Fey Trait / Lair Actions (Sleep and Recuperation)

[LordEntrails]

So I'm looking for examples (and feedback) of traits or lair actions for a fey grove. I'm thinking along the lines of a a charm effect that causes sleep (like you fall asleep in the grove and sleep a timeless sleep!) and another where anyone resting their receives bonus healing and recuperation.

Other than the sleep spell, I can't think of any good examples and would like to stay close/similar to something published by WotC. Here's what I've got so far;

Sleep Song
Once per turn as an action the fungal dryad can activate the enchantment of her grove to attempt to charm intruders into an undying sleep. This enchantment lasts for one hour or until the dryad deactivates it. All living non-plant creatures that are not deaf within the grove must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed. If the creature is already charmed, it becomes incapacitated. If the creature is already incapacitated it becomes paralyzed. If the creature is already incapacitated, it becomes unconscious and falls into an undying sleep. If a creature makes three successive successful saving throws against this effect before becoming unconscious, it becomes immune to the effect for this specific grove. Creatures in an undying sleep do not age or deteriorate and sleep until the spell is broken with Dispel Magic or by the will of the Dryad.

Zen Recuperation
As a ritual taking ten minutes, the fungal dryad can activate their grove to become a sanctuary of recuperation for 24 hours. During this time, the dryad can any number of creatures within her grove to become warded. Warded creatures are effected as if by a Sanctuary spell, any healing applied to a warded creature is doubled, and all saving throws against poison or disease are made with advantage.

 

[Satyrn]

So I'm looking for examples (and feedback) of traits or lair actions for a fey grove. I'm thinking along the lines of a a charm effect that causes sleep (like you fall asleep in the grove and sleep a timeless sleep!) and another where anyone resting their receives bonus healing and recuperation.

Other than the sleep spell, I can't think of any good examples and would like to stay close/similar to something published by WotC. Here's what I've got so far;

Sleep Song
Once per turn as an action the fungal dryad can activate the enchantment of her grove to attempt to charm intruders into an undying sleep. This enchantment lasts for one hour or until the dryad deactivates it. All living non-plant creatures that are not deaf within the grove must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed. If the creature is already charmed, it becomes incapacitated. If the creature is already incapacitated it becomes paralyzed. If the creature is already incapacitated, it becomes unconscious and falls into an undying sleep. If a creature makes three successive successful saving throws against this effect before becoming unconscious, it becomes immune to the effect for this specific grove. Creatures in an undying sleep do not age or deteriorate and sleep until the spell is broken with Dispel Magic or by the will of the Dryad.

Zen Recuperation
As a ritual taking ten minutes, the fungal dryad can activate their grove to become a sanctuary of recuperation for 24 hours. During this time, the dryad can any number of creatures within her grove to become warded. Warded creatures are effected as if by a Sanctuary spell, any healing applied to a warded creature is doubled, and all saving throws against poison or disease are made with advantage.

I'd want Zen Recuperation to last a week or a month so that I have more flexibility as a DM. The first thing that spru g to mind was "what if the players come to the grove looking for the fey, but the fey isn't around?" That is, I'd like for the fey to leave his grove for a week or a month without the grove ceasing to be the fey's grove.

The bolded bit needs editing. You've got the "if already incapacitated" bit repeating.

 

[Satyrn]

Actually, the Sleep Song needs a fair bit more editing for clarity. I can't really tell how it works.

I think targets are supposed to make a save each round while they're in the grove, that's never said. I also think the Undying Sleep is meant to be separate from the song itself; that is, the song only lasts 1 hour but the sleep can last for days.

 

[LordEntrails]

Thanks for the feedback.

The song is supposed to be something that 'intruders' have to save against every round. The first fail they are charmed, the second they are incapacitated, then another fail they are incapacitated. If they fail four time (without 3 successes in a row) then they going into the undying sleep which is semi-permanent.

Basically, I wanted it to be something that is not a save or die, but rather have to fail several times with increasing penalties or such and the conditions was the best thing I could think of.

The zen recuperation isn't what makes it the dryad's grove, it's just a magical effect that the grove can do, regardless of how long the druid is gone etc. This effect, which is effectively a heal and sanctuary effect, I can't see it lasting more than a day, that would be pretty powerful. I mean it only takes the dryad 10 minutes to activate it, so they could do it every day pretty easily.

What do you think?

 

[Satyrn]

Thanks for the feedback.

The song is supposed to be something that 'intruders' have to save against every round. The first fail they are charmed, the second they are incapacitated, then another fail they are incapacitated. If they fail four time (without 3 successes in a row) then they going into the undying sleep which is semi-permanent.

Basically, I wanted it to be something that is not a save or die, but rather have to fail several times with increasing penalties or such and the conditions was the best thing I could think of.

The zen recuperation isn't what makes it the dryad's grove, it's just a magical effect that the grove can do, regardless of how long the druid is gone etc. This effect, which is effectively a heal and sanctuary effect, I can't see it lasting more than a day, that would be pretty powerful. I mean it only takes the dryad 10 minutes to activate it, so they could do it every day pretty easily.

What do you think?

I don't share your concern about how powerful the effect seems. I don't think making the effect permanent would be a problem either - although I'm operating under the assumption that you're writing these up as essentially NPC features, that there aren't fey PCs that would gain access to the abi,ity to sprout the effect wherever they go. I've placed similar sorts of areas in my megadungeon that are permanent; like a room where the players can take a long rest in just 1 hour (although they haven't found it yet so I can't actually tell you how well that's working out).

So yeah, if the fey is there and can activate it for the players it's a nice effect. And more importantly, it does feel feyish.


The song is definitely neat and should make for a fun encounter. ( I see I did understand what you were trying to say, but I did have to guess at a couple of things; not a big deal if you're the one using it)

 

[LordEntrails]

It's ultimately for the Undermountain to be released on the DMsGuild, so I need it to be clear for others. So its an encounter location, not some ability available to players (except through roleplaying with an NPC). The effect could be permanent, as long as only those designated by the dryad gain the benefit. I just think having the dryad have to do a little ritual gives a nice roleplay opportunity

Which way the fey goes with it depends upon the party's interaction with it. They can make a friend, in which case they end up with a good place to rest, or they could make an enemy that might just result in the party all ending up asleep until rescued by some other party

Here's an updated version of Sleep Song, changes in bold.

Sleep Song
Once per turn as an action the fungal dryad can activate the enchantment of her grove to attempt to charm intruders into an undying sleep. This enchantment lasts for one hour or until the dryad deactivates it. All living non-plant creatures that are not deaf within the grove must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw at the start of their turn each round or become charmed. If the creature is already charmed, it becomes incapacitated. If the creature is already incapacitated it becomes paralyzed. If the creature is already paralyzed, it becomes unconscious and falls into an undying sleep. If a creature makes three successive successful saving throws against this effect before becoming unconscious, it becomes immune to the effect for this specific grove. Creatures in an undying sleep do not age or deteriorate and sleep until the spell is broken with Dispel Magic or if removed from the grove, in which case they will wake from the sleep 1d100 hours after being removed from the grove.