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High Priest

Challenge
Tags
str
14
dex
10
con
16
int
12
wis
18
cha
16

AC 18 (full plate)

HP 82 (11d8 + 33; bloodied 41)

Speed 30 ft.


Proficiency +3; Maneuver DC 13

Saving Throws Int +4, Wis +7, Cha +6

Skills Medicine +7, Insight +7, Persuasion +6, Religion +4 (+1d8)

Senses passive Perception 14

Languages any three


Spellcasting. The priest is an 11th level spellcaster. Their spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with spell attacks). They have the following cleric spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): light , sacred flame , thaumaturgy

1st-level (4 slots): ceremony , detect evil and good , healing word

2nd-level (3 slots): augury , hold person , zone of truth

3rd-level (3 slots): daylight , remove curse

4th-level (3 slots): divination , revivify , wall of fire

5th-level (2 slots): flame strike , greater restoration , raise dead

6th-level (1 slots): heal


ACTIONS

Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage. On a hit, the priest can expend a spell slot to deal 7 (2d6) radiant damage, plus an extra 3 (1d6) radiant damage for each level of the spell slot expended above 1st.

Sacred Flame (Cantrip; V, S). One creature the priest can see within 60 feet makes a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw , taking 13 (3d8) radiant damage on a failure. This spell ignores cover .

Hold Person (2nd-Level; V, S, M, Concentration). One humanoid the priest can see within 60 feet makes a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw . On a failure, the target is paralyzed for 1 minute. The target repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. 

Guardian of Faith (4th-Level; V). A Large, indistinct spectral guardian appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet and remains for 8 hours. Creatures of the priest’s choice that move to a space within 10 feet of the guardian for the first time on a turn make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw , taking 20 radiant or necrotic damage (high priest’s choice) on a failed save or half damage on a success. The spell ends when the guardian has dealt 60 total damage.

Flame Strike (5th-Level; V, S, M). A column of divine flame fills a 10-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder within 60 feet. Creatures in the area make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw , taking 14 (4d6) fire damage and 14 (4d6) radiant damage on a failure or half damage on a success.


BONUS ACTIONS

Healing Word (1st-Level; V). The priest or a living creature within 60 feet regains 6 (1d4 + 4) hit points. The priest can’t cast this spell and a 1st-level or higher spell on the same turn.

Description

High priests lead major temples and shrines. Their ability to command angelic forces and return the dead to life make them important political players, whether they seek that role or not. Good high priests protect communities or battle fiends, while evil high priests seek empire or secretly command legions of cultists.

Encounters

CR 0–2 1d4 acolytes ; priest ; warhordling orc eye ; trickster priest ; acolyte with 1d4 commoners

Treasure 10 gp, silver ring etched with holy symbol (25 gp), 3 potions of healing

CR 3–4 2 priests ; priest with 1d4 acolytes ; priest with 1d8 commoners or 1d4 guards ; warhordling orc eye with 1d4 warhordling orc warriors ; trickster priest with cutthroat or 1d6 bandits

Treasure 50 gp, fine vestments (100 gp), 3 prayer books (25 gp each), staff of the python

CR 5–10 high priest with 1d8 acolytes , 1d6 cultists , or 2 priests ; high priest with bearded devil , elemental , knight , or walking statue ; priest with 2 knights or 1d8 soldiers ; shadow elf high priest with 1d8 shadow elf warriors

Treasure 200 gp, garnet-topped staff (150 gp), 3 rare holy books (200 gp each), 2 potions of superior healing , pearl of power

CR 11–16 archpriest ; high priest with holy knight and 4 soldiers ; high priest with bone devil , clay guardian , deva , or forgotten god ; shadow elf high priest with shadow elf champion warrior and 1d20 shadow elf warriors

Treasure gold-plated treasure box (200 gp) containing 1,000 gp and 4 tourmaline gemstones (100 gp each), gold holy symbol (250 gp), 2 spell scrolls of greater restoration , ring of protection

CR 17–22 archpriest with couatl , elemental , or holy knight ; archpriest with 2 knights or priests ; shadow elf high priest with shadow elf mage and 1 or 2 shadow elf champion warriors

Treasure 500 pp, only existing copy of a holy book (5,000 gp), spell scrolls of create undead or conjure celestial , candle of invocation , staff of healing

CR 23–30 archpriest with holy knight and 3 knights ; archpriest with high priest and 3 priests ; archpriest with clay guardian , deva , or guardian naga

Treasure 2,000 gp, gold chalice (2,500 gp), gold-and-diamond holy symbol (7,500 gp), gem prayer beads (10,000 gp), holy relic (10,000 gp), 2 potions of supreme healing , Ioun stone of insight , ring of spell turning

Monster Type Description

Humanoids include a number of different intelligent, language-using bipeds of Small or Medium size. Humans and elves are humanoids, and so are orcs and goblins. Humanoids may employ magic but are not fundamentally magical—a characteristic that distinguishes them from bipedal, language-using fey, fiends, and other monsters. Humanoids have no inherent alignment, meaning that no humanoid ancestry is naturally good or evil, lawful or chaotic.