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Medium undead, lawful evil
Armor Class 26 (natural armor)
Hit Points 276 (24d8 + 168)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
Saving Throws Dex +14, Int +16, Wis +16, Cha +16
Skills Arcana +16, Deception +16, History +16, Perception +16, Stealth +14
Proficiency Bonus +8
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison
Damage Immunities necrotic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 26
Languages the languages it knew in life, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 28 (120,000 XP)
Shapechanger. The shtriga can use its action to polymorph into a Medium or smaller humanoid, a Tiny flying insect or a Medium cloud of mist, or back into its true form.
While in insect form, the shtriga can't speak, its walking speed is 5 feet, it has a flying speed of 90 feet, it does not provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of a creature's range, and if it is subjected to a Dexterity saving throw that allows it to take half damage, it instead takes no damage if it succeeds and half damage if it fails. Its statistics, other than its size and speed, are unchanged. Anything it is wearing transforms with it, but nothing it is carrying does. It reverts to its true form if it dies.
While in mist form, the shtriga can't take any actions, speak, or manipulate objects. It is weightless, has a flying speed of 40 feet, can hover, and can enter a hostile creature's space and stop there. In addition, if air can pass through a space, the mist can do so without squeezing, and it can't pass through water. It has advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and it is immune to all nonmagical damage, except the damage it takes from sunlight.
Evil Mind. The shtriga is immune to scrying and to any effect that would sense its emotions, read its thoughts, or detect its location, unless it wishes to be. The shtriga adds its Intelligence modifier to its AC (included in the calculation).
Innate Spellcasting. The shtriga's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell attack bonus +16, spell save DC 24). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
At will: chill touch, counterspell, detect magic, eldritch blast, hex, identify, mage hand, magic missile, misty step, poison spray, suggestion, vicious mockery (can cast as a bonus action)
4/day each: blight, crown of madness, disintegrate, dispel magic, greater invisibility (can cast as a bonus action), hold person, ray of enfeeblement, sleep, vampiric touch
3/day each: banishment, create undead, dimension door, hold monster, scrying, teleport
2/day each: feeblemind, finger of death, nondetection (self only)
1/day each: foresight, power word kill, weird
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the shtriga fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Misty Escape. When it drops to 0 hit points outside its resting place, the shtriga transforms into a cloud of mist (as in the Shapechanger trait) instead of falling unconscious, provided that it isn't in sunlight or running water. If it can't transform, it is destroyed.
While it has 0 hit points in mist form, it can't revert to its shtriga form, and it must reach its resting place within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once in its resting place, it reverts to its shtriga form. It is then paralyzed until it regains at least 1 hit point. After spending 1 hour in its resting place with 0 hit points, it regains 1 hit point.
Magic Resistance. The shtriga has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The shtriga's weapon attacks are magical.
Regeneration. The shtriga regains 50 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point and isn't in sunlight or running water. If the shtriga takes radiant damage or damage from holy water, this trait doesn't function at the start of the shtriga's next turn.
Spellcasting. The shtriga is a 20th level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +24 to hit with spell attacks). The shtriga can cast false life at will and has the following wizard spells prepared.
Cantrips (at will): acid splash, fire bolt, poison spray, ray of frost, shocking grasp
1st level (4 slots): chromatic orb, expeditious retreat, mage armor, ray of sickness, spook
2nd level (3 slots): arcane lock, blur, bone lore, darkness, knock
3rd level (3 slots): animate dead, bestow curse, exsanguinate, fear, fireball, haste, soul reading, wendigo's hunger
4th level (3 slots): awaken undead, choke, confusion, locate creature, phantasmal killer, rend
5th level (3 slots): carrion beetles, compel suicide, corpse explosion, create horror knight, ghoul touch
6th level (2 slots): bone telling, circle of death, create undead, eyebite, guards and wards, mass suggestion, vampiric aura
7th level (2 slots): delayed blast fireball, prismatic spray, soul release, symbol, wall of souls
8th level (1 slots): antimagic field, antipathy/sympathy, boil blood
9th level (1 slot): meteor swarm, prismatic wall, soul slice, time stop
Spider Climb. The shtriga can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check.
Turn Immunity. The shtriga is immune to effects that turn undead. Undead within 60 feet of the shtriga have advantage on saving throws against turn undead effects.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the shtriga to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant damage or from a critical hit. On a success, the shtriga drops to 1 hit point instead.
Shtriga Weaknesses. The shtriga has the following flaws:
Harmed by Running Water. The shtriga takes 20 acid damage if it ends its turn in running water.
Stake to the Heart. If a piercing weapon made of wood is driven into the shtriga's heart while the shtriga is incapacitated in its resting place, the shtriga is paralyzed until the stake is removed. However, if the sun sets while the stake is still in its chest, the shtriga may use its action to make a DC 20 Strength saving throw to free itself. If it fails, the shtriga cannot remake this save until the next sunset.
Sunlight Hypersensitivity. The shtriga takes 20 radiant damage when it starts its turn in sunlight. While in sunlight, it has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks.
ACTIONS
Multiattack (Shtriga Form Only). The shrtiga makes three attacks, only one of which may be a bite. Alternatively, the shtriga can make two spell attacks.
Claw (Shtriga Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the shtriga can grapple the target (escape DC 22).
Bite (Shtriga or Insect Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by the shtriga, incapacitated, or restrained. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 17 (5d6) necrotic damage. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the necrotic damage taken, and the shtriga regains hit points equal to that amount. The reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0. A humanoid slain in this way and then buried in the ground rises the following night as a vampire spawn or nosferatu under the shtriga's control. If the DM chooses, they may roll a percentile die. On a 10 or lower, the slain humanoid raises as a vampire.
Charm. The shtriga targets one to three humanoids it can see within 30 feet of it. If the target can see the shtriga, the target must succeed on a DC 24 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or be charmed by the shtriga. The target acts as though the shtriga had cast dominate person. The target is friendly to the shtriga, it has disadvantage on the save.
Each time the shtriga or the shtriga's companions do anything harmful to the target, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. Otherwise, the effect lasts 24 hours or until the shtriga is destroyed, is on a different plane of existence than the target, or takes a bonus action to end the effect.
Children of the Night (1/Day). The shtriga magically calls 3d6 swarms of bats, insects or rats, provided that the sun isn't up. While outdoors, the shtrigacan call 3d6 wolves instead. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the shtriga and obeying its spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the shtriga dies, or until the shtriga dismisses them as a bonus action.
Read Thoughts. The shtriga magically reads the surface thoughts of one creature within 60 feet of it. The effect can penetrate barriers, but 3 feet of wood or dirt, 2 feet of stone, 2 inches of metal, or a thin sheet of lead blocks it. While the target is in range, the shtriga can continue reading its thoughts, as long as it's concentration isn't broken (as if concentrating on a spell). While reading the target's mind, the shtrigahas advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Deception, Intimidation, and Persuasion) checks against the target.
BONUS ACTIONS
Spell Slinger (3/Day). The shtriga casts a spell of 6th level or lower from its Spellcasting trait, without expending a spell slot or material components.
REACTIONS
Mystic Fury. In response to being attacked, the shtriga casts a spell of 4th level or lower against the attacker, without expending materials or spell slots.
LEGENDARY ACTIONS
The shtriga 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. The shtriga regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Teleport. The shtriga magically teleports, along with any equipment it is carrying or wearing, to an unoccupied space within 240 feet.
Move. The shtriga moves up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.
Command Undead (Cost 2 Actions). The shtriga commands an undead under CR 10 or with an Intelligence under 6 to do whatever it demands and it follows the command to the best of its ability.
Necrotic Shroud (Cost 2 Actions). The shtriga creates a 40-foot radius blast of nectrotic energy centered around itself. Each hostile creature within the radius must succeed a DC 24 Constitution saving throw or take 56 (16d6) necrotic damage and take one point of exhaustion. On a successful save, the creature takes half the damage and does not receive a point of exhaustion.
Summon Undead (Costs 3 Actions). The shtriga summons either 1d8 wights, 1d6 vampire spawns, 1d4 nosferatu, or one vampire.
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Sometimes, a vampire that grows to become both truly ancient and incredibly versed in arcane lore may transform into a shtriga. A shtriga's eyes turn pale grey, blue or green and looking directly into them can cause terrible migraines. It gains great magical powers, such as the ability to read the minds of others, communicate telepathically and transform into an insect. Additionally, a shtriga is surrounded by an aura of such horrifying evil that attempting to use holy power to drive it away will always fail and even extends to shield other undead around it to a lesser degree.
Vampiric Witchcraft. Not just any vampire can become a shtriga: while the exact nature is unclear, only those who are versed in the darkest forms of the necromantic arts can rise to the position. A shtriga must use this magic to alter the remnants of its soul to transform itself into a more powerful being, able to transform at will. Shtrigas can hide themselves amongst the mortal beings much easier than any normal vampire, as they can change their shape to an inconspicuous humanoid, usually appearing as an elderly woman. This makes it easier for them to hunt their prey, as they do not have to worry about being noticed, except by those who are hunting them or know the giveaways of a shtriga.
One of many reasons shtrigas are more terrifying than the average vampire is that they have fewer weaknesses, such as their stronger resistance to sunlight and the fact they do not need an invitation to enter a home. This allows them to sneak into the homes of their victims with the other inhabitants being none the wiser, as they wake up to find a member of the family is dead. In particular, shtrigas are particularly fond of the blood of young children, as their life force is stronger. However, a particularly dastardly action shtrigas are known to do is to place their victims under a sickness in their sleep, during which they do not wake up. This allows the shtriga to feed on multiple victims continuously.
A Shtriga's Lair
A shtriga may have a lair characteristic of a typical vampire, a grand, defensible location, always with easy access to a place of many dead, such as a graveyard, crypt, or an old battlefield. As with other vampires, it sleeps hidden in a coffin in a guarded location surrounded by undead guards and powerful magic. Shtrigas have a particular fondness for locales hidden in forested regions.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; the shtriga can't use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Grasping phantasmal limbs erupt in a 20-foot radius centered on a point on the ground that the shtriga can see within 120 feet of it. That area becomes difficult terrain, and each creature there must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be restrained by the limbs. A creature can be freed if it or another creature takes an action to make a DC 15 Strength check and succeeds. The limbs vanish when the shtriga uses this lair action again or when the shtriga dies.
- Magical darkness spreads from a point the shtriga chooses within 60 feet of it, filling a 15-foot-radius sphere until the shtriga dismisses it as an action, uses this lair action again, or dies. The darkness spreads around corners. A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it. If any of the effect's area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled.
- Magical fog billows around one creature the shtriga can see within 120 feet of it. The creature must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened by the shtriga until initiative count 20 on the next round.
Regional Effects
The region surrounding a shtriga's lair is warped by the creature's unnatural presence, creating any of the following effects:
- There's a noticeable increase in the populations of bats, insects, rats, and wolves in the region. Insects within 1 mile of the lair act as the shtriga's eyes and ears. In addition, incorporeal undead, such as ghosts and wraiths, and lesser corporeal undead, like skeletons and zombies, become more common.
- Plants within 1 mile of the lair wither, and their stems and branches become twisted and thorny. Plants within 500 feet of the lair become thick and tightly packed, forming labyrinthine mazes. The thickets act as 10-foot-high, 10-foot-thick walls that block line of sight, and the "clear" passages count as difficult terrain. Creatures can move through the thickets, with every 1 foot a creature moves costing it 4 feet of movement. A creature in the thickets must succeed on a 15 Dexterity saving throw at the start of each of its turns it is in contact with the thickets or take 7 (2d6) piercing damage from thorns.
- Shadows cast within 1 mile of the lair seem abnormally gaunt and sometimes move as though alive.
- A creeping fog clings to the ground within 1 mile of the shtriga's lair. Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight made while within the fog have disadvantage. The fog occasionally takes eerie forms, such as grasping claws and writhing serpents. Within 500 feet of the lair, the fog's shapes become physical and creatures within it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 7 (2d6) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, depending on the form the fog takes.
If the shtriga is destroyed, these effects end after 2d6 days.
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