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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next CR12 Boss Monster: The Locust Witch [PEACH]



Gastronomie
2016-02-28, 03:43 AM
Random idea of a boss monster which uses hordes.

The Locust Witch
Medium Humanoid (any race), any alignment
Hit Points: 120 (16d8+48)
Speed: 30ft, fly 60ft
AC: 16
Str 10 (+0) Dex 20 (+5) Con 16 (+3)
Int 14 (+2) Wis 15 (+2) Cha 19 (+4)
Saves: Dex+8, Con+7, Wis+6, Cha+8
Skills: Any skills the DM feels appropriate
Damage Resistance: damage from nonmagical weapons
Senses: Passive Perception 16, darkvision 60 feet
Languages: Any number of languages that the DM feels appropriate
Challenge Rating: 12 (8400 XP)
Magic Resistance. The Witch has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Eldritch Invocations. When the Witch casts eldritch blast, add her Charisma modifier to the damage it deals on a hit. Also, when the Witch hits a creature with eldritch blast, she can push the creature up to 10 feet away from her in a straight line.
Master of Locusts. Any “Swarm of Locusts” within 1 mile of the Witch gain 10 temporary hit points and gain a +6 bonus to attack rolls, unless the Witch is incapacitated. Any area within the “Swarm of Locusts” is also treated as being within the area of the “Insect Plague” spell (DC16), unless the Witch is incapacitated. “Swarm of Locust”s are not affected by any effects of this “Insect Plague”. Finally, while a Swarm is within 1 mile of the Witch, the Witch can communicate with it telepathically, and can always see through the Locusts’ eyes and hear what they hear.
Innate Spellcasting. The Witch’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). The Witch can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: dispel magic, eldritch blast, hex
3/day each: giant insect (locusts are treated as wasps when using this effect), vampiric touch (as a 5th-level spell)
2/day each: bestow curse, contagion, counterspell

Actions
Locust Spell. The Witch casts 1 spell. When doing so, the witch can activate the spell as if a “Swarm of Locusts” within 100 feet of the witch had cast the spell (in terms of range).
Empower Locusts. All “Swarm of Locusts” within 100 feet of the witch gain 3d4 hit points. Also, their attacks also inflict 10 (4d4) necrotic damage, or 5 (2d4) necrotic damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer (this effect lasts until the start of the witch's next turn).
Summon Locusts. (Recharge 5-6) The Witch summons 1d4+1 “Swarm of Insect”s under her command. The Swarms’ initiative order is treated as the same as the Witch, and they move directly after the Witch. The Swarms are treated as a “Swarm of Locust”s. A Swarm of Locusts has a walking speed of 5 feet, a flying speed of 30 feet, and no climbing speed, and their size is treated as “Large” instead of “Medium” (while their hit points are lower than half of their original hit points, their size is treated as "Medium"). The Witch can have up to ten “Swarm of Locusts” under her command with this effect.

Legendary Actions
The witch 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 witch regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Fuse With Swarm. The hit points of all Swarm of Locusts overlapping with the Witch become 0. The Witch gains hit points equal to the hit points lost in this way.
Migration of the Swarm. The witch can command up to three Swarm of Locusts within 100 feet and immediately move them up to 15 feet each.
Summon Swarm. (Costs 2 Actions). The Witch summons 1d2 “Swarm of Locusts” under her command.

Comments and constructive critisism appreciated.

SilverStud
2016-02-28, 03:25 PM
This seems like the perfect capstone to a horror-ish dungeon. Those swarms just get so scary so fast. Question about the Empower Swarms though. How long does it last? Is that a permanent, one-off action that she does at the beginning of the fight? Depending on the duration, does it stack?

I also like how her control over those swarms and abilities like Fuse with Swarm offset her low health. Basically, if you can get in a few solid hits, she's done, making a well-placed archer deadly. On that note, maybe give her a special reaction? Like maybe:

Reactions:
Hide Behind the Swarm: When the witch takes damage as a result of a ranged attack roll, she can immediately use her reaction to move a single swarm--within 10 feet of her--into the path of the attack. The attack hits the swarms instead, and any extra damage is carried over to the witch.

Just a thought.

JNAProductions
2016-02-28, 03:55 PM
An issue-Bestow Curse stacks with itself. This witch can cast it at-will. She can, in short order, completely shut down the entire party by forcing Wisdom saves every time they want to take a turn.

Even if ruled it does not stack with itself, it's still really flipping potent to give at-will.

Gastronomie
2016-02-28, 07:39 PM
Sorry, I meant to place bestow curse in the "2/day each" column. Thanks for pointing it out though.

Empower was meant to be "till the start of the witch's next turn". Sorry for not clarifying, and again, thanks for pointing it out.

The "Hide" idea seems nice, but I wonder if it's balanced to have both that and the original legendary action "Migration", which could also be used to block ranged attacks and offer complete cover. How do you guys think?