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Thread: Converting Red Hand of Doom to 5e

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    Troll in the Playground
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
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    The Great White North

    Default Re: Converting Red Hand of Doom to 5e

    Draz, if you're (still) interested, here's the statblocks that I've been using/intend to use, along with some personal musings behind them.

    Spoiler: Ozyrrandion
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    Large Dragon, Lawful Evil
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    Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
    HP 133
    Speed 40 ft, swim 40ft, fly 80ft
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    Str +4, Dex +0, Con +4
    Int +2, Wis +0, Cha +1
    -------------------------
    Saving Throws Dex +3, Con +7, Wis +3, Cha +4
    Senses blindsight 30ft, darkvision 120ft, passive perception 16
    Skills Deception +5, Perception +6, Stealth +3
    Damage Immunities poison
    Condiditon Immunities poisoned
    Languages Common, Draconic
    CR 6 (2300 XP)
    -------------------------
    Amphibious Ozyrrandion can breathe air and water.
    Innate Spellcasting The dragon's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell save DC 12). The dragon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
    1/day: gust of wind
    -------------------------
    Actions
    Multiattack. Ozyrrandion makes three attacks: one with his bite and two with his claws.
    Bite (melee) +7: 2d10+4 piercing plus 1d8 poison, reach 10ft
    Claw (melee) +7: 2d6+4 slashing
    Poison Breath (Recharge 5-6) 30ft cone, DC15 Constitution saving throw or take 45 (10d8) poison damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.

    So I've checked it out, and I did base it pretty heavily off of the Young White, which checks out at a CR 6 monster. I've added Innate Spellcasting because I'm still a 3.5e at heart, and gust of wind seemed fitting.


    Spoiler: Regiarix
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    Large Dragon, Chaotic Evil
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    Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
    HP 150
    Speed 40 ft, swim 40ft, fly 80ft
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    Str +4, Dex +2, Con +3
    Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +2
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    Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +6, Wis +3, Cha +5
    Senses blindsight 30ft, darkvision 120ft, passive perception 16
    Skills History +4, Perception +6, Stealth +6
    Damage Immunities acid
    Languages Common, Draconic
    CR 7 (2900 XP)
    -------------------------
    Amphibious Regiarix can breathe air and water.
    Innate Spellcasting The dragon's spellcasting ability is Charisma (Spell save DC 13). The dragon can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
    1/day: ensnaring strike, heat metal
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    Actions
    Multiattack. Regiarix makes three attacks: one with his bite and two with his claws.
    Bite (melee) +7: 2d10+4 piercing plus 1d8 acid, reach 10ft
    Claw (melee) +7: 2d6+4 slashing
    Acid Breath (Recharge 5-6) 30ft line, DC13 Dexterity saving throw or take 50 (11d8) acid damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.

    Regiarix is basically straight out of the MM except for his skills and spells. I tend to give black dragons History because it even calls out in the MM description how much they value historical artifacts. He's gone up against adventurers before, so he knows of some of their common weaknesses versus him. Hence ensnaring strike which could help root a problematic foe, and heat metal, which is useful against arms and armor.


    Spoiler: Greenspawn Razorfiend
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    Large Monstrosity, Lawful Evil
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    Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
    HP 130
    Speed 50 ft, swim 50ft
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    Str +4, Dex +2, Con +2
    Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +1
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    Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4
    Senses darkvision 90ft, passive perception 14
    Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
    Damage Immunities poison
    Condiditon Immunities poisoned
    Languages Common, Draconic
    CR 6 (2300 XP)
    -------------------------
    Amphibious A greenspawn razorfiend can breathe air and water.
    Mobile A greenspawn razorfiend can take the Dash or Disengage action on it's turn as a bonus action.
    -------------------------
    Actions
    Multiattack. A greenspawn razorfiend makes three attacks: two with its' wingblades and one with its' bite
    Wingblade (melee) +7: 2d8+4 slashing plus 1d8 poison; crit. 19-20
    Bite (melee) +7: 1d10+4 piercing
    Poison Breath (Recharge 5-6) 20ft cone, DC15 Constitution saving throw or take 24 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful save.

    So this is my take on a CR 6 Greenspawn Razorfiend - it proved to be pretty deadly, dropping both my Paladin tank and Ranger archer with a pair of crits. Bonus action Disengage isn't quite equivalent with the Spring Attack chain of feats in 3.5e, but its undoubtedly effective. I don't know how I feel about the breath weapon, given how many dragons there are already in this campaign (in addition to the Hell Hounds), but I was trying to pretty faithfully reproduce the original.


    Spoiler: Wyrmlord Saarvith
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    Small Humanoid (goblinoid), neutral evil
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    Armor Class 16 (leather)
    HP 80
    Speed 30 ft
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    Str +0, Dex +5, Con +2
    Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +0
    -------------------------
    Saving Throws Str +3, Dex +8
    Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +4, Stealth +8, Survival +4
    Senses darkvision 60ft, passive perception 15
    Languages Common, Goblin
    CR 5 (1800 XP)
    -------------------------
    Nimble Escape Saarvith can use the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on his turn
    Natural Explorer Saarvith gets advantage on attacks against foes who haven't acted yet in the first round of combat, as well as advantage on Initiative checks and the ability to ignore difficult terrain.
    Favored Enemy Saarvith deals an additional +4 damage to creatures of the humanoid type
    Greater Favored Enemy Saarvith deals an additional +4 damage to creatures of the aberration type
    Fighting Style Archery; adds +2 to all ranged weapon attacks rolls
    Hunter's Prey Colossus Slayer; once per turn Saarvith may deal an additional 1d8 damage to a creature already below it's hit point maximum
    Defensive Tactics Multiattack Defense; when a creature hits you with an attack, you gain a +4 bonus to AC against subsequent attacks by that creature for the rest of the turn
    Spellcasting Saarvith is a 7th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (Spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). Saarvith knows the following ranger spells:
    1st level (4 slots): ensnaring strike, hail of thorns, hunter's mark
    2nd level (3 slots): pass without trace, spike growth
    -------------------------
    Actions
    Multiattack. Saarvith makes two shortbow attacks, or two scimitar attacks
    Shortbow +1 (ranged 80/320 ft) +11: 1d6+6 piercing; 1d6+10 piercing if the target is a Humanoid or an Aberration
    Scimitar (melee) +8, 1d6+5 slashing; 1d6+9 slashing if the target is a Humanoid or an Aberration

    So I made Saarvith a 7th level ranger (Hunter Conclave) because I did want him to be able to work as he was originally intended, that being mounted on top of his dragon friend. Given how mounted combat works in 5e, I decided that giving him the Mounted Combatant feat would likely be overkill, and instead pushed his Dexterity to 20. He's got some support/offensive spells, and he'll probably drop at least one of my players to 0 if they aren't careful.


    Spoiler: Kulkor Zhul Mindbender
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    Medium Humanoid (goblinoid), lawful evil
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    Armor Class 14 (studded leather armor)
    HP 50
    Speed 30 ft
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    Str +0, Dex +2, Con +2
    Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +0
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    Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
    Skills Arcana +6, Deception +3, Insight +4, Persuasion +3
    Senses darkvision 60ft, passive perception 11
    Languages Common, Goblin
    CR 4 (1100 XP)
    -------------------------
    Arcane Advantage Once per turn, the hobgoblin can deal an extra 7 (2d6) damage to a creature it hits with a damaging spell attack if that target is within 5ft of an ally of the hobgoblin and that ally isn't incapacitated.
    Army Arcana When the hobgoblin casts a spell that causes damage or that forces other creatures to make a saving throw, it can choose itself and any number of allies to be immune to the damage caused by the spell and to succeed on the required saving throw.
    Spellcasting A kulkor zhul mindbender is a 6th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (Spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks). A kulkor zhul mindbender has the following spells prepared:
    Cantrips (at will): chill touch, friends, frostbite, message
    1st level (4 slots): alarm, color spray, grease, magic missile
    2nd level (3 slots): cloud of daggers, crown of madness, phantasmal force
    3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, melf's minute meteors
    -------------------------
    Actions
    Rapier (melee) +5, 1d8+2 piercing
    -------------------------
    Reactions
    Instinctive Charm When a creature within 30ft makes an attack roll against a kulkor zhul mindbender, they may use their reaction to force the attacker to attack the nearest creature that isn't the attacker or the mindbender (DC 14 Wisdom saving throw negates). If there is multiple creatures within range, the attacker chooses a target. this ability can be used multiple times against the same foe until it successfully saves; at that point, it may not be used on it again until the mindbender completes a long rest.

    So here we come to my version of the Mindbender. I chose a wizard (enchanter) for a couple of reasons:
    • I was getting armor anyways from the hobgoblin race (VGtM), so that got the armored requirement out of the way
    • Instinctive Charm is just too awesome to not use - and it's a use for it's Reaction, which it otherwise wouldn't use.
    • I feel like manipulative hobgoblins would be smarter rather than more charismatic, but that's entirely my own opinion, so YMMV.



    I think that that's all that I've got for now - I can continue updating this as I go, if you wish.

    EDIT: Also, my Soranna was a Paladin (Crown) 3/Fighter (Purple Dragon Knight) 3. Let me know if you want her as well.