A Vrocks mong the already manic tapestry of demonkind, vrocks stand out as particularly mercurial and selfish to the point of self-destruction, the mad cackling of their aerial assaults striking fear into the hearts of friend and foe alike. It is rare for any vrock to have fewer than three secret schemes or planned betrayals in the works at any given time, and generals of the blood war are often known to manufacture nested chains of conspiracies to enlist their vrock soldiers in to temporarily satiate and redirect their lust for betrayal. Vrock Lore Arcana DC 15: While on the whole being dreadfully dullwitted, certain vrocks do appear to have an innate talent for a unique sort of magic, able to call down a ruinous lightning storm and rain of poisonous oil from high above their foes. History DC 15: Vrocks frequently switch allegiances midcombat if they're losing, or if they're winning and want to reserve more of the battle-glory for themselves, or if they simply see an opportunity to avenge some imagined wrong in the chaos of combat. While their notorious disloyalty garners a healthy degree of suspicion from their allies, their well-earned reputation for incompetence can occasionally lure victims into a false sense of security. Nature DC 20: Unlike true vultures, whose meticulous hygiene regimens and powerful stomach acids mitigate the health hazards of their carrion-feeding lifestyle, vrocks revel in filth, weaponizing the tick-like parasites that accumulate in their matted feathers. Religion DC 10: Vrocks can be found found all throughout the infinite layers of the abyss in service of each of the major powers, often even serving masters beyond the realm of the pit, though never for long. Vrock Kettler Tactics Kettlers circle around fights between other creatures, pushing them into melee with one another with their Winds of conflict, and swooping down in groups of three to five to swarm any who stray too far from the melee, or those who seem to be severely injured, then taking wing to end their turn out of reach of melee attackers. When fewer than three of them remain, kettlers will typically flee, or attempt to switch sides if their allies seem close to defeat. Vrock Kettler Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 13 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9) Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 16 (+3) 6 (-2) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) Damage Immunities Poison Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 11 Languages Abyssal Challenge M8 (780 XP) Minion. If the creature takes damage from an attack or as the result of a failed saving throw, its hit points are reduced to 0. If the creature takes damage from another effect, it dies if the damage equals or exceeds its hit point maximum, otherwise it takes no damage. Winds of Conflict. At the beginning of the vrock's turns, each non-vrock creature within 30 feet of 3 or more vrock kettlers must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or take 3 bludgeoning damage and be pushed up to 10 feet toward the nearest non-vrock creature. Actions Multiattack. The vrock makes two attacks, one of which may be with its Serrated Beak. Flocking Rake (Group Attack). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 slashing damage. If at least two other vrocks added to this attack, attacks of opportunity the target makes this turn are made at disadvantage.
Vrock Schemer Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 104 (11d10 + 44) Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 18 (+4) 8 (-1) 13 (+1) 8 (-1) Saving Throws DEX +5, WIS +4, CHA +2 Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks Damage Immunities Poison Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 11 Languages Abyssal, Telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Fleshgorger Rampage. When the vrock reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the vrock gains 11 (2d10) temporary hit points. If the creature was a demon, the vrock instead gains twice as many temporary hit points and can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make an attack with its Serrated Beak. Inevitable Betrayal. The vrock has advantage on the first attack it makes each turn against an allied creature. Magic Resistance. The vrock has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multiattack. The vrock makes two attacks, one of which may be with its Serrated Beak. Serrated Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (4d6 + 3) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical on an 18-20. Gnarled Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) slashing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be Blinded until the beginning of its next turn. Stunning Screech (1/Day). The vrock emits a horrific screech. Each other creature within 20 feet of it that can hear it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be Stunned until the end of the vrock's next turn. Reactions Fiendripper Mites. As a reaction to being hit with a melee attack, the vrock scatters a hail of venomous, biting parasites from its feathers, covering the attacker. Until a creature takes an action to remove them, the creature must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw and the beginning of each of its turns or take 1d10 poison damage and be Poisoned until the start of its next turn.
Vrock Schemer Tactics Vrock schemers attack with their Gnarled Talons unless they have advantage, trying to Blind a target and prevent attacks of opportunity when they take to the air once more after attacking. They preferentially target the most injured looking creatures, and will often target allies if they think they can get the killing blow. They use their Fiendripper Mites whenever available, and their Stunning Screech typically only when reduced below 25 hit points, using it to make a window for them to escape without regard to any allies that may be affected by it. Vrock Desecrator Tactics Vrock desecrators behave much as schemers do, but prefer to keep to the air whenever possible, beginning combat with their Wheel of Ruin, then either using their Felloil Rain or the Dash action in conjunction with it each turn to affect as many foes as possible. They close to melee only when they think they can finish an enemy off that turn, preferentially targeting those doused in oil. Rules Clarification: Encircling. A creature is encircled by the vrock's movement if the ground the vrock moved over that turn marks a contiguous path that intersects itself, creating an enclosed shape that contains the creature. The path of the vrock's movement counts as part of the shape it encloses. Vrock Desecrator Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 16 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 199 (21d10 + 84) Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 17 (+3) 18 (+4) 13 (+1) 17 (+3) 8 (-1) Saving Throws DEX +7, CON +8, WIS +7, CHA +3 Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks Damage Immunities Poison Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 13 Languages Abyssal, Telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 10 (5,900 XP) Fleshgorger Rampage. When the vrock reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack on its turn, the vrock gains 11 (2d10) temporary hit points. If the creature was a demon, the vrock instead gains twice as many temporary hit points and can take a bonus action to move up to half its speed and make an attack with its Serrated Beak. Inevitable Betrayal. The vrock has advantage on the first attack it makes each turn against an allied creature. Magic Resistance. The vrock has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multiattack. The vrock makes three attacks, one of which may be with its Burning Beak. Burning Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) piercing plus 7 (2d6) fire damage. This attack scores a critical on an 18-20. Gnarled Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) slashing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be Blinded until the beginning of its next turn. Felloil Rain (Recharge 5-6, 3rd level Spell). Each creature in a 5 foot radius column extending beneath the vrock is doused in a fine mist of glistening oil, and must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 28 (8d6) poison damage, or half as much on a success. If an affected creature takes any fire damage in the next minute, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 5 (1d10) fire damage at the end of each of its turns. Wheel of Ruin (1/Day, 6th Level Spell, Concentration). The vrock conjures an abyssal storm that lasts for a minute and follows its movement as it flies. On each of the vrock's turns, it may call down demonic lightning as a bonus action. The vrock and each creature encircled by the movement the vrock took this turn must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) lightning plus 11 (2d10) necrotic damage, or half as much on a success. Reactions Fiendripper Mites. As a reaction to being hit with a melee attack, the vrock scatters a hail of venomous, biting parasites from its feathers, covering the attacker. Until a creature takes an action to remove them, the creature must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw and the beginning of each of its turns or take 1d10 poison damage and be Poisoned until the start of its next turn. Stunning Screech (1/Day). As a reaction to being reduced below 100 hit points, the vrock emits a horrific screech. Each other creature within 20 feet of it that can hear it must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be Stunned until the end of the vrock's next turn.
Art Credits Vrock by Sam Wood Vrock by Dave Kendall The Part Where I Shill My Patreon Want to support the creation of content like this? I post new monsters with lore and tactics to my patreon five times a week, joining the more than 1000 already there, indexed in a big PDF along with formats for Foundry and 5eTools. Also check out my website and instagram, where my wife and I make handmade dice and dice bags, and where I post free books as I get them polished up. I'm trying to get a new free book like this out every other month or so. If you've got any monsters you'd like to see statted up by me, leave me a comment over in the permanent thread in r/bettermonsters and I'll put something together for you. Supported By Aaron Rosenberg AHorseWithNoName Alex Bogart Alex Gillies Alex O'Donnell Alex O'Hanlon Alisha Herbitter Allis Anders Ivarsson Andrew Cheeseman Benji Morris Bernhard Fritz Blueberryperson Bradley Webb Brandon Malofsky David Jose Delport Breckland Ex Nihilo Flipp Fletcher Herring George Hughes GramPositive Harrison Phillips Helltroll Hoswell Jack O'Keefe Jacob Gist Jake Serna James Hawthorne James McBride Johnathan Chavez Joseph Donley Josh Huston Justin King Kelsii Weber Kyle Cove Lascifrass Lawrence Courtrelle Luke Wheeler Malacandrian Marc Adelman Matt Herbert Matt Pierce Matthew Cullen Matthew S Mauricio Garcia Maximilian Bizjak Mehul Gupta Michael Taylor Mike Nicolan Milo Baraclough Mitch Whitehead Moritz Hackl Nathan Johnson Nathanial Schnebly Niall Nick I Niki S ObsessiveModelmaker Ondřej Kříž Oscar Mangandid Patrick Phoenix Daniels Primarily Daniel Rae Judd Rici Robert Martin Robin Bjälmsjö Robin Roberts Ronan Battistoni Rowan RuggerFoodie Sandy Hogg SardScroll saternoutlaw Saz Shadowfield Shane Sharelle D Larsen Sheila Dietrich Simen Lande Simon Bell simon Jørgensen Simon Weller SirApetus Sylphreni Tanner F Moen The Coffee Bean GM Victor Navone Vince Margaretich Walter Downard William Dixon Zach Kozel