The Thing In The Field - The Homebrewery

The Thing In The Field

Large Fiend (Kinglet) , Neutral Evil

Armor Class 13

Hit Points 85 (10d10 + 30) // 102

Speed 40ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA

18 (+4) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1)

Skills Acrobatics +6, Athletics +7, Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +5

Damage Resistances Force, Necrotic, Poison, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Bludgeoning, Piercing and Slashing from non-meteorite weapons.

Condition Immunities Prone

Senses passive Perception 16, Darkvision 120 feet

Languages Common, Druidic, Abyssal

Challenge 5 (1800 XP)

Rubbery Hide. The Thing's skin is like rubber, and particularly tough. If it takes fire, lightning or cold damage, the Thing In The Field loses its Slashing, Piercing or Bludgeoning resistance respectively. This effect lasts until the end of its next turn.

Fluid Flesh. If The Thing In The Field takes cold damage or is subjected by an effect that would harden its flesh (such as petrification), it loses its immunity to the Prone condition, until the end of its next turn for cold damage or as long as the effect is active.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in direct sunlight, the Thing In The Field has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Avoidance. If the Thing In The Field is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a saving throw to take only half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if it fails.

Displacement. The Thing In The Field projects a magical illusion that makes it appear to be standing near its actual location, causing attack rolls against it to have disadvantage. If it takes damage or is exposed to direct sunlight, this trait is disrupted until the end of its next turn. This trait is also disrupted while the Thing is incapacitated or has a speed of 0.

Too Many Arms. The Thing In The Field has advantage on Strength (Acrobatics) checks to grapple an enemy, and it isn't slowed when it moves while grappling a Large creature.

Cunning Predator. The Thing can Dash, Disengage or Hide as a bonus action.

Actions

Multiattack. The Thing In The Field makes a tentacle attack and either a bite attack or a Catastrophic Collapse. It can replace its tentacle attacks with grapple attempts, made with the tentacle's reach.

Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 15ft., one target. Hit 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 7 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage and the target must succeed a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Catastrophic Collapse (Consumes 2-6 Horizons). As an action, the Thing In The Field warps the fabric of space in front of it, exuding a powerful stream of energy as the cloth of reality snaps in a blistering flash of red light. All non-kinglet creatures in a 10ft line originating from the Thing make a DC14 Charisma saving throw, taking 2d6 Force damage on a failure, half as much on a success. Additionally, creatures that fail their saving throw are randomly teleported 2d8x5ft away {and take 1d6 points of Stress}.

For each Horizon spent beyond the first 2, the DC increases by 1, the damage increases by 1d6 and the teleportation distance increases by 1d8 {and the stress increases by 1}.

Collapse Horizon. As a bonus action, The Thing teleports to a point in space it can see up to 2d6x5ft away. Each time it uses this ability, the Thing gains 1 Horizon, and it gains an additionnal one for each 6 rolled on the dice. As it gains Horizons, the Thing's dark skin reddens like heated iron.

Veil Of The Horizon (Consumes 1-4 Horizons). As a bonus action, The Thing In The Field causes the space around it to warp and redden, seemingly blistering hot. The Thing's AC increases by the Horizon consummed and creatures that hit it with a melee attack take Force damage equal to 2 times the Horizon consummed.

This effect stays active until the Thing consumes Horizon or uses Collapse Horizon. Additionnaly, this effect's strength is reduced by one Horizon every time the Thing is hit by an attack (after the Force damage has been dealt).

Legendary Actions

The Thing In The Field can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. The Thing In The Field regains all spent legendary actions at the start of its turn

Reactive Predator. The Thing In The Field makes one melee attack.

Pounce. The Thing In The Field moves up to half its speed, ignoring opportunity attacks.

Quickened Collapse (Consumes 1 Horizon). The Thing In The Field uses its Collapse Horizon feature.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	17 (+3)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)

Veil Of The Red Horizon

Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)

This veil is made out of the hide of the Thing In The Field. It sometimes appears to breathe and the various appendages seem to sway despite the lack of wind.

Horizon Predator. This cloak lets you use the following abilities. It can hold up to 6 charges at a time.

Collapse Horizon. As a bonus action, you teleport to a point you can see up to 2d6x5ft away. {You take 1 point of stress.} On a 6, you gain one charge.

Warp Shell (1 charge). As a reaction when you are hit by a ranged weapon or spell attack, you cause the attack to miss. Roll 1d6, on a 6 repeat the attack against the creature that initially attacked you. {You take 1 point of stress.}

Horizon Cloak (2 charges). You warp space around you, making you appear in a slightly different location for up to 1 minute. Attacks against you have disadvantage. You must concentrate on this effect as if it was a spell. {At the start of each of your turns while this effect is active, you take 1 point of stress.}

Catastrophic Collapse (2-6 charges). All non-fiend creatures in a 15ft line in front of you make a Charisma saving throw (DC 14), taking 2d6 Force damage on a failure, half as much on a success. For each charge expended beyond the first 2, the DC increases by 1 and the damage increases by 1d6. Finally, you can teleport to a point you can see up to a range equal to 5ft times the amount of Force damage rolled. {You take a number of points of stress equal to the number of charges expended.}

Sentient. The Veil Of The Red Horizon is a neutral evil cloak with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 14, and a Charisma of 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet.

The cloak communicates with its wearer telepathically, sharing sensations, pictures and ideas. It can also communicate telepathically to its wearer in Abyssal, as faint, barely audible whispers, or as vivid, loud dreams.

It has four different voices, all speaking at the same time and usually saying the same things. Three of these voices are clearly distinct humans, two men and a woman. The fourth is utterly impossible to describe, yet clearly audible, the same way you cannot describe a face from a dream.

Personality. When it stirs up, The Veil Of The Red Horizon whispers words in Abyssal, trying to goad its wearer into hunting. It often seems excited, almost child-like.

It acts like an animal, a savage beast : it likes the hunt and is -at least initially- loyal to no one, but it can create a bond of friendship with its wearer, if this one shares its views. If he doesn't see its wearer as a worthy hunter, the Veil will refuse to function.

Text in {}s refer to rules found in the compendium "Darker Dungeons".

Picture credits : A River Of Commerce.