Lycus

Medium fiend (canine, devil, shapechanger), lawful evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft. (50 ft. in wolf form)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	15 (+2)	16 (+3)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws Dex +7, Int +9, Wis +9, Cha +9
Skills Arcana +9, Deception +9, Insight +9, Perception +9, Persuasion +9
Damage Resistances acid, cold, poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Special Traits

• Keen Hearing and Smell. The lycus has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
• Innate Spellcasting. The lycus’ innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 17). The lycus can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
• At will: alter self, darkness, invisibility (self only)
• Magic Resistance. The lycus has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Magic Weapons. The lycus’ weapon attacks are magical. Shapechanger. The lycus can use its action to polymorph into a hell wolf, or back into its true form, which is a Medium-sized humanoid. Its statistics, other than its speed, 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.
• Spellcasting. The lycus is a 16th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). The lycus has the following wizard spells prepared:
  • Cantrips (at will): fire bolt, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation
  • 1st level (4 slots): crippling track*, let me in*, pack friend*, silencing gaze*
  • 2nd level (3 slots): detect thoughts, mirror image, phantasmal force, suggestion
  • 3rd level (3 slots): blinding gaze*, fireball, huff and puff*
  • 4th level (3 slots): banishment, howling fog*
  • 5th level (2 slots): contact other plane, hold monster
  • 6th level (1 slot): chain lightning
  • 7th level (1 slot): finger of death
  • 8th level (1 slot): melanchoic lycanthropia*

Actions

• Multiattack (Humanoid Form Only). The lycus makes two attacks with its longsword.
• Bite (Hell Wolf Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
• Longsword (Humanoid Form Only). Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) slashing damage, or 10 (1d10 + 5) slashing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
• Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6). The lycus exhales fire in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

About

This fiendish being resembles a tall humanoid with pitch-black skin, sunken eyes, and long dark hair.

Lycus are tempters of the flesh, offering lycanthropy in exchange for some service. Only they hold the secret to turning a humanoid into a werewolf, a secret they guard with their lives.