I'm currently running a campaign arc which prominently features two monsters working together: a cambion and a lamia. I picked these two because they're both described as being related to Graz'zt, the demon lord of hedonism. After taking a closer look at their statblocks, I've realized they are a terrifying combo.
First, the lamia has a feature called Intoxicating Touch. It's an attack, +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., and on a hit, "the target is magically cursed for 1 hour. Until the curse ends, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws and all ability checks." No save. If you get hit, you are cursed for an hour, full stop. Only way to end it early is remove curse, or maybe dispel magic. If the attack missed, no problem. The lamia can hit you again next turn. Notably, the lamia has Multiattack, allowing the lamia to use both its claw attack (+5 to hit, 14 damage) and its Intoxicating Touch in the same action. Intoxicating Touch is already bad enough, especially when you consider that the lamia has access to charm person, suggestion, scrying, and geas. However, Intoxicating Touch is especially powerful when combined with the cambion's powers.
Cambions can use command, which is obviously buffed by Intoxicating Touch, but the far more significant feature is one of their other action options: Fiendish Charm. I've copied the text of that feature here: "Fiendish Charm. One humanoid the cambion can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target obeys the cambion’s spoken commands. If the target suffers any harm from the cambion or another creature or receives a suicidal command from the cambion, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful, or if the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the cambion’s Fiendish Charm for the next 24 hours."
Fiendish Charm is incredibly powerful if used appropriately. Once the cambion uses this ability on a party member, they can command the party member to attack their allies. So long as no one harms the charmed PC and the cambion doesn't give a suicidal command, the charmed PC doesn't even get more saving throws. They just obey. Even if the charmed PC is harmed or given a suicidal command, the charmed PC will just get a saving throw, and if they fail, they keep obeying.
Combine this with the lamia's Intoxicating Touch for an extremely potent combo. The lamia can use her action to use a claw attack on a PC (dealing 14 damage on a hit), then follow it up with an Intoxicating Touch. The cambion can then use Fiendish Charm on that cursed PC, who now has disadvantage on all of their Wisdom saves for the next hour. In general, the PC is likely to fail the save, and even if they get another save later (by taking harm/getting a suicidal command), they still have disadvantage on this save, making it very hard to break out of the charm.
I'm using this combo with a bunch of other Graz'zt cultists as the bosses of a campaign arc for my seven level 4 PCs. Feel free to use this combo in your own game, and if you do: good luck to your players!
I'm currently running a campaign arc which prominently features two monsters working together: a cambion and a lamia. I picked these two because they're both described as being related to Graz'zt, the demon lord of hedonism. After taking a closer look at their statblocks, I've realized they are a terrifying combo.
First, the lamia has a feature called Intoxicating Touch. It's an attack, +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., and on a hit, "the target is magically cursed for 1 hour. Until the curse ends, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws and all ability checks."
No save. If you get hit, you are cursed for an hour, full stop. Only way to end it early is remove curse, or maybe dispel magic.
If the attack missed, no problem. The lamia can hit you again next turn.
Notably, the lamia has Multiattack, allowing the lamia to use both its claw attack (+5 to hit, 14 damage) and its Intoxicating Touch in the same action.
Intoxicating Touch is already bad enough, especially when you consider that the lamia has access to charm person, suggestion, scrying, and geas. However, Intoxicating Touch is especially powerful when combined with the cambion's powers.
Cambions can use command, which is obviously buffed by Intoxicating Touch, but the far more significant feature is one of their other action options: Fiendish Charm. I've copied the text of that feature here:
"Fiendish Charm. One humanoid the cambion can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target obeys the cambion’s spoken commands. If the target suffers any harm from the cambion or another creature or receives a suicidal command from the cambion, the target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful, or if the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the cambion’s Fiendish Charm for the next 24 hours."
Fiendish Charm is incredibly powerful if used appropriately. Once the cambion uses this ability on a party member, they can command the party member to attack their allies. So long as no one harms the charmed PC and the cambion doesn't give a suicidal command, the charmed PC doesn't even get more saving throws. They just obey. Even if the charmed PC is harmed or given a suicidal command, the charmed PC will just get a saving throw, and if they fail, they keep obeying.
Combine this with the lamia's Intoxicating Touch for an extremely potent combo. The lamia can use her action to use a claw attack on a PC (dealing 14 damage on a hit), then follow it up with an Intoxicating Touch. The cambion can then use Fiendish Charm on that cursed PC, who now has disadvantage on all of their Wisdom saves for the next hour. In general, the PC is likely to fail the save, and even if they get another save later (by taking harm/getting a suicidal command), they still have disadvantage on this save, making it very hard to break out of the charm.
I'm using this combo with a bunch of other Graz'zt cultists as the bosses of a campaign arc for my seven level 4 PCs. Feel free to use this combo in your own game, and if you do: good luck to your players!
Jazz Jungle Japes is Best Jungle Japes