Scox

Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)

Hit Points 252 (20d12 + 120)

Speed 40 ft., fly 80 ft.

STR 23 (+6) · DEX 18 (+4) · CON 22 (+6) · INT 19 (+4) · WIS 20 (+5) · CHA 24 (+7)

Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +12, Wis +11, Cha +13

Skills Deception +13, Insight +11, Perception +11, Stealth +10

Damage Vulnerabilities radiant; damage from weapons wrought of cold iron

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

Damage Immunities cold, lightning, poison

Condition Immunities poisoned

Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 21

Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Infernal; telepathy 120 ft.

Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)

Traits

Shapechanger. As an action Scox magically transforms into a Large ash-gray bird (speed 20 ft., fly 120 ft.; can’t make Short Sword attacks) or back into his true form. His statistics are otherwise unchanged.

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

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

Magic Weapons. Scox’s weapon attacks are magical.

Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, Scox has disadvantage on attack rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Truth Seer. Scox is continuously affected by detect thoughts (surface thoughts only; no concentration). He automatically knows when a creature within 30 feet speaks a deliberate lie and has advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks to discern lies.

Ghost-Step. Scox can move through nonmagical solid objects and barriers as if they were difficult terrain. If he ends his turn inside an object, he takes 5 (1d10) force damage and is shunted to the nearest unoccupied space.

Regeneration. Scox regains 15 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point and isn’t in sunlight or taking radiant damage. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of his next turn.

Innate Spellcasting. Spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 21, +13 to hit). He can innately cast the following spells without material components:

At will: darkness (PHB, p. 230/260), detect magic (PHB, p. 231/262), greater invisibility (PHB, p. 246/281), passwall (PHB, p. 264/304)

3/day each: destructive wave (necrotic & thunder; PHB, p. 231/261), dispel magic (PHB, p. 234/264), plane shift (self only; PHB, p. 266/305), telekinesis (PHB, p. 280/331)

1/day each: earthquake (PHB, p. 236/267), power word stun (PHB, p. 267/306)

Actions

Multiattack. Scox makes three attacks: two with his Short Sword and one with his Beak.

Short Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d8 + 6) slashing plus 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d6 + 6) piercing plus 13 (3d8) psychic damage. If the target can see, it must succeed on a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of its next turn.

Sense Theft (Recharge 5–6). Up to three creatures of Scox’s choice within 60 ft. must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 27 (6d8) psychic damage and is blinded and deafened for 1 minute. It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. On a success, the creature takes half damage and isn’t blinded or deafened.

Bonus Actions

Sudden Dash. Scox moves up to half his speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

Reactions

Parry. Scox 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 Short Sword.

Legendary Actions

Scox can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action 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.

Beak Attack. Scox makes one Beak attack.

Shadow Step (Costs 2 Actions). Scox magically teleports up to 30 ft. to an unoccupied space he can see.

Steal Thought (Costs 3 Actions). One creature Scox can see within 60 ft. must succeed on a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Lore

A demon that appears as a stork, depriving people of their senses and absconding with their riches.

In demonology he is known as Scox or Shax and holds the titles of Grand Marquis and Duke of Hell. The demon personifies war, violence, and destruction.

Scox’s appearance depends on the conditions of his materialization; two primary forms have been recorded. The first, ritual form, is that of a large bird—usually a stork or a wood pigeon—with ash-gray or black plumage. The second, his true battle form, is a tall, muscular humanoid with taloned bird legs and the head of a pigeon or stork, its dark feathers crusted with dried blood. That blood is no accident: Scox has a pathological craving for gouging out and devouring the eyes of living foes. The demon’s own eyes are completely black or fiery, reflecting a bottomless void.

From Demonic Bestiary 5E, p. 92 · Fern Flower Press