Once more Epic Monsters is headed for the end times—not of the column, thank heavens, just the world. Without further ado let’s get into it with the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Strife!
“Hold on a tick,” you say from beyond the digital sea, “I thought the first horseman was the Antichrist/Christ/Conquest/Pestilence?” All of you are correct! Throughout the ages interpretations of these figures from the Christian apocalypse have been twisted all which ways around and the thing that made the most sense for the first in this column is Strife—a harbinger not of conflict itself but rather an agent that lays out the groundwork for the mayhem and slaughter to follow. You don’t kill off a quarter of the world without setting the mood! When the Last Judgment comes this is the first herald, sewing conflict across the globe before the others arrive.
Design Notes: This sneaky bastard is a diplomancer of a high order and when combat breaks out is capable of fraying any assault, forcing allies to turn against one another via Stoke Rage and Violent Command while meting out plenty of punishment besides (with more betrayals thanks to Provoking Arrows). It doesn’t get creepy until we do the numbers because in a rare coincidence—or perhaps a sign of fate—the DMG and Blog of Holding both landed smack dab on 23.33. It must be kismet! Unless I’m wrong. Either way I encourage everyone to fight me about it.
Strife
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 285 (30d8+150)
Speed 45 ft.
Skills Athletics +15, Deception +22, History +18, Insight +17, Intimidation +22, Perception +17, Persuasion +22
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, disease, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 27
Languages all
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)
Ageless. Strife cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
Innate Spellcasting. Strife's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23). Strife can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Strife fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Strife has advantage on saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Strife’s weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration. Strife regains 40 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Shapechanger. Strife can use a bonus action to polymorph into a Small, Medium, or Large humanoid it has seen, or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size and the ability to breathe water, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Stoke Rage. Strife can use a bonus action to enrage a creature within 120 feet. The creature makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw, rolling with disadvantage if it has half its hit points or less. On a failure, a creature goes berserk. On each of its turns, a berserk creature attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the berserk creature takes the Dash and moves in the most direct route towards a creature it can attack. At the start of each of its turns, a berserk creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. A creature that successfully resists Stoke Rage becomes immune to its effects for 1 round.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Strife uses its Frightful Presence and attacks four times.
Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8+8) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage.
Provoking Arrows. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage. If the target is a creature, it makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or uses its reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature or object Strife chooses within the creature’s reach or within range of the creature’s weapon.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of Strife’s choice that is within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Strife’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Strife can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Strife regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. Strife makes a weapon attack.
Violent Command. Strife chooses one creature within 60 feet. If the creature has its reaction, it makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or uses its reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature or object Strife chooses within the creature’s reach or within range of the creature’s weapon.
Enrage (Costs 1 to 3 Actions). Strife uses Stoke Rage on one or more creatures within range. Every creature targeted costs 1 legendary action.
Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come." I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
—Revelation 6:1–2
“Hold on a tick,” you say from beyond the digital sea, “I thought the first horseman was the Antichrist/Christ/Conquest/Pestilence?” All of you are correct! Throughout the ages interpretations of these figures from the Christian apocalypse have been twisted all which ways around and the thing that made the most sense for the first in this column is Strife—a harbinger not of conflict itself but rather an agent that lays out the groundwork for the mayhem and slaughter to follow. You don’t kill off a quarter of the world without setting the mood! When the Last Judgment comes this is the first herald, sewing conflict across the globe before the others arrive.
Design Notes: This sneaky bastard is a diplomancer of a high order and when combat breaks out is capable of fraying any assault, forcing allies to turn against one another via Stoke Rage and Violent Command while meting out plenty of punishment besides (with more betrayals thanks to Provoking Arrows). It doesn’t get creepy until we do the numbers because in a rare coincidence—or perhaps a sign of fate—the DMG and Blog of Holding both landed smack dab on 23.33. It must be kismet! Unless I’m wrong. Either way I encourage everyone to fight me about it.
Strife
Medium monstrosity, neutral evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 285 (30d8+150)
Speed 45 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
26 (+8) | 20 (+5) | 20 (+5) | 19 (+4) | 17 (+3) | 26 (+8) |
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, disease, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 27
Languages all
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)
Ageless. Strife cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
Innate Spellcasting. Strife's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23). Strife can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: charm person, fly, phantom steed, suggestion
3/day each: detect thoughts, dominate person, plane shift, mass suggestion
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Strife fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Strife has advantage on saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Strife’s weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration. Strife regains 40 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
Shapechanger. Strife can use a bonus action to polymorph into a Small, Medium, or Large humanoid it has seen, or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size and the ability to breathe water, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Stoke Rage. Strife can use a bonus action to enrage a creature within 120 feet. The creature makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw, rolling with disadvantage if it has half its hit points or less. On a failure, a creature goes berserk. On each of its turns, a berserk creature attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the berserk creature takes the Dash and moves in the most direct route towards a creature it can attack. At the start of each of its turns, a berserk creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. A creature that successfully resists Stoke Rage becomes immune to its effects for 1 round.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Strife uses its Frightful Presence and attacks four times.
Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8+8) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage.
Provoking Arrows. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage. If the target is a creature, it makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or uses its reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature or object Strife chooses within the creature’s reach or within range of the creature’s weapon.
Frightful Presence. Each creature of Strife’s choice that is within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Strife’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Strife can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Strife regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Attack. Strife makes a weapon attack.
Violent Command. Strife chooses one creature within 60 feet. If the creature has its reaction, it makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or uses its reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature or object Strife chooses within the creature’s reach or within range of the creature’s weapon.
Enrage (Costs 1 to 3 Actions). Strife uses Stoke Rage on one or more creatures within range. Every creature targeted costs 1 legendary action.
