Ye Olde Shoppe of Magicks – Monster Manuals – Dracula

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In keeping with the Haunted Mansion our party is currently exploring, I came up with a WHOLE haunted library ala Gomez Addams

Encounter Mechanics

  • The books remain inert until one is pulled from the shelf. When disturbed, all eight awaken.
  • They can hover off the ground, flapping like birds. Some have the ability to run.
  • Their CR can be set between 2–3 each (slightly weaker alone, but dangerous as a group).
  • The fight can escalate as more books fall open—giving your party a frantic “stop pulling tomes!” realization.

Encounter Notes

  • Trigger: The fight begins when one book is pulled from the shelf. The rest join after 1 round, 1d4 books at a time, for rising tension.
  • Tactics: Books hover and swarm. “Art of War” boosts the others, “Odyssey” disrupts positioning, “Dracula” heals mid-fight.
  • Party Balance: Facing all 8 at once could overwhelm — consider staggering their arrival for a cinematic escalation.

Dracula
(Book Monster)

Medium Undead Construct, chaotic evil

Armor Class Class 14 (reinforced binding)
Hit Points 66 (12d8+12)
Speed 0 ft., hover 30 ft.

STR 12 (+1) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2)
INT 12 (+1) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +4, Cha +5
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned, prone, exhaustion
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages understands Common, cannot speak
Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)

Traits

  • Bloodbound Pages. Whenever the Dracula Tome reduces a creature to 0 hit points, it regains 10 hit points as crimson ink seeps into its parchment.
  • Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the Dracula Tome has disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks relying on sight.

Actions

  • Bite of Ink. Melee Spell Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d8+3) necrotic damage, and the tome regains hit points equal to half the necrotic damage dealt.
  • Shadow Lash. Ranged Spell Attack: +5 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) psychic damage.
  • Darkness (1/day). The Dracula Tome casts Darkness centered on itself (spell save DC 13).

Legendary Flare (Optional Upgrade)
At higher CR tables, you can give the Dracula Tome a once-per-rest power:

  • Crimson Grimoire (Recharge 6). Each enemy within 20 ft. must make a DC 14 Constitution save or take 18 (4d8) necrotic damage and be frightened until the end of their next turn.

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