Level Up (A5E) A Leveled-Up Bestiary: Volume Two

Bonus Action: Elite Recovery. The glyph guardian can end one condition or effect on itself. It can use this action as long as it has 1 hit point, even when unconscious or incapacitated.
i feel like it should state the guardian has to be bloodied to get elite recovery like other elite monsters.
Also Teleport should be an action and not a trait.
 

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Faolyn

(she/her)
Different issue, another monster template from Neverwinter Nights. This time, it’s a spirit of the woods, a nature spirit capable of embodying itself in an animal it possesses. There’s nothing particularly forest-y about it, which is good, I think—you should be able to get nature spirits in any biome. Because of that, I’m changing the name to spirit of the wilds. Honestly, I think that this sort of spirit should be more common in D&D, at least in settings that aren’t as high-tech as most D&D-typical genres. Animal spirits and “king animals” are fairly common in myth, after all.

The template has the dreaded “can cast spells as a Xth-level <caster class>” problem, without any hint as to what sort of spells it normally likes to use. Sigh…

The spirit of the wild template is limited to beasts. However, it makes sense that there should be “bestial monstrosity” (griffons, etc.) and plant-based spirits of the wild as well, so feel free to bend the rules a bit. I did.

(You’ll notice that this template has the Legends & Lore, Behaviors, etc. tables. I’m only going to do this on templates that effectively make a brand new creature, not one that simply modifies an existing creature.)

Spirit of the Wild (Template)
The Lost Horrors of Neverwinter, Dragon Magazine #303
Creature by Clifford Horowitz; art by Mike Sass and Todd Granier

A force of nature with great knowledge and power, a spirit of the wilds is an entity that exemplifies a type of animal. They resemble ghostly animals, usually larger and more magnificent than normal animals, and they glow with a dim firelight that reflects their moods. They protect an area of natural land and the animals and plants native to it. Like many spirits, they can be mollified with offerings, although they do not consider themselves bound by such gifts—if the gift-giver, thinking that act of giving the gift will absolve it of any wrongdoing, proves hostile to the spirit’s domain, the spirit of the wild will attack.

--

“Spirit of the wild” is a template that can be placed on any beast. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.

Type. The spirit of the wild’s type is celestial (fey).

Ability Scores. The spirit of the wild’s Strength and Dexterity scores both increase by +4 (maximum of 30), its Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores becomes 18 (+4), unless they’re already higher. Recalculate its hit points.

Speed. All of the spirit of the wild’s movements increase by 10 feet.

Skills. The spirit of the wild gains proficiency and a d6 expertise die in Nature, and also gains proficiency in Intimidation and Persuasion.

Resistances. The spirit of the woods is resistant to nonmagical damage

Immunities. The spirit of the wild is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.

Senses. The spirit of the wild gains darkvision to 60 feet.

Languages. The spirit of the wild can communicate with animals. In addition, the spirit of the wild can speak Druidic and Sylvan.

Ethereal Sight. The spirit of the wild can see into both the Material Plane and Ethereal Plane.

Monarch of Beast and Plant. The spirit of the wild gains a +d8 expertise die on Intimidation and Persuasion checks made against beasts and plants.

Spellcasting. The spirit is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + 4; spell attack bonus = the base creature’s PB +4). It prepares spells as a 7th-level druid, and can prepare 3 cantrips and 11 spells: four 1st-level spells, three 2nd-level spells, three 3rd-level spells, and one 4th-level spell. It requires no material components when it casts a druid spell.

Unearthly Glow. The spirit of the wilds sheds dim light to a radius of 10 feet. It can extinguish this glow at will (no action required by it).

Bonus Action: Ethereal Jaunt. The spirit of the wild magically shifts from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane or vice versa.

Legends and Lore
With an Arcana or Nature check, the characters can learn the following:

DC 10. A spirit of the wilds is a force of nature and paragon animal spirit. They are powerful protectors who embody the will of the land.

DC 15. As a nature spirit, spirits of the wilds can be mollified—at least somewhat—with offerings made to it.

DC 20. Spirits of the wild exist primarily in the Ethereal Plane, but manifest in the Material world frequently to patrol. Animals and plant creatures act as its eyes and ears and report any incursion or sign of interference.

Signs
1. The feeling of being watched; with a DC 15 Perception check, animals are observing the party.
2. The area feels foreboding and off-limits to any creature that is not a beast, fey, or plant.
3. Unusually lush plant-life that moves to form a path to or away from the heart of the spirit’s domain.
4. A shrine with markings in Druidic that reveal the spirit’s existence and suggest an offering.

Behavior
1. Has heard of recent trespassers who have harmed the wilderness in some way; will attack the party on sight.
2. Aiding an injured animal.
3. Approaches the party and asks for their assistance
4. Patrolling; will send animals to watch the party and report back.
5. Hostile to hunters and fire-users.
6. In battle with a demon.

--

The following uses an owlbear as the base creature.

Owlbear Spirit of the Wild
Large celestial (fey); Challenge 3 (700 XP)
AC
13 (natural armor)
HP 59 (7d12+21; bloodied 29)
Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR 22 (+6) DEX 16 (+3) CON 18 (+4)
INT 18 (+4) WIS 18 (+4) CHA 18 (+4)

Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 16
Skills Intimidation +6, Nature +6 (+1d6), Persuasion + 6, Perception +6, Stealth +6
Damage Resistances nonmagical damage
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft.
Languages Druidic, Sylvan

Keen Sight and Smell. The owlbear spirit has advantage on Perception checks that rely on sight or smell.

Ethereal Sight. The owlbear spirit can see into both the Material Plane and Ethereal Plane.

Monarch of Beast and Plant. The owlbear spirit gains a +d8 expertise die on Intimidation and Persuasion checks made against beasts and plants.

Speak With Animals. The owlbear spirit can speak with animals.

Spellcasting. The owlbear spirit is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following druid spells prepared.

Cantrips (At will): druidcraft, resistance
1st-Level (4 slots): cure wounds, detect poison and disease, fog cloud, purify food and drink
2nd-level (3 slots): hold person, invigorated strikes, lesser restoration
3rd-Level (3 slots): dispel magic, plant growth
4th-Level (1 slot): blight, charm monster

Unearthly Glow. The owlbear spirit sheds dim light to a radius of 10 feet. It can extinguish this glow at will (no action required by it).

Actions
Multiattack.
The owlbear spirit attacks with its beak and claws.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d10+6) piercing damage

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d8+6) slashing damage

Blight (4th-Level; V, Concentration). The owlbear spirit targets a living creature or plant within 30 feet, draining moisture and vitality from it. The target must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw, taking 26 (8d8) necrotic damage on a failure or half damage on a success. Plant creatures have disadvantage on their saving throw and take maximum damage. A nonmagical plant dies.

Charm Monster (4th-Level; V, S). A creature the owlbear spirit can see must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the owlbear spirit for 1 hour. If the owlbear spirit or its companions are fighting the target, it has advantage on its saving throw.

Fog Cloud (1st-Level; V, S, Concentration). The owlbear spirit creates a 20-foot radius, heavily-obscured sphere of fog centered on a point it can see within 120 feet. The fog spreads around corners and can be dispersed by a moderate wind (at least 10 miles per hour). It lasts for 1 hour.

Hold Person (2nd-Level; V, Concentration). One humanoid the owlbear spirit can see within 60 feet must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. It may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Invigorated Strikes (2nd-Level; V, S, Concentration). For 10 minutes, the target deals an additional 1d4 damage when it deals damage with an unarmed strike or natural weapon.

Plant Growth (3rd-Level; V, S). Plants in a 100-foot radius sphere centered on a point within 120 feet rapidly grow. Movement through the area costs 4 feet of movement for every foot traveled. The plants last for one day. The owlbear spirit doesn’t require the presence of pre-existing plants.

Bonus Actions
Ethereal Jaunt.
The owlbear spirit magically shifts from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane or vice versa.
 

Faolyn

(she/her)
OK, now that I have templates down pat, I’m going to go back and do a few of the ones I passed by from earlier issues.

A question for all of you. Over on RealmsHelp.net there’s a ton of templates from various sources. Should I do them as well?

The important thing to remember about templates in 5e and Level Up is that they’re still supposed to be run “out of the book,” which means that none of them seem to have adjustments to their AC, any adjustments to their stats is done as a blanket number (like “Strength becomes 16,” not “Strength +4), and it never seems to affect their CR. This is slightly annoying, IMO, since it doesn’t allow for the nuance that 3x templates gave. For the most part, I’m going to try to stick to the “out of the book”-style template, but sometimes I may deviate. Particularly when it comes to undead or similar templates, where a creature became “enhanced” in some way. Regardless, be careful of CR, especially for templates placed on lower-level creatures.

Anyway, right now I’m heading back to issue #287 and the Dream Element creature. While the Dreaming in Level Up is the faerie land, not a more typical “plane of dreams,” the Dreamborn (from GPG and Captain Cobalt’s Codicil) are a thing. So why not have more dream critters around?

Dream Elemental (Template)
Dreamlands: Variant Planes of Dreams, Dragon Magazine #287
Creature by Jeff Grub

“Dream elemental” is a template that can be placed on any aberration, beast giant, humanoid, monstrosity, or plant. It retains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.

Type. The dream elemental’s type changes to elemental (fey). It loses any other tags it had.

Attributes. If the dream elemental’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma were lower than 10, they become 10.

Senses. The dream elemental has darkvision to 60 feet. If it already had darkvision, its range increases by 60 feet.

Resistances. The dream elemental has resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, and thunder damage.

Immunities. The dream elemental is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and to damage from nonmagical weapons. It is also immune to the paralyzed, stunned, and unconscious conditions, and to fatigue.

Languages. The dream elemental knows Sylvan.

Altered Damage. All damage inflicted by the dream elemental’s weapons, spells, and unarmed attacks is psychic damage. If a creature is reduced to 0 hit points by a dream elemental’s attacks, it instead is stable but unconscious (and suffers from terrible nightmares) until it regains full hit points, at which point it takes 1d4 levels of strife.

Elemental Nature. The dream elemental doesn’t require air, sleep, or sustenance.

Incorporeal. The dream elemental can move through creatures and objects. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Innate Spellcasting (At Will). The dream elemental can cast minor illusion without the need for material components and can create both a sound and an image at the same time. It uses Charisma as its spellcasting attribute.

Quiet Movement. The dream elemental has advantage on Stealth checks.

Varied Fey. At the Narrator’s discretion, the dream elemental also has one or two of the Dreamborn gifts printed in Gate Pass Gazette #4 or Captain Cobalt’s Codicil.

--

The following uses a merfolk as the base creature.

Dream Merfolk
Medium elemental (fey); Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)

AC
11
HP 11 (2d8+2; bloodied 5)
Speed 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (10-foot ceiling), swim 40 ft.

STR 10 (+0) DEX 12 (+1) CON 12 (+1)
INT 10 (+0) WIS 10 (+0) CHA 10 (+0)

Proficiency +2; Maneuver DC 11
Skills Perception +2
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder
Damage Immunities poison; damage from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities fatigue, paralyzed, poisoned, stunned, unconscious
Senses darkvision 90 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Aquan, Common, Sylvan

Incorporeal. The dream merfolk can move through creatures and objects. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.

Innate Spellcasting (At Will). The dream elemental can cast minor illusion without the need for material components and can create both a sound and an image at the same time. Its spellcasting attribute is Charisma (spell save DC 10).

Quiet Movement. The dream merfolk has advantage on Stealth checks.

Actions
Trident.
Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60, one target. Hit: 4 (1d8) psychic damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack, or 3 (1d6) psychic damage if thrown. If this damage reduces a target to 0 hit points, the creature is stable but unconscious (and suffers from terrible nightmares) until it regains full hit points, at which point it takes 1d4 levels of strife.
 
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Dream Elemental (Template)
Dreamlands: Variant Planes of Dreams, Dragon Magazine #287
Creature by Jeff Grub

“Dream elemental” is a template that can be placed on any aberration, beast giant, humanoid, monstrosity, or plant. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.
Should be "retains" not "regains".
 

Faolyn

(she/her)
Should be "retains" not "regains".
Fixed!

Another template I had previously skipped, this one is for the death knight—or dread knight, in Level Up terms.

I just noticed: the dread knight has no particular resistances to nonmagical weapons. Weird.

Dread Knight Creature (Template)
The Death Knights of Oerth, Dragon Magazine #287
Creature by Gary Holian and Rich Redman

“Dread knight” is a template that can be placed on any humanoid that has proficiency with heavy armor, shields, and martial weapons and has a CR of 5 or higher. It regains all of the statistics of the base creature except as noted below.

Type. The dread knight’s type changes to undead. It loses any other tags it had.

Attributes. The dread knight’s Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence increases by 4 (maximum of 30), and its Charisma becomes 20 (+5) unless it was already higher. Recalculate its hit points.

Saving Throws. The dread knight gains proficiency in Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws.

Skills. The dread knight gains proficiency in Intimidation. If it already has proficiency in Intimidation, it gains a d4 expertise in it.

Immunities. The dread knight is immune to cold, fire, necrotic, and poison damage, and to the charmed, fatigue, frightened, poisoned, and stunned conditions.

Senses. The dread knight gains truesight to 60 feet.

Bonus Action: Break Magic. The dread knight ends all spell effects on a creature, object, or point within 30 feet. The maximum spell slot level which the dread knight can end depends on the base creature’s CR:

CR 5 – 16: 3rd level
CR 17 – 22: 5th level
CR 23 or higher: 7th level

Action: Cursed Weapon. One of the dread knight’s melee weapon attacks is cursed. A creature hit by the weapon takes additional necrotic damage depending on the base creature’s CR.

CR 5 – 16: 7 (2d6) necrotic damage
CR 17 – 22: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage
CR 23 or higher: 21 (6d6) necrotic damage

The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.

Bonus Action: Cursed Weapon Attack. The dread knight makes a cursed greatsword attack.

Action: Fire Blast (1/Day). A fiery mote streaks from the dread knight’s finger to a point within 120 feet and blossoms into a 20-foot-radius sphere of black fire which spreads around corners. Each creature within the area must make a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Intelligence modifier). The creature takes fire damage (half as much on a successful save) depending on the base creature’s CR:

CR 5 – 16: 42 (12d6) fire damage.
CR 17 – 22: 63 (18d6) fire damage.
CR 23 or higher: 84 (24d6) fire damage

This damage ignores fire resistance and treats immunity to fire damage as fire resistance.

Action: Ice Wall (1/Day). The dread knight magically creates a wall of ice on a solid surface it can see within 60 feet. The wall is flat, 1 foot thick, and can be up to 50 feet long and 15 feet high. The wall lasts for 1 minute or until destroyed. Each 10-foot section has AC 12, 30 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to cold, necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.

If the wall enters a creature’s space when it appears, the creature is pushed to one side of the wall (creature’s choice). The creature then makes a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Intelligence modifier), taking cold damage (half as much on a successful save) depending on the base creature’s CR:

CR 5 – 16: 35 (10d6) cold damage
CR 17 – 22: 48 (14d6) cold damage
CR 23 or higher: 63 (18d6) cold damage

Action: Multiattack. The dread knight attacks twice with its Cursed Weapon, unless it could already attack more often than that.

Action: Soul Wrack (1/Day). A creature within 60 feet of the dread knight must make a Dexterity saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Intelligence modifier), falling prone and taking necrotic damage (half as much on a successful save, and doesn’t fall prone).

CR 5 – 16: 35 (10d6) necrotic damage
CR 17 – 22: 70 (20d6) necrotic damage
CR 23 or higher: 105 (30d6) necrotic damage

Action: Summon Fiendish Steed (1/Day). A fell nightmare or wyvern magically appears in an empty space within 5 feet. The steed follows the dread knight’s commands and acts on its turn. It may attack on the turn on which it is summoned. It remains until the dread knight dismisses it as an action or it is killed.

At the Narrator’s discretion, the dread knight may instead summon a blood horse, drake (here or here), or equar.

Unholy Aura. The dread knight and allies within 30 feet have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magic effects and against features that turn undead. Other creatures of the dread knight’s choice within 30 feet have disadvantage on saving throws against spells and other magic effects.

Undead Nature. A dread knight doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.

Variant: Dread Knight Champion
This template can be placed on any creature that has the Dread Knight template on it and has the a CR of 10 or higher. It regains all of the statistics of the base dread knight except as noted below.

Legion. The dread knight’s Cursed Weapon is magical. A creature killed by the dread knight’s Cursed Weapon rises the next dusk as a zombie. While attuned to the weapon, the dread knight can use a bonus action to command zombies created in this manner.

Reaction: Riposte. When an attacker the dread knight can see would hit it with a melee attack, it adds 5 to its AC against the attack. If the attack misses, the dread knight can make a cursed greatsword attack against the attacker.

Reaction: Deflect. When an attacker the dread knight can see would hit it with a ranged weapon attack or ranged spell attack, it adds 5 to its AC against the attack. If the attack misses, the dread knight can force the attacker to reroll the attack, targeting a creature of its choice within 30 feet.

Reaction: Seal of Silence. When the dread knight succeeds on a saving throw against a spell cast by a creature it can see, the caster of the spell makes a Constitution saving throw (save DC = 8 + the creature’s PB + the creature’s Intelligence modifier),. On a failure, the caster is magically unable to speak or cast spells with a vocal component until the end of the caster’s next turn.

Reaction: Cold Sacrifice (1/Day). When the dread knight would fail a saving throw , it can choose to succeed instead. It then magically teleports to an unoccupied space within 30 feet, leaving behind an inanimate duplicate of herself made of snow.

--

The following uses a hobgoblin warlord as the base creature (hobgoblin warlords are elite monsters, but its hp total puts the base creature at CR 6, so I’m going to treat it as that and not CR 3 doubled):

Dread Hobgoblin Warlord
Medium undead; Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)
AC
18 (full plate)
HP 136 (16d8+64; bloodied 68)
Speed 30 ft.

STR 20 (+5) DEX 14 (+2) CON 18 (+4)
INT 18 (+4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 20 (+5)

Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 16
Saving Throws Str +8, Dex +5, Con +7, Int +6, Wis +4, Cha +8
Skills Athletics +8, Engineering +6, Intimidation +7 (+1d4), Perception +3
Damage Immunities cold, fire, necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, fatigue, frightened, poisoned, stunned
Senses truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Goblin

Formation Movement. If the hobgoblin begins its turn within 5 feet of an ally that is not incapacitated , its movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks.

Bloodied Rage. While bloodied , the warlord can attack four times with its greatsword or twice with its javelin when it uses Multiattack but no longer gains the benefit of its Military Training trait.

Elite Recovery. At the end of each of its turns, while bloodied, the hobgoblin can end one condition or effect on itself. It can do this even when unconscious or incapacitated.

Military Training. The hobgoblin has advantage on ability checks to make a tactical, strategic, or political decision.

Unholy Aura. The dread knight and allies within 30 feet have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magic effects and against features that turn undead. Other creatures of the dread knight’s choice within 30 feet have disadvantage on saving throws against spells and other magic effects.

Undead Nature. A dread knight doesn’t require air, sustenance, or sleep.

Actions
Multiattack.
The hobgoblin attacks twice with its greatsword.

Cursed Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage. The target’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if its hit point maximum is reduced to 0.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Officer’s Command (1/Day). The hobgoblin inspires creatures of its choice within 30 feet that can hear and understand it and that have a Challenge Rating of 2 or lower. For the next minute, inspired creatures gain an expertise die on attack rolls and saving throws. A creature can benefit from only one Officer’s Command at a time.

Fire Blast (1/Day). A fiery mote streaks from the dread knight’s finger to a point within 120 feet and blossoms into a 20-foot-radius sphere of black fire which spreads around corners. Each creature within the area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 42 (12d6 fire damage), or half-damage on a successful save.

This damage ignores fire resistance and treats immunity to fire damage as fire resistance.

Ice Wall (1/Day). The dread knight magically creates a wall of ice on a solid surface it can see within 60 feet. The wall is flat, 1 foot thick, and can be up to 50 feet long and 15 feet high. The wall lasts for 1 minute or until destroyed. Each 10-foot section has AC 12, 30 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to cold, necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.

If the wall enters a creature’s space when it appears, the creature is pushed to one side of the wall (creature’s choice). The creature then must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw taking 35 (10d6) cold damage, or half-damage on a successful save.

Soul Wrack (1/Day). A creature within 60 feet must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, falling prone and taking 35 (10d6) necrotic damage on a failed save. On a successful save,t eh creature doesn’t fall prone and takes half-damage.

Action: Summon Fiendish Steed (1/Day). A fell nightmare or wyvern magically appears in an empty space within 5 feet. The steed follows the dread knight’s commands and acts on its turn. It may attack on the turn on which it is summoned. It remains until the dread knight dismisses it as an action or it is killed.

Bonus Actions
Break Magic.
The dread knight ends all spell effects created by a 3rd-level or lower spell slot on a creature, object, or point within 30 feet.

Cursed Weapon Attack. The dread knight makes a cursed greatsword attack.
 
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Faolyn

(she/her)
The lich was from the Monster Manual, which means I'll be getting it through RealmsHelp. So it's definitely coming up--just not next. Next is actually not an undead. But you're right, there are a lot of undead templates.
 

Micah Sweet

Level Up & OSR Enthusiast
The lich was from the Monster Manual, which means I'll be getting it through RealmsHelp. So it's definitely coming up--just not next. Next is actually not an undead. But you're right, there are a lot of undead templates.
What's RealmsHelp?
 

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