D&D 5E Monster feedback: Ogre Storm Witch

[Quickleaf]

I'm writing up a couple unique ogre stat blocks for an adventure, including an ogre storm witch. This is a blend of the 4th edition Ogre Storm Shaman, excerpts about ogre shamans (and lots of old spell lookup) in the AD&D Monstrous Manual, and my own madcap ideas.

Here are my targeted questions (though feel free to offer creative feedback):

• Are there any powers that you think need revision? Any that you'd cut? Any glaring omission that you'd suggest I include?
• Does Thunder Blast's damage look about right?
• Does Storm Cloak involve too much going on for a DM to track?
• Can you understand Lightning Seed and how it could be used on an enemy or ally? Does it seem too punitive or are the ways to end it ok?
• Does the move to avoid listing spells, and instead using unique powers, work in favor of this monster's design?
• Do the stats feel right (i.e. an ogre, slightly more HP, and better Charisma equivalent to a normal human)?
• Do you feel it occupies a unique niche without overlapping cloud giants & storm giants?
• Does this look like a Challenge Rating 3 monster to you (my own accounting gave it defensive CR 6 and offensive CR 1, but not sure about its offensive CR)?

Thanks! I appreciate your feedback!



Ogre Storm Witch
Large giant, chaotic evil
Armor Class 11 (hide armor, or 13 with storm cloak)
Hit Points 76 (9d10+27)
Speed 40 ft.
STR 19 (+4) DEX 8 (-1) CON 16 (+3) INT 5 (-2) WIS 7 (-2) CHA 10 (+0)
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 8
Languages Common, Giant
Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Weathertell. The ogre always knowns what the weather will be like at its location for the next 24 hours. It also recognizes when the weather is magically manipulated.

ACTIONS

Thunder Staff. Melee Spell Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft. one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) thunder damage.

Thunder Blast. The ogre slams its staff and casts a spell of booming thunder. Each creature within 20 feet must succeed a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6) thunder damaged and be deafened until the end of the ogre's next turn.

Storm Cloak (recharge 5-6). The ogre is magically shrouded in shifting shadows and billowing clouds which extend 5 feet from it for 1 minute. The ogre gains +2 AC; resistance to thunder and lightning damage; advantage on saving throws against enchantment magic and gaze attacks; and it cannot be forcibly moved by winds.


Any hostile creature within the shadows suffers disadvantage to attack the ogre. The features of all creatures within the shadows are hazy and indistinct, and sounds are muffled and distant.


If the ogre is hit by a melee attack, the effect ends.

Any hostile creature within the shadows suffers disadvantage to attack the ogre. The features of all creatures within the shadows are hazy and indistinct, and sounds are muffled and distant.

If the ogre is hit by a melee attack, the effect ends.

Call Rain. The ogre magically creates heavy rains in a 20-foot-tall cylinder with a 40-foot radius centered on a point it can see within 60 feet. Everything in the area is lightly obscured and creatures in the area have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks. Exposed flames are doused. The rains last for 1 minute or until the ogre uses this ability again.

Lightning Seed (recharge 5-6). Melee Spell Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The ogre magically implants an elemental spark in a creature it touches. The creature suffers a level of exhaustion. At the end of each of its turns, the creature must succeed a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or it suffers another level of exhaustion. Additionally, each creature within 5 feet of it at the end of its turns suffers #d6 lightning damage where # how many exhaustion levels the creature has.
When it reaches 3 levels of exhaustion, it erupts and takes 20 (6d6) lightning damage. Each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw or take half this damage as well. Dispel magic or remove curse ends this effect, as does killing the ogre.

 

[toucanbuzz]

Cool. My take:

I plugged it into the 5E Monster CR calculator and came up with a CR3 creature as well, CR 1 offense, CR 5 defense. I'm assuming a CHA-based caster. He's an abysmal combatant with only a +2 to damage foes, and it would beg the question why not just swing his staff for +6 to hit and 2d6+4 damage? If he gets CHA up to 14, he becomes a more formidable foe with some allies around him.

Int modifier should be -3.

Storm Cloak: it has no duration so why would it need a recharge? Take it away and he's a softie with a horrible AC. Consider making it a feature that exists so long as the ogre is exposed to clouds? Given the feature operates like the blur spell and it's hard to see targets in the shadows, should ranged attacks also have disadvantage?

Spell-like abilities: They work. No one has to reference a secondary book.

Lightning Seed: Interesting that a prepared Ogre could send suicidal minions who voluntarily fail their saving throws to die in service of their (pick a cause).

When I was converting Dark Sun creatures to 5E, I did what you did and turned powers into part of the ability block rather than a spell reference. However, I found when running creatures, if they had more than 1 rechargeable power, it became a huge pain to track, especially if I had multiple foes with multiple recharging abilities. Hence my feelings on making Storm Cloak a more permanent feature.