D&D 5E (2024) Death Reaper of Bhaal. CR 13? BG3.5 Themed Game Lvl 11.

[Zardnaar]

After some advice on a this NPC. Intended role. Elite Bhaalist assassins that lair in Baldurs Gate and guard Bhaal's Avatar. Bhaals Avatar will probably be a buffed version of this. Its probably proficient in to many saves but Ive been having Reapers of Bhaal and CR8 assassins getting wrecked by wisdom saves and the alert feat (7 were shut down to hold person spells across 2 casters). Bhaal himself may be proficient in lots of saves. Thoughts on the CR of this however? Overtuned, to weak?

How I built It.

I took the CR 8 assassin from the 5.5 MM. Added Reaper of Bhaal abilites from Descent into Avernus. Added an extra attack and +2d6 poison damage per attack and adjusted the numbers for CR 13. Aura of Murder and unstoppable, stunning gaze and shroud self are from DoA and versions of them are in BG3.

Death Reaper of Bhaal​

Medium Humanoid (human) chaotic evil


Armor Class 16 Intiative+15


Hit Points 195(23d8d8+92)


Speed35ft.


Str18 (+4) , Dex 20 (+5) Save +10,Con 18(+4) Save +9, Int16 (+3) Save +7, Wis14 (+2) Save +7, Cha18 (+4) Save +9


Skills Acrobatics +10,Perception +12, Stealth +10


Senses’,passive perception 22


Languages Common,Thieves Cant


Challenge13(10000 XP)


Traits

Aura of Murder. As long as the Death Reaper is not incapacitated, hostile creatures within 5' of it gain vulnerability to piercing damage unless they have resistance or immunity to such damage.

Evasion. If the Death Reaper is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the Reaper takes no damage if it succeeds on the save and only half damage if it fails. It can't use this trait if it has the incapacitated condition.


Magic Resistance. The Bhaalist Assassin has advantage on Saving Throws againsts spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattacks.The Death Reaper uses Stunning Gaze and makes four shortsword attacks.

Short Sword. Melee +9 to hit, reach 5 ft, , one target. Hit 9 (1d6+5) piercing damage plus 24 (7d6) Poison damage, and the target has the Poisoned condition untiil the start of theassassins next turn.


Light Crossbow Ranged Attack Roll, +9 to hit, Range 80/320 ft. Hit 1d8+4Piercing Damage plus 28 (8d6) poison Damage.


Stunning Gaze. The death reaper targets one creature it can see within 30'. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.


Bonus Actions. The death reaper takes the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Shroud Self. The Death Reaper magically turns invisible until the start of its next turn. This invisibility ends if the reaper makes an attackroll, makes a damage roll or casts a spell.

Reactions

Unstoppable (5/day). The reaper reduces the damage it takes from an attack to 0.​

 

[Stalker0]

CR Sanity Check

Damage: So we are going to assume the vulnerability to piercing is in effect the whole time, though in a ranged fight it might not come up as often.

So (18 piercing + 24 poison) x4 = 168 damage.

The tricky part is the unstoppable, so we are reducing damage 1/rnd for all intents and purposes. So if we assume a stock fighter with lets say a +1 weapon we are talking ~12ish damage here, but could be a lot more if they react to the right hit, depends on your party. But as a ballpark for a 3 round combat thats an extra 36ish hp we will add on top.

So CR: 17.


This one actually has a simple fix. Just drop the number of attacks from 4 to 2, and your pretty much right on the money for the CR you want.

I will also note the Shroud self doesn't do much to me because of the start of its next turn, I guess you can use it and then hide on a turn, but in practice that won't help much in combat and the duration is too short to help outside of combat.

 

[Zardnaar]

CR Sanity Check

Damage: So we are going to assume the vulnerability to piercing is in effect the whole time, though in a ranged fight it might not come up as often.

So (18 piercing + 24 poison) x4 = 168 damage.

The tricky part is the unstoppable, so we are reducing damage 1/rnd for all intents and purposes. So if we assume a stock fighter with lets say a +1 weapon we are talking ~12ish damage here, but could be a lot more if they react to the right hit, depends on your party. But as a ballpark for a 3 round combat thats an extra 36ish hp we will add on top.

So CR: 17.


This one actually has a simple fix. Just drop the number of attacks from 4 to 2, and your pretty much right on the money for the CR you want.

I will also note the Shroud self doesn't do much to me because of the start of its next turn, I guess you can use it and then hide on a turn, but in practice that won't help much in combat and the duration is too short to help outside of combat.

The monsters i modified had unstoppable at CR5 and murder aura.

CR 17 new rules is a death knight for comparison.

Im thinking of lowering poison to 5d6 or removing the 4th attack.

CR8 has same attack at 5d6 poison no Murder aura.

I'm thinking if overturned the damage though. Poison damage is weak though.

2d6+5 base damage, no poison and murder aura is another option.

Im not convinced on 4th attack. Its based on glass canon critters. CR 13 is adult dragon.