Evasion. If Zhu Li is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, he instead takes no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.
Sneak Attack (1/Turn). Zhu Li deals an extra 17 (5d6) 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 Zhu Li that isn't incapacitated and Zhu Li doesn't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
Unarmored Defense. While Zhu Li is wearing no armor and wielding no shield, his AC includes his Wisdom modifier.
Master of Intimacy. Zhu Li has Expertise in the Performance skill (+13). Additionally, he has advantage on Charisma (Performance) and Charisma (Persuasion) checks directed at any humanoid that is attracted to men.
Multiattack. Zhu Li makes three attacks: two with his Unarmed Strike and one with his Pipe Dart, or three with his Unarmed Strike. He can replace one Unarmed Strike with Seductive Caress.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage. Zhu Li's unarmed strikes are considered magical.
Pipe Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4 + 5) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) poison damage. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute.
Seductive Caress. Zhu Li touches one creature within 5 feet of him. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the target is Incapacitated as they are overwhelmed by Zhu Li's allure. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns or if it takes damage, ending the effect on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Zhu Li's Seductive Caress for the next 24 hours.
Lover's Betrayal. Zhu Li makes an Unarmed Strike against a creature that is Charmed by him. On a hit, the attack is a critical hit, and the target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target is Stunned until the end of Zhu Li's next turn.
Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Zhu Li can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Distracting Beauty. When a humanoid within 30 feet that can see Zhu Li attacks him, Zhu Li can use his reaction to flash a charming smile or expose skin. The attacker must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the attacker has disadvantage on the attack roll.
Description
Lore: Zhu Li, the Gilded Viper
Background: The Lotus of the Black Network Zhu Li is a high-ranking agent of the Zhentarim (The Black Network), specifically operating within their "shadow" division which handles blackmail, espionage, and assassination of high-profile targets. While most Zhentarim thugs rely on intimidation and brute force, Zhu Li represents the organization's seductive, corrupting reach into the nobility.
Born in the distant lands of Kara-Tur, Zhu Li traveled to the Sword Coast as a young refugee. He was taken in by a sect of the Monastery of the Long Death, where he learned the anatomy of suffering and the precise art of killing. However, Zhu Li found the sect's methods too crude. He didn't just want to end lives; he wanted to own them.
The People Pleaser Zhu Li suffers from a twisted psychological need for validation. He is a consummate people pleaser who is genuinely terrified of disappointment or rejection. This manifests in his work: he becomes exactly who his target desires most—the perfect listener, the perfect lover, the perfect friend. He studies his targets not just to kill them, but to make them fall in love with him first.
He views his assassinations as acts of mercy or artistic finales. In his mind, killing a target at the height of their pleasure (after a night of intimacy) is a gift. He often leaves a gold-painted viper scale on the bodies of his lovers, a calling card that has baffled the City Watch of Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate.
Current Operations Zhu Li currently runs an upscale bathhouse and tea parlor called "The Gilded Coil" in a major metropolis (such as Waterdeep or Calimport). The establishment is neutral ground where Lords, crime bosses, and adventurers meet.
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The Hook: Players might be hired by a noble who has fallen deeply in love with Zhu Li but suspects he is hiding something (or the noble's spouse hires the party to investigate the affair).
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The Twist: Zhu Li is not just a seducer; he is using the pillow talk to gather blackmail material for the Zhentarim to control the city's council.
Combat Behavior Zhu Li hates messy combat. He prefers to have "already won" before initiative is rolled by poisoning his opponent's drink or charming them into lowering their guard. If forced into a brawl, he fights with a tragic, desperate elegance, pleading with his attackers to "stop before I have to hurt you," even as he snaps their necks with lethal precision.
Affiliations
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The Zhentarim: His primary allegiance, though he considers himself an "artist" rather than a soldier.
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The Monastery of the Long Death: He remains on good terms with his former masters, often trading secrets of anatomy for rare poisons.
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Xanathar Guild: Rivals. Zhu Li finds beholder crime bosses "tacky" and lacks the finesse he appreciates.
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