate it. Favored dazzle tactics include using their magic to charm a victim into starting a fight, assuming the shape of a friendly creature and putting itself in harm's way to prompt others to defend it, and using minor illusion to to make bystanders appear to toss insults.
The creature can alter its form at will, so many disguises are possible, including males or females of most human-sized bipedal races. A dazzle generally has a few standard guises, with a personality for each. It often claims a territory like a dockside tavern, where fights are common and easy to incite. Other dazzles are not welcome in this territory, and may be attacked if they intrude. Dazzles can also hide their nature from magical detection, although genies instinctively recognize a dazzle on sight, so it always avoids them.
If discovered, a dazzle attempts a fast escape, often assuming its real form so it can fly. A dazzle is immune to light-generating and emotion-affecting spells and effects.
Urban Predators. Dazzles prefer to live in large cities, where they have plenty of prey and can live for years without being discovered. Smaller towns often quickly realize that something is amiss and drive the dazzles away. Victims are affected very little by a dazzle, at most feeling exhausted and emotionally drained after several hours in the creature's presence unless it feeds on too much emotion at once. If the dazzle is careful, it can prey on the same people for years without their ever realizing the truth.
Though usually found in a thriving metropolis, a dazzle may be encountered, alone and very hungry, in ruined cities as well. If a dazzle does not feed on strong emotions regularly, it weakens until it's only able to use its shapechanging and draining abilities. When discovered in ruins, a dazzle adopts the guise of a lost traveler and tries to gain the confidence of rescuers so they will take it to a populated area. In the meantime, it feeds on their suspicion and other emotions to gain enough energy for manipulation and travel on its own. Dazzles have even been known to join adventuring parties for a short time, using their powers to protect themselves, aid the party in small ways, and feed off the party members' emotions.

Al-Jahar (Dazzle)
Medium humanoid (shapechanger), neutral evil
____________________________________________
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 44 (8d8 + 8)
Speed 30 ft., fly 30 (true form only)
____________________________________________


STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA


12 (+1)
15 (+2)
13 (+1)
12 (+1)
14 (+2)
17 (+3)


____________________________________________
Skills Deception +6, Insight +5, Persuasion +6, Sleight of Hand +5
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Elvish
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
____________________________________________
Shapechanger. The dazzle can use its action to polymorph into a small or medium humanoid. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Magic Resistance. The dazzle has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects, and is immune to the calm emotions spell.
Innate Spellcasting. The dazzle's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). The dazzle can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will (self only): nondetection, nystul's magic aura (Mask only)
3/day: charm person, confusion, friends, light, minor illusion (sound only), shocking grasp, suggestion
1/day (true form only): blindness/deafness, dominate person, hypnotic pattern

Actions
____________________________________________
Multiattack. The dazzle makes two weapon attacks.
Claw (True Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) slashing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 20/60 ft. range, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
Drain Emotions. The dazzle attempts to feed on a target's emotions. One creature the dazzle can see within 60 ft. must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw, which they can choose to fail if they wish. The target has disadvantage on this saving throw if they are charmed or frightened by the dazzle.
If the creature fails the saving throw, the dazzle may either end any effect causing the target to be charmed or frightened, or render the target indifferent to anything but defending itself from attack. The latter effect can last for up to 1 minute, as if the dazzle were concentrating on a spell.
If the creature has disadvantage on the saving throw and both rolls would fail, the target gains a level of exhaustion. Once a creature has gained a level of exhaustion from this effect, it is immune to gaining exhaustion from the dazzle for 24 hours.

Composer99
2017-12-24, 08:33 AM
I don't have a lot of monster-building experience, so take what I write with a grain of salt of appropriate size.

Overall, I like this monster. It seems pretty well-built, and true to the source material.

Specific comments:

(1) CR 7 seems a little high? It doesn't do a whole lot of damage with its attacks, its signature feature (drain emotions) isn't particularly lethal, and its AC and hit points aren't that high. Is it to do with its shapechanging, magic resistance, and innate spellcasting?

(2) Speaking of innate spellcasting, I'm curious as to why minor illusion and shocking grasp are 3/day.

(3) Given the description of the creature's true form ("comprised of sparkling white motes and waves of almost invisible heat"), it seems a bit incongruous that its claw attack deals slashing damage.