D&D 5E (2024) Rate My Avatar of Bane (Based on ENworlds Feedback).

[Zardnaar]

So a while ago I posted about an avata of Bane. Here is what I have cooked up. I used the archpriest as the base of the template and tweaked it. I added a retributive strike ability and some legendary actions. Used some abilities from the Arch hag as suggested tweaked and Rakshasas greater magic resistance. Its hit points and damage are low as its form a CR 12 critter but I added in other abilites. Its CR can go up to 18 or 19 but I want to keep it a bit lower and fill the rest of the XP budget up with mooks. ATM its an archpriest on steroids for the most part with added parts from arch hag, rakshasa, and Gortash from BG3. Have not done its spells or manifestation of tyranny ability. Bhaals up next then the end campaign big bad.

Medium Outsider
ArmorClass 18
HitPoints 240(32d8+96)
Speed30ft.

Str16 (+3) Save +8, Dex12 (+1), Con18 (+4),Save +8Int14 (+2) Save +7, Wis22 (+6),Save +10 Cha14 (+22)
Skills ??
Resistances cold, fire, psychic,
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses darkvision 120’, passive perception 21
Languages Any one language (usually common), Infernal, Abyssal
Challenge 15???

Traits
Legendary Resistance (4/day or 5/day in lair). If Banes avatar fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead

Actions.
Greater Magic Resistance. Banes avatar automatically succeeds on saving throws against spells andother magical effects, and the attack rolls of spells automatically miss it. With the avatars permission, no spell can observe the avatar remotely or detect its thoughts, creature type or alignment.

Multiattack.Bane make 3 black gauntlet attacks

Black Gauntlet Melee or Ranged Attack roll +11,reach 5 ft, or range 60'. Hit 27 (4d10+5) necrotic damage

Unholy Word (recharge 4-6) Wisdom Ssave DC 19, each enemy in a 20- foot emanation originating from Bane. Failure 28 (8d6)necrotic damage and the target has the stunned condition until theend of the Bane's next turn. Success half damage only.

Spellcasting. The avatar casts one of the following spells requiring no material components and using wisdom as the spell casting ability (spell saveDC 19)

At will.Light, Thaumaturgy, command (level 1)
1/Day each Flame strike (level 7 version), dominate person, hold person (level5 version) command (level 3)

Bonus actions.

Divine Aid (3/day) Bane casts Bane, dispel magic, healing word or lesser restoration

Reactions

The Closed Fist of Bane In response to damage taken the avatar can manifest a black fist abovea triggering attacks head. +11 12d10 force damage, range 60'.

LegendaryActions Uses 3 (4 in lair)

The avatar makes 1 black gauntlet attack

Inflict Tyranny The avatar uses spellcasting to cast bane, dominate person or command. The avatar cant take this actionuntil the next turn.

Manifestation of Tyranny​

 

[aco175]

Legendary Resistance (4/day or 5/day in lair). If Banes avatar fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead

Actions.
Greater Magic Resistance. Banes avatar automatically succeeds on saving throws against spells andother magical effects, and the attack rolls of spells automatically miss it. With the avatars permission, no spell can observe the avatar remotely or detect its thoughts, creature type or alignment.

Not sure why it has both? Legendary Resistance allows it to auto-save if it fails , but Greater MR allows it to auto succeed, so it will never fail a saving throw.

Black Gauntlet Melee or Ranged Attack roll +11,reach 5 ft, or range 60'. Hit 27 (4d10+5) necrotic damage

This feels like it could use a bloodied trigger. It could deal 2d10+5 normal and then boost 2d10 force or just normal damage when bloodied.

Unholy Word (recharge 4-6) Wisdom Ssave DC 19, each enemy in a 20- foot emanation originating from Bane. Failure 28 (8d6)necrotic damage and the target has the stunned condition until theend of the Bane's next turn. Success half damage only.

Save DC 19 feels a bit high, at least for the martial types.

Reactions

The Closed Fist of Bane In response to damage taken the avatar can manifest a black fist abovea triggering attacks head. +11 12d10 force damage, range 60'.

A reaction each round for 12d10 force seems a bit much.

Manifestation of Tyranny

This did not have anything listed.

 

[Zardnaar]

Not sure why it has both? Legendary Resistance allows it to auto-save if it fails , but Greater MR allows it to auto succeed, so it will never fail a saving throw.

This feels like it could use a bloodied trigger. It could deal 2d10+5 normal and then boost 2d10 force or just normal damage when bloodied.

Save DC 19 feels a bit high, at least for the martial types.

A reaction each round for 12d10 force seems a bit much.

This did not have anything listed.

GMR only applies to spells.

LR also applies to anything else eg monk stunning strike.

 

[Stalker0]

My quick review:

1) I agree the closed fist attack seems weirdly powerful compared to his normal attacks, it does more than double his black gauntlet attack.

2) Since its literally "Bane", I would have the bane spell work with no saving throw....or just make it an aura or something. When Bane uses Bane....I mean its going to Bane!

I put in your stats into the CR calculator just to get a ballpark. Its saying CR23...mainly because this guy outputs an incredible amount of damage in a single round (228 if you assume all 3 black gauntlet attacks + the reaction + 3 legendary action black gauntlet attacks). And note that is just for magic resistance, I don't have anything for greater magic resistance....which since this is custom is really dependent on your party and their spells/composition.

If you have a party that doesn't use a ton of spells, or mainly buffs and stuff they won't notice that effect as much. If half of your party are control wizards this thing will be insane to them.

 

[Distracted DM]

This could make it extra boss fight-ey:
Bane's a lawful evil deity, yeah? Maybe he dictates what triggers his black fist each round.
He declares "no weapon of mortal make shall touch Bane!" so dealing damage to him with a weapon that round triggers his super gauntlet reaction. "No spells can be cast within Bane's sight!" no spells cast within 60ft, or they get fisted. "No wounds shall close in Bane's demesne!" no healing within 60ft.
That sort of thing... if people are thinking that the reaction does too much damage.
When he gets bloodied, maybe he can demand TWO things will trigger.

Also, why's the strength so low? Cuz it's a cleric? I guess nowadays everyone gets to make physical attacks with their casting stat :')
I'd also up his size to Large, but I guess I like size = imposing. I'd up his speed a tad as well.

edit: So the above suggestion is basic boss fight. He loudly declares what triggers it, and he only gets one reaction to punish folk.
The possible More Fun version could be that he DOESN'T declare what triggers the fist... he gets 2-3 reactions of it per round... maybe halve the damage.
That way the players have to discover each round what the new rule is. But this might be more of a chaotic thing, i guess loudly declaring it is more fun.

 

[Zardnaar]

This could make it extra boss fight-ey:
Bane's a lawful evil deity, yeah? Maybe he dictates what triggers his black fist each round.
He declares "no weapon of mortal make shall touch Bane!" so dealing damage to him that round triggers his super gauntlet reaction. "No spells can be cast within Bane's sight!" no spells cast within 60ft, or they get fisted. "No wounds shall close in Bane's demesne!" no healing within 60ft.
That sort of thing... if people are thinking that the reaction does too much damage.
When he gets bloodied, maybe he can demand TWO things will trigger.

Also, why's the strength so low? Cuz it's a cleric? I guess nowadays everyone gets to make physical attacks with their casting stat :')
I'd also up his size to Large, but I guess I like size = imposing. I'd up his speed a tad as well.

Strength score was lifted from archepriest. It's the basis of most things here.

 

[touc]

In AD&D, Bane's Avatar was a level 36 Cleric, 35 Fighter, 30 Mage, and 10 Rogue. Good starting point.

If you're going canon from those days:

• His avatars tended to be possessed mortals who became handsome, black-haired men with oily looks.
• He had access to cast any spell but could not cast spells that mend stuff or create living/material things. He preferred spells that created temporary but solid effects, such as Blade Barrier.
• On his right hand was the Hand of Bane. In addition to its damage, on a hit it had a save-or-die effect.
• He could adapt his body to form any natural weaponry he so desired, often assuming talons.
• His body could stand on any surface, survive any environment.
• He was immune to mental effects.
• He could switch to a new body by touching an evil/neutral host for 1 round.
• He resisted most spells (75%)
• His ability scores were high enough that he could Regenerate and was Immune to all but high level illusions.

Maybe 121 character levels is a bit much, but the rest might give some ideas. The Reaction seems a bit high, even for epic characters. For Greater Magic Resistance, maybe only spells of 6th level or higher have a chance to bypass this? I'd also have a "boss stages" series of phases, where he does the switch body thing, or more mooks rush in and heal him, etc. He knows what he can do, and having an avatar is a big risky thing for most gawds, so they're going to have contingencies in place to avoid being destroyed so easily (such as a fisticuff).

 

[Zardnaar]

In AD&D, Bane's Avatar was a level 36 Cleric, 35 Fighter, 30 Mage, and 10 Rogue. Good starting point.

If you're going canon from those days:

• His avatars tended to be possessed mortals who became handsome, black-haired men with oily looks.
• He had access to cast any spell but could not cast spells that mend stuff or create living/material things. He preferred spells that created temporary but solid effects, such as Blade Barrier.
• On his right hand was the Hand of Bane. In addition to its damage, on a hit it had a save-or-die effect.
• He could adapt his body to form any natural weaponry he so desired, often assuming talons.
• His body could stand on any surface, survive any environment.
• He was immune to mental effects.
• He could switch to a new body by touching an evil/neutral host for 1 round.
• He resisted most spells (75%)
• His ability scores were high enough that he could Regenerate and was Immune to all but high level illusions.

Maybe 121 character levels is a bit much, but the rest might give some ideas. The Reaction seems a bit high, even for epic characters. For Greater Magic Resistance, maybe only spells of 6th level or higher have a chance to bypass this? I'd also have a "boss stages" series of phases, where he does the switch body thing, or more mooks rush in and heal him, etc. He knows what he can do, and having an avatar is a big risky thing for most gawds, so they're going to have contingencies in place to avoid being destroyed so easily (such as a fisticuff).

His 36 cleric levels are why I used the archpriest as a basis.

I added legendar actions left the damage as is for a CR12 critter.

Tgecreaction attack is based off BG3 and a CR 10 critter ability at 8d6 iirc.

 

[dave2008]

And note that is just for magic resistance, I don't have anything for greater magic resistance....which since this is custom is really dependent on your party and their spells/composition.

Greater Magic Resistance is in the 2024 MM and, based on my analysis, it provides a +4 bonus to effective AC

 

[dave2008]

In AD&D, Bane's Avatar was a level 36 Cleric, 35 Fighter, 30 Mage, and 10 Rogue. Good starting point.

Converting that to 5e you would get (assuming level 36 = level 20):
20th level Cleric
20th level Fighter
17th level Mage
6th level Rogue