Grave Magic continued

I thought this might be another interesting effect for a grave mage. Here's a stat block for one of these guys.

Grave magic: Mind Leak


 

Spirits from beyond are often unable to physically attack those in the material world. However, they can sometimes press their thoughts across the veil, insinuating visions of their past, their fantasies vile or violent or pathetic, their unearthly musings, into the minds of the living. With enough observation, the spectral mage can learn to mimic a ghost’s projective powers. He can cause his own mental apparitions to appear before those in the material plane, or he can cause a mortal’s thoughts to spill out visibly into their surroundings, inhabiting the space between multiple minds in the mortal world. This spell can thus both be used to communicate across planes and to unleash the visions of someone else into the world, either with or against their will. Being able to communicate effectively this way means having to concentrate on precisely what one is attempting to create visions of, but if one is affected by this spell without their own knowledge, visions of their victories, fears, defeats, secrets, might flop visibly into the world around them. A real mess in the courtroom or the battlefield, as well as in dark rooms at night. 

Here's a grave mage/possessed mage idea I had. It uses AngryGM's paragon monster rules and blank format Stat block, so it changes slightly halfway through the battle as it starts breaking nearby minds and absorbing HP and so on. I also like the idea that when they think they've defeated the enemy, the adventurers are immediately faced with a new set of threats as an angry spirit bent on destruction possesses the grave mage who had previously been controlling it. "Hahaha! Who's in control now!"  

Grave Mage/Possessed Mage

Medium Humanoid (any humanoid), Evil

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Armor Class 13 (18 w/shield spell)

Hit Points (49), (49)

Speed 30 ft., mode # ft. (note)

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STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
10 (-)	12 (+1)	10 (-)	18 (+4)	14 (+2)	11 (-)

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Languages Common

Challenge 7, cumulative. 2 CR2 monsters and 3 CR½ Monsters.  (1200-2400 XP)

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Undead Fortitude. When possessed by the spirit of the ethereal mage, it counts as an undead creature. If reduced to 0hp, it makes a con save of 10 or damage taken. If it succeeds, it is reduced to 1hp instead. 

Paragon Actions

Paragon fortitude. The Mage has multiple pools of hit points, each of which is tracked separately. All damage and healing must be completely applied to one pool. When a pool is reduced to zero, all ongoing condtions and effects affecting the creature end. After a pool is reduced to zero, that pool cannot receive any healing until after a long rest.

Paragon Rage. The Mage may take one additional turn in each round of combat for each of its hit point pools that has been reduced to zero. The Mage determines initiative on its first turn, with advantage. Any subsequent turn it gains is inserted immediately after a PC’s turn in the initiative order.

Cross the Border. When the Mage is reduced to 0 HP, it is possessed by the ethereal mage it had previously held in thrall. As the mage’s body becomes possessed, it uses this rift in the spirit world to bring some comrades along with it. 3 corpses are revived as zombies or skeletons under the Possessed Mage’s control.  Additionally, roll once on the wild magic effects table

Actions-Mage Form

Corpse Pop. As an action, the Grave Mage may cause a corpse to pop, dealing 2d10 damage in a 10ft radius.

Mage is a 5^th Level Spellcaster. Save DC 14.

Level 3 (2):  

Grave Fireball. 120 foot range, 20ft Radius. 5d6 Necrotic Damage, half on dex save. Creatures who fail the dex save must also make an int save. If they fail that, they are frightened for 1d4 rounds.

Vampiric Touch: Spell attack, +5 to hit, 3d6 Necrotic Damage, regains half hp.

Level 2 (3):

Grave Visions: 10 ft radius. Wis Save or suffer effects of blindness as you see only into the ethereal plane.

Misty Step: Bonus action, 30ft Teleport.

Hold Person: Wis save, paralyzed on fail. Conc.

Level 1 (4):

Shield: Reaction, +5ac 1 turn.

Mage Armor: Already Cast, 13 AC.

Burning Hands 15ft Cone, 3d6 fire damage.

Cantrips

Mage Hand, Minor Illusion

Fire Bolt: +5^th, 2d10 fire damage.

Acid Splash: save or 2d8 acid damage. ½ on save.

Actions-Possessed Form

Each turn, the Possessed Mage causes its mind leak effect. Then, it can either cast spells, as the mage could, or it can cast corpse pop and make a soul drain attack.

Mind Leak: Every creature in 20ft radius INT save, if fail, their fearful thoughts take immediate illusory form. These can be determined to be illusions if investigated or attacked, at which point they disappear. The illusions can attack, dealing 1d6 psychic damage and causing fear.  
Corpse Pop. The Grave Mage may cause a corpse to pop, dealing 2d10 damage in a 10ft radius. Dex save halves. It may also cause a friendly creature with less than 10 HP remaining to pop. This deals 3d10 damage in a 10 ft radius, or ½ on dex save.

Soul Drain: +6^th, 5ft, 1 target. 2d10 necrotic damage. On hit, target must make a con save.  If failed, target HP max is reduced by ½ damage taken, and possessed mage gains HP of ½ damage taken