Credits

Lead Designer: Jake Hilton

Impending Doom
Adventuring is an endeavor fraught with danger, fear, and
Managing Editor: Ryan Rose inevitable death, filled with blood thirsty monsters that
Content Development: Shiloh Berscheid, Miles Dávila, inflict curses and harmful effects upon their victims. Below
Rob Gunningham, Jake Hilton, Ryan Rose you can find a new condition that your players might
encounter or utilize in their travels: doomed. This condition
Editing: Miles Dávila
excels at bringing creatures to an inexorable end, stopping
Graphic Design: Brennan Sisson them from healing, and forcing them to succumb to harm
Art Director: Jake Hilton more often.
Cover Illustration: Sam Burley
Interior Illustration: Adam Paquette, Andrew Mar, Caoi Doomed
Moneiro, Chippy, David Auden Nash, Denman Rooke, A doomed creature can't regain hit points, or have
Erica Yang, Grzegorz Rutkowski, Jesper Ejsing, John temporary hit points.
Avon, Martina Pilcerova, Mathias Kollros, Paul Scott The creature has disadvantage on saving throws
Canavan, Victor Adame Minguez against effects that deal damage.
Disclaimer: This is unofficial Fan Content permitted under
the Open Gaming License. It is not approved/endorsed by
Incorporating Doom
Wizards of the Coast. Portions of the material used may be Conditions in 5E come with intrinsic support within most
property of Wizards of the Coast. Copyright Wizards of the major facets of the game's mechanics: class options, spells,
Coast LLC. items, monster abilities, etc. To provide similar support for
the doomed condition, in the following sections you'll find a
Table of Contents number of suggestions and options you can include in your
games that incorporate it.
Impending Doom ........................................................1
Who Can Be Doomed?
Incorporating Doom ...................................................................... 1
Like many conditions, some creatures are naturally immune
Class Options ..................................................................2 to being doomed. You can decide for yourself if you think it
makes sense for a creature to be immune, but Undead and
Path of the Doomcaller ................................................................. 2 Constructs are immune to it as a general rule.
Fateweaver ....................................................................................... 3

Magic Items ....................................................................... 4 How Do I Cure It?

Typically, effects that inflict doomed come with the ability to
Anvil of the Doomsmith ................................................................4 end the condition or inflict the condition for a limited
Praetor Helm ....................................................................................4 duration. For those who want to get rid of it quickly, or are
Ring of Ruin's Bane ........................................................................ 4 afflicted with a permanent form of it, the greater restoration
spell or similar magic can remove doomed.
Spells ............................................................................................5
Countdown ....................................................................................... 5
Dire Omen ........................................................................................ 5
Dread Mist ........................................................................................ 5 Doom Approaches
Gift of the Grave ..............................................................................6 Doom is intended to be a particularly
Judgment ........................................................................................... 6 supernatural condition, akin to petrification. It
Protection from Darkness ............................................................ 6 typically accompanies frightful monsters,
Zone of Disaster ..............................................................................6 apocalyptic events, and magic that threatens
to tear the world asunder.
Monsters ............................................................................... 7 When contemplating the inclusion of doom,
try to imagine the atmosphere surrounding it.
Additional Abilities .........................................................................7 Are the players encountering doom for the first
Doomshade ...................................................................................... 8 time as a cataclysm looms on the horizon? Is
Gremlin .............................................................................................. 9 the world itself a dreary and dark place with
doom around every corner? You could include
Ruin Dragon ...................................................................................10 it as part of a particular quest or story arc or
Environmental Doom ......................................... 12 adopt it as just another possible tool in your
GM arsenal.
Blighted Land ................................................................................ 12
Ill-Wishing Well .............................................................................13

Art Credits .........................................................................13

Class Options
The following class options are available to players, the
Primal Path: Path of the Doomcaller, and the Arcane
Tradition: Fateweaver.
Path of the Doomcaller
Like oracles, doomcallers are barbarians blessed with the
gift of prophecy; a gift limited in scope to themselves and
their enemies. Through a supernatural event, the death of a
loved one, or divine boon, these warriors can utilize visions
of death and destruction to evade their own demise, or
ensure the demise of others. At the height of their powers,
doomcallers are angels of death on the battlefield. In
combat, their gaze is avoided at all costs, lest a creature see
its death, and know it is helpless to stop it.
Imminent Destruction
3rd-level Path of the Doomcaller feature
While a creature you can see is within 30 feet of you, you
know if it currently intends to do you physical harm in the
next minute.
Mouth of Oblivion
10th-level Path of the Doomcaller feature
The whispers of doom speak to you. You know the direction
and distance to any creature within 1 mile of you that is
doomed, or has no more than half of its hit points left, and
such a creature gains no benefit against you from being
hidden or invisible.
Additionally, as an action you can lock eyes with a
creature within 30 feet of you and force it to make a saving
throw against your Visions of Violence DC. On a failed save,
hushed voices speak of the creature's greatest fear, audible
to any creature within 60 feet of it. A creature that can't be
doomed or frightened is unaffected, and a creature that
succeeds on its saving throw is immune to this effect for 24
hours.
Doom's Call
14th-level Path of the Doomcaller feature
Once on each of your turns when you hit a doomed creature
that has no more than half of its hit points left with a melee
weapon attack, you can have the attack become a critical hit.

Visions of Violence
3rd-level Path of the Doomcaller feature
Your enemies shall know their doom, and the hand that calls
it. When you enter your rage, and as a bonus action on each
of your turns while raging, you can lock eyes with a creature
you can see within 30 feet of you. The creature must succeed
on a Charisma saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your
proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier) or become
doomed until your rage ends, you can no longer see the
creature, or until you use this feature on a different creature.
A creature doomed in this way sees visions of its violent
and bloody death at your hands. At the end of each of its
turns, the creature must repeat its saving throw against this
effect. On a failed save, it takes 1d8 psychic damage, or half
as much damage on a successful one. This damage increase
to 2d8 beginning at 10th level.

Edge of Disaster
6th-level Path of the Doomcaller feature
You can accept your own doom for greater power. When you
start your turn while raging and below half your hit point
maximum, you can choose to become doomed until your
rage ends (no action required). While doomed in this way,
you have resistance to all damage, and you are immune to
being frightened.

2
 Fateweaver
Tied into the fabric of the cosmos, magic permeates and
joins the fates of all creatures it touches. It's through this link
that fateweavers channel their powers, plucking confidently
at the strings of destiny to rethread them to better serve
their own ends. Mastery of the tapestry of destiny grants a
practitioner many abilities, most notable of which is
prophecy, as well as magic able to ensure a creature's
destruction.
Threads of Fate
2nd-level Fateweaver feature
When you cast a spell that targets one or more creatures,
you can grasp threads of fate from your choice of any of
those creatures. Any threads fade from your grasp after you
finish a short or long rest, the creature dies, or you become
unconscious.
While you grasp a creature's thread and it is on the same
plane of existence as you, you know if it is below half of its
hit point maximum, any conditions it is under the effects of,
and you know if it dies.
Additionally, when a creature whose thread you grasp in
this way dies, you can choose to tie the thread of its fate into
your own, learning one of the following things of your
choice:
You learn the creature's true name, and a basic
understanding of its personality.
You learn what the creature had intended to achieve in
the next 24 hours if it had lived.
You learn what happened to the
the wizard spell list to your spellbook. When you cast a
creature in the last hour of its
divination spell that allows you to receive an omen, or ask a
life.
3
Precognition
2nd-level Fateweaver feature
Your mind is open to the futures of others. You learn the
guidance cantrip.
Also, you can see a faint aura around any creature within
30 feet of you. While you can see this aura, you know how
close the creature is to dying of old age, natural causes, or
any disease it is suffering from. You gain no special
knowledge of the cause.
Doomsayer
6th-level Fateweaver feature
Creatures can't gain advantage on saving throws they make
against your spells or magical effects.
Also, when a creature you can see fails its saving throw
against a spell you cast of 1st level or higher, you can cause
the creature to become doomed for 1 minute. The creature
can make a Wisdom saving throw against your spell save
DC at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a
success. If the creature dies while doomed in this way, you
know what happens to its soul in the immediate future.
Once you attempt to doom a creature in this way, you
can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Share Prophecy
10th-level Fateweaver feature
You add the divination spell to your spellbook, and it counts
as a wizard spell for you. If it is there already, you can
instead add one divination spell of 5th level or lower from
question of a higher power, you can touch another creature,
allowing them to ask any required questions, or receive any
omens. Doing so removes any chance for a random reading.
A chosen creature can't gain this benefit again for 24 hours.
Cut the Threads
14th-level Fateweaver feature
When a creature automatically fails its saving throw against
one of your spells, or makes its saving throw against one of
your spells with disadvantage, you can treat the spell as if
you had rolled the maximum possible damage for that
creature.
Additionally, when a creature whose thread you grasp
dies, you can sever its thread permanently (no action
    required). If you do so, the creature can't be brought back
      to life by any means short of a wish spell. A creature
      that can't be doomed is unaffected.
Magic Items
The following magic items utilize the themes of doom, ruin,
and inevitability, and can be used as rewards for players, or
plot hooks in your games.
Anvil of the Doomsmith
Weapon (maul), legendary (requires attunement by a
doomed creature)
Carved and polished from a block of adamantine, and
adorned with coins of bad luck and misfortune from
numerous cultures, this maul doubles as an anvil thanks to
its design and heft.
While attuned to the maul, you are immune to the effects
of being doomed, frightened, and poisoned, and you have a
+3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it, as well as
to ability checks made to make or repair an object using the
maul. An object repaired or created this way is done so
twice as fast. In addition, the maul has the following
properties:
Smith's Bounty. As an action, you can conjure a set of
smith's tools, as well as 100 gp of materials for their use. The
tools and materials vanish if they are ever more than 10 feet
away from the maul, or after 24 hours. Materials used to
create or repair an object don't vanish in this way. Once you
use this property of the maul, it can't be used again until the
next dawn.
Doomstrike. When you hit a creature with the maul, you
can deal an additional 4d6 necrotic damage to it and force it
to make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save,
the creature gains any of the following conditions you have
for the next minute: blinded, deafened, doomed, frightened,
or poisoned. This property of the maul can be used twice,
and it regains any expended uses daily at dawn.
Curse. This maul is cursed, and attempting to attune to
the maul extends the curse to you. As long as you remain
cursed, you are unwilling to part with the maul, you are
doomed, and are compelled to smith with the maul to the
best of your ability.
  After you finish a long rest, you must succeed on a DC 5
Wisdom saving throw or spend the next hour crafting a
weapon, set of armor, or other object with the maul as best
you can. If you succeed on the saving throw, the DC
increases by 5. After you fail the saving throw, the DC resets
to 5.
A greater restoration spell cast at 9th level or similar
magic can break the curse. If you use the maul to create a
magic item of legendary rarity, you can also choose to break
the curse.
Praetor Helm
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement by a
barbarian, fighter, or paladin)
This tarnished copper helm denies any attempt to be
cleaned or polished, and was once worn by a fierce warrior
within the Lower Planes. While wearing the helm, you
always know if a creature you can see is a fiend, and fiends
have disadvantage on saving throws to avoid being
frightened while they can see you. It also has the following
property:
Demon Slayer. When you attack a fiend that has less
than half its maximum hit points remaining, you score a
critical hit against it on a roll of 18–20. Critical hits you score
in this way cause the creature to be doomed until the end of
your next turn.
Ring of Ruin's Bane
Wondrous item (ring), uncommon
While wearing this ring, you always feel a sense of unease
as if something horrible looms in your not-too-distant
future. You can't be surprised while you are conscious. If this
ring ever protects you from being surprised, you gain
resistance to all damage for the first round of that combat.
As an action, you can point the ring at a creature and cast
the dire omen ID spell targeting it (save DC 15).
Once the ring has been used to cast the spell in this way,
it can't be used to do so again until the next dawn.
4
 Spells
The following spells use the doomed condition as a central
theme for their mechanics. Consider including some of these
spells when running monsters with spellcasting as part of
their abilities. A mage of dark intent might very well inflict
such spells on your players, introducing them dramatically
to the concept of doom.
Countdown
9th-level Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 300 feet
Components: V, S, M (a pair of clock hands carved from
the bones of a lich worth 2,500 gp)
Duration: Special
Classes: Wizard
You conjure the spectral face of a clock centered on a point
on a solid surface you can see within range. The clock's face
projects a 50-foot radius, 100-foot-high cylinder of inevitable
energy, and appears showing as 12 o'clock. At the end of
each of your turns, roll a d4. The clock ticks backwards a
number of hours equal to the result, and each creature
within the area takes 1d12 thunder damage for each hour
ticked.
A creature within the spell's area is doomed. If the time on
the clock shows as 8 o'clock or earlier, creatures within the
spell's area have their speed halved. If the time on the clock
shows as 4 o'clock or earlier, creatures within the spell's
area can't take reactions, can use either an action or bonus
action, not both, and if they attempt to take an action, must
roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the action doesn't take effect
until the creature's next turn.
If the clock would tick to 12 o'clock again, each corpse and
doomed creature within the spell's area is permanently
frozen in time. A target frozen in time this way is immune to
all damage, can't be moved, and can't be returned to normal
by any means short of a wish spell.
Dread Mist
7th-level Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a vial containing a creature's final
breath before it died)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
Classes: Warlock, Wizard
You breathe out a 30-foot-radius sphere of thick smog that
roils with the horror stricken faces of the damned centered
on a point you choose within range. The smog spreads
around corners. It lasts for the duration, and is unaffected by
wind. Its area is heavily obscured.
When a creature enters the spell's area for the first time
on a turn or starts its turn there, that creature must make a
Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is
doomed. A creature doomed in this way is also frightened,
and while it remains in the smog it takes 10 (3d6) necrotic
damage at the start of each of its turns. When a doomed
creature ends its turn outside of the smog, it can repeat its
saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
If a humanoid dies while doomed and within the smog,
there is a 33 percent chance that a specter rises from its
corpse at the start of your next turn. The specter pursues
whatever creature is closest to it. Statistics for the specter
are in the Monster Manual.
The smog moves 10 feet away from you at the start of
each of your turns, rolling along the surface of the ground,
after which its radius expands by 5 feet (to a maximum of
150 feet). The vapors, being heavier than air, sink to the
lowest level of the land, even pouring down openings.

Dire Omen
2nd-level Divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a cracked mirror)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Classes: Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
You attempt to alter the fate of a creature you can see

within range, guiding them to destruction. The target must

succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be doomed for the
duration. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make
another Charisma saving throw. On a success, the spell ends
on the target.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell

using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can

target one additional creature for each slot

level above 2nd. The creatures must be

within 30 feet of each other when you

target them.

5
Gift of the Grave
3rd-level Necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Classes: Warlock, Wizard
You touch a creature and attempt to inflict it with a death
curse. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw
or become cursed for the duration. While cursed, the target
is doomed, and it must make a Wisdom saving throw at the Protection from Darkness
start of each of its turns. On a failed save, it takes 3d10 2nd-level Abjuration
necrotic damage. On a successful save, it takes half as much
damage and the spell ends. Casting Time: 1 action
A creature cursed in this way can use its action to touch Range: Touch
one of its allies and force it to make a Wisdom saving throw. Components: V, S, M (a strip of magnesium)
On a failed save, the curse ends for the creature and passes Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
on instead to its ally. Classes: Cleric, Warlock, Wizard
If damage from this spell kills a target, it can't be raised
Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch is
from the dead by any means short of a true resurrection
protected against darkness of all kinds. The target gains
spell or similar magic.
darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, and magical darkness
doesn't impede its darkvision. If the creature already had
Judgment darkvision, its darkvision instead increases by 60 feet.
5th-level Evocation Additionally, the target is immune to being doomed or
Casting Time: 1 action frightened, and its hit point maximum can't be reduced.
Range: 90 feet
Components: V, S, M (a set of silver scales and a feather Zone of Disaster
worth 300 gp) 6th-level Enchantment
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute Casting Time: 1 action
Classes: Cleric, Paladin Range: 120 feet
You call upon the heavens to decree a creature unworthy of Components: V, S
existence. A creature of your choice you can see within Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be Classes: Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
doomed for the duration. An Undead loses any immunity to
You generate overwhelmingly bad luck in a 30-foot cube
the doomed condition until the spell ends. While doomed in
within range. Creatures within the area are doomed, have
this way, a beam of divine light stretches endlessly above
disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks, and can't
the creature, illuminating its space and the area above it
gain advantage on attack rolls, ability checks, or saving
with bright light.
throws. If a creature would take damage as a result of failing
Until the spell ends, a creature under the effects of this
a saving throw in the area, it takes an additional die of
spell takes 5d6 radiant damage at the end of each of its
damage.
turns. The damage increases by 1d6 for each subsequent
A creature within the area is aware of the spell, although it
turn past the first, to a maximum of 10d6.
doesn't have any special knowledge of its dimensions.

6

Monsters
The following section contains a number of creatures that
use doom to the dismay and demise of their enemies, as
well as several modular abilities that can be applied to pre-
existing creatures to add variety and flavor.
Additional Abilities
The following abilities, presented alphabetically, can be
applied to a creature in addition to its normal traits and
actions. Keep in mind that some of these abilities can
significantly alter the power of a creature, allowing it to
perform higher than its CR would normally indicate.
Beast of Ruin
Requires a creature with the beast type
The creature gains the following trait:
Beast of Ruin. The creature is immune to the doomed
condition, as well as the effects of blighted land.
Calamitous
The creature gains the following trait:
Calamitous. The creature is immune to the doomed
condition and the effects of blighted land, its size increases
by one category, and its maximum hit points increase by
half.
Carnage
The creature gains the following trait:
Carnage (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). When
the creature would deal damage, it can take the maximum
result instead of rolling.
7
Damning Devourer
Requires a creature with the ability to swallow a target
The creature gains the following trait:
Damning Devourer. A target swallowed by the creature
is doomed until it escapes, and if it dies while doomed in
this way its soul is destroyed.
Herald of the End
The creature gains the following trait:
Herald of the End. The creature has immunity to curses,
as well as any other spell or effect that would influence its
decisions. Additionally, when the creature reduces a target
to 10 hit points or fewer, the target dies.
Raze
The creature gains the following action:
Raze. The creature chooses a nonmagical structure or
object that isn't being worn or carried that it can see within
60 feet of it and that fits within a 15-foot cube. The target
takes an amount of force damage equal to 5 × the creature's
CR.
Ruinous Weapons
The creature gains the following trait:
Ruinous Weapons. When the creature hits with a melee
weapon attack, the target loses any resistance it has to the
attack's damage types until the end of the creature's next
turn.
Siege Magic
Requires a creature with the ability to cast a spell
The creature gains the following trait:
Siege Magic. The creature deals double damage to
objects and structures with spells it casts.
Tremor Steps
The creature gains the following trait:
Tremor Steps. The creature's movement is unaffected by
difficult terrain, and when the creature walks, the ground in
the area it moves through becomes difficult terrain.
Doomshade
The fell light of a doomshade casts woe

unto all those who encounter them. A spirit,

jealous of life, that mourns its remains for long

enough often transforms into a doomshade, driven to

malice by the tragedy of its existence. They seek only death,

and if they find a victim they pursue it without rest or mercy.
Unliving Lantern. The tell-tale sign of a doomshade is its
lantern: alive with the flames of undeath, and housing its
skull. The lantern can seem to act independently of the
doomshade, casting a baleful light on those unfortunate
enough to encounter it. The doomshade itself uses this
ability to distract its enemies and evade detection as it
slowly wears its victims down.
Merciful End. The only hope for a doomshade is its skull.
If a creature casts the gentle repose spell on the
doomshade's skull (requiring a successful DC 14 ability check
using the caster's spellcasting ability), the doomshade
vanishes, its spirit sent off to the afterlife.
Undead Nature. A doomshade doesn't require air, food,
drink, or sleep.

Doomshade Lifebane Lantern. The doomshade's lantern is

Medium Undead, Typically Neutral Evil
Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 0 ft., fly 50 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS
1 (-5) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0) 10 (+0)
Skills Stealth +6
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire, lightning,
thunder, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, doomed,
exhaustion, grappled, paralyzed, petrified,
poisoned, prone, restrained, unconscious
Senses blindsight 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages understands all languages it knew in
life
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus +3
Incorporeal Movement. The doomshade can move
through other creatures and objects as if they
were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force
damage if it ends its turn inside an object.
immune to all damage, and sheds dim light within
15 feet of it. A creature within this light is doomed.
Shade. The doomshade is invisible while it is in
darkness.
Actions
Multiattack. The doomshade makes two Chains
CHA attacks.
16 (+3) Chains. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 15
ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) bludgeoning
damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage. The target
is grappled (escape DC 14) if the doomshade isn't
already grappling a creature.
Move Lantern. The doomshade moves its lantern
to an unoccupied space it can see within 30 feet
of it. The lantern remains there, hovering, until the
doomshade moves more than 30 feet away from
it, or until it chooses to return it to its space (no
action required).
Siphon (Recharge 5–6). The doomshade forces each
creature within the dim light of its lantern to make
a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failed
save, a creature takes 28 (8d6) necrotic damage,
or half as much damage on a successful one. If
this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, the
doomshade regains 10 (3d6) hit points.

8

Gremlin
Small and violently mischievous, gremlins revel in chaos.
Alone, a single gremlin can cause untold mayhem through
its unique ability to hijack magic and generate bad luck, but
in groups they can ruin settlements if not immediately dealt
with. While physically they pose a small threat, gremlins use
stealth, cunning, and magical sabotage to achieve their
goals, wilting under more direct confrontation with their
victims. Fueled by negative emotions, gremlins are too weak
to inspire fear, and so instead sate their appetites on
dismay, anger, and frustration. Once sufficiently full, a
gremlin hibernates, either hiding within its current feeding
ground or moving on to seek new victims.
Magical Possession. Other than their bad luck, one of
the most infamous qualities of gremlins is their ability to
inhabit magic items. By merging with a magical object, they
can remain in wait of a victim for almost forever, and many
gremlins carry a magic item around as a means of hiding, or
to act as the bait for a trap. Once a victim acquires an item
possessed in this way, the gremlin uses its luck magic to
slowly cause strife and ruin for it.
It might negate the magical properties of the item at an
inopportune moment, cause a creature holding the item to
experience its Jinx ability for a time, or activate an item of its
own accord to cause discord and extreme bewilderment. A
gremlin's magic in this state is limited, however, and it can
only enact chaos in bursts. The identify spell can detect a
gremlin's presence, and the dispel magic or remove curse
spells cast upon the item can remove it. A gremlin removed
in this way can't possess the same item again for 24 hours.
9
Gremlin
Small Monstrosity, Typically Chaotic Neutral
Armor Class 13
Hit Points 7 (2d6)
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
8 (-1) 17 (+3) 10 (+0) 7 (-2) 16 (+3) 13 (+1)
Skills Perception +7, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth
+7
Senses blindsight 30 ft., passive Perception 17
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Jinx. Any creature other than a gremlin within 15
feet of the gremlin makes attack rolls and
ability checks with disadvantage. Additionally,
when a creature other than a gremlin within
this area rolls a 1 on an attack roll, ability check,
or saving throw, roll 1d4:
  1. All of the below.
  2. The creature is doomed for the next minute.
  3. The creature falls prone.
  4. The creature drops one item it is holding.
Vandal. The gremlin deals double damage to
objects, and has advantage on ability checks it
makes to destroy, dismantle, or otherwise
sabotage them.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) slashing damage.
Pervade. The gremlin touches a magical object
that isn't being worn or carried, merging itself
and the equipment it is wearing or carrying into
the item. The gremlin can hear and see
normally while melded in this way, has total
cover against attacks and other effects outside
the object, and doesn't need to eat, drink,
breathe, or sleep. The gremlin can use an action
to exit the object and teleport to an unoccupied
space it can see within 15 feet of it.
Reactions
Hijack Magic. When a creature within 30 feet of
the gremlin casts a spell of 3rd level or lower,
the gremlin attempts to steal it. The gremlin
must make a Wisdom check, with a DC equal to
10 + the spell's level (minimum DC of 11). On a
success, the gremlin becomes the caster of the
spell, using the creature's spellcasting ability.
On a failure, the caster becomes immune to the
Hijack Magic ability of all gremlins for 1 minute.

Ruin Dragon
As rare as they are devastating, ruin dragons are always
considered a terrible omen. A ruin dragon represents chaos,
change, but most of all, destruction. They are heralds of
apocalypse, the clarion call of an oncoming calamity. When
magical upheaval is imminent, or reality is near to breaking,
dragons close to its epicenter may very well find themselves
corrupted into servants of its chaos.
Bad News. A ruin dragon is misfortune incarnate, rushing
ahead like the first wind of an oncoming storm. Their
disposition and tempers depend heavily on the form of
armageddon that they answer to. A natural magical disaster
might cause a ruin dragon to rampage uncontrollably. An
apocalypse directed by an intelligence could alternatively
rein in the dragon for a more specific purpose. Regardless of
the motives of their progenitor, ruin dragons seek only
carnage and misery.
Corrupted by Chaos. When exposed to pure chaos--
rathering than being annihilated--the power of a dragon
allows it to adapt and overcome the overwhelming
energies. Ancient dragons are typically immune to this
effect, the height of their power sufficient to resist it. Lesser
dragons are instead transformed, twisting into a chaotic
mirror of their previous selves.
S pellcasting V ariant
Some ruin dragons are capable spellcasters,
Sorcerers whose power comes from the chaos
that rages within them. A ruin dragon with
access to sorcery has the following additional
action:
Spellcasting. The dragon casts one of the
following spells, requiring no components and
using Charisma as its spellcasting modifier
(spell save DC 22):
At will: bane
bane,, bestow curse,
curse, blight
blight,, call lightning,
lightning,
confusion,, dire omen ID, fear
cloudkill,, confusion
cloudkill
1/day each: disintegrate
disintegrate,, earthquake
earthquake,, fire storm,
storm,
tsunami whirlwind,, zone of disaster ID
tsunami,, whirlwind
A Ruin Dragon's Lair
Ruin dragons make their lairs almost exclusively in the ruins
of a town, city, or fortress. Typically these ruins are the result
of its own influence, the ruin dragon directly or indirectly
destroying or uprooting entire populations to sate its need
to bask in the inevitability of destruction.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the dragon
takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects:
A surge of spell breaking magic washes over a creature
the dragon can see within 60 feet of it. The creature
must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a
failed save, each spell affecting the creature of the
dragon's choice ends. The creature takes 5 force
damage for each spell ended this way.
The dragon causes a pillar, section of wall, or a similar
portion of a structure that fits within a 10-foot cube to
collapse. Each creature within 10 feet of the target
must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 10
(3d6) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone.
The dragon unleashes psychic waves of a possible
apocalyptic future in 10-foot-radius sphere centered on
a point within 120 feet of it. Each creature within that
area must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or
be frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat its
saving throw at the end of its turns, ending the effect
on a success.
Regional Effects
The region containing a ruin dragon's lair is warped by the
dragon's magic, which creates one or more of the following
effects:
The area within 5 miles of the dragon's lair is blighted
land (found on page 12).
Nonmagical weapons and ammunition within 5 miles
of the lair rust and crumble rapidly. For every hour in
the area, such an object takes a permanent and
cumulative -1 penalty to damage rolls. If its penalty
drops to -5, the object is destroyed.
Creatures within 5 miles of the dragon's lair gain 1
additional level of exhaustion each time they would
gain any levels of exhaustion.
10
 Ruin Dragon
Huge Dragon, Typically Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
Hit Points 319 (22d12 + 176)
Speed 30 ft., fly 120 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
25 (+7) 13 (+1) 27 (+8) 13 (+1) 13 (+1) 25 (+7)
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +15, Wis +8, Cha +14
Skills Perception +15
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities force, necrotic
Condition Immunities charmed, doomed, frightened
Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 25
Languages All, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 23 (50,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +7
Aura of Ruin. Objects and structures within 120 feet
of the dragon take twice as much damage, and
lose any damage thresholds. If a creature in this
area other than the dragon would make an attack
roll, ability check, or saving throw with
disadvantage, it must roll an additional d20 and
take the lowest result.
Chaos Weapons. The dragon's attacks are magical.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the dragon fails a
saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Actions
Multiattack. The dragon makes three attacks: one
with its Bite, one with its Claws, and one with its
Tail.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10 ft.,
one target. Hit: 23 (3d10 + 7) piercing damage plus
5 (1d10) force damage.
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5
ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6 + 7) slashing damage
plus 5 (1d10) force damage.
11
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft.,
one target. Hit: 20 (3d8 + 7) bludgeoning damage
plus 5 (1d10) force damage.
Ruin Breath (Recharge 5–6). The dragon exhales
ruinous energy in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in
that area must make a DC 23 Constitution saving
throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 36 (8d8)
necrotic damage and 36 (8d8) force damage and
is doomed. On a successful save, it takes half as
much damage and isn't doomed. A creature can
repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its
turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  A structure or nonmagical object that isn't
being worn or carried also takes this damage.
Reaction
Ruin's Reprisal. When a creature the dragon can
see within 15 feet of it succeeds on an attack roll,
ability check, or saving throw it made with advan-
tage, the dragon makes one attack against it.
Legendary Actions
The dragon can take 3 legendary actions, choo-
sing from the options below. Only one legendary
action can be used at a time and only at the end
of another creature's turn. The dragon regains
spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Claws. The dragon makes a claws attack.
Erupting Chaos (Costs 2 Actions). The dragon
  creates a rift of raw chaos in the form of a
  15-foot-radius sphere centered on a point it can
  see within 30 feet of it. Each creature in the area
  must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving
  throw or take 28 (8d6) force damage. A doomed
  creature takes an additional 14 (4d6) force
  damage.
Herald of Ruin (Costs 3 Actions). The dragon gains
  30 temporary hit points, plus an additional 10
  temporary hit points for each doomed creature
  within 60 feet of it (to a maximum of 60
  temporary hit points). While it has any of these
  temporary hit points, attacks made against the
  dragon have disadvantage, and it has advantage
  on attack rolls it makes. The temporary hit points
  fade at the end of the dragon's next turn.
Environmental Doom
The following options present GMs with means by which
players can interact with the doomed condition as a natural
extension of adventuring.
Blighted Land
While most effects of doom are reserved for creatures,
doom can also act as a symptom with a much larger scope.
One such instance of this is blighted land, a corrupted area
of the world riven from the balance of order and chaos by
dark magic, or a horrific event.
Blighted land is a dark mirror of the environment that
preceded it. A forest dead and rotting. A lake turned to
swamp and poison. A city devoid of life and crumbling.
Blighted land decays all it touches, slowly destroying it as a
force of untempered chaos.
Causes
When adding blighted land to your world, it's a good idea to
consider just why it exists. What created this terrible
ruination of the natural order of things? Below you can find a
table of possible causes, which you can roll for randomly,
choose for yourself, or ignore entirely and construct your
own origin for your take on blighted land.
d8 Cause
1 The death of a powerful spirit or demigod.
2 A dark ritual with foul consequences.
3 A failed spell that corrupted the area.
4 A portal to one of the Lower Planes.
5 The presence of a powerful Undead.
6 A curse placed upon a location.
7 The aftermath of a violent battle.
8 The influence of a magical object.
Effects
Blighted land can have a variety of different effects upon the
environment it is found in, but they universally have the
following trait:
Encroaching Doom. A creature that spends at least 4
hours in an area of blighted land must succeed on a DC 15
Constitution saving throw or be doomed until it spends 24
hours outside of blighted land. A creature that isn't doomed
and remains in the area must repeat this saving throw once
a day for each day it spends there. If a doomed creature
remains in the area for longer than 7 days, the effect can't
be removed except by the greater restoration spell or
similar magic.
P rolonged D oom
Blighted land can be overwhelming when
exposed to for extended lengths of time. For a
game where blighted land is intended to be
present for a lengthy period of the campaign,
consider the following changes:
On a successful save against Encroaching
Doom,, a creature is immune to it for 7 days.
Doom
Encroaching Doom no longer becomes
permanent after being under its effects for
7 days.
A creature under the effects of Encroaching
Doom can repeat its saving throw at the end
of a long rest, ending the effect on a
success.
In addition to Encroaching Doom,
Doom, you can include other
effects. Roll on the table below 1d4 times (rerolling
duplicates), or select any number of options of your
choosing.
d10 Effect
Mist reduces visibility outdoors. A creature can
1 see no further than 30 feet away from itself
while in the mist.
The area is difficult terrain for walking and
2 climbing.
Plants and water found in the area are
3 poisonous and provide no nourishment.
A creature that casts a spell in the area must roll
4 a d20. On a 1, the spell fails.
5 Animals in the area are automatically hostile.
A creature that attempts to sleep in the area
6
must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. On a
failure, it can't sleep for 1 hour as terrible
visions plague its mind.
7 Unearthly screams and roars echo randomly.
8 Blood rains from the sky periodically.
When a humanoid dies in the area there is a 50
9 percent chance that the creature rises after 1
hour as a zombie
zombie..
The air itself is corrosive. Objects in the area
wear and decay ten times faster than normal,
10 and creatures take 1d4 acid damage at the end
of each hour they spend in the area.
12
 Ill-Wishing Well
Appearing in the form of a jaggedly sculpted fountain of
black stone and bloody mortar, or even a nondescript hole
in the ground that radiates an aura of foreboding and evil
intent, an ill-wishing well is the vile sibling of a true wishing
well.
An ill-wishing well is used for a simple but malevolent
practice, specifically to call upon a dark power for the goal
of causing harm or death to a creature you harbor hatred or
disdain for. Such an endeavor requires three things: strong
intent, a worthy sacrifice, and a target. Once accomplished,
whatever hateful entity inhabits or watches the well accepts
the sacrifice and delivers a particular curse to its victim.
If you'd like some ideas for a possible source of the magic
of an ill-wishing well, look no further! Below you'll find a
table of possible creatures or origins behind its power.
d8 Well's Origin
1 A devil is sealed within the well.
2 The well acts as a place of power for a local hag.
3 A genie's lamp lies stuck at the well's bottom.
The well draws from an underground lake
4
Worthy Sacrifice
A curse does not usually come cheap, and an ill-wishing well
always takes its toll. To earn a wish, the wisher must
sacrifice something dear to them. Such a sacrifice can be
flesh and blood, a possession of great power or value, or
even a loved one. If acceptable, the wish is granted.
A Doom Upon Thee
A creature cursed by an ill-wishing well is doomed, but the
curse may not stop there. Depending on the weight of the
sacrifice, the intent of the wish maker, and the vindictiveness
of the entity that delivers it, the curse may be even more
fiendish than expected. Such possibilities include but are not
limited to disease, a twisted visage, or the slow erosion of
their life, drip by drip. They might be cursed with bad luck
for the rest of time, or with a curse that passes on to their
family upon their death.
While typically a greater restoration or remove curse spell
would remove most curses, a curse from an ill-wishing well
may even defy such magic. A particularly strong curse might
require such a spell to be cast at a higher level, or only be
able to be removed via the wish spell.

5
inhabited by an aboleth.
An evil unicorn regularly drinks at the well.
Art Credits
Cover: Sam Burley

Burley

Page 7: Grzegorz Rutkowski

Rutkowski

6 The well is an entrance to a powerful mage's lair. Page 2: Caio Monteiro

Monteiro

Page 8: Andrew Mar

The well was once a true wishing well, but was Page 3: Chippy

Chippy

Page 9: Mathias Kollros

Kollros

7 desecrated by dark magic. Page 4: Erica Yang, Martina Page 10: Adam Paquette

Paquette

Pilcerova, Victor Adame Page 11: Jesper Ejsing

Ejsing

An unnoticed portal in the well leads to an

8 uncharted layer of the Abyss. Minguez

Minguez
Page 12: Paul Scott Canavan

Canavan

Page 5: Denman Rooke

Rooke

Page 13: John Avon

Page 6: David Auden Nash

13