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Crystal Maul




It was strange to find a crystal ball among the vine-smothered ruins, but there it was dim and lifeless atop a thin, spiraling pedestal of verdigris​ and tarnished silver. Held in place by a four-fingered claw, surely this valuable treasure was trapped, you suspected. However, a close examination should render any such devices inert. Spindly legs ending on sharp points popped out the sides as you approached. The construct skittered back and forth unsure, the crystal ball rotating toward you as a wither, yellow eye blazed to life in its depths. Roll for initiative.


Built by long-dead arcanists, Crystal Mauls entrapped the soul of a condemned prisoner in a crystal sphere. At the time, the belief was they could repay their debt to society in the form of a servitor designed for demolition. As such, the constructs can conjure a bolt of pure necrotic energy ideal for clearing unwanted plant growth, ruining objects, and slaying the unsettled masses as the need arises. However, the souls within did not stay quiet. While they are hardly sentient any longer, even the smallest crack to the sphere damages the personality within. This can lead to an indiscriminate use of a crystal maul's destructive abilities, a malicious streak to hunt others, or in some rare cases birth a construct dedicated to crafting the world into something beautiful... as an all but mindless machine might see it.

Crystal Maul

Medium construct, Neutral

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 33 (6d8 + 6)

Speed 30 ft

Str 18 Dex 6 Con 12 Int 5 Wis 12 Cha 5

Damage Vulnerabilities thunder

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't adamantine

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisonede

Sensesdarkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 11

Languages understands Draconic but cannot speak

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Innate Spellcasting.

The construct's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 11, +3 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:


At will: Dancing Lights, Gust

1/day each: Gust of Wind, Heat Metal

Siege Monster.

The crystal maul deals double damage to objects and structures.

Actions

Withering Ray.

Ranged Spell Attack: +3 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) necrotic damage. This attack deals 4d8 damage to plants.

Slam.

Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (3d6+3) bludgeoning damage.

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