Legendary Resistance (3/Day). When the vivictix fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Pure Evil. The vivictix is violence incarnate, transcending all other forms of evil. Its alignment is pure evil, and its alignment cannot be changed by non-Deific effects. Creatures of this alignment serve no cause other than the practice of evil, committing atrocities and spreading destruction for no other reason than because they can. Additionally, the vivictix cannot be compelled or coerced to act in a manner that would go against this alignment.
Slice and Dice. If the vivictix reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the target’s hit point maximum is halved (minimum of 1 hit point) and it has disadvantage on death and Constitution saving throws. This effect lasts until the target finishes a long rest or gains the benefits of greater restoration, heal, regenerate, or similarly powerful healing magic.
Eviscerate. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 53 (10d8 + 8) piercing or slashing damage (vivictix’s choice). If the target is a flesh-and-blood creature, it must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or instead be critically hit by the attack.
Mortal Wound (1/Short or Long Rest). Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one flesh-and-blood creature. Hit: The target suffers a mortal wound. While so wounded, a creature must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On a failed save the target takes necrotic damage equal to its hit point maximum, or half as much on a success. The wound can only be healed if a creature gains the benefits of greater restoration, heal, regenerate, or similarly powerful healing magic.
Mutilate. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one flesh-and-blood creature. Hit: The target must succeed on a DC 23 Constitution saving throw or suffer one of the following effects of the vivictix’s choice:
• Permanently blinded
• Speed permanently reduced by 20 feet
• Permanent disadvantage on weapon attack rolls and Strength and Dexterity ability checks
• This effect only ends if a creature gains the benefits of greater restoration, heal, regenerate, or similarly powerful healing magic.
Killing Spree (Recharge 6). Until the end of its turn, when the vivictix comes within 5 feet of a creature for the first time on its turn and is not incapacitated, it may make a single Eviscerate or Mutilate attack against that creature (no action required).
The vivictix 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 vivictix regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Hide. The vivictix takes the Hide action.
Stalk. The vivictix magically teleports to an occupied space it can see within 60 feet of it that is also within 5 feet of an enemy creature.
Strike. The vivictix makes a single attack.
Surgical Precision (Costs 3 Actions). Until the end of its next turn, the vivictix deals double damage on its next successful weapon attack against a creature.
Description
Fiends are no stranger to violence, but even they fear the deadly arts of the fearsome vivictix. These prime evils embody the horror of violence in all aspects. Like a gleeful surgeon these fiends rend the flesh of all they deem deserving (which is most beings), inflicting gruesome injuries that reduce the mightiest of creatures to a bloody ruin. When it deigns to be seen, a vivictix is revealed to be a distended humanoid, its black skin glistening with fresh blood. The creature’s arms are grotesquely long, ending in lengthy, blade-like claws that move with otherworldly precision. The creature’s head is a mouth of pointed teeth forever locked in a smile, while the remainder of its face is obscured by a chitinous shell. Vivictixes have only been witnessed speaking to those they are about to kill, whispering sarcastic condolences to their victims as a final insult to their existence.
LORE
A character can learn the following information about a vivictix with an Intelligence (Religion) ability check.
INFORMATION
DC 15 - A fiendish boogeyman from your worst nightmares, a vivictix strikes from the shadows with claws like surgical blades. It cuts through flesh with supernatural ease, inflicting horrific wounds that are beyond the skill of most healers to treat.
DC 20 - Chances are you won’t spot a vivictix until it’s too late. They can climb over most surfaces and appear behind you without warning. Only stalwart heroes can suffer a vivictix’s blows and not come out a bloody ruin, and even then, it’s unwise to rely on anything other than potent magical healing.
DC 26 - While a vivictix is fast and dangerous, it is not durable. End the fiend before it overwhelms you and treat your wounds later. If you can shapeshift, all the better, as the vivictix must study its target’s anatomy to maximize its killing potential.
TACTICS
There are few viable defenses against a vivictix’s attacks. The damage it deals on a hit with Eviscerate is brutal, especially if the target fails the Constitution save. Against beefier characters, use the vivictix’s Mutilate action to blind, cripple, or otherwise hamper their effectiveness. Save those characters for last while the fiend chops up the character’s allies, particularly after it’s had a chance to buff its next attack with Surgical Precision. The fiend’s speed combined with its legendary actions make a vivictix extremely mobile, allowing it to sprint right past the front line. Should a spellcaster attempt to hide within magical protections, use the Stalk legendary action to close the gap. Use Mortal Wound on low-Constitution characters for devastating results, especially if it’s a healer.
Easier Tactics – Let the vivictix start combat out in the open, then move quickly to hide. Don’t use Mortal Wound, and only use Killing Spree on the third round of combat or later. Have the fiend go toe to toe with characters that can take it, trading blow for blow. While the vivictix will likely win this exchange, it will give the other characters much-needed time to either support the beleaguered character or mount optimal attacks of their own. Should the vivictix fare poorly, retreat and hide in a game of cat and mouse, focusing most actions and efforts on ambushing a single character that is searching for it.
Harder Tactics – As a lurker, the vivictix can easily surprise the characters and gain a massive early advantage. This tactic works extremely well when paired with Killing Spree, allowing the fiend to Multilate almost the entire party in one turn. From there, Mortal Wound should be the next action to use, or Killing Spree again if you can afford it. The vivictix’s focus should be downing characters at least once before trying to kill them. The massive cut to their hit point maximum means the fiend stands a much better chance of killing the character in a single hit from massive damage.
TREASURE - A vivictix’s only pleasure stems from taking life in as many bloody, cruel, and violent ways as possible. All other concerns, especially material ones, are nigh irrelevant. However, those willing to risk exposure to the despicable evil thrumming through a vivictix’s veins can drink the foul ichor from its remains (which endure when the creature is killed, even if not on a lower plane), gaining knowledge of those it has killed. Doing so requires a successful DC 23 Constitution ability check, vomiting the ichor up on a failure, which then vanishes along with the creature’s remains. A creature that succeeds on consuming the ichor gains all the memories of the vivictix, including specific details of its victims—their names, creature types, and other important characteristics.
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