Sher'Tul Apprentice-CR 20 Monster

[JNAProductions]

Spoiler: Sher'Tul Apprentice

Show

Sher'Tul Apprentice
Medium Aberration, Unaligned

---

Armor Class 14 (17 With Mage Armor)
Hit Points 240 (20d8+80, Max HP)
Speed 50'

---

Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
12 (+1)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)	22 (+6)	12 (+1)	18 (+4)

---

Saving Throws Constitution +10, Intelligence +12, Wisdom +7, Charisma +10
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+16 against grapples), Arcana +18, Perception +7
Damage Resistances Nonmagical damage
Senses Blindsight 60', Passive Perception 17
Languages Sher'Tul, Telepathy 60'
Challenge 20?

---

Magic Resistance The Sher'Tul Apprentice has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Spellcasting The Sher'Tul Apprentice is a 20th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). The Sher'Tul Apprentice can cast Sleep and Misty Step at-will. A Sher'Tul APprentice usually has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (At-Will): Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Shocking Grasp
1st level (4 slots): Mage Armor, Thunderwave, Fog Cloud, Grease
2nd level (3 slots): Mirror Image, Invisibility, Cloud of Daggers
3rd level (3 slots): Counterspell, Fly, Fireball
4th level (3 slots): Banishment, Ice Storm, Wall of Fire
5th level (3 slots): Cone of Cold, Wall of Force, Animate Objects
6th level (2 slots): Eyebite, Disintegrate
7th level (2 slots): Forcecage, Reverse Gravity
8th level (1 slot): Maze
9th level (1 slot): Meteor Swarm

Tentacular Grappler A Sher'Tul Apprentice has Expertise in all Acrobatics checks related to grappling, and may use Acrobatics in place of Athletics when attempting to initiate or maintain a grapple.

---

Actions

---

Tentacle Slam, Melee Attack: +10 to hit, 10' reach, one target. Hit: 1d8+4 bludgeoning damage and 1d8 force damage.

Extra Attack: The Sher'Tul Apprentice makes two Tentacle Slams or any other Attack action.

---

Sher'Tul Apprentices are the weakest of the Sher'Tul, barely able to cast spells that others do with ease. They make up for this by training harder physically, and are often much quicker and stronger than their elders.

A Sher'Tul Apprentice has the same form as any other Sher'Tul-a malleable tentacled form, vaguely humanoid in shape, largely transparent, with veins of magical energy running throughout the body.

If you are in The Sher'Tul Come, don't you DARE open that spoiler.

Now, with that out of the way, what CR do you think this is? And what do you think would make sense to add or remove?

[khadgar567]

Spoiler: Sher'Tul Apprentice

Show

Sher'Tul Apprentice
Medium Aberration, Unaligned

---

Armor Class 14 (17 With Mage Armor)
Hit Points 240 (20d8+80, Max HP)
Speed 50'

---

Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
12 (+1)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)	22 (+6)	12 (+1)	18 (+4)

---

Saving Throws Constitution +10, Intelligence +12, Wisdom +7, Charisma +10
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+16 against grapples), Arcana +18, Perception +7
Damage Resistances Nonmagical damage
Senses Blindsight 60', Passive Perception 17
Languages Sher'Tul, Telepathy 60'
Challenge ?

---

Magic Resistance The Sher'Tul Apprentice has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Spellcasting The Sher'Tul Apprentice is a 20th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to hit with spell attacks). The Sher'Tul Apprentice can cast Sleep and Misty Step at-will. A Sher'Tul APprentice usually has the following spells prepared:
Cantrips (At-Will): Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Shocking Grasp
1st level (4 slots): Mage Armor, Thunderwave, Fog Cloud, Grease
2nd level (3 slots): Mirror Image, Invisibility, Cloud of Daggers
3rd level (3 slots): Counterspell, Fly, Fireball
4th level (3 slots): Banishment, Ice Storm, Wall of Fire
5th level (3 slots): Cone of Cold, Wall of Force, Animate Objects
6th level (2 slots): Eyebite, Disintegrate
7th level (2 slots): Forcecage, Reverse Gravity
8th level (1 slot): Maze
9th level (1 slot): Meteor Swarm

Tentacular Grappler A Sher'Tul Apprentice has Expertise in all Acrobatics checks related to grappling, and may use Acrobatics in place of Athletics when attempting to initiate or maintain a grapple.

---

Actions

---

Tentacle Slam, Melee Attack: +10 to hit, 10' reach, one target. Hit: 1d8+4 bludgeoning damage and 1d8 force damage.

Extra Attack: The Sher'Tul Apprentice makes two Tentacle Slams or any other Attack action.

---

Sher'Tul Apprentices are the weakest of the Sher'Tul, barely able to cast spells that others do with ease. They make up for this by training harder physically, and are often much quicker and stronger than their elders.

A Sher'Tul Apprentice has the same form as any other Sher'Tul-a malleable tentacled form, vaguely humanoid in shape, largely transparent, with veins of magical energy running throughout the body.

If you are in The Sher'Tul Come, don't you DARE open that spoiler.

Now, with that out of the way, what CR do you think this is? And what do you think would make sense to add or remove?

it a nice warlock monster and this is all i can say

[Amnoriath]

Now, with that out of the way, what CR do you think this is? And what do you think would make sense to add or remove?

I am not sure if I am missing an inside joke or not but if this apprentice is not well trained in casting then why is it a base full level caster? This would suggest being quite skilled in casting.

[JNAProductions]

I am not sure if I am missing an inside joke or not but if this apprentice is not well trained in casting then why is it a base full level caster? This would suggest being quite skilled in casting.

For a Sher'Tul, it's incredibly weak. That's not because the Apprentice is actually weak-that's because other Sher'Tul are that much stronger.

[Amnoriath]

For a Sher'Tul, it's incredibly weak. That's not because the Apprentice is actually weak-that's because other Sher'Tul are that much stronger.

While there is more potential in different passive abilities and possibly legendary actions to enhance this then begs the question if "weak casting" is full casting with 22 slots coming into battles than what the heck does "good casting" look like? Honestly this is starting to sound like 3.X casting which at best may inflate your intended CR if not create 4e enemy to party disparity.

[JNAProductions]

This is designed specifically for a very high level party, and I want to throw challenges at them that still require smart thinking and planning. So that will likely mean higher than 20th level casting, yes.

[Amnoriath]

This is designed specifically for a very high level party, and I want to throw challenges at them that still require smart thinking and planning. So that will likely mean higher than 20th level casting, yes.

But there are better ways to challenge them than to set the minimum at 20th level casting and going from there. Tiamat is proof of that.

[JNAProductions]

But there are better ways to challenge them than to set the minimum at 20th level casting and going from there. Tiamat is proof of that.

*Shurg*

My game, my decisions. You reserve the right to say "I told you so" if it ends up failing.

Either way, any idea what CR this thing might be?

[Amnoriath]

*Shurg*

My game, my decisions. You reserve the right to say "I told you so" if it ends up failing.

Either way, any idea what CR this thing might be?

Well using the Lich as a basis yours is actually a better caster with more slots and more at wills. It also has more health and could be argued that your non-magical resistance goes farther than the Lich's plus your magical resistance goes much longer than Legendary resistance. The Lich though does more damage because of legendary actions though all of its choices almost consumes what it gets giving it just one more action to play with. All in all your monster can draw out the battle more and escape better, though the Lich has a bit more synergy as well as damage capability. Conservatively I would say it is an 18 but it could be easily as strong as a Lich deserving a 21.

[JNAProductions]

I actually modeled after the CR 12 Archmage, which has better magic resistance. But this does have a much higher AC, and a much better at-will damage option. So I'll highball it a little and say CR 20 until I hear more input.

[Amnoriath]

I actually modeled after the CR 12 Archmage, which has better magic resistance. But this does have a much higher AC, and a much better at-will damage option. So I'll highball it a little and say CR 20 until I hear more input.

No, it has the same magic resistance plus other things in which it needs not expend spell slots for.

[JNAProductions]

I'm sorry? It does not have resistance to damage from spells (which the Archmage does) and has the same level at-wills as the Archmage.

[Amnoriath]

I'm sorry? It does not have resistance to damage from spells (which the Archmage does) and has the same level at-wills as the Archmage.

It does though have resistance to any non-magical damage though with more than double the hit points and saves that trounce on the Archmage. Additionally the only at will the Archmage will be using in combat is Invisibility which will eat away at his actions if he uses it too much. Conversely you gave your monster a bonus action spell and a spell to automatically incapacitate most players at low hit points.

[PoeticDwarf]

I'm not going to discuss te above said. But I'd rate this CR 19