Herald of Blood

Huge fiend, neutral evil

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 184 (16d12 + 80)
Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
22 (+6) 12 (+1) 20 (+5) 14 (+2) 17 (+3) 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Str +10, Con +9, Wis +7
Skills Arcana +10, Perception +7
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 240 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal, Void Speech
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4

SPECIAL TRAITS

  • Blood Armor. Each time a creature with blood hits the herald with a melee attack while within 10 feet of the herald, the creature takes 4 (1d8) necrotic damage, and the herald’s AC increases by 1 until the end of its next turn. The herald’s AC can’t be increased to more than 20 from this trait.

ACTIONS

  • Multiattack. The herald makes three Herald’s Staff or Blood Bolt attacks, or it makes two Herald’s Staff attacks and one Grasping Slam attack.
  • Herald’s Staff. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage plus 13 (3d8) necrotic damage.
  • Grasping Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 17) if it is a Large or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained and takes 9 (2d8) necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns, and the herald can’t use its Grasping Slam on another target.
  • Blood Bolt. Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 120 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (5d8 + 3) necrotic damage. If the target is a creature with blood, it must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
  • Call Blood (Recharge 5–6). Each creature with blood within 10 feet of the herald must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. The herald then gains temporary hp equal to the single highest amount of necrotic damage dealt. A creature that fails the saving throw by 5 or more also suffers one level of exhaustion.

BONUS ACTIONS

  • Grant Blood Rage. The herald of blood infuses reckless rage in one creature it can see within 60 feet of it that isn’t a Construct or Undead. The target must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or be enraged for a number of rounds equal to the target’s Constitution modifier. While enraged, the target has advantage on all melee attack rolls, and attack rolls against it have advantage. When the rage ends, the target takes 13 (3d8) necrotic damage and suffers one level of exhaustion. A creature with any levels of exhaustion automatically succeeds on this saving throw.

ABOUT

The giant has bruised, purple skin and wart-like blood blisters that deform its features. It wears cowled robes, and its staff is ebony and mithral embedded with precious stones.

As powerful sorcerers and blood mages, heralds of blood are without peer. They enjoy enslaving ogres and giants whenever possible, though they make do with lesser slaves when they must.

Dark Prophets. Their stirring speeches proclaim that the end times are fast approaching and that all must prepare for a bloody reckoning. Their charismatic preaching serves various elder earthly gods, who demand blood sacrifices, and dark druid orders devoted to hunting and murdering innocents. They have the power to grant strength, lust, and vitality—or to wither those who cross them.

Blood Magic Vortexes. Beneath their giant-like veneer, heralds of blood are swirling vortexes of blood, bone, and raw magical power. They feed on ley line magic and the black blood of the earth as much as on flesh and blood.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Tome of Beasts 1 ©2023 Open Design LLC; Authors: Daniel Kahn, Jeff Lee, and Mike Welham.

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