IADnDMN Stream Monsters! (2019/03/27)
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!
Gravedigger Demon
Suggested by @whistlehunter, based on the boss from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.
A demon sometimes found in service to archfiends, usually to manage the bodies of those the fiend has killed, and sometimes for the purpose of reanimating those bodies.
Gravedigger Demon
Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil
Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 241 (23d10 + 115)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 12 (+1) 21 (+5) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 19 (+4)
Saving Throws Str +12, Dex +7, Int +6, Wis +8, Cha +10
Skills Athletics +12, Intimidation +10, Perception +8
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic
Damage Immunities fire, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, frightened, petrified, poisoned
Senses truesight 60 ft., blindsight 300 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 18
Languages understands Abyssal and Common but can't speak
Challenge 20 (25,000 XP)
Demonic Weapons. The demon's weapon attacks are magical. When the demon hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 6d6 fire damage (included in the attack).
Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If the demon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. The demon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multiattack. The demon makes three of its choice attacks with its shovel, in any combination. The demon can replace two of these attacks with a single use of its abyssal tentacles.
Shovel Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 21 (6d6) fire damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Shovel Slash. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d12 + 6) slashing damage plus 21 (6d6) fire damage.
Shovel Stab. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 21 (6d6) fire damage.
Abyssal Tentacles. The demon's mask opens, revealing a mass of horrible tentacles which lash out at a Medium or smaller target the demon can see within 30 feet of it. If the target is a creature, it must make a DC 20 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage plus 27 (6d8) acid damage and is grappled (escape DC 20). Until the grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the demon can reel the target 15 feet toward it as a bonus action on each of its turns. The demon can grapple only one target at a time.
Raise Undead (Recharge 4–6). The demon stabs his shovel into the ground, emanating necromantic energy in a 60-foot radius. When it does, up to 1d4 humanoid corpses in the area rise as wights, which all roll initiative as a group. The wights are loyal to the demon, obeying its commands to the best of their ability.
Vashta Nerada
Suggested by @natezsilli, based on the aliens from the TV show Doctor Who.
A swarm of miniscule alien beings, this force of nature is rarely encountered, and even more rarely survived. A swarm of Vashta Nerada can tear apart a living creature in mere seconds, leaving only a skeleton behind.
Vashta Nerada Swarm
Medium swarm of Tiny aberrations, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 9
Hit Points 71 (11d8 + 22)
Speed 10 ft., fly 10 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 1 (-5) 8 (-1) 15 (+2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 9 (-1)
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5
Damage Vulnerabilities radiant
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, cold, piercing, poison, slashing
Damage Immunities bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, prone, restrained, stunned
Senses blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), passive Perception 15
Languages Vashta Nerada
Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
Bright Light Hindrance. While in areas of bright light, the swarm can't use the Dash action.
Flyby. The swarm doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
Shadow Invisibility. The swarm is invisible in areas of darkness, even to creatures with darkvision.
Consuming Swarm. The swarm can occupy another creature's space and vice versa, and the swarm can move through any opening that is not air tight without squeezing. The swarm can't regain hit points or gain temporary hit points.
A creature that touches the swarm loses 19 (3d12) hit points, and a creature that starts its turn in the swarm's space loses 26 (4d12) hit points. In addition, the swarm can enter a creature's space and stop there. The first time it enters a creature's space on a turn, that creature loses 19 (3d12) hit points. A creature that dies within the swarm's space is reduced to nothing but bones.Actions
Dismantle. The swarm begins to tear apart a nonliving, nonmagical object or surface within its space. This process eats through up to 6 inches of wood, 3 inches of earth or stone, or 1 inch of common metal per round.
If the object is either nonmagical armor, a shield, or a weapon being worn or carried, it takes a permanent and cumulative −1 penalty to either its attack and damage rolls, or the AC it offers, as appropriate. Armor reduced to an AC of 10, a shield that drops to a +0 bonus, or a weapon with a -5 penalty is destroyed.Combine. The swarm combines with another Vashta Nerada swarm of its size within 5 feet of it, becoming a single swarm. The new swarm's hit point total is equal to the sum of the two combining swarms. If this sum is greater than the swarm's hit point maximum, it becomes a swarm of one size larger, its hit point total equal to the sum of the two combining swarms.