Homebrew:Celestial Lion

Celestial Lion

Large celestial, lawful good

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Armor Class 23

Hit Points 305 (20d12 + 175)

Speed 50 ft.

Roll initiative! +11

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STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 30 (+10) 18 (+4) 26 (+8) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 16 (+3)

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Saving Throws STR +16, DEX +10, CON +14, INT +8, WIS +10, CHA +9

Damage Immunities Radiant

Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks

Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Deafened, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned, Stunned

Skills Athletics +22, Perception +10, Investigation +8, Insight +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Arcana +8, History +8, Persuasion +9, Stealth +10, Survival +10

Senses Truesight 120 ft., Passive Perception 20

Languages Old Realm, plus five other languages

Challenge 20

Proficiency Bonus +6

Traits Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the celestial lion fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Bane Weapon. The celestial lion's attacks ignore immunity and resistance of abberations, fey, fiends, monstrosities, and undead.

Immaterial. Outside of Yu-Shan, celestial lions exist in the ethereal plane. As an action, they can materialize and interact with the world normally, but cannot take a bonus action or move on the same turn. Another action can return them to the ethereal plane, provided they take no bonus action or move on the same turn. Within Yu-Shan, they exist normally.

Measure the Wind. The celestial lion has advantage on Wisdom (PerceptionWisdom (Perception)skillYour Wisdom (Perception) check lets you spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of something. It measures your general awareness of your surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For example, you might try to hear a conversation through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear monsters moving stealthily in the forest. Or you might try to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, whether they are orcs lying in ambush on a road, thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, or candlelight under a closed secret door.) checks to detect hidden creatures. It can determine the rank within the Celestial Bureaucracy of a creature it can see without requiring any rolls or actions.

Spirit Cutting. If it is currently material, the celestial lion can spend a bonus action to allow any action it takes to affect immaterial celestials, abberations, fey, fiends, monstrosities, and undead on the same turn.

Stoke the Flame. Add +4 to all Charisma checks made in the furtherance of saving lives which are in imminent danger.

Excellenct Form. Add 1d10 to Wisdom (PerceptionWisdom (Perception)skillYour Wisdom (Perception) check lets you spot, hear, or otherwise detect the presence of something. It measures your general awareness of your surroundings and the keenness of your senses. For example, you might try to hear a conversation through a closed door, eavesdrop under an open window, or hear monsters moving stealthily in the forest. Or you might try to spot things that are obscured or easy to miss, whether they are orcs lying in ambush on a road, thugs hiding in the shadows of an alley, or candlelight under a closed secret door.) and Wisdom (InsightWisdom (Insight)skillYour Wisdom (Insight) check decides whether you can determine the true intentions of a creature, such as when searching out a lie or predicting someone’s next move. Doing so involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.) checks. Add 1d10+5 to Intelligence (InvestigationIntelligence (Investigation)skillWhen you look around for clues and make deductions based on those clues, you make an Intelligence (Investigation) check. You might deduce the location of a hidden object, discern from the appearance of a wound what kind of weapon dealt it, or determine the weakest point in a tunnel that could cause it to collapse. Poring through ancient scrolls in search of a hidden fragment of knowledge might also call for an Intelligence (Investigation) check.) checks. When the celestial lion takes the Dodge action, it adds 1d10+5 to its AC until the beginning of its next turn. It has advantage on melee attacks.

Divine Subordination. While defending heaven from attack and intrusion, all of the celestial lion's melee attacks and Intelligence (ArcanaIntelligence (Arcana)skillYour Intelligence (Arcana) check measures your ability to recall lore about spells, magic items, eldritch symbols, magical traditions, the planes of existence, and the inhabitants of those planes.) checks are treated as having rolled a 20. Its Intelligence (InvestigationIntelligence (Investigation)skillWhen you look around for clues and make deductions based on those clues, you make an Intelligence (Investigation) check. You might deduce the location of a hidden object, discern from the appearance of a wound what kind of weapon dealt it, or determine the weakest point in a tunnel that could cause it to collapse. Poring through ancient scrolls in search of a hidden fragment of knowledge might also call for an Intelligence (Investigation) check.) checks are always treated as having rolled a 20.

Spirit. All of the celestial lion's attacks count as magical for the purposes of damage resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities.

Damaging Clinch. At the beginning of its turn, the celestial lion deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage to one creature it has grappled. If this damage would reduce the creature to 0 hit points, it may have the damage be nonlethal.

Hardness. Reduce all nonmagical damage the celestial lion takes by 20. Reduce all magical damage by 10.

Actions

Multiattack. The celestial lion makes one Bite attack and two Claws attacks.

Bite. Melee attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 10 piercing damage.

Claws. Melee attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 2d8 + 10 slashing damage.

Clinch. The celestial lion makes a grapple attack against a creature within 10 ft., with a +5 bonus to its Strength (AthleticsStrength (Athletics)skillYour Strength (Athletics) check covers difficult situations you encounter while climbing, jumping, or swimming. Examples include the following activities:You attempt to climb a sheer or slippery cliff, avoid hazards while scaling a wall, or cling to a surface while something is trying to knock you off.You try to jump an unusually long distance or pull off a stunt midjump.You struggle to swim or stay afloat in treacherous currents, storm-tossed waves, or areas of thick seaweed. Or another creature tries to push or pull you underwater or otherwise interfere with your swimming.) check.

Hurry Home. The celestial lion teleports to a location it is familiar with within 1 mile. The location it teleports to cannot be closer to an enemy it is in combat with than its current distance. It can only use this ability if it has less than 30 hit points. This counts as a 5th level conjuration spell.

Touch of Saturn. Melee attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8d8+10 slashing damage, and the target makes a Constitution saving throw DC 20. On failure, they are poisoned for 10 minutes. The celestial lion can only use this action under orders from a superior.

Sheathing the Material Form (1/day). The celestial lion increases its AC by 5 and increases the effect of its Hardness by 5, for 10 minutes.

Bonus actions Principle of Motion (Recharge 5–6). Until the celestial lion's next turn, it can take 6 legendary actions, instead of 3. On its next turn, it can use Multiattack twice.

Reactions Essence Bite. (a creature deals damage to the celestial lion): the triggering creature takes 2d10 radiant damage. The celestial lion can use this action without spending a reaction if it deals 1d10 radiant damage instead. This counts as a 1st level evocation spell.

Legendary Actions The celestial lion can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be taken at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Claw attack. Attack with Claws.

Bread of Weak Spirit. Deal 7d6 radiant damage to one willing or incapacitated celestial, elemental, fiend, or undead adjacent to the celestial lion and reduce the other creature's maximum hit points by the same amount until it takes a long rest. Increase the celestial lion's maximum hit points by that much and heal for twice that many hit points.

Move. The celestial lion moves half its speed.

Regalia of Authority (Recharge 5–6). Each creature of the celestial lion's choice within 60 ft. who it has observed violating one of Yu-Shan's laws must make a Charisma saving throw DC 18. On failure, they are charmed by it for 1 hour and view it as a superior. Creatures with less than CR 20 or level 15 have disadvantage on the roll. This counts as a 6th level enchantment spell. This effect can be ended early with remove curse.

Description

Unless a celestial lion forsakes its office, it is incorruptible, and is immune to any effects which would force it to do so (if it is subjected to an effect which can manipulate its actions and then that effect would later force it to take an action it would be immune to, the effect ends instead). It can, however, be tricked or deceived.

Celestial lions serve as heaven's police force. Nine of them are stationed at each of Yu-Shan's 61 gateways (6 inside the gate and 3 outside), they guard various locations in Yu-Shan, and they respond to calls for situations both big and small. Despite being incorruptible, centuries of dealing with petty complaints and doing a thankless job has made them cynical. Yet despite their cynicism, they remain proud and will devour any who do not give them their due respect.