Epic Berserker

Family: NPC

Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil berserker (frenzied, totemic) 21

Armor Class 22 (Constitution, corrupted gauntlet)
Hit Points 283 (21d12+147)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
24 (+7)	16 (+3)	24 (+7)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	12 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +14, Con +14
Skills Athletics +14, Insight +7, Intimidation +8, Perception +7
Senses passive Perception 17
Languages Common
Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Brutal Critical. The berserker can roll four additional weapon damage dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.
• Danger Sense. The berserker has advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that they can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, the berserker can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.
• Feral Instinct. The berserker has advantage on initiative rolls. Additionally, if they are surprised at the beginning of combat and isn’t incapacitated, the berserker can act normally on their first turn, but only if they enters a rage before doing anything else on that turn.
• Indomitable Might. If the berserker’s total for a Strength check is less than 24, they can use that score in place of the total.
• Intimidating Presence. The berserker can use an action to frighten someone with their menacing presence. When the berserker does so, they choose one creature within 30 feet that they can see. If the creature can see or hear the berserker, it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of the berserker until the end of the berserker’s next turn. On subsequent turns, the berserker can use an action to extend the duration of this effect on the frightened creature until the end of the berserker’s next turn. This effect ends if the creature ends its turn out of line of sight or more than 60 feet away from the berserker. If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, the berserker can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.
• Mindless Rage. The berserker can’t be charmed or frightened while raging. If they are charmed or frightened when they enter their rage, the effect is suspended for the duration of the rage.
• Nature Speaker. The berserker can cast speak with animals as a ritual. They can also spend 10 minutes performing a ritual on one willing beast they touch. For as long as the berserker concentrates, up to 1 hour, they can see through the beast’s eyes and hear what it hears, gaining the benefits of any special senses that the beast has. During this time, the berserker is deaf and blind with regard to their own senses.
• Prestige. Commoners and other NPCs recognize the berserker or at the very least know their name, and they are treated as an equal (or nearly as much) by empresses, monarchs, and other heads of state. When the berserker enters into a tavern or other social gathering, they can loudly declare that they are looking for something or someone. Most of the people there look at and otherwise point out whoever they believe is the person the berserker is looking for or the person most likely to know about what they are seeking. In addition, when the berserker fails a Charisma (Deception) check against a creature, it makes a DC 21 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it thinks twice about the berserker’s dishonesty and their Charisma (Deception) check becomes a success.
• Rage. On their turn, the berserker can enter a rage as a bonus action. While raging, they gain the following benefits if they aren’t wearing heavy armor: advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, when the berserker makes a melee weapon attack using Strength they gain a +4 bonus to the damage roll, resistance to all damage except psychic damage. The berserker’s rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if they are knocked unconscious. The berserker can also end their rage on their turn as a bonus action. The berserker can go into a frenzy when they rage. If they do so, for the duration of their rage they can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of their turns after this one. When the berserker’s rage ends, they suffer one level of exhaustion.
• Reckless Attack. When the berserker makes their first attack on their turn, they can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives them advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against the berserker have advantage until their next turn.
• Relentless Rage. If the berserker drops to 0 hit points while they’re raging and don’t die outright, they can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If the berserker succeeds, they drop to 1 hit point instead. Each time they use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When the berserker finishes a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.

ACTIONS

• Extra Attack. The berserker attacks three times.
• Corrupted Gauntlet. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8+8) magical slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the berserker can grapple the target (escape DC 22). +3 Greatsword. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d6+10) magical slashing damage. When thrown, the greatsword returns to the berserker’s hands immediately after it hits or misses the target.

REACTIONS

• Retaliation. When the berserker takes damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of them, they can use their reaction to make a melee weapon attack against that creature.