Credits Project Lead: Valentin Prévost Designers: Boyan Valev, DevlinDM, Joe Gaylord, Kirsty Kidd, Sean vas Terra, Xhango Games, Zavier Bates Editing: Boyan Valev, Kirsty Kidd, Valentin Prévost, Zavier Bates Layout: Sean vas Terra Graphic Designer: Taron “Indestructoboy” Pounds Cover Illustrator: Beto Lima (artstation.com/betolima) Interior Illustrators: Adobe Stock Images, www.critical-hit.biz, DMsGuild Creator Resource, Fantasy Clip Inks, Fat Goblin Games, Rick Herhey, Henrik “Bag” Karppinen, Fil Kearney, Jeremy Mohler, Matt Morrow, Taron Pounds, Dean Spencer, Boyan Valev Cartographers: CzePeku (patreon.com/czepeku), Dyson Logos (dysonlogos.blog), Valentin Prévost, Party of Two (patreon.com/ partyoftwo) DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. Artwork Copyrights Artwork licenses for some interior art are as follows: Fil Kearney © 2021 <https://www.FilKearney.com> Matt Morrow © 2020 Jeremy Mohler © 2014, Standard Stock Art by Outland Entertainment Dean Spencer © 2015 Some art from this publication was sourced from the collection Chamomile Has Illustrations. The art from Chamomile Has Illustrations is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The following artists have contributed to the pack: Alhazartfinds: https://www.fiverr.com/alhazartfinds Custin: https://www.fiverr.com/custin Deckydraws: https://www.fiverr.com/deckydraws f*ckamihb: https://www.fiverr.com/f*ckamihb Jraijin: https://www.fiverr.com/jraijin Nelnes: https://www.fiverr.com/nelnes PastellePrince: https://www.deviantart.com/dandiibunii The art from Chamomile Has Illustrations was originally commissioned for the tabletop RPG Dark Lord: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/347930/Dark-Lord You can discuss the art included at Chamomile's Discord: https://discord.gg/25hmzuX All other original material in this work is copyright 2022 by the authors and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. Version: 1.0 (January 2022) ON THE COVER Adventurers desperately try to stop the Kraken Priestess from awakening the terrors of the depths - but they’re not doing so good, as they didn’t know she could use a lair action to be lifted up into the air by a column of swirling water! Brought to life by Beto Lima, this book’s take on the Kraken Priest boss battle is but one of many awesome cinematic moments your players will get to experience thanks to Home-Field Advantage. Disclaimer: the authors of this book do not condone placing deadly traps in your home, magical or otherwise, and may not be held responsible for injuries caused to or by curious adventurers who dared to challenge your reign of terror.
Contents Introduction....................................................1 Abominable Yeti ............................................4 Allip ...............................................................5 Angels............................................................6 » Deva...........................................................6 » Planetar......................................................6 » Solar...........................................................6 Archer ............................................................8 Archdruid .......................................................8 Arena Fighters................................................9 » Champion...................................................9 » Gladiator....................................................9 Astral Dreadnought......................................10 Azer.............................................................. 11 Bandit Captain .............................................12 Banshee ........................................................12 Bard..............................................................14 Barghest .......................................................14 Basilisk.........................................................15 Behir.............................................................16 Beholderkin..................................................17 Beholder...................................................17 Death Kiss................................................18 Gauth........................................................19 Spectator..................................................20 Berbalang .....................................................20 Black Pudding..............................................21 Blackguard ...................................................21 Bodak ...........................................................22 Boneclaw......................................................23 Bugbear Chief..............................................24 Cadaver Collector ........................................25 Cambion.......................................................25 Catoblepas....................................................26 Chimera........................................................27 Choldrith ......................................................28 Chuul............................................................29 Cloaker.........................................................30 Clockworks..................................................31 » Bronze Scout............................................31 » Iron Cobra................................................31 » Stone Defender ........................................31 » Oaken Bolter............................................31 Corpse Flower..............................................32 Couatl...........................................................32 Cult Fanatic..................................................33 Cyclops ........................................................34 Darkling Elder..............................................35 Death Knight................................................35 Deathlocks....................................................37 » Deathlock.................................................37 » Deathlock Wight ......................................37 » Deathlock Mastermind.............................37 Deep Scion...................................................38 Demons........................................................39 Alkilith.....................................................39 Babau .......................................................41 Balor ........................................................41 Barlgura ...................................................43 Devourer..................................................44 Dybbuk ....................................................45 Glabrezu...................................................45 Goristro....................................................46 Marilith ....................................................49 Molydeus.................................................49 Nabassu....................................................50 Nalfeshnee ...............................................51 Shadow Demon........................................52 Sibriex......................................................52 Tanarukk ..................................................53 Vrock........................................................54 Wastrilith..................................................54 Derro Savant ................................................56 Devils...........................................................57 Abishai, Black..........................................57 Abishai, Blue ...........................................57 Abishai, Green .........................................58 Abishai, Red ............................................59 Abishai, White .........................................59 Amnizu ....................................................60 Barbed Devil............................................60 Bone Devil...............................................61 Chain Devil..............................................62 Erinyes.....................................................64 Ice Devil...................................................64 Narzugon..................................................66 Orthon......................................................66 Pit Fiend...................................................67 Displacer Beast ............................................69 Doppelganger...............................................69 Dracolich......................................................70 Dragon Turtle...............................................71 Drows...........................................................72 Draegloth .................................................72 Drider.......................................................73 Drow Arachnomancer..............................74 Drow Inquisitor........................................75 Drow Temple of Lolth..................................75 » Drow Priestess of Lolth ...........................75 » Drow Favored Consort ............................75 » Drow Matron Mother...............................75 Drow Warband .............................................77 » Drow Elite Warrior ..................................77 » Drow Mage ..............................................77 » Drow House Captain................................77 » Drow Shadowblade..................................77 Yochlol.........................................................79 Druid ............................................................81 Dryad............................................................81 Duergar Despot ............................................83 Eidolon.........................................................84 Eladrins........................................................84 » Autumn Eladrin .......................................84 » Spring Eladrin..........................................84 » Summer Eladrin.......................................84 » Winter Eladrin..........................................84 Elder Elementals..........................................85 Elder Tempest ..........................................86 Leviathan .................................................86 Phoenix ....................................................87 Zaratan ....................................................88 Elemental Myrmidons..................................89 » Air Elemental Myrmidon.........................89 » Earth Elemental Myrmidon .....................89 » Fire Elemental Myrmidon........................89 » Water Elemental Myrmidon.....................89 Elementals....................................................89 Air Elemental...........................................90 Earth Elemental .......................................91 Fire Elemental..........................................92 Water Elemental.......................................92 Empyrean .....................................................93 Ettin..............................................................95 Faerie Dragon...............................................96 Flail Snail.....................................................97 Flameskull....................................................97 Flumph .........................................................97 Fomorian......................................................98 Froghemoth..................................................99 Frost Salamander .......................................100 Galeb Duhr.................................................101 Gargoyle.....................................................101 Gelatinous Cube.........................................102 Genies ........................................................102 Dao.........................................................102 Djinni.....................................................103 Efreeti ....................................................103 Marid......................................................104 Ghost..........................................................104 Ghoulkin ....................................................105 » Ghoul .....................................................105 » Ghast......................................................105 » Maurezhi................................................105 Giant Ape ...................................................107 Giant Crocodile..........................................107 Giant Shark ................................................108 Giants......................................................... 110 Cloud Giant............................................ 110 Cloud Giant Smiling One ...................... 110 Fire Giant............................................... 111 Fire Giant Dreadnought......................... 112 Frost Giant ............................................. 114 Frost Giant Everlasting One .................. 115 Hill Giant ............................................... 115 Mouth of Grolantor................................ 116 Stone Giant ............................................116 Stone Giant Dreamwalker...................... 117 Storm Giant............................................ 118 Gibbering Mouther..................................... 119 Girallon ...................................................... 119 Githyanki Captain ......................................120 » Githyanki Knight ...................................120 » Githyanki Gish.......................................120 » Githyanki Kith’rak.................................120 » Githyanki Supreme Commander ...........120 Githzerai Master.........................................122 » Githzerai Zerth ......................................122 » Githzerai Enlightened ............................122 » Githzerai Anarch....................................122 Gnoll Alpha................................................123 » Gnoll Pack Lord.....................................123 » Gnoll Fang of Yeenoghu........................123 » Shoosuva................................................123 » Flind.......................................................123 Goblin Boss................................................125 Golems.......................................................126 Clay Golem............................................126 Flesh Golem...........................................127 Iron Golem.............................................127 Stone Golem ..........................................128 Gorgon .......................................................128 Gray Render...............................................129 Gricks.........................................................129 » Grick ......................................................129 » Grick Alpha............................................129
Griffon........................................................130 Grung Elite Warrior....................................130 Guardian Naga ...........................................131 Hags ...........................................................132 Annis Hag ..............................................132 Bheur Hag..............................................134 Green Hag..............................................134 Night Hag...............................................136 Sea Hag..................................................137 Hag Coven .............................................138 Helmed Horror...........................................140 Hobgoblin Devastator................................141 Hobgoblin Iron Shadow.............................141 Hydra..........................................................142 Illithid.........................................................143 Mind Flayers..........................................143 » Mind Flayer ........................................143 » Mind Flayer Arcanist..........................143 » Mind Flayer Psion...............................143 » Alhoon.................................................143 Mindwitness...........................................144 Neothelid................................................145 Ulitharid.................................................146 Ki-rin..........................................................147 Knight ........................................................148 Kobolds Pack .............................................148 » Kobold ...................................................148 » Kobold Dragonshield.............................148 » Kobold Scale Sorcerer...........................148 Korred ........................................................149 Kraken Priest..............................................150 Kuo-Toa Archpriest....................................152 Lamia .........................................................153 Lycanthropes..............................................154 » Wererat...................................................154 » Werewolf................................................154 » Wereboar................................................154 » Weretiger................................................154 » Werebear................................................154 Mages.........................................................156 » Illusionist ...............................................156 » Enchanter...............................................156 » Transmuter.............................................156 » Conjurer.................................................156 » Mage ......................................................156 » Diviner...................................................156 » Abjurer...................................................156 » Necromancer..........................................156 » Evoker....................................................156 » Archmage...............................................156 Mammoth...................................................159 Manticore ...................................................160 Martial Arts Adept......................................160 Marut..........................................................161 Medusa.......................................................162 Meenlock....................................................164 Minotaur.....................................................165 Morkoth......................................................166 Nagpa .........................................................167 Neogi Master..............................................168 Nightwalker................................................169 Nilbog ........................................................170 Noble..........................................................171 Nothic.........................................................172 Oblex..........................................................173 » Adult Oblex ...........................................173 » Elder Oblex............................................173 Ogres..........................................................173 » Ogre .......................................................173 » Ogre Bolt Launcher ...............................173 » Ogre Howdah.........................................173 » Ogre Chain Brute...................................173 » Ogre Battering Ram...............................173 Oni..............................................................175 Orc Leader .................................................175 » Orc Claw of Luthic ................................175 » Orc Eye of Gruumsh..............................175 » Orc Hand of Yurtrus...............................175 » Orog .......................................................175 » Orc Red Fang of Shargras......................175 » Orc Blade of Inleval...............................175 » Orc War Chief........................................175 Otyugh........................................................177 Owlbear......................................................178 Pegasus.......................................................179 Phase Spider...............................................179 Priest ..........................................................180 Rakshasa ....................................................181 Redcaps......................................................182 Remorhaz ...................................................183 Roc .............................................................184 Rogues........................................................185 » Spy .........................................................185 » Master Thief...........................................185 » Assassin .................................................185 Roper..........................................................185 Sahuagin Baron..........................................187 Salamander.................................................188 Scarecrow...................................................188 Shadar-Kai .................................................189 » Shadow Dancer......................................189 » Gloom Weaver.......................................189 » Soul Monger ..........................................189 Shadow Dragon..........................................190 Shambling Mound......................................191 Shopkeeper.................................................191 Skulk ..........................................................192 Skull Lord ..................................................193 Slaad, Death ...............................................194 Slaadi, Lesser.............................................194 » Red Slaad...............................................194 » Blue Slaad..............................................194 » Green Slaad............................................194 » Gray Slaad .............................................194 Sorrowsworn..............................................196 The Angry ..............................................196 The Hungry............................................197 The Lonely.............................................198 Spawn of Kyuss .........................................199 Spirit Naga .................................................200 Star Spawn Cult Leader .............................201 » Star Spawn Seer.....................................201 » Star Spawn Larva Mage.........................201 Swashbuckler.............................................202 Swarm of Cranium Rats.............................203 Sword Wraith Commander ........................204 Tarrasque....................................................205 Townsfolk ..................................................206 Treant .........................................................207 Trolls..........................................................208 Dire Troll ...............................................208 Rot Troll.................................................209 Spirit Troll..............................................209 Troll .......................................................210 Venom Troll ...........................................210 Tunneling Insects....................................... 211 » Ankheg................................................... 211 » Kruthik Hive Lord ................................. 211 Tyrannosaurus Rex.....................................212 Umber Hulk ...............................................213 Unicorn ......................................................213 Vampires ....................................................214 » Vampire..................................................214 » Vampire Spellcaster...............................214 » Vampire Warrior ....................................214 Vampire Spawn ..........................................215 Vegepygmy Chief.......................................216 War Priest...................................................217 Warlock of the Archfey..............................218 Warlock of the Fiend..................................218 Warlock of the Great Old One ...................220 Warlords.....................................................221 » Duergar Warlord ....................................221 » Hobgoblin Warlord ................................221 » Drow House Captain..............................221 » Warlord ..................................................221 Water Weird ...............................................222 Will-o’-Wisp ..............................................223 Wolf Pack Alpha ........................................224 » Dire Wolf ...............................................224 » Winter Wolf............................................224 Wood Woad................................................225 Wraith.........................................................225 Wyvern.......................................................226 Xorn ...........................................................228 Yuan-ti Leader............................................229 » Yuan-ti Mind Whisperer ........................229 » Yuan-ti Nightmare Speaker....................229 » Yuan-ti Pit Master..................................229 » Yuan-ti Abomination..............................229 » Yuan-ti Anathema ..................................229 Yugoloths...................................................230 Arcanaloth..............................................230 Canoloth.................................................232 Hydroloth...............................................232 Oinoloth .................................................234 Ultroloth.................................................235 Zombie Horde ............................................236 Designer Credits.........................................237 » indicates groups of creatures that share the same lair action options
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 1 Introduction Introducctiion Lair actions, introduced in D&D 5th Edition, give shape to epic battles by introducing new gameplay mechanics which the players will associate with a boss monster for years to come. However, despite the fact that player characters face off against boss monsters at every tier of play, only a small portion of creatures, most of which in the 3rd and 4th tiers of play, were given lair actions. This book provides a collection of over 250 unique sets of lair actions, covering more than 320 of the most iconic D&D creatures, so that you can create thrilling boss battles for every tier of play, and breathe new life into some of your old favorites. How to Use This Book If a creature has lair actions, it means the creature’s lair has either been suffused with the creature’s magic, or prepared in various ways, to help the creature ward off invaders. Creatures Featured. The stat blocks and descriptions for the creatures mentioned in this book are not included, but every set of lair actions references the exact book and page where more information about the creature can be found. Creatures featured in this book come from 3 sources: the Monster Manual (MM), Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes (MTF), and Volo’s Guide to Monsters (VGM). Creatures Not Featured. If a creature was not given lair actions by this book, it can mean one of three things: • The creature already had a satisfactory set of lair actions. e.g. most dragons & demon lords • The creature is unlikely to set up a lair - it is more likely to go out into the world and attack instead. e.g. the retriever • The creature was deemed too unlikely to be used as a boss. e.g. the goblin was not given lair actions, but the goblin boss was. Using Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing all initiative ties), the creature can use one of its lair action options. It can’t do so while incapacitated or otherwise unable to take actions. If surprised, it can’t use one until after its first turn in combat. Some creatures can’t use the same effect twice in a row, others can. Refer to the individual set of lair actions to know exactly how each set of lair actions functions. Some lair actions have effects which last a long time - when a creature has such an effect, consider whether or not the effect would already be active before initiative is even rolled when building an encounter. Challenge Rating When fighting a creature with lair actions within its lair, the creature’s challenge rating is increased by 1. If the creature was too strong or too weak in its published version for its given challenge rating, the lair actions presented in this book try to compensate by giving slightly weaker or stronger lair actions. Shared Archetypes Often, two or more creatures embody the same monster archetype at different tiers of play, such as adult and ancient dragons of the same kind, or the mage and archmage stat blocks from the Monster Manual. Creatures which could be grouped in this way are given a single set of lair actions, which every member of the group uses. These lair actions are balanced for the strongest creature of the group, and if you are using another member of the group, you will need to adapt a few aspects of the lair effects: the DC of saving throws caused by the effect, the damage caused by the effect, the amount and type of minions summoned by the effect. The Group Lair table on the following page is based on the Monster Statistics by Challenge Rating table from the Dungeon Masters Guide (p. 274). It should help you balance these effects appropriately. Look up the challenge rating of the creature outside of its lair in the first column, and the rest of the row will give you a good idea of how powerful this creature’s lair actions should be:
Introduction 2 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Note that these are baseline values. For example, an effect which paralyzes every creature in the lair should have a lower save DC than an effect which frightens one creature in the lair, and an effect which deals damage to a single creature should deal more damage than an effect which damages every creature in the lair. Horde Lairs A few of the creatures featured in this book are not boss monsters, but hordes of smaller creatures, such as the gnolls or zombies. In these cases, the set of lair actions describes additional rules for how to run these lair actions. Shared Lairs In your adventures as the Dungeon Master, you might create situations where two or more creatures who each have lair actions of their own are found in the same lair - for example, a pegasus and its war priest rider both living on the same isolated mountain, or an evil archmage with a mage apprentice, and a flesh golem protector. When this happens, you typically have two options: • Only the strongest creature gets to use lair actions, as it is usually the leader, and the creature who the lair actually belongs to. • More than one creature gets to use lair actions: the stronger one uses them on initiative count 20, and the second strongest uses them on initiative count 10. If more than two creatures can use lair actions, any creature beyond the second strongest uses its lair action on its turn. In this case, note that the challenge rating of each creature who gets to use their lair actions is increased by 1. Multiple Sets of Lair Actions Some creatures already had lair actions in their published form (e.g. hags, who are given lair actions in Volo’s Guide to Monsters), but we decided to write new ones ourselves. Others fit more than one archetype (e.g. the drow house captain which fits in the same boxes as both the warlord and the drow shadowblade). In both of these cases, the creature ends up with more than one set of lair actions. As the DM, you can either choose one of the sets of lair actions and use this one exclusively, or view it as additional options the creature can choose from when it takes a lair action. The first solution is usually simpler to run, while the second gives you more ways to show the creature’s identity and uniqueness to your players. Lairs as Areas of Effect A good number of the lair actions provided in this book target one or more creatures “within the lair”. The size of this area is up to the creature, the lair, and your own judgement as the Dungeon Master. For example, you might define a giant crocodile’s lair as the 300-foot-radius circle around the place where it sleeps, while others, such as the Djinni, might have a lair that is an entire palace with dozens of rooms, and multiple levels. Player Character Lairs It is common practice to reward player characters with a home base of their own when they reach the 2nd or 3rd tier of play. If you do, you might be tempted to give the player characters lair actions based on those given to humanoids by this book. If you do, we recommend the following: • Only let player characters use lair actions after they’ve spent a significant amount of time and resources bolstering the defenses of their home base, and setting it up as a proper lair. This provides the players with a rewarding gold sink, Group Lair CR Save DC Damage Max. Minion CR <1 13 2-3 0 1 13 6-12 1/8 2 13 6-12 1/4 3 13 6-12 1/2 4 14 6-12 1 5 15 6-12 2 6 15 6-12 2 7 15 6-12 3 8 16 6-12 3 9 16 6-12 4 10 16 8-15 4 11 17 8-15 5 12 18 8-15 5 13 18 8-15 6 14 18 10-18 6 15 18 10-18 7 16 18 10-18 7 17 19 10-18 8 18 19 12-20 8 19 19 12-20 9 20 20 12-20 9 >20 21-24 15-25 10
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 3 Introduction and gives them something to work towards after they’ve already acquired a home base. • If more than one player character has been rewarded with the ability to use lair actions, have the player characters use their lair action on their own turn, rather than at initiative count 20. • While they are in their lair, consider the player characters to be 2 or 3 levels higher than they usually are, for the purpose of balancing encounters. Creating Lair Actions If you wish to use a creature from a source not covered by this book, you might want to create lair actions for it yourself. If you do, here are some of the lessons learned over the course of writing this book. Lair Actions should be: • Tactically varied. Try to give each lair action a different strategic purpose. If a creature’s lair actions all do the same thing with a different coat of paint, the battle risks getting stale fairly quickly for the players. Here are examples of things lair actions are good at: dealing damage, protecting minions and/or the boss, making allies and/or the boss stronger, making enemies weaker, creating obstacles, moving creatures around, calling for reinforcements, creating obstructions to vision, etc… • Interactive. Try to come up with lair actions that the players can do something about. D&D is at its best when players are presented with problems that they must solve creatively, and lair actions are a perfect excuse to introduce such problems. Avoid effects which take agency away from the players, such as the stunned condition, unless you give the players a way to end the effect themselves in one way or another. • Synergistic. Try to come up with effects which synergize well with a creature’s mechanics. For example, if a creature has blindsight, creating areas of magical darkness is likely to be a good lair action. Not every stat block lends itself well to this, but if you see an opportunity to make a creature’s unique traits and abilities shine, make sure to seize it! • Simple to run. It’s inevitable that adding lair actions where there were none before adds some complexity to the game, but making sure the effects are easy to run at the table ensures that combat won’t get bogged down. Keep the effects to one or two paragraphs, reduce the number of dice that will need to be thrown, use the same save DC and damage dice from the creature’s stat block, etc... • Narratively coherent. Some effects, such as summoning minions, giving the boss a chance to hide, or healing the boss, are likely to make combat noticeably longer. They would be great for encounters that are designed to feel like a marathon, but would feel out of place in high octane combat encounters designed to last only 2-3 very intense rounds. When designing a creature’s lair actions, make sure to ask yourself whether or not the mechanics produce the desired narrative effect.
Bestiary A 4 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE A Abominable Yeti CR 9, MM p. 306 Living secluded in icy caves high up in inaccessible mountains, the abominable yetis are dangerous territorial creatures that will react violently to any who intrude on their snowy domains. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the yeti can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The yeti howls, causing icicles to crumble from the ceiling on a point it chooses within 120 feet. Creatures within 10 feet must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 16 (3d10) bludgeoning damage. • The yeti reaches out to a chunk of half-frozen meat scattered about its lair and eats it to restore its strength, regaining 9 (2d8) hit points. • A howling blizzard sweeps into the yeti’s lair. Until the yeti uses another lair action, the lair becomes heavily obscured and difficult terrain for all creatures except yetis. Additionally, the raging winds are freezing cold, and each creature within the yeti’s lair must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 14 (4d6) cold damage, and cannot take reactions until the end of its next turn. Creatures resistant or immune to cold damage automatically succeed on this saving throw. Regional Effects The yeti’s presence affects the climate around its lair, producing one or several of the following effects: • A perpetual blizzard rages in a 6 mile radius around the yeti’s lair. A creature inside the blizzard has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks, and cannot see anything that is beyond 30 feet of it. • The area of a yeti’s lair is incredibly cold, liquids in the area are chilled and freeze almost instantly if they are in an open container. • A 500 feet area around a yeti’s lair is devoid of wildlife as the yeti has marked its lair’s boundaries with crude totems formed from mangled carcasses. Any beast of lower CR than the yeti that sees these warnings must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened and unable to willingly enter the yeti’s lair. The beast can repeat this saving throw once every day. These effects end 1d6 hours after the yeti dies. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 5 Bestiary A Allip CR 5, MTF, p.116 An allip could be found in any place where a life changing secret was once held. Most are more isolated, which drives the allip mad as it longs to share the secrets it has uncovered, but can’t: the ruins of a lost civilization, or an abandoned wizard’s tower for example. But sometimes, an allip is created in the middle of a settlement, causing abrupt and utter chaos wherever they go: a temple whose priests have discovered a forbidden truth about the universe, or the sewers of a city where whispers can be heard in the dark. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the allip can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The allip’s lair contains three small extradimensional spaces which contain fractions of the allips’ maddening secrets and are large enough for a small creature to fit within. The allip collapses one of these spaces and regains use of its howling babble ability. A new space appears in 1 week. When a space collapses, any items or creatures within the space are shunted out. • Maddened versions of wildlife are driven to attack intruders. Up to 1d4 swarms of rats join the fight and act before the allip in initiative order. Whenever the allip uses its whispers of madness ability, the swarms must use their reactions, if available, to make one melee weapon attack against one creature within their reach. • The allip targets any number of creatures it can see within 30 feet of it. Each target must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until initiative count 20 on the next round. DYSON LOGOS
Bestiary A 6 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Angels Deva CR 10 MM, p.261 Planetar CR 16 MM, p.262 Solar CR 21 MM, p.262 The divine realm of which angels make their lair is not a place of war, but rather an expansion and collection of their raw divine power. Law and good radiate throughout the lair, expelling evil and empowering allies. Woe to those that dare tread against an angel in their lair. An angel’s lair is usually extremely well lit, whether this is from permanent magic such as the light spell or the remnants of creatures who invaded the lair and were banished, to serve time within the lair as punishment. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), an angel can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Each of the angel’s allies within the lair regain 18 (4d8) hit points and are freed from any curse, disease, poison, blindness, or deafness. • The angel releases a wave of divine power. Each creature of the angel’s choice within 60 feet of it that can see it must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. • The angel chooses up to three hostile creatures within its lair that it can see. Each target creature must succeed on a DC 20 Charisma saving throw or be banished from the angel’s lair, to a harmless demiplane. While there, the target is incapacitated. In the banished creature’s space appears a mote of light which holds onto the banishing magic. A mote of light sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. As part of this action, the angel can also move any mote of light it can see up to 30 feet in any direction. A mote of light can be attacked (AC 12, 50 hit points, immune to radiant damage). The mote disappears when destroyed or the angel chooses to end the effect, at which point the target reappears in the space the mote was destroyed or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 7 Bestiary A CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU The lair of an angel guarding the entrance to Celestia. This lair is constantly illuminated with brilliant radiance and adorned with massive golden swords, symbolic of this angel’s allegiance to a diety of war.
Bestiary A 8 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Archer CR 3, VGM p.210 Though they spend most missions out and about, when archers do settle down and form a lair, it is usually in a castle they are tasked with defending, or a bandit camp they are the captain of. A skilled archer will use the features of the terrain; and prepare some equipment it can use to its advantage in a pinch. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the archer can take a lair action to create one of the following effects, it can’t use the same action two rounds in a row: • The archer throws a firecracker at its feet, and creates a 15-foot-radius sphere of smoke centered on itself. The sphere spreads around corners, and its area is heavily obscured. It lasts for one minute, or until a wind of moderate or greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses it. The archer knows its lair like the back of its hand. All creatures other than the archer have disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) check within the smoke. • The archer shoots a fire arrow at a hidden flask of oil on the ground within 150 feet of it. A 15-foot square erupts in flames, and each creature in the area must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful save. Once the archer has used this lair action, it cannot target the same area with it until it finishes a short or long rest. • The archer fires a grappling arrow and uses it to reach some high ground and put some distance between its enemies and itself. The archer moves up to its movement speed. During this movement, and until the end of its next turn, it has a climbing speed equal to its walking speed. • The archer shoots an arrow at an alarm bell, requiring reinforcements. On initiative count 20 on the next round, up to 2d6 guards or bandits appear in unoccupied spaces at least 60 feet away from the archer. Once the archer has used this effect, it can’t use it again until the next dawn. Archdruid CR 12, VGM p.210 In the deepest forests and wild places, archdruids praise the ancient spirits of nature in secret circles. The nature of a druid circle depends on the personality of its master and they can hold as much diversity and variety as the myriad faces of Nature itself. Some are plains filled with predators, some secret groves in the deep forest hosting fey and exotic plants, some are desolate wastes of swampland and rot. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the archdruid can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects, it can’t use the same effect two turns in a row: • The druid passes their awareness into one creature within its circle. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the archdruid can see and hear through the senses of a beast it is familiar with that is within its lair, and any spell it casts can originate from that creature’s space instead of its own. • The weather in the circle shifts at the will of the druid. The archdruid may create fog, wind or rain in one 30-foot-radius circle anywhere within its lair. Fog causes an area to be heavily obscured.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 9 Bestiary A Wind causes the area to become difficult terrain for the duration, and makes flight impossible, knocking any flying creatures to the ground. Rain douses any natural fires and causes the area to be lightly obscured. These effects last until the archdruid uses this ability again, or dismisses this effect as an action. • The plant life in part of the lair forms itself into a dense hedgerow, as per the wall of thorns spell (save DC 17). The druid can have up to 5 of these walls active at a time. Any subsequent uses of this lair action cause one of the existing walls to fall apart into mundane plants. The archdruid can also dismiss any number of these walls as an action. Arena Fighters Champion CR 9 VGM, p.212 Gladiator CR 5, MM p.346 Arena Fighters live and die for the crowd. While all eyes are on them, sweating in the middle of the arena, they care more about putting on a good show than they do about winning - but if they are here today, it is because they have yet to lose. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the arena fighter can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The booming voices of the cheerful crowd make the combattants enter a battle trance. Until the arena fighter uses a different lair action, all creatures within the arena are resistant to the first instance of damage they take on each turn. • Each creature which has less than half of its maximum hit points within the arena must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw to shake off its injuries and stand proud, or the crowd starts booing them. On a failure, the creature becomes frightened of all hostile creatures for one minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. On a successful save, the creature has advantage on all of its attack rolls until the end of its next turn. • The arena fighter makes a DC 12 Charisma (Persuasion) check to convince the referees to throw a little excitement and unpredictability into the battle, which it makes at disadvantage if it has successfully used this lair action since the last time it has taken a long rest. On a success, four hungry lions are released into the arena. They attack any creature who is not a lion. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU One such arena, with portcullises on the west and east walls allowing for wild beasts to be unleashed upon the other contestants.
Bestiary A 10 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Astral Dreadnought CR 21 MTF p.117 The astral dreadnoughts are known best as wandering predators, titanic sharks of the astral sea. As with great sharks, they do, at times, establish specific hunting grounds near prominent points in the astral, such as the bodies of dead gods or great floating mountains. Such locations are naturally made vastly more hazardous being the adopted home of such a being, and all but the suicidally brave avoid entering the lair of an astral dreadnought. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the astral dreadnought can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t take the same effect two rounds in a row: • The presence of the dreadnought warps gravity in the plane around it. Each creature within 100 feet of the dreadnought must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be pulled 30 feet toward the dreadnought and have its speed halved until initiative count 20 on the next round. If a creature is pulled within 10 feet of the dreadnought by this effect, the dreadnought can use its reaction to make a bite attack against that creature. • Psychic resonance manifests from inside the dreadnought’s donjon. A shadowy figure with the appearance of a creature currently inside the dreadnought’s donjon manifests in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of the dreadnought. The duplicate is a huge or smaller aberration, has an AC of 21, 1 hit point, a fly speed of 30 feet, is immune to all conditions and uses the dreadnought’s saving throw bonuses. Though it appears to use a melee attack appropriate to the creature, it attacks and deals damage equal to the dreadnought’s claw attack. It moves toward and attacks the creature nearest to it, which can include the dreadnought, when it manifests, and on each subsequent round on initiative count 20. • A blast of psychic wind blows through the lair. Each creature in a line that is 50 feet long and 10 feet wide originating at a point within 50 feet of the dreadnought must succeed on a DC 19 Intelligence saving throw or be blown 50 feet in the direction of the line and suffer one random short term madness effect (see DMG chapter 8). Creatures affected in this way can repeat this saving throw at the end of their turn, ending the short term madness on a success. Regional Effects The astral dreadnought’s presence warps the astral space around it, producing one or several of the following effects: • Tiny objects and fragments of debris are randomly scattered within 6 miles of the astral dreadnought. • Creatures and unsecured objects within 6 miles of the astral dreadnought can feel a very light pull in the direction of the dreadnought. • Creatures within 6 miles of the astral dreadnought have the urge to flee, as they sense an overwhelming presence approaching them. Any creature completing a long or short rest in that area must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or suffer a short term madness effect. These effects end immediately when the astral dreadnought dies.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 11 Bestiary A Azer CR 2, MM, p.22 The azer build intricate patterns into every single surface and object they craft, and this makes their lairs some of the most awe-inspiring structures in all of the realms. The centerpiece of an Azer’s lair is usually the imposing forge where they spend their days hammering new projects into existence. Teamwork. An azer’s lair comes about when 5 or more azer establish a defense around their central forge. The azer cannot use lair actions if less than 3 azer are in the lair and are not incapacitated. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the azer can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The forge bursts with the spark of life, creating a new azer to join the fray. The azer appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of a source of fire. Once this lair action has been used, it cannot be used again for 1 week. • The flames of the forge unleash a wave of intense heat. Each creature within the lair must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 16 (3d10) fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. • The azer within the lair gain the effects of a warm shield as per the fire shield spell. This effect lasts until another lair action is used. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU
Bestiary B 12 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE B Bandit Captain CR 2, MM, p.344 Some gangs protect their territory, but most rule with fear and intimidation. A bandit captain and their gang of thugs might lord it over a small village, or control an entire district of a city. Gangs usually have a hideout that is both defensible and difficult to gain entry to, whether it be in an abandoned mine, the back rooms of a casino, a run down warehouse, or a crude shelter in the sewers. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the bandit captain can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The bandit captain rallies its gang by insulting its enemies. Each of the bandit captains’ allies within the lair gain 5 temporary hit points, and each creature of the bandit captain’s choice must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the bandit captain until the end of their next turn. • The bandit captain rolls over a table, swings from a chandelier, or specifically placed rope, moving up to its speed. This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. • The bandit captain shouts for its gang to cripple its enemies, they immediately resort to dirty fighting to do so, using underhanded tactics such as kicks to the groin, throwing sand in their enemy’s eyes, or activating a booby trap in the hideout. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the first time an enemy of the bandit captain is hit by an attack from the bandit captain or a member of its gang, the creature must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the creature suffers one of the following effects: ◦ The creature is blinded until the end of its next turn. ◦ The creature is knocked prone. ◦ The creature is grappled by the gang member. ◦ The creature is unable to speak until the end of its next turn. • The bandit captain whistles for reinforcements. 3 (1d4+1) thugs or 7 (2d4+2) bandits arrive to provide assistance, emerging through doors or from behind cover. Once the bandit captain has used this action it cannot do so again until 24 hours have passed. Regional Effects Gangs keep a close eye on their territory, and whether out of fear, respect or admiration, creatures living in the gang’s territory are reluctant to turn against the bandit captain and their gang. The bandit captain’s presence produces one or several of the following effects: • Any Persuasion or Intimidation checks made to try and persuade a creature living in the gang’s territory to do something that would upset the gang have disadvantage. • Any public activity of the party becomes known to all members of the gang within 1d12 x 10 minutes, unless witnesses are prevented from speaking to members of the gang. These effects end immediately when the bandit captain dies. Banshee CR 4, MM p.23 The avarice, rage, and despair that drive a banshee suffuse into the environment of its lair, and forms a resonating energy that empowers a banshee further. Rejection of the Self. If the banshee sees a reflection of itself, it is driven into an incoherent rage as it tries to disrupt or destroy the source of the reflection and those responsible for creating it. While the banshee can see its reflection, it makes attack rolls with advantage, but it cannot take lair actions, and attack rolls against it have advantage. Wrath and Resentment. The negative emotions that drive the banshee burst forth when it wails. Each of the banshee’s lair actions causes a negative emotion to build up again. After the banshee has used each of its lair actions at least once, it regains the use of its Wail ability.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 13 Bestiary B Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the banshee can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The banshee is driven into a frenzied rage by the sight of creatures continuing to violate its lair with their ugly presence. On its next turn, the banshee can make an additional attack with its corrupting touch. Additionally, if the banshee used its Wail on its last turn, until initiative count 20 on the next round, the banshee has advantage on attack rolls against any creature which succeeded on its saving throw against the Wail. • One creature of the banshee’s choice that it can see must succeed on DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed by the banshee and share in its avarice. A creature charmed in this way must use its turns to try and safely approach the nearest beautiful or valuable object (e.g. an elaborate painting or a golden crown). Once a creature has moved to within 5 feet of the object, it spends its turns ogling it greedily. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns and whenever it takes damage, ending the effect on a success. This effect ends early if the banshee dies or uses this lair action again. • Overwhelming hopelessness floods the mind of one creature the banshee can see within its lair, sapping its will to live. The creature must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature has vulnerability to necrotic damage and disadvantage on attack rolls. Its speed is also reduced to 0 and it won’t willingly move. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns and whenever it regains hit points, ending the effect on a success. If players are to face a banshee in its lair, use a combination of Intelligence (Religion) and Wisdom (Insight) checks, books of lore, local rumors, helpful retired monster hunters, grumpy priests, etc… to make sure they are given ample opportunity to discover the banshee’s ability to reuse its wail and how to use reflections to distract it.
Bestiary B 14 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Regional Effects The banshee’s self-loathing permeates its lair, causing non-magical reflective surfaces such as water or mirrors within the banshee’s lair to appear cloudy. Such surfaces do not reflect images clearly unless they have been splashed with a flask of holy water within the last minute. If the banshee uses its corrupting touch against a reflective surface in this way the surface returns to being cloudy. When the banshee dies, these effects disappear after 1d10 days. Bard CR 2, VGM p.211 A bard’s lair might be in a musical college, or a rowdy tavern. Melodies have power, and places where songs are regularly sung still carry their echoes. A skilled bard can resonate their own performances with these echoes, allowing them to tap into greater magics. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the bard can take a lair action to create one of the following effects: • The bard produces a discordant note, casting the dissonant whispers spell without expending a spell slot. • The bard sings or plays an annoyingly catchy melody. One creature of the bard’s choice within 30 feet of it that can hear the melody must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or begin to dance in its space and become restrained. A dancing creature can use an action on its turn to repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a successful save. This effect ends early if the bard is incapacitated or uses this lair action again. • The bard draws in energy to magically enhance its taunts. The next time the bard uses its taunt ability, it instead affects each creature of the bard’s choice within 30 feet of it. Barghest CR 4, VGM p.123 A barghest may lurk around the edges of goblin society, or it might be an active member of the tribe. Its lair might be a hidden cave or a normal goblin residence. A barghest will often bring the corpses of its victims back to its lair to feed on their souls, and the residual energy permeates the surroundings, granting the barghest even more power. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the barghest can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The barghest creates a 10-foot cube of magical darkness. Non-magical flames in the area are instantly extinguished, and any magical light or fire in the area produced by a spell of 3rd level or lower is dispelled. The darkness persists until the barghest dies or uses this lair action again. Magical light or fire in the area produced by a spell of 4th level or higher can end this effect early. • If the barghest currently has a soul trapped inside it, the barghest draws in its energy from the soul in a hissing scream. The barghest immediately takes an action, and can also end one condition affecting it. The barghest can only use this lair action once for each soul it consumes. • (True form only) The barghest immediately polymorphs into its goblin form, and begins to beg for mercy, claiming to be the victim of a curse. Each creature that can hear the barghest must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed by the barghest for 1 minute.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 15 Bestiary B A charmed creature treats the barghest as an innocent victim. The creature can repeat the saving throw each time the barghest deals damage to it or an ally it can see. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw can make a Wisdom (Insight) check contested by the barghest’s Charisma (Deception) check. On a success, it realises the barghest attempted to magically influence it, and becomes immune to this effect. • (Goblin form only) The barghest immediately polymorphs into its true form, and can make a bite attack. If the creature it attacks is charmed by it, the barghest has advantage on the attack roll. Basilisk CR 3, MM p.24 Areas occupied by basilisks are little different from the hunting grounds of other dangerous predators. Game trails crisscross the area and any potential prey is skittish and always on alert. When the basilisk is on the prowl, the region grows deathly quiet. The only major difference is the presence of grotesque statues of people and animals throughout the area. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the basilisk can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Webs and vines drift in the lair, plaguing those who are not looking where they are going. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, when a creature who has averted to avert its gaze from the basilisk attempts to move for the first time on its turn, it must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or become restrained until the start of its next turn. • Terror of being turned to stone runs deep in the lair. Up to 3 creatures within the lair which can see a petrified victim of the basilisk must succeed on a DC 12 wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the basilisk until neither the basilisk nor a statue are within line of sight. This saving throw is made at disadvantage if the creature knew the statue in life. While frightened in this way, the creature averts its eyes and uses its action to move away from the basilisk, if possible. A creature that cannot do so attempts to hide. A creature can repeat this saving throw at the end of its turn, ending the effect on a success. • The basilisk draws on a dark connection with the statues in its lair. As a reaction, the basilisk can look through the eyes of one of its petrified victims in the lair. If that statue can be seen by another creature, one of those creatures within 10 feet is affected as by the basilisk’s petrifying gaze. DYSON LOGOS
Bestiary B 16 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Behir CR 11, MM p.25 A behir’s lair is often twisting tunnels charged with static electricity that crackles along the rock walls becoming more frequent the closer to the behir. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the behir takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The behir channels the static held within its lair and creates a blast of electric energy. Each creature within 20 feet of the behir must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of its next turn. The behir’s next lightning breath recharges on a 3,4,5, or 6. • Natural conduits in the lair begin to flash with charged electricity. Each creature that can see the flashing must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be blinded for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. • Part of the ceiling collapses above one creature that the behir can see within 60 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. DYSON LOGOS
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 17 Bestiary B Beholderkin Paranoid and narcissistic alien creatures capable of accidentally re-shaping the world with a gaze, and creating new life forms with a dream, Beholderkin are truly strange entities. When one such creature carves out a lair for itself, it aims to stay in it for centuries, only ever leaving it if absolutely necessary. Beholder CR 13, MM p.28 A beholder’s lair is a deep cave system with purposefully confusing designs and dangerous traps meant to deter any would-be intruders. At the center of it all is the beholder’s personal chamber - a place where the creature’s power is at its peak and where it stores all the valuables and treasures it has collected. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the beholder can use a lair action to create one of the following effects; the beholder can’t repeat an effect until they’ve all been used and it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The beholder uses its dreamlike powers to warp the room of its lair it is in as if using the mirage arcane spell. It cannot create any effect that directly harms a creature when it appears, and the alterations revert on initiative count 20 on the next round. This effect is instantaneous and is not illusory, it cannot be dispelled by the beholder’s antimagic cone. • The beholder creates two interconnected portals, each within 120 feet of itself. The portals are 10-foot radius circles that appear on one surface of the beholder’s choosing within range. The beholder must maintain the portals as if concentrating on a spell. Anything that goes in one portal exits from the other without extra travel. If a portal appears under an unwilling creature it can make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw to grab onto the portal’s edge instead of falling through. The portals remain open until initiative count 20 on the following round. A creature that is between two sides of a portal as it closes takes 5 (1d10) force damage and is shunted to one side of the portal of its choice. • A foul energy from the Far Realm irradiates a 10-foot-radius, 100-feet-high cylinder centered on a point on the ground within 120 feet of the beholder. A creature caught in the cylinder must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 7 (2d6) psychic damage and suffers one effect from the table below for 1 minute. It can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a successful save. A casting of remove curse ends this effect early.
Bestiary B 18 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE d6 Effect 1 The creature grows a large eye stalk, around the size of a human arm, on one exposed part of its body. The beholder can see through the eye, and when it uses its eye rays, it can shoot them through the eye stalk instead of its own eyes. 2 A fanged maw grows on one part of the creature’s body and begins constantly jabbering and gibbering. The creature has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing, and it has disadvantage on saving throws made to maintain concentration on spells. 3 A large tentacle grows on the creature’s body. The tentacle is hostile to the creature it’s attached to, and acts directly after it in initiative. The tentacle has 15 AC, 10 hit points. It can attempt to grapple a creature within 10 feet of it (+5 Athletics), or to attack a creature within 10 feet of it (+5 to hit, 7 (1d10+2) bludgeoning damage). 4 The creature’s bones turn into a mushy spongy substance. The creature falls prone and is unable to stand until this effect ends. It also automatically fails Strength saving throws, but gains a resistance to bludgeoning and thunder damage for the duration. 5 The creature’s tongue (if it has one) extends from its mouth and tethers itself to the floor. The creature is unable to speak, cast spells which require verbal components, or move more than 5 feet away from its current space. 6 The creature’s head grows spider-like legs and detaches from its body, only being connected by a thin thread of sinew. The creature remains conscious, but the head scuttles in a random direction against the creature’s will. While under this effect a creature cannot do anything that requires the use of its body, but can speak. If the tether is broken (AC 20, 20 hit points) the head remains autonomous even after the effect ends and can only be reattached with a greater restoration spell or other similar magic. Regional Effects The beholder’s otherworldly presence transforms its lair, creating any of the following effects: • The walls in the lair have eyes interspersed on them. Anything these eyes see is also seen by the beholder. • Strange fungi and creatures that the beholder has created in its dreams roam the lair. These creatures are sometimes unique to the beholder’s lair and cannot be found anywhere else. • The beholder can open a portal linking any two locations in its lair three times per day. These effects fade over the course of 1d10 days after the beholder dies. Death Kiss CR 10, VGM p.124 Death kisses lair in dark, moist caverns near sources of food, such as villages, forests or under cities. Death kisses are meek and constantly preoccupied with finding new blood to consume, and thus do not decorate or trap their lairs as beholders do. The drained corpses in a death kiss’ lair often attract other creatures that wish to scavenge them. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the death kiss can use a lair action to create one of the following effects; it cannot use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Barbed tentacles erupt from the walls and floor in a 30-foot cube area within 120 feet of the death kiss. Any creature in the area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage and is grappled (escape DC 15), while grappled in this way a creature is also restrained. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn’t grappled. A creature can leave this grapple without making a check by tearing itself free, but it takes an additional 7 (2d6) slashing damage if it does. The death kiss can use its blood drain attack against a creature grappled in this way. • The death kiss’ bodily electricity flows through the wet floor. All creatures within 60 feet of the death kiss that are touching the walls or floors of the lair must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or take 11 (2d10) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Creatures within 5 feet of the death kiss take an additional 5 (1d10) lightning damage. • The death kiss targets one creature it can see within 40 feet of itself and attempts to manipulate its blood. That creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or move up to half its speed in a direction of the death kiss’ choice and make one melee attack against a creature of the death kiss’ choice. The Beholder is one of the creatures who already had lair actions in its published version. You can use the lair action options presented here either in combination with, or as a replacement for the usual lair actions a beholder is known to have.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 19 Bestiary B Regional Effects The death kiss’ attunement to its environment creates one or more of the following regional effects: • The area within 4 miles of the lair is strewn with the drained corpses of humanoids and animals. As a result scavengers also roam the area in large numbers. • The death kiss can sense the exact location of any creature that bleeds within 4 miles of its lair. • The air in the death kiss’ lair is humid and charged with electricity. Creatures’ hair stands up and any spell or ability that deals lightning damage has a 50% chance of electrocuting the caster, dealing the same damage to the caster as it does to the target. These effects fade over the course if 1d4 days after the death kiss dies. Gauth CR 6, VGM p.125 Gauths are dependent on their ability to feed on magic to stay on the Material plane. They will stay in the place they were summoned for as long as they are able to deceive or intimidate their summoner into bringing them magic items to siphon. Should this no longer be an option, gauths will gravitate towards areas of natural magic or vaults of sequestered treasures. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the gauth takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The gauth repeatedly consuming magic in its lair has left areas where the ambient magic is weakened. A faint sound of sucking air can be heard, and a 10-foot-radius sphere within 30 feet of the gauth is left devoid of all magic. This area is affected as if by the spell antimagic field until initiative count 20 on the next round. • The uneven balance of magic in the gauth’s lair can also cause surges of wild magic. The gauth chooses one creature it can see within its lair. That creature must roll on the Wild Magic Surge table (Player’s Handbook p. 104). • A small tear between the planes opens, temporarily changing the environment of the lair. Roll a d4 and consult the following table to determine which plane the gauth opened. d4 Plane Effect 1 Fire A wave of heat and torpor fills the lair. Each creature in the lair must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. 2 Shadowfell Each creature in the lair feels a drain on their mental fortitude and must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, until the end of its next turn, a creature has disadvantage on ability checks and saving throws which use Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. 3 Abyss A growl of anger and confusion sweeps across the lair. Each creature in the lair must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature must make a melee attack against the creature closest to it that is within reach. 4 Astral Sea Winds made of whispers in unfamiliar languages drift and echo through the lair. Each creature except the gauth must make a DC 14 Intelligence saving throw, taking 5 (1d10) psychic damage on a failure and half as much on a success.
Bestiary B 20 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Spectator CR 3, MM p.30 In most cases, spectators are summoned to the material plane as guardians, often in wizards towers, tombs or similar locations. When they complete 101 years of service, they are free, often claiming the locations they once guarded as their home. A century of guardianship takes its toll and the alien minds of beholderkin are never notable for mental stability. As a result, spectators often exhibit signs of extreme madness which spills over into the dusty corridors where they dwell. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the spectator takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Tendrils of the spectator’s madness creep throughout the lair. One creature that the spectator is aware of within its lair must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or take 3 (1d6) psychic damage. The spectator knows the location of the creature most recently damaged in this way while both are inside its lair. The creature cannot be hidden from the spectator and gains no advantage from being invisible to it. • The spectator’s presence wards the space around it. Up to 3 doors inside the lair immediately close and magically lock themselves for 1 minute, growing a small eye somewhere on their surface which the spectator can see through. The doors require a DC 18 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) or Strength (Athletics) check to open, and the first creature to open them is immediately targeted by one of the spectators eye beams at random from the eye, which then disappears. • The insanity of the spectator’s lair takes hold. One creature within 60 feet of the spectator must succeed on a DC 13 Charisma saving throw or suffer a random short term madness effect as described in the DMG. The madness lasts for 1 minute, or until the spectator uses this lair action again. The creature may repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Berbalang CR 2, MTF p.120 To a berbalang, nothing is more valuable than the bones of ancient, powerful, mysterious, magical creatures. If and when a berbalang finds such remnants, it will do everything it can to be left alone, so it can study all of the secrets the carcass is hiding in peace. And due to how ancient, powerful, mysterious and magical the remains which constitute its lair are, the berbalang has access to particularly esoteric means of protecting its hermitage. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the berbalang takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Until the Berbalang dies or uses a different lair action, dozens of shimmering spectral unblinking eyes appear in the air and on every surface within the lair. The berbalang can see its entire lair and any creature inside of it, and if it uses its Spectral Duplicate action, the duplicate can appear in any unoccupied space within the lair. • The distressed, incoherent cries of a long dead extraplanar creature echo throughout the lair, wracking the minds of all who hear it, and especially those who vainly attempt to make sense of the whispers. All creatures within the lair, except the berbalang, must make a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw. On a successful save, a creature is afflicted with a short-term madness effect (determined randomly or by the DM; see “Madness” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a failed save. A creature cannot choose to fail this saving throw. • A barrier made of the bones of an ancient magical creature protrudes from the ground at the command of the berbalang. It is 10 feet high, up to 15 feet long, and 1 foot thick. The barrier can be attacked (AC 10, 30 hit points, vulnerable to bludgeoning damage). Every time a spell is cast within 30 feet of this barrier, the barrier regains a number of hit points equal to five times the spell’s level (minimum of five for a cantrip), as the barrier absorbs nearby magical energies.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 21 Bestiary B Black Pudding CR 4, MM p.219 Black puddings lair in dark, underground locations, and especially in areas where they can reliably feed on organic material. In the process of scouring the lair clean of anything it can digest, a black pudding also leaves its own residues and acidic presence throughout the lair. Black puddings gifted with intelligence are even more insidious, intentionally pockmarking their lairs with dark pits and narrow passageways. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the black pudding can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • A cloud of clinging acid fills the air in a 10-foot radius from a point within the lair. When a creature enters the cloud for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 10 (4d4) acid damage. A creature which fails this saving throw by 5 or more also has its armor partly dissolved as if hit by the pudding’s pseudopod. The cloud persists for 1 minute or until the pudding uses this lair action again. • Pitch-like secretions of the ooze, as dark as night, congeal in three locations within the lair of the ooze’s choice, each filling a 5-foot square. The chosen locations must be in darkness, and the pitch persists for 1 minute or until the pudding uses this lair action again. A creature that enters a pitch-filled space must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained in the muck. A creature restrained by the pitch can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength check, freeing itself on a success. • The pudding is able to reconstitute itself from residue in the lair. Each pudding in the lair regains hit points based on its current size: 13 (3d8) for Large, 9 (2d8) for Medium, or 4 (1d8) for Small. Blackguard CR 8, VGM p. 211 Blackguards can typically be found in the courtrooms of evil kings, in castles they have acquired through either violence or treachery, or in dark catacombs where they scheme the next step of their dark ambitions. Blackguards will stop at nothing to achieve their ends, though some still cling to a twisted sense of honor. Aura of Dread. A chilling aura of dread permeates the blackguard’s lair. A creature which is frightened of the blackguard within its lair has its speed reduced to 0, and takes 3 (1d6) psychic damage at the start of each of its turns. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the blackguard can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • Skeletal hands burst through the ground and walls around the blackguard’s enemies. Each creature of the blackguard’s choice within 60 feet of the it that is either on the ground or within 5 feet of a wall must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or become grappled (escape DC 13) until the blackguard dies or uses another lair action. A creature grappled in this way is restrained. • The blackguard channels the dark magic of its lair for a devious trick. The blackguard and one of its allies within its lair both teleport, swapping places. • The blackguard swears an unholy vow against a creature it can see or name, marking it as its mortal enemy. The blackguard has advantage on attack rolls, ability checks and saving throws made against its mortal enemy, and disadvantage on attack rolls against all other creatures. The blackguard cannot use this lair action again until its mortal enemy dies. • The blackguard commands one creature under its control within 60 feet of it to sacrifice itself, and the blackguard draws in its life force. The blackguard regains hit points up to the sacrificed creature’s current hit points, then that creature is destroyed. Additionally, the blackguard can
Bestiary B 22 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE immediately end one condition affecting it. The blackguard can take this lair action even if it is incapacitated. The blackguard cannot take this lair action again until the next dawn. Bodak CR 6, VGM p.127 A bodak’s lair is a place of quiet desolation surrounded by only death. It may be a cave, a secret temple to Orcus or the remains of a town the creature has cleared out. No matter the place, it is tainted by the touch of Orcus and thus hostile to all living beings. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the bodak can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Necromantic energy surges from and around the bodak. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the bodak’s Aura of Annihilation ability deals 10 damage and its range increases to 40 feet. • Dark spirits swarm around a creature within 60 feet of the bodak and attempt to weaken its will and by extension its body. The creature must make a DC 13 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the next time the bodak deals damage to the creature, the creature takes an additional 11 (2d10) necrotic damage, and the bodak regains a number of hit points up to half of the damage taken by the creature. • Dark wisps of foul smelling miasma bubble up from the ground in a line that is up to 60 feet long and 20 feet wide within 120 feet of the bodak, until initiative count 20 on the next round. The area is difficult terrain, and whenever a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or fall under the effects of the slow spell until initiative count 20 on the next round. • The bodak turns off its Aura of Annihilation and focuses it into its body. Until the end of its next turn, the bodak can move through objects, walls and creatures as if they weren’t there, leaving a smear of decay in the wake of its passing. The first time the bodak enters a creature’s space on a turn, the creature takes 5 necrotic damage. If the bodak ends its turn within an object or another creature’s space, the bodak is shunted to the nearest unoccupied space. The destroyed ruins of a farm settlement, brought to its knees by the loathsome antilife of such a bodak. Its dark miasma wanders the roads, choking the life from any who wander into its lair. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 23 Bestiary B Boneclaw CR 12, MTF p.121 A boneclaw will usually make its lair as close to where its master resides as possible, but still within a secret hidden space. Whether its master is aware or oblivious to the boneclaw bound to its service, the boneclaw keeps a close eye on its master, protecting its master from those who might do it harm. The boneclaw usually does this by brutally murdering its master’s enemies. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the boneclaw can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The boneclaw focuses on the necromantic connection it has with its master, preparing to shield it from harm. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the first time the boneclaw’s master is targeted by an attack or harmful effect, the boneclaw immediately teleports to the nearest unoccupied space to its master, and becomes the target of that attack or effect. The boneclaw cannot teleport to its master if its master is on a different plane of existence. • The boneclaw draws on the shadows of its lair and creates a 10-foot-radius sphere of magical darkness at a point it can see within 60 feet of it, which persists until the boneclaw is destroyed or it takes this lair action again. A creature with darkvision can’t see through this darkness, and non-magical light can’t illuminate it, but the boneclaw can see through it as though the area was dimly lit. Additionally, anything inside the darkness is under the effect of the silence spell. If any of this effect’s area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 3rd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled. • The boneclaw cackles, pouring what remains of its once-powerful magic into the mind of its victim, torturing it with mental anguish. One creature that is currently grappled by the boneclaw must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 16 (3d10) psychic damage and becomes frightened of the boneclaw until initiative count 20 on the next round. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t frightened.
Bestiary B 24 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Bugbear Chief CR 3 MM p.33 The surprisingly stealthy and cunning bugbears make up for their overall laziness with a viciousness and love for combat, and the chief of a warband tends to be the biggest and the meanest. They prefer havens close to rich raiding grounds, filled with hiding spots and blind corners where they can lay ambushes. In honor of their god Hruggek, bugbears decorate their lairs with heads on pikes, often magically enchanted to move or even whisper in the dark. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the bugbear chief can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Shadows deepen in the bugbear’s lair. The areas of all light sources within the lair are halved. A 10-foot radius area centered on the bugbear chief’s current location is plunged into darkness. That area is lightly obscured for the bugbear chief, and heavily obscured for all other creatures. These effects persist until initiative count 20 on the next round. • The bugbears take the advantage of hidden ambush points in the lair. As a reaction, each goblinoid in the lair can move up to its speed and take the hide action if it ends in an appropriate location to hide. Any bugbear that hits a creature with a melee attack while unseen before initiative count 20 on the next round gains the benefit of its surprise attack feature. • The heads in the lair begin to whisper dark prayers to Hruggek. Each creature within 10 feet of one of the heads must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or take 3 (1d6) psychic damage. Non-goblinoid creatures currently in dark areas have disadvantage on this saving throw. Creatures dealt damage in this way are frightened until initiative count 20 on the next round.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 25 C Bestiary C Cadaver Collector CR 14, MTF p.122 Cadaver collectors are wandering creatures, but when their summoner dies before telling them to go home, they often get stuck wandering the same battlefield for centuries, long after having reaped the last soul from the last dying soldier. A cadaver collector might also be found in a town that fell to famine or disease, or a natural disaster. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the cadaver collector can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The souls of those the cadaver collector has slain scream out in piercing agony, each creature within 120 feet of the cadaver collector must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened by the cadaver collector until the end of their next turn. • The bodies attached to the cadaver collector animate slightly and attempt to grab onto a nearby creature. One creature within 5 feet of the cadaver collector is grappled (escape DC 16), and it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 21 (6d6) piercing damage. • The cadaver collector reaches for a body on the ground and impales it upon its own twisted form. The cadaver collector gains 15 temporary hit points. Regional Effects The cadaver collector spends its days altering the terrain around its lair, producing one or both of the following effects: • The area within 1 mile of a cadaver collector is teeming with specters who attack any living creature on sight. Calling out for the cadaver collector when their victim is on the brink of death for it to finish them off and add to its collection. • Death and decay seeps into every crevice of a cadaver collector’s lair, the area within 1 mile reeks of decomposition. For every hour a creature spends within the area they must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. These effects fade over the course of 1d4 hours after the cadaver collector is slain. Cambion CR 5, MM p.36 As the spawn of mortals and fiends, cambions are most often found on the material plane leading cults or serving as the representatives of their otherworldly sires. They are generally obsessed with station and status, both to lord over the mortals around them, and to rise among the ranks of fiends. As such, they seek out places of obvious, ostentatious power, such as castles, cathedrals and monumental structures.
Bestiary C 26 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the cambion can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • Fiendish power weighs heavy on the minds of those in the lair. Any creature within the lair attempting a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw against a spell or ability from a fiend or undead before initiative count 20 on the next round does so at disadvantage. Additionally, the effects of protection from evil and good, or similar magic, are suppressed during that time. • The temptation of the cambion’s power calls to those around it. One creature within 10 feet of the cambion that it can see must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the crown of madness spell. The cambion does not need to concentrate on the spell, but does need to use its action to maintain control over the victim. • The cambion calls to its allies in the space. The cambion and any creature allied to or charmed by it that can hear it may immediately use its reaction to move up to its speed and make a melee attack. Catoblepas CR 5, VGM p.129 The catoblepas live in swamps where disease and parasites proliferate easily. When a catoblepas settles in such a location, those already horrid traits are heightened and the area becomes blighted, and fetid. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the catoblepas can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The catoblepas causes any plants within 10 feet of it to immediately decay. If the plants were created by the means of a spell of 5th-level or lower, the spell ends. • A cloud of swarming insects fills a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point the catoblepas chooses within 120 feet of it. The cloud spreads around corners and remains until the catoblepas uses this lair action again, or dies. The cloud is lightly obscured. Any creature in the cloud when it appears must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (3d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that ends its turn in the cloud takes 10 (3d6) piercing damage. • The catoblepas’s lair emanates with a baleful ambience. Until the catoblepas uses another lair action, no creature within its lair can make an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw with advantage. Regional Effects The catoblepas’ territory is blighted, which creates one or more of the following effects: • The land within 6 miles of the catoblepas’ lair is blighted. Any foraged food that grows in this land provides no nourishment, the water is extremely polluted and requires magical purification to become potable, and herbs in the area cause potions of common or uncommon rarity to lose their beneficial magical properties when they are mixed in. • Animals that spend more than 1 day in the region containing the catoblepas’ lair are extremely hostile and carry the Sewer Plague disease (Dungeon Masters Guide p. 257). • The catoblepas is aware of any change to the terrain and plant life within 1 mile of its lair. • Any swamp gases in a region blighted by the catoblepas bear the foul stench of this creature. A creature that enters any water in such a region must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 27 Bestiary C throw or be poisoned until the start of its next turn. On a successful saving throw, the creature is immune to the swamp gas and the stench of any catoblepas for 1 hour. If the catoblepas dies, vegetation remains as it has grown, but other effects fade over 1d10 days. Chimera CR 6, MM p.39 A chimera’s lair reflects its hybrid nature. It is a cross between a lion and a dragon’s, with a large spanning territory for hunting prey, and a cave, burrow or even an abandoned ruin where the monstrosity keeps the horde of valuables it instinctively collects. A chimera’s connection to both draconic magic and the vile energies of the Abyss inherited from the race’s creator, Demogorgon, enchants the horde and lair of the chimera with strange and terrible effects. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the chimera can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • One creature in the lair, that is within 10 feet of another creature, is pulled into the other creature’s space and must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and starts fusing with the creature it collided with. Fused creatures share a space, have their movement halved and cannot move independently of one another. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, taking 3 (1d6) necrotic damage on a failed save. If a creature fails this saving throw 3 times the effect becomes permanent. This effect ends only through a lesser restoration or similar magic, or until separated through medical means as a DC 18 Wisdom (Medicine) check. • The chimera’s goat head channels energy from the surrounding area and bleats horribly. It innately casts one of the following spells, requiring no somatic or material components: shatter, spider climb, grease, expeditious retreat, mirror image; The goat head’s spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13). The chimera can cast each of these spells once per long rest. The chimera cannot take this lair action if its goat head has been removed. • The chimera’s lion head roars mightily. Each creature of the chimera’s choice within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the chimera for 1 minute. A creature frightened in this way can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw, is immune to this lair action’s effects for 24 hours. The chimera cannot take this lair action if its lion head has been removed. • The morphing effects of the lair transform the chimera’s dragon head, changing it to a different type of chromatic dragon and changing its damage to the appropriate type, as shown in the table below. The chimera cannot take this lair action if its dragon head has been removed. d6 Dragon Color Breath Weapon Damage Type 1-2 Red Fire 3 White Cold 4 Black Acid 5 Green Poison 6 Blue Lightning Regional Effects The chimera’s presence corrupts and influences its surroundings, creating one or several of the following effects: • Creatures in a 5 mile radius around the chimera’s lair are warped by its presence. Animals and plants in the area manifest features of other animals and plants, such as having multiple heads, eyes or limbs from one or more different species.
Bestiary C 28 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE • Creatures within 1 mile of the lair become extremely stubborn. Checks made to persuade a creature to do something or to handle animals are made with disadvantage. • A feeling of predatory malice and greed can be felt emanating within 1 mile of the lair, with creatures feeling as though they are about to be robbed or killed. These effects fade over the course of 1d10 days after the chimera is slain. Choldrith CR 3, VGM p.132 Choldriths command colonies of chitines, much like a queen controlling a nest of ants. They typically live in the underdark, in gloomy caves filled with webs, and shrines to the spider queen to attract spiders to the lair. More rarely, the choldrith who controls the colony receives a vision from Lolth herself, telling it to relocate the colony and establish an outpost somewhere on the surface world. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the choldrith can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The choldrith forms an unholy connection with a chitine it can see within its lair. The next time the choldrith casts a spell, if the spell requires concentration, the choldrith can have the chitine concentrate on the spell for it. The choldrith may also choose to have the spell effect originate from the chitine’s space instead of its own. If the spell has a range of self or touch, the choldrith may have the spell affect the ally instead of itself. • The choldrith chitters for it to be protected. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, whenever the choldrith is targeted by an attack, a chitine within 5 feet of it can use its reaction to switch places with the choldrith, becoming the target of the attack instead. • The choldrith pulls on a strand on webbing, causing loose rocks in the ceiling to be dislodged. One creature of the choldrith’s choice within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. If a creature fails this saving throw by 5 or more, it is knocked prone. Regional Effects Choldriths fill their colonies with webbing, some of which is used to hide traps for unsuspecting intruders, producing one or both of the following effects: • Webbing coats every surface, and strands also stretch across passageways and rooms. The entire lair counts as one web for the purposes of the web sense trait. A creature can spend an additional foot of movement for each foot it moves in the lair to avoid touching any of the webbing. A creature that does not do this must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to avoid touching any webbing. A 5-foot square patch of webbing counts as an object which can be attacked (AC 10, 5 hit points, vulnerability to fire damage and immunity to poison and psychic damage). • At various points in the lair are traps designed to catch intruders that step into them. These traps are filled with webbing and sharp rocks and function as hunting traps (Player's Handbook p.152), but are part of the floor. A creature that triggers one of these traps counts as having touched the colony’s web. The traps are carefully disguised using webbing and detritus to look like normal parts of the floor, and require a successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) or (Survival) check to notice. These effects fade over the course of 1d10 days after the choldrith is slain.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 29 Bestiary C Chuul CR 4, MM p.40 The amphibious nature of chuuls leads them to seek out lairs that have access to both land and water. Coastal caves, secluded lakes and reservoirs deep beneath the ground are all desirable homes for a chuul pod. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the chuul takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • A cloud of pale green vapour coalesces above sources of water within the lair and drifts outwards before dispersing. Each creature within 5 feet of the water’s edge must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or begin to feel frail and weak. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, they have disadvantage on any skill checks or attack rolls made using Strength. Creatures immune to poison are immune to this effect. • A thick, mucus-like slime oozes out from the ground at a point within the lair that the chuul can see and spreads over a 10-foot-radius circle. The area becomes difficult terrain for all except the chuul. The ooze remains in place until it comes into contact with oil or takes acid damage. • Bubbles lift off the surface of any water within the lair as the chuul froths around its mouth tentacles. The bubbles last until initiative count 20 on the next round and amplify the chuul’s Sense Magic ability. The chuul gains advantage on attack rolls on any creature within the lair that is carrying or wielding a magic item.
Bestiary C 30 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Cloaker CR 8, MM p.41 Found in the darkest corners of dungeons and caves, cloakers are sneaky, opportunistic predators that make their lairs where they can watch prey without arousing suspicions. They are excellent at ambushing unsuspecting adventurers, though experienced dungeoneers will pick up on the eerie moans that drift from the shadows. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the cloaker takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Areas of darkness within the lair creep outwards, extending dark areas by 5 feet and areas of dim light by 10 feet, and suppressing any light cast by nonmagical sources that they touch. If the dim light or darkness moves into a space containing a nonmagical light source, that light is snuffed out. • Glowing red eyes blink open in the shadows and stare down one creature within the lair, giving the cloaker advantage on attacks against that creature until the end of the cloaker’s next turn, when the eyes close again and disappear. • If the cloaker has phantasms active, then one phantasm can make a tail attack at a creature within reach and that is affected by the phantasms. This attack uses the cloaker’s bonus to hit but deals psychic damage instead of piercing damage. DYSON LOGOS
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 31 Bestiary C Clockworks Bronze Scout CR 1, MTF p.125 Iron Cobra CR 4, MTF p.125 Stone Defender CR 4, MTF p.126 Oaken Bolter CR 5, MTF p.126 When clockworks are built to defend an area, those who built them may also install machinery designed to support the clockwork’s function, keeping it wound, oiled, and otherwise maintained. Automatic Mechanisms. When a clockwork is engaged in combat, it activates the support machinery of its lair, which operates in a set repeating pattern. The clockwork must take each lair action in order, and the lair actions still occur even if the clockwork is incapacitated, stopping only when the clockwork is destroyed or it uses an action to deactivate the mechanisms. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the clockwork can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it must take each lair action in order, starting again at 1 when it has taken every lair action: 1. Magical machinery in the lair activates, remotely winding the clockwork’s mechanism and giving it a burst of power and speed. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the clockwork gains the benefits of the haste spell and the Limited Steering malfunction. 2. Automatic repair systems in the lair activate, magically stripping away the clockwork’s damaged components so they can be replaced on the next round. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the clockwork gains the Weak Armor and Ground Fault malfunctions due to its exposed inner workings. 3. The automatic repair system completes its cycle, mending the damaged components. The clockwork regains hit points equal to 5 times its Challenge Rating. Here are the malfunctions mentioned in those lair actions, for quick reference: • Limited Steering. The clockwork must move in a straight line. It can turn up to 90 degrees before moving and again at the midpoint of its movement. It can rotate freely if it doesn't use any of its speeds on its turn. • Weak Armor. The clockwork isn't immune to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine. • Ground Fault. The clockwork has vulnerability to lightning damage.
Bestiary C 32 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Corpse Flower CR 8, MTF p.127 Corpse flowers are evil plants born of powerful necromantic energy filled with malice for the living and having a hunger for corpses. They make their lairs in places where fresh corpses are likely to be present in large numbers such as mass graves, recent battlefields and morgues. The lair of the corpse flower is usually squalid and seeped in the flower’s stench. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the corpse flower can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The corpse flower causes dormant seedlings from around its lair to sprout from nearby corpses and attempt to drain the life force of up to 3 creatures the corpse flower can see. Each creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) necrotic damage and become restrained for 1 minute, or until the seedlings are destroyed (AC 13, 10 hit points, vulnerable to fire and slashing damage). A creature restrained in this way takes 3 (1d6) necrotic damage at the end of each of its turns. • A corpse within the lair bloats and bursts, releasing a cloud of the corpse flower’s Stench of Death in a 10-foot-radius sphere. The cloud lasts until the corpse flower uses another lair action, or until it is dispersed by a strong wind. • The corpse flower causes a seedling within its lair to take control of the corpse it was planted in. The seedling becomes a creature determined by rolling on the table below. The reanimated corpse is undead, is immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition, and has 10 hit points: d6 Reanimated Creature 1 Cultist 2-4 Zombie 5 Skeleton 6 Cult Fanatic Couatl CR 4, MM p.43 Thanks to its ability to foresee its own death a century in advance, a couatl has plenty of time to prepare its lair for its inevitable demise. Since the couatl knows its fate is not to emerge victorious, its goal is instead to bring its attackers down with it. This way, the couatl’s mission can safely be passed down to its offspring. A couatl’s lair, usually located near the item or person the couatl was tasked with protecting, is usually non-threatening and even inviting. But getting out of it alive is another matter entirely. Death Trap. A couatl’s lair is usually equipped with some sort of a death trap, such as walls slowly moving towards each other, threatening to crush those caught between them, or hatches which slowly flood the lair, threatening to drown those who cannot breathe underwater. These traps should be deadly if the party stays more than ten minutes inside the lair. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the couatl can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The couatl collapses a support pillar, or a doorway that was purposefully built to be weak. Each creature within 10 feet of a point on the ground within 30 feet of the couatl must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature suffers 9 (2d8) bludgeoning damage, and is restrained by the falling debris until it or another creature makes a DC 14 Strength check as an action to pull the creature out of the rubble. This creates a 10-foot-radius sphere of debris at the location of the collapse. Clearing this debris takes one hour for a single creature, thirty minutes for two creatures, twenty minutes for three creatures, etc… A creature can double its contribution with a successful DC 14 Strength check, or by using a relevant spell or ability. • The couatl predicts its immediate future. Each creature of the couatl’s choice within its lair must make a DC 14 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must immediately decide what it intends to do on its next turn, and the couatl learns it. When an affected creature’s turn comes, the creature must do what it had announced. If what it had announced has become impossible, the creature wastes its turn doing nothing. A creature whose thoughts cannot be read, or who is protected from divination magic, automatically succeeds on the save. • Some of the garish decoration in the couatl’s lair was actually enchanted to help it defend its lair. Four animated swords, one animated armor, or one rug of smothering animates itself. Each type of animated object can only be animated once.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 33 Bestiary C Cult Fanatic CR 2, MM p.345 Fanatics lead cults, dwelling in hidden shrines and defiled temples to dark gods underground or in the deep wilderness. Their lairs are redolent with incense and the blood of sacrifices and one can always hear, from just beyond the next passage, the chanting of worshippers or the darker things that they have summoned. Dark Altar. One object within the fanatic’s lair is designated as its Dark Altar, a relic defined by the vile energies of the entity the fanatic worships. While near the Dark Altar, some of the cult fanatic’s abilities function differently. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the cult fanatic can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • If the cult fanatic can touch its Dark Altar and it can see 10 or more allied creatures, it may deal 17 necrotic damage to itself and all allied creatures within 60 feet to summon one Aberration, Fiend or Undead with a challenge rating of 3 or less, which appears in an unoccupied space within 20 feet of the dark altar. The creature is not controlled by the cult fanatic. • One creature within the cult fanatic’s lair hears dark whispers, echoing the malign purpose of the place it is in. That creature must make a DC 11 Charisma saving throw or become frightened until initiative count 20 on the next round. If a creature that fails this saving throw can see the Dark Altar, it takes 3 (1d6) psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from the dark altar. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a pit or fire. • The followers of the fanatic are suffused with dark energy. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, cultists, aberrations, fiends or undead that can see the Cult Fanatic gain advantage on attack rolls, but attack rolls against them have advantage. If an affected creature dies within 20 feet of the Dark Altar, the Cult Fanatic gains 7 (2d6) temporary hit points. • (2/Day) The cult fanatic calls forth its followers. Up to 1d4 cultists emerge from hiding in unoccupied spaces within its lair. If it uses this ability within 20 feet of its Dark Altar, it instead magically summons 1d6 crawling claws, lemures, manes or slaad tadpoles in unoccupied spaces within it can see instead. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU Auril is one such deity that willingly accepts blood sacrifices made in her name. While treking Icewind Dale, adventurers might quite easily stumble upon such a horrific sacred site.
Bestiary C 34 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Cyclops CR 6, MM p.54 Cyclops make their lairs in caves, simple stone hovels, or other similar areas. As shepherds, they keep herd animals such as cows or sheep close to them, and decorate their lairs with simple paintings and bone sculptures. Bonfire. The cyclops’ lair is set up around a bonfire, which is a Large object. It can be destroyed (AC 14, 30 hit points, immune to fire damage, resistant to all damage except cold). If it is destroyed, the cyclops loses access to its third lair action option until it is rebuilt. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the cyclops can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The cyclops lets out a huge roar, scaring the herd animals into stampeding around the lair. Each medium or small creature on the ground in the lair must make a DC 15 Strength or Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage and is knocked prone. If the creature fails the save by 5 or more, it breaks a bone, and cannot stand up until it regains at least 1 hit point. • The cyclops slams its club into a wall or the floor, causing rocks to fall from the ceiling, threatening to indiscriminately crush both the cyclops and its enemies. Each creature in the lair rolls a percentile die. The two creatures who roll the lowest take 14 (4d6) bludgeoning damage as rocks fall from above on them. • The cyclops moves up to its movement speed to an unoccupied space within 10 feet of its bonfire, and blows an impressive breath into it, sending out a plume of smoke and embers. A 15-foot cone emanates from the bonfire, away from the cyclops. Each creature in the cone must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, or be blinded until initiative count 20 on the next round.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 35 D Bestiary D Darkling Elder CR 2, VGM p.134 Darklings make their lairs in places that are well hidden and far from sunlight. Their fondness for art leads to them decorating their lair with rare and beautiful objects, especially ones that can be appreciated without light, such as statues. When a group of darklings transforms one of its members into a darkling elder, the elder gains the ability to manipulate the shadows of the lair, enabling the darklings to better protect their home. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the darkling elder take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The shadows of the lair cloak the darklings. Each darkling in the lair can attempt to hide if it is in dim light or darkness. • Shadows swirl around the darkling elder. If the darkling elder is in dim light or darkness, it can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see that is also within dim light or darkness. • The darkling elder calls upon the shadows of the lair. If it is standing in dim light or darkness and is within 10 feet of at least 3 other darklings, it immediately uses its darkness action without expending the use of it. Death Knight CR 17, MM p.47 In life, a death knight was a hero and a leader of armies. In death, it commands an undead horde. A death knight’s lair might be an impregnable keep in the shadowfell, a war camp at the center of a necromancer’s army, or the site of an ambush in the ancient ruins of a holy city. Undead Warlord. The death knight commands over entire armies of undead minions. It can choose to take lair action options from both its unique lair actions and the lair actions available to Warlords. It cannot have more than five lair actions available to it. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the death knight can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • Skeletal hands burst through the ground and walls within 120 feet of the death knight. Each hostile creature in the area must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be restrained until the death knight dies or uses another lair action. A restrained creature can repeat the save as an action, freeing itself on a success. Additionally, until the death knight uses another lair action, hostile creatures must spend 3 feet of movement for every 1 foot they move through the area, and must spend all their movement to stand up from prone. • The death knight commands one allied creature within 60 feet of it to sacrifice itself, drawing necrotic energy into the death knight. The death knight regains hit points up to the sacrificed creature’s current hit points, then that creature is destroyed. Additionally, the death knight can immediately end one condition affecting it. The death knight can take this lair action even if it is incapacitated. • The death knight forms a necromantic connection with an allied creature within 60 feet of itself. The death knight immediately casts a spell it has prepared. If the spell requires concentration, the death knight can have the ally concentrate on the spell for it. The death knight may also choose to
Bestiary D 36 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE have the spell effect originate from the ally’s space instead of its own. If the spell has a range of self, the death knight may have the spell affect the ally instead of itself. • The death knight chooses to either pull all its enemies towards it or push them all away, using waves of necrotic energy. Each hostile creature within 60 feet of the death knight must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 10 (3d6) force damage and 10 (3d6) necrotic damage, and is either pulled 15 feet towards the death knight or pushed 15 feet away from it. On a successful one, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed or pulled. Regional Effects Necromantic energies permeate the region surrounding the lair of a death knight, resulting in one or more of the following effects: • Humanoids that die within 1 mile of the death knight’s lair must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or rise as a zombie under the death knight’s control in 1d4 rounds. • Restful sleep is difficult in the region. Any creature attempting to take a short or long rest within 1 mile of a death knight’s lair must make a DC 18 Charisma saving throw. Creatures that fail this saving throw gain no benefit from a short rest. If they were attempting to take a long rest, they instead gain the benefits of a short rest and gain a level of exhaustion due to their restless sleep. These effects end immediately after the death knight is slain. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 37 Bestiary D Deathlocks Deathlock CR 4, MTF p.128 Deathlock Wight CR 3, MTF p.129 Deathlock Mastermind CR 8, MTF p.129 A deathlock who still serves the same patron it did in life will typically dwell either in the same lair it used to call home, or in its patron’s own lair. A deathlock created by a necromancer on the other hand, will usually be left to guard the lair of its new master - a tomb, an academy of dark magic, or a wizard’s tower, for example. Vestigial Powers. If the deathlock used to be a warlock of the archfey, a warlock of the fiend, or a warlock of the great old one, it has access to one lair action option from the corresponding lair, on top of the following deathlock-only effects. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the deathlock can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • A 10-foot-radius circle of necromantic runes appears, centered on a point on the ground within 30 feet of the deathlock. A non-undead creature which starts its turn in the area must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (1d10) necrotic damage. Additionally, at the start of each turn, each undead creature within the circle gains 5 (1d10) temporary hit points. The circle remains for one minute, or until the deathlock uses this lair action again. • The deathlock conjures a wall made of wailing souls within 60 feet of itself. The wall is up to 50 feet long, 20 feet high, and 1 foot thick. The area is heavily obscured, but does not obstruct movement nor projectiles from passing through it. Whenever a non-undead creature moves through the wall for the first time on a turn, it releases one shadow from the wall. The shadow appears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the creature who caused it to appear, and it single-mindedly tries to kill this creature. If it is successful, the shadow immediately returns to the wall. The wall remains for one minute, or until the deathlock uses this lair action again. • The deathlock channels the negative energies which suffuse its lair to cast a powerful curse on one creature it can see within its lair. Whenever the cursed creature would regain hit points, it must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature does not regain any hit points. On a successful save, the curse ends on the creature. • The deathlock beseeches its patron for a boon so it can accomplish its mission. It regains one expended spell slot. The deathlock cannot use this effect until the next dawn.
Bestiary D 38 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Deep Scion CR 3, VGM p.135 Servants and spies of krakens and other undersea elder evils, deep scions either blend into humanoid communities, or set up a lair in the cold and lonely depths of the sea.. A deep scion's lair is usually a basem*nt, dungeon or cave with direct access to the sea. Pool of Communion. A deep scion's lair has a pool of magical seawater, 5 to 100 feet in radius, which always counts as the same body of water the deep scion’s master is in for the purpose of its psychic screech ability. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the deep scion can take a lair action to create one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • A tentacle made of water and psychic energy appears from the pool of communion. The deep scion casts spiritual weapon (+5 to spell attacks, +3 to damage rolls). On hit, the eldritch tentacle can grapple its target instead of dealing damage to it (escape DC 13). • The deep scion focuses its psychic energy and creates a barrier in the form of translucent tentacles around itself. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, it gains a +2 bonus to its Armor Class and Constitution saving throws. • A chilling mist envelops the lair lightly obscuring everything in it and extinguishing any open flames or sources of magical light produced by spells of 1st level or lower. The mist does not obstruct the deep scion's vision. CZE AND PEKU - PATREON.COM/CZEPEKU
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 39 Bestiary D Demons The physical embodiment of everything mortals fear. They are irredeemable, violent monsters whose only goal is to consume all of existence and reshape it in the nightmarish shape of their layer of the abyss. They do not experience fear, empathy or remorse - they simply destroy because it is in their nature to do so. Thankfully, their chaotic nature ensures they very rarely manage to make it out of the lower planes. But sometimes, especially unfortunate adventurers might find themselves confronting a demon in its own lair. Alkilith CR 11, MTF p.130 Once an alkilith takes root in a sufficiently befouled location, such as the ruins of a temple to a demon prince, or the tomb of an evil warlock, it eventually becomes a portal to a layer of the abyss. From this point on, the only thing which can stop an army of demons from pouring from the alkilith’s mouth is its destruction. Taking Root. Over the course of one minute, the alkilith may either take root or uproot itself. If it takes root, its speed becomes zero and it cannot be moved, but it gains the use of its lair actions. If the alkilith uproots itself, its speed returns to normal, but it loses access to its lair actions. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties) the alkilith can use a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • Demons whose combined challenge rating doesn’t exceed 5 appear in unoccupied spaces within 10 feet of the alkilith. • The alkilith weakens the fabric of reality in its lair, enabling stronger demons to pass through its mouth. It must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 21 (6d6) necrotic damage, and the next time it uses its first lair action option, the maximum combined challenge rating is increased by 1, up to a maximum of 30. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage, and the maximum combined challenge rating is increased by 2. The alkilith’s hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken until it finishes a long rest. • Material from the abyss is transported through the alkilith. The effect depends on which layer of the abyss the alkilith is attuned to, as described in the following table. Variant: Abyssal Layers Some alkiliths work for a specific demon prince, and are strongly tied to their master’s layer of the abyss. But due to the chaotic nature of demons, it is just as likely that an alkilith connects to a layer of the abyss without being prompted to do so. In such a case, whenever the alkilith uses its third lair action option, roll 1d10 to randomly determine which layer of the abyss it connects to.
Bestiary D 40 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE d10 Layer of the Abyss Demon Lord Effect 1 The Slime Pits Juiblex & Zuggtmoy A wave of acidic ooze pours forth from the portal. Each creature in a 30-foot cone must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. For each time the alkilith has used this lair action in the past minute, the cone’s size increases by 10 feet, and the damage increases by 1d6. 2 The Gaping Maw Demogorgon The alkilith regurgitates a torrent of brine. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 30 feet away from the alkilith and be knocked prone. Creatures within 10 feet of the alkilith make the save with disadvantage. 3 The Blood Tor Beshaba & Umberlee A wave of demon ichor is expelled from the alkilith, corrupting all it touches. Each creature in a 60-foot cone must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or suffer the effects of the bane spell for one minute. Casting greater restoration or remove curse ends the effect early on the target. 4 The Death Dells Yeenoghu A dry, desiccated wind blows through the portal, bringing with it plumes of dust and sand. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, creatures within the lair can only see up to 10 feet away from themselves, and anything further than this is heavily obscured from them. 5 Thanatos Orcus As life is being drained from the very air itself, an eerie silence (as per the spell) fills a 60-foot-radius sphere centered on the alkilith until initiative count 20 on the next round. 6 Azzatar Graz'zt An alluring perfume fills the air around the alkilith. Each creature within 30 feet of the alkilith must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed until the end of its next turn. A charmed creature must use its movement on its turn to move towards the alkilith. If it ends its movement within 5 feet of the alkilith, the creature is sucked into the portal and is sent to Azzatar. A creature on the other side of the portal may use an action to repeat the save, appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the alkilith on a successful save. The creature can’t take this action if the alkilith is destroyed or if it is more than 5 feet away from the portal on the other side. 7 Hollow’s Heart Fraz-Urb'luu Strange, flickering visions appear around the alkilith. The alkilith casts mirror image and blur. 8 The Endless Maze Baphomet The alkilith teleports to a door, window, archway, or other opening within 120 feet of it that is also within its lair. It does not need to see the destination, which is often in another portion of a small maze. It cannot teleport to an opening that has been destroyed (AC 14, 30 hit points, immune to poison and psychic damage). 9 The Demonweb Pits Lolth The alkilith shoots a web of threads so thin they are basically invisible, yet so firm they can cut limbs. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, whenever a creature within 60 feet of the alkilith moves for the first time on a turn or is moved for the first time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) slashing damage. 0 Smaragd Merrshaul & Sseth Thorny wooden roots snake and worm their way out of the alkilith’s mouth. The alkilith can choose any number of creatures within 30 feet of it. The creatures must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw or become restrained by the roots. A restrained creature takes 14 (4d6) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns, as the roots slowly drain their blood. The alkilith regains hit points equal to half the damage dealt. A restrained creature can repeat the save as an action, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. A restrained creature is also freed if the root tethering it to the alkilith is destroyed (AC 14, 30 hit points, immune to psychic damage).
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 41 Bestiary D Babau CR 4, VGM p.136 On the material plane, a babau is likely to be encountered after being sent to coordinate and direct the efforts of a demonic cult. On the lower planes, babau recruit lesser demons to serve their demonic overlords. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the babau can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The babau forms an infernal connection with an ally it can see within its lair. The next time the babau casts a spell, if the spell requires concentration, the babau can have the ally concentrate on the spell for it. The babau may also choose to have the spell effect originate from the ally’s space instead of its own. If the spell has a range of self, the babau may have the spell affect the ally instead of itself. • The babau draws in the abyssal energies surrounding it to amplify its debilitating gaze. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, when a creature that can see the babau’s eyes starts its turn within 20 feet of the babau, it is affected by the babau’s weakening gaze ability. A creature that isn’t surprised can avert its eyes to avoid the gaze. If it does so, it can’t see the babau until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the babau in the meantime, it is immediately affected by the babau’s gaze. • The influence of the babau’s demonic master can be felt throughout its lair. The babau casts the command spell, targeting any number of creatures it can see within 60 feet of it. The babau issues the same command to every creature. A creature understands the command if it understands at least one language. • The babau reaches out to call lesser demons bound to it. The babau summons either 2 quasits, 4 dretches or 8 manes in unoccupied spaces within 30 feet of it. The demons disappear when the babau dies or when it uses this action again. The babau cannot take this lair action again until the next dawn. Balor CR 19, MM p.55 Violent and destructive, balors embody the burning hatred and chaos of the Abyss. The lair of these powerful monsters can vary, but most often they are deep caverns and subterranean tunnel networks filled with bubbling magma and great ravines. The lair of a balor bears marks of its rage - firepits, charred and desecrated corpses and markings of the balor's tantrums are a common sight. A balor’s lair sometimes also holds a sizable portion of its horrible legion, as well as opportunist demons wishing to betray and steal the balor’s power. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the balor can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects: • The ground in a 20-foot-radius circle centered on a point on the ground within 60 feet of the balor crumbles. A creature in the area must make a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. Creatures within 5 feet of the point of collapse have disadvantage on the
Bestiary D 42 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE save. On a failed save, a creature takes 18 (4d8) bludgeoning damage and falls to a lower floor of the balor’s lair, landing prone. On a success, the creature takes no damage and is able to leap and grab on to one of the newly formed pit’s ledges where it hangs and is prone. If the lair has no lower floor, or if something otherwise prevents a complete cave-in, a 20 feet deep pit is formed instead, and ground at the bottom of the pit becomes difficult terrain. • The balor siphons energy from one allied fiend, with a CR of 1 or higher, within 60 feet of it and uses it to destroy its enemies. The targeted demon takes 60 force damage and the balor casts chain lightning (spell save DC 20). • The balor gathers up heat and rage in its body. Until initiative count 20 on the next round the balor's Fire Aura affects creatures within 20 feet of the balor, and its Death Throes affect creatures within 60 feet of it. • (2/day) A fire or lava pool within 120 feet of the balor erupts and forms into a Large clawed hand made of writhing flames, as per the bigby’s hand spell (no concentration required, 50 hit points, and deals fire damage instead of force damage). Regional Effects The balor's presence and ambient magic alter the surrounding area, causing one or several of the following effects: • Loud thuds, muffled roars and distant thundering footsteps can be heard within 1 mile of the balor. • The air within 1 mile of the balor is supernaturally warm, getting hotter and hotter as a creature nears the balor. • The balor's demon summoning variant action has a 100% chance of success while in the lair. • A creature that dies by burning in the lair has its soul sent to the Abyss. • Cracks in the stone emit sulfurous smoke within 1 mile of the balor. These effects disappear after 1d6 hours when the balor dies. DYSON LOGOS
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 43 Bestiary D Barlgura CR 5, MM p.56 Stalking and hunting in the inhospitable jungles of the Abyss, the barlgura are fierce demons that embody the brutality of the wilderness. A barlgura’s lair is the expansive territory it inhabits, often bordered and adorned with the heads of monstrosities and intruders that the barlgura and its packmates have hunted down. The impassible and dark jungles these ape-like creatures call their home are hostile to all but the strongest and most fit to survive in them. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the barlgura can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The Barlgura pulls on a hanging vine with all its strength, and a colossal tree collapses at a point within 60 feet of it. Each creature in a line 30 feet long and 5 feet wide originating from the point must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 17 (5d6) bludgeoning damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. • Vines extend from the trees around the barlgura allowing it to maneuver at greater speeds. Until the end of its next turn, the barlgura’s long jump, walking and climbing speed increase by 20 feet, and its movement does not provoke opportunity attacks. • The foliage of the trees in the lair shifts and stirs. The barlgura becomes heavily obscured by leaves and branches for the purposes of hiding, and can immediately take the Hide action. Regional Effects The barlgura’s territory is infused with Abyssal energy and is extremely inhospitable, creating one or more of the following effects: • Areas around bodies of water within 6 miles of the barlgura are teeming with blood-sucking and flesh-eating insects. If a creature stays within 30 feet of a body of water for more than 10 minutes, it must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 7 (3d4) piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The creature must repeat the saving throw every 10 minutes or until it moves away from the body of water. • Rare and horribly virulent diseases are common within 6 miles of the barlgura’s lair. Any creature with an open wound must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw for every hour it spends in the area. On a failed save, it contracts the sewer plague disease. Additionally, any creature that drinks non-purified water from the area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or contract sight rot. • Rancid trophies made from the heads of the barlgura pack’s decapitated victims are littered within 6 miles of the barlgura. These trophies are placed in large clusters and the air around them is rancid and reeking of decay. A creature which starts its turn within 30 feet of the trophies must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or spend its turn retching and reeling. These effects fade over the course of 1d10 days after the barlgura is slain.
Bestiary D 44 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Devourer CR 13, VGM p.138 The lair of a devourer is one filled with an uneasy feeling of dread and doom. Often littered with undead servants and twisted rooms that seem to reach out in hunger. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the devourer can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The devourer chooses up to three undead creatures within the lair that it can see, and each one is infused with necromantic energy. An undead empowered in this way deals an additional 10 (3d6) necrotic damage the next time it hits a creature with a melee attack. • The walls of the lair sprout terrifying bone fragments that reach out in an attempt to restrain a living creature. Each creature of the devourer’s choice that starts its turn within 10 feet of such a wall must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be restrained. A creature can use its action to escape its restraints, freeing itself on a successful DC 16 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. • The devourer chooses one creature that it can see within its lair. If the creature has 25 or fewer hit points it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, or fall to 0 hit points. Regional Effects The devourer’s necromantic presence warps the area around its lair, producing one or more of the following effects: • The area within 2 miles of the devourer’s lair drives creatures to a feeling of defeat and despair. For each hour spent within the area a creature must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be filled with eternal dread, gaining disadvantage on all saving throws and the creature gains the flaw: “I am convinced that this place is going to kill me.” • Undead spirits are drawn to the lair of a devourer, either by creation or to become empowered by it. Within 2 miles of the lair skeletons, zombies, ghouls, ghasts, shadows, and wights are all common appearances and they are all hostile towards living creatures. If the devourer dies, these effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE 45 Bestiary D Dybbuk CR 4, MTF p.132 Depraved spirits that take control of the bodies in order to engage their sordid desires and horrifying mortals, dybbuks are among the cruelest fiends. A dybbuk is likely to live where fresh bodies are easy to find. Graveyards and crypts are common lairs, as are hospitals or asylums. Often, however, dybbuks take cruel glee in creating lairs in places where their victims dwelt in life, the more grotesque the better. A dybbuk in the body of a priest may live in the church, one in the body of a child may live in the family home. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dybbuk can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Lights fade and cold permeates the lair. The radius of all light sources the dybbuk can see is halved until initiative count 20 on the next round. Each creature not in an area of bright light must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or take 5 (2d4) cold damage. A creature dealt damage in this way cannot regain hit points until it starts its turn in an area of bright light. • The foul presence of the dybbuk breaks connections to the divine. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, whenever a spellcaster using divine magic (such as a cleric or a paladin) within 30 feet of the dybbuk casts a spell or uses an ability powered by divine magic, it must succeed on a DC 12 Charisma saving throw or suffer one level of exhaustion. • An eerie noise or flitting shadow distracts a creature within the lair. One creature of the dybbuk’s choice within its lair must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed until initiative count 20 on the next round. A creature charmed in this way must use its action on its turn to investigate the phenomenon. When it does so, a shadow, hidden in the darkness, leaps out to attack it and joins the combat. Glabrezu CR 9, MM p.58 A glabrezu’s love for cunning is reflected in its lair. In the Abyss, such a lair can be a confusing maze of rooms and caverns filled with traps and false entrances, where the glabrezu would spend most of its time scheming to corrupt mortals and working on battle tactics. On the prime material plane, a glabrezu might set up a lair in a keep, mansion or demonic temple where it tempts mortals into falling to ruin. Such a lair will often be well decorated, or even inviting to those unaware of its inhabitant’s true goals. However, despite the glabrezu’s best efforts, the abyssal corruption it spreads inevitably make its lair unsettling to be in. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the glabrezu can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The glabrezu chooses one huge or smaller creature or object it can see within 60 feet of itself and teleports it to an unoccupied space within 60 feet of itself. If the target is a creature it can make a DC 16 Charisma saving throw to attempt to resist the effect. • The glabrezu uses its demonic underlings to bolster its defences. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, the glabrezu gains a +1 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws for each demon within 10 feet of itself, to a maximum of +5. • Ambient abyssal energies burrow into the minds of all non-demons in a 20-foot-radius circle within 30 feet of the glabrezu. Creatures in the area must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or take 16 (3d10) psychic damage as they experience the feeling of all their greatest desires and ideals being snuffed out. Creatures immune to being frightened make this saving throw with advantage. • The glabrezu’s manipulative nature magically manifests in the form of an unavoidable calling. The glabrezu casts dominate person (save DC 16). A creature that resists or otherwise ends the effect of this spell on itself becomes immune to this lair action’s effects for the next 24 hours.
Bestiary D 46 HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE Regional Effects The glabrezu’s lair is very different when located in the Abyss, and when in the Prime Material. Its abyssal corruption produces one or several of the following effects, depending on the lair’s location: Prime Material Plane: • Illusory magic disguises bloodstains and the stench of death in the lair as decorative paintings and burning incense respectively. A creature that succeeds on a DC 16 Intelligence (Investigation) check can see through this illusion. The illusion also ends for a creature if it attacks the glabrezu, or if the glabrezu attacks it. • When a creature enters the glabrezu’s lair and the glabrezu is aware of it, the glabrezu can attempt to extract the creature’s deepest desires. If the glabrezu succeeds on a Wisdom (Insight) check against the creature’s Charisma (Deception) it learns one of the creature’s ideals or bonds. • A creature within 1 mile of the lair feels like it is being hunted by an unknown pursuer. Abyss: • When a creature enters a new corridor or room in the glabrezu’s lair it has a 20% chance of being magically transported to a room elsewhere in the lair. • Creatures within 1 mile of the glabrezu can hear growls and orders yelled out in Abyssal coming from random directions around them with no apparent source. • The glabrezu is instantly aware of any creature that enters its lair. It also knows the creature’s type, alignment and exact location. These effects end immediately when the glabrezu dies. Goristro CR 17, MM p. 59 Ferocious, enormous and incredibly blood-thirsty, goristro are powerful demons often used as living siege engines by demon lords, who keep them as both prized weapons and cherished pets. A goristro’s chaotic and destructive nature combined with its incredible power makes them difficult to control and tame. A goristro’s lair takes into account its perfect ability to recall any path it has traversed, often placing goristro as obstacles to stop intruders in impossible to navigate webs of maze-like corridors, or in the winding hallways of Baphomet and the goristro’s home layer of the Abyss - the Endless Maze. Maze Walls. The maze’s walls are made of stone. Each 10-foot section of wall can be attacked (AC 15, 30 hit points, immune to psychic and poison damage, vulnerable to bludgeoning and force damage). Those walls are enchanted to survive the goristro’s destructive presence, and every round, on initiative count 10, one section of wall regains up to 10 hit points. Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the goristro can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects; it can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row: • The goristro’s lair is smeared with the pulverized remains of its previous victims. As the goristro approaches a creature within 30 feet of it the size and sheer malice of the goristro causes that creature to make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure the creature steps back in fear, slipping on spilled blood and viscera and landing prone, a creature prone in this way is unable to stand up until initiative count 20 on the following round. • The goristro’s powerful presence causes the magic keeping its lair from being damaged to temporarily falter. Until initiative count 20 on the next round, if the goristro shoves a creature within 5 feet of a wall, the wall collapses. The creature takes 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage, and is restrained until it or another creature makes a DC 17 Strength (Athletics) check as an action to free them.
