Paragon Creatures
Paragon is a modification made to regular numbers to improve their survivability and viability as encounters where they are the only opponent. Though the result can be dramatic to players, creating a simple paragon creature from a regular stat block is deceptively simple. To complete the process, simply determine the creature's Paragon level, traits and actions.
Paragon Level
A creature's paragon level determines how powerful the final creature will be and the challenge it will provide by interacting with Paragon traits and actions. Multiply the total experience awarded for defeating the creature by 1 plus its Paragon level. To determine the difficulty of a given encounter, treat each paragon level as an additional creature of its given challenge.
The Paragon level expressed as a number in the Challenge section of a creature's statistics. For example, a Challenge 1 Paragon creature with a paragon level of 2 would read as follows:
Challenge 1 (Paragon 2; 600 XP)
Paragon Trait: Fortitude
Every paragon creature has this trait. This determines the number of health pools the creature has, each one equal to the creature's base hit points. For example, a paragon 2 creature with 5d8+10 hit points would have 3 health pools of 32 hit points.
Paragon Fortitude. The creature has multiple pools of hit points, each one tracked separately. Any damage and healing is applied to only one pool at a time. If a pool is reduced to 0 hit points, all ongoing conditions affecting the creature end. and that pool cannot receive any healing until the creature finishes a long rest. If all health pools the monster has are reduced to 0, it is killed.
Paragon Trait: Exhaustion or Fury
This trait determines whether the creature becomes stronger over time, or weaker over time. A creature with Paragon Exhaustion will begin the fight at its peak and become progressively weaker as it takes more damage, while a creature with Paragon Fury is the opposite.
Paragon Exhaustion. The creature can take an additional turn each round of combat for each health pool it has above 0. When a pool of hit points is reduced to 0, it loses one turn on each subsequent round. The creature rolls Initiative with advantage on he first round of combat, and each subsequent turn is inserted immediately after one of its opponents' turn in the initiative order.
Paragon Fury. The creature can take an additional turn each round of combat for each health pool that has been reduced to 0. The creature rolls Initiative with advantage on he first round of combat, and each subsequent turn is inserted immediately after one of its opponents' turn in the initiative order.
Paragon Actions
Some Paragon creatures also gain special actions called Paragon Actions. It can take these actions at any time when its turn comes up on the initiative, but it can only use a given paragon action once per round.
Stage-locked Actions Some actions, including Paragon actions, can only be taken at a certain point in the fight. This requirement is referred to as a Stage, and is tracked by the number of health pools the creature has lost. For example, a Paragon level 2 creature is a 3-stage fight. The first stage occurs during the creature's first health pool, the second stage during its second health pool, and so on.
This can apply to any type of action, including reactions and legendary actions.
Transformation
Some, though not all, Paragon creatures transform when reaching a certain stage. This transformation can affect some of its statistics, like Armor Class, Hit Points and Damage Resistsnaces and Vulnerabilities. These changes should be reflected in the stat block.
Paragon Transformation. The creature has multiple forms, achieved when reaching a certain stage. It starts an encounter with the statistics listed first in the entry, and migrates to different statistics as it reaches the appropriate stages. Any statistics, trait or action keyed to a specific stage can only be used when the creature is in that form.
Entry Length
For particularly large stat blocks, conserving space can be preferrable. In such cases, use the following format to note Paragon traits.
Paragon Traits. The creature has the following Paragon Traits: Paragon Fortitude, Paragon Fury and Paragon Transformation.
Example Paragon
This Paragon creature is built from the statistics of Trooper Captain.
Heavy Paragon Trooper
The heavy trooper is outfitted with devastating weaponry and determined to make his final stand count.
Transformation. Worn and battered from a hard fight, the heavy trooper throws away his blaster and tears off his armor, then comes at his opponents with everything he has.
Pride of the Empire. In the final stage of combat, the heavy trooper throws caution to the wind and attacks with everything he has.
Paragon Trooper, Heavy
Medium humanoid paragon, any alignment
- Armor Class 17 (durasteel); Armor Class (Stage 3) 13
- Hit Points 42, 42 and 42 (5d10+15)
- Speed 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 9 (-1) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
- Skills Athletics +4
- Damage Resistances (Stage 3) energy, ion, kinetic
- Senses passive Perception 10
- Languages Galactic Basic, one other
- Challenge 3 (Paragon 2; 2100 XP)
Traits
Paragon Fortitude. The creature has multiple pools of hit points, each one tracked separately. Any damage and healing is applied to only one pool at a time. If a pool is reduced to 0 hit points, all ongoing conditions affecting the creature end. and that pool cannot receive any healing until the creature finishes a long rest. If all health pools the monster has are reduced to 0, it is killed.
Paragon Fury. The creature can take an additional turn each round of combat for each health pool that has been reduced to 0. The creature rolls Initiative with
advantage on he first round of combat, and each subsequent turn is inserted immediately after one of its opponents' turn in the initiative order.
Paragon Transformation. The creature has multiple forms, achieved when reaching a certain stage. It starts an encounter with the statistics listed first in the entry, and migrates to different statistics as it reaches the appropriate stages. Any statistics, trait or action keyed to a specific stage can only be used when the creature is in that form.
Actions
Multiattack (Stage 2 and 3). The trooper makes two attacks.
Assault Cannon. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, Range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) energy damage.
Burst. The trooper sprays a 10-foot-cube area within normal range with shots. Each creature in the area must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 8 (1d10+3) energy damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.
Vibroblade. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) or 7 (1d10+2) kinetic damage.
Paragon Actions
Pride of the Empire (Stage 3). The heavy trooper makes four attacks with his vibroblade. If it reduces an opponent to 0 hit points or scores a critical hit, it regains 5 hit points.