Chasmes Chasme Lore Arcana DC 10: Chasmes are accomplished torturers, combining the magically soporific drone of their wings and their ability to induce agonizing nightmares, occasionally to extract information from prisoners but most commonly for their own amusement. Medicine DC 15: Fly-like pests of the abyss, chasmes carry numerous demonic diseases, though most commonly one known as Fading Ague, also known as ghostplague, a fever which sees a creature's very bodily essence wasting away until nothing but a cruel specter of the creature's former self remains. Nature DC 15: Though quite agile in the air, chasmes move relatively clumsily on the ground, and can be easily surrounded and brought down if forced to land. Religion DC 20: The droning of chasme wings is a sound dreaded throughout the abyss, both for the sluggishness and nightmarish sleep it induces, and for the likely doom that follows it, as chasmes are the recruiters of the blood war, and any demon spotted by one is likely fodder for summoning to the front lines. Chasme Plague Drone Tactics Chasme plague drones swarm over the nearest uninfected creature in groups of of three to five, biting it until infected and then moving on, with the intent of following from the air until the creature dies so they can feed on it. They make no efforts to work with other demons, and often bite creatures sleeping from a chasme tormentor's Drone to gain advantage on their attacks, despite being unable to benefit from the automatic critical. Chasme Tormentor Tactics Chasme tormentors usually attack alone or with drones in tow, and when found with other demons are often unwelcome their fiendish kin due to their Drone effects, though Magic Resistance does go a way toward ameliorating that effect. When demons have a reason to attack each other, though, chasme's are usually the first targeted, and they remain wary of betrayal from any temporary allies. If they aren't pressured unduly, they use Dream Desecration whenever available, otherwise ignoring unconscious creatures and focusing on those posing an active threat. Once reduced below half hit points, they often start trying to use their Demonic Abduction each turn, targeting Barlguras, Hezrous, and Bulezaus to take their place in the battle.
Fading Ague. An infected creature takes on a slightly translucent palor, which intensifies as the disease progresses. Whenever an infected creature drops to 0 HP, its Constitution score is reduced by 1d4. If the creature's Constitution is reduced to 0 it dies and a Specter rises from its corpse. Chasme Plague Drone Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 14 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 19 (3d8 + 6) Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 13 (+1) 14 (+2) 6 (-2) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 15 Languages Abyssal, Telepathy 120 ft. Challenge M5 (360 XP) Spider Climb. The chasme can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. 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 Plaguebearer Bites (Group Attack). Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 4 piercing damage plus 2 necrotic damage. If at least two other chasmes attacked with it, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be afflicted with Fading Ague. Reactions Droning Chorus. As a reaction when a creature the chasme can see within 30 feet makes a saving throw against another chasme's Drone, the chasme forces it to subtract one from its result. Chasme Tormentor Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil Armor Class 15 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 110 (13d10 + 39) Speed 20 ft., fly 60 ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) Saving Throws DEX +5, WIS +5 Skills Intimidation +3, Perception +5 Damage Immunities Poison Damage Resistances Cold, Fire, Lightning Condition Immunities Poisoned Senses Blindsight 10 ft., Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 15 Languages Abyssal, Telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 6 (2,300 XP) Spider Climb. The chasme can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down on ceilings, without needing to make an ability check. Drone. The chasme produces a horrid magical droning sound. A non-chasme creature that starts its turn within 30 feet of one or more chasmes that can hear them must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or deal only half damage with weapon attacks until the end of its next turn. A creature that fails this save by 5 or more falls asleep until it takes damage or another creature takes an action to wake it. Magic Resistance. The chasme has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Proboscis. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 16 (4d6 + 2) piercing damage plus 24 (7d6) necrotic damage. On a critical hit, the target is Frightened until the end of its next turn. Dream Desecration. One sleeping creature the Chasme can see within 15 feet takes 14 (4d6) nonlethal psychic damage, then must make on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, this damage does not wake the creature from its sleep, and the chasme discovers one fact which the creature wishes to keep hidden from it. Demonic Abduction. One demon of CR 5 or lower that the chasme has seen in the last 10 days must succeed on a DC 14 Charisma saving throw or teleport to switch positions with the chasme. A creature that succeeds on this save is immune to the effect for 24 hours.
Art Credits Chasme by Anne Stokes 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.