Catullus64
2021-09-06, 01:43 PM
Hopeful of the royal reward for his capture, the players have ventured against the hidden forest stronghold of the Minstrel King, the most infamous bandit lord of the Stonewood. Once they have evaded the cunning traps which surround his fortress, withstood the deceptions of his fairy servants, and made their way to his hall, they must contend with the murderous songster himself.
The Minstrel King
Medium Humanoid, Chaotic Evil
AC: 16 (Elven Chain)
HP: 55 (10d8+10)
Speed: 40 feet
STR 13 DEX 18 CON 12 INT 14 WIS 15 CHA 18
Skills: Deception +10, Performance +10, Perception +5, Stealth +7, Acrobatics +7
Senses: Passive Perception 15, Truesight 10 feet.
Saving Throws: Dexterity +7, Wisdom +5, Intelligence +5, Charisma +7
Damage Resistances: Psychic
Condition Immunities: Charmed
Actions:
Multiattack: The Minstrel King makes two attacks with his magic rapier, Brightnettle, and uses one of his Master Verses.
Turn of the Tongue: The Minstrel King uses two of his Master Verses.
Brightnettle: Melee Weapon Attack, +7 to hit, reach 5 feet, one creature. Hit: 1d8+4 piercing damage. Once per turn, as part of an attack with this weapon, the Minstrel King may cast Minor Illusion (Save DC 15).
Master Verses: Each master verse targets one creature within 30 feet that can hear the Minstrel King, including the Minstrel King himself; a creature does not need to understand the Minstrel King to be affected. The Minstrel King cannot recite the same verse more than once per turn.
The Doom of Gaumr Great-Hand: The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the end of the Minstrel King's next turn. While Frightened, the creature subtracts 1d4 from all saving throws it makes.
Lady Winter's Fingers: The Minstrel king makes a melee spell attack against the creature using his Charisma (+7 to hit). On a hit, the creature takes 1d10 cold damage and cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
The Satyr's Pavane: The creature must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be charmed by the Minstrel King until the end of its next turn. While charmed, the Minstrel King controls the creature's movement, and the creature must move before doing anything else on its turn.
Brave Alnic Slew Five Hundreds: The creature may immediately use its reaction to make a weapon attack.
Drink, O Drink, Life's Merry Drops: The creature regains 2d8+4 Hit Points.
Mist on the Pearl-Fields: The creature must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure the Minstrel King is considered to be under the effects of the Mirror Image spell against only that creature's attacks. This effect lasts until the Minstrel King targets another creature with this verse, or until the affected creature destroys all of the Mirror Images. While the Minstrel King has any Mirror Images remaining against a creature, he cannot target that creature with this verse.
As a note of interest, this guy will be the final encounter of a one/two-shot game using my Secret HP variant rule, which you can see outlined and discussed here: (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?636046-My-Terrible-Experiment). But I welcome critique of him as a monster with or without those rules taken into account.
The party fighting him will be four 6th-Level characters, no word yet on classes.
I'm thinking that he'll be fought alongside his Dryad (CR 1) consort, and half a dozen of his Bandits (souped up versions of CR 1/8 MM Bandits: an extra Hit Die for a total of 16 HP, 14 DEX rather than 12, and armed with Shields). The fight will (presumably) take place in his hall, with pillars, a central burning hearth, long tables, and high rafters.
The Minstrel King
Medium Humanoid, Chaotic Evil
AC: 16 (Elven Chain)
HP: 55 (10d8+10)
Speed: 40 feet
STR 13 DEX 18 CON 12 INT 14 WIS 15 CHA 18
Skills: Deception +10, Performance +10, Perception +5, Stealth +7, Acrobatics +7
Senses: Passive Perception 15, Truesight 10 feet.
Saving Throws: Dexterity +7, Wisdom +5, Intelligence +5, Charisma +7
Damage Resistances: Psychic
Condition Immunities: Charmed
Actions:
Multiattack: The Minstrel King makes two attacks with his magic rapier, Brightnettle, and uses one of his Master Verses.
Turn of the Tongue: The Minstrel King uses two of his Master Verses.
Brightnettle: Melee Weapon Attack, +7 to hit, reach 5 feet, one creature. Hit: 1d8+4 piercing damage. Once per turn, as part of an attack with this weapon, the Minstrel King may cast Minor Illusion (Save DC 15).
Master Verses: Each master verse targets one creature within 30 feet that can hear the Minstrel King, including the Minstrel King himself; a creature does not need to understand the Minstrel King to be affected. The Minstrel King cannot recite the same verse more than once per turn.
The Doom of Gaumr Great-Hand: The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the end of the Minstrel King's next turn. While Frightened, the creature subtracts 1d4 from all saving throws it makes.
Lady Winter's Fingers: The Minstrel king makes a melee spell attack against the creature using his Charisma (+7 to hit). On a hit, the creature takes 1d10 cold damage and cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
The Satyr's Pavane: The creature must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be charmed by the Minstrel King until the end of its next turn. While charmed, the Minstrel King controls the creature's movement, and the creature must move before doing anything else on its turn.
Brave Alnic Slew Five Hundreds: The creature may immediately use its reaction to make a weapon attack.
Drink, O Drink, Life's Merry Drops: The creature regains 2d8+4 Hit Points.
Mist on the Pearl-Fields: The creature must make a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw. On a failure the Minstrel King is considered to be under the effects of the Mirror Image spell against only that creature's attacks. This effect lasts until the Minstrel King targets another creature with this verse, or until the affected creature destroys all of the Mirror Images. While the Minstrel King has any Mirror Images remaining against a creature, he cannot target that creature with this verse.
As a note of interest, this guy will be the final encounter of a one/two-shot game using my Secret HP variant rule, which you can see outlined and discussed here: (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?636046-My-Terrible-Experiment). But I welcome critique of him as a monster with or without those rules taken into account.
The party fighting him will be four 6th-Level characters, no word yet on classes.
I'm thinking that he'll be fought alongside his Dryad (CR 1) consort, and half a dozen of his Bandits (souped up versions of CR 1/8 MM Bandits: an extra Hit Die for a total of 16 HP, 14 DEX rather than 12, and armed with Shields). The fight will (presumably) take place in his hall, with pillars, a central burning hearth, long tables, and high rafters.