Archade
Azer Paladin
I'm enjoying my wife's Lord of the Rings movie marathon that's a tradition on New Years' Day, and I'm working in earnest to convert N1 - Against the Cult of the Reptile God. I'm going to use this thread to post some of my work, and hopefully get feedback from the kind folks here.
My overall intent is to tone down the treasure levels (waaay too much magic for 1st level), but try to keep everything as close to the original otherwise.
Starting in the village of Orlane, most of the NPC villagers are commoners, right out of the Moster Manual, but there are a few key NPCs I'm going to build out. The first ones I'm working on are the elves Dorian and LLywillan. Dorian is originally a fighter 3/magic-user 3, which I'm keeping as a fighter (eldritch knight) 3/wizard (abjurer) 3, and I've worked out his stat block below (feel free to steel it for your own nefarious use).
So, to figure out the CR (not that the players will likely end up fighting Dorian), here's what I've got. 44 hit points is a default defensive CR 1/4, his arcane ward ability would bring him up to 53 hp or CR 1/2, but his AC is 19, moving it to CR 3. His offensive attack (assuming he uses the magic weapon spell) is 9 or 10 damage, with an offensive CR of 1, and his attack bonus of +6, moving it to CR 2. If he casts magic missile, the average damage is 11, which doesn't change anything. This averages out to CR 3. Right?
Dorian
Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic good
wood elf fighter (eldritch knight) 3/wizard (abjurer) 3
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Armor Class 19 (chainmail and shield)
Hit Points 44 (3d10 + 3d6)
Speed 35 ft.
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Str 17 (+3), Dex 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Int 17 (+3), Wis 10 (0), Cha 12 (+1)
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Saving Throws Str +6, Con +5
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft, Passive Perception 13
Languages common, elven
Challenge 3 (700 xp)
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Abjuration Savant. The gold and time you must spend to copy an abjuration spell into your spellbook is halved.
Arcane Recovery. You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover totalling 1 spell level.
Arcane Ward. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, you create a ward that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has 9 hit points. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes damage instead. If this reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage. While the ward has 0 hit points, it can't absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
Darkvision. Accustomed to twilight forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Fighting Style (Defense). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency with the Perception skill.
Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Trance. Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Spellcasting. Dorian is a 3rd level eldritch knight and a 3rd level wizard that uses Intelligence as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell attacks). Dorian has prepared the following spells from the wizard's spell list, as well as knowing burning hands, magic missile and shield as an eldritch knight:
• Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, message, minor illusion, true strike
• 1st Level (4 slots): burning hands, detect magic, false life, longstrider, magic missile, protection from evil and good, shield
• 2nd Level (3 slots): magic weapon, web
Weapon Bond. You are bonded to your longsword and longbow. Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand. You can only summon one weapon at a time with your bonus action.
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ACTIONS
Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
Longbow. Missile Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range XXX ft./XXX ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) piercing damage.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) slashing damage.
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Equipment: Spellbook that contains comprehend languages, detect magic, disguise self, false life, identify, longstrider, magic weapon, protection from evil and good, sleep, and web
My overall intent is to tone down the treasure levels (waaay too much magic for 1st level), but try to keep everything as close to the original otherwise.
Starting in the village of Orlane, most of the NPC villagers are commoners, right out of the Moster Manual, but there are a few key NPCs I'm going to build out. The first ones I'm working on are the elves Dorian and LLywillan. Dorian is originally a fighter 3/magic-user 3, which I'm keeping as a fighter (eldritch knight) 3/wizard (abjurer) 3, and I've worked out his stat block below (feel free to steel it for your own nefarious use).
So, to figure out the CR (not that the players will likely end up fighting Dorian), here's what I've got. 44 hit points is a default defensive CR 1/4, his arcane ward ability would bring him up to 53 hp or CR 1/2, but his AC is 19, moving it to CR 3. His offensive attack (assuming he uses the magic weapon spell) is 9 or 10 damage, with an offensive CR of 1, and his attack bonus of +6, moving it to CR 2. If he casts magic missile, the average damage is 11, which doesn't change anything. This averages out to CR 3. Right?
Dorian
Medium humanoid (elf), chaotic good
wood elf fighter (eldritch knight) 3/wizard (abjurer) 3
________________________________________
Armor Class 19 (chainmail and shield)
Hit Points 44 (3d10 + 3d6)
Speed 35 ft.
________________________________________
Str 17 (+3), Dex 18 (+4), Con 14 (+2), Int 17 (+3), Wis 10 (0), Cha 12 (+1)
________________________________________
Saving Throws Str +6, Con +5
Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft, Passive Perception 13
Languages common, elven
Challenge 3 (700 xp)
________________________________________
Abjuration Savant. The gold and time you must spend to copy an abjuration spell into your spellbook is halved.
Arcane Recovery. You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover totalling 1 spell level.
Arcane Ward. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, you create a ward that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has 9 hit points. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes damage instead. If this reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage. While the ward has 0 hit points, it can't absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell.
Darkvision. Accustomed to twilight forests and the night sky, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Elf Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the longsword, shortsword, shortbow, and longbow.
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.
Fighting Style (Defense). While you are wearing armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Fleet of Foot. Your base walking speed increases to 35 feet.
Keen Senses. You have proficiency with the Perception skill.
Mask of the Wild. You can attempt to hide even when you are only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, falling snow, mist, and other natural phenomena.
Trance. Elves don't need to sleep. Instead, they meditate deeply, remaining semiconscious for 4 hours a day. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit that a human does from 8 hours of sleep.
Spellcasting. Dorian is a 3rd level eldritch knight and a 3rd level wizard that uses Intelligence as its spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14; +6 to hit with spell attacks). Dorian has prepared the following spells from the wizard's spell list, as well as knowing burning hands, magic missile and shield as an eldritch knight:
• Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, light, message, minor illusion, true strike
• 1st Level (4 slots): burning hands, detect magic, false life, longstrider, magic missile, protection from evil and good, shield
• 2nd Level (3 slots): magic weapon, web
Weapon Bond. You are bonded to your longsword and longbow. Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can't be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated. If it is on the same plane of existence, you can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand. You can only summon one weapon at a time with your bonus action.
________________________________________
ACTIONS
Action Surge. On your turn, you can take one additional action on top of your regular action and a possible bonus action. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
Second Wind. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you use it again.
Longbow. Missile Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range XXX ft./XXX ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+4) piercing damage.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+3) slashing damage.
________________________________________
Equipment: Spellbook that contains comprehend languages, detect magic, disguise self, false life, identify, longstrider, magic weapon, protection from evil and good, sleep, and web