I think the primary issue with allomancy is that it's extremely contextual. A very simple effect like "push" can do so many things, and using it in cool and unexpected ways is a huge part of the whole allure of the magic system. Unfortunately this same reason is why it's so hard to codify into rules for D&D. I think introducing this in a game would require a DM that is fully prepared to be making rulings on the fly all the time because no rules you can think up will cover it all.
I agree. D&D and a magic system from a book series won't usually work very well together.
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Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
Now that I think it's ready (it's kind of insane how much time it takes to edit a single feature when it has 5 actions attached to it, all with the same description but slightly different snippets), I present my PC submission, the Sporeborn race.
(Note: When I created the race, it had been a long time since I had read Circle of Spores; that subclass had no influence on my design of this race. Additionally, my intent was very much not to create something very similar to the spell already submitted. Spore Cloud would have come about even if that had never been shared.)
What do you think? Is there anything that I should have included but didn't? Or is it too powerful? Should the Corrupting Spores option do less damage (as you level up; obviously it won't do less damage at level 1), and should the Bolstering Spores option give less health?
Incorporeal Movement. The shambler can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Maddening Visage. The dimensional shambler exudes an aura of unreality that warps the minds of those from the Prime Material. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the shambler must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw. On a failed save, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn, and rolls a d8 to determine what it does this turn: 1 to 4: The creature cannot move or use its action this turn. 5 or 6: The creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction. 7 or 8: The creature uses its action to make a single melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can't make such an attack.
Magic Weapons. The shambler’s weapon attacks are magical.
Spider Climb. The dimensional shambler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make any ability checks.
Actions
Multiattack. The shambler can use its Maddening Presence and make up to three attacks, 1 Bite and 2 Claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack:+12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack:+12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Maddening Presence. The shambler targets one creature it can see within 30 feet. If the target can see or hear the shambler, that creature must succeed at a DC 18 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of its next turn, and frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to the shambler’s Maddening Presence until the end of its next long rest.
Spellcasting. The dimensional shambler’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components (spell save DC 18):
That Which Walks Behind (Recharge 4 — 6). The Shambler can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Legendary Actions
The Dimensional Shambler can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Shambler regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The Shambler makes a Wisdom (Perception) check: +8.
Claw. The Dimensional Shambler makes one attack with its claws.
Maddening Presence (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler targets one creature with its Maddening Pressence.
That Which Walks Behind (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Description
As their name might suggest, Dimensional Shamblers, sometimes referred to as “The Hunters from Beyond,” are a species of alien beings who originate on a plane of existence very different from our own. They come from a lower dimension described as “a long, gray, oozing plain, beneath skies where the fumes of Hell were writhing like a million ghostly and distorted dragons.” In that dimension live thousands of Dimensional Shamblers, if not more. Humans sucked into that dimension sink into the gray ooze, their minds and souls then devoured by the Shamblers.
Physical Description
A Dimensional Shambler appears as a misshapen humanoid monstrosity with an almost semifluid form contained within a meniscus that has the appearance of leathery, grey, mummified skin. It will frequently adopt a hunched, almost simian posture, with overlong arms that drag along the ground and are capable of instantly producing a pair of enormous, wickedly sharp claws. A Shambler’s head appears simultaneously both apelike and semi-canine, and it's mouth produces row after row of long, crooked, dagger-like fangs whenever it bites a creature. Some accounts describe Shamblers as also possessing yellow slit-like eyes heavily recessed in deep sockets. Although appearing to be corporeal, its interdimensional origin means that it possess no actual physical form, making it immaterial in our world. That fact makes defeating a Shambler by conventional methods highly problematic, if not completely impossible.
Behaviors
Shamblers can travel between planes of existence on a whim, but how they do it is unknown, and how they choose their destinations remains a mystery. What is known however, is that certain arcane rituals and spells can be used to summon a Shambler to our realm, and bind it to the summoners will. A Shambler can also be called to our dimension by the pure willpower of one strong enough. Once materialised, a Shambler that is not designated a victim will select one for itself. It will then pursue that victim, making small dimensional "hops," teleporting to close the distance to its prey. As it does, it appears to grasp and claw after the person.
Although appearing to reach for its victim or victims with its arms, the Shambler actually uses a form of mental control to ensnare its target; a mental control that can only be resisted by one with a strong enough will. Once caught in the psychic net of a Shambler however, the poor unfortunate victim will be dragged to the Shambler's alien dimension where they sink into the surface slime. Once emersed, the poor victim will have their mind and soul consumed by these strange, alien creatures.
Powers
While a Shambler seems to grab at its victims, it actually uses a form of hypnosis that can potentially be broken by a strong willed person.
A Shambler, being keen to hunt for victims, will attempt to suck them into its own dimension, calling as many of its cohorts as needed to accomplish the task as a large number of Shamblers can be far more powerful than a lone specimin. When a Shambler tries to suck a victim into its dimension, survivors report that the space around the Shambler seems to gradually disappear as the creature's own nightmare dimension fades into existence, becoming visible.
Often as a Shambler moves in our dimension it seemingly vanishes and reappears elsewhere at will without apparent effort.
Incorporeal Movement. The shambler can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Maddening Visage. The dimensional shambler exudes an aura of unreality that warps the minds of those from the Prime Material. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the shambler must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw. On a failed save, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn, and rolls a d8 to determine what it does this turn: 1 to 4: The creature cannot move or use its action this turn. 5 or 6: The creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction. 7 or 8: The creature uses its action to make a single melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can't make such an attack.
Spider Climb. The dimensional shambler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make any ability checks.
Actions
Multiattack. The shambler can use its Maddening Presence and make up to three attacks, 1 Bite and 2 Claws
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Maddening Presence. The shambler targets one creature it can see within 30 feet. If the target can see or hear the shambler, that creature must succeed at a DC 18 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw or be paralyzeduntil the end of its next turn, and frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to the shambler’s Maddening Presence until the end of its next long rest.
Spellcasting. The dimensional shambler’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components (spell save DC 18):
That Which Walks Behind (Recharge 4 — 6). The Shambler can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Legendary Actions
The Dimensional Shambler can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Shambler regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The Shambler makes a Wisdom (Perception) check: +8.
Claw. The Dimensional Shambler makes one attack with its claws.
Maddening Presence (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler targets one creature with its Maddening Pressence.
That Which Walks Behind (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Description
As their name might suggest, Dimensional Shamblers, sometimes referred to as “The Hunters from Beyond,” are a species of alien beings who originate on a plane of existence very different from our own. They come from a lower dimension described as “a long, gray, oozing plain, beneath skies where the fumes of Hell were writhing like a million ghostly and distorted dragons.” In that dimension live thousands of Dimensional Shamblers, if not more. Humans sucked into that dimension sink into the gray ooze, their minds and souls then devoured by the Shamblers.
Physical Description
A Dimensional Shambler appears as a misshapen humanoid monstrosity with an almost semifluid form contained within a meniscus that has the appearance of leathery, grey, mummified skin. It will frequently adopt a hunched, almost simian posture, with overlong arms that drag along the ground and are capable of instantly producing a pair of enormous, wickedly sharp claws. A Shambler’s head appears simultaneously both apelike and semi-canine, and it's mouth produces row after row of long, crooked, dagger-like fangs whenever it bites a creature. Some accounts describe Shamblers as also possessing yellow slit-like eyes heavily recessed in deep sockets. Although appearing to be corporeal, its interdimensional origin means that it possess no actual physical form, making it immaterial in our world. That fact makes defeating a Shambler by conventional methods highly problematic, if not completely impossible.
Behaviors
Shamblers can travel between planes of existence on a whim, but how they do it is unknown, and how they choose their destinations remains a mystery. What is known however, is that certain arcane rituals and spells can be used to summon a Shambler to our realm, and bind it to the summoners will. A Shambler can also be called to our dimension by the pure willpower of one strong enough. Once materialised, a Shambler that is not designated a victim will select one for itself. It will then pursue that victim, making small dimensional "hops," teleporting to close the distance to its prey. As it does, it appears to grasp and claw after the person.
Although appearing to reach for its victim or victims with its arms, the Shambler actually uses a form of mental control to ensnare its target; a mental control that can only be resisted by one with a strong enough will. Once caught in the psychic net of a Shambler however, the poor unfortunate victim will be dragged to the Shambler's alien dimension where they sink into the surface slime. Once emersed, the poor victim will have their mind and soul consumed by these strange, alien creatures.
Powers
While a Shambler seems to grab at its victims, it actually uses a form of hypnosis that can potentially be broken by a strong willed person.
A Shambler, being keen to hunt for victims, will attempt to suck them into its own dimension, calling as many of its cohorts as needed to accomplish the task as a large number of Shamblers can be far more powerful than a lone specimin. When a Shambler tries to suck a victim into its dimension, survivors report that the space around the Shambler seems to gradually disappear as the creature's own nightmare dimension fades into existence, becoming visible.
Often as a Shambler moves in our dimension it seemingly vanishes and reappears elsewhere at will without apparent effort.
The fact that is can cast locate creature at will is terrifying. It WILL find you.... Something I noticed was the lack of a Magic Weapons or similar feature. (It has no physical form, but its claws and teeth do mundane slashing and piercing?) Anyway, it's a great monster. Very horror... y
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Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
Incorporeal Movement. The shambler can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Maddening Visage. The dimensional shambler exudes an aura of unreality that warps the minds of those from the Prime Material. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the shambler must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw. On a failed save, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn, and rolls a d8 to determine what it does this turn: 1 to 4: The creature cannot move or use its action this turn. 5 or 6: The creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction. 7 or 8: The creature uses its action to make a single melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can't make such an attack.
Spider Climb. The dimensional shambler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make any ability checks.
Actions
Multiattack. The shambler can use its Maddening Presence and make up to three attacks, 1 Bite and 2 Claws
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Maddening Presence. The shambler targets one creature it can see within 30 feet. If the target can see or hear the shambler, that creature must succeed at a DC 18 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw or be paralyzeduntil the end of its next turn, and frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to the shambler’s Maddening Presence until the end of its next long rest.
Spellcasting. The dimensional shambler’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components (spell save DC 18):
That Which Walks Behind (Recharge 4 — 6). The Shambler can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Legendary Actions
The Dimensional Shambler can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Shambler regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The Shambler makes a Wisdom (Perception) check: +8.
Claw. The Dimensional Shambler makes one attack with its claws.
Maddening Presence (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler targets one creature with its Maddening Pressence.
That Which Walks Behind (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Description
As their name might suggest, Dimensional Shamblers, sometimes referred to as “The Hunters from Beyond,” are a species of alien beings who originate on a plane of existence very different from our own. They come from a lower dimension described as “a long, gray, oozing plain, beneath skies where the fumes of Hell were writhing like a million ghostly and distorted dragons.” In that dimension live thousands of Dimensional Shamblers, if not more. Humans sucked into that dimension sink into the gray ooze, their minds and souls then devoured by the Shamblers.
Physical Description
A Dimensional Shambler appears as a misshapen humanoid monstrosity with an almost semifluid form contained within a meniscus that has the appearance of leathery, grey, mummified skin. It will frequently adopt a hunched, almost simian posture, with overlong arms that drag along the ground and are capable of instantly producing a pair of enormous, wickedly sharp claws. A Shambler’s head appears simultaneously both apelike and semi-canine, and it's mouth produces row after row of long, crooked, dagger-like fangs whenever it bites a creature. Some accounts describe Shamblers as also possessing yellow slit-like eyes heavily recessed in deep sockets. Although appearing to be corporeal, its interdimensional origin means that it possess no actual physical form, making it immaterial in our world. That fact makes defeating a Shambler by conventional methods highly problematic, if not completely impossible.
Behaviors
Shamblers can travel between planes of existence on a whim, but how they do it is unknown, and how they choose their destinations remains a mystery. What is known however, is that certain arcane rituals and spells can be used to summon a Shambler to our realm, and bind it to the summoners will. A Shambler can also be called to our dimension by the pure willpower of one strong enough. Once materialised, a Shambler that is not designated a victim will select one for itself. It will then pursue that victim, making small dimensional "hops," teleporting to close the distance to its prey. As it does, it appears to grasp and claw after the person.
Although appearing to reach for its victim or victims with its arms, the Shambler actually uses a form of mental control to ensnare its target; a mental control that can only be resisted by one with a strong enough will. Once caught in the psychic net of a Shambler however, the poor unfortunate victim will be dragged to the Shambler's alien dimension where they sink into the surface slime. Once emersed, the poor victim will have their mind and soul consumed by these strange, alien creatures.
Powers
While a Shambler seems to grab at its victims, it actually uses a form of hypnosis that can potentially be broken by a strong willed person.
A Shambler, being keen to hunt for victims, will attempt to suck them into its own dimension, calling as many of its cohorts as needed to accomplish the task as a large number of Shamblers can be far more powerful than a lone specimin. When a Shambler tries to suck a victim into its dimension, survivors report that the space around the Shambler seems to gradually disappear as the creature's own nightmare dimension fades into existence, becoming visible.
Often as a Shambler moves in our dimension it seemingly vanishes and reappears elsewhere at will without apparent effort.
The fact that is can cast locate creature at will is terrifying. It WILL find you.... Something I noticed was the lack of a Magic Weapons or similar feature. (It has no physical form, but its claws and teeth do mundane slashing and piercing?) Anyway, it's a great monster. Very horror... y
Ahh, 💩!! I forgot magic weapons!! Lemme fix that real quick.
Thanks, I appreciate It. Horrory was what I was going for.
Now that I think it's ready (it's kind of insane how much time it takes to edit a single feature when it has 5 actions attached to it, all with the same description but slightly different snippets), I present my PC submission, the Sporeborn race.
(Note: When I created the race, it had been a long time since I had read Circle of Spores; that subclass had no influence on my design of this race. Additionally, my intent was very much not to create something very similar to the spell already submitted. Spore Cloud would have come about even if that had never been shared.)
What do you think? Is there anything that I should have included but didn't? Or is it too powerful? Should the Corrupting Spores option do less damage (as you level up; obviously it won't do less damage at level 1), and should the Bolstering Spores option give less health?
For poison spray and false life, it feels like it would make more sense for the spellcasting ability to be Constitution, since that's the only stat that this race gets a bonus to, and since it makes sense considering how this race would be casting. If you're worried about balance, then you should know there's already a published feat that allows spellcasting with Con (and this is personal but I think casting with Con is really cool). It might also be worth substituting poison spray for a choice of spell on the Druid spell list, like a Druid equivalent of the High Elf feature. Poison spray fits your race really well, but it's honestly such a circumstantial (and, let's be honest, bad) spell that it probably won't see much use. Most cantrips on the Druid spell list would fit the race decently. Players would still have the option to choose poison spray, but they could also choose something else, like imbuing wood with fungal powers with shillelagh or having fungal tethers reaching out for others with thorn whip.
The damage for Corrupting Spores seems mostly fine, but Bolstering Spores seems to me like it could be very good at low levels. Changing the temporary hit points to disappearing at the start of your next turn (like all of the other spore abilities) would make it useful, but not overpowered.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
I'm thinking of making a rogue Hunger of Hadar monster for the DM options, but I have absolutely no idea how to balance homebrew monsters. If anybody could point me to a creature that I could use as a base or a good Challenge Rating, I would be really thankful. The idea would be that a Warlock is being especially reckless with their powers or offended their patron, so their abilities start to fight back. It would be more powerful than the spell, as the tendrils start to reach further through the gateway and gain more power/control. If anybody has any other Eldritch-ey spells that could potentially turn on a caster, maybe of a higher level, more options would also be nice.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
I'm thinking of making a rogue Hunger of Hadar monster for the DM options, but I have absolutely no idea how to balance homebrew monsters. If anybody could point me to….
I'm thinking of making a rogue Hunger of Hadar monster for the DM options, but I have absolutely no idea how to balance homebrew monsters. If anybody could point me to a creature that I could use as a base or a good Challenge Rating, I would be really thankful. The idea would be that a Warlock is being especially reckless with their powers or offended their patron, so their abilities start to fight back. It would be more powerful than the spell, as the tendrils start to reach further through the gateway and gain more power/control. If anybody has any other Eldritch-ey spells that could potentially turn on a caster, maybe of a higher level, more options would also be nice.
I'm thinking of making a rogue Hunger of Hadar monster for the DM options, but I have absolutely no idea how to balance homebrew monsters. If anybody could point me to a creature that I could use as a base or a good Challenge Rating, I would be really thankful. The idea would be that a Warlock is being especially reckless with their powers or offended their patron, so their abilities start to fight back. It would be more powerful than the spell, as the tendrils start to reach further through the gateway and gain more power/control. If anybody has any other Eldritch-ey spells that could potentially turn on a caster, maybe of a higher level, more options would also be nice.
I've found this CR Calculator to be very helpful in balancing my own homebrew monsters, though it can't possibly cover everything your monster can do. 10/10 would recommend :D
Now that I think it's ready (it's kind of insane how much time it takes to edit a single feature when it has 5 actions attached to it, all with the same description but slightly different snippets), I present my PC submission, the Sporeborn race.
(Note: When I created the race, it had been a long time since I had read Circle of Spores; that subclass had no influence on my design of this race. Additionally, my intent was very much not to create something very similar to the spell already submitted. Spore Cloud would have come about even if that had never been shared.)
What do you think? Is there anything that I should have included but didn't? Or is it too powerful? Should the Corrupting Spores option do less damage (as you level up; obviously it won't do less damage at level 1), and should the Bolstering Spores option give less health?
For poison spray and false life, it feels like it would make more sense for the spellcasting ability to be Constitution, since that's the only stat that this race gets a bonus to, and since it makes sense considering how this race would be casting. If you're worried about balance, then you should know there's already a published feat that allows spellcasting with Con (and this is personal but I think casting with Con is really cool).
I thought about doing that, and I probably will, but it seemed to me that making basically everything the race gets key off of the one stat that everyone needs could contribute to making a character SAD... with CON. But I guess classes are still a thing.... Yeah, I think you're right. It does make more sense, and it wouldn't imbalance things too much.
Now that I think it's ready (it's kind of insane how much time it takes to edit a single feature when it has 5 actions attached to it, all with the same description but slightly different snippets), I present my PC submission, the Sporeborn race.
(Note: When I created the race, it had been a long time since I had read Circle of Spores; that subclass had no influence on my design of this race. Additionally, my intent was very much not to create something very similar to the spell already submitted. Spore Cloud would have come about even if that had never been shared.)
What do you think? Is there anything that I should have included but didn't? Or is it too powerful? Should the Corrupting Spores option do less damage (as you level up; obviously it won't do less damage at level 1), and should the Bolstering Spores option give less health?
It might also be worth substituting poison spray for a choice of spell on the Druid spell list, like a Druid equivalent of the High Elf feature. Poison spray fits your race really well, but it's honestly such a circumstantial (and, let's be honest, bad) spell that it probably won't see much use. Most cantrips on the Druid spell list would fit the race decently. Players would still have the option to choose poison spray, but they could also choose something else, like imbuing wood with fungal powers with shillelagh or having fungal tethers reaching out for others with thorn whip.
That's a cool idea. I don't think I'll allow them to choose any druid cantrip, but maybe they could choose from a smaller list.... We'll see. Choosing from a smaller list instead of just any druid cantrip would let me only do things that could make sense, but at the same time, flavoring exists and I certainly can't predict how people would flavor things I would thing wouldn't work.
Now that I think it's ready (it's kind of insane how much time it takes to edit a single feature when it has 5 actions attached to it, all with the same description but slightly different snippets), I present my PC submission, the Sporeborn race.
(Note: When I created the race, it had been a long time since I had read Circle of Spores; that subclass had no influence on my design of this race. Additionally, my intent was very much not to create something very similar to the spell already submitted. Spore Cloud would have come about even if that had never been shared.)
What do you think? Is there anything that I should have included but didn't? Or is it too powerful? Should the Corrupting Spores option do less damage (as you level up; obviously it won't do less damage at level 1), and should the Bolstering Spores option give less health?
The damage for Corrupting Spores seems mostly fine, but Bolstering Spores seems to me like it could be very good at low levels. Changing the temporary hit points to disappearing at the start of your next turn (like all of the other spore abilities) would make it useful, but not overpowered.
Y'know, I don't think it ever occurred to me to have the temp hp only last until the start of your next turn. What if the wording were changed to be something like this: "At the start of each of your turns, you can give a friendly creature of your choice (but not you) within the cloud gains temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute after receiving themuntil the spore cloud ends or you grant them again." It could also take your bonus action to give the temp hp, instead of being free at the start of your turn, if that would be more balanced.
Y'know, I don't think it ever occurred to me to have the temp hp only last until the start of your next turn. What if the wording were changed to be something like this: "At the start of each of your turns, you can give a friendly creature of your choice (but not you) within the cloud gains temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points last for 1 minute after receiving themuntil the spore cloud ends or you grant them again." It could also take your bonus action to give the temp hp, instead of being free at the start of your turn, if that would be more balanced.
That sounds good to me!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
Started with the description to get a feel for the beast before delving into the statblock. It sounds terrifying, and utterly awesome at the same time. Warp Flesh is a brllitan lair action and I love the idea of a character not only being blinded but actually becoming the weapon!
Neverending nightmares is a cool concept, I might have gone for an increasing DC (starting at 12 and increasing by 2 for each long rest), with a success allowing you to rest a bit (half health regained, and half spell slots restored), to give it a more creeping-up effect.
The regional effects are very flavourful and will certainly set the tone for a very creepy quest.
To the statblock!
Cone of Draconic Wrath is very nice, and I like how it allows for a range of beholdragons. The mention of secondary effects makes me wonder if this needs to clarify that it's the primary breath weapon (EG not the repulsion breath or enervating breath).
Eyestalks, I love that you can cut the eyestalks off. That's a good way to make a boss fight more interesting!
Many eyes menace is very creepy, love it.
Nightmare ray is going to have players scrambling to get to one another to wake each other up, which is an awesome thing to mix into a fight!
Pain ray is a good way to shut down casters.
I like the Maiming ray, but I would consider having the tentacle be functional, and permanent. Otherwise clever play risks being punished rather than rewarded! "yes, but..." rather than "Actually, no."
Draconic Ray is another nod to the original dragon, helps keep it thematic.
Eyeful presence - Typo (Whie frightened in this way...), otherwise I like it, especially it invoking Confusion. It is a little concerning that it could literally wipe a party with this one move, as it can do it every turn. Scary is one thing, but perhaps have whoever rolls the lowest be affected by Confusion, rather than everyone? This one ability can drop the party to only having a 20% chance of actually playing this round, and I have to say, that doesn't sound fun for the players!
Reality Shattering Landing is an awesome image, I feel it needs split rules for whether you're landed on or next to, I feel like landing on someone should do more damage. There's also need for something to say "after this move, move any creatures which share a space with the beholdragon the minimum distance needed to no longer share a space."
Antimagic Breath, I wonder if it could have lingering effects on casters - they need to pass a DC23 check with their spellcasting modifier when the ycast a spell or the spell is wasted, and the first time they succeed the effect ends? something like that could have them popping cantrips in a desperate attempt to break out of the antimagic!
Tentacle breath, I like the way it works, I feel it could use a little more clarification on restrained creatures moving with the beholdragon - perhaps "after the beholdragon moves, any creatures currently restrained by the tentacle breath are moved towards the dragon until they are 60ft. away. If the beholdragon is flying, they hang 60ft. below it."
Swallow Whole is cool, though there's no limit to the number of creatures it can swallow, was this intentional?
Squeeze seems like it would fit better in the Legendary actions, giving players a chance to try and get away first, purely from a gameplay perspective. mechanically it's sound!
Collapse distance is just the cherry on top for making this thing terrifying. Good job!
All in all, I like it a lot, and will likely try it out in a high level campaign! I am already formulating a plot aorund it, involving a friendly beholder who the kingdom needs saving from their nightmares, but will the players be too late?
Dimensional Shambler:
Well, first off, the "language" made me smile! :)
Incorporeal movement slows it down, which prolongs any stalking/chase sequences, which is perfect for the flavour.
maddening visage is also cool, and I like that it's not an impossible check!
Maddening Presence is also a good flavour for the monster.
As others have said, Locate Creature at will is a terrifying prospect. I would narrate it to the players as "you don't know how, but somehow you just know that it can see you".
The flavour text below describes them well, and all in all I really like this one too!
Volatile Decay
I like this spell, and I like that it has capacity to chain out into something huge. It has a very high "player's going to play with this" factor, which I like. As your percentages are all multiples of 10, you might simplify it by rolling a d10; spreading on a 6+, 4+, and 2+ respectively depending on the level cast.
Sporeborn Race
This is a cool racial option, and will mesh very well with a lot of classes. Given the Dragonborn's newest update in Fizbans, I would be inclined to drop the radius of spore cloud to 10ft, and then make it proficiency bonus times per long rest. I would also due to my personal vendetta against humans) adjust the description to be "The sporeborn were once a humanoid race", so that you can flavour them as appearing as any race, but gaining no other racial benefits thereof. This is mainly because I have a personal dislike to how many things are "human, but..." in D&D though!
4 excellent entries so far, looking forward to seeing more!
I have just mde my entry for the DM Options; Lovecraftian Horror!
I chose to expand on the idea of "It's not the dark that scares us, but what might be in it".
Shadowstalkers:
To run an encounter with one, you need to have the adventurers somewhere creepy, and very dark - an abandoned house in the night, or a mine, or somewhere like that. Then they need to become aware of their dwindling sight, and let the scramble for daylight or escape begin! Running several of these in a confined space would be extremely creepy, as they may not know how many there are, or where they are, or anything. Pick on character - probably the player most freaked out - and hunt them. The party will be freaked out when the encounter just ends, and will probably think their friend is possessed!
Animating Spores, could do with clarification on whether this can affect a second creature, and what happens if you change the spore type, or the zombie leaves the radius. Can you change to and from animating spores for 10 whole minutes in a pile of dead ogres to make an undead army?
Pacifying spores is useful, and I like the idea that they are stunned by becoming sleepy and docile rather than shocked!
Rapport spores is very cool and very useful, I like it as a non-combat solution to encounters!
All in all, I feel like it's underpowered for a level 5 spell (unless you can animate an army, in which case it should be higher level!) Also might be worth specifying whether making them visible grants any sort of cover?
Neverending nightmares is a cool concept, I might have gone for an increasing DC (starting at 12 and increasing by 2 for each long rest), with a success allowing you to rest a bit (half health regained, and half spell slots restored), to give it a more creeping-up effect.
First, thank you a lot for your feedback!! I am glad you like this statblock, and I hope you will have some sweet dreams tonight... :-D
I will change that, thank you for the suggestion. I will start the DC at 10 and increase it by 5 for each attempted rest, which each fail resulting in a long-term madness. After all, a character who rests for multiple days in such an area deserves to get a multitude of madnesses...
Cone of Draconic Wrath is very nice, and I like how it allows for a range of beholdragons. The mention of secondary effects makes me wonder if this needs to clarify that it's the primary breath weapon (EG not the repulsion breath or enervating breath).
Yes, it indeed means the primary breath weapon. With the secondary effects I was thinking of gem dragons and other non-metallic/non-chromatic ones that have breath weapons with secondary effects (also, I will soon have Sardior's statblock finished!). I am not sure though how I could clarify that in an easily understandable way. On the other hand, you could, if you want, combine the effects of a metallic's primary and secondary breath weapon into the Cone of Dragon's Wrath effect.
Eyestalks, I love that you can cut the eyestalks off. That's a good way to make a boss fight more interesting!
Many eyes menace is very creepy, love it.
I am glad you like those effects!
Nightmare ray is going to have players scrambling to get to one another to wake each other up, which is an awesome thing to mix into a fight!
Pain ray is a good way to shut down casters.
I like the Maiming ray, but I would consider having the tentacle be functional, and permanent. Otherwise clever play risks being punished rather than rewarded! "yes, but..." rather than "Actually, no."
Draconic Ray is another nod to the original dragon, helps keep it thematic.
Changed the effect of maiming ray to produce an actually "somewhat functional" tentacle. I am glad you like the other eye rays!
Eyeful presence - Typo (Whie frightened in this way...), otherwise I like it, especially it invoking Confusion. It is a little concerning that it could literally wipe a party with this one move, as it can do it every turn. Scary is one thing, but perhaps have whoever rolls the lowest be affected by Confusion, rather than everyone? This one ability can drop the party to only having a 20% chance of actually playing this round, and I have to say, that doesn't sound fun for the players!
Typo is fixed already, thanks for pointing it out. Right now it has the confusion effect for everyone who fails and those who fail by 5 instead gain a short-term madness. Not sure how to change it. On one hand, if the party works together, fear can easily be avoided and cured - such as by a heroes' feast spell, a paladin's aura, magic items and other things. On the other hand, you are right, that if the party has bad dice luck, the situation, well, gets dicey fast. In general when I write monster statblocks I always expect that DMs adjust the monster's DC to their party to avoid impossible saving throws, so there should not be a situation where a party is not able to get out of this kind of fear. Maybe the way to go is to remove the madness and have the confusion proc when a creature fails by 5 or more? Or remove the confusion and have just the madness effect on a fail by 5 or more? I am also considering lowering a creature's Wisdom stat (similar to Hastur's Reveal Visage, although without paralysis) as this thing is so otherworldly and defies their understanding of the world?
Reality Shattering Landing is an awesome image, I feel it needs split rules for whether you're landed on or next to, I feel like landing on someone should do more damage. There's also need for something to say "after this move, move any creatures which share a space with the beholdragon the minimum distance needed to no longer share a space."
While you are right, I think I am keeping it like that, as it is simpler, more streamlined. It also is how the similar ability for my great wyrms, Bahamut and Tiamat works. Basically, the area around the dragon is what I imagine is covered by the dragon's wings (therefore it is the same radius as the dragon's wing attack legendary action if it has one). I could add that creatures are pushed away, but interpreting it as the creatures are still within the dragon's space and have to move out of it could work too, especailly for bigger dragons where creatures could feasibly be prone beneath the dragon's body.
Antimagic Breath, I wonder if it could have lingering effects on casters - they need to pass a DC23 check with their spellcasting modifier when the ycast a spell or the spell is wasted, and the first time they succeed the effect ends? something like that could have them popping cantrips in a desperate attempt to break out of the antimagic!
Interesting idea, but I think this would be a bit too harsh? It basically shuts them down completely until they make the check or saving throw (I would go for a saving throw here so that they can actually be proficient and beneit from other saving throw bonuses like a paladin's aura, a bless spell and other abilities). Having all spells of 5th level or lower breathed away already is enough in my opinon. It means spells like freedom of movement, [Tooltip Not Found], haste, wall of force, fly, protection from evil and good and many more that would be quite powerful against the beholdragon are gone now, the time used to set them up basically is wasted. Also, the pain ray already cripples casters hard *evil DM laughter*
Tentacle breath, I like the way it works, I feel it could use a little more clarification on restrained creatures moving with the beholdragon - perhaps "after the beholdragon moves, any creatures currently restrained by the tentacle breath are moved towards the dragon until they are 60ft. away. If the beholdragon is flying, they hang 60ft. below it."
I already clarified it a bit more, although I left the part about characters hanging below the dragon out. Not every creature will get caught exactly 60 feet away from the beholdragon, some creatures will be closer to it when they get restrained by the tentacles; and I imagine these tentacles being strong enough to hold most restrained creatures in a way that they aren't just dangling below the beholdragon.
Swallow Whole is cool, though there's no limit to the number of creatures it can swallow, was this intentional?
Swallow Whole targets only one creature, so it can only swallow one creature each time it uses Swallow Whole.
Squeeze seems like it would fit better in the Legendary actions, giving players a chance to try and get away first, purely from a gameplay perspective. mechanically it's sound!
Changed Squeeze to be a loegendary action, while Gaze is now a bonus action, reading
Gaze. The beholdragon stares at a creature that became invisible or used the Hide action during the last round. That creature must make a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or take 18 (4d8) psychic damage and be frightened until the end of its next turn as it realizes that it can't escape the beholdragon's dreadful gaze.
instead of a legendary action (which also makes more sense since hiding from the beholdragon basically was impossible anyways with it having eyes everywhere).
All in all, I like it a lot, and will likely try it out in a high level campaign! I am already formulating a plot aorund it, involving a friendly beholder who the kingdom needs saving from their nightmares, but will the players be too late?
I hope your players will like it... and I hope they can stomach all the sanity damage they will take... I am also planning a quest around it to run this monster in my local AL group - we are less strict than official AL, so homebrew adventures are fine - which I also ran Don't Say Vecna for with several homebrew changes including a 2-phase boss fight using my Vecna ("Archlich" here on Beyond) statblock.
In my case the beholdragon likely would have its lair in the ruins of an old fortress not too far away from a small, idyllic farming village in mountainous terrain, where villagers are slowly succumbing to madness as strange things happen and their apple trees suddenly grow eyeballs instetad of apples - which actually is an amazing pun in my native language, German, because we call an eyeball an "Augapfel" or "eye-apple".
I will publish the updated statblock soon, just waiting if you want to answer my questions so that I can implement these changes :-)
Also, now that I am thinking of it, your Shadowstalker could be an amazing minion for the beholdragon. It always sees you, you always feel being watched... but you don't know what it is...
Aaaand here's my PC options entry, the Symbiotic Bloodline Sorcerer!! I'm still working on figuring out the subclass builder (dear goodness is that thing intimidating), but here it is :D
Your body has become the host for a symbiotic entity known only as the Decay, and its spores have infused you with arcane power. Perhaps you died out in the woods only to wake months later, inexplicably resurrected and with mushrooms growing from your skin. Perhaps you slew a previous host, only for the Decay to enter you upon their death. Perhaps your ancestors entered into a bargain with the Decay and passed some of its power on to you. Whatever the origin of your partnership was, now you can’t imagine your life without it.
The presence of the Decay within your blood has warped your body and mind in subtle yet uncanny ways. At your option, you can pick from or roll on the Symbiotic Sorcerer Quirks table to create a quirk for your character.
Symbiotic Sorcerer Quirks
d6
Quirk
1
Whenever you sleep, harmless mushrooms sprout from your skin and hair. They’re a great morning snack—taste like candy!
2
Your skin feels uncomfortably cold to the touch. Shaking your hand is like shaking the hand of a corpse. You don’t see why other people take issue with this.
3
Food rots and drink spoils at your touch, but you can still consume it without issue. You prefer it that way, actually.
4
Your blood is like slime mold, golden in color and unusually thick. You don’t bleed so much as ooze, and where your blood falls, things start growing. . .
5
You are surrounded by a faint halo of harmless spores that do nothing except make you smell musty. They glow like dust motes when the light catches them the right way.
6
You prefer the company of dead things to living ones, and can often be found conversing with the dead bugs you keep in your pockets.
Symbiotic Magic Features
Sorcerer Level
Feature
1st
Symbiotic Spells, Keeper of Spores
6th
Carrier of Corruption, Flesh of the Host
14th
Destroying Angel, Parasitic Puppetmaster
18th
Defender of the Hive
Symbiotic Spells
1st-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Symbiotic Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.
Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be a necromancy, illusion, or conjuration spell from the sorcerer, wizard, or druid spell list.
Whenever you finish a long rest, 1d4 magical mushrooms spring up from the ground around you, even if you are in a place where this should be impossible (such as on the second floor of a stone castle). Roll a d6. If the result is odd, the mushrooms are poisonous; if even, the mushrooms are safe to eat.
Poisonous mushrooms are bright red with white spots. A creature that eats one must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 poison damage and be poisoned for 1 hour. If a creature ingests more than one of these mushrooms, the duration of the poison does not increase, but the saving throw DC increases by 1 and the poison damage increases by 1d4 for each additional mushroom.
Edible mushrooms are pale white. A creature can use its action to eat one mushroom. Eating a mushroom restores 1d4 hit points. If a creature attempts to ingest more than one of these mushrooms in a single turn, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. Whether or not it fails, it regains no hit points from any of the mushrooms it has eaten, as it has vomited them back up.
Starting at 10th level, you may roll the d6 to determine the mushroom’s type twice and pick whichever result you prefer. The number of mushrooms that spring up increases by 1d4 when you reach 10th level (2d4) and 20th level (3d4). If not ingested, these mushrooms lose their potency after 24 hours or at the end of your next long rest, becoming harmless regardless of whether they were originally poisonous.
Carrier of Corruption
6th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
As an action, you can touch a creature and attempt to infect it with the Decay, bringing it into your hive mind. The creature makes a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature can fail this saving throw willingly, even if it is immune to poison and disease. If it fails, the creature becomes connected to you, joining your hive. If it failed without choosing to do so, the creature is now also charmed by you.The process of infection takes 1 minute, and you must maintain your concentration throughout (as if you were concentrating on a spell). If you lose concentration, the attempt fails.
You can have a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus in your hive at any one time. You and all creatures that are part of your hive can communicate telepathically, regardless of whether you all share a common language, as long as you are on the same plane of existence.
As a bonus action, you can break your connection to any number of creatures that are part of your hive. If the other creature leaves the hive willingly, they take no damage. However, if the other creature is not willing, it takes 4d8 psychic damage as it reels from the shock of the connection it’s lost. A charmed creature cannot leave the hive willingly. If a member of your hive dies, all remaining members (including you) take 2d8 psychic damage. If you die, all remaining members of your hive take 4d8 psychic damage.
A creature that is not hostile towards you can fail its saving throw against the Decay willingly. If it does so, it becomes part of your hive but is not charmed by you. In addition, it can make a Charisma check (contested by your own Charisma check) to leave the hive without you breaking the bond first.
A charmed member of your hive makes a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC each time you or creatures friendly to you do damage to it, ending the charmed effect (but not breaking free of the hive) on a success. If it successfully ends the charmed effect on itself, it can also make a Charisma check (contested by your own Charisma check) to leave the hive without you breaking the bond first. However, if it loses by 5 or more, it not only remains in the hive but becomes charmed by you again. On a success, it successfully leaves, and you take 2d8 psychic damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Flesh of the Host
6th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
The presence of the Decay within your body has improved your ability to weather other poisons and diseases. You gain resistances to poison and necrotic damage if you don’t have them already, and advantage on saves against poison and disease.
Destroying Angel
14th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
When you cast a spell that does necrotic or poison damage or inflicts the poisoned condition, you ignore resistances to necrotic damage, poison damage, and the poisoned condition. In addition, if you roll a 1 on any of the damage dice for this spell, you may reroll them once and must use the new roll.
Parasitic Puppetmaster
14th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
You can use your telepathic connection with your hive to take control of one charmed member creature as if by a dominate monster spell. However, the creature does not make any saving throws against your control, and the effects last for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier unless you spend 5 sorcery points to gain an additional use, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Defender of the Hive
18th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
As a bonus action, you can call upon the Decay to strengthen your hive. You can grant all members of your hive one of the following benefits of your choice, the effects of which last for 24 hours or until the end of your next long rest. You may spend 1 sorcery point per additional benefit you wish to grant your hive.
While any members of your hive (including you) are within 30 feet of each other, all of you gain temporary hit points equal to the total number of members within range of you at the start of each of your turns.
While any members of your hive (including you) are within 30 feet of each other, all of you gain a bonus to saving throws equal to the total number of members within range of you. In addition, if one of you fails a saving throw, any number of you can spend your reactions to roll a d4 and add it to the original roll, possibly turning a failure into a success.
All members of your hive can take the Help action as a bonus action, provided that the creature they are assisting is another member of the hive.
Each member of the hive (including you) may choose one skill, tool, or weapon with which it lacks proficiency that another member has proficiency with. It is now considered proficient with that skill, tool, or weapon.
All members of your hive now share your Flesh of the Host feature.
I took inspiration from the Spores Druid (obviously), the Death Cleric, the GOOlock, the Peace Cleric, and Hive from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. My main goal was just ~vibes~, and I really hope I succeeded on at least that. Now, I haven't playtested this yet, but if one of my players ends up losing a character or just decides to make a new character, I will put this subclass on the table as an option for them!! I, personally, would have a blast forming a hive mind with the rest of my party, but maybe I'm just weird XD
I agree. D&D and a magic system from a book series won't usually work very well together.
Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
Now that I think it's ready (it's kind of insane how much time it takes to edit a single feature when it has 5 actions attached to it, all with the same description but slightly different snippets), I present my PC submission, the Sporeborn race.
(Note: When I created the race, it had been a long time since I had read Circle of Spores; that subclass had no influence on my design of this race. Additionally, my intent was very much not to create something very similar to the spell already submitted. Spore Cloud would have come about even if that had never been shared.)
What do you think? Is there anything that I should have included but didn't? Or is it too powerful? Should the Corrupting Spores option do less damage (as you level up; obviously it won't do less damage at level 1), and should the Bolstering Spores option give less health?
Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
Here’s my Lovecraftian Horror (complete with art), enjoy.
Incorporeal Movement. The shambler can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
Maddening Visage. The dimensional shambler exudes an aura of unreality that warps the minds of those from the Prime Material. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the shambler must succeed at a DC 14 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw. On a failed save, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn, and rolls a d8 to determine what it does this turn:
1 to 4: The creature cannot move or use its action this turn.
5 or 6: The creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction.
7 or 8: The creature uses its action to make a single melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can't make such an attack.
Magic Weapons. The shambler’s weapon attacks are magical.
Spider Climb. The dimensional shambler can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make any ability checks.
Multiattack. The shambler can use its Maddening Presence and make up to three attacks, 1 Bite and 2 Claws.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (4d12 + 6) piercing damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (4d8 + 6) slashing damage.
Maddening Presence. The shambler targets one creature it can see within 30 feet. If the target can see or hear the shambler, that creature must succeed at a DC 18 Wisdom (or Sanity) saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of its next turn, and frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the condition on itself on a success. A creature that succeeds at its saving throw is immune to the shambler’s Maddening Presence until the end of its next long rest.
Spellcasting. The dimensional shambler’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components (spell save DC 18):
At will: charm person, locate creature
3/day each: dimension door, dominate person, hold person, plane shift
That Which Walks Behind (Recharge 4 — 6). The Shambler can teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
The Dimensional Shambler can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Shambler regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Detect. The Shambler makes a Wisdom (Perception) check: +8.
Claw. The Dimensional Shambler makes one attack with its claws.
Maddening Presence (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler targets one creature with its Maddening Pressence.
That Which Walks Behind (Costs 2 Actions). The Shambler teleports up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
Description
As their name might suggest, Dimensional Shamblers, sometimes referred to as “The Hunters from Beyond,” are a species of alien beings who originate on a plane of existence very different from our own. They come from a lower dimension described as “a long, gray, oozing plain, beneath skies where the fumes of Hell were writhing like a million ghostly and distorted dragons.” In that dimension live thousands of Dimensional Shamblers, if not more. Humans sucked into that dimension sink into the gray ooze, their minds and souls then devoured by the Shamblers.
Physical Description
A Dimensional Shambler appears as a misshapen humanoid monstrosity with an almost semifluid form contained within a meniscus that has the appearance of leathery, grey, mummified skin. It will frequently adopt a hunched, almost simian posture, with overlong arms that drag along the ground and are capable of instantly producing a pair of enormous, wickedly sharp claws. A Shambler’s head appears simultaneously both apelike and semi-canine, and it's mouth produces row after row of long, crooked, dagger-like fangs whenever it bites a creature. Some accounts describe Shamblers as also possessing yellow slit-like eyes heavily recessed in deep sockets. Although appearing to be corporeal, its interdimensional origin means that it possess no actual physical form, making it immaterial in our world. That fact makes defeating a Shambler by conventional methods highly problematic, if not completely impossible.
Behaviors
Shamblers can travel between planes of existence on a whim, but how they do it is unknown, and how they choose their destinations remains a mystery. What is known however, is that certain arcane rituals and spells can be used to summon a Shambler to our realm, and bind it to the summoners will. A Shambler can also be called to our dimension by the pure willpower of one strong enough. Once materialised, a Shambler that is not designated a victim will select one for itself. It will then pursue that victim, making small dimensional "hops," teleporting to close the distance to its prey. As it does, it appears to grasp and claw after the person.
Although appearing to reach for its victim or victims with its arms, the Shambler actually uses a form of mental control to ensnare its target; a mental control that can only be resisted by one with a strong enough will. Once caught in the psychic net of a Shambler however, the poor unfortunate victim will be dragged to the Shambler's alien dimension where they sink into the surface slime. Once emersed, the poor victim will have their mind and soul consumed by these strange, alien creatures.
Powers
While a Shambler seems to grab at its victims, it actually uses a form of hypnosis that can potentially be broken by a strong willed person.
A Shambler, being keen to hunt for victims, will attempt to suck them into its own dimension, calling as many of its cohorts as needed to accomplish the task as a large number of Shamblers can be far more powerful than a lone specimin. When a Shambler tries to suck a victim into its dimension, survivors report that the space around the Shambler seems to gradually disappear as the creature's own nightmare dimension fades into existence, becoming visible.
Often as a Shambler moves in our dimension it seemingly vanishes and reappears elsewhere at will without apparent effort.
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The fact that is can cast locate creature at will is terrifying. It WILL find you.... Something I noticed was the lack of a Magic Weapons or similar feature. (It has no physical form, but its claws and teeth do mundane slashing and piercing?) Anyway, it's a great monster. Very horror... y
Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
Ahh, 💩!! I forgot magic weapons!! Lemme fix that real quick.
Thanks, I appreciate It. Horrory was what I was going for.
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For poison spray and false life, it feels like it would make more sense for the spellcasting ability to be Constitution, since that's the only stat that this race gets a bonus to, and since it makes sense considering how this race would be casting. If you're worried about balance, then you should know there's already a published feat that allows spellcasting with Con (and this is personal but I think casting with Con is really cool). It might also be worth substituting poison spray for a choice of spell on the Druid spell list, like a Druid equivalent of the High Elf feature. Poison spray fits your race really well, but it's honestly such a circumstantial (and, let's be honest, bad) spell that it probably won't see much use. Most cantrips on the Druid spell list would fit the race decently. Players would still have the option to choose poison spray, but they could also choose something else, like imbuing wood with fungal powers with shillelagh or having fungal tethers reaching out for others with thorn whip.
The damage for Corrupting Spores seems mostly fine, but Bolstering Spores seems to me like it could be very good at low levels. Changing the temporary hit points to disappearing at the start of your next turn (like all of the other spore abilities) would make it useful, but not overpowered.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
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I'm thinking of making a rogue Hunger of Hadar monster for the DM options, but I have absolutely no idea how to balance homebrew monsters. If anybody could point me to a creature that I could use as a base or a good Challenge Rating, I would be really thankful. The idea would be that a Warlock is being especially reckless with their powers or offended their patron, so their abilities start to fight back. It would be more powerful than the spell, as the tendrils start to reach further through the gateway and gain more power/control. If anybody has any other Eldritch-ey spells that could potentially turn on a caster, maybe of a higher level, more options would also be nice.
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
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There’s a guide on how to balance homebrew monsters in the DMG. It’s not perfect, but it’s a solid start: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dmg/dungeon-masters-workshop#CreatingaMonster). It’s what I use to start, and then just adjust things based on my gut and experience.
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Take a look at living spells such as living blade of disaster :-)
I've found this CR Calculator to be very helpful in balancing my own homebrew monsters, though it can't possibly cover everything your monster can do. 10/10 would recommend :D
https://********/crcalculator.html#0,13,1,3,false,Medium,1,10,false,0,false,0,
I thought about doing that, and I probably will, but it seemed to me that making basically everything the race gets key off of the one stat that everyone needs could contribute to making a character SAD... with CON. But I guess classes are still a thing.... Yeah, I think you're right. It does make more sense, and it wouldn't imbalance things too much.
That's a cool idea. I don't think I'll allow them to choose any druid cantrip, but maybe they could choose from a smaller list.... We'll see. Choosing from a smaller list instead of just any druid cantrip would let me only do things that could make sense, but at the same time, flavoring exists and I certainly can't predict how people would flavor things I would thing wouldn't work.
Y'know, I don't think it ever occurred to me to have the temp hp only last until the start of your next turn. What if the wording were changed to be something like this: "At the start of each of your turns, you can give a friendly creature of your choice (but not you) within the cloud gains temporary hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. These temporary hit points last
for 1 minute after receiving themuntil the spore cloud ends or you grant them again." It could also take your bonus action to give the temp hp, instead of being free at the start of your turn, if that would be more balanced.Paladin main who spends most of his D&D time worldbuilding or DMing, not Paladin-ing.
That sounds good to me!
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
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Happy to participate in my first competition of the finest brews in a while.
My homebrew content: Monsters, subclasses, Magic items, Feats, spells, races, backgrounds
Reading through the first 4 entries now!
Beholdragon:
Started with the description to get a feel for the beast before delving into the statblock. It sounds terrifying, and utterly awesome at the same time. Warp Flesh is a brllitan lair action and I love the idea of a character not only being blinded but actually becoming the weapon!
Neverending nightmares is a cool concept, I might have gone for an increasing DC (starting at 12 and increasing by 2 for each long rest), with a success allowing you to rest a bit (half health regained, and half spell slots restored), to give it a more creeping-up effect.
The regional effects are very flavourful and will certainly set the tone for a very creepy quest.
To the statblock!
Cone of Draconic Wrath is very nice, and I like how it allows for a range of beholdragons. The mention of secondary effects makes me wonder if this needs to clarify that it's the primary breath weapon (EG not the repulsion breath or enervating breath).
Eyestalks, I love that you can cut the eyestalks off. That's a good way to make a boss fight more interesting!
Many eyes menace is very creepy, love it.
Nightmare ray is going to have players scrambling to get to one another to wake each other up, which is an awesome thing to mix into a fight!
Pain ray is a good way to shut down casters.
I like the Maiming ray, but I would consider having the tentacle be functional, and permanent. Otherwise clever play risks being punished rather than rewarded! "yes, but..." rather than "Actually, no."
Draconic Ray is another nod to the original dragon, helps keep it thematic.
Eyeful presence - Typo (Whie frightened in this way...), otherwise I like it, especially it invoking Confusion. It is a little concerning that it could literally wipe a party with this one move, as it can do it every turn. Scary is one thing, but perhaps have whoever rolls the lowest be affected by Confusion, rather than everyone? This one ability can drop the party to only having a 20% chance of actually playing this round, and I have to say, that doesn't sound fun for the players!
Reality Shattering Landing is an awesome image, I feel it needs split rules for whether you're landed on or next to, I feel like landing on someone should do more damage. There's also need for something to say "after this move, move any creatures which share a space with the beholdragon the minimum distance needed to no longer share a space."
Antimagic Breath, I wonder if it could have lingering effects on casters - they need to pass a DC23 check with their spellcasting modifier when the ycast a spell or the spell is wasted, and the first time they succeed the effect ends? something like that could have them popping cantrips in a desperate attempt to break out of the antimagic!
Tentacle breath, I like the way it works, I feel it could use a little more clarification on restrained creatures moving with the beholdragon - perhaps "after the beholdragon moves, any creatures currently restrained by the tentacle breath are moved towards the dragon until they are 60ft. away. If the beholdragon is flying, they hang 60ft. below it."
Swallow Whole is cool, though there's no limit to the number of creatures it can swallow, was this intentional?
Squeeze seems like it would fit better in the Legendary actions, giving players a chance to try and get away first, purely from a gameplay perspective. mechanically it's sound!
Collapse distance is just the cherry on top for making this thing terrifying. Good job!
All in all, I like it a lot, and will likely try it out in a high level campaign! I am already formulating a plot aorund it, involving a friendly beholder who the kingdom needs saving from their nightmares, but will the players be too late?
Dimensional Shambler:
Well, first off, the "language" made me smile! :)
Incorporeal movement slows it down, which prolongs any stalking/chase sequences, which is perfect for the flavour.
maddening visage is also cool, and I like that it's not an impossible check!
Maddening Presence is also a good flavour for the monster.
As others have said, Locate Creature at will is a terrifying prospect. I would narrate it to the players as "you don't know how, but somehow you just know that it can see you".
The flavour text below describes them well, and all in all I really like this one too!
Volatile Decay
I like this spell, and I like that it has capacity to chain out into something huge. It has a very high "player's going to play with this" factor, which I like. As your percentages are all multiples of 10, you might simplify it by rolling a d10; spreading on a 6+, 4+, and 2+ respectively depending on the level cast.
Sporeborn Race
This is a cool racial option, and will mesh very well with a lot of classes. Given the Dragonborn's newest update in Fizbans, I would be inclined to drop the radius of spore cloud to 10ft, and then make it proficiency bonus times per long rest. I would also due to my personal vendetta against humans) adjust the description to be "The sporeborn were once a humanoid race", so that you can flavour them as appearing as any race, but gaining no other racial benefits thereof. This is mainly because I have a personal dislike to how many things are "human, but..." in D&D though!
4 excellent entries so far, looking forward to seeing more!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
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I have just mde my entry for the DM Options; Lovecraftian Horror!
I chose to expand on the idea of "It's not the dark that scares us, but what might be in it".
Shadowstalkers:
To run an encounter with one, you need to have the adventurers somewhere creepy, and very dark - an abandoned house in the night, or a mine, or somewhere like that. Then they need to become aware of their dwindling sight, and let the scramble for daylight or escape begin! Running several of these in a confined space would be extremely creepy, as they may not know how many there are, or where they are, or anything. Pick on character - probably the player most freaked out - and hunt them. The party will be freaked out when the encounter just ends, and will probably think their friend is possessed!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
I think you missed adding my PC submission to the list on the main page. Its in comment #17
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You're right, I did! I've added it now!
Feedback:
Aura of the Sovereign:
Cool set of options!
Animating Spores, could do with clarification on whether this can affect a second creature, and what happens if you change the spore type, or the zombie leaves the radius. Can you change to and from animating spores for 10 whole minutes in a pile of dead ogres to make an undead army?
Pacifying spores is useful, and I like the idea that they are stunned by becoming sleepy and docile rather than shocked!
Rapport spores is very cool and very useful, I like it as a non-combat solution to encounters!
All in all, I feel like it's underpowered for a level 5 spell (unless you can animate an army, in which case it should be higher level!) Also might be worth specifying whether making them visible grants any sort of cover?
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
First, thank you a lot for your feedback!! I am glad you like this statblock, and I hope you will have some sweet dreams tonight... :-D
I will change that, thank you for the suggestion. I will start the DC at 10 and increase it by 5 for each attempted rest, which each fail resulting in a long-term madness. After all, a character who rests for multiple days in such an area deserves to get a multitude of madnesses...
Yes, it indeed means the primary breath weapon. With the secondary effects I was thinking of gem dragons and other non-metallic/non-chromatic ones that have breath weapons with secondary effects (also, I will soon have Sardior's statblock finished!). I am not sure though how I could clarify that in an easily understandable way. On the other hand, you could, if you want, combine the effects of a metallic's primary and secondary breath weapon into the Cone of Dragon's Wrath effect.
I am glad you like those effects!
Changed the effect of maiming ray to produce an actually "somewhat functional" tentacle. I am glad you like the other eye rays!
Typo is fixed already, thanks for pointing it out. Right now it has the confusion effect for everyone who fails and those who fail by 5 instead gain a short-term madness. Not sure how to change it. On one hand, if the party works together, fear can easily be avoided and cured - such as by a heroes' feast spell, a paladin's aura, magic items and other things. On the other hand, you are right, that if the party has bad dice luck, the situation, well, gets dicey fast. In general when I write monster statblocks I always expect that DMs adjust the monster's DC to their party to avoid impossible saving throws, so there should not be a situation where a party is not able to get out of this kind of fear.
Maybe the way to go is to remove the madness and have the confusion proc when a creature fails by 5 or more? Or remove the confusion and have just the madness effect on a fail by 5 or more? I am also considering lowering a creature's Wisdom stat (similar to Hastur's Reveal Visage, although without paralysis) as this thing is so otherworldly and defies their understanding of the world?
While you are right, I think I am keeping it like that, as it is simpler, more streamlined. It also is how the similar ability for my great wyrms, Bahamut and Tiamat works. Basically, the area around the dragon is what I imagine is covered by the dragon's wings (therefore it is the same radius as the dragon's wing attack legendary action if it has one). I could add that creatures are pushed away, but interpreting it as the creatures are still within the dragon's space and have to move out of it could work too, especailly for bigger dragons where creatures could feasibly be prone beneath the dragon's body.
Interesting idea, but I think this would be a bit too harsh? It basically shuts them down completely until they make the check or saving throw (I would go for a saving throw here so that they can actually be proficient and beneit from other saving throw bonuses like a paladin's aura, a bless spell and other abilities). Having all spells of 5th level or lower breathed away already is enough in my opinon. It means spells like freedom of movement, [Tooltip Not Found], haste, wall of force, fly, protection from evil and good and many more that would be quite powerful against the beholdragon are gone now, the time used to set them up basically is wasted. Also, the pain ray already cripples casters hard *evil DM laughter*
I already clarified it a bit more, although I left the part about characters hanging below the dragon out. Not every creature will get caught exactly 60 feet away from the beholdragon, some creatures will be closer to it when they get restrained by the tentacles; and I imagine these tentacles being strong enough to hold most restrained creatures in a way that they aren't just dangling below the beholdragon.
Swallow Whole targets only one creature, so it can only swallow one creature each time it uses Swallow Whole.
Changed Squeeze to be a loegendary action, while Gaze is now a bonus action, reading
Gaze. The beholdragon stares at a creature that became invisible or used the Hide action during the last round. That creature must make a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or take 18 (4d8) psychic damage and be frightened until the end of its next turn as it realizes that it can't escape the beholdragon's dreadful gaze.
instead of a legendary action (which also makes more sense since hiding from the beholdragon basically was impossible anyways with it having eyes everywhere).
I hope your players will like it... and I hope they can stomach all the sanity damage they will take...
I am also planning a quest around it to run this monster in my local AL group - we are less strict than official AL, so homebrew adventures are fine - which I also ran Don't Say Vecna for with several homebrew changes including a 2-phase boss fight using my Vecna ("Archlich" here on Beyond) statblock.
In my case the beholdragon likely would have its lair in the ruins of an old fortress not too far away from a small, idyllic farming village in mountainous terrain, where villagers are slowly succumbing to madness as strange things happen and their apple trees suddenly grow eyeballs instetad of apples - which actually is an amazing pun in my native language, German, because we call an eyeball an "Augapfel" or "eye-apple".
I will publish the updated statblock soon, just waiting if you want to answer my questions so that I can implement these changes :-)
Also, now that I am thinking of it, your Shadowstalker could be an amazing minion for the beholdragon. It always sees you, you always feel being watched... but you don't know what it is...
Aaaand here's my PC options entry, the Symbiotic Bloodline Sorcerer!! I'm still working on figuring out the subclass builder (dear goodness is that thing intimidating), but here it is :D
Your body has become the host for a symbiotic entity known only as the Decay, and its spores have infused you with arcane power. Perhaps you died out in the woods only to wake months later, inexplicably resurrected and with mushrooms growing from your skin. Perhaps you slew a previous host, only for the Decay to enter you upon their death. Perhaps your ancestors entered into a bargain with the Decay and passed some of its power on to you. Whatever the origin of your partnership was, now you can’t imagine your life without it.
The presence of the Decay within your blood has warped your body and mind in subtle yet uncanny ways. At your option, you can pick from or roll on the Symbiotic Sorcerer Quirks table to create a quirk for your character.
Symbiotic Sorcerer Quirks
d6
Quirk
1
Whenever you sleep, harmless mushrooms sprout from your skin and hair. They’re a great morning snack—taste like candy!
2
Your skin feels uncomfortably cold to the touch. Shaking your hand is like shaking the hand of a corpse. You don’t see why other people take issue with this.
3
Food rots and drink spoils at your touch, but you can still consume it without issue. You prefer it that way, actually.
4
Your blood is like slime mold, golden in color and unusually thick. You don’t bleed so much as ooze, and where your blood falls, things start growing. . .
5
You are surrounded by a faint halo of harmless spores that do nothing except make you smell musty. They glow like dust motes when the light catches them the right way.
6
You prefer the company of dead things to living ones, and can often be found conversing with the dead bugs you keep in your pockets.
Symbiotic Magic Features
Sorcerer Level
Feature
1st
Symbiotic Spells, Keeper of Spores
6th
Carrier of Corruption, Flesh of the Host
14th
Destroying Angel, Parasitic Puppetmaster
18th
Defender of the Hive
Symbiotic Spells
1st-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
You learn additional spells when you reach certain levels in this class, as shown on the Symbiotic Spells table. Each of these spells counts as a sorcerer spell for you, but it doesn’t count against the number of sorcerer spells you know.
Whenever you gain a sorcerer level, you can replace one spell you gained from this feature with another spell of the same level. The new spell must be a necromancy, illusion, or conjuration spell from the sorcerer, wizard, or druid spell list.
Sorcerer Level
Spells
1st
poison spray, ray of sickness, silent image
3rd
phantasmal force, wither and bloom
5th
animate dead, hypnotic pattern
7th
blight, phantasmal killer
9th
contagion, dominate person
Keeper of Spores
1st-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
Whenever you finish a long rest, 1d4 magical mushrooms spring up from the ground around you, even if you are in a place where this should be impossible (such as on the second floor of a stone castle). Roll a d6. If the result is odd, the mushrooms are poisonous; if even, the mushrooms are safe to eat.
Poisonous mushrooms are bright red with white spots. A creature that eats one must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 1d4 poison damage and be poisoned for 1 hour. If a creature ingests more than one of these mushrooms, the duration of the poison does not increase, but the saving throw DC increases by 1 and the poison damage increases by 1d4 for each additional mushroom.
Edible mushrooms are pale white. A creature can use its action to eat one mushroom. Eating a mushroom restores 1d4 hit points. If a creature attempts to ingest more than one of these mushrooms in a single turn, it must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. Whether or not it fails, it regains no hit points from any of the mushrooms it has eaten, as it has vomited them back up.
Starting at 10th level, you may roll the d6 to determine the mushroom’s type twice and pick whichever result you prefer. The number of mushrooms that spring up increases by 1d4 when you reach 10th level (2d4) and 20th level (3d4). If not ingested, these mushrooms lose their potency after 24 hours or at the end of your next long rest, becoming harmless regardless of whether they were originally poisonous.
Carrier of Corruption
6th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
As an action, you can touch a creature and attempt to infect it with the Decay, bringing it into your hive mind. The creature makes a Constitution saving throw against your spell save DC. A creature can fail this saving throw willingly, even if it is immune to poison and disease. If it fails, the creature becomes connected to you, joining your hive. If it failed without choosing to do so, the creature is now also charmed by you. The process of infection takes 1 minute, and you must maintain your concentration throughout (as if you were concentrating on a spell). If you lose concentration, the attempt fails.
You can have a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus in your hive at any one time. You and all creatures that are part of your hive can communicate telepathically, regardless of whether you all share a common language, as long as you are on the same plane of existence.
As a bonus action, you can break your connection to any number of creatures that are part of your hive. If the other creature leaves the hive willingly, they take no damage. However, if the other creature is not willing, it takes 4d8 psychic damage as it reels from the shock of the connection it’s lost. A charmed creature cannot leave the hive willingly. If a member of your hive dies, all remaining members (including you) take 2d8 psychic damage. If you die, all remaining members of your hive take 4d8 psychic damage.
A creature that is not hostile towards you can fail its saving throw against the Decay willingly. If it does so, it becomes part of your hive but is not charmed by you. In addition, it can make a Charisma check (contested by your own Charisma check) to leave the hive without you breaking the bond first.
A charmed member of your hive makes a Charisma saving throw against your spell save DC each time you or creatures friendly to you do damage to it, ending the charmed effect (but not breaking free of the hive) on a success. If it successfully ends the charmed effect on itself, it can also make a Charisma check (contested by your own Charisma check) to leave the hive without you breaking the bond first. However, if it loses by 5 or more, it not only remains in the hive but becomes charmed by you again. On a success, it successfully leaves, and you take 2d8 psychic damage.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Flesh of the Host
6th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
The presence of the Decay within your body has improved your ability to weather other poisons and diseases. You gain resistances to poison and necrotic damage if you don’t have them already, and advantage on saves against poison and disease.
Destroying Angel
14th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
When you cast a spell that does necrotic or poison damage or inflicts the poisoned condition, you ignore resistances to necrotic damage, poison damage, and the poisoned condition. In addition, if you roll a 1 on any of the damage dice for this spell, you may reroll them once and must use the new roll.
Parasitic Puppetmaster
14th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
You can use your telepathic connection with your hive to take control of one charmed member creature as if by a dominate monster spell. However, the creature does not make any saving throws against your control, and the effects last for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier unless you spend 5 sorcery points to gain an additional use, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Defender of the Hive
18th-level Symbiotic Bloodline feature
As a bonus action, you can call upon the Decay to strengthen your hive. You can grant all members of your hive one of the following benefits of your choice, the effects of which last for 24 hours or until the end of your next long rest. You may spend 1 sorcery point per additional benefit you wish to grant your hive.
I took inspiration from the Spores Druid (obviously), the Death Cleric, the GOOlock, the Peace Cleric, and Hive from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. My main goal was just ~vibes~, and I really hope I succeeded on at least that. Now, I haven't playtested this yet, but if one of my players ends up losing a character or just decides to make a new character, I will put this subclass on the table as an option for them!! I, personally, would have a blast forming a hive mind with the rest of my party, but maybe I'm just weird XD
From a presentation point of view, having everything be in bold text is very distracting to read
Edit: Seems like this was not intentional and some sort of weird browser interaction. Disregard
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