Nothic

Nothic

Medium aberration
Challenge

STR
2
DEX
3
CON
3
INT
1
WIS
0
CHA
−1

45
6d8+18
17
Soak
1
Fort
+4
Ref
+3
Will
+0
Defense note natural armor

Speed 5 m.
Skills Insight +1 (12), Occult +2 (13), Perception +1 (12), Stealth +4 (15)
Senses truesight 20 m.
Languages Undercommon

Keen Sight. The nothic has advantage on Perception checks that rely on sight.

Spellcasting. The nothic uses Occult (int) to cast spells (spell save Difficulty 11, +2 to hit with spell attacks). It has 2 mana, a mana limit of 1, regains all expended mana when it finishes a long rest, and regains half its total mana when it finishes a short rest. It knows the following spells:

Cantrips (at will): cloud senses, true strike

1 mana: comprehend languages, extort truth, gaze of two minds, guiding bolt, guiding strike, judge, knowledge of the ages, locate, seeking strike

Actions (2)

Claw (2/turn). Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.

Rotting Gaze (1/turn). The nothic targets one creature it can see within 5 meters of it. The target must succeed on a Difficulty 13 Fortitude saving throw against this magic or take 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.

Weird Insight (1/turn). The nothic targets one creature it can see within 5 meters of it. The nothic’s makes an Insight check against the target’s passive Deception. If the nothic wins, it magically learns one fact or secret about the target. The target automatically wins if it is immune to being charmed.

Underdarkmm

Spells

As an action, you obscure the senses of a creature that you can touch or see within 5 meters. The creature must make a Fortitude saving throw.

On a failure, it takes 1d6 psychic damage and has disadvantage on the next attack it makes before the end of its next turn.

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.

At higher levels

This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 9th level (2d6) and 17th level (3d6).

As an action, you extend your hand and point a finger at a target within 10 meters. Your magic grants you a brief insight into the target’s defenses. If you attack the target before the end of your next turn, the first attack is made with advantage.

On a hit, add 1d6 damage 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.

(ritual); 1 hour/mana

As an action, you understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that you hear for the duration. You also understand any written language that you see, but you must be touching the surface on which the words are written. It takes about 1 minute to read one page of text.

This spell doesn’t decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn’t part of a written language.

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

  • Tongues. You can expend 1 additional mana so you also understands the true meaning of any spoken language you hear. Moreover, when you speak, any creature that knows at least one language and can hear you understands what you say.

1 minute/mana

As an action, a creature that you can touch or see within 10 meters must make a Will saving throw.

On a failure, you temporarily disrupt a creature’s ability to mask their true thoughts and intent. The creature is unable to speak a deliberate lie for the duration.

An affected creature is aware of the spell and can avoid answering questions they would normally have responded with a lie. Such a creature can remain evasive in its answers as they remain within the limits of truth.

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

  • Zone of Truth. You can expend 1 additional mana to create a magical zone that guards against deception in a sphere twice as big as normal centered on a point of your choice within 10 meters. The duration changes to 5 minutes/mana and until the spell ends, a creature that enters the spell’s area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Will saving throw.

concentration, 1 hour/mana

As an action, you touch a willing creature and perceive through its senses until the end of your next turn. You hear, see, smell, taste, and feel everything that the creature does. As long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can use an action on subsequent turns to maintain this connection, extending the duration until the end of your next turn.

While perceiving through the other creature’s senses, you benefit from any special senses possessed by that creature, you are blinded and deafened to your own surroundings, and if the creature is willing you can speak through it in your own voice, even if it is normally incapable of speech.

As an action, a flash of light streaks toward a creature within 20 meters. Make a ranged spell attack against the target.

On a hit, it takes 3d12 radiant damage and mystical dim light glitters on it, causing the next attack made against it to have advantage if it is made before the end of your next turn.

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

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

Augment

You can increase the damage by 3d12 for each additional mana expended.

As an action, make a weapon attack.

On a hit, add 2d8 + your spellcasting ability radiant damage to the attack’s damage roll and mystical dim light glitters on it, causing the next attack made against it to have advantage if it is made before the end of your next turn.

On a critical hit, add twice as much damage.

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

Augment

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

As a reaction, which you use when you make an Insight check, you gain temporary, intuitive insight into piercing lies. You make the roll 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.

As you spend 10 minutes to cast this spell, you learn a language or become capable, or proficient if you are already capable, with a skill for the duration.

Augment
You can augment this spell with the following options, expending mana for each option.
  • You can expend 1 additional mana to become proficient if you aren’t already capable.

  • You learn an additional language or become capable with an additional skill for each additional mana expended.

(ritual); concentration, 5 minutes/mana

As an action, describe or name an object that is familiar to you. You sense the direction to the object’s location, as long as that object is within 400 meters of you. If the object is in motion, you know the direction of its movement.

The spell can locate a specific object known to you, as long as you have seen it up close—within 5 meters—at least once. Alternatively, the spell can locate the nearest object of a particular kind, such as a certain kind of apparel, jewelry, furniture, tool, or weapon.

This spell can’t locate an object if any thickness of lead, even a thin sheet, blocks a direct path between you and the object.

Augment

Locate Creature. You can expend 1 additional mana to locate a creature instead of an object. Describe or name a creature that is familiar to you. You sense the direction to the creature’s location, as long as that creature is within 400 meters of you. If the creature is moving, you know the direction of its movement.

The spell can locate a specific creature known to you, or the nearest creature of a specific kind (such as a human or a unicorn), so long as you have seen such a creature up close—within 5 meters—at least once. If the creature you described or named is in a different form, such as being under the effects of a polymorph spell, this spell doesn’t locate the creature.

This spell can’t locate a creature if running water at least 2 meters wide blocks a direct path between you and the creature.

As an action, make a ranged weapon attack as the weapon’s ammunition, or the weapon itself if it’s a thrown weapon, curves and twists its path in search of its prey. Choose a creature you have seen in the past minute. The projectile or weapon flies up to 100 meters beyond its normal maximum toward that creature, moving around corners if necessary and ignoring three-quarters cover and half-cover.

If the creature is within the weapon’s range and there is a path large enough for the weapon or projectile to travel to the creature, the creature must make a Reflex saving throw.

On a failure, it takes damage as if it were hit by the weapon or projectile plus an additional 2d6 + your spellcasting ability damage, and you learn the creature’s current location.

Augment

You can increase the weapon or projectile damage by 3d6 and the range by 100 meters for each additional mana expended.