5E: Fifth Edition Monster Variants Inspired by Fourth Edition Sources

[Casimir Liber]

necrotic and charmed immunity - check
"languages it knew in life" I guess....

 

[Cleon]

necrotic and charmed immunity - check

Updating the Scarlet Death Working Draft.

"languages it knew in life" I guess....

After reviewing the 3E version in Monster Manual II, it doesn't have any languages listed and there's no mention of a voice in its description so we could make the Undead version speechless with Languages —.

Or, if we want to jazz it up a bit "understands the languages of creatures it has killed with life drain but can't speak."

 

[Casimir Liber]

"understands the languages of creatures it has killed with life drain but can't speak." - yeah I like that!

 

[Cleon]

"understands the languages of creatures it has killed with life drain but can't speak." - yeah I like that!

Updating the Scarlet Death Working Draft.

I'm fine giving it the Darkvision in your current draft.

Proficiency in Perception and Stealth is OK too.

Not fussed about the WIS save proficiency. With all those immunities I'm not sure the Scarlet Death needs it, but the Vampiric Mist has it so its "big brother" might as well.

Hmm… if it's the tougher version maybe we should give it two Save Proficiencies instead of one.

How about Saving Throws WIS +5, CHA +5?

 

[Casimir Liber]

Yeah happy with WIS +5, CHA +5....

 

[Cleon]

Yeah happy with WIS +5, CHA +5....

Updating the Scarlet Death Working Draft.

Guess we should pencil in the pre-ability stats.

Armor Class 15 is OK by me.

The listed Hit Points use a +3 CON modifier but it has +4 now, suggesting it should either have 102 (12d8 + 48) if we keep the HD the same or maybe 93 (11d8 + 44) if you'd rather keep it near the original's 90 hp.

I'd make it Speed 0, fly 30 ft. (hover) like a Vampiric Mist rather than the 40 ft. of your working draft.

 

[Casimir Liber]

ok - happy with speed rejig and prefer 102 hp

 

[Cleon]

ok - happy with speed rejig and prefer 102 hp

Updating the Scarlet Death Working Draft.

Okay, let's do Special Traits next.

Your Rough Draft has a lot of traits from the Vampire Mist that the 3E version of the Crimson Death lacks, such as Forbiddance and Sunlight Hypersensitivity.

Also, Unusual Nature seems unnecessary unless all the other Undead in 5E have gained a requirement to eat and sleep they lacked in earlier editions without anyone telling me.

So we can cut most of the traits out.

Just giving the Scarlet Death Misty Form would make it pretty much a match for the 3E undead version.

I'd be fine adding Lifesense though, as it's a such good fit to its nature:

Life Sense. The scarlet death can sense the location of any creature within 60 feet of it, unless that creature's type is construct or undead. This increases to 120 feet if the creature is less than full hit points.

Misty Form. The scarlet death can occupy another creature's space and vice versa. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the death can pass through it without squeezing. Each foot of movement in water costs it 2 extra feet, rather than 1 extra foot. The scarlet death can't manipulate objects in any way that requires fingers or manual dexterity.
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[Casimir Liber]

ok updated

 

[Cleon]

ok updated

I'd remove the Hungry Mist and Hungry Mists as the original monster just used its tendrils to drain blood.

Speaking of which, the 3E Crimson Death's tendrils were normal melee attacks with reach, it didn't envelop its victim and autohit them like the above version's Life Drain but its tendrils attached and drained blood. Shouldn't it have a blood draining effect like a Stirge, perhaps with a Life Drain rider like a Vampire's Bite and a bit of seizing hold à la a Giant Squid?

Something like:

Tendril #1 (Stirge + Squid): Melee Weapon Attack: +# to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: # (#d# + #) necrotic damage, and the target is attached, the attached creature can free itself as if escaping from a grapple (escape DC ##). While attached, the death cannot make attacks with the attached tendril and its melee attacks can only target the attached creature. At the start of each of the scarlet death's turns, the target loses # (#d# + #) hit points due to blood loss for each tendril the death has attached to them. The scarlet death can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. It does so after it drains ## hit points of blood from the target or the target dies. The scarlet death has two tendrils, both of which can attach to the same target.

Tendril #2 (Vampire): Melee Weapon Attack: +# to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: # (#d# + #) necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC ## Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken, and the scarlet death regains hit points equal to that amount. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Tendril #3 (Combined): Melee Weapon Attack: +# to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: # (#d# + #) necrotic damage, and the target is attached, the attached creature can free itself as if escaping from a grapple (escape DC ##). While attached, the death cannot make attacks with the attached tendril and its melee attacks can only target the attached creature. At the start of each of the scarlet death's turns, the target takes # (#d# + #) necrotic damage for each tendril the death has attached to them. The scarlet death can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. The scarlet death has two tendrils, both of which can attach to the same target.

Every time a tendril inflicts necrotic damage, the target must succeed on a DC ## Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken, and the scarlet death regains hit points equal to that amount. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
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Which approach do you prefer?

I'm OK leaving the Waves of Lethargy and Shifting Mists as is.