A religious leader of great power, the Pontifex is an avatar of the god they worship. This CR11 cleric enemy for 5th edition leads crusades, commands armies of zealots, and acts as the living word of their god in the mortal realm.
A Pontifex resides in grand cathedrals and magnificent temples dedicated to the god the Pontifex serves. They surround themselves with powerful clerics, paladins, and zealots who obey their every command with religious fervor and for whom failure is never an option.
Lair Actions
When fighting inside of its lair, the Pontifex can call upon the power of the believers within to take lair actions. On initiative count 20, the Pontifex takes one of the following actions.
Divine light suffuses a 60ft. radius around the Pontifex. Any of the Pontifex’s enemies within that radius must succeed on a DC15 Wisdom saving throw or else move 10ft. away from the Pontifex.
The Pontifex casts Prayer of Healing, Silence, or Dispel Magic using Wisdom as its spellcasting modifier and without expending a spell slot.
Regional Effects
The area surrounding the lair is infused with radiant power causing the following effects.
Observed by the Divine. Every time a character fails an ability check or takes radiant damage, they must succeed on a DC13 Wisdom saving throw or else gain a level of mania. Each level of mania imparts a -1 penalty to ability checks and saving throws. A character that gains ten levels of mania dies. Taking a short rest removes one level of mania as does the spell Greater Restoration or similar magic. A long rest outside the affected region or a potion of vitality will remove all levels of mania.
Zealous Dead. The souls of those who died while worshiping the Pontifex’s god do not pass on here. Instead, they aid the living believers in small ways and torment non-believers with whispered threats.
Religious Fervor. Each time a creature takes a long rest while within the region, they take a -1 penalty to saving throws made to resist Charisma (Persuasion) checks made by the Pontifex. This effect stacks.
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