D&D 5E 5e Updates: Monstrous Compendium

[dave2008]

Monster Templates: Bruiser
A bruiser is a destructive tank. The typically wade into melee to do the most damage possible. It can take and inflict more damage than its typical kin, but it sacrifices its accuracy and ability to avoid damage. You can make the following adjustments to a monster to make it a bruiser without changing its CR:

• Increase the monster's hit points by its CR +5.
• Add the monster's proficiency bonus to its weapon damage on a hit.
• Reduce the monsters to hit bonus by 1 per tier.
• Reduce the monsters AC by 1 per tier.

You can achieve these changes by applying the bruiser trait, see below, or by modifying ability scores, armor, and weapons to achieve the same effect.

Bruiser. The creature has a +2* bonus to damage and a -1* penalty to hit on its weapon attacks (included in the attacks). Additionally, it gains a +5* bonus to its hit points and a -1* penalty to its Armor class (included above).

*Adjust bonuses and penalties as described in the template.

Example: Orc Bruiser

 

[dave2008]

Orc Illustration by Nookiew

Orc Bruiser
Medium humanoid (orc), any

Armor Class 12 (hide)
Hit Points 20 (2d8 + 6; bloodied 10)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	12 (+1)	16 (+3)	7 (-)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)

Savings Throws Dex +3, Con +5
Skills Intimidation +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, Orc
Challenge 1/2 (100 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2

Bruiser. The orc has a +2 bonus to damage and a -1 penalty to hit on its weapon attacks (included in the attacks). Additionally, it gains a +5 bonus to its hit points and a -1 penalty to its Armor class (included above).

ACTIONS
Greataxe. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 5) slashing damage.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage.

BONUS ACTIONS
Aggressive. The orc can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.

 

[Stalker0]

In honor of the release of Rime of the Frostmaiden, I give you the lesser goddess: Auril!

Note, this was a mash up and upgrade to her 3 forms in Rime. It made the stat block a bit large and I probably should have stuck with the multiple stat block format, but I wanted to try and put it all in one and see how it worked.

So my first notes on my initial read through.

1) The timing of the various forms was very confusing, I had to read very closely to actually figure out how this worked. I would move Frost maiden and Divine Rejuvenation right to the top of your ability list, and rename to literally be "Second Form" and "Third Form". It will make things a lot simpler.

2) There is no "Divine Reflexes" entry in the Lesser gods traits. Only under Greater Gods.

3) Blizzard Veil seems a bit weak to have to maintain concentration on, to me this could just be an aura....for the final form of a CR 28 that seems perfectly reasonable.

4) I would either list out all of the Lesser God Traits are simply say "she has all lesser god traits". No need to list out 8 entries that keep saying "go here".

5) There is no proficiency for strength. Sense you gave her a big bonus on all other saves, was that intentional?

6) Ice Stasis is...ehem....cool

7) Summon Ice Mephit. I would either make this a bonus action, or make it a 1 action legendary action (which I still probably wouldn't use but its closer). No one is ever going to spend their action summoning a mephit with all of the other options here.

8) Spellcasting is listed under Mythic Actions...but its already a Legendary Action

9) Intensify Aura: I would just reword it to "all creatures within the Frigid Aura range immediately take 20 cold damage". Its more in line with a legendary action (aka able to do more things outside of the usual turn order), but also its easier for a DM to remember. Its much easier for me to active an ability and just do it, then activate an ability and remember later on after I've done all of these other things that the damage of something else is now higher.

10) Splinter is a cool idea, but its damage is way too low for 3 legendary actions. I would much rather cast 3 at-will spells, or 3 more attacks, any day of the week. Besides you already have ice flurry for instant, automatic damage, at 2 actions (which is also quite questionable damage but at least its automatic)...I don't think you need both.

11) You mention in Frostmaiden that once she is in her second form that she can't use first form abilities. I don't actually see any abilities that are first form only so this may be extraneous.

 

[dave2008]

So my first notes on my initial read through.

Thank you for taking the time to review and respond.

1) The timing of the various forms was very confusing, I had to read very closely to actually figure out how this worked. I would move Frost maiden and Divine Rejuvenation right to the top of your ability list, and rename to literally be "Second Form" and "Third Form". It will make things a lot simpler.

Yes, I knew that would be the case when I decided to do this. She has 3 separate stat blocks in Rime of the Frostmaiden and I tried to combine them in one. I will need to do some work to make it more clear.

2) There is no "Divine Reflexes" entry in the Lesser gods traits. Only under Greater Gods.

Nice catch - corrected.

3) Blizzard Veil seems a bit weak to have to maintain concentration on, to me this could just be an aura....for the final form of a CR 28 that seems perfectly reasonable.

I just copied from the adventure, but you are correct. I removed the concentration since this trait is figured in her CR.

4) I would either list out all of the Lesser God Traits are simply say "she has all lesser god traits". No need to list out 8 entries that keep saying "go here".

I was think the same thing after I made it. I have revised it now, let me know what you think.

5) There is no proficiency for strength. Sense you gave her a big bonus on all other saves, was that intentional?

Nope, just moving to quick. Corrected.

6) Ice Stasis is...ehem....cool

I can't take credit for it - pretty much straight from the book.

7) Summon Ice Mephit. I would either make this a bonus action, or make it a 1 action legendary action (which I still probably wouldn't use but its closer). No one is ever going to spend their action summoning a mephit with all of the other options here.

I think of it has fluff basically; however, she would use it before battle or has her legendary action, see "Splinter."

8) Spellcasting is listed under Mythic Actions...but its already a Legendary Action

The Mythic Action qualifies that Auril can only use the options under Mythic Action. She can use her typical legendary actions.
9) Intensify Aura: I would just reword it to "all creatures within the Frigid Aura range immediately take 20 cold damage". Its more in line with a legendary action (aka able to do more things outside of the usual turn order), but also its easier for a DM to remember. Its much easier for me to active an ability and just do it, then activate an ability and remember later on after I've done all of these other things that the damage of something else is now higher.

That was how WotC wrote it, but I agree with you. Revised.

10) Splinter is a cool idea, but its damage is way too low for 3 legendary actions. I would much rather cast 3 at-will spells, or 3 more attacks, any day of the week. Besides you already have ice flurry for instant, automatic damage, at 2 actions...I don't think you need both.

This is an upgraded version of what is in RIme. The damage calculation is 72 which is a little less than 2 talon attacks. I will upgrade the number of mephits or the damage. Revised to be more mephits. It is situational, but it can also be used to summon mephits (which I increased as well).

11) You mention in Frostmaiden that once she is in her second form that she can't use first form abilities. I don't actually see any abilities that are first form only so this may be extraneous.

Ya, I was sure how things would shake out when I wrote that and never changed. Thank you for catching that. Corrected.

I've changed everything except the forms, still thinking about that one. Thank you for your input!

 

[dave2008]

1) The timing of the various forms was very confusing, I had to read very closely to actually figure out how this worked. I would move Frost maiden and Divine Rejuvenation right to the top of your ability list, and rename to literally be "Second Form" and "Third Form". It will make things a lot simpler.

I took your suggestion and renamed the traits and moved them to the top. Thanks!

 

[TheBoredGM]

Medium humanoid (orc), neutral

Bruiser. The orc has a +2 bonus to damage and a -1 penalty to hit on its weapon attacks (included in the attacks). Additionally, it gains a +5 bonus to its hit points and a -1 penalty to is Armor class (included in above).

 

[TheBoredGM]

I took your suggestion and renamed the traits and moved them to the top. Thanks!

Perhaps changing mephits to ice elementals or similar would be more balanced?

 

[Stalker0]

I took your suggestion and renamed the traits and moved them to the top. Thanks!

Updates look great. Only note is that I think Splinter is missing some punctuation, there is something off on how it reads.

 

[dave2008]

Corrected - thanks!

 

[dave2008]

Perhaps changing mephits to ice elementals or similar would be more balanced?

Maybe if I add them to this project, but right now it is balanced with the ice mephits, just needed to add more!