Shade Blooded Serpent - Yuan-ti Shadow Magic Sorcerer

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This was an idea that came to me tonight. Yuan-ti are sort of pure breeding. The child of a Yuan-ti pureblood and any other humanoid will also be a Yuan-ti pureblood. There are likely some variations based on the non-human races but it occurs to me that the Shadar-kai are also human-descended and occasionally have been prone to seeking ways to infiltrate societies, or at least they had that tendency in earlier editions. I haven't seen much of the current lore on them yet. So I had the wonder about what would happen with a Yuan-ti and a Shadar-kai had a child.

It's pretty easy to figure out from a mechanical perspective. You could either have Shadar-kai with a class that allowed for picking up a lot of the snake-like abilities of a Yuan-ti, or a Yuan-ti with some of the Shadar-kai shadowy stuff. Since I don't have the Shadar-kai stats yet, I'm, going to be doing the second one. I could have done this with a few different ways. The Shadow Monk, Arcane Trickster Rogue, maybe an Eldritch Knight Fighter, the Gloomstalker Ranger, and so on. But I'm going to go with a Shadow Magic Sorcerer.

I am going to focus her on powers of deception, illusion, and mental influence and I'm going to mark her as the Spy variant of the Criminal Background. Charlatan was another option for this, but Criminal does give her the Thieves Tools proficiency as well.



For this I am using my typical theoretical 30 pt array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

1st Level Yuan-ti Pureblood Shadow Magic Sorcerer

Str: 10

Dex: 15

Con: 12

Int: 14

Wis: 11

Cha: 16

HP: 7

AC: 12 (15 with Mage Armor)
Save DC: 13
Speed: 30ft

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Darkvision 60ft
Innate Spellcasting: Poison Spray
Innate Spellcasting: Animal Friendship (snakes only) at will
Magic Resistance
Poison Immunity

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

Tools: Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit

Saving Throws: Constitution, Charisma
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic

Proficient Skills
Deception (Spy) +5
Insight (Sorcerer) +2
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +5
Stealth (Spy) +4

Background: Spy

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Shadow Magic
Eyes of the Dark
Strength of the Grave

Cantrips: Chill Touch, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation

Spell Slots: 2 (1st)

1st Level Spells: Charm Person, Mage Armor

Reasoning: I considered getting both Silent Image and Charm Person to start off with, but decided that given this character lacks any armor proficiency or innate armor, that having Mage Armor would be a good idea.

2nd to 5th Level

2nd Level - Font of Magic, +5 HP (12)
1st Level Spell: Silent Image

3rd Level - Metamagic: Subtle Spell, Quickened Spell; Eyes of the Grave: Darkness, Innate Spellcasting: Suggestion, +5 HP (17)
2nd Level Spells: Darkness, Misty Step

4th Level - Ability Score Improvement: Resilience: Wisdom, +5 HP (22)
Cantrip: Friends
2nd Level Spell: Detect Thoughts

5th Level - Proficiency Bonus: +3, +5 HP (27)
3rd Level Spell: Major Image

Reasoning: The Metamagic options were a bit harder to choose from than I originally, thought. Subtle was an obvious choice, but the second was a bit more of a question. I eventually settled on Quickened to allow for casting something like Darkness and then taking a move and Dash action. The spells mostly focus on illusion, information, and movement. So far she only has one damaging ability: Chill Touch.

5th Level Statistics

5th Level Yuan-ti Pureblood Shadow Magic Sorcerer

Str: 10

Dex: 15

Con: 12

Int: 14

Wis: 12

Cha: 16

HP: 27

AC: 12 (15 with Mage Armor)
Save DC: 14
Speed: 30ft
Sorcery Points: 5

Proficiency Bonus: +3

Darkvision 60ft
Innate Spellcasting: Poison Spray
Innate Spellcasting: Animal Friendship (snakes only)
Innate Spellcasting: Suggestion
Magic Resistance
Poison Immunity

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

Tools: Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit

Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic

Proficient Skills
Deception (Spy) +6
Insight (Sorcerer) +4
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +6
Stealth (Spy) +5

Background: Spy

Feats: Resilience: Wisdom

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Shadow Magic
Eyes of the Dark
Strength of the Grave
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell
Eyes of the Dark: Darkness

Cantrips: Chill Touch, Friends, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 2 (3rd)

1st Level Spells: Charm Person, Mage Armor, Silent Image
2nd Level Spells: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Misty Step
3rd Level Spells: Major Image

6th to 10th Level

6th Level - Hound of Ill Omen, +5 HP (32)
3rd Level Spell: Counterspell

7th Level - +5 HP (37)
4th Level Spell: Greater Invisibility

8th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Cha, +5 HP (42)
Replace Mage Armor with Ray of Sickness 
3rd Level Spell: Blink

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, +5 HP (47)

Replace Misty Step with Invisibility
5th Level: Far Step

10th Level - Metamagic: Extended Spell, +5 HP (52)
Cantrip: Gust
5th Level: Cloudkill

Reasoning: Dropping Mage Armor is a risk, but at this level there are likely some other ways of avoiding attacks. Blink is especially a good spell for defense. And this gives the character another damaging spell in the form of a 1st level spell that can be cast at higher level. Far Step and Blink also overshadow Misty Step. Extend Spell allows her to get extra time for all her spells. This character so far has mostly non-combat use. I considered Hypnotic Pattern, but it is very flashy and doesn't remove the ability of the affected targets from seeing you pass. It just freezes them in place. Cloudkill can be used more subtly though the mass of dead people in its wake is telling. I would consider refluffing the Hound of Ill Omen in this case as a serpent of some form. Gust was chosen for having abilities to do subtle manipulations and divert people away in similar but different ways to Prestidigitation and Minor Illusion.

10th Level Statistics

10th Level Yuan-ti Pureblood Shadow Magic Sorcerer

Str: 10

Dex: 15

Con: 12

Int: 14

Wis: 12

Cha: 18

HP: 52

AC: 12 (15 with Mage Armor)
Save DC: 16
Speed: 30ft
Sorcery Points: 10

Proficiency Bonus: +4

Darkvision 60ft
Innate Spellcasting: Poison Spray
Innate Spellcasting: Animal Friendship (snakes only)
Innate Spellcasting: Suggestion
Magic Resistance
Poison Immunity

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

Tools: Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit

Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic

Proficient Skills
Deception (Spy) +8
Insight (Sorcerer) +5
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +8
Stealth (Spy) +6

Background: Spy

Feats: Resilience: Wisdom

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Shadow Magic
Eyes of the Dark
Strength of the Grave
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Extended Spell, Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell
Eyes of the Dark: Darkness  

Hound of Ill Omen

Cantrips: Chill Touch, Friends, Gust, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 2 (5th)

1st Level Spells: Charm Person, Ray of Sickness, Silent Image
2nd Level Spells: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Invisibility
3rd Level Spells: Blink, Counterspell, Major Image
4th Level Spells: Greater Invisibility
5th Level Spells: Cloudkill, Far Step

11th to 15th Level

11th Level - +5 HP (57)
6th Level Spell: Mass Suggestion

12th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Cha, +5 HP (62)

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, +5 HP (67)
7th Level Spell: Finger of Death

14th Level - Shadow Walk, +5 HP (72)

15th Level - +5 HP (77)
8th Level Spell: Dominate Monster

Reasoning: I'm starting to run into my usual problem in that the upper level spell selections for sorcerer often don't include spells that fit my theme and concept. I considered dropping to a lower level spell instead of taking an 8th level one, something I've done before, but decided to add another bit of mind control in here. As a further note, I also considered dropping Far Step now that she has Shadow Walk, but it is entirely possible that she'd be in a position that Shadow Walk wouldn't work but Far Step would. Mass Suggestion was an easy choice. Finger of Death gives a bit more heavy damage dealing (and creates a minion as a side effect).

15th Level Statistics

15th Level Yuan-ti Pureblood Shadow Magic Sorcerer

Str: 10

Dex: 15

Con: 12

Int: 14

Wis: 12

Cha: 20

HP: 77

AC: 12 (15 with Mage Armor)
Save DC: 18
Speed: 30ft
Sorcery Points: 15

Proficiency Bonus: +5

Darkvision 60ft
Innate Spellcasting: Poison Spray
Innate Spellcasting: Animal Friendship (snakes only)
Innate Spellcasting: Suggestion
Magic Resistance
Poison Immunity

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

Tools: Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit

Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic

Proficient Skills
Deception (Spy) +10
Insight (Sorcerer) +6
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +10
Stealth (Spy) +7

Background: Spy

Feats: Resilience: Wisdom

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Shadow Magic
Eyes of the Dark
Strength of the Grave
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Extended Spell, Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell
Eyes of the Dark: Darkness  

Hound of Ill Omen

Shadow Walk

Cantrips: Chill Touch, Friends, Gust, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 2 (5th) 1 (6th) 1 (7th) 1 (8th)

1st Level Spells: Charm Person, Ray of Sickness, Silent Image
2nd Level Spells: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Invisibility
3rd Level Spells: Blink, Counterspell, Major Image
4th Level Spells: Greater Invisibility
5th Level Spells: Cloudkill, Far Step

6th Level Spells: Mass Suggestion
7th Level Spells: Finger of Death
8th Level Spells: Dominate Monster

16th to 20th Level

16th Level - Ability Score Improvement: War Caster, +5 HP (82)

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, Metamagic: Twinned Spell, +5 HP (87)
9th Level Spell: Time Stop

18th Level - Umbral Form, +5 HP (92)

19th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Con, +24 HP (116)

20th Level - Sorcerous Restoration, +6 HP (122)

Reasoning: The last two Ability Score Improvements went to health mostly for the purposes of improving concentration checks. This character is mostly about avoiding combat and that guided my 9th level spell choice which lets her just freeze the fight and get well away as well as buff herself up with invisibility and the like.

20th Level Statistics

20th Level Yuan-ti Pureblood Shadow Magic Sorcerer

Str: 10

Dex: 15

Con: 14

Int: 14

Wis: 12

Cha: 20

HP: 122

AC: 12 (15 with Mage Armor)
Save DC: 19
Speed: 30ft
Sorcery Points: 20

Proficiency Bonus: +6

Darkvision 60ft
Innate Spellcasting: Poison Spray
Innate Spellcasting: Animal Friendship (snakes only)
Innate Spellcasting: Suggestion
Magic Resistance
Poison Immunity

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

Tools: Thieves Tools, Disguise Kit

Saving Throws: Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Draconic

Proficient Skills
Deception (Spy) +11
Insight (Sorcerer) +7
Persuasion (Sorcerer) +11
Stealth (Spy) +8

Background: Spy

Feats: Resilience: Wisdom

Spellcasting
Sorcerous Origin: Shadow Magic
Eyes of the Dark
Strength of the Grave
Font of Magic
Metamagic: Extended Spell, Quickened Spell, Subtle Spell, Twinned Spell
Eyes of the Dark: Darkness  Hound of Ill Omen

Shadow Walk

Umbral Form

Cantrips: Chill Touch, Friends, Gust, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation

Spell Slots: 4 (1st) 3 (2nd) 3 (3rd) 3 (4th) 3 (5th) 2 (6th) 2 (7th) 1 (8th) 1 (9th)

1st Level Spells: Charm Person, Ray of Sickness, Silent Image
2nd Level Spells: Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Invisibility
3rd Level Spells: Blink, Counterspell, Major Image
4th Level Spell: Greater Invisibility
5th Level Spells: Cloudkill, Far Step

6th Level Spell: Mass Suggestion
7th Level Spell: Finger of Death
8th Level Spell: Dominate Monster

9th Level Spell: Time Stop

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