Page 112 - Monster Manual Expanded III Dragonix

A Maligno's Lair creature of the maligno's choice that it can see and make one
weapon attack against it.
The lair of a maligno is a dreadful grove of dismal, misshapen
trees with branches that look more like claws. The maligno
Regional Effects
attracts the company of blackroot treants, bugbears, dark
The region containing a maligno’s lair is warped by the maligno’s
duwendes, death's head trees, evil darklings, goblins, hags,
magic, which creates one or more of the following effects:
harpies, meazels, quicklings, redcaps, tikbalangs, and will-o'-wisps.
• Once per day, the maligno can alter the weather in a 6-mile radi-
These creatures revere and are subservient to the maligno.
us centered on its lair. The maligno doesn’t need to be outdoors;
Lair Actions otherwise the effect is identical to the control weather spell.
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the maligno takes a • Beasts and plant creatures within 1 mile of the lair become evil
lair action to cause one of the following effects; the maligno can’t and violent — even creatures that are normally docile.
use the same effect two rounds in a row: • Thickets form labyrinthine passages within 1 mile of the malig-
no’s lair. The thickets act as 10-foot-high, 10-foot-thick walls that
• The maligno casts bestow curse (no components required) and
block line of sight. Creatures can move through the thickets,
doesn't need to maintain concentration of the spell. The effect
with every 1 foot a creature moves costing it 4 feet of move-
ends after 1 minute, or if the anito uses this lair action again.
ment. A creature in the thickets must make a DC 15 Dexterity
• The maligno casts entangle (no components required) and
saving throw once each round it’s in contact with the thickets or
doesn't need to maintain concentration of the spell. A creature
that starts its turn restrained takes 5 (2d4) piercing damage take 3 (1d6) piercing damage from thorns. Each 10-foot-cube of
from thorns. The effect ends after 1 minute, or if the maligno thickets has AC 5, 30 hit points, resistance to bludgeoning and
uses this lair action again. piercing damage, vulnerability to fire damage, and immunity to
• The maligno unleashes a wave of madness. Each creature with- psychic and thunder damage.
in 60 feet of it must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw If the maligno dies, the effects fade over the course of 1d10 days.
or must use its reaction to move up to half its speed toward a
Maligno Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit:
7 (1d6 + 4) slashing damage plus 7 (2d6) necrotic damage, and the
Medium fey (engkanto), neutral evil target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or its
hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic
Armor Class 17 (natural armor) damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long
Hit Points 165 (22d8 + 66) rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.
Speed 50 ft., climb 50 ft. Terrifying Presence. Each creature of the maligno’s choice that
the maligno can see within 120 feet of it must succeed on a DC
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the maligno for
17 (+3) 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 1 minute. The frightened creature is paralyzed. The frightened
creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns,
Saving Throws Dex +9, Wis +8, Cha +9 ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw
Skills Deception +9, Perception +8, Persuasion +9, Stealth +14 is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the
Damage Resistances cold, lightning, necrotic, thunder; bludgeoning, maligno’s Terrifying Presence for the next 24 hours.
piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Innate Spellcasting. The maligno’s innate spellcasting ability is
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 19
Charisma (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). It can
Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish, Sylvan
innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
Challenge 15 (13,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +5
At will: bestow curse, chill touch (4d8), dancing lights, druidcraft,
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If the maligno fails a saving throw, it entangle, invisibility
can choose to succeed instead. 3/day each: blight, confusion, erupting earth, phantasmal killer,
polymorph, wrath of nature
Magic Resistance. The maligno has advantage on saving throws
1/day each: circle of death, contagion, dominate person, geas, insect
against spells and other magical effects.
plague, mirage arcane
Plant Camouflage. The maligno has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth)
Change Shape. The maligno magically polymorphs into a Medium-
checks it makes in any terrain with ample obscuring plant life.
sized humanoid. It can revert to its true form as a bonus action.
Regeneration. The maligno regains 10 hit points at the start of Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any
its turn if it is within 120 feet of its grove. If the maligno takes fire equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its
or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the true form if it dies.
maligno’s next turn. The maligno’s body is destroyed only if it starts Legendary Actions
its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
The maligno gains 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options
Speak with Beasts and Plants. The maligno can communicate with
below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and
beasts and plants as if they and the maligno shared a language.
only at the end of another creature's turn. The maligno regains spent
Tree Stride. Once on its turn, the maligno can use 10 feet of its legendary actions at the start of its turn.
movement to step magically into one living tree within its reach and
Move. The maligno moves up to half its speed without provoking
emerge from a second living tree within 120 feet of the first tree,
opportunity attacks.
appearing in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the second tree.
Claw. The maligno makes a Claw attack.
Both trees must be Large or bigger.
Debilitating Gaze. The maligno turns its magical gaze toward
Actions one living creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must
succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or take 7 (2d6)
Multiattack. The maligno can use its Bewildering Presence. It then
necrotic damage and gain 1 level of exhaustion.
makes two Claw attacks.
Cast Spell (Costs 2 Actions). The maligno innately casts a spell.

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Bestiary