Continuing my look back at some of my work from 2025, I had entirely forgotten that I never shared my 5th Edition conversion of the Nightlords from Elden Ring: Nightreign. Eight massive bosses, all of them multi-phase with mythic traits and legendary actions. Plus Heolstor, a three-phase boss with a built-in transformation, for a solid "ten" monsters total.
These all sit somewhere between CR 9-15, making them best for mid-level campaigns. But at some point I plan to go back and adapt their "Everdark" versions for some really high level challenges. When that'll actually happen depends on free time, and whether there's even any interest in CR 20+ versions.
Most easily identified among the flora of the Shadowfell by their dark violet shoots and their long, curling leaves, fugue weed is one of the shadowfell's few indigenous animate plants. They most commonly grow along waterways and in damp, marshy environments, towering in dense clumps when at rest and crawling on a large nest of glossy black roots when mobile.
Fugue weed is not predatory in the sense of most carnivorous plants; instead, they are memnovores, feeding on memories and thoughts. Typically they feed on undead, but are content to sift the living for recent memories in a pinch, and can also benefit from the memory-infused sediment in the River Styx.
This last trait leads some to believe it originated in the Lower Planes, but the greatest concentration of fugue weed and the presence of local predators in the Shadowfell indicate it is not an invasive species. The fugue weed's most common predators are the sorrowsworn, who are resistant to many of the plant's most potent defenses, but the local shadar-kai also consider fugue weed a rare delicacy.
Fugue weed reproduces by seeding about once a standard year, during the wet season, and casts its seeds to the water around itself to be propagated downstream. They sometimes travel great distances to seek running water to drop their seeds. Fugue weeds have a crude intelligence and a basic understanding of the common tongue, which they mostly use to size up potential prey.
Mr Rime's buttons blink when attacking or being attacked, his "eyes" never do, and one of the cards imply it breathes from the chest. That outfit is the actual face, it has a false head. That's why I'm posting this one out of order, it's the next spooky pokemon in line. Nothing with a false head trying to lure children to it is good.
Mime Jr and Mr Mime are fine though, honestly Legends Arceus warmed me up to them. Apparently fear of clowns is near unheard of in Japan. Guess they don't have an uprising clowns every couple years, like the East Coast USA has for the past half century. Seriously, every few years for the past 60 we've had waves of people in clown costumes with machetes start appear. Rarely ends in any death, they're generally just trying to terrify people. Anyway, these clowns are here to make a fool out of wizards, so time for encounter ideas!
-Mime Jr are rascally but typically harmless, just following children around to play and harmless pranks. Lately things have been going missing from those it interacts with. (the townsfolk think it's mime jr, but it's actually a thief/monster taking advantage of the distraction)
-Mr Mime are the jesters of the archfey courts. When the townspeople stopped leaving out offerings for her pixies, the jester was sent to make fools out of the town. Make this a mystery, the players have to figure it's a fey and how to contact/appease them. Or just fight the Mr Mime, but it will definitely retreat and keep coming back to harrass the town, good luck with that. And with retribution should they kill the court's jester.
- Galarian Mr Mime have taken up residence in the local lake, kicking anyone more focused on ice fishing than their performance. The locals need help driving them off, either by appeasing them or attack. (bonus points- the Mr Mime becaomes a Mr Rime when they reach low health, refilling health like a Mythic Trait or a video game boss)
- Mr Rime has been entertaining the village with its antics. People chalk up the frozen body appearing to yetis or winter wolves, relying on the entertainer for joy in this trying time. The Mr Rime is behind these disappearances, occasionally following the last member of its audience home to launch a cone of cold.
[Seems to me like the real distinction between “beast” and “monstrosity” is that beasts are monsters that the devs are okay with druids wild shaping and wizards polymorphing into. The highest CR beast outside of adventure paths is the T-Rex at CR 8, and no beast outside of adventure paths has legendary actions. Polymorph doesn’t say anything about not being able to use legendary actions, though Wild Shape does. So, uh, if you wanna put this in a game where you’re dealing with Polymorph, it's only fair to tell your players that if they turn into this, they can’t use the legendary actions. Cause that would be a bit Much.]
Runebear (CR 10)
Huge Beast, unaligned
Space 15 ft. Reach 10 ft. (15 with claws)
Initiative +2
HP 168 (16d10 +80 Con)
AC 16 (natural armor)
Proficiency Bonus +5
Str 24 (+7) Dex 14 (+2) Con 21 (+5) Int 8 (-1) Wis 15 (+2) Cha 13 (+1)
Saves Dex +7, Wis +7
Skills Athletics +12, Perception +7
Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Passive Perception 17
Languages none
Speed 70 ft.
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Sleeping Bear: The runebear has disadvantage on saving throws against effects that would put it to sleep. If subjected to the Sleep spell, treat the runebear’s hit points as half their current total for the purposes of determining whether it is put to sleep.
In addition, the runebear can use its reaction to make one Claw attack when it wakes up.
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Actions
Multiattack: The runebear makes one Claw attack and one Bite attack.
Claw +12 melee weapon attack, reach 15 ft., 20 (3d8+7) slashing damage. If the target is Large or smaller, the runebear can then make a Strength (Athletics) check opposed by the target Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the runebear wins, the target is knocked prone, and the runebear can move it 5 ft. in any direction.
Thunderous Roar +10 ranged spell attack, range 60 ft., 26 (6d6+5) thunder damage and the target must make a DC 18 Strength save or be knocked prone.
Reactions
Sleeping Bear: The runebear can use its reaction to make one Claw attack when it wakes up from sleep.
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Legendary Actions (3/round)
The runebear can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The runebear regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Bear Hug (Costs 2 Actions): The rune bear attempts to grapple one Large or smaller creature within 5 ft. of it. If it succeeds, it deals 29 (4d10+7) bludgeoning damage to the target. The runebear then releases the grapple and knocks the target prone.
Claw: The runebear makes one Claw attack.
Roar: The runebear makes one Thunderous Roar attack.
Trample: The runebear moves up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks. It can move through spaces occupied by enemies. Any creature in its path must make a DC 18 Dexterity save or take 14 (2d6+7) bludgeoning damage.
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Tactics
Listen. This thing can outrun a fast horse. And it can move on legendary actions. And it's not as stupid as a regular bear. What I’m saying is, bumrush the backline. Put the fear of Bear in them piddly lil wizards. Other than that, uh, smash? It hits things. Roar to finish off weakened dudes at a distance. If you wanna run it without the legendary actions, Bear Hug could be an action (though not a great one) and Trample could substitute for the Claw attack in Multiattack.
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Lore
Runebears are bears imbued with natural power, symbolized by a rune on their chest formed of golden fur. Often created by druids to dissuade settlement, runebears are extremely ornery, though their size means they need to spend most of their time asleep to conserve energy. A lost adventurer would be well advised to leave sleeping runebears where they lie, though they do have a tendency of falling asleep in the most inconvenient places.
Lichdom, the pinnacle of undeath, the end goal of every dark and evil necromancer and foul wizard hungry for power. But sometimes the process to become a lich goes awry; so many variables, so many things that can go wrong. One such way Lichdom can go wrong is the creation of a Quick Lich.
A Quick Lich (Also known as a Scarecrow Lich) is a Lich who bungled the process of becoming undead. Either through their own mistake or because the ritual to create them was interrupted somehow. As a result, a Quick Lich is a prisoner in their own body; utterly incapable of moving or communicating with the outside world. To all the world, they resemble a corpse. At the very most a Quick lich might be able to blink their eyes, or move their fingers and toes slightly, but that's it.
Needless to say, this is a nightmarish existence for the Quick Lich, one who sought such power trapped now in the shell of a corpse. However, just because they are immobile doesn't mean they are harmless; they still have access to their magic, and can cast it without the need to actually move or use spell components. To compensate for their immobility, Quick Liches use spells that allow them to move their body via magic, and to communicate with others indirectly. They also prefer illusion and enchantment spells to terrorize or dominate those around them.
Quick Liches do not need to feed upon souls like their complete counterparts, and they lack Phylectaries, however they are still malicious and cruel, and love to torment mortals. A Quick Lich will typically move themselves into some place where people will discover them, then they will begin tormenting them with their spells, eventually slaying them when the grow bored with their games. Many innocent people die never realziing the corpse they stumbled upon is the source of their horrible situation.
If badly injured, the Quick Lich can restore themselves to health by siphoning the life force of someone nearby, when a victim succumbs, they take on all the injuries inflicted upon the Quick Lich. The Quick Lich will then usually attempt to flee with their spells.
Unlike common Liches, Quick Liches never show any sign of decay or rot, their useless bodies remaining in perfect pristine condition.
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Find more coastal critters and titanic foes in Legendary Hunts: Coastal Encounters, available now in digital, softcover and hardcover!
The shredder swarm is a mass of armored, jellyfish-like creatures that can tear apart the hulls of ships and flesh of creatures with ease. What kind of tactics would your party use to fight this undersea colony?
Bronze Serpent
Huge construct, unaligned
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 147 (14d12 + 56)
Speed 50 ft., burrow 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
Str 18 Dex 20 Con 18 Int 3 Wis 13 Cha 3
Damage Immunities lightning, poison
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks not made with adamantine weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone
Senses darkvision 60 ft. passive Perception 11
Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak
Challenge 10 (5900 XP)
Lightning Absorption. Whenever the serpent is subjected to lightning damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the lightning damage dealt.
Magic Resistance. The serpent has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Shocking Bite. The serpent has advantage on attack rolls with its bite if the target is wearing armor made of metal.
Actions
Multiattack. The serpent makes two attacks: one with its bite and one constrict attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8+5) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) lightning damage.
Constrict. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) bludgeoning damage and the target is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the serpent can't constrict another target.
First developed to guard temples of a serpent god, the secret for creating these constructs has spread far and wide over the centuries. They may now be found just about anywhere, and are rarely directly associated with the god they were initially created to honour. A bronze serpent is typically around 20 feet long, and is made from articulated bronze rings. Its eyes glow blue-white, and its powerful jaws are equipped with impressive fangs that drip electrical sparks instead of venom.
Originally from the 3.0 Edition Monster Manual II. If you like this post, consider following my Patreon to get access to content like this a week ahead of everybody else, plus updates on other projects I’m working on!
