Assassinate. During his first turn, Artemis has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn't taken a turn. Any hit Artemis scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.
Evasion. If Artemis is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, Artemis instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.
Legendary Resistance (1/Day). If Artemis fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Artemis deals an extra 24 (7d6) damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of Artemis that isn't incapacitated and Artemis doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Special Equipment. Artemis wields charon’s claw and a vampiric dagger. He carries a figurine of wondrous power (Obsidian Steed).
Multiattack. Artemis makes three Charon’s Claw attacks and one Vampiric Dagger attack.
Charon's Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8 + 8) slashing damage, or 13 (1d10 + 8) slashing damage if used with two hand plus 9 (2d8) poison damage, and the target needs to make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.
Vampiric Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.
Second Wind (Recharges on a Short or Long Rest). Artemis regains 20 hit points.
Parry. Artemis adds 5 to his AC against one melee attack roll that would hit him. To do so, Artemis must see the attacker and be wielding a melee weapon.
Artemis can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Artemis regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Quick Step. Artemis moves up to his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Attack (Costs 2 Actions). Artemis makes one attack with Charon’s Claw or two Vampiric Dagger attacks.
Description
Biography:
Artemis Entreri (once known as Barrabus the Gray) was once a ruthless assassin and the former arch-nemesis of Drizzt Do'Urden. A cunning and tactical assassin, Entreri lived an empty life, devoid of any kind of pleasure, existing only to kill. The passage of time has caused him to soften his sentiments, but never his fighting edge. He has been credited with being one of the most feared and effective assassins in Faerûn.
Artemis is a professional and always has an air of control about him. Every move he makes or word he speak is calculated to achieve his desires. He never allows emotions or the circumstances, no matter how dire, to master him. Underneath this facade, however, he was once terribly angry, which he recognized in himself only with the influence of Idalia's flute.
Artemis tirelessly maintains himself in top condition, and constantly seeks to improve his martial skills. He is extremely cunning, able to out-think as well as outfight his opponents. Artemis vow to "never leave an enemy in his wake" means he did not take threats lightly. However, for the most part, those who are not enemies of Artemis or his allies have nothing to fear from him. He does in fact have his own code of honor, although it is sometimes obscured.
Artemis's greatest hatred and disgust is reserved for those who were willing to hurt or betray their children for their own benefit or to save themselves. This is because of events in his childhood.
Artemis's time spent traveling with Drizzt Do'Urden in the 15th century DR has irreversibly changed him. He is generally less angry and has become willing to defend his allies as well as entertain the notion of having friends.
Artemis Magic Items:
Charon’s Claw
Weapon (Longsword), Artifact (requires attunement)
This longsword is an old netherese artifact used to combat ancient wizards. Fashioned from a red alloy, the sword causes ash to wisp in the air. The weapon battles those who attune to it and burns the flesh of the hand of those who fail. Only by beating the blade in a contest of wills can someone safely attune to it, guarded from the evil sentience within. You have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon.
Attunement. The sword contests anyone who tries to attune to it for the first time. The first time you attune to the sword, you must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw, on a failure you take 55 (10d10) necrotic damage and the skin on your hand peels away allowing you to become susceptible to the horrifying sentience within the sword. Your alignment becomes neutral evil and magic nor divine intervention cannot reverse this effect. On a success, you overpower the sentience and retain your alignment. Upon attunement, you gain the following traits:
Ashen Wall. As a bonus action, you can conjure an opaque wall of ash from Charon’s Claw that lingers within your space. The opaque wall makes your space heavily obscured for everyone except you, as you can see through the ash as if it was transparent. The wall of ash lasts for 1 minute and can’t be dispelled, unless by a strong wind made by a spell like control weather.
Assassin’s Resistance. You have resistance to poison damage.
Ghostlight. Whilst Charon’s Claw is on your person you have darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, it increases your range by 60 feet. This effect looks like a strange black light that extends from the blade.
Festering Poison. The sword deals an extra 9 (2d8) poison damage to any creature it hits. Any creature who takes this poison damage must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. Each round the creature is poisoned, they take another 4 (1d8) poison damage.
Finesse. Charon's Claw has the finesse property.
Veiled Darkness. As an action, you can use the magic of the blade to become [Tooltip Not Found] to those with darkvision. This invisibility lasts until you make an attack, ability check, saving throw, or choose to end it using an action.
Sentience. The Charon’s Claw is a sentient, neutral evil item with an Intelligence of 20, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and normal vision out to a range of 60 feet.
The sword communicates in entropic dark whispers, and wishes for nothing more than endless bloodshed. The sword can cast dominate person once a day on its current wielder if they failed the contest of wills during attunement, or former wielders within their sight.
Vampiric Dagger
Weapon (Dagger), rare (requires attunement)
This magic dagger is studded with emeralds. When you hit with an attack roll using this dagger, the target takes an extra 1d8 necrotic damage.
The dagger has 3 charges and regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dusk. When you hit a creature with an attack roll using the dagger, you can expend 1 charge to regain a number of hit points equal to the extra necrotic damage the dagger dealt.
While you’re holding the dagger, you can use a bonus action to cause it to shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet, to cause it to shed dim light in a 10-foot radius, or to douse the light.
-
View User Profile
-
Send Message
Posted Jun 15, 2023Very cool statblock, but you should have included the "Ashen Wall" feature you listed for the sword in the "Bonus Action" section of his stat block, as well as the poison damage the sword does. I'd also DM a modified version of your Ashen Wall by making it a supped up "Darkness" spell. Artemis can see through the ash cloud, but players can't. They're blinded within the cloud of ash, and Artemis's movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks whilst in the ashen wall.