D&D 5E Get The Vecna Dossier Free At D&D Beyond

WotC is offering a free product which you can claim by signing into D&D Beyond, including Vecna’s 5E statistics.

The dossier includes the stat block plus a half page or so of lore. Vecna's stat block is a CR 26 undead wizard, prior to the fallen paladin (and former bodyguard to the lich) Kas's betrayal. That means he still has his hand and eye, although he is a time traveller and can appear in different worlds and eras.

The archlich Vecna is one of the most iconic villains of Dungeons & Dragons lore. And now you can bear witness to his necromantic magic with the Vecna Dossier! Available at no cost with your D&D Beyond account, this thrilling supplement details the legacy and statistics of the Undying King himself!

This claim unlocks the contents of this promotional supplement for use with D&D Beyond, including the supplement in digital format in the game compendium and in the searchable listings, character builder, encounters, and digital sheet.

Claim The Vecna Dossier now! - D&D Beyond

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

An Open Hand Monk also has this:


Trading LAs for reactions isn't a great idea overall, although it should be mostly fine if the PCs don't have that, or Shocking Grasp, or other similar stuff.

So, in less than an hour, at least 2 methods to wipe out half the stat block of Vecna have been figured out. How many resources did WOTC have to design and play-test this stat block?

 

[dave2008]

Interesting. In the adventure it mentions that if you want to increase his challenge, just let him use his Lair Actions. It doesn't actually say he has to be in his Lair. I think @Bitbrain and @Thomas Rainsborough might like these:

Spoiler: Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Vecna takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Vecna can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

Shadowplay. Vecna summons one shadow per character. Each shadow appears within 5 feet of a different character. The shadows follow Vecna’s commands (no action required) and last until he uses this lair action again or dies. A shadow acts during initiative count 20 after lair actions have been resolved.

Drain Life. Vecna casts enervation at 7th level. Vecna doesn't need to concentrate on the spell and the spell ends on initiative count 20 of the next round.

Mournful Dead. Wailing spirits swarm a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point in the lair that Vecna can see. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or take 28 (8d6) cold damage and have their movement speed reduced by 15 feet. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and doesn’t have their movement speed reduced.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

You sound very closeminded and unwilling to see this game from the perspective of another player. Someone who only has one frame of perspective has an inadequate understanding of the work to really talk about it! Need to be able to see it from more then just your lens!

My understanding comes from years of experience, as player and DM, watching players and DM flail with the tradeoffs between Action Economy, maximizing the abilities of the monsters, and keeping players engaged in complicated battles. I am quite confident that my "closemindedness" is echoed by the vast majority of experienced DM's.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

Interesting. In the adventure it mentions that if you want to increase his challenge, just let him use his Lair Actions. It doesn't actually say he has to be in his Lair. I think @Bitbrain and @Thomas Rainsborough might like these:

Spoiler: Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Vecna takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Vecna can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

Shadowplay. Vecna summons one shadow per character. Each shadow appears within 5 feet of a different character. The shadows follow Vecna’s commands (no action required) and last until he uses this lair action again or dies. A shadow acts during initiative count 20 after lair actions have been resolved.

Drain Life. Vecna casts enervation at 7th level. Vecna doesn't need to concentrate on the spell and the spell ends on initiative count 20 of the next round.

Mournful Dead. Wailing spirits swarm a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point in the lair that Vecna can see. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or take 28 (8d6) cold damage and have their movement speed reduced by 15 feet. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and doesn’t have their movement speed reduced.

I like all those, very much. I don't know where you pulled them from, but clearly, you have more on the ball than the current employees at WOTC. Those should have been part of the stat block of Venca, or as Lair Actions as you have presented them.

 

[Zubatcarteira]

Those are from the one-shot adventure they released on Beyond as well, where you fight him in his lair.

 

[Shardstone]

Yeah, in the adventure, Vecna has literally set up an array of traps designed solely to naughty word with the players and weaken them, and has created an entire battlefield for himself in this small dungeon of horrors. By the time you get through this, if you try and take a long rest, he will ambush you because he knows everything going on in the dungeon.

Nuts. Great design.

 

[Bitbrain]

Interesting. In the adventure it mentions that if you want to increase his challenge, just let him use his Lair Actions. It doesn't actually say he has to be in his Lair. I think @Bitbrain and @Thomas Rainsborough might like these:

Spoiler: Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Vecna takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Vecna can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:

Shadowplay. Vecna summons one shadow per character. Each shadow appears within 5 feet of a different character. The shadows follow Vecna’s commands (no action required) and last until he uses this lair action again or dies. A shadow acts during initiative count 20 after lair actions have been resolved.

Drain Life. Vecna casts enervation at 7th level. Vecna doesn't need to concentrate on the spell and the spell ends on initiative count 20 of the next round.

Mournful Dead. Wailing spirits swarm a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point in the lair that Vecna can see. Each creature in that area must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or take 28 (8d6) cold damage and have their movement speed reduced by 15 feet. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes half as much damage and doesn’t have their movement speed reduced.

It has nothing to do with Challenge rating for me, but rather the fact that every lair action you just mentioned is necromancy themed. Which again, for evil wizards is something I personally find boring and overused in D&D.

 

[Shardstone]

I like all those, very much. I don't know where you pulled them from, but clearly, you have more on the ball than the current employees at WOTC. Those should have been part of the stat block of Venca, or as Lair Actions as you have presented them.

Its from the thing I linked you to but you ignored earlier.

 

[dave2008]

Subtle metamagic means you can’t be counterspelled.

Not exactly. It says the V & S components aren't needed. It doesn't say it can't be counterspelled. I realize that is how it is probably used, but I, as a DM, don't necessarily have to adjudicate it that way

 

[Mort]

So, in less than an hour, at least 2 methods to wipe out half the stat block of Vecna have been figured out. How many resources did WOTC have to design and play-test this stat block?

So if the party knows what's coming and designs for it, they have an easier time overcoming the encounter

And the shocking grasp is not likely to work and very likely to end badly for the caster.