D&D 5E Get The Vecna Dossier Free At D&D Beyond

WotC is offering a free product which you can claim by signing into D&D Beyond, including Vecna’s 5E statistics.

The dossier includes the stat block plus a half page or so of lore. Vecna's stat block is a CR 26 undead wizard, prior to the fallen paladin (and former bodyguard to the lich) Kas's betrayal. That means he still has his hand and eye, although he is a time traveller and can appear in different worlds and eras.

The archlich Vecna is one of the most iconic villains of Dungeons & Dragons lore. And now you can bear witness to his necromantic magic with the Vecna Dossier! Available at no cost with your D&D Beyond account, this thrilling supplement details the legacy and statistics of the Undying King himself!

This claim unlocks the contents of this promotional supplement for use with D&D Beyond, including the supplement in digital format in the game compendium and in the searchable listings, character builder, encounters, and digital sheet.

Claim The Vecna Dossier now! - D&D Beyond

www.dndbeyond.com

 

[dave2008]

It has nothing to do with Challenge rating for me, but rather the fact that every lair action you just mentioned is necromancy themed. Which again, for evil wizards is something I personally find boring and overused in D&D.

Perhaps I summoned you incorrectly. I mean, he is a lich - it seems on theme to me.

 

[dave2008]

I like all those, very much. I don't know where you pulled them from, but clearly, you have more on the ball than the current employees at WOTC. Those should have been part of the stat block of Venca, or as Lair Actions as you have presented them.

They are from the free adventure that is part of the free Vecna on D&D Beyond. They are his lair actions as presented on DnD Beyond.

 

[Shardstone]

Vecna has a trap in this book where he domiantes a player with a 9th level dominate monster cast from a book. Dope! Yeah, the various things in this blog post really just go to show you the real terror of a CR 26 monster. They have so many resources that when yo ufinally get to them, their high power level is almost unfair for you to fight against. And that's what they should be like, given no one is just going to fight the players randomly to the death that is intelligent. At least, not in T3-4.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

So if the party knows what's coming and designs for it, they have an easier time over coming the encounter

And the shocking grasp is not likely to work an very likely to end badly for the caster.

Sorcerer quickens Shocking Grasp or Subtle Spells it. The End.
Open Hand Monk shuts down Vecna's Reactions for TWO turns. The End.

I am sure that more simple methods will pop up.

This is clearly another example of design failure at WOTC.

 

[Thomas Rainsborough]

They are from the free adventure that is part of the free Vecna on D&D Beyond. They are his lair actions as presented on DnD Beyond.

I am on DBB. Where is this located?

 

[Shardstone]

I also have to say, I just finished the adventure.

It is very Elden Ring inspired.

A mid-boss quotes a big Elden Ring boss almost line by line, and Vecna is in a temple at the edge of time, and he has a one-liner he says when you find him, and he's standing at the other end of his sanctum like an Elden Ring boss and begins the battle.

At this point, you will have gone through literally over a dozen traps and a few short but painful fights. The sanctum also has numerous effects. The sanctum:

• The walls are made of a mixture of stone and zombies. The zombies are melded with the stone and cannot be removed without destroying them. Any creature that comes within 5 feet of the walls must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or become grappled by the zombies in the wall. Any creature that starts its turn grappled by the zombies gains one point of exhaustion. A creature can repeat the saving throw as an action on each of its turns.
• The sanctum is warded against living creatures. Spells that restore hit points to a living creature only restore half as many hit points (minimum one).
• The sanctum is protected by forbiddance. Celestial creatures that enter the tower for the first time or start their turn in it take 5d10 radiant damage.
• The sanctum is unaffected by the effects of Limbo.

Vecna on top of this has lair actions, he is given the Book of Vile Darkness, and his lair actions summon the deadliest low CR creature in the game - shadows. One per player. All to mob whoever he wants.

Vecna is a very detailed boss fight with a strong lair, a gauntlet you have to get through to reach him, and his own powers. And even if he loses, he comes back to life in 1d100 years to run it all back. And he has the book of vile darkness to give him any spell you want.

This is, once against, fantastic design. This is how you make high level D&D fights work.

 

[dave2008]

I am on DBB. Where is this located?

Here you go: Don't Say Vecna!

 

[Shardstone]

Something else is written in the adventure!

Vecna’s Combat Tactics

Vecna can ascertain the capabilities of spellcasters and identify the spells they cast without making an ability check. He will try to disable or kill characters in the group he suspects has magic that can restore hit points or revive others. Additionally, if a character is missing a left eye or left hand, Vecna will target them with spells he casts, suspecting the missing parts were offered to the Cruel Gate.

Note: a character missing their left eye or hand has disadvantage on saves against Vecna's spells.

 

[Parmandur]

So if the party knows what's coming and designs for it, they have an easier time over coming the encounter

And the shocking grasp is not likely to work an very likely to end badly for the caster.

And on top of this ridiculous white board scenario never actually happening in play...if somehow it did, that would be absolutely hilarious and would be a cherished memory for all involved, players or DM.

Y'all realize that WotC expects Monsters to lose, right? And in 2-3 Rounds.

 

[Dausuul]

Sorcerer quickens Shocking Grasp or Subtle Spells it. The End.

That's the sorcerer who was killed by an army of skeleton archers before he ever got close to Vecna. That's what you get for trying to play "I know your exact stats and will use all my resources to exploit them" against the DM.

Open Hand Monk shuts down Vecna's Reactions for TWO turns. The End.

Since the monk, unlike the sorcerer, is using reasonable tactics that a sane monk might actually employ in battle, okay. Vecna doesn't pull out the DM cheese. However, the monk still has to close to melee range before Vecna's turn, and the only PCs who get to take advantage of this window of vulnerability are those whose initiatives fall between the monk and Vecna. On Vecna's turn, he darts behind cover where he can't be seen (to avoid counterspells), and dimension doors away to let the effect wear off.

He will then engage from a different angle at long range, and he will make sure to pick off the monk quickly.