I know, it's a long stat block. I'm wondering what sorts of suggestions/comments y'all have? I gave him a custom Aberrant Dragonmark, the Mark of Artifice, meant to be of power to those used during the War of the Mark. (part of what my campaign will be about). I set up the stat block so that he only uses the abilities from the mark that could be reasonably explained as being from another source. I plan on making another stat block that represents his "full" power. I'm also interested in hearing suggestions for what abilities I could give for that stat block.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Mierrix d'Cannith fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Soul of Artifice. Merrix gains a +1 bonus to all saving throws per magic item he is attuned to, up to 6.
Spellcasting. Merrix D'Cannith is a 23rd-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18, +14 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following artificer spells prepared:
Boon of Artifice. There is no limit to the number of magic items Merrix D'Cannithcan be attuned to at any given time. In addition, he can attune to magic items as an action and ignores all class and race requirements regarding the use of magic items.
Ring of Mind Shielding. Merrix is immune to magic that allows other creatures to read his thoughts, determine whether he is lying, know his alignment, or know his creature type. Creatures can telepathically communicate with him only if he allows it. Merrix can use an action to cause the ring to become invisible until he use another action to make it visible, until he removes the ring, or until he dies.
Ring of Free Action. Difficult terrain does not cost Merrix extra movement.Magic can neither reduce his speed nor cause him to be paralyzed or restrained.
Ring of Temporal Salvation. If Merrix is reduced to zero hit points while wearing this ring, he vanishes and reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the space he left (or the nearest unoccupied space) with a number of hit points equal to 3d6 + 4, and If he has any levels of exhaustion, his level of exhaustion is reduced by 1. The ring then turns to dust and is destroyed.
Brooch of Shielding. Merrix is immune to damage from the magic missile spell.
Docent. Merrix's Docent is embedded in the back of his neck and has the following properties:
Sentience.The docent is a Lawful Neutral item with an Intelligence of 18, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 14. It perceives the world through Merrix senses and can communicate telepathically with him.
Life Support.Whenever Merrix ends his turn with 0 hit points, the docent can make a Wisdom (Medicine) check with a +7 bonus. If this check succeeds, the docent stabilizes him.
Detect Magic. The Docent can cast detect magic at will.
Skills. The Docent has a +8 to Nature and History checks.
Eldritch Cannons. Merrix can create three types of eldritch cannons; Flamethrower, Force Ballista, and Protector (see below). The cannons have the following stats: Armor Class 18, 100 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage. It treats all ability scores as a 10 (+0). Merrix and all allies within 10 of a cannon gain the benefits of half cover. When activated (see bonus actions), each cannon has the following effect:
Flamethrower.The cannon exhales fire in an adjacent 15-foot cone that Merrix designates. Each creature in that area must make a DC 21 dexterity saving throw, taking 14(3d8) fire damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. The fire ignites any flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.
ForceBallista. Merrix makes a ranged spell attack originating from the cannon. Ranged Spell attack: +16 to hit, range 120ft, one target. Hit 18 14(3d8) force damage, and if the target is a creature, it is pushed up to 5 feet away from the cannon.
Protector.The cannon emits a burst of positive energy that grants itself and each creature of Merrix's choice within 10 feet of it a number of temporary hit points equal to 15(4d8+5).
Actions
Create Eldritch cannons. Merrix creates up to two eldritch cannons. after the first use, this costs a spell slot of first level or higher per cannon created. He determines if each cannon is a Flamethrower, Force Ballista, or Protector when he creates them.
Detonate cannon. Merrix can command a cannon to detonate if he is within 60 feet of it. Doing so destroys the cannon and forces each creature within 20 feet of it to make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14(3d8) force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
Advanced Arcane Propulsion Arm.Melee or ranged attack: +16 to hit, reach 5ft or range 20/60ft, one target. Hit 23(4d8 + 5) force damage.
Voyager Staff. Merrix's Arcane Propultion Arm functions as a Voyager staff. It has 10 charges. Merrix can expend 1 or more of the charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using his spell save DC: banishment (4 charges), blink (3 charges), misty step (2 charges), passwall (5 charges), or teleport (7 charges).
Ring of Fire Elemental Command. This ring has 5 charges. Merrix expends 1 or more of the ring's charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using a spell save DC of 17 burning hands (1 charge), fireball (2 charges), dominate monster (fire elemental only), and wall of fire (3 charges).
Bonus Actions
Expeditious Retreat. Merrix casts the spell expeditious retreat as a bonus action.
Eldritch Cannon. Merrix activates one or two of his Eldritch Cannons.
Advanced Wings of Flying. Merrix extends two metallic wings from his back, giving him a flying speed of 80 feet for two hours, or until he uses this bonus action again. After two hours or when the wings are retracted, roll 1d4. If you roll a one, Merrix cannot use this bonus action for 1d12 hours.
Soul of Artifice. If Merrix is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed out-right, he can end his attunement to one of his magic items, causing him to drop to 1 hit point instead of 0. once ending attunement in this way, he must spend a short rest attuning to the item as normal.
Legendary Actions
Merrix can take 4 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. Merrix regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Cast a Spell. Merrix casts a spell with a casting time of one action.
Detonate cannon. Merrix uses Detonate Cannon.
Attunement Breaker (Costs 2 Actions). Merrix targets a magic item attuned to by another creature and makes a melee weapon attack against that creature using his Advaced Arcane Propulsion Arm. On a hit, that creature must make a Charisma saving throw (save DC 21). On a failure, that creature's attunement to the object ends, and Merrix becomes attuned to it.
Description
Merrix D'Cannith is a tall, awkward man with a custom built metal arm that replaces the one he lost during an assassination attempt during the war. He always wears clothing that covers most or all of his body, often in a traditional Cyrian style. He is careful to cover his back at all times, as this is where he has a large, twisting dragonmark; not the mark of making, but the Mark of Artifice, an aberrant mark with power not seen sense the War of the Mark, giving him limited control of magic and machinery, an ability that he keeps secret, but used to accomplish extraordinary feats such as the creation of the Warforged.
Merrix has the Boon of Artifice and Attunement Breaker abilities because of the Mark of Artifice. These two abilities show some of what he can and does use covertly without raising suspicion. If at any point Merrix needs to use the full power of his mark, feel free to improvise abilities. Remember that whatever you add should feel godlike; examples given in the book are the ability to summon earthquakes to level cities, or command hoards of vermin to create and spread plagues.
(In the original lore, he is not an aberrant; this was changed for use in my campaign.)
Lair and Lair Actions
Merrix lair is his workshop in his private tower in upper Sharn, or its counterpart hidden in The Cogs. When fighting inside his lair, Merrix's Docent can control the various machinery around the workshop to cause lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Merrix takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Merrix can't use the same action two rounds in a row:
Awaken. The various contraptions around the workshop magically come alive and attack the players.The contraptions are controled by Merrix (no action required) and last until he uses this lair action again or dies. The contraptions acts during initiative count 20 after lair actions have been resolved and use the Swarm of Mechanical Spiders stat block.
Construct. Merrix uses his Create Eldritch Cannons action.
Obsorb Magic. Merrix obsorbs a portion of the magic in his workshop. Roll a d4. Merrix regains a spell slot of that level or lower.
I know, it's a long stat block. I'm wondering what sorts of suggestions/comments y'all have? I gave him a custom Aberrant Dragonmark, the Mark of Artifice, meant to be of power to those used during the War of the Mark. (part of what my campaign will be about). I set up the stat block so that he only uses the abilities from the mark that could be reasonably explained as being from another source. I plan on making another stat block that represents his "full" power. I'm also interested in hearing suggestions for what abilities I could give for that stat block.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Mierrix d'Cannith fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Soul of Artifice. Merrix gains a +1 bonus to all saving throws per magic item he is attuned to, up to 6.
Spellcasting. Merrix D'Cannith is a 23rd-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 18, +14 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following artificer spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): Dancing Lights, mage hand, mending, prestidigitation
1st level (4 slots):expeditious retreat, feather fall, thunderwave, shield
2nd level (3 slots): blur, heat metal, scorching ray, see invisibility, shatter
3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, haste, fireball, wind wall
4th level (3 slots): freedom of movement, fire shield, ice storm, summon construct
5th level (2 slots): animate objects, wall of force, cone of cold
Boon of Artifice. There is no limit to the number of magic items Merrix D'Cannithcan be attuned to at any given time. In addition, he can attune to magic items as an action and ignores all class and race requirements regarding the use of magic items.
Magic Items. Merrix is attuned to the following magic items (modifiers included in the stat block where relevant): Amulet of Health, Belt of Stone Giant Strength, Ring of Fire Elemental Command, and a Lawful Neutral Docent. Merrix is also secretly attuned to the following, using a spell-storing item with Arcanist's magic aura to mask their effects: Ring of Mind Shielding, Barrier Tattoo (Very Rare), Stone of Good Luck (Luckstone), Brooch of Shielding, Cloak of Protection, Ring of Free Action, and a Ring of Temporal Salvation.
Ring of Mind Shielding. Merrix is immune to magic that allows other creatures to read his thoughts, determine whether he is lying, know his alignment, or know his creature type. Creatures can telepathically communicate with him only if he allows it. Merrix can use an action to cause the ring to become invisible until he use another action to make it visible, until he removes the ring, or until he dies.
Ring of Free Action. Difficult terrain does not cost Merrix extra movement.Magic can neither reduce his speed nor cause him to be paralyzed or restrained.
Ring of Temporal Salvation. If Merrix is reduced to zero hit points while wearing this ring, he vanishes and reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the space he left (or the nearest unoccupied space) with a number of hit points equal to 3d6 + 4, and If he has any levels of exhaustion, his level of exhaustion is reduced by 1. The ring then turns to dust and is destroyed.
Brooch of Shielding. Merrix is immune to damage from the magic missile spell.
Docent. Merrix's Docent is embedded in the back of his neck and has the following properties:
Eldritch Cannons. Merrix can create three types of eldritch cannons; Flamethrower, Force Ballista, and Protector (see below). The cannons have the following stats: Armor Class 18, 100 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage. It treats all ability scores as a 10 (+0). Merrix and all allies within 10 of a cannon gain the benefits of half cover. When activated (see bonus actions), each cannon has the following effect:
Create Eldritch cannons. Merrix creates up to two eldritch cannons. after the first use, this costs a spell slot of first level or higher per cannon created. He determines if each cannon is a Flamethrower, Force Ballista, or Protector when he creates them.
Detonate cannon. Merrix can command a cannon to detonate if he is within 60 feet of it. Doing so destroys the cannon and forces each creature within 20 feet of it to make a DC 21 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14(3d8) force damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one.
Advanced Arcane Propulsion Arm. Melee or ranged attack: +16 to hit, reach 5ft or range 20/60ft, one target. Hit 23(4d8 + 5) force damage.
Expeditious Retreat. Merrix casts the spell expeditious retreat as a bonus action.
Eldritch Cannon. Merrix activates one or two of his Eldritch Cannons.
Advanced Wings of Flying. Merrix extends two metallic wings from his back, giving him a flying speed of 80 feet for two hours, or until he uses this bonus action again. After two hours or when the wings are retracted, roll 1d4. If you roll a one, Merrix cannot use this bonus action for 1d12 hours.
Merrix can cast the spell shield or feather fall as a reaction.
Soul of Artifice. If Merrix is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed out-right, he can end his attunement to one of his magic items, causing him to drop to 1 hit point instead of 0. once ending attunement in this way, he must spend a short rest attuning to the item as normal.
Merrix can take 4 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. Merrix regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Cast a Spell. Merrix casts a spell with a casting time of one action.
Detonate cannon. Merrix uses Detonate Cannon.
Attunement Breaker (Costs 2 Actions). Merrix targets a magic item attuned to by another creature and makes a melee weapon attack against that creature using his Advaced Arcane Propulsion Arm. On a hit, that creature must make a Charisma saving throw (save DC 21). On a failure, that creature's attunement to the object ends, and Merrix becomes attuned to it.
Description
Merrix D'Cannith is a tall, awkward man with a custom built metal arm that replaces the one he lost during an assassination attempt during the war. He always wears clothing that covers most or all of his body, often in a traditional Cyrian style. He is careful to cover his back at all times, as this is where he has a large, twisting dragonmark; not the mark of making, but the Mark of Artifice, an aberrant mark with power not seen sense the War of the Mark, giving him limited control of magic and machinery, an ability that he keeps secret, but used to accomplish extraordinary feats such as the creation of the Warforged.
Merrix has the Boon of Artifice and Attunement Breaker abilities because of the Mark of Artifice. These two abilities show some of what he can and does use covertly without raising suspicion. If at any point Merrix needs to use the full power of his mark, feel free to improvise abilities. Remember that whatever you add should feel godlike; examples given in the book are the ability to summon earthquakes to level cities, or command hoards of vermin to create and spread plagues.
(In the original lore, he is not an aberrant; this was changed for use in my campaign.)
Lair and Lair Actions
Merrix lair is his workshop in his private tower in upper Sharn, or its counterpart hidden in The Cogs. When fighting inside his lair, Merrix's Docent can control the various machinery around the workshop to cause lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Merrix takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; Merrix can't use the same action two rounds in a row:
I write homebrew and don't publish it. (evil, I know)