IADnDMN Stream Monsters! (2018/11/07)
As always, tune into ItsADnDMonsterNow's weekly monster-making stream on Twitch every Wednesday at 11am Pacific! We hang out, talk DnD, and make monsters together as I explain my process and share my tips for making fun and effective monsters that you can use in your own games!
Metaprism
An arcane construction from a ancient civilization, the method by which a metaprism is created has been lost to time.
These emotionless guardian constructs are most often found in ancient temples and vaults, often in places seething with magical power. They are absolutely unerring in the execution of their duty, lying motionless for eons before activating the moment an unauthorized presence enters their perception, or patrolling the corridors of some long forgotten and buried labyrinth without end, unknowing (or uncaring) if any living soul will walk those halls ever again.
Metaprism
Medium construct, unaligned
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 76 (8d8 + 40)
Speed 0 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 3 (-4) 20 (+5) 1 (-5) 5 (-3) 5 (-3)
Saving Throws Str +5, Wis +0, Cha +0
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, radiant
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, restrained, stunned, unconscious
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Metaprism. Whenever the metaprism suffers acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, or radiant damage, each non-metaprism creature within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take an amount of damage of the same type equal to half the amount the metaprism suffered. The metaprism then loses its resistance to that type until the end of its next turn.
Magic Resistance. The metaprism has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Withstand. When the metaprism is forced to make a Dexterity saving throw, it can make a Constitution saving throw instead, using that result in its place.
Actions
Multiattack. The creature makes up to six metaray attacks: one for each time its metaprism trait was activated since the end of its last turn.
Metaray. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) damage of the type that last triggered its Metaprism trait.
Dazzling Lights. Each creature within 10 feet of the metaprism must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 10 (4d4) radiant damage and is blinded until the end of its next turn on a failed save, or takes half as much damage and is not blinded on a successful one.
Ember City Guardian
Suggested by Discord regular @SherlockHole1, based on the album art and song titles from the Mastodon album, "Once More Round the Sun."
The Ember City is a mysterious place that is said to exist beyond the multiverse. It is a place of alien geometry and unfathomable beings. The gates of this city's smooth, shining walls are guarded by incomprehensible beings known simply as Ember City Guardians.
Ember City Guardian
Huge aberration, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 232 (16d12 + 128)
Speed 50 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 26 (+8) 13 (+1) 27 (+8) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 21 (+5)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +10
Skills Arcana +7, Deception +10, History +7, Insight +10, Perception +10, Religion +7
Damage Resistances psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
Senses blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 20
Languages Deep Speech, Primordial; telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)
Asleep in the Deep. When the guardian is reduced to 0 hit points, it doesn't die. It is instead teleported to the Far Plane, where it sleeps for 1d100 years before returning.
Bioluminescence. The guardian's body is covered with a number of softly glowing nodes that shed dim light out in a 20-foot radius. As a bonus action on its turn, the guardian can alter the brightness of these nodes, changing the radius of the dim light to any range of its choice from 0 to 30 feet.
Fire Absorption. Whenever the guardian is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt.
Tread Lightly. The guardian doesn't actually walk, instead hovering a few feet above the ground. As such, the guardian makes no sound when it moves, is immune to effects caused by uneven or unstable ground, and moving across difficult terrain in such a case doesn't cost it extra movement.
Actions
Multiattack. The guardian makes two slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (3d10 + 8) bludgeoning damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage.
Chimes at Midnight. Each creature in a 10-foot radius sphere centered on a point the guardian can see within 60 feet of it must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 18 (4d8) thunder damage, 18 (4d8) psychic damage, and is knocked prone on a failed save, or half as much of each damage type, and is not knocked prone on a successful one.
'Round the Sun (Recharges After a Short or Long Rest). The guardian conjures a 5-foot diameter globe of crackling fire energy, which it throws to a point of its choice within 60 feet, where it then hovers in place for up to 10 minutes, or until the guardian chooses to end it (no action). A creature that moves to within 20 feet of the globe for the first time on its turn, or who starts its turn there must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw, or be swept into orbit around the globe.
A creature orbiting the globe takes 7 (2d6) fire damage and 7 (2d6) lightning damage at the start of each of the guardian's turns, and hovers in a circular path around the globe. While hovering this way, the creature is raised a few feet off the ground (as if by the levitate spell) and is forced to move 20 feet along its orbit at the start of each of its turns. An orbiting creature can repeat its save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success, or if its path intersects with a solid surface, it can use the remainder of its movement to end the effect immediately.Feast Your Eyes (1/Day). The guardian taps into the mind of up to six creature it can see within 60 feet of it, forcing them each to make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. The guardian learns the greatest desires of each creature that fails its save, and simultaneously projects an illusory image in a space the guardian can see within 60 feet of it. The image must fit within a 20-foot cube, which can occupy the space of other creatures or objects, and can be shaped to obscure anything of the guardian's choice currently in that space.
Each creature that failed its save is wholly convinced by the illusion, and is also charmed. A charmed creature must use all of its movement on its turns to move toward the illusion, taking no actions except to Dash toward it, or to overcome any obstacles in its way. A creature that failed its save can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. A creature makes this save with disadvantage unless it has suffered damage or a harmful effect as a result of this illusion.
Wax Scholar
Requested by Patron and Discord regular @whistlehunter, based on the enemy from the Dark Souls series.
Wax scholars are highly fanatical acolytes of an eldritch god who blind themselves with hot wax in order to protect themselves from the corrupting knowledge held within the books they keep locked away.
The scholars are sorcerers and warlocks who serve an unnamed abomination from the far planes. They believe that conventional knowledge is a corrupting force, so they collect all the texts they can and hide them away in their cavernous, cathedral-like library. As part of their induction ritual, they blind themselves by pouring hot wax into and around their eyes, so that they can't possibly read the forbidden knowledge held there.
This ritual causes them to form a bond with candles and candlewax, not entirely dissimilar to the bond a cleric has with their holy symbol. Thus their magic is tied with with wax that adorns their body, which is most apparent when this wax is lit, causing the scholar's magic to become drastically empowered.
Image source: Dark Souls Wikia
Wax Scholar
Medium humanoid (any race), lawful evil
Armor Class 7
Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6)
Speed 10 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 4 (-3) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
Skills Arcana +5, History +5, Perception +3
Damage Resistances fire, force
Condition Immunities blinded
Senses blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius) passive Perception 13
Languages any two languages
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Adapted Senses. The scholar doesn't have use of its eyes, but has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) Checks that rely on hearing.
Candle. The wax covering the scholar forms a makeshift candle on top of its head. The GM decides whether the scholar's candle starts lit, and the candle is lit immediately if the scholar takes fire damage. The scholar can only use its Arcane Bolt, Arcane Barrage, and Wax Spray actions while its candle is lit.
Echolocation. The scholar can't use its blindsight while deafened.
Magic Resistance. The scholar has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The creature makes two attacks with its candle dagger.
Candle Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d4 + 1) piercing damage, plus an extra 3 (1d6) fire damage if the scholar's candle is lit.
Arcane Bolt. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) force damage.
Wax Spray (Recharge 6). The scholar flings hot wax in a 10-foot cube projected out from the scholar. Each creature in the area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 3 (1d6) fire damage and having its speed halved on a failed save, or half as much damage, and not becoming slowed on a successful one.
Arcane Barrage (1/Day). The scholar unleashes a torrent of magical attacks, pelting target in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.