Fiend Factory 5E. White Dwarf Issue 10: Eastern Skeleton

 Issue10: Eastern Skeleton

 

White Dwarf Issue 10 presents us with yet another smorgasbord of monsters with no discernable theme. 

First up is the Blink Skeleton, by Bryan Hanstock, which is basically a skeleton with limited teleportation ability, plus some of them can fire a magic missile.

All fine and good, pretty simple to put together and a bit of a surprise. I don’t see any rationale for why they have these abilities, but I don’t think it matters in this case, since skeletons tend to be deliberate creations and so their creator could have given them whatever powers they see fit.

 

John Culver’s Inverse Monster has no specific stats or pictures, but is more of a template to create things like the Withra (Issue 8), the Nilbog (Issue 9) or the Dahdi (this issue). Anyone that rolls a hit, misses, and vice versa. If it makes a save, it fails. Bonuses become penalties. Other magical effects are reversed according to DM fiat.

If you stop and look at it, that’s all pretty pointless.

The Mimble by Tony Briskham, is an odd beast. Because it has extreme regenerative powers that function even after death, it is able to indulge in it unusual self-destructive behaviour, by throwing itself onto adventurer weapons, eating hot coals, and so on. It’s another of those nuisance monsters. I think it would be amusing to see how many annoying tag-along monsters it would be possible to get attached to one adventuring party, like a kind of travelling freakshow.

 

Trevor Mendham’s Familiar became the less ambiguous Guardian Familiar as of the Fiend Folio. Essentially, it’s a cat with nine lives, and it gets more powerful each time it gets killed. As a magical creature left to guard a particular treasure, though, it’s possible for an adventuring party to retreat at any time.

The original version gains 1 Hit Die, improves Armour Class by 1, adds 1 damage to all attacks and increases its speed by 2” (which for  the life of me I can’t recall how that translates into 3^rd/4^th/5^th Edition movement. Five feet, perhaps?) The Fiend Folio also adds a sliding scale of magic resistance which depends on the level of the summoner (I’d make it scale with the lives as well as the other stats), plus gives a few spells that will stop the reincarnation process.

Good for a one-off, I think.

 

Just as the Familiar is the archetypal “cat with nine lives”, so the Sandman is, well, the Sandman, and it puts you to sleep. And, that’s all it does. One of Roger Musson’s less crap ideas, and I find it funny that Don Turnbull says (pretty much) the same thing, noting it as “one of the more straightforward of the Musson creations”.

Note the implicit dungeon-setting assumption in the description, that if the encounter occurs in the sandman’s lair it will “eject the sleepers into the corridor”. Because, of course, the lair is going to be a dungeon room. I also note that Don Turnbull queried why it should have such a low Armour Class (when low was good, remember), but still gives it the same Armour Class in the Fiend Folio. Maybe because its made of sand, this is supposed to replicate weapons just passing through it?

 

Of all monsters so far, the Warlock Cat by David Taylor has the longest heritage (but wait a few issues….), as it became the Hellcat for the Fiend Folio and then ended up in 3^rd Edition as the Bezekira.

Once included in the Fiend Folio, the Warlock Cat/Hellcat lost its rather steep cost of requiring one character to eat every day (not just a creature, but specifically another character, not sure how it knows…). Instead, the Fiend Folio hellcat merely serves for either a year and a day, or until it finds a stronger master to serve, whichever comes first.

This makes the 1^st Ed versions a bit more interesting than the 3^rd Ed one, which don’t really have any kind of backstory or motivation.

Oh, but I see no mechanical reason for removing the bonus damage for magical weapons, seems just that little bit too mean; it’s not like an extra 1-4 damage per round is massively significant, especially when they can only be hit by magic weapons in the first place.

Back to Roger Musson’s usual shenanigans with the Bragger. It’s yet another tag-along monster, an imp that follows adventurers, especially good-aligned ones, boasting about how evil it is, and describing tortures at length. It is, however, completely harmless.

I mean, it’s fine as an amusement, but it’s an NPC, not a monster. Just use a regular imp and give it a personality like this, it doesn’t need a specific monster. As I mentioned above, though, I’m now picturing some poor adventuring group being followed by one of these yakking away, while a mimble keeps throwing itself in the way of their weapons, a tween is throwing off their averages, a carbuncle is riling them all up, and an umpleby is nicking all the treasure.

Finally, in the list of stupid an annoying monsters, comes an excuse for wordplay, the Dahdi, by the appropriately named Mervyn Lemon.

Yes, like Don Turnbull’s inverse wraith, the Withra, the Dahdi is an “inverse” mummy, that heals with a touch and flees from hostility. Aside from some out-dated humour about domestic violence, it’s another “gimmick” monster that does nothing for me. It did, however, make Don Turnbull “carol loud and long”. Á chacun son gout, and all that. Actually, for historical reference and an insight into the “puzzle dungeon” style of play, I’m just going to append all of Don (and Mervyn)’s comments below.

 

And so, after all that, we get at last to the Monster Of the Week, the Eastern Skeleton by Bryan Taylor. I wonder if he’s any relation to David Taylor who submitted the Warlock Cat? Oh, and before I get into the meat of the conversion, it’s been interesting editing these early issues again that the majority of the contributors only seem to provide one monster and then fade away. Apart from magazaine staff, Cricky Hitchcock of the Svart, who I think gives us a better entry later on, and of course good old Roger Musson and his lovable nonsense.

Back to the Eastern Skeleton. For some reason, Don Turnbull thinks of these as the Benedictine rather than the Shaolin type of monk (as, by the look of it, does the illustrator Polly Wilson), but to be fair, such things were less prevalent back then. Which is why he’s confused as to why they are “Eastern” skeletons.

It’s because they do kung-fu, Don.

I mean, come on. Martial arts skeletons? What’s not to love. Pretty simple to stat up as well – simply take a standard skeleton, tweak the ability scores a little and then give them levels of Monk (Way of the Open Hand). How an undead can access ki is a mystery, but we could play with a bit of Chinese mystic thought and say that it uses the ki of metal (the element of death), or the powers of only the yin, or shadow ki, or void ki, or anything really. Oh, and I’ve translated their name into Japanese, for the thrill (it’s a cobbled together neologism made of East/Eastern, Skeleton/Bone, Non-, Death, and you pronounce it Toe Hon Eh Foo Shee).

Tou-Hone-Fushi, 1st level Monk

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armour Class 12 Hit Points 13 (2d8 + 4) Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 10 (+0) 5 (-3)

Proficiency Bonus +2 Saving Throws Str +2, Dex +4 Skills Acrobatics +4, Stealth +4 Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages understands Common but can’t speak

Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)

ACTIONS

Martial Arts. The skeleton may make an unarmed attack as a bonus action if it attacks with its unarmed strike or a monk weapon. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.

Experienced Tou-Hone-Fushi, 3rd level Monk

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armour Class 13 (unarmoured defence) Hit Points 26 (4d8 + 8) Speed 40 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)

Proficiency Bonus +2 Saving Throws Str +2, Dex +4 Skills Acrobatics +4, Stealth +4 Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11

Languages understands Common but can’t speak

Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Ki. The skeleton has a pool of 3 ki points, which it can spend on the following features: Flurry of Blows. Immediately after making an attack action, the skeleton can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. Patient Defence. The skeleton can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on its turn. Step of the Wind. The skeleton can spend 1 ki point to take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on its turn. Its jump distance is doubled for the turn. Open Hand Technique. When the skeleton hits an opponent with an unarmed strike granted by its Flurry of Blows, it can impose one of the following effects on the target: The target must succeed on a DC 11 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. The target must make a DC 11 Strength saving throw or be pushed back up to 15 feet. The target can’t take reactions until the end of the skeleton’s next turn. ACTIONS

Martial Arts. The skeleton may make an unarmed attack as a bonus action if it attacks with its unarmed strike or a monk weapon. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.   REACTIONS

Deflect Missiles. If the skeleton is hit with a ranged attack it can reduces the damage by 10 (1d10 + 5). If this reduces the damage to 0, and the missile is small enough to hold in one hand, and the skeleton has one hand free, it can catch the missile. It can spend 1 ki point to make an immediate ranged attack with the missile as part of the same reaction. The skeleton counts as proficient in the attack, and the weapon counts as a monk weapon for the purposes of the counterattack.

 

Superior Eastern Tou-Hone-Fushi, 6th level Monk

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armour Class 14 (unarmoured defence) Hit Points 45 (7d8 + 14) Speed 45 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 12 (+1) 5 (-3)

Proficiency Bonus +3 Saving Throws Str +3, Dex +6 Skills Acrobatics +6, Stealth +6 Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11

Languages understands Common but can’t speak

Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Ki. The skeleton has a pool of 6 ki points, which it can spend on the following features: Flurry of Blows. Immediately after making an attack action, the skeleton can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. Patient Defence. The skeleton can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on its turn. Step of the Wind. The skeleton can spend 1 ki point to take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on its turn. Its jump distance is doubled for the turn. Stunning Strike. When the skeletonhits a creature with a melee attack, it can spend 1 ki point and the target must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the skeleton’s next turn. Ki-Empowered Strike. The skeleton’s unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance. Open Hand Technique. When the skeleton hits an opponent with an unarmed strike granted by its Flurry of Blows, it can impose one of the following effects on the target: The target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. The target must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be pushed back up to 15 feet. The target can’t take reactions until the end of the skeleton’s next turn. ACTIONS

Extra Attack. The skeleton can attack twice when it takes the Attack action. Martial Arts. The skeleton may make an unarmed attack as a bonus action if it attacks with its unarmed strike or a monk weapon. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. REACTIONS

Deflect Missiles. If the skeleton is hit with a ranged attack it can reduces the damage by 14 (1d10 + 9). If this reduces the damage to 0, and the missile is small enough to hold in one hand, and the skeleton has one hand free, it can catch the missile. It can spend 1 ki point to make an immediate ranged attack with the missile as part of the same reaction. The skeleton counts as proficient in the attack, and the weapon counts as a monk weapon for the purposes of the counterattack. Slow Fall. The skeleton can reduce any falling damage by 30 points.

 

Master Tou-Hone-Fushi, 9th level Monk

Medium undead, lawful evil

Armour Class 15 (unarmoured defence) Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20) Speed 45 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 15 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 5 (-3)

Proficiency Bonus +3 Saving Throws Str +3, Dex +6 Skills Acrobatics +6, Stealth +6 Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Damage Immunities poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12

Languages understands Common but can’t speak

Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Ki. The skeleton has a pool of 9 ki points, which it can spend on the following features: Death Strike. If the skeleton hits a living creature with its unarmed strike, it can spend 3 points of ki. The target must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or fall immediately to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 55 (10d10) necrotic damage. Flurry of Blows. Immediately after making an attack action, the skeleton can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. Patient Defence. The skeleton can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on its turn. Step of the Wind. The skeleton can spend 1 ki point to take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action on its turn. Its jump distance is doubled for the turn. Stunning Strike. When the skeletonhits a creature with a melee attack, it can spend 1 ki point and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the skeleton’s next turn. Ki-Empowered Strike. The skeleton’s unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance. Open Hand Technique. When the skeleton hits an opponent with an unarmed strike granted by its Flurry of Blows, it can impose one of the following effects on the target: The target must succeed on a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. The target must make a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be pushed back up to 15 feet. The target can’t take reactions until the end of the skeleton’s next turn. Unarmoured Movement. The skeleton can move along vertical surfaces and across liquids without falling during its move. ACTIONS

Extra Attack. The skeleton can attack twice when it takes the Attack action. Martial Arts. The skeleton may make an unarmed attack as a bonus action if it attacks with its unarmed strike or a monk weapon. Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage. Stillness of Mind. The skeleton can end one effect on itself that is causing it to be charmed or frightened. REACTIONS

Deflect Missiles. If the skeleton is hit with a ranged attack it can reduces the damage by 17 (1d10 + 12). If this reduces the damage to 0, andt he missile is small enough to hold in one hand, and the skeleton has one hand free, it can catch the missile. It can spend 1 ki point to make an immediate ranged attack with the missile as part of the same reaction. The skeleton counts as proficient in the attack, and the weapon counts as a monk weapon for the purposes of the counterattack. Evasion. If the skeleton is subjected to an effect that allows it to make a Dexterity saving throw to avoid damage, it takes no damage on a successful save, and half damage on a failed save. Slow Fall. The skeleton can reduce any falling damage by 30 points.