5e Encounter: The Nightmare Prince

by TalesofAstreia

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Nihilis, The Nightmare Prince

Medium humanoid, chaotic neutral

  • Armor Class: 18 (Shadowleather Armor)
  • Hit Points: 136 (16d10+48)
  • Speed: 35 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 20 (+5)
  • Saving Throws Dex +8, Wis +6, Cha +9
  • Skills Arcana +7, Perception +6, Deception +9, Performance +9
  • Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
  • Condition Immunities charmed, frightened
  • Languages: Elvish, Common, Ancient Elvish
  • CR 11ish?

Traits

Fey Nature. Nihilis is both a fey and a humanoid, and has advantage on spells or effects that specifically target humanoids. Magic can't put him to sleep.

Shadowleather Armor. Nihilis is invisible while remaining still in dim light or darkness.

Showman. Nihilis' chief objective is to entertain, delight, and terrify his crowd. He willingly fights in tactically suboptimal ways to put on a better show, and will never intentionally attack unconscious foes.

Actions

Multiattack. Nihilis makes two attacks with his Shadowed Scimitar.

Shadowed Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) psychic damage.

Phantasmal Assault (Recharge 5-6). An illusory duplicate of Nihilis appears in an unoccupied space next to all creatures he chooses within a 20-foot radius. Those creatures must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they take 22 (4d10) psychic damage and are confused for 1 minute; on a success, they take half damage and are not confused.

At the end of the turn he used Phantasmal Assault, Nihilis can expend a legendary action to swap places with one of his duplicates.

Legendary Actions (3/Round)

At the end of another creature's turn, Nihilis can take a legendary action, choosing from these options:

  • Phantasmal Dash. Nihilis teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space he can see.
  • Illusory Strike. Nihilis makes one attack with his Shadowed Scimitar.
  • Spellweaver (Costs 2 Legendary Actions). Nihilis casts a spell from his spellbook with a casting time of 1 action.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Nihilis causes one of the following effects within his domain of the Newmoon Carnival.

  • Illusory Veil. The circus becomes lightly obscured with thick mist. Nihilis and his allies have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against any spell or effect caused by a creature that is affected by the illusory mist. A creature can recognize the mist is an illusion with a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check.

  • Echoes of Terror. Faint whispers of nightmarish visions fill the air. One creature within 60 feet of the Nightmare Prince must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, they are frightened until the end of their next turn. Whether they succeed or fail, a Fragment of Terror appears in an unoccupied space within 15 feet of them.

  • Nightmare Manipulation. Nihilis alters the terrain within the carnival, creating barriers or difficult terrain at his will. If he creates something that a creature fears, like fire, the creature must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom (Perception) check or become frightened as long as they can see the object of their fear.

Encounter Effects

Spotlight. A beam of silvery light illuminates a circle 10 feet across. A creature who enters the spotlight or who starts their turn there takes 5 (1d8) cold damage, but they deal an extra die of damage while in the spotlight. At the end of a round, the spotlight moves 20 feet in a random direction.

Interlude. When Nihilis is reduced to half of his maximum HP or under (68), he uses a special Legendary Action, which he can use even if he has used all of his Legendary Actions for the round. Nihilis disappears from the stage, and summons one of his two interlude creatures: The Ghostly Dancers or the Spectral Knifethrowers. When the creature is defeated, Nihilis reappears.

Encore (1/Day). When Nihilis' HP reaches 0, he regains 100 HP. When he is reduced to 50 HP or under this second time, he uses his Interlude Legendary Action again, this time summoning whichever of the two interlude creatures was not called forth the first time.

Spellcasting

Nihilis is a 16th level spellcaster. His primary spellcasting ability is Charisma and the saving throw DC of his spells is 17. He has access to the following spells:

At Will: Minor Illusion, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Charm Person, Sleep, Disguise Self, Suggestion

1/Encounter: Phantasmal Force, Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, Dimension Door

1/Day: Mislead, Dream, Modify Memory, Eyebite, Programmed Illusion

Fragment of Terror

Tiny aberration, unaligned

  • Armor Class: 12 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points: 10 (4d4)
  • Speed: 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) 5 (-3) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)
  • Skills Stealth +4
  • Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
  • Condition Immunities frightened, charmed, exhaustion

Traits

Incorporeal Movement. The Fragment of Terror can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Phantasmal Nature. Any creature within 15 feet of the Fragment of Terror sees it not as its amorphous flying form, but as the form of something they deeply fear. A creature that starts its turn within this effect or enters this effect for the first time on its turn must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the start of its next turn. Successful saving throws do not grant immunity against this effect.

Actions

Dreadful Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 2) psychic damage. The Fragment of Terror has advantage on this attack if attacking a Frightened creature.

Bonus Actions

Flicker. As a bonus action, the Fragment of Terror can disappear and reappear in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of it.

Ghostly Dancers

Large construct, unaligned

  • Armor Class: 15 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points: 31 (6d8+8)
  • Speed: 0 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
12 (+1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
  • Saving Throws Dex +5
  • Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Damage Immunities poisoned
  • Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained

Traits

Ethereal Movement. The Ghostly Dancers can move through other creatures and objects. They take 5 (1d10) force damage if they end their turn inside an object.

Dancer's Grace. The Ghostly Dancers cannot have their movement impeded in any way.

Rhythmic Movement. The Ghostly Dancers can only move via their Ghost Dance Legendary Action.

Shall We Dance? Any damage dealt by a creature further than 15 feet from the Ghostly Dancers is reduced to 0.

Whirling Steel. The Ghostly Dancers gain one additional attack on their turn for every Opportunity Attack made against them since the end of their last turn.

Actions

Multiattack. The Ghostly Dancers make two Spectral Strikes, plus one for every opportunity attack made against them since the end of their prior turn.

Spectral Strikes. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage plus 3 (1d6) necrotic damage.

Legendary Actions

The Ghostly Dancers have only one legendary action, which they use at the end of every second creature's turn.

Endless Waltz. The Ghostly Dancers move 15 feet in a straight line. They can alternatively move 5 feet and then 5 feet in a different cardinal direction.

Spectral Knifethrowers

Medium construct, unaligned

  • Armor Class: 13 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points: 19 (4d8+4)
  • Speed: 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 1 (+2) 12 (+1) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 14 (+2)
  • Saving Throws Dex +4
  • Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  • Damage Immunities poisoned
  • Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained

Traits

Ghastly Quartet. Four Spectral Knifethrowers appear at once.

Illusory Foes. Only one of the four Spectral Knifethrowers can deal damage or suffer damage. This is referred to as the "active" Knifethrower. When the active Spectral Knifethrower is defeated, all four vanish.

Where'd That Come From? Recognizing which Spectral Knifethrower is the active knifethrower requires a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Perception) ability check. A creature who has taken damage from the active knifethrower has advantage on this check.

Actions

The Spectral Knifethrower makes one Knife Throw attack, and then uses its Whirling Assault attack.

Knife Throw. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Whirling Assault. The Spectral Knifethrower hurls a fan of knives at all targets within 20 feet. All targets must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.

Legendary Actions (2/Round)

At the end of another creature's turn, the Spectral Knifethrower can take one of 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below.

  • Whirling Assault. The Spectral Knifethrower uses its Whirling Assault ability.
  • Sleight of Being. A different Spectral Knifethrower becomes the active knifethrower.



















The enigmatic, charismatic ringmaster of the mysterious Newmoon Carnival, Nihilis Dreamweaver goes by many names. He is the Phantasmal King, the Lord of the Moonlit Court, the Tyrant of Terror... but his first and foremost title, which he performs under, is the Nightmare Prince. "Nihilis Dreamweaver," for that matter, seems to be just another affected, chosen moniker. What his true name is, few know.

Nihilis is a 16th level spellcaster. His primary spellcasting ability is Charisma and the saving throw DC of his spells is 17. He has access to the following spells:

At Will: Minor Illusion, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Charm Person, Sleep, Disguise Self, Suggestion

1/Encounter: Phantasmal Force, Hypnotic Pattern, Fear, Dimension Door

1/Day: Mislead, Dream, Modify Memory, Eyebite, Programmed Illusion

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