Drow Shadowblade

Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes p. 187

Size
Medium
Type
humanoid (elf)
Alignment
neutral evil
AC
17 (studded leather armor)
Hit Points
150 (20d8+60)
Speed
walk 30 ft.
Saving Throws
Dex +9, Con +7, Wis +6
Skills
Perception +6, Stealth +9
Senses
darkvision 120 ft.
Passive Perception
16
Languages
Elvish, Undercommon
Challenge
11
Lineage
Drow, Elf
Environment
underdark
STR
14
+2
DEX
21
+5
CON
16
+3
INT
12
+1
WIS
14
+2
CHA
13
+1

Traits

Fey Ancestry

The drow has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put the drow to sleep.

Shadow Step

While in dim light or darkness, the drow can teleport as a bonus action up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see that is also in dim light or darkness. It then has advantage on the first melee attack it makes before the end of the turn.

Sunlight Sensitivity

While in sunlight, the drow has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

Innate Spellcasting

The drow's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

  • At will: dancing lights
  • 1/day each: darkness, faerie fire, levitate (self only)

Actions

Multiattack

The drow makes two attacks with its shadow sword. If either attack hits and the target is within 10 feet of a 5-foot cube of darkness created by the shadow sword on a previous turn, the drow can dismiss that darkness and cause the target to take 21 (6d6) necrotic damage. The drow can dismiss darkness in this way no more than once per turn.

Shadow Sword

Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 10 (3d6) necrotic damage and 10 (3d6) poison damage. The drow can then fill an unoccupied 5-foot cube within 5 feet of the target with magical darkness, which remains for 1 minute.

Hand Crossbow

Ranged Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, range 30/120 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 hour.

If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the target is also unconscious while poisoned in this way. The target regains consciousness if it takes damage or if another creature takes an action to shake it.

Variant: Shadow Demon Summoning

Some drow shadowblades have an action that allows them to summon a demon.

Summon Shadow Demon (1/Day). The drow attempts to magically summon a shadow demon with a 50 percent chance of success. If the attempt fails, the drow takes 5 (1d10) psychic damage. Otherwise, the summoned demon appears in an unoccupied space within 60 feet of its summoner, acts as an ally of its summoner, and can't summon other demons. It remains for 10 minutes, until it or its summoner dies, or until its summoner dismisses it as an action.

Spells

dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire, levitate

Other data

description

Many creatures enjoy torture, but the dark elves have made it into an exquisite art.

Drow Shadowblade: Drow shadowblades steal down the darkened passages of the Underdark, bound on errands of mayhem. Ruthless killers, shadowblades find employment with a noble house, usually involving the elimination of a rival in another house. Shadowblades also protect enclaves and Underdark cities from enemies and track down thieves who make off with prized treasures. In whatever role they serve, they move undetected until the moment they attack. And then they are the last thing their victims see.

A shadowblade harnesses a dark magic that is said to arise from a fiendish ritual in which the drow kills a lesser demon and mystically prevents it from reforming in the Abyss. This ritual creates a shadow demon and infuses the drow with shadow magic.