Bird of Paradise

The Bird of Paradise is a Fey Creature that resembles a large flightless bird. These creatures, despite being Fey, are rarely found in the Feywild but can be more often found within jungles and tropical areas on the Material Planes, though typically in areas with strong Fey influence. Their plumage is considered a luxury material, and it is often found used to make fancy clothing. However, hunting these birds is dangerous, and their speed and cunning nature allows them to evade potential hunters. Should one obtain a carcass, they could sell it and the feathers for a whopping sum of gold.

Enchanting Dancers. The Bird of Paradise is known for its enthralling performances. These birds infuse Enchantment Energy into their dance, which allows them to confuse and bewilder would-be foes. They are also able to use the power of their dance to cure mental effects similar to a Bard’s Counter-Charm, with more elegant displays curing other magical ailments such as curses or harmful spells.

Strong and Agile.  Outside of their dancing, they are known for their strong legs and unmatched speed. Their quick movements allow them to dodge out of the way of their enemies' attacks, and they can retaliate with a powerful airborne kick that can knock the wind out of even the sturdiest of foes. They also can replicate the effect of the spell Freedom of Movement, which makes pinning them down a great challenge. Some birds can even  cast transmutation spells such as Longstrider or Kinetic Jaunt to further their agility.

Rival Plumage. Birds of Paradise live in communities with other members of their kind that share the same plumage coloring and patterns. However, when a Bird of Paradise comes across another bird, if that bird displays a different coloring or pattern, they will attack on sight and attempt to outperform their rival, attacking relentlessly until one of the birds collapses from exhaustion.

Learning From Others. The Bird of Paradise has the ability to use magic to replicate the actions of others, which strongly resembles the spell Mirror Move, a potent transmutation spell that isn't commonly known on most worlds. It uses this ability to drive an enemy crazy by making them believe that the bird is the original and their enemy is just a cheap copy, as well as using the ability to learn new spells. Different groups of these birds know different spells, all of 5th level of lower, and of the Enchantment or Transmutation school of magic. They share the spells they learn with other members of their community, and they try their hardest not to allow their rivals to learn their coveted secrets. These birds Intelligence score varies, with some of them being a minimum of 7 Intelligence with others being known to have up to 16 Intelligence, with an uncertain ceiling of potential.

Fey Tricksters. When a Bird of Paradise shows up in a humanoid settlement, it seeks out an individual who it believes it can either learn from, or that it can harass the most. If it finds a creature it believes it can learn from, such as a Bard or Enchantment Wizard, it will observe them to be able to learn new spells from them. If it wishes to harass an individual, it follows them around and attempts to sabotage any of their social interactions by using its Rival Mockery ability to embarrass them at inopportune times. Some more powerful birds use spells to exasperate the situation, such as using Hex to further lower their odds at a successful interaction. The reason for this behavior is uncertain, but given their Fey nature, it might just be for fun, or it may be its way of gaining sustenance outside of raw food or water.

Indeterminate Courtship.  Researchers are uncertain how this creature reproduces, as a courtship ritual has not been witnessed. Some people claim to have seen an egg or a chick of these birds, but no concrete evidence has yet been found. Fights between these creatures have been witnessed and documented, but it is believed that is entirely territorial rather than an attempt to attract a mate. 

Mirror Move

5th Level Transmutation

1 Action

Concentration, up to 1 minute

Self

VSM (a small silver mirror)

Bard,, Ranger, Sorcerer, Wizard

You cause your body to have a reflective glasslike property to it. For the spell’s duration, all attacks have advantage against you and you make saving throws imposed by hostile creatures with disadvantage. 

While your body is in its mirror form, you can manipulate the weave in such a way that allows your magic to precisely mimic the recent actions of another creature. 

When you cast the spell, and as an action on your turn for the spell’s duration, you can attempt to copy the last action of a creature you can see within 60 feet. If the action requires an Attack roll, it uses your spell attack bonus. If the action has a listed DC, it instead uses your spell save DC.

You repeat the movements to replicate the action, causing your form to shift if necessary. You use the same range and targeting restrictions of the original action, having it originate from you

For example, if an Elk used its Ram attack, you can make a spell attack against a target within 10 feet of you that deals 2d6+4 bludgeoning damage on a hit, and if the Elk used its Hooves attack, you can only use it on a prone creature within 5 feet of you. If a Black Bear used its Multiattack action, you can make two spell attacks, one that deals 1d6+2 piercing damage on a hit, and one that deals 2d4+2 slashing damage on a hit.

If a Brass Dragon Wyrmling used its Sleep Breath, you can create a 15 foot cone emitting from you that uses your spell save DC. 

If an action lasts multiple turns, you can maintain the effect until the spell ends, the effect ends, or you use this spell to mimic another action. For example, if you mimic the Claw attack of a giant crab and successfully grapple a creature, you can have the magic retain the form of a claw until the creature escapes the grapple as long as you don’t use this spell to mimic another action.

If your target casts a spell, you can replicate the spell, but you must expend a spell slot of the same level or higher of the spell you are trying to replicate, or else the action fails. You must follow the normal spellcasting rules, and if you cannot provide the components for the spell, the spell fails. If the spell requires concentration, this spell ends and is replaced with the spell you are mimicking. If you don’t have an appropriate spell slot available when you attempt to mimic the spell, you cannot move or take reactions until the start of your next turn.

The DM can make any action fail for whatever reason they choose if they deem the action impossible to copy. 

If you fall unconscious due to falling to 0 hit points while concentrating on this spell, your body retains the glass-like property until you regain 1 hitpoint. If you die while the glasslike property of this spell is in effect, your body shatters like glass, leaving nonmagical glass in your place. You can be restored to life only by means of a True Resurrection or a Wish spell. In addition, attempting to copy the Mirror Move action from another creature using the Mirror Move spell causes a paradox in the weave. The spell ends for you, and you take 8d10 force damage. If this damage reduces you to 0 hit points, your body shatters like glass and your soul is destroyed and cannot be brought back to life by any means short of a Wish spell.