Looking for bad guys for future\present campaigns. Info needed:
First, identify if you are a monster or not. That will determine if you use CR or PC levels. Then its within these boundaries:
if you want to be a monster: Let's say you pick CR 3 This can be something like a Husk Zombie with additional features that boost it +2CR or something like Girallon Zombie or something like Greater Zombie with a grievous wound\impairment giving it -2 CR. Be sure to identify what the exact monster you are basing your selection off is and how you are justifying your chosen CR. Hard Cap CR 7
With PC submissions as far as Race, Class, etc, If you can obtain it on D&D Beyond, you can list it here. I'd prefer No homebrew just yet. Point buy also preferred. Hard cap PC level 5.
Alignment: (doesn't have to be chaotic evil, can explore neutral's ability to do heinous things)
Looking forward to any ideas and or future mercenaries~
Monster: Alesandro, aDoppelgangerwith 2 levels of Wizard (Enchantment School). Neutral Evil. CR 3, +1 or 2 for spellcasting.
Primarily a social villain who seeks to deceive, ruin reputations, spy, and steal. Would cause encounters such as false accusations by the town guard, stolen items, and replacing a PC only to backstab the party. Charismatic and cunning.
PC (or rather, PCs): The Nesting Dolls, a group of female halfling bandits (levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) rogues, all different subclasses. All evil, most lawful evil. They want treasure and fame, and will do anything to get it. If one is harmed, they seek revenge on their comrade's behalf.
For the Nesting Dolls, would it be acceptable to make them all level 3 Rogues? There's a great slot open for an entire thieves guild that's literally got every type of bandit.
Also what would the backstory be on that name? The Nesting Dolls? Maybe a horror story where they take revenge on someone by following them into an Autumn forest at night, surrounding them, then making the person aware of their presence by standing in torch light completely still watching him all at the same time. Dressed in doll like attire, they slowly approached and stayed completely silent as they butchered the person. The smallest of the sisters holding an hand to her eye, would stay behind at the end, pulling the person's clothes over the pieces like a bag and shoving it underneath an open root system before covering it in dry fallen leaves.
The bag was discovered the next day, and the reputation for a grisly vengeance spread like wild fire. It was obvious that the person was the same man who had quarreled with, and thrown hot water in the eye of, the youngest of the sisters earlier that day. They'd come for payment from a job, but because the oldest were not present, he figured he could insult the younger two that remained and leave peacefully. For the afternoon, he was right.
Before that day, they were just the local rogue's guild, after, they became whispers on the wind and fierce agents of vengeance. Their jobs became known throughout the land for brutal tactical efficiency, all with a similar harvest moon - stitched linen doll appearances. During the Fall months, many people now leave dolls in their likeness in the window alongside their carved gourds in the hopes of showing that there are no riches to take in that house, that it is a homely place that values things like honoring a deal.
Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, I just started thinking of a fight were all the different rouge subclasses just started springing from the trees at night and attack like a mystical force. It really would be quiet the scary situation.
For Alesandro, why Enchantment? Granted CR 5 is fine (go for the two levels) but I'm just curious as to why. In a similar way, why do they want to cause such mischief? Is it just in the blood? I over did it a little bit on The Dolls so I'm keeping this one short!
I just called them the nesting dolls because they were halflings who got progressively stronger :)
I do like that backstory, though.
As for the doppelgänger, enchantment wizard gives him more tools to bend social encounters to his will and stun people with the hypnotic gaze feature. As to his purpose, he would likely be trying to gain a measure of political power, but see the pcs as a threat and try to ruin them.
This horrid monster looks like a cross between a large bat and an oversized mosquito. Its legs end in sharp pincers, and its long, needle-like proboscis slashes the air as it seeks to feed on the blood of living creatures.
A highly sentient (INT 16)vampiric, bat like creature, Synapse has abilities that set him aside from his brethren.
Blood Drain: Melee Weapon Attack:+7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit:8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the stirge attaches to the target. While attached, Synapse doesn't attack. Instead, at the start of each of Synapse's turns, the target loses 8 (1d6 + 5) hit points due to blood loss. Synapse gains temporary hit points equal to those drained and the target becomes affected by a psychosis, as if affected by a phantasmal force spell (DC13). Only one creature at a time may be subject to this effect.
Synapse can detach himself by spending 5 feet of his movement. He does so after he drains 15 hit points of blood from the target or the target dies. A creature, including the target, can use its action to detach Synapse, requiring a DC13 Strength check to do so.
Nightmare Swarm:Synapse can cast mirror image as a bonus action (recharge 6).
The Ghosts in the Darkness - A pack of wolves that is that holds control over a forest and travel route. They attack travelers primarily at night and those folish enough to travel too deep into the woods. Hunters and even soldiers have been sent out to deal them but none of them have returned and no bodies have been found. When the ambush sites have been investigated, plenty of tracks could be found of various sizes of wolves, but the tracks would almost completely dissapear outside of the ambush site. The packs ability to seemingly appear and dissappear out of the darkness of the night has earned them the name "Ghosts in the Darkness. "I stole the name from a movie."
Now for the actual monster. The pack is made up of few dire wolves and several regular wolves. What makes this pack different is that it is being lead by a possessed wolf name Zervos. Zervos is larger than a typical dire wolf with a few extra hit points and AC. Her real power lies in her intelligence (16) and telepathic link that she shares with the rest of the pack. She is able to corridinate perfect ambushes. The pack will actually scout their targets for a few hours, finding any and every week spot that can be exploited before attacking. If their prey appears to be too strong to attack outright, they will use gorrila tactics to make quick attacks to weaken their targets before retreating back into the woods. Doing this over and over again until they have finally worn down their prey to be an easier and more enjoyable kill.
Basicly, this wolf pack is meant to take a bunch of weaker CR enemies and making them scary by making them incredible trackers and hunters with combat tactics. These wolves will not just run in for a heads up fight with the party. They ambush them and work in groups of 2 or 3 to take down a single target. You could easily set them up to harass the party over several nights. First killing or running off their horses and hitting them with repeated small attacks or just popping up out of the shadows to put them on edge and keeping them from getting a long rest and having to settle for several short rests until they can either escape or defeat them.
Pack size - Zervos, 3 dire wolves, 8-12 wolves, Total CR-7 This is the largest the pack would be during any encounter but the actual pack might be much bigger. This allows for losses during small skermishes.
Zervos - Dire wolf stats but a little higher. Has the ability to speak telepathically. Understands common and Abyssal. Has the ability to move through shadows and can cast Pass Without A Trace at will. Zervos is the link that holds the pack together and makes them lethal. Without her, the Ghosts in the Darkness would be just another pack of wolves. As such, Zervos will never engage a target alone unless completely necessary. She will wait for the others to distract a target before attacking.
For Zervos and the Ghosts in the Darkness, I think it would work well with (5) Dire Wolf (2) Winter Wolf and Zervos as a CR+2 Winter Wolf. I like the idea of it having 16 npc's running around for scouting but not in a fight in the same way I like necromancers for rp but they just break combat at later levels. I think 8 is still a large enough group to get the feeling of being surrounded and buffing each wolf makes good sense when they all need to telepathically link to Zervos.
Can modify the breath weapon to better suit as well. Maybe the 2 Winter Wolfs can breath attack Fog Cloud and Zervos can breath attack a modified Fog Cloud that applies Hypnotic Pattern to those in the cloud.
For Synapse, I see that as a kind of mini boss for a dungeon, who then becomes something of a rare npc that appears with frequency after that
It starts of with one then one or two then three, then, it happens. A stirge swarm. Like a mutated bat swarm where you have maybe 5-6 normal stirges with 2-3 Synapses inside it. and they all can infect with phantasmal force.
Once the swarm is seen, I want it to be instantly known that it should be avoided at all cost. Also, as apart of the swarm, mirror image can affect all the stirges around it, making the swarm nearly 15 feet if there are three Synapses inside it.
Hi there,
Looking for bad guys for future\present campaigns. Info needed:
First, identify if you are a monster or not. That will determine if you use CR or PC levels. Then its within these boundaries:
if you want to be a monster: Let's say you pick CR 3 This can be something like a Husk Zombie with additional features that boost it +2CR or something like Girallon Zombie or something like Greater Zombie with a grievous wound\impairment giving it -2 CR. Be sure to identify what the exact monster you are basing your selection off is and how you are justifying your chosen CR. Hard Cap CR 7
With PC submissions as far as Race, Class, etc, If you can obtain it on D&D Beyond, you can list it here. I'd prefer No homebrew just yet. Point buy also preferred. Hard cap PC level 5.
Alignment: (doesn't have to be chaotic evil, can explore neutral's ability to do heinous things)
Looking forward to any ideas and or future mercenaries~
Thank you!
-Silvercoins
My two ideas:
Monster: Alesandro, a Doppelganger with 2 levels of Wizard (Enchantment School). Neutral Evil. CR 3, +1 or 2 for spellcasting.
Primarily a social villain who seeks to deceive, ruin reputations, spy, and steal. Would cause encounters such as false accusations by the town guard, stolen items, and replacing a PC only to backstab the party. Charismatic and cunning.
PC (or rather, PCs): The Nesting Dolls, a group of female halfling bandits (levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) rogues, all different subclasses. All evil, most lawful evil. They want treasure and fame, and will do anything to get it. If one is harmed, they seek revenge on their comrade's behalf.
Aruzhal - Lv 1 Tempest Cleric - Planescape: Lost
For the Nesting Dolls, would it be acceptable to make them all level 3 Rogues? There's a great slot open for an entire thieves guild that's literally got every type of bandit.
Also what would the backstory be on that name? The Nesting Dolls? Maybe a horror story where they take revenge on someone by following them into an Autumn forest at night, surrounding them, then making the person aware of their presence by standing in torch light completely still watching him all at the same time. Dressed in doll like attire, they slowly approached and stayed completely silent as they butchered the person. The smallest of the sisters holding an hand to her eye, would stay behind at the end, pulling the person's clothes over the pieces like a bag and shoving it underneath an open root system before covering it in dry fallen leaves.
The bag was discovered the next day, and the reputation for a grisly vengeance spread like wild fire. It was obvious that the person was the same man who had quarreled with, and thrown hot water in the eye of, the youngest of the sisters earlier that day. They'd come for payment from a job, but because the oldest were not present, he figured he could insult the younger two that remained and leave peacefully. For the afternoon, he was right.
Before that day, they were just the local rogue's guild, after, they became whispers on the wind and fierce agents of vengeance. Their jobs became known throughout the land for brutal tactical efficiency, all with a similar harvest moon - stitched linen doll appearances. During the Fall months, many people now leave dolls in their likeness in the window alongside their carved gourds in the hopes of showing that there are no riches to take in that house, that it is a homely place that values things like honoring a deal.
Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, I just started thinking of a fight were all the different rouge subclasses just started springing from the trees at night and attack like a mystical force. It really would be quiet the scary situation.
For Alesandro, why Enchantment? Granted CR 5 is fine (go for the two levels) but I'm just curious as to why. In a similar way, why do they want to cause such mischief? Is it just in the blood? I over did it a little bit on The Dolls so I'm keeping this one short!
I just called them the nesting dolls because they were halflings who got progressively stronger :)
I do like that backstory, though.
As for the doppelgänger, enchantment wizard gives him more tools to bend social encounters to his will and stun people with the hypnotic gaze feature. As to his purpose, he would likely be trying to gain a measure of political power, but see the pcs as a threat and try to ruin them.
Aruzhal - Lv 1 Tempest Cleric - Planescape: Lost
Synapse the stirge (CR2).
A highly sentient (INT 16) vampiric, bat like creature, Synapse has abilities that set him aside from his brethren.
Blood Drain: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the stirge attaches to the target. While attached, Synapse doesn't attack. Instead, at the start of each of Synapse's turns, the target loses 8 (1d6 + 5) hit points due to blood loss. Synapse gains temporary hit points equal to those drained and the target becomes affected by a psychosis, as if affected by a phantasmal force spell (DC13). Only one creature at a time may be subject to this effect.
Synapse can detach himself by spending 5 feet of his movement. He does so after he drains 15 hit points of blood from the target or the target dies. A creature, including the target, can use its action to detach Synapse, requiring a DC13 Strength check to do so.
Nightmare Swarm: Synapse can cast mirror image as a bonus action (recharge 6).
The Ghosts in the Darkness - A pack of wolves that is that holds control over a forest and travel route. They attack travelers primarily at night and those folish enough to travel too deep into the woods. Hunters and even soldiers have been sent out to deal them but none of them have returned and no bodies have been found. When the ambush sites have been investigated, plenty of tracks could be found of various sizes of wolves, but the tracks would almost completely dissapear outside of the ambush site. The packs ability to seemingly appear and dissappear out of the darkness of the night has earned them the name "Ghosts in the Darkness. "I stole the name from a movie."
Now for the actual monster. The pack is made up of few dire wolves and several regular wolves. What makes this pack different is that it is being lead by a possessed wolf name Zervos. Zervos is larger than a typical dire wolf with a few extra hit points and AC. Her real power lies in her intelligence (16) and telepathic link that she shares with the rest of the pack. She is able to corridinate perfect ambushes. The pack will actually scout their targets for a few hours, finding any and every week spot that can be exploited before attacking. If their prey appears to be too strong to attack outright, they will use gorrila tactics to make quick attacks to weaken their targets before retreating back into the woods. Doing this over and over again until they have finally worn down their prey to be an easier and more enjoyable kill.
Basicly, this wolf pack is meant to take a bunch of weaker CR enemies and making them scary by making them incredible trackers and hunters with combat tactics. These wolves will not just run in for a heads up fight with the party. They ambush them and work in groups of 2 or 3 to take down a single target. You could easily set them up to harass the party over several nights. First killing or running off their horses and hitting them with repeated small attacks or just popping up out of the shadows to put them on edge and keeping them from getting a long rest and having to settle for several short rests until they can either escape or defeat them.
Pack size - Zervos, 3 dire wolves, 8-12 wolves, Total CR-7 This is the largest the pack would be during any encounter but the actual pack might be much bigger. This allows for losses during small skermishes.
Zervos - Dire wolf stats but a little higher. Has the ability to speak telepathically. Understands common and Abyssal. Has the ability to move through shadows and can cast Pass Without A Trace at will. Zervos is the link that holds the pack together and makes them lethal. Without her, the Ghosts in the Darkness would be just another pack of wolves. As such, Zervos will never engage a target alone unless completely necessary. She will wait for the others to distract a target before attacking.
For Zervos and the Ghosts in the Darkness, I think it would work well with (5) Dire Wolf (2) Winter Wolf and Zervos as a CR+2 Winter Wolf. I like the idea of it having 16 npc's running around for scouting but not in a fight in the same way I like necromancers for rp but they just break combat at later levels. I think 8 is still a large enough group to get the feeling of being surrounded and buffing each wolf makes good sense when they all need to telepathically link to Zervos.
Can modify the breath weapon to better suit as well. Maybe the 2 Winter Wolfs can breath attack Fog Cloud and Zervos can breath attack a modified Fog Cloud that applies Hypnotic Pattern to those in the cloud.
For Synapse, I see that as a kind of mini boss for a dungeon, who then becomes something of a rare npc that appears with frequency after that
It starts of with one then one or two then three, then, it happens. A stirge swarm. Like a mutated bat swarm where you have maybe 5-6 normal stirges with 2-3 Synapses inside it. and they all can infect with phantasmal force.
Once the swarm is seen, I want it to be instantly known that it should be avoided at all cost. Also, as apart of the swarm, mirror image can affect all the stirges around it, making the swarm nearly 15 feet if there are three Synapses inside it.