Today’s Mythological Figures post is a myth from just last century in the Big Apple, a lass so fierce and tenacious (and so well known for headbutting people) that they called her the Goat: Sadie Farrell!
This mugger prowled the “Bloody” Fourth Ward of Manhattan Island, charging at targets and knocking them down so an ally nearby could waylay and rob their victim. She’s best known for that unusual tactic, a feud with the female bouncer Mag (who’s said to have bitten her ear off in a bar fight then kept it pickled on display before ultimately returning it), and river piracy. One day Sadie happened upon some bungling criminals, convinced them to let her be their leader, then helped them take a small sloop they sailed upriver to burgle everyone they reasonably could. For a summer it’s said they became terrors of the Hudson and Harlem Rivers, only stopped when their thieving assaults were met by gunfire and staunch resistance. When it all become too difficult she became “Queen of the Waterfront” and returned as a hero of the underworld, her place enshrined into the legends roving about the city of New York.
Design Notes: This could have been done simpler. A third level monk could stand in for Sadie, or for that matter a fighter. What’s below is a package of oh-no for players however and represents a much more versatile fight for when a GM needs to pull out a tough gang leader with statistics more interesting than a gladiator. Not only can she dish out a fair bit of damage, Sadie here can routinely force somebody she hits with one of her bonus attacks each round to make not one but two saving throws to avoid being knocked prone—making her headbutt-and-buddies-attack tactic both assured and effective. With a little luck she might even be able to knock down the entire party in the first round of combat! Let’s do the numbers: the DMG came up with 4.79 and the Blog of Holding 6.33, averages to 5.56 which puts her comfortably at CR 5.
Armor Class 16 (Wisdom)
Hit Points 52 (6d8+3d10+9)
Speed 40 ft.
Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +4
Skills Athletics +8, Deception +5, Intimidation +9, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7; disguise kit +4, thieves’ tools +7
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages English, Thieves’ Cant
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Background: Urchin. Sadie and her allies (while outside of combat) move at double their normal speed when traveling between two locations in the same city.
Action Surge (1/Short Rest). On her turn, Sadie can take an additional action on top of her regular action and a possible bonus action.
Cunning Action (1/Turn). Sadie can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, Use Object action, to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, or to use thieves’ tools to disarm a trap or open a lock.
Ki (3 points/Short Rest). Sadie can spend ki to fuel the following features:
Second Wind (1/Short Rest). On her turn, Sadie can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Sadie deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Sadie’s that isn’t incapacitated and she doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
ACTIONS
Martial Arts. If attacking with unarmed strikes Sadie can spend her bonus action to attack a second time, or her bonus action and 1 ki to Flurry of Blows (attacking a second and third time).
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) bludgeoning damage.
Pistol (2). Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) piercing damage.
REACTIONS
Deflect Missile. Sadie can spend her reaction to strike a missile when she is hit by a ranged weapon attack, reducing its damage by 8 (1d4+6). If she reduces the damage to 0, she can catch the missile if it is small enough for her to hold in one hand and she has at least one hand free. If Sadie catches a missile in this way, she can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition she just caught, as part of the same reaction (+7 to hit, range 20/60 ft., minimum 1d4+3 damage).
This mugger prowled the “Bloody” Fourth Ward of Manhattan Island, charging at targets and knocking them down so an ally nearby could waylay and rob their victim. She’s best known for that unusual tactic, a feud with the female bouncer Mag (who’s said to have bitten her ear off in a bar fight then kept it pickled on display before ultimately returning it), and river piracy. One day Sadie happened upon some bungling criminals, convinced them to let her be their leader, then helped them take a small sloop they sailed upriver to burgle everyone they reasonably could. For a summer it’s said they became terrors of the Hudson and Harlem Rivers, only stopped when their thieving assaults were met by gunfire and staunch resistance. When it all become too difficult she became “Queen of the Waterfront” and returned as a hero of the underworld, her place enshrined into the legends roving about the city of New York.
Design Notes: This could have been done simpler. A third level monk could stand in for Sadie, or for that matter a fighter. What’s below is a package of oh-no for players however and represents a much more versatile fight for when a GM needs to pull out a tough gang leader with statistics more interesting than a gladiator. Not only can she dish out a fair bit of damage, Sadie here can routinely force somebody she hits with one of her bonus attacks each round to make not one but two saving throws to avoid being knocked prone—making her headbutt-and-buddies-attack tactic both assured and effective. With a little luck she might even be able to knock down the entire party in the first round of combat! Let’s do the numbers: the DMG came up with 4.79 and the Blog of Holding 6.33, averages to 5.56 which puts her comfortably at CR 5.
Sadie Farrell
Medium humanoid (human), chaotic neutral rogue (thief) 3/monk (open hand) 3/fighter (battlemaster) 3Armor Class 16 (Wisdom)
Hit Points 52 (6d8+3d10+9)
Speed 40 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
10 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) | 11 (+0) | 16 (+3) | 12 (+1) |
Skills Athletics +8, Deception +5, Intimidation +9, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7; disguise kit +4, thieves’ tools +7
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages English, Thieves’ Cant
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
Background: Urchin. Sadie and her allies (while outside of combat) move at double their normal speed when traveling between two locations in the same city.
Action Surge (1/Short Rest). On her turn, Sadie can take an additional action on top of her regular action and a possible bonus action.
Cunning Action (1/Turn). Sadie can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, Use Object action, to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, or to use thieves’ tools to disarm a trap or open a lock.
Ki (3 points/Short Rest). Sadie can spend ki to fuel the following features:
- Flurry of Blows. Immediately after Sadie takes the Attack action on her turn, she can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
- Patient Defense. Sadie can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on her turn.
- Step of the Wind. Sadie can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on her turn, and her jump distance is doubled for the turn.
- Feint. Sadie can use her bonus action to feint against one creature within 5 feet. She has advantage on her next attack roll against that creature as long as it is made before the end of her turn. On a hit she deals 1d8 additional damage.
- Menace. On a successful hit with a melee weapon, Sadie deals 1d8 additional damage and the target makes a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or is frightened of her until the end of Sadie’s next turn.
- Trip. Sadie deals 1d8 additional damage and if the target is a creature of Large size or smaller, it makes a DC 15 Strength saving throw or is knocked prone.
- It must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or is knocked prone.
- It must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw. If it fails, Sadie can push it up to 15 feet away.
- It can’t take reactions until the end of Sadie’s next turn.
Second Wind (1/Short Rest). On her turn, Sadie can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+3 hit points.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Sadie deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when she hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Sadie’s that isn’t incapacitated and she doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
ACTIONS
Martial Arts. If attacking with unarmed strikes Sadie can spend her bonus action to attack a second time, or her bonus action and 1 ki to Flurry of Blows (attacking a second and third time).
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) bludgeoning damage.
Pistol (2). Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10+3) piercing damage.
REACTIONS
Deflect Missile. Sadie can spend her reaction to strike a missile when she is hit by a ranged weapon attack, reducing its damage by 8 (1d4+6). If she reduces the damage to 0, she can catch the missile if it is small enough for her to hold in one hand and she has at least one hand free. If Sadie catches a missile in this way, she can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition she just caught, as part of the same reaction (+7 to hit, range 20/60 ft., minimum 1d4+3 damage).
