Spes Magna Games

In 2002, I contributed several spells to Spells and Spellcraft, published by Fantasy Flight Games. I got a hankering to “repackage” some of what I remember contributing to Spells and Spellcraft for use in your 5E D&D game. Many of the spells I wrote for Spells and Spellcraft were third-edition versions of spells I created for AD&D way back when.

Acidic Vapors
2nd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of greenish, acidic gas centered on a point within range. The vapors spread around corners, and its area is lightly obscured. The cloud lingers in the air for the duration.

Each creature that is completely within the vapors at the start of its turn must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d6 acid damage and is blinded until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage and isn’t blinded.

A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the vapors after 4 rounds. A strong wind (at least 20 miles per hour) disperses it after 1 round.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 2nd.

Aura of Darkness/Light
2nd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30-foot radius)
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a zone of profane power around you in a 30-foot radius. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centered on you.

Aura of Darkness: You can use a bonus action to strengthen one evil creature in the aura (including you, if applicable). The target makes attack rolls, saving throws, and Dexterity (Hide) checks with advantage until the spell ends or until you designate a new target to receive these benefits.

Aura of Light: You can use a bonus action to strengthen one good creature in the aura (including you, if applicable). The target makes attack rolls, saving throws, and Wisdom (Perception) checks with advantage until the spell ends or until you designate a new target to receive these benefits.

Black Cloud of Horror
3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 90 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a 20-foot-radius sphere of black mist centered on a point within range. The mist spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured, affecting darkvision and nonmagical light as well. The mist lingers in the air for the duration.

Each creature that is completely within the mist at the start of its turn must make a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened until the start of its next turn.

A moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses the vapors after 4 rounds. A strong wind (at least 20 miles per hour) disperses it after 1 round.

Burrowing Bony Digits
4th-level necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (five humanoid finger bones tied together with black thread)
Duration: Instantaneous

You cause up to five skeletal fingers to fly forth and attack. Each finger hits a different creature of your choice that you can see within range. A burrowing bony digit inflicts 4d4 piercing damage and 4d4 necrotic damage. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the digit burrows into the target’s flesh, inflicting 2d4 piercing damage and 2d4 necrotic damage at the end of its next turn.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the damage (both initial and later) increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 4th.

Tags: 5E D&D, spells

This time, it’s the AD&D Shoggoths from the Deities & Demigods for your 5E D&D game? Do you hear that? “Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!” Run while you can.

Originally created by the Primordial Ones as servants, the Shoggoths eventually rebelled and destroyed the civilization of their masters. Shoggoths resemble huge, intelligent amoebae, able to form almost any shape out of the near-transparent bodies, including legs, eyes, mouths, huge weapons, or whatever is needed. (Deities & Demigods, page 46)

Shoggoth
Huge aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 290 (20d12+160)
Speed 20 ft.
Ability Scores STR 26 (+8), DEX 7 (-2), CON 26 (+8), INT 5 (-3), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 8 (-1)

Saving Throws STR +14, CON +14, WIS +9, CHA +5
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; piercing and slashing
Damage Immunities acid, poison; bludgeoning
Condition Immunities blinded, deafened, exhaustion, poisoned, prone
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages may understand one or more languages, but cannot speak except to imitate familiar words or phrases
Challenge 20 (25,000 XP)

Amorphous Physiology. The shoggoth can move through a space as narrow as 1 inch wide without squeezing.

Crush. The Shoggoth may surge forward as part of its move into spaces occupied by creatures size Large or smaller. When the Shoggoth ends its move, creatures in the Shoggoth’s 15-foot by 15-foot space must succeed on a DC 19 Dexterity saving throw or be absorbed into the Shoggoth’s body. A creature that makes the saving throw is pushed away, landing prone within 5 feet of the Shoggoth. An absorbed creature is restrained, has total cover against attacks other effects outside the Shoggoth, and takes 26 (4d8+8) bludgeoning damage at the start of each of the Shoggoth’s turns.

If the Shoggoth takes 20 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the Shoggoth must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw at the end of its turn or regurgitate all absorbed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the Shoggoth. If the Shoggoth dies, an absorbed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 15 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Magic Resistance. The shoggoth has advantage on saving throws against spells or other magical effects.

Regeneration. As long as it has more than 0 hit points at the start of its turn, the shoggoth regains 2 hit points.

Actions

Multiattack. The Shoggoth makes two slam attacks with its amorphous extrusions. These attacks normally inflict bludgeoning damage, but the Shoggoth may inflict piercing or slashing damage by altering the form of an amorphous extrusion as a bonus action.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, one target, reach 15 ft. Hit: 26 (4d8+8) bludgeoning damage.

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

Locked in frigid graves of ancient ice in an arctic wilderness, what happens when the Primordial Ones from the AD&D Deities & Demigods thaw out in your 5E D&D game?

These creatures are barrel-shaped cylinders with membranous wings. On top of the body is a head covered by 3-inch wiry cilia of many colors. They have 5 red-irised, globed eyes. At the top of their heads are 5 mouthed tentacles, and at the base of their bodies are 5 powerful tentacles used for locomotion.

The Primordial Ones are actually an alien race of high intelligence and advanced science. They hate all other types of intelligent, and will destroy them if possible, striking with three of their powerful walking tentacles if no advanced weaponry is available. (Deities & Demigods, page 46)

Primordial One
Large aberration, lawful evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 68 (8d10+24)
Speed 45 ft., fly 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 21 (+5), DEX 10 (+0), CON 16 (+3), INT 14 (+2), WIS 17 (+3), CHA 12 (+1)

Skills Perception +5
Damage Immunities cold, fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Extraterrestrial Nature. The Primordial One does not breathe. It can survive in a vacuum. It can fly through the vacuum of space.

Innate Spellcasting (Psionics). The Primordial One’s innate spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12). It can cast clairvoyance, comprehend languages, and see invisibility at will, requiring no material components.

Actions

Multiattack. The Primordial One attacks three times with its locomotive tentacles.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, one target. Hit: 8 (1d6+5) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15) if it size Medium or smaller. Until this grapple ends, the creature is restrained. The Primordial One can’t constrict another target with that tentacle.

*****

Penance, Texas for The Four Color Hack grows weekly. Public posts now include a couple of videos explaining more about the rules for lasting effects, and the background for the city itself has expanded. For Patrons only, the first new villain and scenario have been released, and the next round of Patron-only rewards is in the works.

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

Today, I take a break from my AD&D Deities & Demigods-to-5E conversions because I got distracted by the critter in the video above. If you’ve not seen this critter in action, check it out, and then read on to meet it statted out for three versions of D&D.

The tethydida is a monstrous marine predator that inhabits warm, tropical waters near reefs. It has a green, semi-transparent hide of thick, spongy tissue encasing thousands of gallons of viscous slime in which float various organelles. The tethydid is voracious and aggressive. It reaches lengths of 30 feet.

For B/X D&D:

Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 9*
Move: 30′ (10′), Swimming: 60′ (20′)
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 3-18
No. Appearing: 1-2 (1-4)
Save As: Fighter: 5
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: Nil
Alignment: Neutral

The tethydida attacks by expanding its bulbous head and biting at everything in a 10-foot radius. Make a “to hit” roll against all targets in the area of effect. If a “to hit” roll for the bite is 4 or more than the number required (or a 20, in any case), creatures of man-size or smaller will be swallowed whole and absorbed by a digestive organelle, taking 3-12 (3d4) points of damage each round thereafter.

For AD&D:

Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1-4
Armor Class: 6
Move: 3″//6″
Hit Dice: 9
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 3-18
Special Attacks: Swallow whole
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Animal
Alignment: Neutral
Size: L (30′ long)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: VII/1,300 + 12/hp

The tethydid attacks by biting. Its bite affects a 10-foot radius. Any hit 20% over the required score (that is 4 or more over the required number) or a 100% (die roll of 20) score in any case indicates the tethydid has engulfed its victim. A mature tethydid can swallow, whole, a creature as large as 6′ or so tall and up to 4′ wide, or vice versa. Any creature swallowed whole is absorbed by a digestive organelle and will be dead in 6 melee rounds. The tethydid will digest its meal in 12 turns, and that time the victim is totally gone and cannot be raised from the dead. Note, however, that a creature swallowed can try to cut its way out of the tethydid. The inner armor class of the tethydid is 9, but each round the creature is in the tethydid, subtract 1 from the damage each attack against the tethydid’s interior. This subtraction is cumulative (-2 on the second round, -3 on the third round, et cetera).

For 5E:

Huge beast, unaligned

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 85 (9d12+27)
Speed 10 ft., swim 20 ft.
Ability Scores STR 22 (+6), DEX 9 (-1), CON 17 (+3), INT 2 (-4), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 5 (-3)

Saving Throws CON +6, WIS +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Hold Breath. While out of water, the tethydid can hold its breath for 1 hour.

Water Breathing. The tethydid can breathe only underwater.

Actions

Massive Bite. The tethydid targets a point it can see within 10 feet. Each target within 10 feet of that point must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (3d6+6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. If the target that fails its saving throw is a Medium or smaller creature, the target is also swallowed by the tethydid. A swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the tethydid, and it takes 15 (6d4) acid damage at the start of the tethydid’s turn.

If the tethydid takes 18 damage or more on a single turn from a creature inside it, the tethydid must succeed on a DC 16 saving throw at the end of that turn or regurgitate all swallowed creatures, which fall prone in a space within 10 feet of the tethydid. If the tethydid dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse by using 10 feet of movement, exiting prone.

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, B/X D&D, monsters

The Fungi from Yuggoth have left the AD&D Deities & Demigods and are coming to your 5E D&D to perform various horrifying experiments. Watch the skies.

These red, bat-winged creatures somewhat resemble lobsters in that they have many legs, feelers, and eyestalks, and forearms that end in great pincers. Though they appear as crustaceans, they are actually fungus creatures. (Deities & Demigods, page 46)

Mi-Go
Medium plant, chaotic evil

Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 27 (5d8+5)
Speed 45 ft., fly 90 ft.
Ability Scores STR 10 (+0), DEX 15 (+2), CON 12 (+1), INT 17 (+3), WIS 15 (+2), CHA 6 (-2)

Skills Medicine +7
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Mi-Go (a language of pincer-clicks and color changes)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Extraterrestrial Nature. The Mi-Go does not require air. It can survive in a vacuum. It can fly through the vacuum of space.

Psionic Sensitivity. The Mi-Go has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks to notice the presence of creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or greater and to perceive the presence of psionic effects.

Surgical Expertise. The Mi-Go adds twice its proficiency bonus to Wisdom (Medicine) checks.

Actions

Multiattack. The Mi-Go attacks twice with its pincers.

Pincers. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) slashing damage.

Brain Surgery. The Mi-Go can surgically remove an incapacitated creature’s brain and store that brain in a Brain Cylinder (see below) so that the brain continues to live. The brainless body is reduced to 0 hit points with the normal results.

Special Mi-Go Items

The Mi-Go utilize advanced technology. Here are a few examples:

Brain Cylinder. This shiny metal cylinder is about 1 foot high and 8 inches in diameter. It has three triangular sockets. The fluids and alien circuitry within the cylinder can sustain a brain and enable the brain to interface with Mi-Go technology, such as a system of speakers and microphones that permit the brain to speak and hear. Each week a brain spends within a Brain Cylinder, the creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or lose 2 (1d4) points of Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. The brain expires if any score reaches 0.

Electric Weapon. The Mi-Go’s Electric Weapon appears to be made of some alien, blackish metal cast in a warty, ovoid shape. Strange circuitry covers the weapon’s surface. When held correctly, the weapon projects a 20-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line of bluish sparks. Each creature in the line must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 5 (1d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. If the creature’s saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is incapacitated for 1 minute. The incapacitated target may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Living Armor. Alien biotechnology grows these slimy, chitinous segments of fungal armor that have total weight of 20 pounds. Living Armor is medium armor that bestows AC 16 + Dexterity modifier (maximum +2). Each week it is used by a non-Mi-Go wearer, the amount of protection degrades by 1 point since only Mi-Go naturally secrete the nutrients the Living Armor needs. Also, when a non-Mi-Go removes the Living Armor, the wearer takes 2 (1d4) points of damage as the fungal plates are torn from hair and skin.

Mist Projector. This cluster of twisted metal tubes projects a 10-foot-long, 10-foot-wide cone of icy mist. Each creature in the cone must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 7 (2d6) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

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