D&D 5e. Nemesis system.
“Master of the secret dark, Are you so surprised to see, The ancient foe, you should well know, Come to spoil your victory? Is your memory worse than mine? Or wouldn't you believe that it was true? That I have hunted the ages down, Fated to come after you.”- The Challenger, Leslie Fish
Adventures often encounter enemies and foes who are notch above the common solider. Skilled in blade, magic, stealth and more, these characters, can and often do come back again and again to dog and besiege a party. But there are those foes are tougher still, those whose interactions with there enemies have harden, toughed and even interwoven there fates with those who oppose them. These are not foes, tehse are Nemesis's.
What is a Nemesis?
A nemesis is a foe who struggles and whose mutual hate intertwines his fate and destiny with a foe. A fetid dance of struggle and combat as goals clash and war with each other as fate it self can not choose an out come. Most heroes and villains in it's thrall know not what is happening, even as clash, again and again, and again on the battle field of war and politics.
What is a Nemesis (Mechanics)
Mechanically a Nemesis's is a bad guy who has a number of strength's, and weakness. If attacked along there strengths, they will be a substantial challenge above there raw CR, but if weakness are exploited they are weaker. They are combination puzzle, and NPC. Find the weakness and they can be made to crumble, but a blind charge head on, would prove a disaster. Most of all: A nemesis can be randomly generated. If a character once thought unimportant by the party suddenly becomes important, an orc slays, cripples or downs a player, and suddenly fate takes a notice. Should the party meet the orc again, he will be much improved since then. Though given how this effect: Demons or other outsiders may be a more natural fit for these effect. Additionally as can be derived form the last sentence, the Nemesis works in games where the party is on the back foot, where they can't hang around to kill enemies, where they need to run and give the enemy’s a chance to recover and return. A guerrilla campaign against a much stronger foe, or a game with easy access to raise dead so that a party can match blades with there killer time and time again.
Nemesis Template
"Nemesis" is a template that can be added to any creature (referred to hereafter as the "Nemesis"). When the Nemesis is created roll a d10 or 12 and consult the following tables and apply the listed trait
Nemesis strength
| Number | Strength Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physical damage resistance | Nemesis gains resistance to either (1) piercing, (2)bludgeoning, (3)slashing damage, or (4) all three. Roll a D4 |
| 2 | Elemental damage Resistance | Nemesis gains resistance to either (1) Fire, (2) Cold, (3)lighting damage, (4) Acid, (thunder) damage. Roll a D6, if a six is rolled reroll the dice. If the same element is rolled twice then the Nemesis is immune to the damage rather then resistant to it. |
| 3 | Spell casting | Nemesis gains a level in either (1) wizard, (2) Sorcerer, (4) warlock or gains a level in a preexisting spell casting class. Doll a D4 rerolling 4's. Regardless of the class the Nemeisis gains spells per level as per the multiclassing spell casting table. Treat as result 4 if the Nemesis's had a level in a martial or a result of five if the Nemesis had a level in rouge. |
| 4 | Martial skill. | Nemesis gains advantage a level in either (1 or 2) fighter, (3) barbarian, (4) ranger or gains a level in a preexisting martial class. Treat as result 3 if the Nemesis's had a level in a spell casting class or a result of five if the Nemesis had a level in rouge. |
| 5 | Stealth expert | Nemesis gains a level in rouge. Treat as result 4 if the Nemesis's had a level in a martial or a result of five if the Nemesis had a spell casting class. |
| 6 | Pack Hunter strikes | Nemesis gains pack hunter. Reroll this result if the Nemesis already has pack hunter. |
| 7 | Martial Advantage | gains Martial Advantage, Reroll this result if the Nemesis already has pack hunter. |
| 8 | Skilled | Nemesis's gains proficiency in D6 random skills. There are 18 skills so roll a D20 and reroll 19 and 20. if this strength is rolled twice, the Nemesis gains +2 proficiency. |
| 9 | Gang leader | the Nemesis's will always be encountered with D6 additional body guards of a lower CR then it it. |
| 10 | Roll again | Roll D4+1 times on this table, rerolling results of 12. |
Nemesis rage
| Number | Strength Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hates Pain | Nemesis gains advantage to all attacks for the extend of the combat if suffers either (1) fire, (2) ice, (3) lighting, (4) acid, (5) thunder or (6) Radiant damage. Roll a D6 to determi ndamage times. |
| 2 | Hates beasts | Nemesis gains advantage to all attacks so long as a beast type creature is an ally to there opponent. |
| 4 | Hates Gods | Nemesis gains advantage to all attacks so long as he sees as holy symbol or a cleric. |
| 5 | Hates giants | Nemesis's gains advantage against all attacks directed against a target larger then it. |
| 6 | Hates Mites | Nemesis's gains advantage against all attacks directed against a target smaller then it. |
| 7 | Hates Dragons | Nemesis's gains advantage against all attacks directed against a target affiliated with dragons. (dragon born, dragon sorcerers and symbols of dragon gods) |
| 8 | Enraged by Archers | The Nemesis gains advantage to all attacks against range oppoants and can negate all ranged damage on a DC 5 dex save. |
| 9 | Enraged by Mortal Wounds | when at half health all attacks gain Advantage. |
| 10 | Enraged by cowards | Gains advantage when enemy’s flee from it, gains the ability to be unable to be surprised and gains advantage during a surprise round. |
| 11 | Devoted Master | Attacks gain advatnage for one round when an ally dies |
| 12 | Roll again | Roll D4+1 times on this table, rerolling results of 12. |
Nemesis Weakness
| Number | Strength Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Physical damage vulnerability | Nemesis gains a Vulnerability to either (1) piercing, (2)bludgeoning, (3)slashing damage, or (4) all three. Roll a D4 |
| 2 | Elemental damage Vulnerability | Nemesis gains gains a Vulnerability to either (1) Fire, (2) Cold, (3)lighting damage, (4) Acid, (thunder) damage. Roll a D6, if a six is rolled reroll the dice. If the same element is rolled then the Nemesis has a mortal Vulnerability and will suffer four times the regular damage. |
| 3 | Soft head | The Nemesis's has a Vulnerability to attacks from range weapons like bows. |
| 4 | Brittle. | The Nemesis's has a Vulnerability to strength weapons |
| 5 | Complacent | in a surprise round, the Nemesis gains Vulnerability to all attacks. |
| 6 | Bad boss | The nemesis’s nearby allys start with half health. Additionally ally's are easyer to convince to betray the Nemesis. |
| 7 | Sickly | The nemesis’s is more vulnerable to disease and poisons. |
| 8 | hate's pain | Nemesis suffers disadvantage to all saves on rounds where it takes damage. |
| 9 | Fear | roll on the Nemesis's fear table. When a Nemesis's fear is triggered it's strength is temporary negated |
| 10 | Roll again | Roll D4+1 times on this table, rerolling results of 12. |
Nemesis fear
| Number | Strength Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fears Pain | Nemesis gains disadvantage to all attacks for the extend of the combat if suffers either (1) fire, (2) ice, (3) lighting, (4) acid, (5) thunder or (6) Radiant damage. Roll a D6 |
| 2 | fears beasts | Nemesis gains disadvantage to all attacks so long as a beast type creature is an ally to there opponent. |
| 3 | Fears holy | Nemesis's can be turned like an undead. |
| 4 | fears Gods | Nemesis gains disadvantage to all attacks so long as he sees as holy symbol or a cleric. |
| 5 | Fears giants | Nemesis's gains disadvantage against all attacks directed against a target larger then it. |
| 6 | fears Mites | Nemesis's gains disadvantage against all attacks directed against a target smaller then it. |
| 7 | fears Dragons | Nemesis's gains disadvantage against all attacks directed against a target affiliated with dragons. (dragon born, dragon sorcerers and symbols of dragon gods) |
| 8 | Fears insects | The Nemesis gains disadvantage to all attacks for a combat when it encounters either a big insect or a swarm of small ones. Really anything with an Exoskeleton will do the trick. Crabs, bugs, spiders, shrimp. |
| 9 | Fears death | when at half health will attempt to flee. |
| 10 | Fears by shadows | Attempts to flee after a surprise round. |
| 11 | Devoted to Master | Gains disadvantage for the combat when an ally with a Higher CR dies. |
| 12 | Roll again | Roll D4+1 times on this table, rerolling results of 12. |
Nemesis Advance traits
Nemesis have a unique trait: they are hard to kill, or hard to stay killed. Once the Nemesis's template is applied roll a d20 each time the Nemesis dies. On a 10+ the Nemesis is not dead, they have cheated death and will return to attack the PC's. Add a +1 to this roll for each victory a Nemesis's has over another fate touched individual, a PC or another Nemesis. As for 'how' they cheat death, D&D has lots of ways to do so, so the question is a bit moot. If a 15+ is rolled for Nemesis when they cheat death they gain a new strength and if a weakness or fear was exploited in the encounter that killed them remove that weakness. If a Nemesis's has only one weakness or fear, it is removed only on a 18+.
If a Nemesis cheat's death roll on the Nemesis strength table as they learn from there defeat and come back stronger.
Lastly there is a final table: if a Nemesis cheats death on a natural 20, they gain an Epic trait. Epic traits are far stronger then other traits, which is why they can only be added after the party already defeat the Nemesis's. When an epic trait is rolled, roll again on the weakness talbe.
Nemesis Epic traits
| Number | Strength Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swift | Nemesis Is treated as being under a permanent haste spell. |
| 2 | Champion | can gain it's average hit dice once per round as per a short rest. If the Nemesis's is exposed to a fear a weakness, it can not use this effect. |
| 3 | Fated Duel | Pick one member of the party, all attacks and saves from sources other then from that individual suffer disadvantage. |
| 4 | Gang of Elite | Nemesis's is guarded by an elite guard of soldiers with each member being at least half it's CR. |
| 5 | Fusillade | Each turn makes D6 additional range attacks on top of it's normal range ablitys. |
| 6 | Veteran | Nemesis's gains D6+2 class levels in what ever class it had. If it had no class randomly apply one. |
| 7 | Fated slayer | The Nemesis advantage against all attacks directed against one member of the party. |
| 8 | Strong beyond time | Roll D10+2 times on the Nemesis strength table |
Example of Nemesis creation
The Players is hunting down a demon cult, for the final battle they face down the center of worship of the Cult: a Succubus. However despite being prepared and ready, the party do not do well. The Succubus rolls hot all night, nothing lower then a 19, while the party can not get above a 10. In the end the party is forced to withdraw, defeated, vanquished with one member dead or unconscious, the laugh of the Succubus ringing in there ears.
Fate has taken a notice, Succubus is more then just a mini boss even if even the DM did not know it. She is a Nemesis.
The DM then has two options, pick the strengths and weakness by hand, or roll them. For the sake of argument we will do the rolling example.
The DM rolls a 10 for strength, 9 for rage and a 7 for weakness.
10 strength means we roll D4+1 times, we roll and get a 2, for 3 rolls, giving us a 4, 6, 5. Six grants the Succubus pack hunter, but 4 and 5 both grant a class level, either rouge or a martial class. Given that we four came first, and that our succubus won in a direct fight, we give the succubus a random martial class level, we get 4 for the odd choice of ranger, and then our five gives that another level of ranger.
9 for rage means Enraged by Mortal Wounds when at half health all attacks gain Advantage.
Lastly 7 for weakness means our Succubus takes saves against disease and poisons at disadvantage, and all such effects last twice as long.
However since we rolled a 10 for strength, the DM decided to give the Succubus another weakness or a fear. He picks a fear and rolls a 4, so our Succubus fears gods. If the party had a cleric this weakness might be crippling, but if they did not this would create an interesting dynamic of trying to confront the succubus near holy areas like churches, or the party would inscribe holy symbols on there armor, that the Succubus would attempt to destroy, and of course at half health the advantage and disadvantage cancel out and she will hit normally.
Lastly the DM needs to pick a name for the Succubus, something the party would remember. As this succubus had no name before fate took a notice, he picks the simple title: "Regal" for her.
Before we move on to the next step to building our Nemesis we must consider what her stat block looks like as a whole.
Credit: 5e monster manual
Regal
*Medium fiend (shapechanger), Neutral Evil
- Armor Class 15
- Hit Points 77 (12d8+2d10+12)
- Speed 30, 60 fly.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 17 (+3) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+5) 20 (+5)
- Skills Deception +9, Insight +5, Perception +5, Persuasion +9, Stealth +7
- Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison; Bludgeoning, Piercing, And Slashing From Nonmagical Weapons
- Senses Darkvision 60 Ft., passive Perception 15
- Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal, Telepathy 60 Ft.
- Challenge N/A
Telepathic bond . Regal ignores the range restriction on its telepathy when communicating with a creature sge has charmed.
Shape changer . Regal can use its action to polymorph into a Small or Medium humanoid, or back into its true form. Without wings, Regal loses her flying speed. Other than her size and speed, her statistics are the same in each form.
Favored enemy: Humanoid-Human and Elf. Regal has advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track these favored enemies, as well as on Intelligence Checks to recall information about them.
Natural Explorer-Mountain.
Spell casters. Regal can cast two level 1 ranger spells per long rest and knows the spells "Hail of Thorns" and Ensnaring Strike. Her spell DC is 13 and her spell attack bonus is +5
Fighting style-Archery. Regals gain a +2 bonus to Attack rolls with Ranged Weapons.
Enraged by Mortal Wounds . when at half health all attacks gain Advantage.
Sickly. Regals takes saves against disease and poisons at disadvantage, and all such effects last twice as long.
Fears gods. Regals gains disadvantage to all attacks so long as she sees as holy symbol or a cleric.
Pack Tactics. Regals gains advantage to attacks against an enemy an ally is flanking
Nemesis . Upon death Regal rolls a D20+1, if the result is greater then ten, she is not dead. if the result is 15, she losses a weakness or fear, if teh result is a natrual 20, she gains an Epic Nemesis trait.
Action list
Claw (fiend form only) . Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
Longbow. Range Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 150/600ft. Hit: (1d8 +3) piercing damage.
Charm. One humanoid Regal can see within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be magically charmed for 1 day. The charmed target obeys the fiend's verbal or telepathic commands. If the target suffers any harm or receives a suicidal command, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success. If the target successfully saves against the effect, or if the effect on it ends, the target is immune to this fiend's Charm for the next 24 hours. The fiend can have only one target charmed at a time. If it charms another, the effect on the previous target ends.
Draining Kiss. Regal kisses a creature charmed by it or a willing creature. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw against this magic, taking 32 (5d10 + 5) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to.
Etherealness. Regal can magically enter the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, or vice versa.
The last thing to consider is personality. As a boss monster she may have had a generic personality, a few lines that would have been forgetable, but now she is more then that and she needs to stick in the player's mind as a character. As such we must ask: what does her stat block say about her?
Since we applyed the two ranger levels as an archer, her favored enemys are humans and elves and her spells are Ensnaring strike and hail of thorns, we could think of her as some kind of big game hutner for humans and elves, a kind of perverted trophy hunter, her cult that lead the PC's to her worshiping her as a huntress god or maybe as a dark den of killers and murderers who also seek this dark thrill. remember though: this is supose to be the same Sucubus, do not attempt to retcon previous information unless it's small and you think your party will not notice.
Had we picked other spells or fighting styles we could have made her diffrently: Fighting style: Dueling and more damageing spells may have created the idea of an kind of 'thrill of battle' character. This is the power of the Nemesis system, the ablity to make characters out of nothing, and then have the party's past dog them going forward, createing new storys, because now: what does the party do? do they hunt Regal down? Regal won't sit on her laurals for ever, she will start to act, and the party will have to react, thus there storys, and fates will go on.
legalese
I do use the stat block of a Sucubus from 5e and other OGL content like spells and mechancis, but I plead total ignorence to a proper use of the open game License. . . . so yaaa, this is just a beta and I imagine it can be added latter once we get it a bit more polished, with the help of people who know what they are doing for some help eh?