The Usurper

T
ales of a forbidden machine joined with
powerful fiendish enchantments. A hushed Hull
whisper as the corpses of half a dozen dragons Usurper segments its 900 hitpoints into Hulls. All damage
are found strewn across the dunes of a desert. and healing must be completely applied to only one Hull at a
Yes, weary scholar... I have heard of the time. If a Hull reaches 0 hitpoints, it is breached and the next
Usurper and its ancient deeds. one is exposed - all ongoing conditions on Usurper end.
Credit: u/Morvick Some abilities require a minimum number of intact Hulls,
such as [3] Depose which needs three, to be usable.
Armageddon Lost
Legend has it that the Usurper could alter reality however it
pleased, such that its own mention has faded from living The Usurper
memory. If this machine is ever found, the gods would bring Gargantuan construct, unaligned artifact
their wrath upon those who used it.
Armor Class 25 (natural armor)
Something Old or Something New? Hit Points 300/300/300 (Hull)
Speed 60 ft., fly 40 ft.
There are many ways to include Usurper in a campaign. It
can alter reality and remain dormant for a millenium.
Perhaps the story begins with The Usurper waking up and STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
making its dreams come true... 30 (+10) 7 (-2) 30 (+10) 5 (-3) 8 (-1) 23 (+6)

Heart Saving Throws Str +19, Con +19, Cha +15

Damage Immunities necrotic, poison, psychic
The Usurper's power comes from its Heart. This artifact Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and
offers a shard of itself to a worthy creature for attunement: slashing damage from nonmagical weapons
the Usurper then recognizes such creatures as Pilots. The Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion,
Heart is sentient, can indicate direction to the Usurper, and frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned,
whispers telepathic suggestions to the Pilots: it desires the suffocation, unconscious
subjugation of all gods by mortal hands. Senses passive Perception 17, darkvision 300 feet

Bulwark. Usurper has a damage threshold of 30.

Broken Heart
[2] Dauntless. The cockpit can seal shut, behaving
The Heart is Usurper's weakness: it shatters if it
like a Leomund's Tiny Hut warded by Forbiddance,
takes 20 damage at once. An Arcana check DC 30
guarding the Heart and Pilots from being targeted.
or a Wish spell can mend it and restore function.
Linked. While in the cockpit, Pilots are bonded by
Telepathy to the Usurper and its Heart.
Mighty. Treat a target's damage immunities as
resistances, and any d12 rolled below 4 becomes 4.
Ontological. The Usurper is immune to the Wish
spell, and any spell or effect that alters its form.
Trample. Large or smaller creatures take 50
bludgeoning damage on a failed DEX save DC 27
the first time Usurper moves over them in a turn.
This changes to fire for 60 feet down when flying.
Unstoppable (3/Day). Succeed on a failed save.
Walking Castle. Ignore difficult terrain, fall damage,
and elevation changes of 20 feet or less.

Dormant
The Usurper does not die, but instead is incapacitated and
unaware of its surroundings if all Hulls are breached or
certain abilities are used. If the Usurper fell Dormant due to
damage, Immortal Protocol triggers for free after 1 hour.
 Recharge
Paragon. Usurper rolls initiative and takes a full turn
Some of Usurper's abilities operate by recharging. At the
once for each intact Hull, but only ever has one start of every turn, roll a d6 for each ability and if the result
reaction per round. Each turn, Pilots may use one matches what is listed, Usurper regains use of that ability.
bonus action, and then either one Heart action or
one Assault action.

Bonus Actions Assault Actions

Expedition. A Pilot can cast Project Image with the King-Breaker. Melee Weapon Attack: +19 to hit,
following alterations: the range is 240 feet, the reach 20 ft, three attacks. Hit: 4d12+10 magical
image can interact with the world on the Pilot's slashing damage. Creatures adjacent to a struck
behalf (use their spells, attacks, move objects, etc), target take half of the damage.
and its duration is 1 minute. Needle Salvo. Ranged Weapon Attack: +19 to hit,
[2] Hardlight Ward (Recharge 5-6). Usurper dons a range 180/540 ft, four attacks. Hit: 2d12+10
shield using a 60x20 foot Wall of Force that magical piercing damage. Consecutive hits on one
provides full cover on one side. It can be reoriented target stack +10 damage each, resetting per use.
with a free action, and lasts for 1 minute. Sovereign's Gaze (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Spell
[3] Rune Armor (Recharge 5-6). For one round, Attack: +15 to hit, range 180 ft, two attacks. Hit:
reduce all damage that gets past Bulwark by 30. 8d12+6 radiant damage. Targets killed by this
ability deal 50 fire damage to adjacent creatures.
Reactions [2] Boneshaker. Usurper stomps the ground, forcing
Active Defense. Use any recharged Bonus Action. all creatures within 60 feet to make a CON save DC
27. They take 10d12 thunder damage and are
Annulment. If Usurper is aware of a spell being cast stunned for one round on a fail, or half that damage
within 180 ft, it may use a 6th level Counterspell, and knocked prone on a success.
with Charisma for spellcasting ability. The caster [2] Implosion Shell. A sphere of shimmering force
takes 30 force damage if Usurper succeeds. with a 20-foot radius appears up to 120 feet away.
The interior is difficult terrain and affected by
Heart Actions Silence. The shell implodes after one minute or if
Repair (Recharge 5-6). Heal Usurper's current Hull Usurper uses a free action, ending Silence and
by 4d12+40 hitpoints. dealing 12d12 force damage inside, or half as
much on a successful CHA save DC 23.
Immortal Protocol (1/Hour). Heal the current Hull,
and then the next one out. This cannot do more [2] Primordial Cannons (Recharge 5-6). Create four
than 300 points of healing. 5x50 lines oriented in any way desired within 90
feet. Creatures within a line must make a WIS save
Sojourn (1/Day). Usurper brings itself and those DC 27, taking 10d12+10 lightning damage or half
aboard to another plane of existence as if by Plane as much on a successful save.
Shift, then falls Dormant for one minute.
[3] Black Harpoon. Up to 5 creatures between
Omega Drill (1/Week). Target any 20x500-foot line Usurper and a point up to 90 feet away must make
originating from Usurper, and move to occupy the a DEX save DC 27 to dodge from the path of a
opposite end of that line, creating a tunnel. Every siege bolt. Those that fail suffer 15d12+10 magical
creature in this line must make a DEX save DC 27. piercing damage and are impaled, carried to the
They take damage equal to Usurper's missing chosen point, and restrained. A creature can end
hitpoints on a fail, or half of that on a success. the restraint with an action.
Calamity (1/Month). Choose a 500-foot radius [3] Depose. Usurper targets a creature within 15
sphere centered on a point within 1,000 feet. feet with a STR contest (+19). If Usurper wins, the
Creatures who enter or start their turn in the area target is held overhead and restrained. On a
make a WIS save DC 23. On a failure, they suffer 25 success, multiply Usurper's total STR contest score
bludgeoning, force, radiant, or thunder damage by 5 and store this value: as an Action the creature
(your choice). Dispel Magic has no effect. Only can then be thrown up to that distance in feet (DEX
divine intervention or Wish can undo Calamity. save DC 27 to dodge), crushed in hand, or swung
Monument To Sins (1/Year). Usurper falls Dormant around as a melee weapon attack (+19 to hit, reach
for 1 to 1,000 years, during which it is invulnerable 20 ft). The creature and whatever it strikes will take
and Sequester affects its occupants. Creatures the value as bludgeoning damage.
within 1 mile on the same plane cannot benefit [3] Theocide (Recharge 5-6). Creatures inside a 15-ft
from rests or heal, unless Usurper favors them. cube within 120 ft must make a WIS save DC 23.
When Usurper and the Pilots wake, they cast Wish Deal 200 radiant or necrotic damage to each
without the stress. creature that fails. All overkill damage is passed to a
target of your choice who also failed the save.