Blessed Cultists #

Cults can crop up anywhere, but demon lord cults are especially prolific throughout the Worldwound, where many survivors either search for power through the demon lord’s favor, or hope they will provide a modicum of safety in a dangerous land.

Some particularly…fortunate…cultists are blessed by their demon lord and given some of their patron’s attributes. Only a handful per village are selected for this great gift, but sometimes, only a handful is more than enough.

Editor’s Notes #

The Blessed Cultists table contains modifications to the base monster types. While these were created to be applied to the Cultist creature, they can be applied to any creature to create a Blessed version. When applied to a base creature, the Blessed creature keeps their original attributes and abilities, and gains the ones listed for the relevant Demon Lord, unless the creature already has a better version of the ability.

Because of the template nature of this table, getting an exact CR is a challenge unto itself. Playtesting has found that applying these modifications to a Cultist monster results in a creature that is roughly CR 4.

Base Modifications #

All Blessed Cultists have the following modifications, unless their base creature has better, or the table says otherwise.

Multiattack. Blessed Cultists have Multiattack and can hit twice with their weapon or at-will spells. Limited and recharge abilities cost the creature its whole action. Creatures with Multiattacks listed in their description gain that many additional attacks, on top of the base two.

Armor. Blessed Cultists wear higher quality armor and thus have +3 armor.

Health. As a boon from their patron, Blessed Cultists have an additional 8d10 health.

D20	Demon Lord	Attributes	Resistances/Immunities	Special Abilities
1	Baphomet	16 str 18 con		Charge: If cultist moves at least 10 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with an attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 11 (2d10) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 5 feet away and knocked prone.
2	Orcus	16 cha		Spell save DC 15, +8 to hit with spell attacks 3/day: Create Undead (7th level) At will: Chill Touch (5th level)
3	Jubilex			Spider Climb: Cultist can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Poisoned Weapons: Whenever a creature is hit with an attack from this cultist, the creature must succeed on a DC 15 constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the start of the creature’s next turn. Regeneration: Cultist regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If it takes fire or radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of its next turn. Cultist dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
4	Kostchtchie	18 str	Immune to cold, poison, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks	Icy Weapons: When the cultist hits a creature, their weapon explodes with icy winds, dealing 2d6 cold damage to each creature within 30 feet
5	Lamashtu	16 dex		Pack Tactics: The cultist has advantage on attack rolls against a creature if at least one of the cultist’s allies is within 5 ft of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated. Hyena Familiar: Each cultist has a hyena familiar that acts on the cultist’s turn. At will: Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (level 1), spell save DC 15
6	Zura	18 con		Spider Climb: Cultist can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Recharge 6, Wings: Large, bat-like wings sprout from the cultist’s back, allowing it to fly 60ft without provoking attacks of opportunity. Lasts until the end of its turn. 3/day: Vampiric Bite: Melee, 5ft range, +5 hit, The cultist makes a bite attack for 1d4+4 (7) damage and can heal for the amount of damage done. This attack is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities.
7	Shax	16 dex		Two-Weapon Fighting: The cultist is proficient in dual-wielding slashing weapons. Multiattack: The cultist can make two additional weapon attacks. Flay: If the cultist hits the same creature with at least two weapon attacks, the creature takes an extra 3d6 slashing damage.
8	Abraxas	16 int		Spell save DC 15, +8 to hit with spells At will: Chill Touch (level 5) 4/day: Inflict Wounds (level 3), Vampiric Touch (level 3), Tasha’s Mind Whip (level 3) 1/day: Counterspell (up to level 5), Phantasmal Killer (level 4)
9	Deskari			Recharge 5-6, Locust Swarm: The cultist turns into a massive locust swarm, filling a 20ft radius. Each creature in the area when it appears or that ends its turn there must make a DC 15 constitution save or take 6d6 poison damage, half as much on success. This area is difficult terrain. It remains in this form until the start of its next turn, during which time it has immunity to all Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage.
10	Shivaska		Clockwork Body: Resistant to all bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, including from magical weapons resistant to fire damage vulnerable to cold damage	Barbed Chain Whip: Melee, reach: 15 ft, +5 hit, +3 damage, 2d4 slashing, plus 1d4 bludgeoning damage. Creatures not already in melee range hit with the whip must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled 5 feet closer to the cultist. Recharge 6, Imprison: Range 60 ft. Teleport one enemy to a prison. The prisoner remains in the prison until released, or they make a DC 15 thieves’ tools check to unlock it or DC 15 athletics (strength) check to break the lock.
11	Xoveron	20AC 16 str	Flesh Like Stone: The cultist has 20 AC, is immune to poison/poisoned, disease/diseased, and necrotic damage, and is resistant to fire, piercing, and slashing damage.
12	Urxehl	16 str	Resistant to Fire	Regeneration: The cultist gains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the cultist takes fire damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of the cultist’s next turn. The cultist dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate. Lightning Whip: melee, 10ft reach, +5 hit, +3 damage, 1d4 slashing + 1d6 lightning. Multiattack: The cultist can make two additional attacks with its lightning whips.
13	Yamasoth			2/day: Turning Gaze, Fleshwarp Turning Gaze: Range: 60ft. An eye on the cultist’s throat opens, unleashing a beam of magical energy at a target. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become charmed. The charmed creature must use its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined target within its movement range. If none are in range, the creature does nothing this turn. At the end of each of its turns, the affected target can make a Wisdom saving throw. If it succeeds, the effect ends for that target. The effect ends if the caster dies or becomes incapacitated. Fleshwarp: Range: 60ft. The cultist extends its hand toward a creature. The targeted creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or undergo painful mutation into a hideous, twisted creation. The target takes 1d10 damage (not mitigated by any resistances) each turn until the caster dies.
14	Mazmezz			Spider Climb: Cultist can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Recharge 5-6: Webbing: The cultist creates a magical spider web, attempting to ensnare a target. The target must succeed in a DC 15 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) saving throw or be stunned and knocked prone until the end of the caster’s next turn.
15	Kabriri			Slash: Melee, reach: 5ft, +5 hit, +3 damage. The cultist lashes out with taloned hands, dealing 1d6 slashing damage, plus 1d4 poison damage. This attack is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities. Cannibalistic Bite: The cultist makes a bite attack for 1d8 damage and can heal for the amount of damage done. This attack is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities.
16	Yhidothrus		Resistant to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks.	Wormlike Nature: When this cultist dies, its body collapses into a heap of worms, maggots, or other worm-like vermin. Recharge 6, Down The Spiral Path: The cultist touches one creature of its choice. That creature must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution save or take 2d12 necrotic damage and age 10 years. On a successful save, the target takes half damage and does not age. The aging affect reverts when the caster dies.
17	Flauros	16 str	Immune to fire Resistant to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical attacks	Heated body: Creatures that touch or hit the cultist with a melee attack while within 5 ft of it takes 2d6 fire damage. Heated weapons: Attacks deal an extra 1d6 fire damage.
18	Andirifkhu			Recharge 6, Create Trap: Place a trap in a 5ft space. This trap is invisible even to creatures who see the cultist cast this spell. Creatures must make a DC 15 Investigation check to see the trap, and a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the trap when triggered.
19	Areshkagal	18 int		Flying 60 ft Recharge 6, Mind Maze: The target is sent to a pocket dimension, where it must solve a series of riddles or a portal maze to return. The dimension collapses and the target returns to its originating plane if the caster dies or becomes incapacitated. Spell save DC 15, +8 to hit with spells At will: Vicious Mockery (level 5) 2/day: Confusion (level 4) 4/day: Crown of Madness (level 2), Enemies Abound (level 3), Tasha’s Mind Whip (level 3)
20	Nurgal		Resistant to Fire and Radiant damage	Tail Whip: melee, reach: 10ft, +5 hit, +3 damage, 1d8 bludgeoning damage, plus 1d4 slashing damage, plus 1d6 fire damage. 1/day: Blazing Sun: The cultist conjures a miniature sun in a location of its choice within 60ft. All creatures in a 20ft radius must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d10 fire damage, plus 2d10 radiant damage, or half as much on a successful save.