Hammer Priest & Earth Striker
I’ve started my first Ludi Fabularum: Games of Stories, the 16-hour course I’ve developed that uses roleplaying games to help teach skills related to writing, editing, teamwork, et cetera. We met for the first time yesterday; we meet again tomorrow. My GoFundMe to raise money for scholarships for Ludi Fabularum is also up and running.
The Public Domain Review is a wonderful site that recently featured an article about Bakemono zukushi, “a Japanese painted scroll…from the Edo-period” that depicts several yokai, creatures from Japanese folklore. The image below is from this scroll, and it appears today as a new monster with two varieties for both Swords & Wizardy and D&D 5E.
Enjoy!
Kanazuchibō
Hit Dice: 4-6
Armor Class: 8 [11]
Attack (Damage): Hammer (1d6)
Move: 12
Save: 13, 12, or 11
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 4 HD (6/400), 5 HD (7/600), 6 HD (9/1,100)
Special: Backstab, spells, surprise foes on a 1-3
The kanazuchibō, or hammer priest, appears as a strange hybrid of human and bird that seldom stands more than four feet tall. It is a cowardly creature that prefers to avoid conflict. If it must fight, the kanazuchibō prefers to attack by surprise. When attacking by surprise from behind, the kanazuchibō gains +4 to hit and inflicts double damage. The kanazuchibō casts spells as a Cleric with a level equal to the monster’s hit dice.
Variant – Daichiuchi. Also known as an earth striker, the chaotic daichiuchi resembles the kanazuchibō, but tends to be taller and more muscular. The daichiuchi’s AC is 6 [13]. The daichiuchi is not the coward that the kanazuchibō is; the daichiuchi cannot backstab. It casts spells as a Magic-User with a level equal to one less than its hit dice. Once per day, the daichiuchi can strike the earth with its hammer. This causes a thunderous boom that inflicts 2d6 points of damage and deafens creatures within 30 feet. A successful saving throw reduces the damage to half and negates the deafening.
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Kanazuchibō
Small fey, chaotic neutral
Armor Class 11
Hit Points 27 (5d6+10)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 10 (+0), DEX 13 (+1), CON 15 (+2), INT 12 (+1), WIS 17 (+3), CHA 14 (+2)
Skills Perception +5, Stealth +3
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Cowardly Cunning. On each of its turns, the kanazuchibō can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Sneak Attack. The kanazuchibō deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the kanazuchibō that isn’t incapacitated and the kanazuchibō doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Spellcasting. The kanazuchibō is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The kanazuchibō has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, light, resistance, sacred flame
1st level (4 slots): bane, cure wounds, protection from evil and good, sanctuary
2nd level (3 slots): blindness/deafness, hold person, silence
3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, spirit guardians
Actions
Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.
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Daichiuchi
Medium fey, chaotic evil
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 45 (6d8+18)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 13 (+1), DEX 12 (+1), CON 16 (+3), INT 17 (+3), WIS 13 (+1), CHA 12 (+1)
Skills Perception +3, Stealth +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Spellcasting. The daichiuchi is a 4th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). The kanazuchibō has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, fire bolt, minor illusion, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): charm person, disguise self, shield, witch bolt
2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers, mirror image, misty step
Actions
Hammer. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6+1) bludgeoning damage.
Earth Strike (1/Day). The daichiuchi strikes the earth with its hammer, creating a powerful burst of sound. Each creature within 30 feet of the daichiuchi must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 13 (3d8) thunder damage and is deafened. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and is not deafened. At the end of each of its turns, a deafened creature can make another Constitution saving throw to stop being deafened.
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