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Monster design: blood mage?
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 6955321" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>How would you stat up a blood mage as a monster? Either using original ideas, adapted player homebrew material*, or existing monster traits?</p><p></p><p>*Note that all the player homebrew material for "blood mage" characters I've found has been really fiddly – dealing with hit dice, sorcery points, expending hit points for effects – and I don't think something that fiddly is well suited to a monster. The less work on the DM when running encounters the better!</p><p></p><p>More specifically, the monster is a <strong>yakfolk blood mage</strong>, looking for a final CR around 7-9. I have <u>Storm King's Thunder</u> so I'm using the yakfolk stats there as a basis. </p><p></p><p>[SBLOCK=Image]<img src="http://i.imgur.com/nrhZkOO.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />[/SBLOCK]</p><p></p><p><strong>I know that its blood magic gives it the following powers:</strong></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It can manipulate others, similar to the <em>suggestion</em> and <em>dominate person</em> spells. ✓</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It can touch a creature's forehead and send them reeling away in confusion to either erupt in a bloody explosion (like the <em>walking bomb</em> spell of Dragon Age) or make them attack an ally (like the <em>crown of madness</em> D&D spell).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It has an aura of superstition and terrible majesty around it that makes it hard for creatures to act against it (esp. hard to betray it), kinda like <em>sanctuary</em> against assassins, and it can use this aura to compel weak-minded creatures to speak the truth.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">It can warp creatures into monsters via rituals (e.g. one of these blood mages created the plague of <a href="http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Marrashi" target="_blank">marrashi</a>), probably more of a plot point thing, but I'd like some reflection of that in the stats).</li> </ul><p></p><p>I'm open to other ideas too that feel suitably blood magicky.</p><p></p><p>Here's the work-in-progress stat block I have presently...</p><p></p><p>-------------</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #FF8C00"><strong><span style="font-size: 15px">Yikaria Blood Mage</span></strong></span></p><p><em>Large humanoid, neutral evil</em></p><p><strong>Armor Class</strong> 14 (natural armor)</p><p><strong>Hit Points</strong> 90 (12d10+24)</p><p><strong>Speed</strong> 30 ft.</p><p></p><p><strong>STR</strong> 16 (+3) <strong>DEX</strong> 10 (+0) <strong>CON</strong> 15 (+2) <strong>INT</strong> 18 (+4) <strong>WIS</strong> 15 (+2) <strong>CHA</strong> 14 (+2)</p><p></p><p><strong>Saving Throws</strong> Int +7, Wis +5, Cha +5</p><p><strong>Skills</strong> Arcana +7, Deception +5, Perception +5</p><p><strong>Senses</strong> passive Perception 15</p><p><strong>Languages</strong> Common, Giant, Primordial, Yikaria</p><p><strong>Challenge</strong> 7? (2,900 XP)</p><p></p><p><strong>Life Siphon.</strong> When the yikaria reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the creature suffers disadvantage on any death saving throws and the yikaria can use its reaction to cast a spell it has prepared.</p><p></p><p><strong>Possession (recharges after a short or long rest).</strong> See <u>Storm King's Thunder</u>.</p><p></p><p><strong>Spellcasting.</strong> The yikaria is a 12th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared:</p><p>Cantrips: <em>light, friends, mage hand, prestidigitation</em></p><p>1st level (4 slots): <em>detect magic, identify, sleep, ?</em></p><p>2nd level (3 slots): <em>crown of madness, hold person, suggestion</em></p><p>3rd level (3 slots): <em>fear, feign death, vampiric touch</em></p><p>4th level (3 slots): <em>confusion, dimension door, polymorph</em></p><p>5th level (2 slots): <em>dominate person, dream</em></p><p>6th level (1 slot): <em>magic jar</em></p><p></p><p><strong>Sure-Footed.</strong> The yikaria has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws against being knocked prone.</p><p></p><p><strong>Use Magic Device.</strong> The yikaria ignores all class, race, and other requirements on the use of magic items.</p><p></p><p><strong>ACTIONS</strong></p><p></p><p><strong>Multiattack.</strong> The yikaria makes two melee attacks.</p><p></p><p><strong>Glaive.</strong> <em>Melee Weapon Attack:</em> +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. <em>Hit:</em> 14 (2d10+3) slashing damage.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 6955321, member: 20323"] How would you stat up a blood mage as a monster? Either using original ideas, adapted player homebrew material*, or existing monster traits? *Note that all the player homebrew material for "blood mage" characters I've found has been really fiddly – dealing with hit dice, sorcery points, expending hit points for effects – and I don't think something that fiddly is well suited to a monster. The less work on the DM when running encounters the better! More specifically, the monster is a [B]yakfolk blood mage[/B], looking for a final CR around 7-9. I have [U]Storm King's Thunder[/U] so I'm using the yakfolk stats there as a basis. [SBLOCK=Image][img]http://i.imgur.com/nrhZkOO.png[/img][/SBLOCK] [B]I know that its blood magic gives it the following powers:[/B] [list][*]It can manipulate others, similar to the [I]suggestion[/I] and [I]dominate person[/I] spells. ✓ [*]It can touch a creature's forehead and send them reeling away in confusion to either erupt in a bloody explosion (like the [I]walking bomb[/I] spell of Dragon Age) or make them attack an ally (like the [I]crown of madness[/I] D&D spell). [*]It has an aura of superstition and terrible majesty around it that makes it hard for creatures to act against it (esp. hard to betray it), kinda like [I]sanctuary[/I] against assassins, and it can use this aura to compel weak-minded creatures to speak the truth. [*]It can warp creatures into monsters via rituals (e.g. one of these blood mages created the plague of [url=http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Marrashi]marrashi[/url]), probably more of a plot point thing, but I'd like some reflection of that in the stats). [/list] I'm open to other ideas too that feel suitably blood magicky. Here's the work-in-progress stat block I have presently... ------------- [COLOR="#FF8C00"][B][SIZE=4]Yikaria Blood Mage[/SIZE][/B][/COLOR] [I]Large humanoid, neutral evil[/I] [B]Armor Class[/B] 14 (natural armor) [B]Hit Points[/B] 90 (12d10+24) [B]Speed[/B] 30 ft. [B]STR[/B] 16 (+3) [B]DEX[/B] 10 (+0) [B]CON[/B] 15 (+2) [B]INT[/B] 18 (+4) [B]WIS[/B] 15 (+2) [B]CHA[/B] 14 (+2) [B]Saving Throws[/B] Int +7, Wis +5, Cha +5 [B]Skills[/B] Arcana +7, Deception +5, Perception +5 [B]Senses[/B] passive Perception 15 [B]Languages[/B] Common, Giant, Primordial, Yikaria [B]Challenge[/B] 7? (2,900 XP) [B]Life Siphon.[/B] When the yikaria reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the creature suffers disadvantage on any death saving throws and the yikaria can use its reaction to cast a spell it has prepared. [B]Possession (recharges after a short or long rest).[/B] See [U]Storm King's Thunder[/U]. [B]Spellcasting.[/B] The yikaria is a 12th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following wizard spells prepared: Cantrips: [I]light, friends, mage hand, prestidigitation[/I] 1st level (4 slots): [I]detect magic, identify, sleep, ?[/I] 2nd level (3 slots): [I]crown of madness, hold person, suggestion[/I] 3rd level (3 slots): [I]fear, feign death, vampiric touch[/I] 4th level (3 slots): [I]confusion, dimension door, polymorph[/I] 5th level (2 slots): [I]dominate person, dream[/I] 6th level (1 slot): [I]magic jar[/I] [B]Sure-Footed.[/B] The yikaria has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws against being knocked prone. [B]Use Magic Device.[/B] The yikaria ignores all class, race, and other requirements on the use of magic items. [B]ACTIONS[/B] [B]Multiattack.[/B] The yikaria makes two melee attacks. [B]Glaive.[/B] [I]Melee Weapon Attack:[/I] +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. [I]Hit:[/I] 14 (2d10+3) slashing damage. [/QUOTE]
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