The Champion reached for a stone, and Heliod placed the Sun into her hand
– The Theriad
HELIOD THE SUN-CROWNED
Radiating with self-assurance and pride, Heliod represents all of the radiance and brilliance of the sun. His presence is a dominating force, as sure as the rise of the sun every morning, and acknowledged across Theros.
Heliod also presides over matters of faithfulness in oaths and bonds, and represents justice, retribution, laws, and kinship bonds.
Cheerful and sociable, Heliod enjoys the company of others and makes friends easily, however, he’s also prone to fickleness in his loyalty, turning on friends in retribution.
Heliod prefers the appearance of a sun-bronzed human, dressed in a golden flowing tunic. He has a noble profile, and a golden wreath crowns his head. He is fond of also appearing as a radiant golden stag or brilliant white pegasus. In all guises, he blazes in radiance, lit by the sun.
HELIOD'S TRAITS
Ideal: “I bring a dawn that no night can follow.”
Bond: “My time will come, when every soul will bask in my glory and obey my law.”
Flaw: “This spear that I have thrown is the spear that felled my friends.”
HELIOD AS A MYTHIC ENCOUNTER
Heliod is a potent threat against even high-level characters, but to give characters a truly mythic challenge, you can have him call on Unconquerable Sun. His use of this trait signals a drastic turn in the encounter, as Heliod unleashes the excoriating radiance of the sun to those all around him.
Fighting Heliod as a mythic encounter is equivalent to taking on two challenge rating 30 creatures in one encounter. Award a party 310,000 XP for defeating Heliod after he uses Unconquerable Sun.
HELIOD
God of the Sun
Portfolio Bravery and self-sacrifice, justice, laws, oaths and bonds, retribution, the sun
Titles The Radiant and the Glorious, the Ruler of the Gods
Home Plane Nyx, Theros
Superior None
Allies Ephara, Karametra, Iroas
Indifferent Nylea, Thassa
Foes Erebos, Kruphix, Purphoros
Symbol A stylized wreath illuminated by a field of stars
Favored Weapon Khrusor, the Sun Spear
HELIOD
Huge celestial (avatar), lawful good
Armor Class 23 (natural armor)
Hit Points 493 (34d12 + 272)
Speed 40 ft.
STR 30 (+10) DEX 22 (+6) CON 26 (+8) INT 24 (+7) WIS 26 (+8) CHA 28 (+9)
Saving Throws Str +19, Dex +15, Con +17, Wis +17, Cha +18
Skills Athletics +19, Intimidation +18, Perception +17, Persuasion +18, Religion +16
Damage Resistances lightning, thunder
Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing that is nonmagical
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 27
Languages all, telepathy 170 ft.
Challenge 30 (155,000 XP)
Unconquerable Sun (Mythic Trait; Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When Heliod is reduced to 0 hit points, he doesn’t die or fall unconscious. Instead, he regains 293 hit points and a sunburst is detonated centered on him. Each creature in a 60 ft radius must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw, taking 42 (12d6) radiant damage and are blinded for 1 minute on a failed save, or half as much damage and aren’t blinded on a successful one. In addition, the brilliant radiance of the sun washes over Heliod, granting him 200 temporary hit points.
Excoriate. Heliod ignores resistances and immunities to radiant damage.
Indestructible. Heliod regains 40 hit points at the start of his turn. Heliod discorporates only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
Innate Spellcasting. Heliod's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 26). Heliod can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: bless, burning hands, ceremony, command, daylight, faerie fire, fireball, flaming sphere, hold person, scorching ray
3/day each: compulsion, flame strike, locate creature, guardian of faith, scying, slow, wall of fire
1/day each: dominate person
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Heliod fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Heliod has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Heliod's weapon attacks are magical.
Overwhelming Presence. Each creature of Heliod’s choice that is within 170 feet of him must make a DC 26 Charisma saving throw or become stunned 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 Heliod’s Overwhelming Presence for the next 24 hours.
Sun-Crowned. Heliod sheds sunlight in a 170-foot radius.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. Heliod makes two weapon attacks.
Khrusor. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +22 to hit, reach 15 ft., or range 200/600 ft., one target. Hit: 27 (4d6 + 13) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) radiant damage, or 31 (4d8 + 13) piercing damage plus 18 (4d8) radiant damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack. Khrusor magically returns to Heliod’s hand after a ranged weapon attack.
Praise the Sun. Heliod turns his gaze towards one creature he can see within 170 feet of him and commands it to praise his glorious name. The target must succeed on a DC 26 Charisma saving throw or be affected by dominate monster. Creatures who succeed are charmed for 1 minute.
Wrath of Heliod (Recharges after a Long Rest). Heliod strikes the ground with Khrusor at a single point he can see within 170 feet of him. Each creature in a 170-foot radius centered on that point must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw, taking 110 (17d12) radiant damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures in that area of effect are blinded for 1 minute. Objects and structures caught in this radius are dealt double damage.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
Heliod can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Heliod regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Banishing Light. Heliod casts dispel evil and good.
Dictate of Heliod. Heliod casts command.
Heliod’s Emissary (Costs 2 Actions). Heliod summons 2d4 golden stags or 1d4 pegasi.
Heliod’s Intervention (Costs 2 Actions). Heliod targets a creature within 170 feet of him who is concentrating on a spell. The target must succeed on a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or its concentration is broken on that spell, and Heliod gains 5 temporary hit points per level of that spell.
MYTHIC ACTIONS
If Heliod’s mythic trait is active, he can use the options below as legendary actions for 1 hour after using Unconquerable Sun.
Glimpse the Sun (Costs 3 Actions). When a creature that can see Heliod’s eyes starts its turn within 60 feet of him, Heliod can force it to make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature becomes permanently blinded as their eyes liquify. The permanent blind condition lasts until the creature is freed by the greater restoration spell or other magic.
Impetuous Sunchaser (Costs 3 Actions). Heliod targets a creature he can see within 60 feet of him to sprout wings. The target must succeed on a DC 26 Wisdom saving throw or use its action to move toward and make one attack against a creature of Heliod’s choice that he can see. The wings burn away from this target after making the attack, dealing 7 (2d6) fire damage.
