Spes Magna Games

Gravity comes in five degrees: normal, low, high, zero, and relative.

Normal Gravity: This what probably everyone reading this is used to. (I guess it’s possible an astronaut might read this post.) Normal gravity is, well, normal. It neither grants any benefits nor does it impose any hindrances.

Low Gravity: Low gravity is gravity that is lower than normal. Of course, mass doesn’t change, but weight does. As a result, while in a low-gravity environment:

Attack rolls take a -2 penalty in a low-gravity environment unless the attacker is native to a low-gravity environment or has special training for fighting in low- or zero-gravity environments.

Carrying capacity is calculated as if the creature’s Strength score is 10 points higher than normal. For example, a character with a 11 Strength has a carrying capacity of 165 pounds. In a low-gravity environment, that character’s carrying capacity is 315 pounds.

Falling damage is reduced from 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen to 1d4 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen (to a maximum of 20d4).

Strength checks made in low-gravity environments are made with a +10 bonus.

Speed increases by 5 feet for all of a creature’s methods of movement.

Spending long periods of time in a low-gravity environment can cause problems when returning to normal or high gravity. For every 5 days spent in low gravity, a creature must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. Failure accrues 1 level of exhaustion that becomes noticeable upon returning to normal or high gravity.

High Gravity: This is gravity significantly greater than normal. Again, mass doesn’t change, but weight does.

Attack rolls take a -2 penalty in a high-gravity environment unless the attacker is native to a high-gravity environment.

Carrying capacity is calculated as if the creature’s Strength score is 5 points lower than normal. For example, a character with a 11 Strength has a carrying capacity of 165 pounds. In a high-gravity environment, that character’s carrying capacity is 90 pounds.

Falling damage is increased from 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen to 1d8 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet fallen (to a maximum of 20d8).

Strength checks made in high-gravity environments are made with a -10 penalty.

Speed decreases by 5 feet for all of a creature’s methods of movement.

Spending long periods of time in a high-gravity environment can cause problems when returning to normal or low gravity. For every 5 days spent in low gravity, a creature must make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. Failure accrues 1 level of exhaustion that becomes noticeable upon returning to normal or high gravity.

Zero Gravity: This is a no-gravity environment. Movement in zero gravity means grabbing onto and/or pushing away from a more massive object. As such, in many cases, Strength (Athletics) checks to climb or jump are not necessary.

Attack rolls take a -4 penalty in a zero-gravity environment unless the attacker is native to a zero-gravity environment or has special training for fighting in low- or zero-gravity environments.

Carrying capacity is 20 times higher than normal. For example, a character with a 11 Strength has a carrying capacity of 165 pounds. In a zero-gravity environment, that character’s carrying capacity is 3,300 pounds.

Shoving a creature in zero gravity can be attempted against a creature up to two sizes larger than the attacker. If the attacker wins the contested check, the defender is pushed 10 feet away, plus another 10 feet for every 5 points by which the attacker’s total exceeds the defender’s total.

Movement in zero gravity is much like flying. The creature gains a fly speed equal to its base speed. Flying is a bit of a misnomer, however. The creature’s flying movement is limited to straight lines only. A change in direction requires pushing away from larger object. A creature that can already fly retains its normal fly speed and is not limited to straight-line movement.

Initial exposure to zero gravity can be disorienting. The creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become space sick. The space-sick creature gains the nauseated condition. If the DC 15 Constitution saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is also incapacitated. A new saving throw is permitted every 8 hours the creature remains in a zero-gravity environment. Creatures native to zero gravity or that have special training do not suffer from space sickness.

Spending long periods of time in a zero-gravity environment can cause problems when returning to normal or low gravity. For every 5 days spent in low gravity, a creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Failure accrues 1 level of exhaustion that becomes noticeable upon returning to normal or high gravity.

Relative Gravity: Every creature has a native gravity. Most creatures are native to normal gravity, and the rules above assume as much. In other situations, apply these rules along with common sense. For example, a creature native to a zero-gravity environment treats low-gravity as normal gravity and normal and high gravity as high gravity. Specifics may need to be adjudicated on the fly.

Tags: 5E D&D, Tuesday Terror

Last week, I ripped a headline from current events to create a new AD&D monster. For this week’s Tuesday Terror, that same headline gets the 5E treatment.

“Everybody died,” the scientist claims. The grizzly boar charged through the grounds and impaled the rich hunters, one after the other, on its sharp tusks. Though it was shot a few times, the creature seemed to have no problem absorbing bullets.

Scientists performing mad experiments in genetic engineering are the equivalent of the insane wizard who created the first owlbear. The bearboar is the result of some mad experiment by an insane wizard. It combines the form and features of a cave bear and a giant boar. Although omnivorous, the bearboar prefers a diet of meat. It has excellent hearing and smell but rather poor eyesight.

Bearboar
Large monstrosity, neutral evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 84 (8d10+40)
Speed 30 ft.

STR 19 (+4), DEX 10 (+0), CON 20 (+5), INT 4 (-3), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 7 (-2)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning and slashing from nonmagical attacks; piercing from magical attacks
Damage Immunities piercing from nonmagical attacks
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Charge. If the bearboar moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a tusk attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 7 (2d6) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Deadly Claws. The bearboar’s claws score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.

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

Poor Eyesight. The bearboar has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely sight.

Relentless (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). If the bearboar takes 10 damage or less that would reduce it to 0 hit points, it is reduced to 1 hit point instead.

Actions

Multiattack. The bearboar makes three attacks: two with its claws and one with its tusks.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) slashing damage.

Tusk. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) slashing damage.

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

Today, the Tuesday Terror returns with a vengeance.

The mirror ghost (also called Bloody Mary) seeks to visit terrible vengeance on the living, but it is seldom encountered, as it exists in Vioo, the barren, dark realm that exists on the other side of mirrors and mirror-like surfaces (which form the only passages through which light passes into Vioo). The mirror ghost can only affect the Material Realm when summoned.

Mirror Ghost
Medium undead, any evil

Armor Class 12
Hit Points 82 (15d8+15)
Speed 0 ft., fly 45 ft. (hover)

STR 8 (-1), DEX 15 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 12 (+1), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 19 (+4)

Damage Resistances acid, fire, lightning, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, restrained
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages any languages it knew in life
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Conditional Invisibility. On the Material Plane, the mirror ghost is invisible except for its reflection. A creature can target the mirror ghost via its reflection, but ranged attacks made this way have disadvantage.

Incorporeal Movement. The mirror ghost 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.

Mirror Sight. The mirror ghost can see 60 feet into the Material Plane when it is in Vioo, and vice versa.

Mirror Travel. Once summoned the Material Plane, the mirror ghost, on its turn, can use 10 feet of its movement to step magically into one reflective surface within its reach and emerge from a second reflective surface within 60 feet of the first reflective surface, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second reflective surface. Both surfaces must be Small or larger.

Actions

Withering Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6+4) necrotic damage.

Bane (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The mirror ghost can curse up to three creatures of its choice that it can see within 30 feet. Each creature must make DC 16 Charisma saving throw. For 1 minute whenever a target that fails this saving throw makes an attack roll or a saving throw, the target must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll or saving throw.

Summoning Chant (Recharge 6). While in Vioo, the mirror ghost can compel a living creature that sees its own reflection from no farther away than 60 feet and behind which the mirror ghost hides. The creature must succeed on a DC 16 Charisma saving throw or be rooted to the spot and compelled to say the mirror ghost’s name once per turn for three turns. During this time, the creature is restrained. At the start of the creature’s turn, it must use its bonus action to speak aloud the mirror ghost’s name. The target can repeat the saving throw with disadvantage at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. The target is immune to this mirror ghost’s Summoning Chant for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw. The mirror ghost can enter the Material Plane on its turn after the third time its name is spoken by a creature. The mirror ghost can remain on the Material Plane for no more than 24 hours.

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

Tuesday Terrors have obviously been on hiatus for a bit, but today this sort-of-weekly feature returns not with a monster but with a new spell. To see the spell in action, click here. can be viewed with caution by clicking on the monster’s name below. The artist is Tooth Wu. Check out his ArtStation portfolio.

“We had the blaggard cornered. Xurek went at him head on while Pallamon moved in from the flank. It was the end. After days of fighting our way through his minions, it was the end. And then he cast…that spell. Xurek and Pallamon went down screaming. I ran. Discretion is the better part, right?” — Brego the Discreet

Pestilent Phylactery of Velenu
3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (viper fangs sealed in a phylactery)
Duration: Instantaneous

You wrap the phylactery around one of your limbs, which then becomes covered in writhing, biting growths that resemble vipers, centipedes, and fanged tentacles. You use these these horrid growths to attack up to three targets within range. You can direct the growths to attack one target or several.

Make a melee spell attack against the target for each growth. You have advantage on the attack roll if the target is within 5 feet. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 piercing damage and 1d6 poison damage. For 1 minute after a target is hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. If the target was hit by more than one growth, the target makes the Constitution saving throw with disadvantage. On a failed save, the target takes 2d6 poison damage. On a successful save, the spell ends for the target.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, you create one additional attacking growth for each slot level above 3rd.

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

This week’s Tuesday Terror can be viewed with caution by clicking on the monster’s name below. The illustrator is Bobby Rebholz. Check out his ArtStation portfolio. His style and subject matter reminds me a bit of Wayne Barlowe.

The karphanoid is a huge creature with stilt-like legs, a short body, and a long whip-like tail. It appears to be a monstrous combination of insect and reptile. Aggressive and predatory, the karphanoid feeds on blood, draining it from its prey by means of a spiked proboscis.

Karphanoid
Huge monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (9d12+27)
Speed 45 ft.

STR 21 (+5), DEX 11 (+1), CON 17 (+3), INT 2 (-4), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 7 (-2)

Saving Throws CON +6
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,100 XP)

Keen Sight. The karphanoid has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Actions

Multiattack. The karphanoid makes three attacks with its stomp, its tentacle or its blood drain, and its tail.

Stomp. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (4d8+5) bludgeoning damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) piercing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 15) and restrained until the grapple ends, and the karphanoid cannot use its tentacle against another target.

Blood Drain. At the start of each of the karphanoid’s turns, it drains blood from a creature grappled by the karphanoid’s tentacle. The target loses 17 (5d4+5) hit points due to blood loss.

Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (5d8+5) bludgeoning damage.

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