sandmote
2021-06-11, 01:15 AM
this page on the homebrewery (https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/yudQXyeaFULK)
Where the monsters themed for shadow magic and truenaming seem kind of rote (they're existing creatures with abilities that happen to involve the new magic system) I really like the ones tied to vestiges. Since the writers couldn't just slap the new magic on repeats of existing monsters, they actually ended up kind of neat, with particular themes and abilities that are distinct. Well, not all of them (the "Horned Beast" is a mini-chimera) but most of them. The garbler isn't bad either, but I prefer the living spells, as they're consistent enough for the players to treat as a puzzle, whereas the garbler is slaps on constant debuffs.
My one complaint about such weird monsters is that they're a bit hard to clearly describe, because my players won't just recognize them by name. Of course, since this problem isn't really solvable, I don't consider it very big one. Anyway, on the monsters themselves:
Deadly DancerTwirling on their bladed limbs, troupes of deadly dancers twist and weave over the ground with stunning grace as they hunt down their prey.
Wild Motions. deadly dancers possess extreme flexibility, twisting and turning their sharp limbs in every direction, both for locomotion and communication. When holding still one ca reach eight feet in height, but they more commonly twist their bodies downward, to about five feet tall.
Bladed Steps. Deadly dancers have long, sword-like growths from what otherwise resemble arms and legs, which they use to battle and soak up blood. A deadly dancer is equally comfortable standing and attacking with all these blades, making them particularly deadly in combat.
Mouthless Face. Deadly dancers lack mouths, preventing them from speaking or eating in the manner of most other creatures. They communicate using their own language of complex twists and dances.
Desperate Feeders. Given their unusual diet, deadly dancers need to soak their limbs in blood at least once a week to avoid starvation. This often drives them to attack humanoids, as even a short period of poor hunting can drive the troupe to desperation.
Growth of Blood. A deadly dancer can embed a limb into a corpse and break it off, after which the limb grows into a new deadly dancer over the course of a week. Re-growing the limb can take as long as a month and reduces their ability to hunt, so most deadly dancers are loath to grow their troupe beyond a particular size.
Enslaved Assassins. Because deadly dancers are able to learn to understand other languages and are extremely loyal to their troupe, some evil beings enslave them to serve as assassins. With most the troupe imprisoned, a few members can be trusted to go on even long journeys to hunt down particular targets, limited more by their need to hunt than any break in loyalty.Medium Aberration, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 105 (12d8+36)
Speed 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 22 (+6) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 8 (-1) 15 (+2)
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +5, Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages deadly dancer; understands deep speech but can't speak.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Evasion. If the deadly dancer is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the deadly dancer instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Actions
Multiattack. The deadly dancer makes three attacks with its appendage blades.
Appendage Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 11 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage.
Whirlwind Attack. Each creature within 5 feet of the deadly dancer must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (2d10+6) slashing damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
DeathsheadCreated as a reservoir of knowledge in a ritual that involves drowning a giant, a deathshead is an invaluable aid for many sinister spellcasters and a severe threat to interlopers in their own right.
Sacrificial Origin. The ritual to create a deathshead requires the drowning of a giant with long hair, after which the deathshead is crafted from the giant's head. As such, the victims of this ritual are often female and never stone giants. Originally the practitioners of this ritual were also giants, but the knowledge of how to perform it has spread to other evil races in the ages it has been in use.
Head of Locks. A deathshead is able to raise itself off the ground by its long locks of hair, leaving its face looking upside down at its master or victims. A deathshead typically weighs 100 pounds and can stand with the stump of its neck up to four feet off the ground.
Repository of Knowledge. Deathsheads serve as a stock of knowledge able to recall and recite a vast variety of information for their creator at a moments notice.
Dominating Touch. The touch of a deathshead can innately dominate other creatures, and deathsheads in combat often dominate their enemies, riding on their backs as their foes tear themselves apart. deathsheads that outlive their creators use this ability to carve out petty fiefdoms, combining their vast knowledge and domination abilities to lord over the area.Small Undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 104 (16d6+48)
Speed 20 ft., 20 ft. climb, 20 ft. swim
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 18 (+4)
Skills Arcana +7, Athletics +8, History +7, Nature +7, Perception +6, Religion +7
Damage Resistances Cold, Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages Common, Giant, Abyssal, Draconic, Primordial
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Freedom of Movement. The deathshead is constantly under the effects of the freedom of movement spell.
Occult Memory. The deathshead adds its proficiency bonus to all checks made to recall knowledge.
Magic Resistance. The deathshead has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The deathshead makes four attacks, in any combination of Hair Lash and Grappling Hair attacks.
Hair Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Grappling Hair. The deathshead makes a grapple check against a creature within range. On a success the the target is affected by the dominate monster spell, cast by the deathshead for the duration of the grappled condition.
Dark RamCorrupted servants to a long gone deity, dark rams have been twisted into dark forms that scour rocky regions for creatures to terrorize.
Lost Flock. Long ago, a now lost god was served by a flock of wise rams as messengers and aides. Some sages speculate the dark rams of today are the twisted and corrupted descendants of these ancient messengers.
Twisted Form. Today, dark rams possess a tail ending in a venomous snake's head, shaggy black fur, a lupine body, and massive fangs too large for either goats or wolves.
Glee From Terror. Dark rams delight in attacking and maiming those around them. They regularly leave survivors of their attacks, to spread the news of their presence and heighten the fear they see in their next strike.
Incidental Guardians. Some evil creatures use dark rams as guardians, given the monstrosities' two heads and vicious attacks on trespassers. This role is incidental however, and dark rams can never truly be tamed.Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8+12)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
Senses passive Perception 11
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; Bludgeoning from Nonmagical Attacks
Languages --
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Celestial Heritage. The dark ram is subject to all effects that would apply to a celestial creature.
Charge. If the ram moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Two Heads. The ram has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Wakeful. When one of the ram's heads is asleep, its other head is awake.
Actions
Multiattack. The ram makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its gore. When its fire breath is available, it can use the breath in place of its gore.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage plus 7 (3d4) poison damage.
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The ram head exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
KarsiteKarsites are descended from a powerful mage long ago, whose machinations temporarily destroyed the weave and led to limits being placed on the power of spellcasting. Manifesting the power of this powerful spell user, karsites posses both a powerful blessing and curse: they innately resist and are healed by magic, and they cannot use it themselves.
Severed From Magic. Karsites grow up seperated from the magical weave, unable to cast spells from it, but also protected from its worst effects. Often, karsites are born to human parents, only learning of this if they attempt to learn magic or face it in battle.
Ruling Legacy. Long ago, the karsites across a large region were persecuted for their innate power. Binding together for safety, a group of them summoned the surviving vestige of their ancestor, Karsus. He declared them the be the rightful rulers of the world, and this band has since turned into a powerful organization seeking to erase the knowledge of magic from the material plane. They pursue this goal by destroying magical knowledge, killing spellcasters, and destroying magical items.Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (breastplate)
Hit Points 26 (4d8+8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 9 (-1) 10 (+0)
Skills Deception +2, Perception +1
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Magic Resistance. The karsite has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Severed From the Weave. The karsite is unable to cast spells or use magical abilities.
Spell Healing. The karsite regains 1d6+1 hit points each time is succeeds on a saving throw against a spell.
Actions
Multiattack. The karsite makes two attacks: one with its longsword and one with its magic draining touch.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.
Magic Draining Touch. The karsite reaches out and touches a magic item of legendary or lower rarity within 5 feet. If the item is held or worn by a creature, the creature can attempt a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the karsite's touch. On a failed save the karsite suppresses the item's magic until the end of the karsite's next turn. The item retains its durability, but loses all magical abilities and no longer counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Roving MaulerRoving maulers hunt by barreling out of the night, tearing at anything they come across with their long claws. In the day, they are most often seen resting in trees, awaiting the coming night.
Wheel of Claws. From the side, a roving mauler resembles a star, each of its five limbs evenly spaced in a row, two always pushing forward as a third slashes at prey. Instead of a torso, a lion's head with a long, flowing mane sticks out each side of the creature, allowing it to see to each side at the same time.
Mobile Hunters. Roving maulers are strongest when circling their enemies, bounding over them and getting clear to avoid attack. When worn down, they turn and avoid fighting until their innate healing to stay healthy. As a result, they are quick to turn tail if an enemy demonstrates an ability to waste their movement or even pin a member of the pride in place.
Nighttime Prides. Both the heads and limbs of roving maulers resemble those of lions, and prides of the two creature sometimes have overlapping territory. Where lions are stealthy and creep up on prey through thick vegetation, roving maulers instead wait for nightfall. Occasionally, prides of lions are known to force roving maulers from their kills.Medium monstrosity, neutral
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 32 (5d8+10)
Speed 40 ft., 30 ft. climb
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Intimidation +3, Perception +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Nimble Movement. The roving mauler can take the disengage action as a bonus action.
Regeneration. The roving mauler regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. If the roving mauler takes necrotic damage or is unconscious, this trait doesn't function at the start of the mauler's next turn.
Tumbling Bounds. The roving mauler can move through the space of another creature, but not end its turn there.
Two Heads. The roving mauler has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Wakeful. When one of the roving mauler's heads is asleep, its other head is awake.
Actions
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Tumbling Blows. The first time the roving mauler exits the space of another creature, the roving mauler can make one attack with its claws against that creature. This benefit lasts until the end of the roving mauler's turn.
Tooth BeastResembling a bear in general shape, tooth beasts are covered all over their bodies in a wide variety of fangs and sharp teeth, massive canines imbedded where their eyes should be and in their pink, gummy skin. They hunt through the bowels of the underdark, following the sounds of battle to devour the dead and the dying.
Dogged Pursuit. Tooth beasts will fight mercilessly to maintain a grip on their prey, leading many denizens of the underdark to abandon the dead and dying should one appear in the midst of a battle.
Moist Dens. Tooth beasts are vulnerable to drying out, and the few to live on the surface typically only hunt prey under the cover of rain or when it wanders right outside their dens. Those in the underdark follow the sounds of battle, treating the constant skirmishes between underdark denizens as a perpetual buffet.Large aberration, neutral
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 142 (12d10+48)
Speed 20 ft., 20 ft. climb
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Intimidation +7, Perception +4
Condition Immunities Blinded, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The tooth beast has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Spined Body. A creature that touches the tooth beast or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) piercing damage.
Sprint After Fear. As a bonus action, the tooth beast moves up to its speed toward one frightened creature it can see.
Actions
Multiattack. The tooth beast can use its Frightful Moan. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 9 (1d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Frightful Moan. The tooth beast emits a powerful roar. Each creature within 60 feet must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, becoming frightened for 1 minute on a failed save. An affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the tooth beast's Frightful Moan for the next 24 hours.
Where the monsters themed for shadow magic and truenaming seem kind of rote (they're existing creatures with abilities that happen to involve the new magic system) I really like the ones tied to vestiges. Since the writers couldn't just slap the new magic on repeats of existing monsters, they actually ended up kind of neat, with particular themes and abilities that are distinct. Well, not all of them (the "Horned Beast" is a mini-chimera) but most of them. The garbler isn't bad either, but I prefer the living spells, as they're consistent enough for the players to treat as a puzzle, whereas the garbler is slaps on constant debuffs.
My one complaint about such weird monsters is that they're a bit hard to clearly describe, because my players won't just recognize them by name. Of course, since this problem isn't really solvable, I don't consider it very big one. Anyway, on the monsters themselves:
Deadly DancerTwirling on their bladed limbs, troupes of deadly dancers twist and weave over the ground with stunning grace as they hunt down their prey.
Wild Motions. deadly dancers possess extreme flexibility, twisting and turning their sharp limbs in every direction, both for locomotion and communication. When holding still one ca reach eight feet in height, but they more commonly twist their bodies downward, to about five feet tall.
Bladed Steps. Deadly dancers have long, sword-like growths from what otherwise resemble arms and legs, which they use to battle and soak up blood. A deadly dancer is equally comfortable standing and attacking with all these blades, making them particularly deadly in combat.
Mouthless Face. Deadly dancers lack mouths, preventing them from speaking or eating in the manner of most other creatures. They communicate using their own language of complex twists and dances.
Desperate Feeders. Given their unusual diet, deadly dancers need to soak their limbs in blood at least once a week to avoid starvation. This often drives them to attack humanoids, as even a short period of poor hunting can drive the troupe to desperation.
Growth of Blood. A deadly dancer can embed a limb into a corpse and break it off, after which the limb grows into a new deadly dancer over the course of a week. Re-growing the limb can take as long as a month and reduces their ability to hunt, so most deadly dancers are loath to grow their troupe beyond a particular size.
Enslaved Assassins. Because deadly dancers are able to learn to understand other languages and are extremely loyal to their troupe, some evil beings enslave them to serve as assassins. With most the troupe imprisoned, a few members can be trusted to go on even long journeys to hunt down particular targets, limited more by their need to hunt than any break in loyalty.Medium Aberration, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 105 (12d8+36)
Speed 60 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 22 (+6) 17 (+3) 11 (+0) 8 (-1) 15 (+2)
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +5, Perception +2
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages deadly dancer; understands deep speech but can't speak.
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Evasion. If the deadly dancer is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the deadly dancer instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Actions
Multiattack. The deadly dancer makes three attacks with its appendage blades.
Appendage Blades. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 11 (1d10 + 6) slashing damage.
Whirlwind Attack. Each creature within 5 feet of the deadly dancer must make a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (2d10+6) slashing damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
DeathsheadCreated as a reservoir of knowledge in a ritual that involves drowning a giant, a deathshead is an invaluable aid for many sinister spellcasters and a severe threat to interlopers in their own right.
Sacrificial Origin. The ritual to create a deathshead requires the drowning of a giant with long hair, after which the deathshead is crafted from the giant's head. As such, the victims of this ritual are often female and never stone giants. Originally the practitioners of this ritual were also giants, but the knowledge of how to perform it has spread to other evil races in the ages it has been in use.
Head of Locks. A deathshead is able to raise itself off the ground by its long locks of hair, leaving its face looking upside down at its master or victims. A deathshead typically weighs 100 pounds and can stand with the stump of its neck up to four feet off the ground.
Repository of Knowledge. Deathsheads serve as a stock of knowledge able to recall and recite a vast variety of information for their creator at a moments notice.
Dominating Touch. The touch of a deathshead can innately dominate other creatures, and deathsheads in combat often dominate their enemies, riding on their backs as their foes tear themselves apart. deathsheads that outlive their creators use this ability to carve out petty fiefdoms, combining their vast knowledge and domination abilities to lord over the area.Small Undead, chaotic evil
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 104 (16d6+48)
Speed 20 ft., 20 ft. climb, 20 ft. swim
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 18 (+4)
Skills Arcana +7, Athletics +8, History +7, Nature +7, Perception +6, Religion +7
Damage Resistances Cold, Necrotic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison
Senses passive Perception 18
Languages Common, Giant, Abyssal, Draconic, Primordial
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Freedom of Movement. The deathshead is constantly under the effects of the freedom of movement spell.
Occult Memory. The deathshead adds its proficiency bonus to all checks made to recall knowledge.
Magic Resistance. The deathshead has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The deathshead makes four attacks, in any combination of Hair Lash and Grappling Hair attacks.
Hair Lash. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Grappling Hair. The deathshead makes a grapple check against a creature within range. On a success the the target is affected by the dominate monster spell, cast by the deathshead for the duration of the grappled condition.
Dark RamCorrupted servants to a long gone deity, dark rams have been twisted into dark forms that scour rocky regions for creatures to terrorize.
Lost Flock. Long ago, a now lost god was served by a flock of wise rams as messengers and aides. Some sages speculate the dark rams of today are the twisted and corrupted descendants of these ancient messengers.
Twisted Form. Today, dark rams possess a tail ending in a venomous snake's head, shaggy black fur, a lupine body, and massive fangs too large for either goats or wolves.
Glee From Terror. Dark rams delight in attacking and maiming those around them. They regularly leave survivors of their attacks, to spread the news of their presence and heighten the fear they see in their next strike.
Incidental Guardians. Some evil creatures use dark rams as guardians, given the monstrosities' two heads and vicious attacks on trespassers. This role is incidental however, and dark rams can never truly be tamed.Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 12 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8+12)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
13 (+1) 11 (+0) 15 (+2) 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 7 (-2)
Senses passive Perception 11
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder; Bludgeoning from Nonmagical Attacks
Languages --
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Celestial Heritage. The dark ram is subject to all effects that would apply to a celestial creature.
Charge. If the ram moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a gore attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Two Heads. The ram has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Wakeful. When one of the ram's heads is asleep, its other head is awake.
Actions
Multiattack. The ram makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its gore. When its fire breath is available, it can use the breath in place of its gore.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage plus 7 (3d4) poison damage.
Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.
Fire Breath (Recharge 5–6). The ram head exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
KarsiteKarsites are descended from a powerful mage long ago, whose machinations temporarily destroyed the weave and led to limits being placed on the power of spellcasting. Manifesting the power of this powerful spell user, karsites posses both a powerful blessing and curse: they innately resist and are healed by magic, and they cannot use it themselves.
Severed From Magic. Karsites grow up seperated from the magical weave, unable to cast spells from it, but also protected from its worst effects. Often, karsites are born to human parents, only learning of this if they attempt to learn magic or face it in battle.
Ruling Legacy. Long ago, the karsites across a large region were persecuted for their innate power. Binding together for safety, a group of them summoned the surviving vestige of their ancestor, Karsus. He declared them the be the rightful rulers of the world, and this band has since turned into a powerful organization seeking to erase the knowledge of magic from the material plane. They pursue this goal by destroying magical knowledge, killing spellcasters, and destroying magical items.Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 14 (breastplate)
Hit Points 26 (4d8+8)
Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
14 (+2) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 9 (-1) 10 (+0)
Skills Deception +2, Perception +1
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Magic Resistance. The karsite has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Severed From the Weave. The karsite is unable to cast spells or use magical abilities.
Spell Healing. The karsite regains 1d6+1 hit points each time is succeeds on a saving throw against a spell.
Actions
Multiattack. The karsite makes two attacks: one with its longsword and one with its magic draining touch.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage.
Magic Draining Touch. The karsite reaches out and touches a magic item of legendary or lower rarity within 5 feet. If the item is held or worn by a creature, the creature can attempt a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the karsite's touch. On a failed save the karsite suppresses the item's magic until the end of the karsite's next turn. The item retains its durability, but loses all magical abilities and no longer counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Roving MaulerRoving maulers hunt by barreling out of the night, tearing at anything they come across with their long claws. In the day, they are most often seen resting in trees, awaiting the coming night.
Wheel of Claws. From the side, a roving mauler resembles a star, each of its five limbs evenly spaced in a row, two always pushing forward as a third slashes at prey. Instead of a torso, a lion's head with a long, flowing mane sticks out each side of the creature, allowing it to see to each side at the same time.
Mobile Hunters. Roving maulers are strongest when circling their enemies, bounding over them and getting clear to avoid attack. When worn down, they turn and avoid fighting until their innate healing to stay healthy. As a result, they are quick to turn tail if an enemy demonstrates an ability to waste their movement or even pin a member of the pride in place.
Nighttime Prides. Both the heads and limbs of roving maulers resemble those of lions, and prides of the two creature sometimes have overlapping territory. Where lions are stealthy and creep up on prey through thick vegetation, roving maulers instead wait for nightfall. Occasionally, prides of lions are known to force roving maulers from their kills.Medium monstrosity, neutral
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 32 (5d8+10)
Speed 40 ft., 30 ft. climb
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
15 (+2) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 3 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Intimidation +3, Perception +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Nimble Movement. The roving mauler can take the disengage action as a bonus action.
Regeneration. The roving mauler regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn. If the roving mauler takes necrotic damage or is unconscious, this trait doesn't function at the start of the mauler's next turn.
Tumbling Bounds. The roving mauler can move through the space of another creature, but not end its turn there.
Two Heads. The roving mauler has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.
Wakeful. When one of the roving mauler's heads is asleep, its other head is awake.
Actions
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Tumbling Blows. The first time the roving mauler exits the space of another creature, the roving mauler can make one attack with its claws against that creature. This benefit lasts until the end of the roving mauler's turn.
Tooth BeastResembling a bear in general shape, tooth beasts are covered all over their bodies in a wide variety of fangs and sharp teeth, massive canines imbedded where their eyes should be and in their pink, gummy skin. They hunt through the bowels of the underdark, following the sounds of battle to devour the dead and the dying.
Dogged Pursuit. Tooth beasts will fight mercilessly to maintain a grip on their prey, leading many denizens of the underdark to abandon the dead and dying should one appear in the midst of a battle.
Moist Dens. Tooth beasts are vulnerable to drying out, and the few to live on the surface typically only hunt prey under the cover of rain or when it wanders right outside their dens. Those in the underdark follow the sounds of battle, treating the constant skirmishes between underdark denizens as a perpetual buffet.Large aberration, neutral
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 142 (12d10+48)
Speed 20 ft., 20 ft. climb
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 10 (+0) 18 (+4) 2 (-4) 12 (+1) 8 (-1)
Skills Intimidation +7, Perception +4
Condition Immunities Blinded, Frightened, Poisoned
Senses blindsight 120 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 13
Languages --
Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
Keen Hearing and Smell. The tooth beast has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Spined Body. A creature that touches the tooth beast or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) piercing damage.
Sprint After Fear. As a bonus action, the tooth beast moves up to its speed toward one frightened creature it can see.
Actions
Multiattack. The tooth beast can use its Frightful Moan. It then makes three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit 9 (1d6 + 6) slashing damage.
Frightful Moan. The tooth beast emits a powerful roar. Each creature within 60 feet must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, becoming frightened for 1 minute on a failed save. An affected creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the tooth beast's Frightful Moan for the next 24 hours.