AC 15 (padded leather, fighting style)
HP 195 (30d8+60; bloodied 97)
Speed 40 ft.
Proficiency +4; Maneuver DC 15
Saving Throws Dex +6, Cha +7
Skills Athletics +7 (1d8), History +5, Insight +5 (1d8), Perception +5, Religion +5; artisan's tools (any two), any one instrument
Senses passive Perception 15
Languages Sanskrit
Action Surge (1/ short rest ). Once on his turn, Droṇa can take an additional action on top of his regular action and a possible bonus action.
Indomitable (1/ long rest ). Droṇa can reroll a saving throw that he fails but must use the new roll.
Jack of All Trades. Droṇa adds +2 to any ability check he makes that doesn’t already include his proficiency bonus.
Maneuver Master (5d10/ short rest ). Droṇa can expend a maneuver dice to perform a single maneuver with an attack.
◆ Command. Droṇa uses his bonus action to forgo one of his attacks and direct a friendly creature who can see or hear him. The creature uses its reaction and makes a weapon attack, dealing 1d10 additional weapon damage on a successful hit.
◆ Disarm. A creature Droṇa has hit with an attack takes 1d10 additional damage and makes a DC 15 Strength saving throw or drops one held item of his choice.
◆ Feint. Droṇa can use his bonus action to feint against one creature within 5 feet. He has advantage on his next attack roll against that creature as long as it before the end of his turn. On a hit he deals 1d10 additional damage.
◆ Sweep. Droṇa chooses a creature adjacent to him target and within his reach and on a hit, the adjacent creature takes 1d10 damage (of the same type as the weapon attack).
◆ Trip. Droṇa deals 1d10 additional damage and if the target is a creature of Large size or smaller, it makes a DC 15 Strength saving throw or is knocked prone .
Song of Rest. After a short rest , Droṇa or any friendly creatures who can hear his performance regain hit points by spending one or more Hit Dice, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points.
Spellcasting. Droṇa is a 5th-level spellcaster that uses Charisma as his spellcasting ability for spells (spell save DC 15; +7 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following spells prepared from the bard’s spell list and can use a bladed weapon as his spellcasting focus:
Cantrips:
message
,
true strike
,
vicious mockery
1st-level (4 slots):
bane
,
healing word
,
longstrider
,
thunderwave
2nd-level (3 slots):
enhance ability
,
zone of truth
3rd-level (2 slots):
bestow curse
,
fear
SPECIAL TRAITS
Mobility. Droṇa can Dash through difficult terrain without requiring additional movement. Whenever he makes an attack against a creature, he doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks from that creature until the end of his turn.
Soldier Tactics. A creature hit by Droṇa’s opportunity attack reduces its Speed to 0 until the beginning of the next round and disengaging from Droṇa still provokes opportunity attacks.
Make Opportunity. Droṇa can use his reaction to make a melee weapon attack against a creature within 5 feet when it makes an attack against a target other than Droṇa.
ACTIONS
Extra Attack. Droṇa attacks three times when he takes the Attack action.
Asi (Defender Longsword). Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d8+8) magical slashing damage or 11 (1d10+6) magical slashing damage if wielded in two hands. The first time Droṇa attacks with the sword on each of his turns, he can transfer some or all of the sword’s bonus to his Armor Class, instead of using the bonus on any attacks that turn. The adjusted bonuses remain in effect until the start of Droṇa’s next turn, although he must hold the sword to gain a bonus to AC from it.
Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8+5) slashing damage or 8 (1d10+3) slashing damage if wielded in two hands.
Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage.
BONUS ACTIONS
Bardic Inspiration 1d8 (3/ short rest ). As a bonus action on his turn, Droṇa can choose one other creature within 60 feet who can hear him. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die, a d8. Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the Narrator says whether the roll succeeds or fails.
◆ Flourishing Blade (1/turn). Droṇa’s speed increases by 10 feet on any turn that he takes the Attack action. When he hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can choose one of the following.
◆ Defend. Droṇa spends a Bardic Inspiration die, dealing 1d8 extra damage. Until the start of his next turn, Droṇa‘s AC increases by the same amount as the extra damage.
◆ Maneuver. Droṇa spends a Bardic Inspiration die to deal 1d8 extra damage. The target is also pushed a number of feet away equal to 5 + the extra damage, at which point Droṇa can use his reaction to move up to 40 feet to a space within 5 feet of the target that is not occupied.
◆ Slash. Droṇa spends a Bardic Inspiration die to deal 1d8 extra damage and he deals the same amount of extra damage to another creature within 5 feet of him.
Second Wind (1/ short rest ). On his turn, Droṇa can use a bonus action to regain 1d10+11 hit points.
Asi This weapon is the energy behind all of the weapons in creation concentrated into one powerful sharp-edged sword that glows with fire.
ASI
Weapon (longsword), legendary (requires attunement ; cost 140,000 gp)
Crafting Components: 11 embers of True Flame taken from the Elemental Plane of Fire
This magic, sentient longsword grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. Once you have attuned to the weapon, while wielding it you gain the following features:
◆ Weapon attacks using the sword score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
◆ The first time you attack with the sword on each of your turns, you can transfer some or all of the sword’s bonus to your Armor Class, instead of using the bonus on any attacks that turn. For example, you could reduce the bonus to your attack and damage rolls to +1 and gain a +2 bonus to AC. The adjusted bonuses remain in effect until the start of your next turn, although you must hold the sword to gain a bonus to AC from it.
◆ You can use a bonus action to speak this sword’s command word, causing flames to erupt from the blade. These flames shed bright light in a 60-foot radius and dim light for an additional 60 feet. While the sword is ablaze, it deals an extra 2d8 fire damage to any target it hits. The flames last until you use a bonus action to speak the command word again or until you drop or sheathe the sword.
◆ You can use a bonus action to toss this sword into the air and speak a different command word. When you do so, the sword begins to hover and the consciousness inside of it awakens, transforming it into a creature. The creature is friendly to you and your companions, and it acts on your turn. You can use a bonus action to command how the creature moves and what action it takes on its next turn, or to give it general orders, such as to attack your enemies. In the absence of such orders, the creature acts in a fashion appropriate to its nature. You can transform the sword into a creature for up to 10 minutes, each one using a minimum of 1 minute from the duration. The sword regains 5 minutes of transforming capability for every 12 hours that feature is not in use.
When you act in a way that Asi finds contemptible (performing deeds that conflict with effecting the destruction of the enemies of the gods and restoring the Dharma), the sword acts under its own free will unless you succeed on an opposed Charisma check at the end of each minute.
Sentience. Asi is a sentient weapon with Intelligence 16, Wisdom 16, and Charisma 16. It has hearing and darkvision out to a range of 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with you and can speak, read, and understand Sanskrit and Tamil.
Personality. The sword’s purpose is to effect the destruction of the enemies of the gods and restoring the Dharma. It is single-minded in its purpose and highly motivated, but not unreasonable or averse to compromising its interests for a short time while in the pursuit of the greater good.
Destroying the Sword. The sword can never be permanently destroyed. When reduced to 0 hit points, Asi fades into the Ethereal Plane, reappearing in a location of its choosing 1d4 weeks later.
Asi
Challenge 8
Small construct 3,900 XP
AC 16 (natural armor)
HP 102 (12d6+60; bloodied 51)
Speed fly 40 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
19 (+4) 17 (+3) 20 (+5) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3)
Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 15
Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +6, Cha +6 Skills Insight +6, Perception +6
Damage Resistances cold, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, slashing
Damage Immunities fire, poison, psychic
Condition Immunities
charmed
,
fatigue
,
frightened
,
poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Sanskrit, Tamil; telepathy 60 ft.
Immutable Form. The sword is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.
Magic Resistance. The sword has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The sword attacks twice with its blade.
Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10+5) magical slashing damage plus 9 (2d8) fire damage.
In this Mythological Figures entry we’re going after Droṇa, guru of princes and wielder of the world’s first, greatest weapon!
Droṇa’s name means “vessel made of leaf” because that’s what he was born from! An overexcited sage saw a beautiful apsara (female spirit of the clouds and waters) in the Ganga River, catching his expulsion in a leaf that Droṇacharya sprang out of.Droṇa grew up poor but trained in the military arts, showing a talent for weaponry, and grew close to a local prince named Drupada. He married and had a son, Ashwatthama.
Droṇa heard that Parashurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu, was giving his possessions away to priests but that unfortunately only weapons were left. Droṇa claimed those weapons along with the knowledge of their use, gaining the title of ācārya.
When Droṇa’s childhood friend Prince Drupada became a king and wished for his son to know a better life, Droṇa tried to make good on a childhood promise. His former friend claimed that because they now had different statuses in life that the pledge was void, only agreeing to provide Droṇa some wealth if he asked as a priest instead—which he refused to do, walking away in silence and vowing revenge.
Droṇa started his own school to continue Parashurama’s legacy, taking his family across northern India until he crossed paths with Kuru princes,
who he helped out by solving some problems. They recognized Droṇa, asking him to become their guru. Before long they were joined by other royal progeny, and Droṇa became a teacher of princes.
A favorite pupil, Ajruna, emerged and impressed Droṇa , who taught him the mantras needed to invoke the supernatural weapons known as Brahmāstra with the promise they would not be used against ordinary warriors. Arjuna became a second son to Droṇa, and promised that one day he’d become the world’s finest archer.
Ekalavya was a prince who Droṇa refused to teach archery because the boy’s father was a general in the army of another empire. Despite that, Ekalavya trained hard and claimed he was taught by Droṇa, a lie that came to light when he shot a dog’s mouth shut using arrows. When Droṇa found out he demanded the thumb on Ekalavya’s right hand.
When Droṇa was done training all of the Kuru princes he told them to capture King Drupada, but they all failed until Droṇa’s protégé Arjuna took over the task—and once captured, Droṇa took half of the kingdom to make him and his childhood friend equals. Obviously upset with this arrangement, Drupada performed a ritual of sacrifice to bear special offspring: Dhṛṣṭādyumna, a son that would one day slay Droṇa, and Draupadī, a daughter that would marry Arjuna and see the Kuru fall.
Notably, Droṇa held Asi: the sword of Lord Vishnu, a primordial weapon forged by the gods to destroy evil, and the personification and primary energy behind all weapons ever created. Just having it meant certain victory. That didn’t help him in the end however, and on the 15th day of battle in the Kurukshetra War—after pretty much everyone mentioned above had been murdered or thought to be dead—Droṇa lost the will to fight upon hearing that his son died and lay down on the battlefield to allow one of the Pandava princes to decapitate him.
Humanoids include a number of different intelligent, language-using bipeds of Small or Medium size. Humans and elves are humanoids, and so are orcs and goblins. Humanoids may employ magic but are not fundamentally magical—a characteristic that distinguishes them from bipedal, language-using fey, fiends, and other monsters. Humanoids have no inherent alignment, meaning that no humanoid ancestry is naturally good or evil, lawful or chaotic.