D&D 5E 5e Updates: Monstrous Compendium

[Obly99]

OK, I wasn't happy looking at my old Epic Updates version of Malcanthet. So, in response to another thread I quickly drafted up a new one. It is still rough, needs an edit pass or two, some statblock refinement, and should be expanded another 2-4 pages to do her justice, but I only have so much time! Please note that this uses some of my custom streamlining of the traditional 5e statblock and my homebrew "Dominated" condition. Also, you can get the PDF here (google drive): Malcanthet

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Why large Humanoid? Should not be fiend?

 

[dave2008]

Why large Humanoid? Should not be fiend?

I felt like her "true form" should be larger than Medium. She can shapechange into medium and keep her stats so I think she often appears that way. Yes, it should be fiend, that was a copy paste error I missed.

 

[dave2008]

Should not be fiend?

fixed now

 

[Geminisaga777]

Hello big dave, very happy to see you back at work...that super timely manual of D&D 5.0 epic monsters, why don't you make an updated version with some changes and possibly more overpower abilities and more powerful monsters...that one The manual is a work of art and could use many updates...my favorite monster there is the seraphim.

 

[dave2008]

Hello big dave, very happy to see you back at work...that super timely manual of D&D 5.0 epic monsters, why don't you make an updated version with some changes and possibly more overpower abilities and more powerful monsters...that one The manual is a work of art and could use many updates...my favorite monster there is the seraphim.

Thank you for the kind words. My truly epic/immortal project is mostly dead. Serious life issues finally did it in. So, I am holding off a bit on truly epic stuff until @Upper_Krust Immortal Handbook for 5e comes out. I think it is going to be really good and hackable for my own setting. I would rather stand on the shoulders of giants than climb the beanstock myself at this point!

However, that is for truly epic games (past level 20). For more standard games, I am slowly updating the monsters in this thread. They will not be to wild, I will save that for after the Immortal Handbook comes out. Though, I am near to finalizing my ode to Tiamat, see preview below. It will be 64 pages of Tiamat goodness with stats for her avatars, consorts, and her full power primordal dragon self!

 

[Upper_Krust]

I appreciate the kind words amigo! Slowly inching to the finish line.

The Tiamat stuff looks fantastic, great work.

 

[NotAYakk]

On Malcanthet:

Page 1 text overflows to "column 3", cutting off "Madness".

Queen's Lust has no ending condition. If that is intended, you should be explicit.

Profane Beauty is an extra roll every PCs turn. It is an annoying condition to track and roll for. The impact of a saving throw failure, and anything you track on a per-character basis, should be larger than this.

I mean, even a sanctuary type effect would be preferred?

Resistance against Charmed isn't a thing? I think you mean advantage on saves against?

Tail Sting says to "repeat a saving throw" but there was no initial saving throw. 1 hour duration and per-round save seems redundant? If the creature has +6 or higher wis, it ends after 2 or fewer minutes. Otherwise, it lasts an hour.

Summon Demons lets her summon a 60,000 XP (20 CR 4 creature is 20,000 * 3 encounter size multiplier) encounter worth of Succubi on a 90,000 XP monster. It does not have 2/3 of the creature's pre-Demon Lord power budget.

Dominate reaction - it happens at the start of a turn, and lasts until EONT (it lasts 2 turns). As dominated creatures are also charmed, she can repeat it each turn, double-dominating? Seems strange. It is also taking a PC out of the PC's control for 2 turns on a spamable mass saving throw; I can see this fight devolving into most PCs not actually playing the game, which sort of sucks gameplay wise.

Reactions might be better worded as a "Trigger" and "Effect" subclauses. They would also be less passive in voice. A number of them feel more like legendary actions.

Most of her spellcasting is a trap; her lash/claws/sting and gaze is much better action economy. Doubly so because by this point, PCs are going to be able to counterspell. The exceptions really should be highlighted, and maybe turned into powers.

 

[dave2008]

Thank you so much for the comments! These are drafts so all comments are welcome. This on in particular was created in a bit of a rush, and includes some rules and format changes I will using going forward. You post made realize I should publish those in the OP - so I did! You can see them here: Introduction

On Malcanthet:

Page 1 text overflows to "column 3", cutting off "Madness".

Queen's Lust has no ending condition. If that is intended, you should be explicit.

I will review both of these, thank you!

Profane Beauty is an extra roll every PCs turn. It is an annoying condition to track and roll for. The impact of a saving throw failure, and anything you track on a per-character basis, should be larger than this.

I mean, even a sanctuary type effect would be preferred?

I reviewed many different versions of this archtypical trait of Malcanthet and tried to streamline it as much as I could. I will review and see if I can make something easier to use while keep the intent. Thank you!

Resistance against Charmed isn't a thing? I think you mean advantage on saves against?

It is in my homebrew! See the updated introduction in the OP. I have added several things and revised things for the Resistances and Immunities line in the statbock header. It just a more efficient use of space and allows you to add more interesting things in the traits and actions. This are not intended to mimic WotC 100%. The whole point is to make something a bit more inclusive and interesting. To do that some extra complexity and understanding the statblock was needed.

Tail Sting says to "repeat a saving throw" but there was no initial saving throw. 1 hour duration and per-round save seems redundant? If the creature has +6 or higher wis, it ends after 2 or fewer minutes. Otherwise, it lasts an hour.

I will review - thank you!

Summon Demons lets her summon a 60,000 XP (20 CR 4 creature is 20,000 * 3 encounter size multiplier) encounter worth of Succubi on a 90,000 XP monster. It does not have 2/3 of the creature's pre-Demon Lord power budget.

I have no issue with this power. Demon Lords should be able to summon hordes of demons IMO. That is kind of the point of being a demon lord! I believe DMs should be wise enough to determine if and how to use this ability.

Dominate reaction - it happens at the start of a turn, and lasts until EONT (it lasts 2 turns). As dominated creatures are also charmed, she can repeat it each turn, double-dominating? Seems strange. It is also taking a PC out of the PC's control for 2 turns on a spamable mass saving throw; I can see this fight devolving into most PCs not actually playing the game, which sort of sucks gameplay wise.

I will review. I agree not being able to play your player sucks.

Reactions might be better worded as a "Trigger" and "Effect" subclauses. They would also be less passive in voice. A number of them feel more like legendary actions.

I agree. That is not how Wotc does it in 5e, but I think I will think about adopting that philosophy.

Most of her spellcasting is a trap; her lash/claws/sting and gaze is much better action economy. Doubly so because by this point, PCs are going to be able to counterspell. The exceptions really should be highlighted, and maybe turned into powers.

I agree, and that is also but design. I prefer spellcasting to typically be there for flavor (unless the theme of the monster is a spellcaster). These are things the monster should be able to do, but not there go to combat options (ie. what CR is based on). My belief is that whatever the CR is based on should be clearly spelled out in the statblock. I can't do that 100% of the time, but that is my general philosophy.

 

[NotAYakk]

Thank you so much for the comments! These are drafts so all comments are welcome. This on in particular was created in a bit of a rush, and includes some rules and format changes I will using going forward. You post made realize I should publish those in the OP - so I did! You can see them here: Introduction

I will review both of these, thank you!

I reviewed many different versions of this archtypical trait of Malcanthet and tried to streamline it as much as I could. I will review and see if I can make something easier to use while keep the intent. Thank you!

It is in my homebrew! See the updated introduction in the OP. I have added several things and revised things for the Resistances and Immunities line in the statbock header. It just a more efficient use of space and allows you to add more interesting things in the traits and actions. This are not intended to mimic WotC 100%. The whole point is to make something a bit more inclusive and interesting. To do that some extra complexity and understanding the statblock was needed.

I might suggest splitting these off of damage resistances/immunities. Just because my instinct is to check there for damage.

Having advantage on saving throws or immunity is kind of like magic resistance, and applies at a different phase of resolution usually. It should probably be next to saves, not with the damage resistance/immunities.

Also, I guess "magic" and "mundane" is intended to refer to magic and mundane weapons; but the name evokes resistance to all damage from magic. (If I said "resists: magic", I would naively assume it applies to magic missile. Same for immune: magic). While I'm sure you define it elsewhere, you should reduce your requirement to read glossaries if reasonable.

Magic Weapons/Mundane Weapons is short enough to cover BPS and makes it clearer.

I will review - thank you!

I have no issue with this power. Demon Lords should be able to summon hordes of demons IMO. That is kind of the point of being a demon lord! I believe DMs should be wise enough to determine if and how to use this ability.

Sure, I'm just saying your XP value is too low given that ability. The monsters summoned make a 60000 XP encounter by themselves, and she is a 90000 XP encounter before she hits 0 HP. There is no way you properly accounted for 2/3 of her (pre-0-HP) budget being that power.

So, Knock her XP up enough to account for them.

Also, as written, summoning non-succubi is probably a trap option; CR 4 for 25 points is way more efficient than anything else (like a pit fiend + 2 and a half chain devils).

I'd probably make it less free-form (Say: She can summon 3d4 succubi, 1d3+1 chain devils and 1 pit fiend), then properly account for that in the total CR/XP of the creature; leaving it up to the DM to both find appropriate monsters and rebalance the combat difficulty based on their choices isn't kosher monster design as far as I am concerned.

I will review. I agree not being able to play your player sucks.

I agree. That is not how Wotc does it in 5e, but I think I will think about adopting that philosophy.

I agree, and that is also but design. I prefer spellcasting to typically be there for flavor (unless the theme of the monster is a spellcaster). These are things the monster should be able to do, but not there go to combat options (ie. what CR is based on). My belief is that whatever the CR is based on should be clearly spelled out in the statblock. I can't do that 100% of the time, but that is my general philosophy.

In particular, you should make at-will lighting bolt an action (I admit, most DMs have it memorized, but having the basic stats there is nice) as it is a rival for her multi-attack. (It can mention it is casting a spell) As a side benefit, you can give that lighting bolt a boost (I'd give it more range, like 500'+, just to mess with PCs who try to kite her).

I might even give her a lighting bolt multi-attack option? Like, lighting bolt, then teleport to a creature hit by it and make a claw attack. Just because it (a) seems cool, and (b) gives her some really nice tactical mobility if the PCs try to kite her.

I'd also be tempted to script her multi-attack more. Make it one each of claw, tail, whip + gaze. That rewards PCs who work out how to nullify one of them, and reduces DM decision fatigue a bit, and even makes sense physically (she has a hand with a whip, a hand free to claw, and a tail, all of which can independently attack - as opposed to 3 super-fast whip attacks, which has a different feel).

 

[dave2008]

Thank you again for the comments. Some good ideas and I will take them into consideration. I have going back and for about resistances, magic, and mundane for some time so it is good to have someone to bounce ideas off of - thank you. Just want specific comment:

Sure, I'm just saying your XP value is too low given that ability. The monsters summoned make a 60000 XP encounter by themselves, and she is a 90000 XP encounter before she hits 0 HP. There is no way you properly accounted for 2/3 of her (pre-0-HP) budget being that power.

The extra XP from the summons are not part of the summoning creature's statblock/ CR / XP Budget. This is the 5e standard. The summons change the encounter budget, but not the XP of the monster. This is true for Orcus (who could summon 500 hp of undead) and lesser demons and devils as well. Look at the Vrock and Vrock (summoner variant) below from DnD Beyond.