P Fey'ri ure and ancient is the once-venerated line of the daemonfey, the strength of their blood and its magic reinforced since time immemorial with infusions of the raw and primal chaos of the Abyss. Though once masters of the most glorious of the elden kingdoms, the ancient fey'ri fell to the treachery of their elven kin, and now their descendants are forced to scrape and scrounge as they build their numbers and prepare their vengeance. Fey'ri Lore Arcana DC 10: The elves of the abyss exhibit a peculiar form of sorcerous blood magic, one which the most adept of them meld with traditional forms of bladesinging. History DC 15: Often seen fighting alongside yeth hounds and wielding weapons and magics designed to maim and terrify rather than kill, the vicious fey'ri seem to take great pleasure in hunting frightened prey. Nature DC 15: Fey'ri are tanar'ric elves, deliberately created in an attempt by a sect of high elves to strengthen their bloodline, that present with a wide array of fiendish traits, including cloven hooves, wings, horns, and additional limbs. Religion DC 20: The oldest of the fey'ri are known as daemonfey, leading some to speculate some connection with the daemons of the Grey Waste. Such connections are poorly evidenced, however, and most scholars agree the name's spelling is an aesthetic choice with no underlying meaning. Social Encounters To celebrate the passage of The Wild Hunt in its cosmic circuit, a fey'ri clan is holding a competition to see who can collect the most ears in a single day; this year's twist is that the ears' owners must survive and relinquish them freely, though how stringently the judges will construe the "freely" part is a matter of some debate. A fey'ri clan believes that they have captured a marilith in a magic circle and have been trying to entice it to choose a partner from among them. Thus far, they have had little luck, as the marilith insists on the completion of one impossible task after another before it can possibly decide. Due to a faulty runic inscription, the marilith can leave the circle at any time, and is simply intrigued at the efforts the fey'ri will go to in order to win its affections. As part of their efforts to strengthen their bloodline, a fey'ri clan traditionally votes for one among their number to be killed whenever a new child is born to them, leading to a mad scramble for popularity and status that outside bystanders are often dragged into. A fey'ri sleuth living secretly in an elven city has uncovered evidence of an infernal pact struck by the head of one of the chief noble houses, by which they have gained enormous power, both political and magical. She cannot unveil this herself, however, for fear that her own fiendish nature will be discovered.
Walking Sepsis. An infected creature cannot benefit from resistance or immunity to poison damage or the Poisoned condition. Whenever the infected creature takes poison damage, it must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be Poisoned until the end of its next turn. Fey'ri Reveler Tactics Fey'ri revelers generally attack at a distance with their Contaminated Volley while more powerful allies close to melee, backing up and scattering if enemies draw close. If locked in to melee, they will fight with their Thorned Daggers, but if engaged with a powerful foe they are not likely to defeat other revelers will often execute the trapped one with their Ecstatic Cull, or on any other ally that seems likely to die before its next turn. Fey'ri Marauder Tactics Fey'ri marauders swoop overhead, beginning combat with their Rain of Fire, then trying to catch a foe with their Wicked Warhook, drag it into the air with them, then kick it repeatedly while flying upward until it is knocked unconscious, at which point they drop it in view of its allies before repeating the sequence. Fey'ri Skin Dancer Tactics Fey'ri skin dancers begin combat with their Skin Dance, then try to fill the creature they're imitating with as many spikes as possible. They generally use their Disfigure only if they have advantage on the attack, and will often use it on an unconscious creature, as it can deal three failed death saves with a single attack if the target fails its saving throw. If they notice a creature is able to reliably target them, they will use their Skin Dance again, targeting that creature. Fey'ri Reveler Medium fiend (demon)/humanoid, chaotic evil Armor Class 15 (Enameled Armor) Hit Points 22 (3d8 + 9) Speed 30 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 11 (+0) 17 (+3) Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 10 Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish Challenge M7 (580 XP) Dread Revels. The fey'ri has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are Frightened. Demonblooded. The fey'ri has advantage on saving throws against effects that deal Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage. 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 Thorned Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 piercing damage. Contaminated Volley (Group Attack). Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 piercing plus 2 poison damage. If three or more fey'ri contributed to this attack, the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or contract Walking Sepsis. Ecstatic Cull. The fey'ri makes a Thorned Dagger attack against a friendly creature with fewer than 25 hit points. On a hit, the target dies and each creature of the fey'ri's choice within 30 feet that can see it must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the end of the fey'ri's next turn.
Fey'ri Marauder Medium fiend (demon)/humanoid, chaotic evil Armor Class 14 (Enameled Armor) Hit Points 67 (9d8 + 27) Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 17 (+3) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) Skills Arcana +4, Intimidation +5, Perception +4 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 14 Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish Challenge 3 (700 XP) Dread Revels. The fey'ri has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are Frightened. Demonblooded. The fey'ri has advantage on saving throws against effects that deal Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage. Actions Multiattack. The fey'ri makes two attacks. Bladehoof Kick. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) piercing damage. This attack scores a critical on an 18-20 against a prone creature, or one the fey'ri's Wicked Warhook is attached to. Wicked Warhook. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage and the hook attaches to the target (remove DC 14). While the hook is attached to a creature, the fey'ri cannot make attacks with this weapon, may spend 10 feet of its movement drag the creature up to 5 feet toward it, and may detach the hook as a Bonus Action. The attached creature cannot move away from the fey'ri, and takes 2 piercing damage for every 5 feet it is dragged in this way. Rain of Fire (Recharge 5-6, 2nd Level Spell). Three bolts of fire flare from the sky, each exploding in a 5 foot radius centered on a point within 90 feet that the fey'ri can see. Each flammable object in the area ignites, and each creature not beneath cover in the area of one or more of the explosions must succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or take 10 (3d6) fire damage. Reactions Jink. As a reaction when the fey'ri is hit with a ranged attack while at least 10 feet in the air, the fey'ri halves the attack's damage. Fey'ri Skin Dancer Medium fiend (demon)/humanoid, chaotic evil Armor Class 17 (Demonflesh Graft) Hit Points 127 (15d8 + 60) Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 12 (+1) 19 (+4) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) Saving Throws DEX +7, CON +7 Skills Deception +7, Insight +5, Intimidation +7, Perception +5 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15 Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Dread Revels. The fey'ri has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are Frightened. Demonblooded. The fey'ri has advantage on saving throws against effects that deal Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage. Actions Multiattack. The fey'ri makes two attacks with its Fleshbond Spike, one of which it may replace with a use of its Skin Dance, if available. Fleshbond Spike. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage and the spike embeds in the creature and bonds to its flesh. Whenever the creature takes an action or bonus action, it takes 1 piercing damage for each spike embedded in it. A creature may remove one of these spines as an action, taking 5 slashing damage for each spike removed. Disfigure (2nd Level Spell). Melee Spell Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (4d6) necrotic damage and the creature must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 9 (2d8) slashing damage as a handprint of skin peels off of it, suffering disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks until cured by Lesser Restoration or similar magic. Skin Dance (Recharge 5-6, 4th Level Spell). The fey'ri assumes the appearance of a humanoid creature it can see within 60 feet, then teleports to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it. While the fey'ri is within 5 feet of the creature it is mimicking, a creature with a Passive Insight of 14 or lower that attempts to target one of them with an attack or spell instead selects one of them at random as the target.
Fey'Ri Bloodwright Tactics Bloodwrights begin combat with their Sanguine Cyclone if they can hit at least three opponents with it, and is fine hitting allied creatures as long as it catches more foes in it. Once active, they generally make their first two attacks with their Demonic Lash, replacing the third with their Bloodflame spear only if the first two either both hit, or both miss. They try to position themselves so as to push targets into the area of their Sanguine Cyclone, then backing up to avoid being caught in it themselves. Daemonfey Progenitor Tactics Daemonfey progenitors begin combat with their Conjure Hunt, and use their Gore Inversion at the earliest opportunity against an enemy, or on a fallen ally if they are otherwise having difficulty frightening their foes. They generally use their Flickering Advance whenever available, moving much more aggressively and freely provoking attacks of opportunity when it is active. They attack with their cinquedas fanned out only if they have a source of advantage, otherwise only opening them with their Blade Blossom reaction and closing them at the earliest opportunity. They use their Song of Defense only against a spell or effect dealing at least 25 damage. Encounter Groups CR 16 Encounter 6,000 XP 1 Fey'ri Bloodwright (CR 6) 2 Bloodrot Ooze (CR 3) 5 Sun Elf Outriders (CR M6) CR 17 Encounter 7,900 XP 2 Fey'ri Marauders (CR 3) 1 Skin Kite (CR 3) 10 Fey'ri Revelers (CR M7) Fey'ri Bloodwright Medium fiend (demon)/humanoid, chaotic evil Armor Class 16 (Mage Armor) Hit Points 153 (18d8 + 72) Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 19 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 21 (+5) Skills Arcana +6, Deception +8, Perception +5 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 15 Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Dread Revels. The fey'ri has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are Frightened. Demonblooded. The fey'ri has advantage on saving throws against effects that deal Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage. Actions Multiattack. The fey'ri makes three attacks with its Demonic Lash, one of which it may replace with a use of its Bloodflame Spear, if available. Demonic Lash (2nd Level Spell). Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (2d4) slashing plus 7 (2d6) fire damage. A target hit by two or more of these attacks in a turn must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or be Frightened until the end of the fey'ri's next turn. Bloodflame Spear (3rd Level Spell, Recharge 5-6, Spell). The fey'ri dashes up to 15 feet in a straight line, then a line of solid fire extends from its palm in a 15 foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or take 10 (3d6) fire plus 10 (3d6) piercing damage and be pushed 15 feet away, or take half as much damage on a successs. If the fey'ri has fewer than half its hit points, each affected creature subtracts 1d4 from the result of its saving throw. Sanguine Cyclone (1/Day, 5th Level Spell). The fey'ri conjures forth a raging whirlwind of blood in a 15 foot radius centered on a point it can see within 150 feet that lasts for a minute. The area is difficult terrain, and a creature that starts its turn in the area must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or lose one unexpended hit die, or drop to 0 hit points if it cannot. Whenever a creature loses a hit die in this way, the whirlwind's radius grows by 5 feet, then each creature in its area takes 3 (1d6) slashing damage.
Daemonfey Progenitor Medium fiend (demon)/humanoid, chaotic evil Armor Class 19 (Mage Armor, Bladesong) Hit Points 231 (22d8 + 132) Speed 40 ft., fly 50 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 18 (+4) 19 (+4) 22 (+6) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 20 (+5) Saving Throws CON +9, INT +7, WIS +7 Skills Acrobatics +9, Perception +7, Stealth +9 Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 17 Languages Abyssal, Common, Elvish Challenge 16 (15,000 XP) Backstabber. Attacks of opportunity made by the daemonfey score a critical on an 18-20. Dread Revels. The daemonfey has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are Frightened. Demonblooded. The fey'ri has advantage on saving throws against effects that deal Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage. Actions Multiattack. The daemonfey makes four attacks; two with each of its Swordbreaker Cinquedas. Swordbreaker Cinquedas. Melee Spell Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d8 + 4) slashing damage. If the weapon's blades are fanned out, instead of dealing damage the daemonfey may force the target to succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or have one object it is carrying flung 15 feet away. Gore Inversion (1/Day, 6th Level Spell). One unconscious creature the daemonfey can see within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or die and be turned inside out in a spray of gore. Each creature of the daemonfey's choice within 60 feet that can see the target is Frightened until the end of the Daemonfey's next turn. Conjure Hunt (1/Day, 7th Level Spell, Concentration). The daemonfey conjures two Yeth Hounds that last for a minute in unoccupied spaces it can see within 60 feet. The yeth hounds act on its initiative and under its control. If the daemonfey's concentration ends, the yeth hounds dissolve into smoke. Bonus Actions Fan Blades. The daemonfey fans two additional blades out from one of its Swordbreaker Cinquedas. Until it furls the blades as a bonus action, the daemonfey adds 1 to its AC and has disadvantage with attacks made with that weapon. Flickering Advance (Recharge 5-6, 3rd Level Spell). The daemonfey begins to move with magically empowered speed until the beginning of its next turn, or until it is hit with an attack. The daemonfey'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 Blade Blossom. As a reaction when the daemonfey scores a critical hit with one of its Swordbreaker Cinquedas, it uses its Fan Blades bonus action, dealing 18 (4d8) additional slashing damage to the target. Song of Defense (1/Day). As a reaction to taking damage, the daemonfey reduces that damage by 25.
Art Credits Eyeblight Cullers by Randy Vargas Gilt-Leaf Winnower by Viktor Titov Briarblade Adept by Uriah Voth Farthest Reach cover by Adam Rex 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.