Spes Magna Games

At this point during the conversion of the Cthulhu Mythos in the AD&D Deities & Demigods for use with 5E D&D to point out the one major flaw with this section of the book: It doesn’t really stay true to the source material. This becomes most obvious, I think, with our next creature.

In H. P. Lovecraft’s tales, the Great Race of Yith have highly developed mental powers, and the AD&D rules hit that point by giving the Great Race some potent psionic ability. What is missing from the Great Race’s description, however, is their most impressive ability, which is their ability to project their minds across time and space to forcibly inhabit the bodies of other creatures. During the time the Yithian’s mind inhabits, say, a human, that human’s mind occupies the alien body of the Yithian. In other words, the Great Race forcibly swaps bodies with another creature, doing so across both time and space, more or less at will.

These creatures populated the world eons ago and their cities still exist buried in deserts or other out of the way places. They had a highly advanced scientific civilization, with psionics rather than magic. (Deities & Demigods, page 45)

Great Race of Yith
Large aberration, lawful neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 84 (8d10+40)
Speed 45 ft.
Ability Scores STR 23 (+6), DEX 7 (-2), CON 20 (+5), INT 26 (+8), WIS 19 (+4), CHA 15 (+2)

Saving Throws CON +9, WIS +8
Skills Arcana +12, History +12, Insight +8, Investigate +12, Perception +8
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages telepathy 240 ft.
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The Yithian’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20). It can cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: dimension door
3/day: modify memory, telepathic bond
1/day: foresight (self only), mind blank (self only), time stop

Actions

Multiattack. The Yithian attacks twice with its pincers.

Pincers. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, one target. Hit: 10 (1d8+6) slashing damage.

Lightning Gun. The Yithian’s lightning gun fires a stroke of lightning forming a line 300 feet long and 5 feet wide from the Yithian in a direction it chooses. Each creature in the line must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 14 (4d6) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The lightning ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worned or carried. A lightning gun has 8 charges, after which it cannot fire until its power source is replaced.

Mind Swap. The Yithian projects its psyche through time and space, across any number of years or miles, but not from one plane to another. It picks a creature at its destination. The target must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target and the Yithian swap minds. The Yithian retains its INT, WIS, and CHA, and it uses the target’s STR, DEX, and CON, but it makes Dexterity checks and saving throws at disadvantage. The Yithian retains its truesight, skills, telepathy, psionics, and Mind Swap. It gains the AC, hit points, senses, languages, and the physical abilities and characteristics of the target. The target retains its own INT, WIS, and CHA, and similarly gains the STR, DEX, CON, and other physical characteristics of the Yithian. The Yithian can communicate telepathically with the target. Once per long rest, the target can make a new Wisdom saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, the Mind Swap is reversed.

Reactions

Quick Mind. If a target resists or overcomes the Yithian’s Mind Swap, the Yithian may choose a new creature to target with Mind Swap as a reaction.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, monsters

Mighty Cthulhu sends its Deep Ones from the AD&D Deities & Demigods into 5E D&D to establish new cult centers. Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!

The Deep Ones are humanoid, amphibious men-fish, cold-blooded creatures of great strength (18). … They live near the land on ocean shelves and are able to travel to the land at any time and for as long as they wish.

They have been known to interact with evil humans and interbreed with them. This results in human-appearing offspring who undergo a gradual transformation after the age of 21 that causes them to become as the Deep Ones who spawned them. Deep Ones are soulless and apparently immortal. (Deities & Demigods, page 45)

Deep One
Medium humanoid (Deep One), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 30 (4d8+12)
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Ability Scores STR 18 (+4), DEX 14 (+2), CON 17 (+3), INT 12 (+1), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 11 (+0)

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Common, Deep One
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Amphibious. The Deep One can breathe air and water.

Regeneration. The Deep One regains 3 hit points at the start of its turn as long as it has more than 0 hit points. If the Deep One takes damage, this trait doesn’t function until the start of the Deep One’s next turn.

Soulless and Immortal.. The Deep One never suffers negative effects from aging. When subjected to an effect that causes necrotic or radiant damage, the Deep One takes only half damage, or no damage if a saving throw is permitted and successful. The Deep One cannot regain hit points from cure wounds or similar spells. A dead Deep One cannot be restored to life by means of raise dead or similar spells.

Actions

Multiattack. The Deep One attacks twice with its claws.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) slashing damage.

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Deep One Warlock of the Great Old One
Medium humanoid (Deep One), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 75 (10d8+30)
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Ability Scores STR 18 (+4), DEX 14 (+2), CON 17 (+3), INT 14 (+2), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 17 (+3)

Saving Throws WIS +5, CHA +6
Skills Arcana +5, Deception +6, History +5, Persuasion +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Deep One, telepathy 30 ft.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Amphibious. The Deep One warlock can breathe air and water.

Innate Spellcasting. The Deep One warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). It can cast disguise self at will.

Regeneration. The Deep One regains 3 hit points at the start of its turn as long as it has more than 0 hit points. If the Deep One takes damage, this trait doesn’t function until the start of the Deep One’s next turn.

Soulless and Immortal.. The Deep One never suffers negative effects from aging. When subjected to an effect that causes necrotic or radiant damage, the Deep One takes only half damage, or no damage if a saving throw is permitted and successful. The Deep One cannot regain hit points from cure wounds or similar spells. A dead Deep One cannot be restored to life by means of raise dead or similar spells.

Spellcasting. The Deep One warlock is a 6th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It regains expended spell slots when it finishes a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:

Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, friends, prestidigitation
1st-3rd level (2 3rd-level slots): arms of Hadar, detect thoughts, dissonant whispers, enthrall, hellish rebuke, major image, sending

Actions

Multiattack. The Deep One attacks twice with its claws or casts eldritch blasts to create two beams.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) slashing damage.

Eldritch Blast Beam. Ranged Spell Attack: +6 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) force damage.

Reactions

Entropic Ward (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When a creature makes an attack roll against the Deep One warlock, it can use impose disadvantage on that roll. If the attack misses the Deep One warlock, its next attack against the creature has advantage if the Deep One warlock makes the attack before the end of its next turn.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, monsters

Yesterday it was the servants of He Who Must Not Be Named. Today’s trip into the AD&D Deities & Demigods brings us the fiery minions of Cthuga, the “master of the fire element”, statted for 5E D&D.

These creatures appear to be smaller versions of their master. This means a flame creature resembles a flaming amoeba with tentacles that appear to be flames emanating from its body. (Deities & Demigods, page 44)

Flame Creature of Cthuga
Huge elemental, chaotic evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 184 (16d12+80)
Speed 60 ft.
Ability Scores STR 14 (+2), DEX 21 (+5), CON 20 (+5), INT 10 (+0), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 9 (-1)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages Ignan
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Amorphous. The flame creature can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Elemental Nature. The flame creature doesn’t require air, food, drink, or sleep.

Flame Aura. At the start of each of the flame creature’s turns, each creature within 60 feet of it takes 10 (3d6) fire damage, and flammable objects in the aura that aren’t being worn or carried ignite. A creature that touches the flame creature or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 10 (3d6) fire damage.

Illumination. The fire creature sheds bright light in a 45-foot radius and dim light in an additional 45 feet.

Magic Resistance.. The flame creature has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. The flame creature attacks twice with its tentacle and/or its heat ray.

Heat Ray. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10+5) fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 6 (1d12) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8+5) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 6 (1d12) fire damage at the start of each of its turns.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, monsters

My next stop in the AD&D Deities & Demigods is the sanity-threatening Cthulhu Mythos. For the first post, I present the Byakhee, those monstrous servants of He Who Must Not Be Named, statted for 5E D&D.

These giant furry bat-like creatures have humanoid legs that enable them to stand like men. They can be summoned by clerics of Hastur through use of a gate spell (1-4 Byakhee will appear). (Deities & Demigods, page 44)

Byakhee
Huge aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 125 (10d12+60)
Speed 15 ft., fly 60 ft.
Ability Scores STR 25 (+7), DEX 11 (+0), CON 23 (+6), INT 10 (+0), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 12 (+1)

Damage Immunities cold, fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Innate Spellcasting.. The Byakhee’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: dimension door, plane shift (to and from Carcosa only), teleport

Magic Resistance.. The Byakhee has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. If an Elder Sign is used as an additional material component for a spell, the Byakhee’s magic resistance does not apply.

Unnatural. The Byakhee does not require air.

Actions

Multiattack. The Byakhee makes two claw attacks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d10+7) slashing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the Byakhee can automatically hit the target with its claws, and the Byakhee can’t use those claws against another target. The Byakhee has two claw attacks, each of which can grapple one target.

Reactions

Abduct. When a Byakhee has restrained a target with its claws, at the end of a target’s turn if that target remains restrained, the Byakhee may attempt to plane shift to Carcosa. The restrained target must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. If the target fails, the target and the Byakhee are transported to Carcosa.

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Penance, Texas for The Four Color Hack is up and running. Not only has my Patreon site has been transformed and relaunched, but all three tiers of patron-only perks have been posted. These perks include a new villain for all patrons, a new scenario for Avengers and League Members, and a special surprise for League Members only.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, monsters, TFCH

And here’s my final foray into into the Chinese Mythos from the AD&D Deities & Demigods. Way back in the day, the spirits of the air were among the few creatures in Deities & Demigods that I ever used as a DM. Here they are for 5E D&D.

These minions of the wind gods can be summoned by them in number of up to 100 every day…. They exist to fight for the gods. (Deities & Demigods, page 41)

Spirits of the Air
Large elemental, neutral

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 104 (11d10+44)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Ability Scores STR 23 (+6), DEX 16 (+3), CON 18 (+4), INT 10 (+0), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 11 (+0)

Saving Throws DEX +8
Skills Athletics +10, Perception +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages all
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Flyby. The spirit of the air doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Actions

Multiattack. The spirit of the air attacks twice with its claws.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6+6) slashing damage.

Wings. The spirit of the air beats its wings. Each creature within 10 feet of the spirit of the air must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (1d8+6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. The spirit of the air can then fly up to half its flying speed.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, monsters