Catullus64
2021-05-06, 01:24 PM
Medium Undead, Lawful Evil
AC: 18 (Scale Mail +1, Shield)
HP: 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed: 30 feet
STR 19 DEX 12 CON 15 INT 14 WIS 17 CHA 18
Skills: Athletics +7, Perception +6
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 16
Saving Throws: Wisdom +6
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Poisoned
The Curse: When Prince Apophas is slain, the creature that slew him must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a success, a creature suffers 4d6 necrotic damage. On a failure the creature suffers the same damage and is afflicted with a terrible curse of festering sores, which daily yield forth black maggots. The cursed creature suffers disadvantage on Constitution saving throws, as well as ability checks to interact socially with other creatures.
Eternal Overlord: Apophas' tomb servants are bound to serve him eternally. When a friendly Skeleton is reduced to 0 HP while Prince Apophas is conscious, it is not destroyed, but is instead incapacitated and unconscious while it attempts to re-knit itself. At the end of each of that Skeleton's turns, it has a 50% chance to reanimate with all of its hit points.
Actions
Multiattack: Prince Apophas uses his Death Mask and makes two sword attacks.
Death Mask: One creature that Prince Apophas can see within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of Prince Apophas until the start of his next turn.
Sword: Melee Weapon Attack, +7 to hit, reach 5 feet, one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) slashing damage, plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.
Reactions
Parry: Prince Apophas adds 3 to his AC against one attack that would hit him. To do so, he must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Prince Apophas' vital organs have been ritually stored in four blessed jars of purest jade; while so stored and protected, they grant him nigh-divine strength.
These jars are kept in Prince Apophas' sarcophagus. They have AC 10 and 15 hit points each, and can be told apart by the animal whose visage is carved in the lid. Destroying a jar removes the listed benefit from Prince Apophas.
Baboon (Lungs): Prince Apophas has resistance to all damage.
Jackal (Stomach): Prince Apophas has advantage on all saving throws.
Lion (Liver): Prince Apophas can make three sword attacks, rather than two, when he takes his multiattack action.
Falcon (Intestines): At the start of each of his turns, Prince Apophas regains 15 Hit Points, provided he has at least 1 Hit Point remaining.
Now, according to the CR calculation guidelines in the DMG, he should be about a CR 4 without the buffs from the Canopic Jars, and a CR 8 with them. But I don't exactly trust those guidelines, so I'm interested in human input about whether or not he functions rightly.
He, along with 12 Skeletons, is the final encounter of his own tomb, intended to be fought by a party of 4 level 6 characters. If the player characters have been thorough in exploring the rest of the tomb, they should be able to collect enough information from inscriptions to know about the canopic jars and how they work, and a rough idea that skeletal minions in his chamber will keep coming back while he still... un-lives.
My intent is that if the player characters have that information and capitalize on it, the fight should be tough but manageable. If they do not have that information or fail to capitalize on it, the fight should be brutally difficult, with deaths all but certain and a TPK likely.
Do you think his stats, and the stats of the canopic jars, seem about right for that dynamic? Should I add or subtract skeletons? Any suggested features or stat tweaks for the big guy? I feel I've gotten it mostly right but it's always good to have outside eyes.
AC: 18 (Scale Mail +1, Shield)
HP: 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed: 30 feet
STR 19 DEX 12 CON 15 INT 14 WIS 17 CHA 18
Skills: Athletics +7, Perception +6
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 16
Saving Throws: Wisdom +6
Damage Immunities: Poison
Condition Immunities: Poisoned
The Curse: When Prince Apophas is slain, the creature that slew him must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw. On a success, a creature suffers 4d6 necrotic damage. On a failure the creature suffers the same damage and is afflicted with a terrible curse of festering sores, which daily yield forth black maggots. The cursed creature suffers disadvantage on Constitution saving throws, as well as ability checks to interact socially with other creatures.
Eternal Overlord: Apophas' tomb servants are bound to serve him eternally. When a friendly Skeleton is reduced to 0 HP while Prince Apophas is conscious, it is not destroyed, but is instead incapacitated and unconscious while it attempts to re-knit itself. At the end of each of that Skeleton's turns, it has a 50% chance to reanimate with all of its hit points.
Actions
Multiattack: Prince Apophas uses his Death Mask and makes two sword attacks.
Death Mask: One creature that Prince Apophas can see within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of Prince Apophas until the start of his next turn.
Sword: Melee Weapon Attack, +7 to hit, reach 5 feet, one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) slashing damage, plus 2 (1d4) fire damage.
Reactions
Parry: Prince Apophas adds 3 to his AC against one attack that would hit him. To do so, he must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Prince Apophas' vital organs have been ritually stored in four blessed jars of purest jade; while so stored and protected, they grant him nigh-divine strength.
These jars are kept in Prince Apophas' sarcophagus. They have AC 10 and 15 hit points each, and can be told apart by the animal whose visage is carved in the lid. Destroying a jar removes the listed benefit from Prince Apophas.
Baboon (Lungs): Prince Apophas has resistance to all damage.
Jackal (Stomach): Prince Apophas has advantage on all saving throws.
Lion (Liver): Prince Apophas can make three sword attacks, rather than two, when he takes his multiattack action.
Falcon (Intestines): At the start of each of his turns, Prince Apophas regains 15 Hit Points, provided he has at least 1 Hit Point remaining.
Now, according to the CR calculation guidelines in the DMG, he should be about a CR 4 without the buffs from the Canopic Jars, and a CR 8 with them. But I don't exactly trust those guidelines, so I'm interested in human input about whether or not he functions rightly.
He, along with 12 Skeletons, is the final encounter of his own tomb, intended to be fought by a party of 4 level 6 characters. If the player characters have been thorough in exploring the rest of the tomb, they should be able to collect enough information from inscriptions to know about the canopic jars and how they work, and a rough idea that skeletal minions in his chamber will keep coming back while he still... un-lives.
My intent is that if the player characters have that information and capitalize on it, the fight should be tough but manageable. If they do not have that information or fail to capitalize on it, the fight should be brutally difficult, with deaths all but certain and a TPK likely.
Do you think his stats, and the stats of the canopic jars, seem about right for that dynamic? Should I add or subtract skeletons? Any suggested features or stat tweaks for the big guy? I feel I've gotten it mostly right but it's always good to have outside eyes.