Duergar Despot

Medium humanoid (duergar)
Challenge

STR
5
DEX
−1
CON
4
INT
1
WIS
2
CHA
2

119
14d8+56
25
Soak
2
Fort
+7
Ref
+2
Will
+5
Defense note natural armor
Damage immunities poison
Condition immunities charmed, exhausted, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned

Speed 4 m.
Skills Psionics +5 (16)
Senses darkvision 20 m.
Languages Dwarven, Undercommon

Ki. The duergar despot uses maneuvers (maneuver save Difficulty 17) and uses Psionics (wis) to cast spells (spell save Difficulty 14, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has 23 ki, a dice limit of 4, a mana limit of 2, regains all expended ki when it finishes a long rest, and regains half its total ki when it finishes a short rest.

It knows the following maneuvers, which it can use by expending a number of ki based on the maneuver’s dice cost:

1 stamina die: bonecrush, debilitating crush, disorient, hammer through, hammering blow, knockback, spring attack, trip

2 stamina dice: tremoring strike

It knows the following spells, which it can cast by expending 2 ki for each mana that the spell costs:

1 mana: dampen spell, teleport

2 mana: stinking cloud

1/rest each: enlarge/reduce (self only), invisibility (self only)

Magic Resistance. The duergar despot has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Psychic Engine. When the duergar despot suffers a critical hit or is reduced to 0 health, psychic energy erupts from its frame to deal 14 (4d6) psychic damage to each creature within 1 meter of it.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the duergar despot has disadvantage on attacks, as well as on Perception checks that rely on sight.

Actions (4)

Iron Fist (2/turn). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

Stomping Foot (2/turn). Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage, or 18 (3d8 + 5) bludgeoning damage if the target is prone.

Flame Jet (Costs 2 actions; Recharge 5–6). The duergar despot spews flames in a 10-meter cone or line. Each creature in that area must make a Difficulty 16 Reflex saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 56 (16d6) fire damage and is burning 3. On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t burning.

Mountain, Underdarkmtof

Maneuvers

As an action, make a melee weapon attack that deals bludgeoning damage to crush the creature’s skeletal structure.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and the creature must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or it is slowed 1 until the end of its next turn.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance
You can augment this maneuver with the following options, expending stamina dice for each option.
  • You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended and the slowed level by 1 for every two additional stamina die expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional stamina die so the creature is slowed for 1 minute/stamina die. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack with a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage to debilitate the creature.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and the creature must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or it only deals half damage until the end of its next turn..

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended. This augment also causes the creature to be debilitated for 1 minute/stamina die. At the end of each of its turns, a debilitated creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

1 minute/stamina die

As an action, make a weapon attack to disorient the creature.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and the creature must succeed on a Reflex saving throw or it can’t take reactions for the duration.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Enhance
You can augment this maneuver with the following options, expending stamina dice for each option.
  • You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

  • Stagger. You can expend 1 additional stamina die so the creature is staggered instead of not being able to take reactions, but only until the end of its next turn. You can expend 1 additional stamina die so the creature is staggered for the duration.

  • Incapacitate. You can expend 2 additional stamina die so the creature is incapacitated instead of not being able to take reactions, but only until the end of its next turn.

  • Stun. You can expend 4 additional stamina die so the creature is stunned instead of not being able to take reactions, but only until the end of its next turn.

As an action, make a weapon attack with a melee weapon that deals bludgeoning damage and then hammer through the target. Each creature within 1 meter of the target and within your weapon’s reach must make a Reflex saving throw.

On a failure, it takes bludgeoning damage equal to the stamina die.

On a critical failure, it takes twice as much damage.

On a success, it takes half as much damage.

On a critical success, it takes no damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack with a melee weapon that deals bludgeoning damage to smash through armor and bone.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Treat the target’s soak as being 2 less than normal.

Enhance
You can augment this maneuver with the following options, expending stamina dice for each option.
  • You can increase the damage and ignore an additional Soak for each additional stamina die expended.

  • Elder Mountain Hammer. You can expend 2 additional stamina dice to ignore damage resistances.

As an action, make a weapon attack to knock the creature back.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage and if the creature is your size or smaller, it must succeed on a Reflex saving throw or you push it 4 meters away from you.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage, push the creature an additional meter, and target a creature of a larger size for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, you can use the Dash action. If you move at least 3 meters straight toward a creature, you can make a melee weapon attack against it.

On a hit, add the stamina die to the attack’s damage.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Enhance

You can increase the damage for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack and a Brawn check to Trip.

Enhance

You can add the stamina die to the attack’s damage (add half on a miss by 4 or less) for each additional stamina die expended.

As an action, make a melee weapon attack with a weapon that deals bludgeoning damage to cause a tremor to ripple out from the creature. Each creature on the ground other than you within 1 meter of the creature must make a Reflex saving throw.

On a failure, a creature is knocked prone.

Enhance
You can augment this maneuver with the following options, expending stamina dice for each option.
  • You can add the stamina die as bludgeoning damage if the creature fails the saving throw for each additional stamina die expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional stamina dice to increase the area to within 2 meters of the creature.

Spells

As a reaction, which you use when a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters casts a spell, you can dampen the spell, making it easier to avoid or resist. The attack is made with disadvantage or each creature makes the first saving throw against the spell with advantage. You can do so after the roll but before any effects of the roll occur.

If the roll already has advantage or disadvantage, you cannot apply another instance of advantage or disadvantage and you must use this before the roll to cancel out any advantage or disadvantage.

Augment

Counterspell. You can expend 1 additional mana to attempt to interrupt the spell instead of dampen it. Make a skill check using your spellcasting skill. The Difficulty equals the creature’s spell Difficulty + the spell’s effective mana. If you have identified the spell being cast, you have advantage on this skill check.

On a success, the creature’s spell fails and has no effect.

On a failure, you dampen the spell as normal.

A spell’s effective mana is normally the amount of mana it was cast with, including augmentation. If a feature lets a spell be cast without expending mana then the spell’s effective mana is its normal mana cost.

You gain a +1 bonus to your skill check for each additional mana expended.

concentration, 5 minutes/mana

As an action, you can grow larger or smaller for the duration. Everything you are wearing and carrying changes size with you. Any item dropped by returns to normal size at once.

Enlarge. Your size doubles in all dimensions, and your weight is multiplied by eight. This growth increases your size by one category—from Medium to Large, for example. If there isn’t enough room for you to double your size, you attain the maximum possible size in the space available. Until the spell ends, you have advantage on Athletics and Brawn checks and any weapon you wield grows to match your new size, dealing 1d6 extra damage.

Reduce. Your size is halved in all dimensions, and your weight is reduced to one-eighth of normal. This reduction decreases your size by one category—from Medium to Small, for example. Until the spell ends, you have disadvantage on Athletics and Brawn checks and any weapon you wield shrinks to match your new size, dealing 1d6 less damage (this can’t reduce the damage below 1).

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can increase the damage by 1d6 for each additional mana expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional mana so a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters grows larger or smaller instead. If the creature is unwilling, it must succeed on a Fortitude saving throw or be affected by this spell. You can target one additional creature for each additional mana expended.

  • You can expend 1 additional mana to grow larger or smaller by one additional size.

    Enlarge. You gain 10 temporary health and your reach increases by 1 meter.

    Reduce. You have advantage on Stealth checks.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As an action, you become invisible for the duration. Anything you are wearing or carrying is invisible as long as it is on your person. The spell ends if you attack, throw a concoction, use a maneuver, or cast a spell.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • Shared Invisibility. You can target two additional creatures or objects for each additional mana expended. The creatures and objects must be within 5 meters of each other when you target them.

  • Continued Invisibility. You can expend 1 additional mana to change the duration to 1 hour/mana.

  • Mislead. You can expend 1 additional mana to create an illusory double of yourself where you are standing when you turn invisible.

    You can use an action to move your illusory double up to twice your speed and make it gesture, speak, and behave in whatever way you choose.

    You can see through its eyes and hear through its ears as if you were located where it is. On each of your turns as an action, you can switch from using its senses to using your own, or back again. While you are using its senses, you are blinded and deafened in regard to your own surroundings.

  • Misty Escape. You can expend 1 additional mana to cast the spell as a reaction, which you use when you are hit by an attack or missed by 4 or less. Change the duration to instantaneous. You can turn invisible and teleport up to 10 meters to an unoccupied space you can see. You halve the attack’s damage against you. You remain invisible until the start of your next turn or until you attack or cast a spell.

  • Greater Invisibility. You can expend 3 additional mana so the spell does not end for a target that attacks, throws a concoction, uses a maneuver, or casts a spell.

As an action, you teleport up to 20 meters to an unoccupied space that you can see.

You can bring along objects you are touching that aren’t worn or carried by another creature as long as their weight doesn’t exceed what you can carry.

If you teleport 5 meters or less, make a weapon attack.

On a hit, add 1d8 + your spellcasting ability to the attack’s damage roll.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

On a miss by 4 or less, add half as much damage.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can teleport an additional 100 meters for each additional mana expended.

  • You can increase the damage by 3d8 for each additional mana expended.

  • Joint Teleport. You can bring two additional willing creatures you touch with you for each additional mana expended. The creatures must be within one size category of you, must not be encumbered, and must be within 1 meter of you when you cast this spell.

  • There and Back Again. You can expend 1 additional mana at the end of your turn to teleport back to the spot you occupied before teleporting, unless it is now occupied or on a different plane of existence.

  • Dimension Door. You can expend 1 additional mana to teleport up to 100 meters to a place you can see, a place you can visualize, or a place you can describe by stating distance and direction, such as “20 meters straight downward” or “upward to the northwest at a 45° angle, 100 meters.” If you would arrive in a place already occupied by an object or a creature, you and any creature traveling with you each take 4d6 force damage, and the spell fails to teleport you.

  • Continuous Teleport. You can expend 2 additional mana to change the duration to 1 minute/mana and on each of your turns before the spell ends, you can use an action to teleport in this way again.

concentration, 1 minute/mana

As two actions, you create a sphere of yellow, nauseating gas twice as big as normal centered on a point within 20 meters. The cloud spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. The cloud lingers in the air for the duration.

A creature that enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Fortitude saving throw. If the creature doesn’t need to breathe or is immune to poison, the spell has no effect on it.

On a failure, it spends its actions that turn retching and reeling.

A moderate wind (at least 15 kilometers per hour) disperses the cloud after 4 rounds. A strong wind (at least 30 kilometers per hour) disperses it after 1 round.