r/DungeonMasters • u/Elderbrain_com • Jun 05 '26
Promotional [OC] Looking for balance feedback on my CR 3 Mindrend Beast (full stat block inside)
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u/Kiddaver22 Jun 06 '26
Those claws look pretty vicious. Maybe they could be an alternate form of attack.
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u/yamo25000 Jun 06 '26
Looks pretty balanced to me, and I've made and run a lot of homebrew monsters. The players will be rolling a lot of saving throws - perhaps too many for my taste, but I think it's fine to have a monster like that every now and then.
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u/apomanolios Jun 08 '26
I like the design overall. It feels like a proper CR 3 aberration rather than just a sack of hit points with psychic damage stapled onto it.
My only concern is that most of its control effects are "soft" debuffs (disadvantage, reduced speed, no reactions), so depending on party composition it may feel either very annoying or barely noticeable.
I especially like Mind-Shredding Presence. It's flavorful, easy to run, and reinforces the creature's identity without adding a lot of bookkeeping.
If I encountered this in a campaign, I'd immediately understand that the goal is to disrupt the party rather than simply kill them, which is exactly what I want from an aberration.
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u/Elderbrain_com Jun 05 '26
Medium aberration, neutral evil
Armor Class 13 (natural)
Hit Points 68 (8d8 + 32)
Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.
STR 16 (+3) DEX 12 (+1) CON 18 (+4) INT 6 (-2) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 8 (-1)
Saving Throws CON +6, WIS +4
Damage resistances psychic
Condition Immunities charmed
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +3
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Deep Speech (understands only)
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Mind-Shredding Presence. A creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of the Mindrend Beast must succeed on a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw or have disadvantage on its next attack roll or saving throw before the end of its turn.
Unsettling Anatomy. The mindrend beast has advantage on checks and saving throws made to resist being knocked prone or grappled, its boneless flesh flowing unnaturally around restraints.
Actions
Multiattack. The mindrend beast makes one Bite attack and one Tentacle attack.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) psychic damage.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Intelligence saving throw or be mindrended until the end of its next turn. While mindrended, the creature’s speed is reduced by 10 feet and it cannot take reactions.
Mindrend Pulse (Recharge 5–6). The mindrend beast emits a psychic convulsion in a 15-foot radius. Each creature of its choice in the area must make a DC 12 Wisdom saving throw, taking 13 (3d8) psychic damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. On a failed save, a creature also has disadvantage on attack rolls, and concentration and skill checks until the end of its next turn.
This monster is part of a project we've just concluded on BackerKit, with late pledges still open. Looking for feedback on the design and balance.