Inquisition players! Don't get spoiled! Run away again!
But don't worry, it also has seven dope-ass monsters you can steal from me! Or perhaps you'll only take the art.
Let's talk power curve in mid levels. Now I'm not one of those people who claims to have "done the math," and I know people say different things about which classes scale which ways, but I think one thing is plain for all to see: the power curve of 5th edition characters is not a linear one.
*Ensue argument in the comments*
But it just isn't. Sure it all depends on how you run your game and how many encounters per day. I know it's supposed to be like 6, but I usually don't have time for that many at a session. So there's often 2-4. And maybe my players are geniuses, but I can throw CR 23 monsters at their 11th level party and watch these "mighty foes" get demolished.
And this brings up a problem in my setting, and for me as a designer: my players will cakewalk through the enemies that daunted them a few levels ago. Meaning my campaign is in constant need of new intermediaries for the Big Bad Evil Guy that they can fight.
You've read about the Seven Virtues. There was a time when one of them nearly wiped the party. During their most recent encounter, Humility (you know, greatest living swordsman on Earth) lasted about 1 round, as did Chastity, and Diligence and Temperance fought to little effect before retreating. These were 1:1 numbers and the series antagonists were getting their pants pulled down around their ankles.
From this came the Sentinel Project.
In the Seven Virtues post, I outlined that these are basically people with the arch princes of Hell bound to them, body and soul. And I always wondered, what does that do to the mortal soul? Long-term, what are the effects?
And in my search for some 11th level baddies, I came up with an answer: it was just phase one.
You see, binding to a demonic entity prepares the soul to be bound again, to a higher and more radiant life form: the angel. In the Inquisition setting, the War in Heaven ended with the angelic race being split into souls (demons) and empty bodies (watchers). But seeing as the bad guys have Lilith, the last true angel, on their side, I figure they have the power to bind the now-fled souls of the Seven Virtues to the vessels they had been prepared for: angelic bodies.
Lo and behold, the Seven Sentinels come forth to fight again in the name of Lilith and the Black Goddess (who are obviously one and the same).
So basically these are enemies built around the time-tested fireball method (I could be making this up). Seeing that a caster of 11th level could conceivably get off 3 fireballs in 3 rounds of combat for B-I-G damages, and assuming that any monster in D&D is gonna survive M-A-Y-B-E long enough to take 3 turns, the enemies below are built to output about a fireball of damage per turn.
They're also built around a very simple design philosophy developed over the course of this campaign, and probably to be used in future 5th edition games (whenever that happens again). Each monster has an action, a reaction, and a passive ability. I've found that it's very simple to make, and very dynamic in play.
Enjoy!
The Raging Sentinel
Immune to radiant.
Enraging Presence (passive): All within sight must WIS save or use their action to attack her (or otherwise deal damage).
Bloody Blades (action): 2 attacks, +10 to hit, 4d6 slashing damage, target bleeds 1d6 damage if they take action or 2d6 if they move.
Revenge (reaction when hit): 2 attacks, +10 to hit, 8d6 slashing damage.
As you can see, she hits hard but basically deals double damage on the reaction. And her passive lures players in. She's a classic tank, with a nasty surprise once you strike her. Best not to succumb to primal instincts like "hit thing with sword until dead" and actually plan your approach.
The Covetous Sentinel
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| Like this, but not attached to an arm, and walking like a headcrab. |
AC 18, DC 17, HP 200, Speed 50, STR+8, DEX+6, CON+8, INT+7, WIS+7, CHA+10, Large.
Immune to radiant.
Midas Touch (passive): Any objects or creatures that touch it are turned to solid gold.
Flick (action): +10 to hit, 8d6 bludgeoning damage, thrown 30 and knocked prone.
Spellworm (reaction when spell is cast): Caster chooses: the spell costs 2 slots, or the sentinel can now cast it at will.
Another "don't just hit it" monster. It has another nasty reaction surprise, which like the previous sentinels' bleed ability forces you to make a hard choice (though this one punishes casters, not fighters).
The Lusting Sentinel
AC 16, DC 17, HP 200, Speed 40, STR+8, DEX+6, CON+8, INT+7, WIS+7, CHA+10.
Immune to radiant.
Alluring Beauty (passive): All within hearing must WIS save or use their move to approach her.
Engulf (action): Effects any creature in her space. DEX save or take 8d6 acid damage and restrained, on a success half damage and knocked prone (she rears up and attacks you with legs).
Pain is Beauty (reaction when hit): Half the damage dealt to her is inflicted on the attacker as psychic.
Sort of a siren, she pulls in the players against their will then devours them, and any attempt to stop her with straight-up damage dealing will be met with, you guessed it, the patented nasty surprise (can you see the formula emerging?).
The Proud Sentinel
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| All credit to the Angelarium! |
AC 20, DC 17, HP 200, Fly 50, STR+8, DEX+6, CON+8, INT+7, WIS+7, CHA+10.
Immune to radiant.
Grovel Before Me (passive): All within sight must CHA save or be knocked prone (save at the beginning of each turn ends).
Reducing Strike (action): +10 to hit, 8d6 slashing damage, reduces size of target by one level.
Show Off (reaction when missed): +10 to hit, 8d6 slashing damage, STR save or pushed 15.
Basically a controller, this one didn't quite come out how I wanted. With Humility, now this enemy, and of course Satan (who the players have been in a running battle with for 2 sessions now) I've continually struggled to have the concept of Pride reflect in the mechanics.
I Was Promised Seven Sentinels
Well, sorry! I have a design philosophy that I don't design things I'm not gonna use next session, and the last two Virtues (Temperance and Diligence) are still alive and well, meaning no Devouring Sentinel and no Sleeping Sentinel yet. And we all know about Envy...
As soon as the last of these poor fools who deigned to stand against PCs is dead, I'll update this.
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