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Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)
A Leveled Up Bestiary
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<blockquote data-quote="Faolyn" data-source="post: 8776142" data-attributes="member: 6915329"><p>Same Ed Greenwood, different issue. This article is a continuation of last issue’s article, with more “Realms-only” monsters, and the monster I’m converting is a doozy and suggests that Ed was having trouble with the magic-users at his table. It’s the <strong>magebane</strong>, a tiny, invisible batlike creature that eats spells.</p><p></p><p>For this adaptation, I wrote that it can detect and drain magic from bards, sorcerers, and wizards, as I would consider them all to be arcane casters, using the same energy in different ways. My personal feelings on warlocks is that they are basically priests of things that aren’t gods, and thus aren’t arcane casters (nor are they divine). If you prefer the idea that warlocks are arcane casters, then stick them on the list of casters that magebanes can eat. Heck, the 1e write-up merely says that they <em>prefer </em>magic-users, implying that other casters are fair game. So if you like the idea of magebane being able to target clerics, heralds, warlocks, or even artificers, go ahead.</p><p></p><p>This is another creature that is useful above its CR. With its natural stealth in addition to its invisibility, it can stay hidden from</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]261931[/ATTACH]</p><p><span style="font-size: 15px">Art by Barrett</span></p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 22px"><span style="color: rgb(65, 168, 95)">Magebane</span></span></strong></p><p>The Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #140</p><p>Created by Ed Greenwood</p><p></p><p>Magebanes are small, black, amorphous creatures, their only visible features being a pair of cold blue eyes. They have batlike wings and ten long claw-like legs emerging from their undersides, and their body tapers into a needle-like tail. However, this form is almost never seen, as they are invisible, and not even magic can dispel their invisibility. Spellcasters loathe these creatures, who fortunately are mostly solitary.</p><p></p><p><strong><em>Hungers For Spells.</em></strong> Magebanes consume spell energy, which they siphon directly from spellcasters at the moment they cast spells. This often causes the spell to fail to cast or to have minimal or poor effects. Magebanes target arcane spellcasters—bards, sorcerers, and warlocks—to the exclusion of others. Once they find a spellcaster they like, they stay with that caster, even protecting it from other attackers. A magebane <em>may</em> decide to move to a different caster, if they find a more powerful one or one who casts spells more freely, but this is a very rare occurrence.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Legends and Lore</span></strong></p><p>With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following:</p><p></p><p><strong>DC 15.</strong> Magebane are invisible creatures who consume the energy from arcane spells while they are cast. By consuming this energy, they cause spells to be miscast.</p><p></p><p><strong>DC 20.</strong> Magebanes will remain with a spellcaster for as long as they can, and will protect that spellcaster from other forms of harm. They can’t be driven off; the only way to free the spellcaster from the magebane’s feedings is to kill the magebane.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Signs</span></strong></p><p>1-2. The caster’s spells start acting oddly or not working.</p><p>3-4. A creature attacking the caster is suddenly zapped by magical energy.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Magebane Encounters</span></strong></p><p><strong><em>Terrain:</em></strong> cavern, ruins, tombs</p><p></p><p><strong><em>CR 0-1</em></strong> 1 magebane</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 26px"><span style="color: rgb(65, 168, 95)">Magebane</span></span></strong></p><p><strong>Tiny aberration</strong></p><p>Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)</p><p><strong>AC</strong> 14</p><p><strong>HP</strong> 5 (2d4; bloodied 2)</p><p><strong>Speed</strong> 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover)</p><p></p><p><strong>STR</strong> 2 (-4) <strong>DEX</strong> 19 (+4) <strong>CON</strong> 11 (+0)</p><p><strong>INT</strong> 3 (-4) <strong>WIS</strong> 12 (+1) <strong>CHA</strong> 6 (-2)</p><p></p><p><strong>Proficiency</strong> +2</p><p><strong>Maneuver DC</strong> 14</p><p><strong>Skills</strong> Perception +3, Stealth +6 (<em>+1d4</em>)</p><p><strong>Senses</strong> darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13</p><p><strong>Languages</strong> —</p><p><strong><em>Explosive Death. </em></strong>When the magebane dies, it explodes in a burst of magical energy. Each creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) force damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one.</p><p><strong><em>Limited Invisibility.</em></strong> The magebane is invisible to all creatures except for the chosen spellcaster.</p><p><strong><em>Limited Magic Immunity.</em></strong> The magebane is immune to any spell of 6th-level or lower cast by chosen spellcaster, and has advantage on saving throws against other spells and magical effects.</p><p><strong><em>Sense Magic-User.</em></strong> The magebane can detect the presence of creatures within 150 feet that can cast spells from the bard, sorcerer, or wizard spell list. When it is within 30 feet of the spellcaster, it can make that caster into its chosen spellcaster.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Actions</u></strong></p><p><strong><em>Tail. </em></strong><em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. <em>Hit: </em>6 (1d4+4) force damage.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Bonus Actions</u></strong></p><p><strong><em>Nimble Escape.</em></strong> The magebane takes the Disengage or Hide action.</p><p></p><p><strong><u>Reactions</u></strong></p><p><strong><em>Siphon Magic.</em></strong> When the chosen spellcaster casts a cantrip or spell of 6th level or lower and the magebane is within 60 feet of the spellcaster, roll a d4:</p><p>1. The spell works normally.</p><p>2. The spell fails to work. There is a 50% chance that spell slot is expended.</p><p>3. The target(s) of the spell have advantage on saving throws against the spell. If the target is willing, then the spell’s duration is halved.</p><p>4. The spell works, but is flawed: it inflicts minimum damage, produces an obvious illusion instead of a realistic one, the target gains a d4 expertise die instead of gaining advantage, the spell provides partial or incorrect information, the spell’s duration or area are halved, etc.</p><p></p><p>Each time the chosen spellcaster casts a spell, whether it is cast correctly or not, the magebane gains temporary hit points equal to twice the spell slot level used.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Combat</span></strong></p><p>Magebanes only attack to protect their chosen caster. They attack anything that harms their caster, relying on their invisibility and stealth to give them advantage on attacks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Faolyn, post: 8776142, member: 6915329"] Same Ed Greenwood, different issue. This article is a continuation of last issue’s article, with more “Realms-only” monsters, and the monster I’m converting is a doozy and suggests that Ed was having trouble with the magic-users at his table. It’s the [B]magebane[/B], a tiny, invisible batlike creature that eats spells. For this adaptation, I wrote that it can detect and drain magic from bards, sorcerers, and wizards, as I would consider them all to be arcane casters, using the same energy in different ways. My personal feelings on warlocks is that they are basically priests of things that aren’t gods, and thus aren’t arcane casters (nor are they divine). If you prefer the idea that warlocks are arcane casters, then stick them on the list of casters that magebanes can eat. Heck, the 1e write-up merely says that they [I]prefer [/I]magic-users, implying that other casters are fair game. So if you like the idea of magebane being able to target clerics, heralds, warlocks, or even artificers, go ahead. This is another creature that is useful above its CR. With its natural stealth in addition to its invisibility, it can stay hidden from [ATTACH type="full" alt="1663719236949.png"]261931[/ATTACH] [SIZE=4]Art by Barrett[/SIZE] [B][SIZE=6][COLOR=rgb(65, 168, 95)]Magebane[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B] The Dragon’s Bestiary, Dragon Magazine #140 Created by Ed Greenwood Magebanes are small, black, amorphous creatures, their only visible features being a pair of cold blue eyes. They have batlike wings and ten long claw-like legs emerging from their undersides, and their body tapers into a needle-like tail. However, this form is almost never seen, as they are invisible, and not even magic can dispel their invisibility. Spellcasters loathe these creatures, who fortunately are mostly solitary. [B][I]Hungers For Spells.[/I][/B] Magebanes consume spell energy, which they siphon directly from spellcasters at the moment they cast spells. This often causes the spell to fail to cast or to have minimal or poor effects. Magebanes target arcane spellcasters—bards, sorcerers, and warlocks—to the exclusion of others. Once they find a spellcaster they like, they stay with that caster, even protecting it from other attackers. A magebane [I]may[/I] decide to move to a different caster, if they find a more powerful one or one who casts spells more freely, but this is a very rare occurrence. [B][SIZE=5]Legends and Lore[/SIZE][/B] With an Arcana check, the characters can learn the following: [B]DC 15.[/B] Magebane are invisible creatures who consume the energy from arcane spells while they are cast. By consuming this energy, they cause spells to be miscast. [B]DC 20.[/B] Magebanes will remain with a spellcaster for as long as they can, and will protect that spellcaster from other forms of harm. They can’t be driven off; the only way to free the spellcaster from the magebane’s feedings is to kill the magebane. [B][SIZE=5]Signs[/SIZE][/B] 1-2. The caster’s spells start acting oddly or not working. 3-4. A creature attacking the caster is suddenly zapped by magical energy. [B][SIZE=5]Magebane Encounters[/SIZE] [I]Terrain:[/I][/B] cavern, ruins, tombs [B][I]CR 0-1[/I][/B] 1 magebane [B][SIZE=7][COLOR=rgb(65, 168, 95)]Magebane[/COLOR][/SIZE] Tiny aberration[/B] Challenge 1/8 (25 XP) [B]AC[/B] 14 [B]HP[/B] 5 (2d4; bloodied 2) [B]Speed[/B] 10 ft., fly 30 ft. (hover) [B]STR[/B] 2 (-4) [B]DEX[/B] 19 (+4) [B]CON[/B] 11 (+0) [B]INT[/B] 3 (-4) [B]WIS[/B] 12 (+1) [B]CHA[/B] 6 (-2) [B]Proficiency[/B] +2 [B]Maneuver DC[/B] 14 [B]Skills[/B] Perception +3, Stealth +6 ([I]+1d4[/I]) [B]Senses[/B] darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13 [B]Languages[/B] — [B][I]Explosive Death. [/I][/B]When the magebane dies, it explodes in a burst of magical energy. Each creature within 10 feet of it must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (2d6) force damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. [B][I]Limited Invisibility.[/I][/B] The magebane is invisible to all creatures except for the chosen spellcaster. [B][I]Limited Magic Immunity.[/I][/B] The magebane is immune to any spell of 6th-level or lower cast by chosen spellcaster, and has advantage on saving throws against other spells and magical effects. [B][I]Sense Magic-User.[/I][/B] The magebane can detect the presence of creatures within 150 feet that can cast spells from the bard, sorcerer, or wizard spell list. When it is within 30 feet of the spellcaster, it can make that caster into its chosen spellcaster. [B][U]Actions[/U] [I]Tail. [/I][/B][I]Melee Weapon Attack:[/I] +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. [I]Hit: [/I]6 (1d4+4) force damage. [B][U]Bonus Actions[/U] [I]Nimble Escape.[/I][/B] The magebane takes the Disengage or Hide action. [B][U]Reactions[/U] [I]Siphon Magic.[/I][/B] When the chosen spellcaster casts a cantrip or spell of 6th level or lower and the magebane is within 60 feet of the spellcaster, roll a d4: 1. The spell works normally. 2. The spell fails to work. There is a 50% chance that spell slot is expended. 3. The target(s) of the spell have advantage on saving throws against the spell. If the target is willing, then the spell’s duration is halved. 4. The spell works, but is flawed: it inflicts minimum damage, produces an obvious illusion instead of a realistic one, the target gains a d4 expertise die instead of gaining advantage, the spell provides partial or incorrect information, the spell’s duration or area are halved, etc. Each time the chosen spellcaster casts a spell, whether it is cast correctly or not, the magebane gains temporary hit points equal to twice the spell slot level used. [B][SIZE=5]Combat[/SIZE][/B] Magebanes only attack to protect their chosen caster. They attack anything that harms their caster, relying on their invisibility and stealth to give them advantage on attacks. [/QUOTE]
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