D&D 5E What's D&D's closest equivalent to buzzard-people?

[CM]

As others have mentioned, Nagpa are probably the closest. I got a lot of mileage out of 4e Nagpa Corruptors reskinned as generic enemy spellcasters:

Withering Staff (necrotic, weapon) At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +13 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 10 necrotic damage, and the nagpa pushes the target 2 squares.

Withering Blast (implement, necrotic) At-Will
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. Will
Hit: 2d8 + 4 necrotic damage, and the target is immobilized (save ends).

Devouring Fire (implement, fire) Recharge
Attack: Ranged 5 (one creature); +13 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d10 + 10 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
Each Failed Saving Throw: Each ally within 3 squares of the target takes 5 fire damage.

Corrupting Curse (necrotic, zone) Encounter
Attack: Area burst 3 within 10 (enemies in the burst); +13 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + 5 necrotic damage.
Effect: The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. Any enemy within the zone cannot regain hit points.​

 

[the Jester]

I think the Dire Corby is specifically supposed to be a monstrous humanoid based on vultures.

I thought corbies were more equivalent to ravens?

 

[SkidAce]

Definitely Nagpa...and I knew by the time I got home everyone would have mentioned them already.

Good job folks!

 

[I'm A Banana]

Monsters, not PC races: if I want something that's effectively a humanoid carrion-eating buzzard, what's the closest monster (from this or previous editions) to adapt? I'm considering aarakockra and harpies, but I'm sure I'm missing something obvious.

Thanks for any ideas!

Athasian aarakocra are essentially, canonically, vulture-people.

 

[Piratecat]

So many good ideas. Thank you, everyone!

Since I already have a kenku NPC with the party (and not a nice one, although the PCs only suspect that), I'm tempted to stat them up as aarakockra and give them some druidic powers. Nothing says "damn, that's annoying" as spells coming from WAY overhead. In the interest of time, however (this is a one-time monster instead of a reoccurring race) I'm going to reskin and toughen up harpies. I'll give 'em some druidic powers, the ability to destroy any water (thus creating carrion as victims die of thirst), and raise the DC of their charming call. The result should be a super-fun fight.

 

[steeldragons]

Reskin the "charming call" as a "hypnotic pattern" created by their effortless circling patterns in the air.

Ever seen a group of vultures homing in, circling at different levels, different directions, getting ready to descend on a found kill [or in this case, I guess, potential kill]? Add in magic and I'd definitely say that could be mesmerizing.

 

[ExploderWizard]

Reskin the "charming call" as a "hypnotic pattern" created by their effortless circling patterns in the air.

Ever seen a group of vultures homing in, circling at different levels, different directions, getting ready to descend on a found kill [or in this case, I guess, potential kill]? Add in magic and I'd definitely say that could be mesmerizing.

[Drunk Ahnold]

EXACTLY. It's like hypnodism .

[/Drunk Ahnold]

 

[Piratecat]

[MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION], perfect. Great idea.

Rules check: 5 singing harpies equals 5 saving throws for everyone, right? And a PC stops making saves as soon as they fail?

 

[Tormyr]

[MENTION=92511]steeldragons[/MENTION], perfect. Great idea.

Rules check: 5 singing harpies equals 5 saving throws for everyone, right? And a PC stops making saves as soon as they fail?

Since the characters only become immune to one harpy's song after they save, I would say they need to have a save for each one. If they are all singing at the same time, it might make more sense to have each save at disadvantage, but after you save, you are immune to all of them. Otherwise, you need a quick table to keep track of who the players have saved against. Maybe have the players roll 5 saving throws at the beginning to figure out which ones they have succeeded against and which they have failed against. Each turn they make saves against each harpy they are under the control of.

So turn 1 might look like this. Harpies across the top, Players along the left side. Any X means the player on the left side saved versus the Harpy along the top.

	1	2	3	4	5
1	X	X	X	X	X
2	X
3	X	X	X		X
4	X	X			X

So Player 1 saved versus all. Harpy 1 has no influence on any PC. In the next turn, PC2 will need to save versus Harpy 2-5. PC3 will only need to save versus Harpy 4. Eventually, everyone will have saved.

 

[Piratecat]

Disadvantage definitely wins for simplicity, but there are two reasons to do the "crap-ton of saves" method:

1. The buzzardfolk will be up against lvl 15 PCs, far above their normal level, so we'll give them some small chance
2. The paladin deserves to reap the benefit of his aura of protection.

Thanks for making my process really clear. It's appreciated.