D&D 5E 1st Attempt at a CR 20 BBEG+New Race Critique.

[Zardnaar]

This NPC is a 5E update of a 2E Fighter/Mage (level 20/18) from my world and it is based off the EN5isder Arcane Blademaster in terms of stats. I added racial abilities and equipment. This is just ballpark figures as the +_3 longsword for example will be some sort of special weapon that is +3 I just wanted the math in the right places. I am not happy with the Darzi racial abilities atm and I think they need more work and curious what people think of Vishnaar. I could optimise the spell list a bit more (foresight, greater invisibility) but I do not want a uber powerful NPC just a powerful one.

Please no advice or mentions of a katana though they are banned in our games and banned twice in 2E.

Vishnaar Lord of Chaos
XP 25,000 CR 20 Medium humanoid (any race), Chaotic Neutral

Initiative: +1 AC: 22 (plate and shield)

hp: 256 (27d8 + 135) Saving Throws: Con +12, Int +12, Wis +9

Speed: 30 ft.

Multiattack: The arcane blademaster makes four attacks.

Melee Attack—Longsword: Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8 + 10) slashing damage.

Ranged Attack—Longbow: Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) piercing damage.

STATISTICS Str 20 (+5) Dex 12 (+1) Con 20 (+5) Int 22 (+6) Wis 16 (+2) Cha 12 (+1)

Languages: Abyssal, Draconic, Common, Darzi, Elven, Infernal,

Skills: Arcana +11, Athletics +11, Perception +9

Senses: passive Perception 19, darkvision

Future Sight. Vishnaar has a minor ability to see into the future and divine the correct response. You gain advantage on any attack roll, skill check or saving throw. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.

TRAITS
Blade Channeling: Once per turn when Vishnaar hits a target with a melee weapon attack, he can cast a cantrip which requires a spell attack roll against the target. This spell attack automatically hits.

Improved War Magic: When Vishnaar uses an action to cast a spell, he may make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Magic Resistance: Vishnaar has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons: The blademaster’s weapon attacks are magical.

Steel Focus: Vishnaar has advantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration on spells.

Superior Heavy Armor Master: While wearing heavy armor, Vishnaar reduces any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage taken from nonmagical weapons by 5.

Spellcasting: Vishnaar is a 20th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +11 to hit with spell attacks). Vishnaar has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at-will): acid splash, blade ward, fire bolt, shocking grasp, true strike

1st level (4 slots): burning hands, charm person, magic missile, sleep

2nd level (3 slots): magic weapon, misty step, see invisibility

3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, fireball, fly, lightning bolt, tongues

4th level (3 slots): fire shield, stoneskin, wall of fire

5th level (3 slots): cone of cold, conjure elemental, hold monster, telekinesis

6th level (2 slots): globe of invulnerability, sunbeam

7th level (2 slots): prismatic spray, teleport

8th level(1 slot): power word stun

9th level (1 slot): meteor swarm

Equipment. Full Plate +1, +1 Ring of Protection, +3 Longsword, 2 potions of supreme healing, ring of mind shielding,

 

[Zardnaar]

Darzi​

The Darzi are an ancient race predating the rise of the elves and humanity by thousands of years. For 10000 years their imperium ruled the land before being overthrown in the Desecration Wars. They have pale blue skin, 5 fingers, white eyes with no iris’s and pale white hair (often died in metallic colours). They tend to worship ancient demon lords, devils and elder elemental evils. They were wiped out and thought to be extinct until recently when a few rare member’s of the Darzi remnant have emerged from millennia of seclusion. Members of the Darzi remnant tend towards being unaligned with a slight tendency towards chaos. .

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 2. Age. Darzi mature at the same rate as humans but are immortal and never die of old age.

Alignment. Darzi might not have an innate tendency toward evil, but many of them end up there. Evil or not, an independent nature inclines many Darzi toward a chaotic alignment.

Size. Tieflings are about the same size and build as humans. Your size is Medium.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision. Thanks to your outsider heritage, 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 color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Intuitive Knowledge. You have proficiency in the Arcana skill.

Future Sight. You have a minor ability to see into the future and divine the correct response. You gain advantage on any attack roll, skill check or saving throw. You regain the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Abyssal or Infernal (your choice).

Darzi Weapon Training. You have proficiency with the greatsword, trident, shortbow, and longbow

 

[Quartz]

Since Vishnaar is a NPC why don't you just use the Gestalt rules from 3E and make it a Wizard // Fighter? As for the Darzi, that name is already taken in the Elric mythos. And Int +2 Wis +2 is far too good for a PC race.

 

[Celtavian]

He doesn't look like CR 20. Maybe 16 to 18.

 

[Zardnaar]

He doesn't look like CR 20. Maybe 16 to 18.

Yeah I have that suspicion. This is buffed up from the EN5ider article as well. Physical attacks are a it weak. Maybe a 5th attack and/or an extra dice of damage so 2d8 longswords like the CR5 gladiator?

 

[Zardnaar]

Since Vishnaar is a NPC why don't you just use the Gestalt rules from 3E and make it a Wizard // Fighter? As for the Darzi, that name is already taken in the Elric mythos. And Int +2 Wis +2 is far too good for a PC race.

I based them my old AD&D race which got+1 wis, +1 int, -1 con. In 5E I can't think of to many things where a +2 int/wis would break things. With point buy 17 wisdom at level 1 for a cleric and int outright sucks in 5E interms of int saves vs almost 3 effects in the game (feeblemind, intellect devourers, mind players). IN 3E they got the wisdom+int thing, a +2 bonus to various skills, and racial proficiency with the Jovar (greatsword with 18-20 crit range Planar Handbook).

The race is more or less NPC only but I wanted it as a PC option once the remnant is discovered.

 

[matskralc]

He doesn't look like CR 20. Maybe 16 to 18.

I thought so, too, until I worked it out.

Defensive CR
AC is 22 adjusted to 24 to account for Magic Resistance and then to 26 due to having three saving throw proficiencies. The Superior Heavy Armor Master trait doesn't change anything at this high of a CR. The 256 HP land it at CR 13, which expects an AC of 18. The +8 AC difference adjusts the defensive CR from 13 to 17.

Offensive CR
Round 1: (action) Meteor Swarm 140 damage x 2 targets plus (Improved War Magic bonus action) one longsword 14.5 plus (Blade Channeling) one fire bolt 5.5 = 300
Round 2: Prismatic Spray 35 damage x 2 targets plus one longsword 14.5 plus one fire bolt 5.5 = 90
Round 3: Prismatic Spray 35 damage x 2 targets plus one longsword 14.5 plus one fire bolt 5.5 = 90

Average DPR: 160. This lands at CR 22. His longsword attack bonus is +14 and his spell save DC is 20. Since most of the damage here is coming from spells, use the spell save DC. A 20 is exactly what CR 22 expects, so no adjustment here. Offensive CR is 22.

Average of 17 and 22 is 19.5, which rounds to 20.

 

[matskralc]

Yeah I have that suspicion. This is buffed up from the EN5ider article as well. Physical attacks are a it weak. Maybe a 5th attack and/or an extra dice of damage so 2d8 longswords like the CR5 gladiator?

Yeah, his offensive CR if he just uses his multiattack is only 13. An extra attack only bumps him up to a (non-spell) offensive CR of 15. Leaving it at four attacks and giving him an extra damage die instead moves his non-spell offensive CR to 16. EDIT: forgot to switch from spell save DC to attack bonus (which is much higher than his DPR would suggest) when I originally posted this.

His offensive CR is all in the meteor swarm. If a level 20 party manages to avoid it, he's going to need to have minions with him or a favorable environment in order to present a challenge.

 

[Ath'kethin]

. . . is based off the EN5isder Arcane Blademaster in terms of stats.

This is off topic a bit, but what article is that class in? I don't see it anywhere.

 

[Zardnaar]

This is off topic a bit, but what article is that class in? I don't see it anywhere.

Epic NPCs EN5ider 45.