Made a doc detailing one of the central villains to my last homebrew campaign: The Jaguar! I figured since I have artwork of her and a complete backstory and stats I might as well share!
She's a malison warlock with a Rakshasa consort that serves an archdevil of avarice. They are CR 12 and 13, but when they are fought together they are a Deadly encounter for a party of four level 15 heroes. A good late-game boss fight. Feel free to use her in your own settings.
You can download the PDF here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/22474762
**In other news, anyone know how to fix the weird statblock error on page 2? I'm using The Homebrewery's markdown. I tried adding a blank <div> below it but that didn't seem to work.
This encounter was used to heighten the drama of the Needle’s Bones area in the Tomb of Annihilation module. The dragon’s hidden treasure hoard seemed scant, so I wanted the opportunity for the PCs to acquire more treasure with a more dangerous obstacle than two quipper swarms. So I created the Red-Cheek batiri clan. In my canon, this is the clan that originally trapped and slew Needle. Though most of them perished in the showdown, a few survived and they started to repopulate the clan. The Red-Cheek clan has masks carved like quippers with their cheeks dyed red with blood in honor of their clan’s feat employing the critters. The goblins looted some of Needle’s treasure but couldn’t get into the secret door where they knew the rest of it was. Now they lie in wait for some adventurers to figure out a way in so they can steal it for themselves, and then trap the adventurers for their next grisly meal.
The encounter can be summarized as follows:
Players have their treasure or weapons stolen from them at night. The thieves make their presence known just outside the players’ camp site, inciting them to pursue.
The thieves lead the pursuers through a series of traps in the jungle, separating the main encounter into three smaller encounters.
While the PCs fall for their traps, the goblins use hit-and-run tactics until all PCs are unconscious or dead to drag them back to their camp to be eaten.
Red-Cheek Goblin: These goblins use the same statistics as regular goblins, except that they wield spears (1d6+2), daggers (1d4+2), and javelins (1d6+2)
DM Actions
Poisoned Weapons: The goblins use poisoned weapons, but not all of the weapons are poisoned. The DM can apply a poison effect to a single dagger or javelin attack. Once the DM does so, they cannot do so again until the top of the initiative round.
Daggers are coated in Serpent Venom (DC 11 CON, 3d6 poison damage, save halves). The daggers are made of flint and sheathed in fresh snake corpses. The daggers are one-time use, so they don't use them all the time.
Javelins are tipped with Oil of Taggit (DC 13 CON, poisoned/unconscious for 24 hours). Some of the goblins have clay jugs to dip their javelins in.
Beehive Grenade: At any point during the entire encounter, the DM can have one of the goblins in the trees hurl a sealed-up beehive at the one of the players below using their action. The player must attempt a DEX saving throw (DC 12) or be hit by the hive and be covered in sticky honey. On a successful save, the hive lands in a space adjacent to the target. Regardless of where the hive hit, it bursts open and unleashes a Swarm of Insects (Bees) that are extremely angry. The bees will attack whatever creature is nearest or else prioritizes any creature covered in honey. A honey-covered creature also gains disadvantage on DEX saving throws until they spend an hour to clean off the honey. The goblins only prepared one Beehive Grenade that was brought with the attack team.
Setup: Dirty Thieves
Two goblins try to steal into the players camp during the night when the least perceptive character is on watch (they have been spying on the players once they entered their territory). They will try to distract the person on watch so they can enter and steal the rest of Needle’s treasure the PCs recovered. If spotted, they immediately run into the jungle with the stolen goods hoping the PCs follow. If unnoticed, the players hear them banging the treasure against stones in an attempt to goad the PCs into action. They will of course retreat into the jungle if engaged. When the chase begins, the thieves split up to confuse their attackers, but they eventually regroup once they lose their pursuers. They then start leaving a deliberate trail for the PCs to follow into the traps the clan has laid.
Tracking the Goblins
Between each trap, have the players make a group Survival check or designate a tracker. The check for this is relatively easy (DC 12) but if the players succeed by 5 or more, they intuit that the trail is being left intentionally, rather than accidentally. The goblins may be more cunning than they let on. On a failed check, the PCs lose track of the goblins and may get attacked (the goblins want the PCs to keep chasing them). Players can repeat a failed check with an additional 10 minutes of tracking.
Trap Encounters
When the PCs succeed at a Survival check, they successfully track down the goblins. However, they are also led into a trap. Each trap can be spotted with a DC 15 Perception check made by the lead party member (if the party has a designated tracker, it’s usually them). If the PCs are checking for traps as they go, they gain advantage on this check. If the PCs got separated, you can have them run into the traps separately or have the smaller groups run into goblin ambushes. The traps occur in order as the PCs follow the goblins along:
Trap 1: Boulder Drop
The PCs are led up a 60 ft. long slippery, gravelly slope. The slope is treated as difficult terrain (half movement speed), even for those with climbing speeds. Players must make an Acrobatics check (DC 11) to not slip on the gravel while traversing the slope in any direction. With a successful check, the player can normally traverse the slope. On a failed check, the player slips and takes 1d4 bludgeoning damage and immediately falls prone instead of moving. When the players are halfway up the slope, the goblins will loose a boulder they have perched atop the slope using tree limbs as a lever. If no one spotted the boulder with the initial Perception check, it will tumble down the slope. Those in a 15 ft. wide line down the length of the slope are considered in the boulder’s path and must make a DEX saving throw (DC 13). Prone creatures have disadvantage on this saving throw. Each creature that failed their saving throw take 3d10 bludgeoning damage, or half as much on a successful saving throw.
2d4+2 goblins attack the party once the trap is encountered. If three or more goblins are defeated, the rest attempt to fall back to the next trap.
Trap 2: Spiked Offal Pit Trap
The PCs manage to sneak up on a goblin munching on a humanoid bone that promptly runs away. PCs that fail to spot this trap with the initial Perception check won’t notice that the reeds and thin sticks the goblin runs across hide a 10-foot deep pit. Goblins and other Small creatures do not trigger the trap as they are too light. The pit trap will affect the first 2 Medium creatures that chase the goblin. Those creatures must attempt a DC 14 DEX saving throw. Those that succeed are able to take a clever leap from the pit's collapsing cover and land on the edge of the pit unharmed. Those that fail will fall in, taking 2d8 piercing damage from the 3-foot wooden stakes lining the bottom and 1d10 bludgeoning damage from the fall. It becomes quickly apparent that the trap is also filled a foot deep with offal and animal parts. This means a few things:
A nearby goblin will light a torch and toss it into the pit given the chance, quickly igniting the animal fat and oils. Each creature in the pit will take 1d10 fire damage at the start of each of their turns once the offal is ignited.
The greasy pit makes escape difficult. Climbing out of the pit requires a DC 13 Acrobatics check with disadvantage, even for creatures which normally have a climbing speed.
Players that are injured by this trap risk contamination and must attempt a DC 11 CON saving throw to resist contracting Sewer Plague (see p.257 of the DMG for more info).
1d4+2 goblins (plus those that escaped from the previous trap) attack the party once the trap is encountered. If three or more goblins are defeated, the rest attempt to fall back to the next trap.
Trap 3: Thorny Net Snare
The first player that doesn’t notice this trap with the initial Perception check must attempt a DEX saving throw (DC 12). On a failed saving throw, the creature is suddenly strung up by a net snare made of woven, thorny vines. The creature takes 1d6 initial piercing damage, plus 1d4 piercing damage whenever they attempt any action or movement while in the net. They are suspended 10 ft. above the ground and become restrained. If they fall from this height, they will take an additional 1d10 bludgeoning damage. A restrained creature can attempt a DC 14 Acrobatics or Athletics check to escape the netting using their action, but will fall unless they can find another way safely to the ground. Players that aren’t trapped in the net can try to find a taut vine that is holding up the snare with a DC 14 Perception or Investigation check and sever it using an action, causing the net to drop but also release the restrained creature.
The remainder of the goblin attack party (originally 16 in total) attacks the PCs at this point. If more than half of this group is slain, they will retreat to their camp, where they can be followed without running into any traps.
Batiri Tactics
Half of the goblins encountered will be in the trees, while half will be in the nearby underbrush. The goblins make full use of their Nimble Escape feature to hide between attacks. If the encounter occurs at night as the goblins intended, creatures without Darkvision have disadvantage on Perception checks to spot the hiding goblins.
When two or more goblins are defeated, the rest disengage to lead them to the next trap. If they must retreat after the final trap is encountered, the goblins’ last resort is to run back to their camp (this time without any traps to protect them).
The attack party totals 16 goblins, so ensure you track how many goblins are slain throughout the entirety of the encounter. If all of the players are either slain or knocked unconscious by the goblins, they will tie them up and drag them to their camp to be eaten. The goblins prick the survivors with Oil of Taggit poison to keep them unconscious.
The Red-Cheek Camp
If the players arrive at the camp after being captured, the survivors awaken tied up by vines next to any dead companions. Their gear is not on them (weapons have been distributed amongst the goblins while any other gear has been packed into their treasure baskets. The goblins are eating “leftovers” of a humanoid roasted on a spit. It has been 24 hours since they were captured. Players can escape their bonds with a DC 16 Sleight of Hand check. There are no goblins immediately paying attention to them as they believe them to be knocked out by the poison.
Four five-foot diameter leaf-huts and a few fire pits are found here for roasting new captures or kills. 8 goblins plus those that remain from the attack party (originally 16 goblins) can be found here. Among their belongings are 3 basketball-sized clay urns of honey, baskets of stolen treasure (including what they had initially stolen from Needle’s horde), and one basket of snakes placed curiously close to the treasure baskets. The goblins keep the snakes for their venom and harvest honey from the hives they use for their Beehive Grenades (gathered from the jungle).
Treasure: The baskets of treasure contain the following: 50 gold pieces and 85 silver pieces in various leather satchels, a brass vase (25 gp), a golden bracelet of stylized interlinked hands (30 gp), a hand mirror with a jade frame carved like a su-monster (45 gp), a broken crystal pterodactyl statue (10 gp), and a gold locket belonging to Artus Cimber (or some other important NPC if you aren't using the Tomb of Annihilation module). The locket contains an image of a young woman. On the locket’s inside cover is engraved cursive script that says “My Dearest Alisanda.”
A beggar approaches the players, telling them they were attacked by a red-faced monster with a spear at an abandoned shrine up on the mountain. He's worried that it might come for the village next! The shrine only seems to appear at night, when its lights can be seen from the village.
This is a simple five-part adventure for heroes between levels 2 and 4. The effective CR of the dungeon is 4. The adventure consists of five parts:
Torii Gates - players fight a handful of ghouls known as Jinkininki
Haiden - a puzzle involving bell yokai called Waniguchi
Yokai Ambush - a handful of forgotten objects attack the players
Honden - a Hososhi guardian oni defends against intruders
Kotengu's Ruse - a Kotengu reveals its true reasons for luring the players to the shrine.
Torii Gates
The mountain is treacherous as it has become infested with Jinkininki, yokai that prey on the dead, but the living will do in a pinch. Use the statistics for ghouls as a base but give them resistance to non-magic damage and reduce their hit points to about 15 and give them advantage on Stealth skill checks. The Jinkininki are semi-incorporeal, seeming to fade into their surroundings. The Jinkininki count as undead creatures.
As the players walk along a path of Torii gates towards the shrine, 1d4+1 Jinkininki will stalk the players as they make their way towards the shrine and attack whenever they seem the most vulnerable. Some may even join combat late while the PCs' attention is drawn away.
Haiden
The players can find a fountain at the outskirts of the shrine's grounds. The players can find 5 vials worth of holy water resting in its basin. Stone toro lanterns light the path one by one as players make their way to the shrine proper.
When players reach the Haiden, the main building where worship normally takes place, they find the doors slightly ajar. The paper shoji walls are riddled with holes that are filled with small blinking eyes, noticed by a DC 14 Perception check. These are Mokumokuren yokai. Relatively harmless, but a DC 16 Religion check reveals this to be a sign of a yokai infestation in the shrine.
Inside the Haiden is a room in disrepair. The floorboards are broken, dust coats every inch, and shreds of folded paper lie forgotten on the floor. A chime hanging from the rafters jingles with a light breeze, seeming to repeat the same tune over and over again. An elaborate locked iron gate bars the way towards the shrine's sanctum.
Five brass drum-shaped bells with lie on the floor. They start to shake when the PCs enter. After a few seconds, each sprouts a lizard-like body and opens a toothy maw on the bell's curve. Clanging their bell-mouths together, they attack the trespassing players.
These are Waniguchi yokai, spawned from forgotten drum-shaped temple bells. Each yokai has a symbol on the top of its head (the face of the bell). Ringing the Waniguchi bells in the proper order (with a successful attack roll) will cause the creatures to become dormant and the gate to the shrine to unlock. The order is determined using the symbols, which appear on a wind chime yokai hanging from the roof. It's playing a continual tune which plays in the same order as the Waniguchis. The order is "eye," "sun," "moon," "mountain," "tree." An alternative way to do this puzzle without the symbols is by using props or software; five chimes that each produce a different tone. Players figure out through trial and error which Waniguchi makes which note when hit.
Waniguchi (CR 1/4)
Small Fey, Chaotic Neutral
AC: 14, HP: 60, SPD: 25 ft.
STR 8; CON 14; DEX 16; INT 3; WIS 12; CHA 11
Immunities: psychic, poison
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Actions:
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3 (1d6-1 piercing damage).
Yokai Ambush
Beyond the iron gate is a 40 ft. hallway. Prayers and fortunes written on slips of paper are tacked to the walls, covering the entire upper half of the walls. Trays and basins for offerings are placed on tables on both sides of the hall. Players can find 13 gp worth of coins amongst the offerings, along with a Potion of Healing. At the far end is a closed wooden door. The door is carved with imagery of red flames on a golden field. It is not locked.
When the players reach halfway down the hallway (or if they investigate the offerings, a variety of yokai hidden amongst the offerings attack: A Karakasa Kozo (umbrella yokai), a Jatai (kimono sash yokai), and a pair of Bakezori (sandal yokai). The Bakezori will usually use their action to Help the other yokai once it has tried to Frighten the players.
Karakasa Kozo (CR 2)
Small Fey, Chaotic Neutral
AC: 13, HP: 60, SPD: 20 ft.
STR 6; CON 10; DEX 14; INT 10; WIS 12; CHA 11
Skills: Stealth +4
Immunities: psychic, poison
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
False Appearance: While not moving, the Karakasa Kozo is indistinguishable from an umbrella.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Karakasa Kozo can make two attacks each round, only one of which can be made with its Lick attack.
Stab: Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3 piercing damage).
Lick: The Karakasa Kozo licks a creature within 5 ft. of it. That creature must make a DC 13 CON saving throw take 7 (2d6) poison damage or become poisoned for 1 minute.
Jatai (CR 1)
Small Fey, Chaotic Neutral
AC: 13, HP: 40, SPD: 30 ft. fly
STR 16; CON 10; DEX 14; INT 10; WIS 12; CHA 11
Skills: Stealth +4
Immunities: psychic, poison
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
False Appearance: While not moving, the Jatai is indistinguishable from a kimono sash or a strip of loose cloth.
Actions:
Throttle: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage, and the Jatai attaches to the target. If the target is Medium or smaller and the Jatai has advantage on the attack roll, it attaches by wrapping around the target's head and neck, and the target is also blinded and unable to breathe while the Jatai is attached in this way. While attached to the target, the Jatai can attack no other creature except the target but has advantage on its attack rolls. The Jatai's speed also becomes 0, it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed, and it moves with the target. A creature can detach the Jatai by making a successful DC 13 Strength check as an action. On its turn, the Jatai can detach itself from the target by using 5 feet of movement.
Bakezori (CR 1/8)
Tiny Fey, Chaotic Neutral
AC: 16, HP: 5, SPD: 30 ft.
STR 5; CON 10; DEX 16; INT 10; WIS 12; CHA 11
Skills: Stealth +5
Immunities: psychic, poison
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
False Appearance: While not moving, the Jatai is indistinguishable from a sandal.
Mobile: The Bakezori can Disengage or Dash as a bonus action.
Actions:
Frighten: The Bakezori chants and chatters maniacally while running about. Creatures within 60 ft. that can hear the Bakezori must make a DC 13 WIS saving throw or become frightened of it for 1 minute. A frightened creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns, ending the effect on a successful save. Creatures that succeed at this saving throw are immune to this ability for 24 hours.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Honden
On the other side of the wooden door is the main sanctum of the shrine, the Honden. This room is smaller than the Haiden and contained an ancient statue of a spirit/god/kami the shrine is dedicated to (this can be left up to you based on your campaign). There is a Komainu lion-dog statue in each corner of this room. When the players pass between them, their eyes glow red and a mist starts to manifest in the Honden. A yokai of human shape called a Hososhi appears. It has four eyes that can look in all four directions and a hideous red demonic face capped with two horns and white hair. It wields a spear and shield.
Unbeknownst to the players, the Hososhi is actually protecting the shrine from trespassers that seek the cleric's corpse, and it mistakes the players as a threat. Although it does not speak, it can be reasoned with and understands Common.
All-Around Vision: The Hososhi can see in all directions at once; it cannot be surprised.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Hososhi can make two attacks each round.
Glaive: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (2d8+4 slashing damage)
Volley (recharge 5-6): Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., four targets. Hit: (1d6+4 piercing damage). The Hososhi commands its guardian idols to fire a volley of arrows at up to four targets within range. It can choose to attack the same target multiple times.
Reactions:
Parry: The Hososhi can use its reaction to give itself +2 AC against an incoming attack. It can use this ability after the attack has been rolled but before it has dealt damage.
Kotengu's Ruse
After overcoming the Hososhi, a Kotengu arrives through a hole in the roof of the shrine. The Kotengu looks like a humanoid with a crow's head wearing yamabushi robes. It reveals itself as the beggar from the beginning of the adventure in disguise.
The Kotengu tricked the players into coming to the shrine to defeat the Hososhi so that it could take the relics hidden in the shrine. Magical wards kept the Kotengu from entering the Honden, but a mortal entering the Honden broke that seal.
It was hoping for the Hososhi to finish off the PCs, but it has no qualms finishing the job itself. If the Hososhi has aligned itself with the PCs, the Kotengu will be more conservative and attack from the air.
Kotengu (CR 6)
Medium Fey, Chaotic Evil
AC: 15, HP: 100, SPD: 30 ft, 40 ft fly
STR 13; CON 14; DEX 16; INT 13; WIS 12; CHA 16
Skills: Deception +6, Stealth +6
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11
Languages: Common
Hoarder of Magic: Kotengus tend to collect magic items. Roll for a random magic item on Table B, C, or D in the Dungeon Master's Guide in addition to any treasure found on the Kotengu's person.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Kotengu can make two attacks with its rapier or replace one of its two attacks with a use of its Wand.
+1 Rapier: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d6+4 slashing damage) plus 4 (1d6 lightning damage)
Wand of Magic Missiles: The Kotengu can cast Magic Missile, firing up to three missiles that deal 1d4+1 force damage at three targets. The same creature can be hit by multiple missiles. The Wand has 7 charges which replenish at dawn.
Spellcasting: The Kotengu casts spells as a 5th level spellcaster. It has a +3 spell attack modifier and the saving throw DC for its spells is 14.
At will: Minor Illusion, Mage Hand, Vicious Mockery, Shocking Grasp
A town has become plagued by nightmares and some creatures are falling asleep never to awaken. After questioning the residents, the players discover that the town’s local wizard has recently been banished as they believe her to be the culprit.
The players will likely investigate the wizard, but they quickly find out that the old woman is not the cause of the nightmares. The wizard hasn’t given up hope on the town and has been doing her own research. She does have an idea of what might be behind it: a Night Hag. She hasn’t been able to detect one magically in the material plane or in the ethereal plane, so she thinks the hag must have found a way directly into the realm of dreams to harvest souls.
The wizard cannot consistently cast spells in the dream realm and will have no one to awaken her outside of it, so she implores the players to enter the dream world and stop the hag once and for all. Although it will clear her name, the wizard only cares for her old friends in the town, even the ones that have turned on her. If the players accept, she gives each player a draught of yellow liquid that puts them to sleep. When they awaken, they find themselves in the magical realm of dreams.
This dream world seems a lot like the town from before, but with exaggerated visuals like deeply bowed roofs or trees that are much larger than normal or people whose faces are caricatures of their selves from the waking world. In addition, many random features seem to exist here, as if parts of other townfolk’s past experiences have overlaid the community’s shared mental interpretation of the town. The whole place is very surreal.
Surreal Magic:
Magic works differently in the realm of dreams. Each time a player casts a spell, roll 1d20+the spell’s level. On a result of 21 or higher, roll 1d20 again to choose a random mishap from the following:
1-3: The spell ceases to function but the area within 60 ft. of the caster is changed cosmetically (colors are bright and random, area is covered in mold, objects are now comprised of various fruits, etc.)
4-5: A pit 15 ft. wide and 10 ft. deep per level of the spell opens up directly beneath the caster. They can make a DEX save to avoid it (DC 10 + the spell’s level)
6-7: The spell is changed cosmetically to render it useless. For instance, a Fireball might instead produce a swarm of house centipedes or a Magic Missile spell might change midair into ribbons.
8-9: The spell does not function. Instead, a Darkness and Silence spell are cast, centered on the caster and last for 2d4 rounds.
10-11: The spell targets an area or target other than the caster intended, determined randomly.
12-13: The spell does not function. Instead, the caster produces another spell of the same spell level at random, even if they do not know the spell.
14-15: The spell does not function and the direction of gravity is switched to a random direction. Roll 1d6. Gravity now pulls:
1: Upward
2: Downward
3: Front of the caster
4: Right of the caster
5: Behind the caster
6: Left of the caster
16-17: The spell does not function and all creatures within 90 ft. of the caster take 2d6 psychic damage.
18-19: The spell is changed into a fundamentally different spell after changing the spell’s name by switching letters around or rhyming it with another word at the behest of the DM. For instance, Heat Metal might become Meat Metal (changing a creature’s weapon and armor into hunks of flesh) or Tree Stride might become Tree Bride (causing the caster to marry a nearby tree).
20: Roll twice, ignoring this roll if rolled again.
Players must search the strange world for wherever the Night Hag is hiding while facing other horrors like Shadow Demons, Black Puddings, Shadows, Wraiths, and other creatures called Nightmare Spawn (see below).
Once the players track down the Night Hag and begin to fight it, the hag starts to exert powerful influence on the battle by using energy from the souls she’s captured. With a DC 18 Arcana check, a sorcerer can intuit that they may have a similar ability. Since a sorcerer’s power stems from their soul, they have the same power to influence the dream world that the Night Hag does, and can spend one Sorcery Point to use one of the Dreaming abilities of the Dreaming Night Hag (shown below) as if they were the hag.
When the Night Hag is at half their hit points or at some other dramatic moment, reveal that there are actually two Night Hags; one has been using abilities from the shadows the whole time.
Nightmare Spawn (CR 3)
These creatures are tainted dream matter that haunt this realm. They have been conjured by the hags to torment the townspeople. They are usually encountered as random fears of townsfolk, whether it be mundane phobias like a giant spider or a snake or whether it’s more specific like an NPC’s abusive father or living version of a doll that scared them as a child. Eventually, they take on the fears of the players as well.
Torment: The Nightmare Spawn has advantage on attacks against frightened creatures.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Nightmare Spawn makes two slam attacks when it takes the attack action.
Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) bludgeoning damage.
Frighten: The Nightmare Spawn can use its action to change its form into that of something that a creature it can see is frightened of. It instinctively knows what things frighten creatures the most. Its statistics remain the same, but the targeted creature must make a DC 15 WIS saving throw or become frightened. Each round until the Nightmare Spawn changes its form, the targeted creature can attempt a new saving throw at the start of each of its turns to end the effect.
Dreaming Night Hag (CR 6)
A Dreaming Night Hag can never set foot on the Material or Ethereal planes, but can travel freely through other planes as well as the realm of dreams. Perhaps banished from the waking world by a powerful mage or simply a shadow of a dead Night Hag, though no one really knows.
Resistances: Cold, Fire, non-silvered and non-magic weapons.
Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened
Senses: darkvision 120 ft., passive perception 16
Languages: Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Primordial
Magic Resistance: The hag has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Dreaming Hag’s Eye: The hag can spend their bonus action to learn the greatest fears of a creature they direct their gaze at.
Frightening: A creature that becomes frightened within 120 ft. of the hag take 1d6 psychic damage each round while frightened.
Dreaming: The hag is not affected by the Surreal Magic of the dreamscape (described above). In addition, the hag can pull on the energy from her bag of souls to alter the dreamscape using her reaction. The hag can choose one of the following:
The setting of the dreamscape changes instantly to another location of their choosing, usually one known to them.
Target creature is teleported to a location the hag chooses. The creature can make a DC 16 CHA saving throw to resist this effect.
Target creature is polymorphed into a creature chosen by the hag until their next turn. The hag is immune to this ability.
The hag creates any object of Large size or smaller next to them or in their hands.
The hag transmutes any object of Huge size or smaller or area no greater than a 15 ft. cube within 90 ft. of them into something else of their choosing.
Actions:
Claws: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (3d8+4) slashing damage.
Spellcasting (Spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks):
At will: Major Image, Detect Magic, Magic Missile
2/day: Plane Shift (self), Ray of Enfeeblement, Phantasmal Killer
1/day: Eye Bite, Bestow Curse, Hold Person, Lightning Bolt
This creature originates from H. P. Lovecraft's "The Shadow Out of Time." They are a race that switches minds with other creatures across time. I figured they would be an interesting enemy for a wizard as they use their time travel to anticipate the wizard's spells and prepare abjurations for them.
Their unique Mind Switch ability also presents a unique challenge if they switch minds with the main melee damage dealer. Suddenly the players can't kill the Yithian without switching their minds back first, which might require a wizard's help. They can also cast spells and wizards sorta go hand in hand with that.
A Yithian Horror, with its advanced knowledge of time, may send a creature it has switched minds with to thwart the PCs and prevent its own future defeat. A DC 18 Arcana check determines the nature of a mind-switched creature that it is not charmed but in fact is possessed by an alien mind.
Yithian Horror (CR 8)
The Yithian Horror is an aberration that can exert its consciousness throughout time to switch minds with other creatures. The creature uses its powers to expand its genius intellect and divine the future and past and maintain the survival of its great race. Its appearance is completely alien; its body is conical and travels on tentacles beneath its sluglike foot. It has two tentacles that end in pincers and still two more tentacles wielding presumably sensory organs, with a three-eyed bulb-like head on one and a collection of trumpet-looking protrusions on the other.
Adaptability: The Yithian Horror uses its memories of the past and future to adapt magical defenses against attacks and spells. Creatures making physical attacks against the Yithian Horror while it's in its own body must make an Athletics or Acrobatics check against a DC of 15 to perform an unpredictable attack. On a failed check Yithian Horror gains +2 AC against the incoming attack. Creatures casting spells against the Yithian Horror while it's in its own body must make a DC 15 Arcana check. On a failed check, the spell fails.
Mind Switch: The Yithian Horror can use its action once each day to choose an intelligent creature that it can see (including through its Scrying spell). In combat, it usually picks one that it detects has strong physical attributes. The creature must make a DC 15 CHA saving throw. On a failed save, the creature switches minds with the Yithian Horror, each gaining the physical abilities of the other, but not any mental attributes, abilities, or spells. The Yithian Horror's alien body also prevents a possessing spellcaster from casting spells with somatic components.
Each round, a creature in the body of the Yithian Horror must make a DC 24 CHA check to end the effect. If the creature fails its saving throw three times, the change becomes permanent. The Yithian Horror retains its Mind Switch ability while it is in a different body.
A spellcaster can attempt to weaken the bond between the minds of the switched creatures, even if it is not switched itself. The spellcaster must be within 30 ft. of the Yithian Horror's body and can use its action to make an Arcana check with a DC of 16. On a successful check, the DC of the check to free a creature trapped in the Yithian Horror's body is reduced permanently by 4 for the trapped creature.
If the Yithian Horror is slain while in another creature's body, the Yithian Horror is defeated but usually has really just transferred its consciousness to another creature in a different time. If the Yithian Horror's body is destroyed with another creature's mind trapped within it, that creature dies. The Mind Switch can be dispelled with Dispel Magic as if it was a spell of 8th level. A Remove Curse spell will also end the Mind Switch.
Temporal Retreat: When a Yithian Horror dies, there is a 50% chance that it is not truly dead, but in fact switched minds with another creature from a different time at its moment of death. It will often plot revenge on its would-be killer.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Yithian Horror may make up to two Pincer attacks when it takes the attack action.
Pincer: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+4) piercing damage.
Spellcasting (Spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks):
At will: Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
2/day: Lightning Bolt, Suggestion
1/day: Modify Memory, Dominate Person, Scrying (the Yithian Horror can cast this spell targeting a creature from a different time)
The dragon engine is a gargantuan creature covered in adamantine plates gushing loud gouts of steam from several of its moving parts. The steam-powered engine looks like a dragon with a long spiked tail at its back and a long neck ending in a head filled with teeth and spilling fire from its maw. It rides on a monstrous set of treads covered in spikes and has metallic horns up and down its back.
This fiendish device is an adamantine golem built to look like a dragon. I hear you asking, "but how is this an encounter inspired for a rogue?" Well in true Shadow of the Colossus fashion, the idea is to climb on top of it, find a way inside, and disable it from within. To face it head-on is a foolhardy task but it is possible to distract it long enough for the rogue to do the dirty work.
The creature is designed after an Iron Golem but is bigger and faster and has more HP. This may seem antithetical to make its CR lower, but I have compensated with several balances. Instead of having Poison Breath every round, it has fire breath with a recharge. It can only make one attack each round outside of its Legendary Actions, which are occasionally used to attack the rogue presumably inside its body. The creature also has poor maneuverability so it can only really move once every other round, making kiting a useful tactic against it.
It may seem like a rogue will have a difficult time inside the dragon engine with all the traps inside dealing so much damage, but one should remember that rogues at this high of a level will most certainly have Evasion to completely dodge the damage. However, the dragon will use its interior traps multiple times per round if the rest of the party outside isn't sufficiently vying for its attention.
Inside the Dragon Engine
Moving from one chamber to another is the equivalent of a creature's movement action. A creature can take the Dash action to move to second chamber in the same turn. A creature inside the dragon engine must make a DC 20 Perception check to successfully hear someone yelling from outside and vice versa.
Maintenance Hatch: A DC 16 Athletics or Acrobatics check is required to climb up the treads and torso. A DC 14 DEX check with Thieves Tools is required to unlock the latch. A creature on the maintenance hatch has disadvantage on DEX saving throws against the dragon engine's Flame Wreath ability. Once a creature is inside of the maintenance hatch, they find themselves in the Track Chamber.
Track Chamber: This chamber houses the dragon engine's movement mechanisms. These can be disabled with a DC 18 DEX check using Thieves Tools. If the movement mechanism is disabled, the dragon engine cannot take the move action for 1d4 rounds. A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Grinding Gears ability. The Tail Chamber, Head Chamber, and Boiler Chamber can be reached from here. The Boiler chamber is locked and can only be reached once the dragon engine's tail mechanism and flame thrower have been disabled.
Boiler Chamber: The Boiler chamber is locked and can only be reached once the dragon engine's tail mechanism and flame thrower have been disabled. This chamber houses the dragon engine's main power source. The boiler can be rigged to overload with a DC 20 DEX check using Thieves Tools. Once the boiler has been successfully rigged, it will erupt in 3 rounds. Once it erupts, all creatures in a 40 ft. radius must make a DC 13 DEX saving throw or take 10d10 bludgeoning damage. A creature A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Steam Vents ability. The boiler chamber is connected to the Track Chamber.
Tail Chamber: This chamber houses the dragon engine's tail movement mechanisms. These can be disabled with a DC 15 DEX check using Thieves Tools. If the tail movement is disabled, the dragon engine cannot use its Tail Whip attack indefinitely. A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Lightning Shock ability. The tail chamber is connected to the Track Chamber.
Head Chamber: This chamber houses the dragon engine's Fire Breath mechanism. This can be disabled with a DC 15 DEX check using Thieves Tools. If the Fire Breath mechanism is disabled, the dragon engine cannot use its Fire Breath ability indefinitely. A creature in this chamber might be subjected to the dragon engine's Heat Metal ability. The head chamber is connected to the Track Chamber.
Dragon Engine (CR 14)
Gargantuan Construct, Neutral
AC: 20, HP: 270, SPD: 50 ft.
STR: 24; DEX: 9; CON: 20; INT: 3; WIS: 11; CHA: 1
Immunities: fire, poison, psychic, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine
Languages: Understands languages of its creator but cannot speak.
Fire Absorption: Whenever the dragon golem is subjected to fire damage, it takes no damage and instead regains a number of hit points equal to the fire damage dealt
Immutable Form: The dragon engine is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Magic Resistance: The dragon engine has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons: The dragon engine's attacks are magical.
Poor Maneuverability: The dragon engine uses treaded tires to move around, making its movement difficult. The dragon engine can only use its action to rotate itself or to travel in a straight line.
Actions:
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 20(3d8+7) piercing damage.
Tail Whip: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10+7) bludgeoning damage.
Fire Breath (recharge 5-6): The dragon engine exhales a 40-foot line of fire. Each creature in the area must make a DC 18 DEX saving throw, taking 48 (8d10) fire damage on a failed save and half damage on a successful save.
Legendary Actions:
The dragon engine can take 3 legendary actions chosen from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The dragon engine regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect (1 action): If one or more creatures are inside of the dragon engine, it can use this legendary action to detect where each creature inside of it is located.
Trap (1 action): The dragon can activate one of its traps:
Steam Vents: Each creature in the Boiler Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 8d8 fire damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.
Grinding Gears: Each creature in the Track Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.
Lightning Shock: Each creature in the Tail Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 6d6 lightning damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.
Heat Metal: Each creature in the Head Chamber must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 6d6 fire damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.
Flame Wreath: Each creature within a 10 ft. radius of the dragon engine must make a DC 18 DEX saving throw or take 4d10 fire damage. A creature takes half this much damage on a successful saving throw.
Attack (2 actions): The dragon engine may attack one creature in range with either its Bite attack or Tail Whip.
This creature is a demon that hunts Angels and other celestials. It has many abilities that help it do so, but the abilities also make it a nightmare for paladin to face, despite having so many anti-fiend spell and abilities. It’s resistant to radiant damage, which undercuts a paladin’s main type of damage from its Divine Smite. Its sword also curses its victims with halved magical healing, making paladins have to spend more for their Lay on Hands ability. As for angel-bane abilities, we have its Fell Gaze which disables flight and debuffs the target. Perfect for bringing angels down to its level. It can also see through the disguises of creatures like the Deva with its true sight. Among its spells are lightning-based spells for smiting its flying foes when outnumbered, and a Plane Shift spell to get to the planes where angels can be found. It also has Invisibility in its repertoire but that is mostly for sneaking around the good-aligned planes undetected.
I would imagine that these creatures would work in service of demon lords as assassins. If a celestial catches wind of a demon lord’s plans in the material plane, angels will be dispatched to thwart it. If a demon lord suspects this, a Halo Hunter will be sent to join the landing party and work in the shadows while hunting for celestials. They will most commonly be found on the borders between good and evil planes where fiend-angel battles are common.
Resistances: radiant, cold, fire, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons.
Immunities: poison, lightning
Condition Immunities: poisoned
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Celestial
Magic Resistance: The halo hunter has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
True Sight: The Halo Hunter sees things as they really are. It can see through illusions, magical darkness, and see polymorphed or shapechanged creatures as their original form.
Fell Gaze: At the start of the Halo Hunter’s turn, it can direct its gaze at a creature it can see within 120 ft. That creature must make a DC 18 CON saving throw or gain disadvantage on all attacks against the Halo Hunter until it moves its gaze. In addition, the Halo Hunter suppresses that creature’s ability to fly through any magical and nonmagical means while under the effects of its Fell Gaze.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Halo Hunter makes two attacks with its Gehennan Greatsword and one with its Tail Whip.
Gehennan Greatsword: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d6+10) slashing damage. Creatures hit by the Gehennan Greatsword become resistant to magical healing, only healing half as much as they normally would. This effect can only be removed by a Remove Curse or similar spell.
Tail Whip: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (3d12+10) slashing damage.
The Dracatl is an elusive and rare creature; the perfect prey for an aspiring ranger. This encounter requires a tracking skill challenge between segments. In brief summary: The players search for a Dracatl in large canyons far from civilization. Once they find one, they fight one along a canyon wall. After injuring its wings, they must track it to its nest. There, they finally fight the creature in melee to take it down and loot its body and nest.
The encounter caters to both melee rangers as well as archers, and rangers also have the best primary skills for the skill challenges. The encounter is a lower-level CR so that the players likely won't have access to flight so that the creature must be tracked in Part 3 rather than simply followed.
To run a Skill Challenge, players must take turns making skill checks for various story-based events narrated by the DM. The players decide how each of them want to tackle each skill check and what skill they wish to use. The primary skills may be used more than once during the challenge, but any other skills used can only be used once for the entire challenge. If players cast spells or use abilities that would be useful, the DM may opt to give the players advantage or even a free success. For more information on skill challenges look here. Skill Challenges are originally a fourth-edition concept, adapted here for 5th edition.
Setup:
The players are hired to hunt down a creature known as the Dracatl, a panther-like relative to a dragon that spends its time leaping from tree to tree as it preys on medium-sized creatures below. The creature can fly for short periods, and spends most of its time in canyons, far from civilization. Their scales are renown for their use in rare potions, which is why an alchemist or wizard has hired the PCs. In return, the patron offers each player 350 gp and their choice of either a Potion of Heroism or a Potion of Superior Healing, both potions derived from the creature’s scales. The alchemist informs the players as well that the beast’s eggs also fetch a pretty coin and they could probably find a buyer in town. Players that research the creature (DC 15 Investigation) determine the creature is weak to lightning damage, which is why it tends to lay low during storms.
Part 1: Skill Challenge: Search for the Dracatl
Complexity: Accumulate 10 successes before 3 failures.
Average DC: 10
Primary Skills:
Survival: The players search for tracks and signs of the creature, such as broken tree limbs, shed scales, or scratch marks.
Nature: The players use their knowledge to search for common flora, geography, or prey that the creature lives near.
Athletics: The players must overcome climbing obstacles along and throughout the canyons.
Success: The party finds a hunting ground of a Nacatl in a single canyon. Continue to part 2.
Failure: The party has lost the trail or followed the wrong one. The players are running low on rations and there may be a random encounter. Either way, the players must re-attempt the skill challenge to find a trail once more.
Part 2: Aerial Encounter
The players, once they have narrowed the Dracatl’s hunting grounds to a single canyon, travel along the canyon walls to survey the area. Suddenly, the beast emerges from the canopy only 100 ft away! It is flying through the air, but it notices the party. It moves to attack by using its Flyby ability to maintain distance. The players are confined to a 15 ft. wide ledge 70 ft. from the ground. The only way down is either through a difficult and dangerous climb or by taking a long way down the gently sloping ledge for a half mile. Once the Dracatl is reduced to half hit points, its wings become injured and it attempts to flee, only to crash-land through the canopy somewhere nearly a mile away. Continue to part 3.
Part 3: Skill Challenge: Tracking the Beast
Complexity: Accumulate 4 successes before 3 failures.
Average DC: 15
Primary Skills:
Survival: The players track the wounded beast to its lair, looking for drag marks, smears of blood, and scratches on rocks.
Stealth: The players must track the beast carefully, risking an ambush (especially once in its lair)
Investigation: The players look for the location where the beast fell through the canopy or determine that its lair may be a cave.
Success: The party finds the beast’s lair, a cave in the canyon wall, and corners it inside. Continue to part 4.
Failure: The party is ambushed by the creature, giving it a surprise round and a maximum initiative result. Continue to part 4.
Part 4: Final Encounter
The Dracatl is bloodied (missing at least half of its hit points), making it more dangerous. As noted, the creature gains +2 to attacks and damage with its Bite and Tail Whip attacks. The Dracatl can still use its Great Leaper ability to jump over creatures to avoid attacks or get out of tight spots. Once the creature is defeated, if the players were not ambushed, it is not hard to find the creature’s nest, along with 2d6 eggs worth about 250 gp each. If the players were ambushed outside of the creature’s lair, the eggs become far more difficult to find, requiring a DC 19 Investigation or Survival check. On returning to town, the alchemist that sent you on this quest fulfills their end of the bargain, offering each player their choice of either a Potion of Heroism or a Potion of Superior Healing and paying each player 350 gp.
Flyby Attack: The Dracatl does not provoke attacks of opportunity when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.
Great Leaper: The Dracatl can make a 40 ft. long standing leap reaching up to 15 ft. in the air at its peak.
Cornered: When the Dracatl is reduced to less than 75 HP, the Dracatl gains +2 to attacks and damage for their Bite and Tail Whip attacks. The Dracatl also loses its Fly speed.
Actions:
Multiattack: The Dracatl makes two attacks, one with its Bite and one with its Tail Whip.
Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6+3) slashing damage
Tail Whip: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10+3) bludgeoning damage.
Fan of Needles (Recharge 5-6): The Dracatl whips its tail, spraying enemies with sharp, spiked scales. Each creature in a 30 ft. cone must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw. Each creature that fails this saving throw takes 24 (5d6) piercing damage, or half as much on a successful saving throw.
