Spes Magna Games

Check out this pic by clicking here. The artist is Nise Loftsteinn Below is what I think the creature in the picture could be as a D&D monster.

The sruthán are creatures of fire and earth, native to the Para-Elemental Plane of Magma. These genies, caught in the volcanic realm between Elemental Earth and Elemental Fire, live a precarious life with the greedy, malicious dao on one side and the haughty, cruel efreet on the other. The sruthán are deceitful and melancholy. They have little reason to trust other creatures.

Sruthán
Large elemental, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 149 (13d10+78)
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft., fly 30 ft.

STR 20 (+5), DEX 10 (+0), CON 22 (+6), INT 10 (+0), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 12 (+1)

Saving Throws INT +3, WIS +3, CHA +4
Skills Deception +4
Damage Resistances fire
Condition Immunities petrified
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Ignan, Terran
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Earth Glide. The sruthán can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, the sruthán doesn’t disturb the material it moves through.

Elemental Demise. If the sruthán dies, its body disintegrates into charred pebbles, leaving behind only equipment the sruthán was wearing or carrying.

Heated Body. A creature that touches the sruthán or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 5 (1d10) fire damage.

Illumination The sruthán sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.

Innate Spellcasting. The sruthán’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: detect magic
3/day each: stinking cloud, tongues
1/day each: gaseous form, invisibility, plane shift

Actions

Multiattack. The sruthán makes two molten hair attacks.

Molten Hair. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.

Hurl Magma. Ranged Spell Attack: +4 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6) fire damage.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, Tuesday Terror

This Sunday, I’m re-restarting an AD&D game. I did this once before, several years ago. It didn’t last long. This time, I’m hoping for more longevity. I’ve got three players so far. We’re making up characters this Sunday.

All the characters work for Lady Mirelyn, a knight errant who occupies a fortress that sits atop and within a flying island called a skyrealm. I’m sticking reasonably close to first edition rules, including Unearthed Arcana, but I am incorporating some material drawn from second edition AD&D, a Dragon magazine or two, and my personal preferences.

Since the characters all live on a flying island, it seems reasonable that flying will be part of the campaign. Lady Mirelyn has a skyship, the Galerider. She and her knights ride hippogriffs, which brings me to today’s post.

Aerial Travel

Long distance travel on a hippogriff is quick. A rider travels one mile per hour for every 3″ of flying speed, and a hippogriff can bear a rider for up to nine hours before it must rest for at least that long. Also, a hippogriff needs an hour of rest for every three hours of flight. It is possible to push the hippogriff to ignore fatigue and hunger, but this is not without its risks.

Aerial Combat

Hippogriffs cannot hover. They are maneuverability class C without a rider, or maneuverability class D if carrying a rider. While flying, a hippogriff attacks with either its claws or its bite. If the hippogriff drives at least 30 feet, it can inflict double damage to a target that is not diving. As war-trained mounts, Lady Mirelyn’s hippogriffs fight on the second and succeeding rounds of melee, as long as their rider remains mounted.

A hippogriff cannot maintain flight if it sustains damage greater than 50% of its hit points. It must land as quickly as possible. If a hippogriff sustains more than 75% damage, it cannot control its descent, but instead plummets. Fortunately, as creatures with feathered wings, a hippogriff is treated as if its hit point maximum is 50% higher than it really is for purposes of determining whether flight can be maintained. This adjustment neither changes the amount of damage a hippogriff can sustain nor does it absorb damage from attacks.

Missile fire from the back of a flying hippogriff is tricky. Treat short range as medium (-2 “to hit”) and medium range as long (-5 “to hit”). Shots fired at ranges longer than medium will always miss.

Flight Saddles

Lady Mirelyn’s knights use specialized saddles. It takes two melee rounds to properly strap into the saddle, and this prevents the rider from falling or being knocked from his or her seat under most circumstances.

Weight Classes

Lady Mirelyn’s hippogriffs come in three weight classes: heavy, light, and medium. They have the same loads as heavy, light, and medium warhorses, respectively. A hippogriff cannot fly if encumbered. The statistics for each type of hippogriff are shown on the table.

Tags: AD&D, Mirelyn's Skyrealm, monsters, ThursdAD&D

“Mr–Jack” inspired today’s monster. Click on his name to see the picture. Mr–Jack’s piece is titled “Ultralisk II”. I have no idea what an ultralisk is. I’m guessing it’s a really big lisk. Here’s my take on the creature in the picture.

The kaempferi is an enormous crustacean usually found only in the deepest of oceans. There the kaempferi preys upon other monsters of the deep, such as giant sharks, whales, and giant octopuses. In shallower waters, the kaempferi attacks ships, devours coral reefs, and rarely ventures onto land to attack coastal communities.

Kaempferi
Gargantuan beast, unaligned

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 351 (18d20+144)
Speed 50 ft., swim 50 ft.

STR 26 (+8), DEX 11 (+0), CON 26 (+8), INT 3 (-4), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 5 (-3)

Saving Throws CON +14, WIS +6, CHA +3
Skills Perception +6
Damage Resistances cold, fire, poison, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from weapons wielded by Large or smaller creatures
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages —
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Amphibious. The kaempferi can breathe air and water.

Echolocation. The kaempferi can’t use its blindsight while deafened.

Keen Hearing and Smell. The kaempferi has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Siege Monster. The kaempferi deals double damage to objects and structures.

Trampling Charge. If the kaempferi moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a scythe attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the kaempferi can make on stomp attack against it as a bonus action.

Actions

Multiattack. The kaempferi makes four scythe attacks.

Scythe. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d6+8) bludgeoning damage.

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft., one prone target. Hit: 27 (3d12+8) bludgeoning damage.

Roar (Recharge 5-6). The kaempferi emits a thunderous roar in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 56 (16d6) thunder damage and is pushed and knocked prone 10 feet away from the kaempferi. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and is not pushed or knocked prone. A creature underwater when subjected to the roar makes its saving throw with disadvantage.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, Tuesday Terror

The twelve days of Christmas come to an end with the twelfth monster in the holiday series. Enjoy!

On the twelfth day of searching / my party came upon: / twelve full moon monsters / eleven bereft phantoms / ten kanga raiders / nine goblin bombers / eight mewling fluxcats, / seven rapid oozes / six vile ọgbanje, / five hungry things, / four burning swarms, / three hell birds, / two bloodmad zogs, / and a birchwrath in a fell wood.

The full moon monster is a bizarre creature, humanoid in form, but with a large, spherical head pocked with craters and creased by ridges. Hard nodules cover its body. Its hands and feet are lumpish. The full moon monster possesses a mercurial nature, making it an unpredictable creature to encounter.

AD&D Version

Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 1-12
Armor Class: 1
Move: 15″
Hit Dice: 16
% in Lair: 25%
Treasure Type: E, Q (x5), S
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 2-12/2-12
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: 25%
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Size: L (15′ tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: IX/6,850 + 20/hp

The full moon monster can increase or decrease the weight of objects at will, one object at a time, once per melee round. The object’s weight it increased or decreased by 75% for 1-4 melee rounds. If the full moon monster concentrates on the object for one full turn, the change in its weight becomes permanent.

The full moon monster is as strong as a frost giant. In a fight, the full moon monster strikes with its powerful fists. It surrounds itself with a 10-foot radius field of gravity that causes projectiles to fall short. All ranged weapon attacks against the full moon monster through its gravity field are treated as if done from long range (-5 “to hit”). Melee attacks made within the field of gravity have a -4 “to hit” penalty, and creatures (other than the full moon monster) in the field have a -1 penalty to armor class and lose any dexterity bonuses.

The full moon monster takes half damage from cold and fire attacks.

Once per day each, one at a time once per round, the full moon monster may use the following spells: earthquake, lower water, raise water, reverse gravity, and repulsion. Also once per day, the full moon monster can force a lycanthrope in human form that is within 60 feet to transform into animal form and stay in that form for 1 hour (no saving throw).

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5E D&D Version

Huge aberration, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 184 (16d12+80)
Speed 40 ft.

Ability Scores STR 23 (+6), DEX 9 (-1), CON 21 (+5), INT 10 (+0), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 12 (+1)

Saving Throws CON +9, WIS +4, CHA +5
Damage Resistances cold, fire, radiant
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Primordial
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Affect Water Level (2/Day). The full moon monster can cause level of water with 120 feet that it can see to rise or lower. It can affect an area of water within a 160-foot square, increasing or decreasing the water level by up to 80%. The change in water level lasts for 2 hours.

Gravity Field. As a bonus action, the full moon monster surrounds itself with 10-foot radius a gravity field that lasts until the start of its next turn. Ranged weapon attacks that pass into or through the gravity field are made with disadvantage. Melee weapon attacks, Dexterity checks, and Dexterity saving throws are made with disadvantage by a creature within the radius. The full moon monster has advantage on melee weapon attacks made against a creature within the gravity field. The full moon monster is not affected by its own gravity field.

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

1/day each: earthquake, reverse gravity

Magic Resistance. The full moon monster has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Repulsion (8 Rounds/Day). The full moon monster causes creatures within a 10-foot wide, 240-foot long line to move away from it. Any creature within the area of effect at the start of the full moon monster’s turn must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be forced 30 feet away from the full moon monster. A creature can move within or through the area of effect, but treats the area of effect as difficult terrain. The full moon monster can change the direction of the repulsion path away from itself as a bonus action.

Actions

Multiattack. The full moon monster uses its Weight Alteration. It then makes two fist attacks.

Fist. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d8+6) bludgeoning damage.

Weight Alteration. The full moon monster magically alters the weight of an object it can see within 60 feet. The object’s weight is either increased or decreased by 75%. If the object is worn or carried by a creature, the creature may make a DC 16 Strength saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect with a success. Otherwise, the alteration in weight lasts for 1 minute.

Reactions

Like a Full Moon. The full moon monster can affect a lycanthrope that it see as if the lycanthrope were under the effects of a full moon.

Tags: 12 Days, 5E D&D, AD&D, monsters

The penultimate encounter on our twelve day trip to meet new monsters.

On the eleventh day of searching / my party came upon: / eleven bereft phantoms / ten kanga raiders / nine goblin bombers / eight mewling fluxcats, / seven rapid oozes / six vile ọgbanje, / five hungry things, / four burning swarms, / three hell birds, / two bloodmad zogs, / and a birchwrath in a fell wood.

The bereft phantom is a pathetic undead creature, the tormented spirit of someone who died with some great longing left unfulfilled. Now cursed, the bereft phantom can never achieve in undeath what it longed for while alive. Driven mad with anguish and rage, the bereft phantom seeks to share its torment with others. The bereft phantom is obviously undead and tormented, appearing much as it did in life, but now weighed down by spectral chains forged link by link in the crucible of unrequited desire.

AD&D Version

Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 1-12
Armor Class: 4
Move: 12″/24″
Hit Dice: 2+2
% in Lair: 10%
Treasure Type: E
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-6
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: Silver or magical weapons to hit
Magic Resistance: See below
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Size: M
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: IV/175 + 3/hp

The bereft phantom’s touch burns both flesh and soul with its supernatural cold. A living creature damaged by this cold must make a saving throw versus spell or be slowed for 1-6 melee rounds. Silver weapons (which cause half damage) or magical weapons (which score full damage) are needed to hit a bereft phantom. It is unaffected by sleep, charm, hold, or cold-based spells or attacks. Poison and paralysis are likewise ineffective, but holy water inflicts 2-8 hit points of damage for each vial full which hits. A raise dead spell slays a bereft phantom.

The bereft phantom can use dimension door as a 7th-level magic-user up to three times per day. Once per day, a bereft phantom can impose a cursed geas upon a creature it touches (no saving throw). The cursed geas is a magical command to carry out some service, usually one related to the bereft phantom’s unrequited desire. The cursed geas cannot be fulfilled, but the victim must try nonetheless. Every day the victim labors under the effects of the cursed geas, he must make a saving throw versus death magic or lose 1 point of constitution. If the victim refuses to follow the cursed geas, he makes this saving throw with a -4 penalty. When the victim’s constitution reaches 2, he lapses into a coma. When it reaches 0, the victim dies. After 1-4 days, the victim becomes a bereft phantom.

Neither dispel magic nor remove curse can negate a cursed geas. Alter reality, dispel evil, limited wish, or wish can negate a cursed geas, as can slaying the bereft phantom who imposed it.

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5E D&D Version

Medium undead, chaotic evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 39 (6d8+12)
Speed 0 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

Ability Scores STR 6 (-2), DEX 16 (+3), CON 14 (+2), INT 11 (+0), WIS 13 (+1), CHA 14 (+2)

Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks made with silvered weapons
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages any languages it knew in life
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Cursed Geas (1/Day). As a bonus action, the bereft phantom places a magical command on a creature it hits with its chilling touch, thus forcing the creature to carry out some service, usually one related to the bereft phantom’s unrequited desire. While the target is under the effect of the cursed geas, it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw once per day or take (11) 2d10 psychic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts as long as the cursed geas. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0. A humanoid slain by a cursed geas rises 24 hours later as a bereft phantom. Destroying the bereft phantom ends the cursed geas. A greater restoration or wish spell also ends it.

Incorporeal Movement. The bereft phantom 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.

Actions

Chilling Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 3 (1d6) cold damage and 3 (1d6) necrotic damage, and the target is slowed for 1 minute. The target can make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw at the end of its turn. On a successful save, the target is no longer slowed.

Dimension Door (3/Day). The bereft phantom can use dimension door three times per day.

Tags: 12 Days, 5E D&D, AD&D, monsters