First Harbinger: Strife

Medium monstrosity, neutral evil

Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 285 (30d8+150)
Speed 45 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
26 (+8)	20 (+5)	20 (+5)	19 (+4)	17 (+3)	26 (+8)

Skills Athletics +15, Deception +22, History +18, Insight +17, Intimidation +22, Perception +17, Persuasion +22
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, disease, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 27
Languages all
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Ageless. Strife cannot suffer from frailty of old age, die from old age, or be aged magically.
• Innate Spellcasting. Strife’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 23). Strife can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
  • At will: charm person, fly, phantom steed, suggestion
  • 3/day each: detect thoughts, dominate person, plane shift, mass suggestion
• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Strife fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
• Magic Resistance. Strife has advantage on saving throws made against spells and other magical effects.
• Magic Weapons. Strife’s weapon attacks are magical.
• Regeneration. Strife regains 40 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
• Shapechanger. Strife can use a bonus action to polymorph into a Small, Medium, or Large humanoid it has seen, or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size and the ability to breathe water, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
• Stoke Rage. Strife can use a bonus action to enrage a creature within 120 feet. The creature makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw, rolling with disadvantage if it has half its hit points or less. On a failure, a creature goes berserk. On each of its turns, a berserk creature attacks the nearest creature it can see. If no creature is near enough to move to and attack, the berserk creature takes the Dash and moves in the most direct route towards a creature it can attack. At the start of each of its turns, a berserk creature can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. A creature that successfully resists Stoke Rage becomes immune to its effects for 1 round.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. Strife uses its Frightful Presence and attacks four times.
• Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8+8) slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage.
• Provoking Arrows. Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8+5) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) psychic damage. If the target is a creature, it makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or uses its reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature or object Strife chooses within the creature’s reach or within range of the creature’s weapon.
• Frightful Presence. Each creature of Strife’s choice that is within 120 feet of it and aware of it must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to Strife’s Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.

LEGENDARY ACTIONS

Strife 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. Strife regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

• Attack. Strife makes a weapon attack.
• Violent Command. Strife chooses one creature within 60 feet. If the creature has its reaction, it makes a DC 23 Charisma saving throw or uses its reaction to make a single weapon attack against a creature or object Strife chooses within the creature’s reach or within range of the creature’s weapon.
• Enrage (Costs 1 to 3 Actions). Strife uses Stoke Rage on one or more creatures within range. Every creature targeted costs 1 legendary action.