PHAERIMM - Magic Slugs That Nearly Destroyed the Forgotten Realms

[@Notsidgaming]

A Netherese arcanist is out there somewhere trembling in his boots at the resurgence of such creatures. Well done man! Thanks for taking on this challenge of bringing my favorite novel monster into 5e. I feel liked it needed grandfathered in.

[@esperthebard]

Thank you for the great video concept (and for your patience as I totally spaced this out for a time)

[@Mechamorphh]

The spellists for the 3.5E Phaerimm are as follows: Young Adult Phaerimm: Spells Known (6/7/7/5; save DC 13 + spell level, or 14 + spell level for evocation spells): 0-daze, detect magic, light, mage hand, open/close, ray of frost, read magic; 1st-burning hands, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield, sleep; 2nd-blur, scorching ray, touch of idiocy; 3rd-dispel magic, lightning bolt. Elder Phaerimm: Spells Known (6/7/7/7/7/7/7/5/3; save DC 16 + spell level, or 18 + spell level for enchantment or evocation spells): 0-arcane mark, daze, detect magic, light, mage hand, open/close, ray of frost, read magic, touch of fatigue; 1st-burning hands, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield, sleep; 2nd-blur, detect thoughts, scorching ray, touch of idiocy, web; 3rd-deep slumber, fireball, protection from energy, slow; 4th-crushing despair, greater invisibility, polymorph, scrying; 5th-cone of cold, dominate person, telekinesis, teleport; 6th-chain lightning, disintegrate, greater dispel magic; 7th- forcecage, spell turning; 8th-mass charm monster. These were printed in the Monster Update Web Enhancement for the "Players Guide to Faerun" which updated the 3.0E supplements like Monsters of Faerun to 3.5E. There was a further update in "Lost Empires of Faerun" which expanded on the Phaerimm and made them even more formidable.

[@KingOfMadCows]

In 3e/3.5e, the Phaerimm's HD stacked with Sorcerer levels for spellcasting. So a 5HD Phaerimm has spellcasting like a level 5 Sorcerer. When they take a level in Sorcerer, they gain spellcasting as of they were a 6th level Sorcerer, but they're treated as a level 1 Sorcerer for their other class features like their familiar.

[@esperthebard]

What book are you finding that in?

[@KingOfMadCows]

@@esperthebard Lost Empires of Faerun. It has much more detailed information about the Phaerimm. It gives a progression table for Phaerimm by age, like they do with dragons. It starts with the 1HD Phaerimm hatchling up to 19HD Revered Elder. It also gives level adjustment if you want to play a Phaerimm character. Anauroch: The Empire of Shade also has some stuff about the Phaerimm, as well as their enemy the Sharn.

[@TheMightyBattleSquid]

That intro is basically what I'm always telling people who claim they've done it all by just seeing/playing each class once. There are so many options when it comes to changing up how your character plays. My favorite example being stuff like Swarmkeeper ranger. Yes, it could just be animals or insects but you could replace them with LOADS of other things. Maybe they're fey or ghostly will o' wisps. Perhaps you'd rather flavor them as jellyfish while the air around you turns blue. Each change you make gives you new ways to go about selecting spells you can cast and flavoring the items your character carries on their person.

[@poilboiler]

Bats as a damphir. Feathers as an aasimar.

[@jasonz7788]

weird but POWRFUL! thank you esper

[@maxwellmerkel2537]

What's weirder is the official forgotten realms wiki notes the "revered elder" which is cr 21

[@thetoweroftomes]

Man! These creatures gave me nightmares! I would recommend reading the forgotten realms, *Return* *of* *the* *Archwizards* books by Troy Denning. Such a great trilogy, with LOTS of Phaerimm! Great video Esper!

[@esperthebard]

Man can you believe the only Forgotten Realms I've ever read are the original Dark Elf trilogy books? Ah my to-read list grows and grows ...

[@keylimepython641]

Ooh! You could adapt some epic level handbook monsters, too!

[@X-R-T-C]

They are indeed incredibly interesting! Thank for creating the statblock. I'm DEFINITELY gonna use them in my new campaign! I will maybe add a feature that would showcase their ability to absorb and deflect magic. That's, after all, the main reason why they were able to corner the strongest human civilization that ever existed.

[@esperthebard]

That's a great idea. If my knowledge/research of the phaerimm would have been deeper, I might have even made a third variant that included such a feature.

[@hasthehighground8560]

Probably missed the boat here but I’d give it the Morkoth’s spell reflection ability.

[@SilverGhost0]

Official stats can be found in Minsc and Boo's Journal of Villainy.

[@aaroncunningham8307]

I like the stat blocks you made, two small additions I would add: *The Poison:* To keep the sort of knock-out effect of the poison, I'd have it that failing to make the save after a minute knocks you unconscious, so you can still be woken up or cured. *The Magic:* Phaerimm had this weird trait where they altered certain spells to have hands erupt out of them. To mimic this, you could have them make a claw or grapple attack as a bonus action from any arcane creation they summon.

[@daanopdebeeck2312]

Another spectacular creature/race I've found on the Forgotten Realms wiki is the Spellweaver. Read some rumors about them being the creators of the mysterious black obelisks found across certain 5e adventures. So I started digging in the lore...OH MY! WotC released a video to have context about the obelisks some time ago and I think the answer is quite obvious: multiversal gateways (or nodes) created by the Spellweavers. The Netherese Empire researched it, probably devised some magical items based on it, or tried to replicate it in any way but failed to do so. Not sure about time travel, but in their vid Chris Perkins or Jeremy Crawford does mention visiting old settings and locations from previous modules. According to the wiki on Spellweavers, it's suggested they met their end by reuniting all the planes or trying to ascend their entire civilization to godhood. I quote "an event of apocalyptic proportions that would kill all, including the gods themselves." Well this sounds like something Vecna would get behind, a big multiversal reset button to remake reality as he pleases...

[@daanopdebeeck2312]

Oh and the Phaerimm are clearly based upon leeches, but for magic instead.

[@jamiemcdonough6548]

I appreciate the like and the heart. Made my morning. Thanks and thanks.

[@Mike_W78]

I used to have the 2nd edition anaurach source book that talked about these guys and gave a ton of lore. Sadly my mom was caught up in the DnD is the devil and burned it with a few other books. Got to love the late 80s early 90s.

[@indiana47]

On the bright side, at least you weren't coerced into falsely convicting her of Satanic Ritual Abuse. At least I hope so. That stuff destroyed families. Satanic Panic was really something.

[@Poldovico]

Okay, but if you found an actual devil book, I feel like burning it would probably not improve the situation.

[@esperthebard]

Rough beats man. Looks like you can buy that book for like $35-50, fairly accessible still.

[@ethans9379]

@@Poldovico Gotta agree with you there

[@tqbrowne]

Good timing for this video, Esper. I’m running a campaign that ties in closely with the Netherese.

[@esperthebard]

Excellent! Enjoy the adventures, and I hope the phaerimm stat blocks are useful

[@BeardedDragonite]

Love the stat blocks and lore. Cool creature thanks man

[@jamiemcdonough6548]

Congrats to Ben Rubeck. Thanks you and Esper The Bard for the video.

[@dinokaos]

What a cool creature! I would definitely be wired and interesting at the same time to play this in 5e

[@redfaux74]

In the Forgotten Realms novels these monsters were something that even Elminster greatly feared. I truly enjoyed those novels in those days. You did them great justice. It seems they need some ability to potentially reflect or negate spells as an innate defense. In my game I would have to make them very skilled psionicists at minimum. The idea the Phaerimm could lay eggs in players..... 😢 terrifying. Maybe only spellcasters?

[@davidthebarbarian6851]

*Casts vicious mockery* " With a face like that you should be called a Phaerimm Job!" *Gets vaporized immediately*

[@maxwellvindman7212]

With a burn that hot, yeah I think it would instantly vaporize it.

[@esperthebard]

bahahaha!

[@deadsparrow13]

Always wondered about these guys. Thanks for the video!

[@esperthebard]

Somehow I went all these years without ever knowing of their existence! A curious specimen indeed

[@williamredmond8128]

What about the Sharn?

[@DaySun88]

I love these dudes when I first found out about these creatures backstory their monstrous yet there are people that’s what I like about them, and I know you can say that about a lot of creatures in this world, but they feel more monstrous than most dragons feel natural. These guys feel primer like this was all their land, and they want us to all go away or work for them.

[@dragonturtle2703]

Wait, weren’t they also draining magic from the land in their conflict with the Netherese?

[@purplehaze2358]

I'd say phaerim resemble lampreys more than they do slugs or leeches.

[@esperthebard]

For sure, though that doesn't sound as good for a title

[@acereporter73]

What in the Langoliers... That is a whole slug of NOPE.

[@ayrkebraga2626]

Regarding Level to CR in 3e, its actually based on the class. Normal player character class normally add 1 CR per 4 levels.

[@owlthemolfar4690]

Thank you for the video!

My first thought when I saw the monster was, someone has been reading Lovecraft when they made that monster :)

[@joedan5366]

love this

[@keylimepython641]

When I first found this video I thought, "that's a weird thumbnail for Dungeon Dad"

[@esperthebard]

well, I am a dad, and I do create lots of dungeons ...

[@bioman35353]

Reminiscence of the "flying polyps" from HP Lovecraft

[@tysondennis1016]

These guys necessitated the creation of Karsus’ Avatar.

[@toxacokami7216]

Scary monster

[@RaulBenatti]

Aberrações são o meu tipo de monstros favoritos. Obrigado pelo vídeo.

[@johngleeman8347]

Sadly I think they were slain down to the last by the Neo-Netherese. Cool villains specific to the Realms.

[@Andreopimentel]

They are basically weirder mind flayers

[@yosakie]

It looks like a sci-fi sunflower aberration

[@Cyberlisk]

CR 13 might be too low for an Elder Phaerimm that can cast Power Word Kill. That thing is pretty similar to a Lich in its statblock (which is CR 21), with an impressive array of spells, but comparably weak durability and melee capabilities. It does not have the immunities, and legendary resistance and actions, and its spell roster is a bit smaller, but higher AC, HP, a flying speed and magic resistance.

[@AvangionQ]

9:35 If it's primary spellcasting ability is Charisma, that charisma score should be higher than its intelligence score. +1 to hit & spell save DC. Also, the spell list shows it has more slots than spells. I might add one offensive spell at each spell level to increase the threat. Yeah, that'll do.

[@esperthebard]

I used the mental ability scores of the 3e phaerimm. Those are the number of spell slots and spells known for a 5th-level sorcerer.

[@ZatoichiBlindSword]

The stats are pathetically Un-phaerimm-like...these things both in their original 2nd edition write-ups and the Return of the Archwizards novels made them a foe for The Chosen...and i quote: "Phaerimm command more magic than most human mages. For every 50 years of life, a phaerimm increases one level as a wizard - most of this long-lived race are the equivalents of 22nd- to 27th-level mages”...whats this cr 5 silliness?

[@redfaux74]

That is what I remember also. When something scares the best of the best of the best Arch Mage in the Realm, Elminster.... You know it is a scary monster. This thing desperately needs the ability to negate and reflect spells cast at it as an innate reflex. And I don't remember it being focused on charm effects. I thought it was a blaster and ripper, almost wild magic specialist. It certainly COULD charm even an experienced mage but not exclusively. But I could be wrong. That was over 25 years ago.

[@stavros2956]

Interesting, i can see the inspiration for this monster are the Flying Polyps from H.P. Lovecraft.

[@ericcadman1329]

There is a dead one that players can find in Ythryn if they play through the Icewind Dale campaign

[@jasonpiwarski5016]

Esper! When did you get a pic of my mother in law?? You never disappoint.

[@esperthebard]

wait, my old boss is your mother in law??

[@thetoweroftomes]

@@esperthebard 😂😂

[@exploringpnw716]

CR is way to low for these enemies. They are insanely powerful in the lore and books.

[@tysondennis1016]

They attacked in massive numbers

[@shdwfriend2128]

Link for the mini at 7:24? That looked really cool!

[@esperthebard]

just google "phaerimm miniature" you'll see it right away

[@shdwfriend2128]

@@esperthebard Yup! Found it! Made by Yasashii. I looked for one of these at the beginning of the pandemic. Looks like this Phaerimm arrived after the plague. Thanks! :)

[@user-nz7dd3sg5c]

That's a great monster for my aventure where the PCs did not do a quest and otherwordly creatures will invade a town.

[@rachdarastrix5251]

Salten is an old term that means Slug Slayer.

[@devinthunderstrike]

Where can i get some of those sweet minis?

[@zimattack9994]

So run them like jaba the hut

[@Sinekyre14]

I stuck to D&D for 20 years, dismissing other ttrpg's. I really wonder how to make other D&D people realize that there are much cooler systems out there

[@Bubblerlol]

I don't really like when they have thumbs!

[@Rob-147]

Spooky teeth worm

[@cameronpearce5943]

I like to think they’re not that evil but that it was Netherese propaganda I recall there was a traitor Arcanist who found out netherese over use of magic was poisoning their young and granted them his castle as a lair

[@davidthebarbarian6851]

What an evil creature that thinks it's all-powerful and needs slaves say it isn't so Esper lol

[@darthshivvis956]

Ach out for ister gay

[@AncientRylanor69]

b

[@obfusciatehopper787]

A comment for the numbers brother