5E: Fifth Edition Monsters Inspired by Third Edition Sources

[Casimir Liber]

It has 3 cantrips that can do damage at range so not worried about a missile weapon as such. All give it an eldritch flavour.

 

[Cleon]

It has 3 cantrips that can do damage at range so not worried about a missile weapon as such. All give it an eldritch flavour.

If anything, it has too many cantrips that do damage at range. Three out of four.

The original Cult Fanatic only had one ranged damage spell, sacred flame.

I'd consider making one of them a general utility spell instead, like prestidigitation or mage hand.

 

[Casimir Liber]

fair - changed lightning lure to prestidigitation

 

[Cleon]

fair - changed lightning lure to prestidigitation

Updated Thrall of Pazuzu Working Draft.

Okay, next up is the Wings of Pazuzu.. It's currently got "The thrall grows a single pair of black raven wings and the power of flight."

Don't care for that wording. It sounds like the thrall might grow these wings whenever it activates its "Wings of Pazuzu" power when in fact they're a permanent addition to its anatomy. Also it effectively says it "grows the power of flight" and the "single" seems redundant.

Would prefer one of the following:

Wings of Pazuzu #1. The thrall has grown a pair of black raven wings that grant it the power of flight.

Wings of Pazuzu #2. The thrall has grown a pair of black raven wings; this gift from Pazuzu grants it the power of flight.​

 

[Cleon]

Re weapons, I was thinking of something "light" like a rapier maybe.

So are we giving it a Rapier instead of a Dagger?

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.​

Hmm, I'd prefer a Longsword instead, since it'd bear a greater resemblance to the greatsword that the thrall's demonic patron uses and has two-handed wielding.

However with the current Thrall of Pazuzu's piddling Strength it wouldn't be terribly effective:

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) slashing damage or 5 (1d10) slashing damage if used with two hands.​

So maybe a Scimitar as that's a Light weapon, as does slashing like a greatsword.

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.
OR
Shortsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.​

Hmm… Wouldn't mind leaving the Dagger in as an option.

Multiattack. The thrall makes two [rapier/shortsword] attacks or two dagger attacks.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.​

 

[Casimir Liber]

I've gone with Wings #2 as adds lore that it is a Gift of Pazuzu

Re weapons, how about making a unique Long Dirk that is a well balanced long dagger that does 1d6+2 damage but can be thrown to 20/60 ft as well?

 

[Cleon]

I've gone with Wings #2 as adds lore that it is a Gift of Pazuzu

Updating Thrall of Pazuzu Working Draft.

Re weapons, how about making a unique Long Dirk that is a well balanced long dagger that does 1d6+2 damage but can be thrown to 20/60 ft as well?

Not keen on the notion of inventing a new weapon just for this one conversion. The original prestige class just used regular weapons.

Would rather make use one of the options in my previous post.

 

[Casimir Liber]

fair enough, longsword then

 

[Cleon]

fair enough, longsword then

With its current Strength it'd only have a +2 to hit with a longsword though, making it rather ineffective as previously mentioned:

However with the current Thrall of Pazuzu's piddling Strength it wouldn't be terribly effective:

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) slashing damage or 5 (1d10) slashing damage if used with two hands.

I was meaning one of the Rapier or Shortsword+Dagger options.

Would be fine with a Longsword, but if we take that route I would tweak the Strength up to give it a +3 or +4 to hit.

Oh, and would be tempted to keep the Dagger as a ranged option.

Maybe:

STR​	DEX​	CON​	INT​	WIS​	CHA​
14 (+2)​	15 (+2)​	12 (+1)​	10 (+0)​	13 (+1)​	14 (+2)​

Multiattack. The thrall makes two longsword attacks or three dagger attacks.

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60, one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage or 7 (1d10 + 2) slashing damage if used with two hands.
​

If we give the Multiattack. an extra dagger attack and a +2 STR modifier then its DPR with a Longsword is 15 or 13 (2H/1H) and the Dagger is 12.

Alternatively, we could stick to the two Dagger attacks like the previous text and maybe give it an Extra Attack option as a bonus action?

Multiattack. The thrall makes two longsword attacks or two dagger attacks.

Bonus Actions

Stab. The thrall makes one melee attack with its dagger.​

 

[Casimir Liber]

I like the idea of rapier/dagger as two weapon-attack (1 each + bonus dagger)