Skulls Unit (Metal Gear Supplement)

This content deviates from 5e standards. Its use could dramatically alter campaigns, take extreme care.

Caution - Here there be monsters! This content intends to provide a different experience, or goes beyond the scope of the anticipated subjects and situations, than the 5e rules were intended to handle. Some portions of the content below may not be what you expect from traditional game content. When implementing this content, DMs and Players should read over all the information carefully, and consider the following specific notes of interest:

This creature was created as part of the Player Equivalent CR variant rule using the Soldier class and no background, and as such does not follow traditional CR.

Skulls Unit

Medium humanoid (Human), any alignment Armor Class 18 (Fatigues) Hit Points 126 (12d12+48) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 20 (+5) 18 (+4) 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 10 (+0) Saving Throws Str +5, Dex +4, Con +8 Skills Athletics +6, Intimidation +4, Investigation +4, Perception +5, Stealth +9, Survival +5 Senses passive Perception 15 Languages any one Challenge 12 (8,400 XP) Fatigues. Choose one type of camouflage: arctic, coast, desert, forest, grassland, mountain, swamp, outdoor manmade, or indoor manmade. The soldier gains advantage on Stealth checks while in the chosen terrain while wearing their fatigues. Hustle. The soldier may take the dash, disengage, dodge, help, hide, or search action as a bonus action on each of their turns, but they gain 1 level of exhaustion immediately after doing so. Adaptability. When the soldier fails a saving throw, they may choose to succeed instead. Immediately after using this feature, they gain 1 level of exhaustion. Close Quarters Shooter. When the soldier makes a ranged attack while they are within 5 feet of a hostile creature, they do not have disadvantage on the attack roll and their base movement speed increases by 5 feet. Dueling. When the soldier is wielding a weapon in one hand and no other weapons, they gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls with that weapon (included in attack). Disappear. While the soldier is within an object, such as a cardboard box or barrel, and not moving, they are visually indistinguishable from a normal object. Stealth Take-down. When the soldier makes an attack against a creature that is unaware of them and the attack does not have disadvantage, the attack is automatically a critical hit. If the attack has disadvantage, the attack only counts as a critical hit if it hits normally. Resourceful. Once on each of the soldier's turns, they can choose to take an additional action. After taking this action, they immediately gain 1 level of exhaustion. ACTIONS Automatic Rifle. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 60/600 ft., 5 ft. radius. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) piercing damage 2 (1d4) times. Must be reloaded as a bonus action after 10 shots, can be reloaded up to 3 times. Handgun. Ranged Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, range 60/600 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 7) piercing damage. Attacks with this weapon while hidden do not reveal the soldier. Must be reloaded as a bonus action after 12 shots, can be reloaded up to 3 times. Metallic Archaea Machete. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d4 + 5) bludgeoning damage.

[Source]. The elite special forces of the FOX Unit's "cleanup crew", the XOF Unit, every member of the Skulls has been enhanced with a strain of parasites taken from members of the Cobra Unit. During the limited time they were active during the later years of the Cold War, they were known to wipe out entire squads in moments. Variants Mist Unit. XOF's special forces recovery unit gains the following actions: Camouflage Parasite.' The soldier gains advantage on Stealth checks against being seen, and automatically succeed them if they are completely still. At the end of each turn this feature is active, they must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. Mist Parasite. The soldier releases a 30 foot radius cloud of mist. This area becomes heavily obscured for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or greater speed clears it, and any Huge or smaller vehicles within the area instantly drop to 0 hit points. Immediately after using this feature, the soldier gains 3 levels of exhaustion Armor Unit. XOF's special forces emplacement unit gains the following feature and action: Photosynthesis Parasite. After spending at least 8 hours in direct sunlight or UV light, the soldier counts as having eaten a day's meal, loses 1 level of exhaustion, and regains 2 (1d4) hit points. Armor Parasite. As a bonus action, the soldier gains a damage threshold of 15 until the end of their next turn, after which they gain 1 level of exhaustion. When they take damage that would surpass this damage threshold, they may end this feature early to reduce the damage to 0. Camouflage Unit. XOF's special forces anti-infantry unit gains the following actions: Camouflage Parasite.' The soldier gains advantage on Stealth checks against being seen, and automatically succeed them if they are completely still. At the end of each turn this feature is active, they must succeed a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. Observation Parasite. As a bonus action, the soldier gains advantage on attack rolls and Perception checks until the end of their turn, upon which they gain 1 level of exhaustion.

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