IADnDMN Stream Monsters! (2019/05/17)
As always, tune into ItsADnDMonsterNow's weekly monster-making stream on Twitch every Wednesday at 11am Pacific! We hang out, talk DnD, and make monsters together as I explain my process and share my tips for making fun and effective monsters that you can use in your own games!
Spatial Distortion Cube
3rd-level conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: S, M (A silver mirror worth at least 100 gp)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
Spell Lists: Sorcerer, Wizard
You conjure a series of magical transparent teleportation barriers around a point of your choice within range, surrounding a 30-foot cube area centered on that point. Each barrier is a 30-foot square plane that fully encloses the spell's area. When you cast the spell, each creature that can see the spell's area can make a Wisdom (Perception) check against your spell save DC to notice the appearance of the barriers (no action).
For the spell's duration, whenever a creature in the area attempts to cross one of the barriers at the boundaries of the area, it must make a Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the creature exits the area normally. On a failed save, the creature is teleported instead, trapped within the area until the start of its next turn. A creature that fails its save can repeat it the first time on each of its turns that it crosses one of the barriers, exiting the area as normal on a success.
When a trapped creature attempts to cross any of the barriers around the spell's area, it is instead teleported to an unoccupied space inside the spell's area within 5 feet of the barrier opposite the one that they crossed. The space in which the creature appears is otherwise as close as possible to the one they left. If the creature can't fit in any space within 5 feet of the opposing barrier, it is instead likewise teleported to the furthest exposed barrier face of the area from the point at which it triggered the effect.
If a creature is forced to fall repeatedly through opposing sides of the area, it is slowed to a safe falling speed each time it teleports, such that ending the spell doesn't cause the creature to sustain any damage from falling, and can move horizontally while falling, as if through difficult terrain.
Objects worn or carried by an affected creature always travel with that creature. All other objects are always teleported as above when they cross the barriers, including weapon ammunition and thrown objects. This doesn't include non-solid spells or effects, such as a magic missile or fire bolt.
Objects and creatures not within the area when the spell is cast can enter the area normally, but must then succeed on a Charisma saving throw to exit.
At Higher Levels. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, the duration is 8 hours. If you use a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the duration is 24 hours. If you use a 9th level spell slot, it lasts until dispelled and doesn't require concentration.
Dark Monk
Suggested by @whistlehunter
Though they may have been something of a monastic order once, the beings known now only as Dark Monks are nothing more than unholy husks of men who have surrendered their bodies to powerful fiends.
These creatures appear ghastly and wraith-like, and conjure dark magic to give themselves deadly ability, and to call forth demons from the abyss.
image source: castlevania.fandom.com
Dark Monk
Medium fiend, chaotic evil
Armor Class 18 (studded leather armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 0 ft., fly 40 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 13 (+1) 16 (+3)
Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +5, Cha +6
Skills Acrobatics +10, Perception +4
Damage Resistances acid, lightning, necrotic, thunder
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Abyssal, Common
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
Evasion. If the monk is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, the monk instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.
Fiendish Blessing. The AC of the monk includes its Charisma bonus.
Fiendish Weapons. The monk's weapon attacks are magical. When the monk hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 2d8 necrotic damage (included in the attack).
Actions
Multiattack. The creature makes two attacks with its claws.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.
Necrotic Slashes. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 30/90 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.
Raking Dive (Recharge 5–6). The monk moves in a straight line up to 20 feet, not provoking opportunity attacks. Each creature that is within 5 feet of the monk at any point during this movement must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw, taking 7 (3d4) slashing damage plus 13 (3d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much of each damage type on a successful one.
Demon Portal (1/Day). The monk conjures a wide circular portal to the Abyss, calling forth demons into the world. When the portal is opened, and at the start of each of the monk's turns while it remains, 1d4-1 demons enter through the portal. The demons who emerge from the portal on any given turn have a collective CR no great than 2. The portal is 10 feet wide, has an AC of 8, 20 hit points, and immunity to poison and psychic damage. When the portal is reduced to 0 hit points, it collapses and disappears.
Apostle Fusion. The monk begins an abyssal ritual to fuse with another dark monk. When the monk uses this action within 5 feet of another dark monk who has done so since the end of its last turn, or if the monk uses this action, which is then reciprocated by another dark monk within 5 feet of it, the two dark monks fuse into a single fiendish creature called a Dark Apostle.
The dark apostle's current hit points and hit point maximum are each equal to the sums of the two fused dark monks. The dark apostle is a new, single creature which emerges at the start of the turn of the dark monk that first initiated the fusion, adopting that place in the initiative order.
See the dark apostle's stat block for its other game statistics.