Sean Merwin

And we get a CR1 version of this normal. The main Empyrean is CR21, I believe. CR23. But we get a smaller version, a baby Empyrean, if you will, called an Empyrean Iota. And these are really fascinating to me. These CR1 monsters are just the tiniest wisps of the divinity of a thing that focuses on a particular belief or theme.

And we get a CR1 version of this normal. The main Empyrean is CR21, I believe. CR23. But we get a smaller version, a baby Empyrean, if you will, called an Empyrean Iota. And these are really fascinating to me. These CR1 monsters are just the tiniest wisps of the divinity of a thing that focuses on a particular belief or theme.

If a deity has this thought of, I wonder what's going on with this follower of mine, this iota would spring forth and go and find this person. And I love that idea. I think that idea, not only story-wise, but mechanically, you could have so much fun with. So can we start with the iota stat block since it's the smaller one?

If a deity has this thought of, I wonder what's going on with this follower of mine, this iota would spring forth and go and find this person. And I love that idea. I think that idea, not only story-wise, but mechanically, you could have so much fun with. So can we start with the iota stat block since it's the smaller one?

Yeah, that's the first thing I noticed is that if it's embodying the essence, some small thought, memory, or indirect attention of a deity, it would have a worldview. Not only would it have, it would have a serious worldview, right? It did.

Yeah, that's the first thing I noticed is that if it's embodying the essence, some small thought, memory, or indirect attention of a deity, it would have a worldview. Not only would it have, it would have a serious worldview, right? It did.

Yep. And so I wanted it to not have an alignment. Well, I don't want any of these alignments. Oh, interesting. Because it's otherworldly. As a game master, I want this thing to... This thing should be memorable. If it is the attention of a pit fiend or some demon or devil powerful, it would have rage, it would have avarice, it would have something that would make it memorable.

Yep. And so I wanted it to not have an alignment. Well, I don't want any of these alignments. Oh, interesting. Because it's otherworldly. As a game master, I want this thing to... This thing should be memorable. If it is the attention of a pit fiend or some demon or devil powerful, it would have rage, it would have avarice, it would have something that would make it memorable.

So as I'm going through and looking at what it does, Incorporal movement. Makes sense. It's not a physical thing. It can move through other creatures or objects. Great. Magic resistance. Makes sense. It's a powerful, magical thing. So it would have advantage on saving throws. Otherworldly strike. Okay.

So as I'm going through and looking at what it does, Incorporal movement. Makes sense. It's not a physical thing. It can move through other creatures or objects. Great. Magic resistance. Makes sense. It's a powerful, magical thing. So it would have advantage on saving throws. Otherworldly strike. Okay.

When it's next to you or from a range of up to 30 feet, it can hit you for necrotic or radiant damage. Makes sense. If it's a fiend, it will do necrotic. If it's a good deity. What about neutral deities? Eh, who knows. But then we get spellcasting, and this is where it got a little weird for me. So spellcasting is once per day, it can do one each of these, Bless and Lesser Restoration.

When it's next to you or from a range of up to 30 feet, it can hit you for necrotic or radiant damage. Makes sense. If it's a fiend, it will do necrotic. If it's a good deity. What about neutral deities? Eh, who knows. But then we get spellcasting, and this is where it got a little weird for me. So spellcasting is once per day, it can do one each of these, Bless and Lesser Restoration.

And I went, what if it's a demon or a devil? What if it's a fiend? Would it bless? Why would it bless? Why not Bane? Why not have Bane as a choice? Or even if it's from a god, but it's from a god who doesn't like what you're doing and wants to stop you, it should have a way to do that other than seven points of necrotic or radiant damage.

And I went, what if it's a demon or a devil? What if it's a fiend? Would it bless? Why would it bless? Why not Bane? Why not have Bane as a choice? Or even if it's from a god, but it's from a god who doesn't like what you're doing and wants to stop you, it should have a way to do that other than seven points of necrotic or radiant damage.

No, no. And so I understand why it's there, I just want that one more thing. And then I saw as a bonus action, so spellcasting of course is now under actions. Let me go back to that. Spellcasting is under actions, so it can do Bless and it can do Lesser Restoration. And after Lesser Restoration it says, as an action, And I'm like, okay. Wasn't lesser restoration always an action?

No, no. And so I understand why it's there, I just want that one more thing. And then I saw as a bonus action, so spellcasting of course is now under actions. Let me go back to that. Spellcasting is under actions, so it can do Bless and it can do Lesser Restoration. And after Lesser Restoration it says, as an action, And I'm like, okay. Wasn't lesser restoration always an action?

No, lesser restoration is a bonus action now. But it can cast it, or it has to cast it as an action. And I'm like, why? Why not as a bonus action? Since that's what the spell is. Is there a reason I'm missing?

No, lesser restoration is a bonus action now. But it can cast it, or it has to cast it as an action. And I'm like, why? Why not as a bonus action? Since that's what the spell is. Is there a reason I'm missing?

Right. Yeah.

Right. Yeah.