Sun Elves Sun Elf Lore Arcana DC 20: Elven high magic, or the Great Art of the People as it is called by the sun elves, is a mystic tradition known to achieve feats thought beyond the reach of mere magic, though it is so jealously guarded by its few practitioners that it is often known only through its effects upon the world. Arcana DC 25: One such instance of this power was the curse placed upon the drow that forever banished them from the sunlit realms, cutting them off from their surface kin. History DC 20: While never numerous, the march of sun elven armies is never a thing to be taken lightly, as their magics and battle arts are wielded with a precision and mastery born of centuries of training; it is not uncommon for an elven host to emerge from pitched battle without casualties, even in conflicts that might have appeared evenly matched to an outside observer. Religion DC 15: A core tenet of religious life within sun elf society is the belief that of all the elven peoples, they are the ones most favored by the Seldarine and must strive to conduct themselves in a way becoming of that honor, seeking perfection and dignity in all things. Sun Elf Outrider Tactics Outriders, if not echoes summoned by a loremaster, are generally mounted and skirmish in and out of enemy range to attack with their New Sun's Glory in volleys, fighting in melee only if forced to. Sun Elf Loremaster Tactics Loremasters use Ancient Valor's Echoes at the beginning of combat and whenever available afterwards if fewer than 4 echoes remain, then work to support their summoned minions with Memory Torrent. They use their Branchgold Stave primarily to get foes away from them so they can retreat, generally preferring to stay back and attack with their Memory Torrent, though not so far away that allies cannot benefit from their Keeper of the Old Lore trait. They use Consign to Myth whenever a non-minion ally drops to 0 hit points so that it may recover and return at its leisure, and whenever an enemy drops to 0 hit points so that its allies cannot return it to the fight. Encounter Groups CR 20 Encounter 10,300 XP 1 Sun Elf Loremaster (CR 8) 1 Giant Eagle (CR 5) 10 Elk-Mounted Sun Elf Outriders (CR M6) CR 26 Encounter 31,800 XP 1 Sun Elf High Mage (CR 14) 1 Sun Elf Spellblades (CR 11) 1 Sun Elf Loremaster (CR 6) 6 Ghostly Legionnaires (CR 5)
Sun Elf Outrider Medium humanoid (elf) , lawful neutral Armor Class 16 (Elven Chain) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 15 (+2) Skills History +5, Perception +4 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan Challenge M6 (460 XP) Mastercraft Tack. While mounted, the elf's mount acts on its initiative, instead of rolling its own, and can disengage as a bonus action. Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. 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. Actions Storied Cullblade (Group Attack). Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 slashing damage. If this attack targeted a fey creature, it deals an additional 2 damage. New Sun's Glory (Group Attack). Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 6 radiant damage. If at least three elves contributed to this group attack, the next attack against the target is made at advantage. Sun Elf Loremaster Medium humanoid (elf) , lawful neutral Armor Class 16 (Elven Chain) Hit Points 165 (22d8 + 66) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 18 (+4) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) Skills History +10, Nature +7, Survival +5 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 8 (3,900 XP) Keeper of the Old Lore. The elf and each of its allies within 30 feet score a critical hit on a 19-20 against non-elves. Heritor of Corellon. While in sunlight, spell attack rolls made by the elf are made at advantage. Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Actions Multitattack. The elf makes two attacks with its Branchgold Stave. Branchgold Stave. Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) bludgeoning plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage and the target is teleported up to 10 feet to an unoccupied location the elf can see. Memory Torrent (3rd Level Spell). Ranged Spell Attack: +7 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) psychic damage and the target must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or be Blinded and Deafened until the end of the elf's next turn as it relives a long-past memory. Ancient Valor's Echoes (4th Level Spell, Recharge 5-6, Concentration). The loremaster summons 5 spectral Sun Elf Outriders in unoccupied spaces it can see within 30 feet that act initiative count 0 under the loremaster's control. Reactions Consign to Myth (3rd Level Spell). As a reaction when a creature the elf can see within 60 feet drops to 0 hit points, the elf banishes it to a harmless demiplane where it immediately stabilizes. As an action, the creature may attempt a DC 15 Charisma saving throw, returning to the nearest unoccupied space to where it departed on a success.
Sun Elf Spellblade Tactics Spellblades try to draw as much enemy attention onto themselves as possible, particularly when their Flickering Advance is active, spreading their attacks around and placing themselves in threating positions to draw threat away from their alies. They are generally prioritize as a target any enemy that can easily gain advantage on its attacks against them, and position themselves to take advantage of a possible critical with their Strike-Saga Blade. They use their Song of Defense typically only against large magical effects, otherwise attempting to interrupt attack chains with their Sheltering Wind. Sun Elf High Mage Tactics High mages rarely fight at all outside of great battles, typically simply calling for their guards and retreating if attacked in any other context. They typically begin combat with their Ancestral Shelter, sizing it to just contain all of the elf's allies as they advance, then use their Courageous Surge whenever available if it can affect four or more allies. They use their Scouring Bloom frequently early in the combat, then as foes start to spread out to mitigate its effects begin using their Gleaming Zephyr to push them back into it. They use their Knell of Despair once melee combat is joined and using their Scouring Bloom becomes more hazardous to their allies. They eagerly use their Step Outside Time if at least three turns remain ahead of them before theirs, otherwise using it only to resist extreme debilitating effects. If they do miss their turn due to it, they can hold their action to cast a spell upon returning, but that uses their reaction and thus leaves them vulnerable for a round so they prefer not to. Sun Elf Spellblade Medium humanoid (elf), lawful neutral Armor Class 21 (Mage Armor, Bladesong) Hit Points 187 (25d8 + 75) Speed 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) Saving Throws CON +7, INT +8, WIS +6 Skills Acrobatics +8, Perception +6, Stealth +8 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16 Languages Common, Elvish Challenge 11 (7,200 XP) Heritor of Corellon. While in sunlight, spell attack rolls made by the elf are made at advantage.it. Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put it to sleep. Actions Multiattack. The spellblade makes three attacks; two with its Strike-Sage Blade and one with its GiltChain Whip, and uses its Flickering Advance if available. Strike-Saga Blade. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing plus 10 (3d6) lightning damage. On a critical hit, a flash of electricity issues forth in a 15 foot cone centered on the target. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 (6d6) lighting damage, or half as much on a success. Gilt-Chain Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d4 + 4) piercing damage. Flickering Advance (Recharge 5-6, 3rd Level Spell). The spellblade begins to move with magically empowered speed until the beginning of its next turn, or until it is hit with an attack. The spellblade's speed is doubled, attacks against it are made at disadvantage, and whenever it is missed with an attack it may teleport up to 10 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. Reactions Song of Defense (1/Day). As a reaction to taking damage, the spellblade reduces that damage by 25. Sheltering Wind (1st Level Spell). As a reaction to being targeted with a melee attack, the spellblade forces the attacker to succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away and have its attack miss.
Possible Mythals. A mythal may produce any of the following effects in the affected area, or something comparable at DM's discretion. 5 or more high mages working in concert may produce a similar effect affecting an entire plane: Magic of a particular school or source is empowered, disempowered, or entirely ineffective. Magical or extraplanar creatures of a particular type are weakened or barred from entering or exiting the area. Resurrective magic has different requirements and limitations. Divine influence is limited or expanded. The affected area immediately teleports to another location. The affected area begins to fly. Sun Elf High Mage Medium humanoid (elf), lawful neutral Armor Class 17 (Mithral Vestments) Hit Points 294 (31d8 + 155) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 20 (+5) 22 (+6) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) Saving Throws CON +10, INT +11, WIS +9, CHA +7 Skills Arcana +16, History +16, Nature +11 Senses Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Common, Elvish, Sylvan Challenge 14 (11,500 XP) Fey Ancestry. The elf has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put the elf to sleep. Heritor of Corellon. While in sunlight, spell attack rolls made by the elf are made at advantage. Perfected Form. The elf's spells cannot be affected or detected by magic of a lower level. Actions Multiattack. The elf makes two attacks with its Gleaming Zephyr. Gleaming Zephyr (3rd Level Spell). Ranged Spell Attack: +11 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 22 (4d10) radiant damage and the target is pushed up to 10 feet in a direction of the elf's choice. Knell of Despair (5th Level Spell). Each creature of the elf's choice within 60 feet of it must succeed on a DC 19 Wisdom saving throw or fall prone and be unable to stand on its following turn. Scouring Bloom (6th Level Spell). The elf causes whirling petals of light to unfurl in a 20 foot radius centered on a point it can see within 300 feet in an effect that lasts a minute. A creature that starts its turn in the area or enters it for the first time on a turn must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or take 33 (6d10) radiant damage and be Blinded until the beginning of its next turn, or take half as much damage on a success. Couragous Surge (Recharge 5-6, 7th Level Spell). Each creature of the elf's choice within 60 feet of it gains 10 temporary hit points. While a creature has any of these temporary hit points, it has advantage on Wisdom saving throws and its attacks deal an additional 7 (2d6) radiant damage. Ancestral Shelter (1/Day, 9th Level Spell). The elf raises a spectral barrier that extends a distance of the elf's choice, is centered on itself, and lasts for an hour. The barrier blocks all incoming spells and ranged attacks, though creatures may pass through without resistance, and whenever the barrier takes damage the elf must make a saving throw to maintain concentration as if it had taken the same damage. Create Mythal (1/Year, 10th Level Spell). The elf creates an extraordinary, long-lasting change to the way magic behaves in a 5 mile radius centered on a point it can see, then must succeed on a DC 19 Charisma saving throw or die. A creature that dies in this way cannot be resurrected by any means. Reactions Step Outside Time (4th Level Spell, 3/Day). As a reaction when the sun elf would fail a saving throw, it instead teleports to a harmless demiplane and suffers none of the saving throw's effects. After 1d4 turns, the elf teleports back to the nearest unoccupied space to where it departed.
Art Credits Selesnya Guildmage by Jason Rainville Boreal Outrider by Alex Konstad Skemfar Recruiter by Alexander Mokhov Selesnya Guildgate by Dimitar Marinski Bisk, Goblin King by Rae Elderidge I've Got a Subreddit! Want more monsters like this? Come check out r/bettermonsters, where I post all my work. Don't see something there? Drop a request and I'll usually get it to you within a day if I've got something on hand, and I'll shoot you a message when it's ready if not. You Found the Free Books! 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 1300 already there, indexed in a big PDF along with formats for Foundry and 5eTools.