Hmm. I was hoping they'd give more creatures unique abilities. Ogres should have something beyond just being a big bag of hit points that can smash you with a big tree stump and throw a few javelins at you.
Agreed. In the very least, I miss 4e Ogre's (IIRC) ability to "sweep" with the club to do a bit extra when they find themselves surrounded by PCs.
Can you talk about the incubus and succubus and how they are different from the 2014 version?
Incubus (2014)
Medium Fiend (Shapechanger), Neutral Evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR 8 (-1) DEX 17 (+3) CON 13 (+1)
INT 15 (+2) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 20 (+5)
Skills Deception +9, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +9, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, & Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Telepathic Bond. The fiend ignores the range restriction on its telepathy when communicating with a creature it has charmed. The two don't even need to be on the same plane of existence.
Shapechanger. The fiend can use its action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back into its true form. Without wings, the fiend loses its flying speed. Other than its size and speed, its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Actions
Claw (Fiend Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Charm. One humanoid the fiend can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target obeys the fiend's verbal or telepathic commands. If the target suffers any harm or receives a suicidal command, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success. If the target successfully saves against the effect, or if the effect on it ends, the target is immune to this fiend's Charm for the next 24 hours. The fiend can have only one target charmed at a time. If it charms another, the effect on the previous target ends.
Draining Kiss. The fiend kisses a creature charmed by it or a willing creature. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 32 (5d10 + 5) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Etherealness. The fiend magically enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa.
* * *
Incubus (2024)
Medium Fiend, Neutral Evil
AC 15 Initiative +3 (13)
HP 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., Fly 60 ft.
MOD SAVE
STR 8 −1 −1
DEX 17 +3 +3
CON 13 +1 +1
INT 15 +2 +2
WIS 12 +1 +1
CHA 20 +5 +5
Skills Deception +9, Perception +5, Stealth +7
Resistances Cold, Fire, Poison, Psychic
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal; telepathy 60 ft.
CR 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)
Traits
Succubus Form. When the incubus finishes a Long Rest, it can shape-shift into a Succubus, using that stat block instead of this one. Any equipment it’s wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Actions
Multiattack. The incubus makes two Nightmare Touch attacks.
Nightmare Touch. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 15 (3d6 + 5) Psychic damage, and the target is cursed for 24 hours or until the incubus dies. Until the curse ends, the target gains no benefit from finishing Short Rests.
Spellcasting. The incubus casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At Will: Charm Person, Disguise Self, Etherealness
1/Day Each: Dream, Hypnotic Pattern
Bonus Actions
Nightmare (Recharge 6). Wisdom Saving Throw: DC 15, one creature the incubus can see within 60 feet. Failure: If the target has 20 Hit Points or fewer, it has the Unconscious condition for 1 hour, until it takes damage, or until a creature within 5 feet of it takes an action to wake it. Otherwise, the target takes 18 (4d8) Psychic damage.
* * *
Succubus (2014)
Medium Fiend (Shapechanger), Neutral Evil
Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR 8 (-1) DEX 17 (+3) CON 13 (+1)
INT 15 (+2) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 20 (+5)
Skills Deception +9, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +9, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, & Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Telepathy 60 ft.
Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +2
Telepathic Bond. The fiend ignores the range restriction on its telepathy when communicating with a creature it has charmed. The two don't even need to be on the same plane of existence.
Shapechanger. The fiend can use its action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back into its true form. Without wings, the fiend loses its flying speed. Other than its size and speed, its statistics are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
Actions
Claw (Fiend Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Charm. One humanoid the fiend can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target obeys the fiend's verbal or telepathic commands. If the target suffers any harm or receives a suicidal command, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success. If the target successfully saves against the effect, or if the effect on it ends, the target is immune to this fiend's Charm for the next 24 hours. The fiend can have only one target charmed at a time. If it charms another, the effect on the previous target ends.
Draining Kiss. The fiend kisses a creature charmed by it or a willing creature. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 32 (5d10 + 5) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Etherealness. The fiend magically enters the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa.
Succubus (2024)
Medium Fiend, Neutral Evil
AC 15 Initiative +3 (13)
HP 66 (12d8 + 12)
Speed 30 ft., Fly 60 ft.
MOD SAVE
STR 8 −1 −1
DEX 17 +3 +3
CON 13 +1 +1
INT 15 +2 +2
WIS 12 +1 +1
CHA 20 +5 +5
Skills Deception +9, Perception +5, Stealth +7
Resistances Cold, Fire, Poison, Psychic
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15
Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal; telepathy 60 ft.
CR 4 (XP 1,100; PB +2)
Traits
Incubus Form. When the succubus finishes a Long Rest, it can shape-shift into an Incubus, using that stat block instead of this one.
Actions
Multiattack. The succubus makes two Fiendish Touch attacks and can use Spellcasting to cast Dominate Person. It can replace one attack with a use of Draining Kiss.
Fiendish Touch. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) Psychic damage.
Draining Kiss. Constitution Saving Throw: DC 15, one creature Charmed by the succubus within 5 feet. Failure: 13 (3d8) Psychic damage. Success: Half damage. Failure or Success: The target’s Hit Point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken.
Spellcasting. The succubus casts one of the following spells, requiring no Material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 15):
At Will: Dominate Person (level 8 version)
1/Day: Hypnotic Pattern
Bonus Actions
Shape-Shift. The succubus shape-shifts to resemble a Medium or Small Humanoid or back into its true form. Its game statistics are the same in each form, except its Fly Speed is available only in its true form. Any equipment it’s wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
