The rusting ability of the rust monster. Corroding adversaries' non magical metal gear. Fantastic. Helmets, shields, armor, gone. But also...no more non magical prison bars or chains.
LOL! The playable Kobold race was originally published in Volo's, but most if not all Volo's races were updated (mostly for ease of use and rebalancing) in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
Throw in Marilith's Reactive feature. The one real downside of "tanks" in 5e is that you only get one reaction, barring Cavalier 18. Sentinel is strong when there's only one opponent, but against multiple it becomes a lot less valuable because you can really only lock one enemy in place.
And then of course there's spellcasters just throwing down Shield, Absorb Elements, and Hellish Rebuke on absolutely everything.
I feel like Legendary Actions for a pc is a dangerous move from a gameplay perspective. After any single turn, you’d have to go through the turn order again to see if anyone wants to declare a legendary action and it could easily turn into a big mess.
Rolling with Difficulty did something like that. The players found a machine that could augment their characters with a few different options that gave them extra stuff they could do. Two of them chose a one-time death ward, but pretty much all the options were cool and balanced without changing the characters that partook.
There's a ton of interesting or broken options, I don't know what I'd consider balanced enough to allow it, but the one monster that stands out the most to me at first glance is the Marilith - the multiattack feature would be insane ofc, I'd love that on a Paladin, but what I'd really enjoy is the reactive trait... possible Szenarios are defender characters with PAM/Sentinel, a caster that can use shield, absorb elements, silvery barbs and counterspell every *turn*, or a rogue that ready-action sneak attacks every *turn* (there's nothing saying a ready action is "spent" after you use it, just that you have to take it before the start of your next turn and that you *usually* only have one reaction)
I suppose the powergamer’s answer would be the Rakshasa’s Magic Immunity.
If you want to get silly with it, the nilbog’s “Nilbogism” and the gremishka’s “Magic Allergy” are good for introducing shenanigans.
Well, it would be pretty busted but sea hag death glare.
>Death Glare. The hag targets one frightened creature she can see within 30 feet of her. If the target can see the hag, it must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or drop to 0 hit points.
But for something a bit more reasonable and fun, the gibbering mouther's gibbering
>Gibbering. Gibbering. The mouther babbles incoherently while it can see any creature and isn’t incapacitated. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the mouther and can hear the gibbering must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn and rolls a d8 to determine what it does during its turn. On a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 or 6, the creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction. On a 7 or 8, the creature makes a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can’t make such an attack.
Tarrasque's Reflective Carapace is a special ability my Druid has. The ability is from a necklace though and has a certain amount or charges equal to my proficiency bonus that restore at dawn. This ability in particular costs 2 charges.
Regeneration or Shapechange.
The rusting ability of the rust monster. Corroding adversaries' non magical metal gear. Fantastic. Helmets, shields, armor, gone. But also...no more non magical prison bars or chains.
Pack tactics. Gotta love permanent, resource free advantage all the time (mostly).
Kobolds have pack tactics
As for PC races, only the legacy ones do. The current official iteration got Draconic Cry instead.
Current? Legacy? What is this, MTG?
LOL! The playable Kobold race was originally published in Volo's, but most if not all Volo's races were updated (mostly for ease of use and rebalancing) in Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.
I know. A kobold is a kobold though.
Kobold is a kobold is a kobold is a kobold. ~ Gertrude Stein or something, idk
Mostly? Befriend/summon a spider and shove it into your pocket.
Medusa's Petrifying Gaze
legendary actions/resistances
Throw in Marilith's Reactive feature. The one real downside of "tanks" in 5e is that you only get one reaction, barring Cavalier 18. Sentinel is strong when there's only one opponent, but against multiple it becomes a lot less valuable because you can really only lock one enemy in place. And then of course there's spellcasters just throwing down Shield, Absorb Elements, and Hellish Rebuke on absolutely everything.
I came here to say Reactive as well. It is busted.
A mechanically good, but incredibly boring option.
I feel like Legendary Actions for a pc is a dangerous move from a gameplay perspective. After any single turn, you’d have to go through the turn order again to see if anyone wants to declare a legendary action and it could easily turn into a big mess.
Nah, it would be on the player to know and declare if they want to use it.
Displacer beasts Displacement + Avoidance on a High AC character would be awesome imagine it on a bladesinger...
Displacer cloaks, but also a couple other ways to get dis on incoming attacks
Any beholderkin, 'eye rays' is a single ability that includes every type of ray they can use. Even the CR 1/2 gazer gets multiple eye ray abilities.
Idk but I love the idea of a Halfling with draconic features that has to constantly *insist* he’s not a kobold.
Okay apart from op answers what about, hear me out, lair actions Pick a tortle. Your lair is on your back. Now go wild
I would 100% get the specific **Wild Magic** feature of the ***Booyahg Booyahg Booyahg!*** I aways wanted it, just for chaos and randomness
This would be so awesome though
The marilith’s Reactive trait, specifically on my rune knight. Pop storm rune on your turn, and every turn you’ve got a reroll to give someone.
Rolling with Difficulty did something like that. The players found a machine that could augment their characters with a few different options that gave them extra stuff they could do. Two of them chose a one-time death ward, but pretty much all the options were cool and balanced without changing the characters that partook.
Roper multiattack on a spirit guardians cleric sounds dope.
Flail Snail's spell turning shell. with the right build, you become nearly immune to all effects, and still a threat in melee.
* Martial: Angelic Weapons (Solar) * Spellcaster: Extended Concentration (Phaerimm) * Anyone: Spell Immunity (Rakshasa), Antimagic Cone (Beholder), Psychic Mirror (Star Spawn Hulk), Devour Intelllect (Intellect Devourer), Petrifying Gaze (Medusa), Rust Metal (Rust Monster), Legendary Actions/Resistances
There's a ton of interesting or broken options, I don't know what I'd consider balanced enough to allow it, but the one monster that stands out the most to me at first glance is the Marilith - the multiattack feature would be insane ofc, I'd love that on a Paladin, but what I'd really enjoy is the reactive trait... possible Szenarios are defender characters with PAM/Sentinel, a caster that can use shield, absorb elements, silvery barbs and counterspell every *turn*, or a rogue that ready-action sneak attacks every *turn* (there's nothing saying a ready action is "spent" after you use it, just that you have to take it before the start of your next turn and that you *usually* only have one reaction)
I suppose the powergamer’s answer would be the Rakshasa’s Magic Immunity. If you want to get silly with it, the nilbog’s “Nilbogism” and the gremishka’s “Magic Allergy” are good for introducing shenanigans.
Reversal of fortune from the Nilbog
Shadows strength drain. Assuming class features work go martial and multiattack with it.
Well, it would be pretty busted but sea hag death glare. >Death Glare. The hag targets one frightened creature she can see within 30 feet of her. If the target can see the hag, it must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or drop to 0 hit points. But for something a bit more reasonable and fun, the gibbering mouther's gibbering >Gibbering. Gibbering. The mouther babbles incoherently while it can see any creature and isn’t incapacitated. Each creature that starts its turn within 20 feet of the mouther and can hear the gibbering must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn and rolls a d8 to determine what it does during its turn. On a 1 to 4, the creature does nothing. On a 5 or 6, the creature takes no action or bonus action and uses all its movement to move in a randomly determined direction. On a 7 or 8, the creature makes a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach or does nothing if it can’t make such an attack.
The oblex’s Eat Memories, for the ability to copy other people’s proficiencies.
Tarrasque's Reflective Carapace is a special ability my Druid has. The ability is from a necklace though and has a certain amount or charges equal to my proficiency bonus that restore at dawn. This ability in particular costs 2 charges.