Sabnock

Large fiend (demon), lawful evil

Armor Class 20 (black infernal plate)

Hit Points 285 (30d10 + 120)

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.

STR 26 (+8) · DEX 14 (+2) · CON 18 (+4) · INT 20 (+5) · WIS 16 (+3) · CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws Str +13, Con +10, Wis +9, Cha +10

Skills Athletics +13, History +11, Intimidation +10, Perception +9

Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison

Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 19

Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Traits

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Sabnock fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. Sabnock has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. Sabnock’s weapon attacks are magical.

Martial Fusions. As a bonus action Sabnock can fuse with his undead war-horse, becoming a centauroid monstrosity until he ends the fusion as another bonus action. While fused, his size is Large, he gains a climbing speed of 20 ft. and advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks to shove or grapple, and he can make a Hooves attack (see Actions).

Rotting Wound. A creature hit by Sabnock’s Infernal Bastard Sword must succeed on a DC 19 Constitution saving throw or suffer a rotting wound. A creature with a rotting wound can’t regain hit points by any means other than a wish spell until the wound is magically healed with both remove curse and greater restoration cast on the same day, or until 30 days pass. The wound can stack—each additional failed save increases the DC of all future saving throws against this trait by 1.

Tactical Mason. Difficult terrain created by Sabnock (such as from his Fortify action or lair abilities) doesn’t cost him extra movement, and he has advantage on attack rolls against creatures that are within 5 ft. of any wall or fortification he created.

Actions

Multiattack. Sabnock makes two Infernal Bastard Sword attacks and, if fused, one Hooves attack.

Infernal Bastard Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 19 (2d10 + 8) slashing plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage, and the target must make the Rotting Wound save.

Hooves (Fused Form Only). Melee Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Miasma of Decay (Recharge 5–6). Sabnock raises his sword to the sky, releasing a 30-foot-radius cloud of acid-green gas centered on himself that spreads around corners and moves with him, lasting 1 minute or until dispersed by a strong wind. A creature that enters the cloud for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 27 (6d8) poison damage, is poisoned, and is blinded until the start of its next turn. On a successful save, the creature takes half damage and isn’t blinded or poisoned.

Fortify (Recharge 6). Sabnock stamps the ground, causing infernal ramparts to erupt. Choose up to three 10-foot-by-10-foot sections of ground within 60 feet. Each section becomes a 15-foot-tall wall (AC 17, 50 hp, immune to poison & psychic) that lasts for 1 hour or until destroyed.

Bonus Actions

Strategic Advance. Sabnock moves up to half his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Martial Fusions. (see Traits)

Reactions

Parry. Sabnock adds +4 to his AC against one melee attack that would hit him. To do so, he must see the attacker and be wielding his sword.

Legendary Actions

Sabnock can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. He regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Attack. Sabnock makes one Infernal Bastard Sword attack.

Battering Charge (Costs 2 Actions). Sabnock moves up to his speed in a straight line. Each creature whose space he enters must succeed on a DC 21 Strength saving throw or take 13 (3d8) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.

Lore

A lion-headed armored rider on a pale horse who builds fortifications and inflicts incurable wounds.

Sabnock is recorded in demonological sources under the variants Sabnake, Salmac, Savnok, Sab Nac, Sabnac, Sabnach, and Sabnack. Within the infernal hierarchy he bears the title of Grand Marquis of Hell. His informal epithets include “The Rotting Warrior” and “The Architect of Decay.”

In appearance, Sabnock is a ferocious, armed soldier with a lion’s head, riding a pale, decomposing horse. He looks like a muscular humanoid with a lush, fiery-orange mane and contrasting black fur, crowned by asymmetrical crimson horns. The demon’s torso is usually bare, displaying smooth yet desecrated musculature covered in deep maroon markings, scars, and magical tattoos that pulse with a sinister light in rhythm with his heartbeat. Sabnock’s anatomy features clawed feet, vaguely human yet reinforced to bear his massive weight. In battle he dons heavy, dark, massively forged armor. His primary weapons are a one-handed sword or mace adorned with occult runes. The pale horse is an undead creature, a harbinger of inescapable doom that poisons the ground beneath it, and at times fuses with its rider into a lion-headed centaur.

From Demonic Bestiary 5E, p. 88 · Fern Flower Press