Oceanic Resistance. The guard can hold its breath for 10 minutes and walk on land, but if it is sunny the guard will become blinded and take 3d8 radiant damage when it exits the water.
Underwater Heat Dweller. The trench guard is used to living in both cold, desolate oceans and in hot, magma rich trenches. It can exchange resistances to fire damage and cold damage at the start of its turn. The creature is, however, frightened by air and light.
Surrender to Reason. Attempts to communicate with the trench guard are possible, however this will only result in the guard repeating phrases warning travelers to leave. A creature that attempts to communicate telepathically or charm the guard is targeted by a Magma Jet attack and takes 11 (2d8 + 2) psychic damage.
Multiattack. The trench guard makes two claw attacks and one Horns attack.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become marked with the Mark of Ares. Marked creatures are targeted as enemies by other abyssal speaking creatures and are subject to a Magma Jet attack at the start of each of their turns. They can make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw to remove the mark, but must then make a DC 14 stealth check or suffer a Roar reaction.
Horns. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) bludgeoning damage and 3 (1d4+1) piercing damage.
Roar. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 100 ft. Any targets in a straight line. Hit:15 (3d6 + 5) force damage. A creature that takes more than 17 damage from this attack is also deafened for one initiative round, and sinks 10 feet.
Magma Jet: Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 30 ft. from open jets. Hit: 18(4d6 + 5) fire damage. An affected creature must also make a DC 16 dexterity saving throw or take an additional 15 (3d6 + 4) force damage.
Oceanic Prominence (3/Day). The trench guard targets a creature that it can see within 20 feet of it; the target must succeed on a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw or become marked with the Mark of Minerva. A creature marked in this way can breathe water, can speak Abyssal, and gains a swimming speed equal to their walking speed. The guard gains control of the creature, and the mark appears on their forehead, arm, or neck. A creature marked in this way will grow a helm of purple coral over their eyes, and will be blinded, but will gain 30 feet of aquatic tremorsense. They will never lose the ability to speak Abyssal.
The marked effect ends through dismissal by the guard, or when the creature is removed from the body of water the guard is in. The creature can also make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw any time they take damage to end the marked effect. The mark can also be dismissing through magical means, by a spell of 4th level or higher. If the marked effect ends for a reason other than a successful saving throw or dismissal, the creature takes 4d6+7 force damage, and suffers one level of exhaustion from drowning.
Underwater Wing Beat. After being targeted with a melee attack that did not hit, the creature beats it's wings, the attacking creature must make a DC 12 dexterity saving throw or be propelled 30 feet back, and then suffer a single claw attack.
The guard 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 guard regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Communication Breakdown. The guard speaks to another creature, or speaks to all creatures and makes a Roar attack with disadvantage.
Horns. The guard makes an attack with its horns.
Intrinsic Spellcasting (Costs 3 Actions). One marked creature gain the Mark of Athena in addition to its other mark. It gains this mark on its forehead, neck, arm, or hand. Apply the appropriate effect, based on the other mark:
Mark of Ares: If the marked creature is grappled or restrained by an Abyssal speaking creature, they are released, and then are targeted with a Magma Jet attack, with +15 to hit.
Mark of Minerva: The creature is given the ability to cast life transference and casts it, targeting the trench guardian. If a creature would drop below 10 hitpoints casting this spell, they drop to 10 hitpoints instead, and the guard only gains 10 hitpoints. The guard only gains a number of hitpoints equal to the necrotic damage done by the spell, not double.
The creature gains the ability to cast Life Transference once per day, by calling upon the magic of the mark. However, if in doing so, they take more than 25 damage, for the next 24 hours: they become blinded by sunlight for one hour, they are resistant to cold and fire damage, and they can only breathe water.
Lair and Lair Actions
The Abyssal Trench Guardian lives in the side of the great rift into the Nine Hells that lies underwater, known as the Trench. Deep red tendrils of dark energy pour out of the trench, and magma flows regularly into the ocean around it. They may or may not venture out into the surrounding ocean or into hell to perform special tasks in the interests of guarding their home in the trench.
Lair Actions
When fighting inside the trench, a guard can invoke the ambient magic to take lair actions. On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the guard takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
- The guard invokes its own mark and casts mirror image (no components required). While maintaining concentration on this effect, the guard can’t take other lair actions. Creatures with the Mark of Minerva are not affected by these illusions.
- The guard roars and casts Eruption, a spell that causes all underwater vents to open up further. For the next 2 turns, the depth at which creatures take damage from the magma jets decreases by 10 feet. Creatures must also succeed on a DC8 Charisma saving throw or become Frightened for 1 minute. Frightened creatures must take either an action or a bonus action to swim up on their turns. If they are at least 30 feet away from the trench and trench guard, at the end of their turn, that effect ends.
- The guard calls upon creatures in the region to attack creatures that are present and marked with the Mark of Ares. A creature that is marked with the Mark of Ares must be within 300 feet for the guard to use this lair action, and it must use another action before it can use this action again. The first time this action is used, two Juvenile Trench Crawlers are summoned. After that, you can summon either one Juvenile Trench Crawler,
Regional Effects
The region around the trench is warped by the presence of abyssal energy, which creates one or more of the following effects:
- Natural water sources will occasionally pour out black sludge, which poisons those who drink it. Poisoned creatures fall unconscious for (2d4+3)/2 hours. If they roll two ones, they are affected by a Mark of Minerva instead
- Water glows deep red at night.
- Near the trench, creatures that are at least 120 feet underwater take 2d6+6 fire damage at the start of each of their turns
- As an action, the guard can shape water into an image of itself in any location that a creature with the Mark of Minerva or an active Mark of Athena is in. The water takes on the shape of the guard, and glows a dark red. If it is sunny, the guard will cause clouds to form and darken the sky, which remain for 1d4+1 days and cause light rain after 5 minutes. The guard can communicate telepathically and see and sense things from its water form. Upon a successful DC 22 Intelligence check, the guard can mark creatures that are near it's water form. The aquatic form of the creature stays in existence for up to 15 minutes.
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