Source King's Cuirass. Braccus Rex's ancient, decaying armor is infused with raw Source energy. This grants him a base AC of 22 and cannot be sundered or removed.
Source Aegis. Braccus Rex's body is constantly enveloped by volatile Source energy. He gains a +8 bonus to his AC from this magical shield, and he has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. He cannot be targeted by the magic missile spell. Whenever Braccus Rex is hit by an attack, the attacker takes 10 (3d6) force damage.
Legendary Resistance (5/Day). If Braccus Rex fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Mythic Trait: Undying Tyrant. If Braccus Rex is reduced to 0 hit points, he doesn't die. Instead, he regains 250 hit points, his Source Aegis automatically recharges, and he unleashes a horrific burst of raw Source energy in a 90-foot radius. Each creature in that area must make a DC 28 Constitution saving throw, taking 65 (15d8) necrotic damage and 65 (15d8) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Additionally, on a failed save, a creature is cursed for 1 minute. While cursed, the creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws. A cursed creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. This trait can only be used once.
Innate Spellcasting. Braccus Rex's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 28, +20 to hit with spell attacks). He can cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
- At will: detect magic, eldritch blast (4 beams, +10 to damage), shocking grasp, dimension door, dissonant whispers, fear
- 3/day each: blight, chain lightning, disintegrate, forcecage, globe of invulnerability, reverse gravity, finger of death, dominate monster
- 1/day each: meteor swarm, power word kill, true polymorph, imprisonment
Master of Source. Braccus Rex starts combat with 5 Source Points. He can use his Bonus Actions to regain 1 Source Point (max 5). He can expend these Source Points to empower his actions.
Source Collars. As a bonus action, Braccus Rex can attempt to shackle a creature he can see within 120 feet with a spectral Source Collar. The target must succeed on a DC 28 Charisma saving throw or be collared. A collared creature has disadvantage on all saving throws against Braccus Rex's spells and abilities, and its maximum number of spell slots (if any) is reduced by one at the start of each of its turns (to a minimum of 0). The collar lasts until removed by dispel magic (DC 28) or until Braccus Rex uses this ability on another creature. Braccus Rex can only have one creature collared at a time.
Cursed Ground. When Braccus Rex moves, any ground he flies over becomes Cursed Ground. A 15-foot wide trail of Cursed Ground remains for 1 minute. A creature that starts its turn on Cursed Ground or enters it for the first time on a turn takes 36 (8d8) necrotic damage and is poisoned until the start of its next turn.
Source Nova (Recharge 5-6). Braccus Rex unleashes a burst of raw Source energy. Each creature in a 30-foot radius sphere centered on him must make a DC 28 Dexterity saving throw, taking 88 (16d10) force damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If Braccus Rex expends 1 Source Point, the radius increases to 60 feet. If he expends 3 Source Points, the radius becomes 120 feet and creatures also take 88 (16d10) necrotic damage on a failed save.
Multiattack. Braccus Rex makes three attacks, choosing from his Corrupting Touch, Void Bolt, or Cursed Scythe. He can replace one attack with the casting of an at-will spell or a spell that costs 1 Source Point.
- Corrupting Touch. Melee Spell Attack: +20 to hit, reach 15 ft., one creature. Hit: 42 (5d12 + 10) necrotic damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 28 Constitution saving throw or be Withered. A Withered creature's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks for 1 minute. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest or is cured by greater restoration or similar magic. If Braccus Rex expends 1 Source Point, the target is also stunned until the end of its next turn.
- Void Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +20 to hit, range 150 ft., one creature. Hit: 45 (8d8 + 9) force damage. If Braccus Rex expends 1 Source Point, this attack deals an additional 27 (6d8) necrotic damage and the target must succeed on a DC 28 Strength saving throw or be pushed 60 feet away from Braccus Rex and knocked prone.
- Cursed Scythe. Melee Weapon Attack: +20 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 37 (5d10 + 10) slashing damage plus 27 (6d8) necrotic damage. If Braccus Rex expends 1 Source Point, the target is also grappled (escape DC 28) and pulled up to 30 feet closer to Braccus Rex. While grappled, the target is also restrained and cannot regain hit points. Braccus Rex can only grapple one creature at a time with his scythe.
Regenerate Source. Braccus Rex regains 1 Source Point.
Shift Ground. Braccus Rex causes a 30-foot radius area of ground he can see within 120 feet to become Cursed Ground, which lasts until the start of his next turn. This area can be existing Cursed Ground, extending its duration.
Vile Smirk. Braccus Rex can choose one creature he can see within 60 feet. That creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against one of Braccus Rex's spells or abilities before the end of its next turn.
Braccus Rex can take 3 reactions per round.
Source Barrier. When Braccus Rex is hit by an attack, he can expend 1 Source Point to increase his AC by 5 against that attack, potentially causing it to miss. He can do this after the attack roll is made but before damage is dealt.
Siphon Life. When a creature within 30 feet of Braccus Rex takes necrotic damage from any source, Braccus Rex can use his reaction to regain hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.
Defiance of the Source. When Braccus Rex succeeds on a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, he can use his reaction to cause the caster to take 27 (6d8) psychic damage.
Cruel Rebuke. When a creature within 60 feet of Braccus Rex succeeds on a saving throw against one of his spells or abilities, Braccus Rex can use his reaction to force that creature to make a DC 28 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 27 (6d8) psychic damage and is frightened of Braccus Rex until the end of its next turn.
Braccus Rex 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. Braccus Rex regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Siphon Source. Braccus Rex regains 1 Source Point.
Void Gate (Costs 2 Actions). Braccus Rex teleports up to 90 feet to an unoccupied space he can see. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks. He can choose to leave behind a 15-foot radius area of Cursed Ground at his starting location, which lasts until the end of his next turn.
Tyrant's Command (Costs 3 Actions). Braccus Rex targets one creature he can see within 120 feet. The target must make a DC 28 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target is charmed or frightened (Braccus's choice) of Braccus Rex for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature must use its action to make one melee attack against a creature of Braccus Rex's choice. While frightened in this way, the creature must use its action to Dash away from Braccus Rex. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Braccus Rex's Tyrant's Command for the next 24 hours.
Description
Description
Braccus Rex, the Primordial Scourge, is a truly terrifying sight. His gargantuan form is a testament to centuries of dark power and manipulation. He stands a towering 20 feet tall, his ancient, regal armor, the Source King's Cuirass, now fused with his skeletal frame, radiating an oppressive aura. Crackling green Source energy, a visible manifestation of his unholy connection to the void, constantly courses through and around him, forming the impenetrable Source Aegis. His eyes are twin pits of burning emerald light, and his voice, though ancient, carries the weight of a thousand torments and the chilling authority of a bygone era. The Cursed Scythe he wields is not merely a weapon but an extension of his will, its blade shimmering with necrotic energies.
Tactics: Braccus Rex is a hyper-aggressive, controlling force of nature. He begins by collaring the most dangerous spellcaster or healer, then uses his mobility (Void Gate, high speed, fly) and Shift Ground to position himself to maximize his Cursed Ground and force enemies into difficult terrain. His Multiattack combined with empowered abilities delivers punishing bursts of damage and debilitating effects. He will prioritize reducing enemy hit point maximums with Corrupting Touch and preventing healing with Cursed Scythe. His Vile Smirk can set up a crucial spell or attack to land, while Regenerate Source keeps his powerful Source Point abilities flowing.
When his Mythic Trait triggers, it's a terrifying reset, punishing anyone too close and setting up a fresh wave of debilitating curses. His three reactions per round make him incredibly difficult to pin down or damage consistently. Source Barrier can negate critical hits, Siphon Life turns enemy damage into his healing, and Defiance of the Source punishes casters who try to control him. Cruel Rebuke means even successful saves come with a price, spreading fear and damage. He uses Tyrant's Command to turn enemies against each other or scatter the party. He is arrogant and theatrical, often taunting his foes, but every word is backed by immense, world-shattering power. He enjoys prolonging suffering, using dominate monster or imprisonment on particularly annoying heroes if he gets the chance, rather than immediately killing them.
Lore
Braccus Rex, the Scourge of the Source, is a name whispered with dread across the realms, a relic of a bygone age of tyranny and unimaginable magical might. In ages long past, he was a human king of immense power, not merely in arms, but in his innate connection to Source – the fundamental energy of creation and magic itself. His reign was one of unimaginable cruelty, a dark mirror to a god-king, where he experimented relentlessly on his own populace to understand and control Source, creating legions of tormented abominations and undead legions. He was obsessed with not just wielding magic, but commanding the very essence of life and death, bending souls to his will.
His initial reign of terror was eventually brought to an end by a coalition of heroes, their names now lost to the ages, who managed to bind his essence and seal him away. Yet, Braccus Rex was too steeped in Source and too infused with a primal, tyrannical will to truly die. His seals were merely prisons, his defeat a temporary setback. Over the centuries, perhaps through the machinations of sinister entities, or by the slow, inevitable bleed of Source from his ancient prison, he began to stir. His consciousness, broken but resilient, began to reassert itself, corrupting the very land around his forgotten tomb or fortress.
Now, Braccus Rex is risen again, a horrifying undead entity of gargantuan proportions, a skeletal monarch armored in the very Source he once manipulated. He is not merely a powerful spellcaster; he is a living conduit of chaotic Source, a being whose very presence warps reality. His ambition is no longer just conquest, but a complete dominion over all Source, a desire to reshape the world into a vast, tormented echo of his own twisted will, enslaving not just bodies but souls. He seeks to reclaim his dominion, not just as king, but as a god, drawing on the immense power of the Void itself to accomplish his tyrannical designs. He sees mortals as mere vessels for Source, to be drained, corrupted, or collared to serve his will. He is the ultimate test of power, a living piece of history whose return heralds an age of blight and despair.
Lair and Lair Actions
Braccus Rex's Lair
Braccus Rex's lair is typically a sprawling, ancient fortress, a forgotten temple, or a corrupted city, warped and defiled by his prolonged presence and the overwhelming Source energy he commands. The very stones weep necrotic essence, and the air crackles with unnatural static. The ground is often barren, blighted, or overgrown with grotesque, sickly vegetation.
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Braccus Rex can take one lair action. He can't do so if he's incapacitated or otherwise unable to take actions.
- Source Geysers. Jets of raw, corrosive Source erupt from the ground at up to three points Braccus Rex can see within 120 feet. Each creature within a 10-foot radius of each point must make a DC 25 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) acid damage plus 27 (6d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The ground at these points becomes Cursed Ground until the next initiative count 20.
- Echoes of Torment. Spectral, wailing figures of Braccus Rex's past victims coalesce from the Source-infused air. Up to six spectral figures appear in unoccupied spaces within 60 feet of Braccus Rex. Each figure causes one creature within 10 feet of it to make a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw or take 36 (8d8) psychic damage and be frightened until the end of its next turn. These figures then dissipate.
- Tyrant's Grip. Braccus Rex telekinetically manipulates the environment. He can move one piece of unattended terrain (up to 20x20 feet, e.g., a massive stone block, a section of wall, or a large statue) up to 60 feet in any direction. Alternatively, he can attempt to restrain up to two creatures he can see within 90 feet. Each target must succeed on a DC 25 Strength saving throw or be restrained by spectral chains until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Regional Effects
The region containing Braccus Rex's lair is warped by his immense Source power, creating these effects in a 10-mile radius around his central stronghold:
- Blasted Landscape. Within 10 miles of the lair, natural vegetation withers and dies, replaced by thorny, black, or sickly glowing plants. Fresh water becomes brackish or infused with a faint, disturbing green luminescence, causing 1 (1d4) necrotic damage per gallon consumed.
- Distorted Magic. Spells cast within 5 miles of the lair have a 10% chance to draw unwanted attention. On a roll of 1-5 on a d100, the spell's energy is partially corrupted; the spellcaster must make a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion as their own Source is drained by the ambient corruption.
- Whispers of Tyranny. Sentient creatures attempting to take a long rest within 1 mile of the lair must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be plagued by nightmares of Braccus Rex's reign, gaining no benefit from the rest.
- Unnatural Silence. Within 1 mile of the lair, non-magical sounds are dulled, and a chilling, almost oppressive silence often falls, broken only by the occasional distant, disquieting wail.
- Undead Proliferation. Undead creatures within the 10-mile radius are empowered; their hit points are increased by 20%, and they have advantage on saving throws against effects that turn undead.
If Braccus Rex is defeated, these regional effects fade over the course of 1d10 days, while the lair effects vanish immediately.
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