Mage-King

Medium humanoid (any), neutral

Armor Class 21 (+3 adamantine plate)
Hit Points 237 (25d8+125)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	15 (+0)	20 (+5)	22 (+6)	13 (+1)	20 (+5)

Saving Throws Str +10, Dex +8, Wis +9
Skills Arcana +14, Athletics +10, Deception +13, History +14, Insight +9, Investigation +14, Perception +9
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, psychic, thunder; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage
Damage Immunities poison
Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, poisoned
Senses passive Perception 19
Languages Common, Draconic, any 8 others
Challenge 25 (75,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Epic Armor. The mage-king has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and he is immune to critical hits.
• Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the mage-king fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
• Magus Spell Attacks. When taking the Attack action with melee weapons, the mage-king can forego making one of his attacks to instead cast a spell with a casting time of 1 bonus action or 1 action.
• Spellcasting. The mage-king is a 23rd-level spellcaster that uses Intelligence as his spellcasting ability (spell save DC 22; +14 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following spells prepared and requires only somatic components to cast them: Cantrips: acid splash, chill touch, light, mage hand, mending, shocking grasp
• 1st (4 slots): charm person, command, detect magic, identify, magic missile, shield
• 2nd (4 slots): detect thoughts, hold person, ray of enfeeblement, scorching ray, suggestion
• 3rd (4 slots): animate dead, counterspell, dispel magic, fly, lightning bolt
• 4th (4 slots): dimension door, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, phantasmal killer, polymorph
• 5th (3 slots): cone of cold, dominate person, hold monster, mislead, telekinesis
• 6th (2 slots): chain lightning, disintegrate, globe of invulnerability, true seeing
• 7th (2 slots): fire storm, forcecage, plane shift, teleport
• 8th (2 slots): antimagic field, control weather, dominate monster, incendiary cloud
• 9th (1 slot): foresight, gate, power word kill

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The mage-king attacks four times, or casts a spell and attacks twice.
• King’s Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d6+5) magical slashing damage plus 45 (10d8) force damage.

ABOUT

Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and the burden is made all the heavier when it is won by way of magic. Typically a successful adventurer that has reached the twilight of their career, mage-kings are very experienced and shrewd—they know the tricks of the trade and what to expect from people like themselves. Most do not take well to the royal life and grow bored however, welcoming the intrigue offered by meddlesome adventurers.

When they are assaulted a mage-king first relies on servants for protection, covering the immediate area with a globe of invulnerability and watching how a group of attackers fare. Should someone get past their bodyguards they take up the sword, testing martial prowess and using an antimagic field if they believe they have the upperhand in bladework. Bored as they might be a mage-king still values their life and retreats as soon as it becomes clear they are in danger of dying, usually after by ducking into or past a vault of riches sure to distract pursuers.