Priest of Orcus

Medium aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 165 (22d8 + 66)
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	18 (+4)	16 (+3)	19 (+4)	21 (+5)	19 (+4)

Saving Throws Wisdom +9, Charisma +8
Skills Arcana +8, Perception +9, Religion +9
Damage Resistances cold
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 19
Languages Abyssal, Common, Deep Speech, Draconic, Ignan
Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)

Special Traits

• Alien Mind. A Priest of Orcus can maintain concentration on 3 simultaneous spell effects.
• Mindsense. A Priest of Orcus is aware of the presence of creatures within 60 feet of it that have an Intelligence of 4 or higher. It knows the relative distance and direction of each creature, as well as the creature’s approximate Intelligence score (within 3 points). Creatures under the effects of magic that protects the mind cannot be detected by the encephalon gorger.
• Mind Screen. The mind of a Priest of Orcus is an alien and dangerous place. Should a creature attempt to scan the mind or read its thoughts (with detect thoughts, telepathy, or the like), it must succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw or be driven insane, gaining a flaw from the Indefinite Madness table. On a successful save, the creature is confused for 1 minute (as the confusion spell).
• Abyssal Blessing of Orcus. A Priest of Orcus gains 10 temporary hit points when it reduces a hostile creature that is not undead to 0 hit points.
• Unholy Strike. Once on each of a Priest of Orcus’s turns when it hits a creature with a melee attack, it can cause the attack to deal an extra 13 (3d8) necrotic damage to the target.
• Spellcasting. A Priest of Orcus is a 11th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following spells prepared:
  • Cantrips (at will): chill touch, guidance, resistance, thaumaturgy
  • 1st level (4 slots): bane, bless, charm person, cure wounds, detect magic, shield of faith
  • 2nd level (3 slots): darkness enhance ability, hold person, silence
  • 3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, dispel magic, prayer
  • 4th level (3 slots): blight, death ward
  • 5th level (2 slots): flame strike, mass cure wounds
  • 6th level (1 slots): create undead

Actions

• Multiattack. A Priest of Orcus can use its Mindfeed and make two attacks with its claws.
• Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage. If the target is Medium or smaller, it is grappled (escape DC 16). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and a Priest of Orcus can only use its Mindfeed on the grappled creature and has advantage on attack rolls to do so.
• Mindfeed. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature that is grappled by the encephalon gorger. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw, taking 33 (6d10) psychic damage on a failed save, and the target’s Intelligence score is reduced by 1d4. The target dies if this reduces its Intelligence to 0. Otherwise, the reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest.
• Adrenal Surge (2/day). A Priest of Orcus surges with adrenaline until the end of its turn. While under this effect, it gains a +2 bonus to its AC, it has advantage on Dexterity saving throw, and it gains an additional action on its turn (as the haste spell).