5E: Converting AD&D Monsters to Fifth Edition
- Thread starter Cleon
- Start date
ilgatto
How inconvenient
Er... Mr. Liber, I presume?
Casimir Liber
Adventurer
Holy crap! Where is that from?! Cool, my work was immortalised 
...
...
ilgatto
How inconvenient
Holy crap! Where is that from?! Cool, my work was immortalised
Nothing so grand, I'm afraid. It's just one I made earlier.
Although I suppose it is forever now - now that it's on the interwebs.
Anyway. It is a pleasure to hear from you, good Sir. Might I be so bold as to ask you for whatever background information you can provide on the weresnake? Such as original campaign setting? Habits? Some history if any?
Cleon
Legend
Hold on a moment. When I copied the dimension door text I failed to account for the shorter 120 ft. range of Infernal Hopscotch. Adonides can't possibly teleport something 200 or 300 feet with this ability!
How about:
Infernal Hopscotch. Adonides teleports himself or an ice devil to any other spot within 120 feet of his current location. The ice devil must be in telepathic communication with Adonides and within 120 feet of him. The traveler arrives at exactly the spot desired, which can be a place Adonides can see, one he can visualize, or one he can describe by stating distance and direction, such as "60 feet straight downward" or "upward to the northwest at a 45-degree angle, 100 feet."
Casimir Liber
Adventurer
Good catch - tweaked
Casimir Liber
Adventurer
I'd seen the 1973 film Sssssss - Wikipedia and was trying to come up with monsters to write for White Dwarf magazine. I never really used these apart from on wandering monster tables. I wrote them around 1980...before I came across Dwellers of the Forbidden City (and hence Yuan Ti)
Cleon
Legend
Better post a blank monster as a placeholder for Adonides.
Cleon
Legend
Adonides
Large fiend (devil), lawful evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 250 (20d10 + 140)
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
Saving Throws DEX +10, CON +14, INT +13, WIS +13
Skills Deception +14, Insight +13, Intimidation +14, Investigation +13
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 21 (33,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Adonides fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Adonides has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Adonides's weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration. Adonides regains 10 hit points at the start of his turn. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn. Adonides dies only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Innate Spellcasting. Adonides's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma {spell save DC 22). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components
Actions
Multiattack. Adonides can use his Finger of Terror and makes three attacks with his twisted staff.
Twisted Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6+8) force damage plus 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage and 4 (1d8) piercing damage.
The twisted staff is a +1 magic weapon.
Finger of Terror. Adonides points his index finger at a creature he can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom save or become frightened for one minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Teleport. Adonides magically teleports, along with any equipment he is wearing and carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space he can see.
Bonus Actions
Devilish Mockery. Adonides speaks to a target within 60 feet. If the target can hear Adonides, it must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or take 21 (6d6) psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Legendary Actions
Adonides can take 3 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. Adonides regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Detect. Adonides makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Adonides uses Devilish Mockery.
Hellfire Blizzard (Costs 2 Actions). Adonides hurls a gout of infernal energy to a point within 150 feet which explodes. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw. The explosion causes 5 (1d10) bludgeoning, cold, fire or lightning damage plus 5 (1d10) bludgeoning, cold, fire or lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Adonides chooses two damage types for the Hellfire Blizzard when he hurls it (i.e. 1d10 cold plus 1d10 lightning), but may not choose the same type twice (i.e. it cannot be 2d10 bludgeoning).
Infernal Hopscotch. Adonides magically teleports himself or an ice devil, along with any equipment they are wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space he can see. The ice devil must be within 120 feet and in telepathic communication with Adonides. Only the destination point must be visible: Adonides can teleport an ice devil from somewhere he cannot see.
Description
Appearing as a young darkly handsome giant wearing courtly robes, Adonides is a powerful devil who uses his clothing and long hair to hide his short forked tail, crimson chest and small horns, although the fiend's glittering black eyes and fanged smile may reveal Adonides's true nature. He always carries a twisted spiked staff.
Steward of Caina. Adonides is a high-ranking Duke of Hell who acts as steward of Mephistopheles' realm of Caina, a post whose primary duty is internal security. He is cruel and high-handed, and suspects every devil beneath him of being a spy for Baalzebul, one of Mephistopheles' rival Arch-Devils.
(Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #76 (August 1983) as part of "The Nine Hells, Part II" by Ed Greenwood.)
Large fiend (devil), lawful evil
Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 250 (20d10 + 140)
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft.
STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 (+7) | 16 (+3) | 24 (+7) | 23 (+6) | 22 (+6) | 25 (+7) |
Saving Throws DEX +10, CON +14, INT +13, WIS +13
Skills Deception +14, Insight +13, Intimidation +14, Investigation +13
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 21 (33,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Adonides fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Adonides has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Adonides's weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration. Adonides regains 10 hit points at the start of his turn. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of his next turn. Adonides dies only if he starts his turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.
Innate Spellcasting. Adonides's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma {spell save DC 22). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components
- At will: animate dead, cone of cold, detect magic, ice storm, pyrotechnics (4d8 damage), wall of ice
- 3/day each: dispel magic, lightning bolt (5th level spell slot for 10d6 lightning damage)
- 1/day each: heal (self or by touch only), ice storm (8th level spell slot for 6d8 bludgeoning damage plus 4d6 cold damage), symbol (stunning only)
Actions
Multiattack. Adonides can use his Finger of Terror and makes three attacks with his twisted staff.
Twisted Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6+8) force damage plus 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage and 4 (1d8) piercing damage.
The twisted staff is a +1 magic weapon.
Finger of Terror. Adonides points his index finger at a creature he can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom save or become frightened for one minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Teleport. Adonides magically teleports, along with any equipment he is wearing and carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space he can see.
Bonus Actions
Devilish Mockery. Adonides speaks to a target within 60 feet. If the target can hear Adonides, it must succeed on a DC 22 Wisdom saving throw or take 21 (6d6) psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Legendary Actions
Adonides can take 3 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. Adonides regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Detect. Adonides makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.
Fiendish Invective (Costs 2 Actions). Adonides uses Devilish Mockery.
Hellfire Blizzard (Costs 2 Actions). Adonides hurls a gout of infernal energy to a point within 150 feet which explodes. Each creature in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on that point must make a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw. The explosion causes 5 (1d10) bludgeoning, cold, fire or lightning damage plus 5 (1d10) bludgeoning, cold, fire or lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Adonides chooses two damage types for the Hellfire Blizzard when he hurls it (i.e. 1d10 cold plus 1d10 lightning), but may not choose the same type twice (i.e. it cannot be 2d10 bludgeoning).
Infernal Hopscotch. Adonides magically teleports himself or an ice devil, along with any equipment they are wearing or carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space he can see. The ice devil must be within 120 feet and in telepathic communication with Adonides. Only the destination point must be visible: Adonides can teleport an ice devil from somewhere he cannot see.
Description
Appearing as a young darkly handsome giant wearing courtly robes, Adonides is a powerful devil who uses his clothing and long hair to hide his short forked tail, crimson chest and small horns, although the fiend's glittering black eyes and fanged smile may reveal Adonides's true nature. He always carries a twisted spiked staff.
Steward of Caina. Adonides is a high-ranking Duke of Hell who acts as steward of Mephistopheles' realm of Caina, a post whose primary duty is internal security. He is cruel and high-handed, and suspects every devil beneath him of being a spy for Baalzebul, one of Mephistopheles' rival Arch-Devils.
(Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #76 (August 1983) as part of "The Nine Hells, Part II" by Ed Greenwood.)
Last edited:
ilgatto
How inconvenient
[looks up Sssssss on Wikipedia]
Oh dear. That's not very...
Hold on...
Is that DIRK BENEDICT?! The man who personally managed to arrange for a white limo in the middle of the Vietnam jungle? The man who... er... this?
But I digress. Funny how many D&D monsters - some would even say D&D itself (as per Arneson binge-watching horror movies for Blackmoor) - were actually based on "horror films from the 70's". I suppose it was all one could get one's hands on in that dark time when Fantasy only occasionally made it to the TV screen. How the times have changed.
Info added (in red).
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