Doppelsailor
Medium • Monstrosity (Shapechanger) • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 97 (13d8 + 39)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +7 (17)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 (+1) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) | 18 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +7
Skills Deception +7, Insight +5, Performance +7, Persuasion +7, Stealth +7
Condition Immunities charmed
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common plus three other languages
CR 5 (1,800 XP; PB +3)
Curse of the Lost. While the doppelsailor is aboard a ship with no land or other landmark in sight, that ship becomes lost at sea after 1d4 days; any attempts to navigate it back on a course automatically fail.
Mimicking Ventriloquist. The doppelsailor can mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check. Further, the doppelsailor can speak without moving its lips. When it does so, it can magically emit that sound from any point within 5 feet of it.
Nonswimmer. The doppelsailor is incapable of swimming.
Sailor. The doppelsailor has proficiency in navigator’s tools and vehicle (water).
Unusual Nature. The doppelsailor doesn’t require food or drink.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The doppelsailor makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 (with advantage during the first round of each combat), reach 5 ft. Hit: 22 (4d8 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Read Thoughts. The doppelganger casts detect thoughts, requiring no spell components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14).
Spellcasting. The doppelsailor casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14):
2/day: charm person, modify memory, suggestion
BONUS ACTIONS
Shape-Shift. The doppelsailor shape-shifts into a Medium or Small Humanoid, or it returns to its true form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Doppelsailor
Medium • Monstrosity (Shapechanger) • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +5 (15)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 (+1) | 17 (+3) | 15 (+2) | 13 (+1) | 15 (+2) | 18 (+4) |
Skills Deception +6, Insight +4, Performance +6, Persuasion +6, Stealth +5
Condition Immunities charmed
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common plus three other languages
CR 3 (XP 700; PB +2)
Curse of the Lost. While the doppelsailor is aboard a ship with no land or other landmark in sight, that ship becomes lost at sea after 1d4 days; any attempts to navigate it back on a course automatically fail.
Mimicking Ventriloquist. The doppelsailor can mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check. Further, the doppelsailor can speak without moving its lips. When it does so, it can magically emit that sound from any point within 5 feet of it.
Nonswimmer. The doppelsailor is incapable of swimming.
Sailor. The doppelsailor has proficiency in navigator’s tools and vehicle (water).
Unusual Nature. The doppelsailor doesn’t require food or drink.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The doppelsailor makes two Slam attacks.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 (with advantage during the first round of each combat), reach 5 ft. Hit: 13 (3d6 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Read Thoughts. The doppelganger casts detect thoughts, requiring no spell components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13).
Spellcasting. The doppelsailor casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 13):
1/day: charm person, modify memory, suggestion
BONUS ACTIONS
Shape-Shift. The doppelsailor shape-shifts into a Medium or Small Humanoid, or it returns to its true form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
Doppelsailor
Medium • Monstrosity (Shapechanger) • Chaotic Evil
Armor Class 16
Hit Points 120 (16d8 + 48)
Speed 30 ft.
Initiative +7 (17)
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 (+2) | 19 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 13 (+1) | 16 (+3) | 19 (+4) |
Saving Throws Dex +7, Wis +6
Skills Deception +7, Insight +6, Performance +7, Persuasion +7, Stealth +7
Condition Immunities charmed
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 13
Languages Common plus three other languages
CR 7 (XP 2,900; PB +3)
Curse of the Lost. While the doppelsailor is aboard a ship with no land or other landmark in sight, that ship becomes lost at sea after 1d4 days; any attempts to navigate it back on a course automatically fail.
Mimicking Ventriloquist. The doppelsailor can mimic any sounds it has heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 18 Wisdom (Insight) check. Further, the doppelsailor can speak without moving its lips. When it does so, it can magically emit that sound from any point within 5 feet of it.
Nonswimmer. The doppelsailor is incapable of swimming.
Sailor. The doppelsailor has proficiency in navigator’s tools and vehicle (water).
Unusual Nature. The doppelsailor doesn’t require food or drink.
ACTIONS
Multiattack. The doppelsailor makes three Slam attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Spellcasting to cast charm person.
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 (with advantage during the first round of each combat), reach 5 ft. Hit: 18 (4d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.
Read Thoughts. The doppelganger casts detect thoughts, requiring no spell components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14).
Spellcasting. The doppelsailor casts one of the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 14):
At will: charm person
2/day: modify memory, suggestion
BONUS ACTIONS
Shape-Shift. The doppelsailor shape-shifts into a Medium or Small Humanoid, or it returns to its true form. Its game statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed.
QUICK REFERENCE
Habitat
- Port towns or any other location from which ships leave regularly
- On a ghost ship as the last “survivor”
- Stranded on a remote island
Behavior
- Always shapechanged into a believable NPC, blending into the crew or as a passenger
- Lies and betrays others, mimics voices and sounds to confuse and sow distrust among the crew
- Quietly observes from shadows using its Read Thoughts to always be informed
- Trying to separate troublesome people to get rid of them and potentially shapechange into them
Information (Intelligence Check)
- DC 10 Arcana: Special kind of doppelganger, but with the usual shapeshift ability
- DC 15 Insight: Mimicked sounds are subtly unnatural or have a trait specific to each one doppelsailor
- DC 20 History: Ships it’s aboard become cursed and lost at sea
Combat
- Opens combat with an ambush or a charm person or a suggestion spell
- Avoids any possibility of being shoved overboard due to inability to swim
- When fleeing runs around corners and uses shape-shift to quickly shift into a bystander in hopes that people will pass them
Loot Ideas
- Damp journal detailing the cursed voyage of a despairing captain or navigator
- Tattered sailor uniform with hidden arcane sigils
- Navigator’s tools (carefully altered to slightly display incorrect information when used)
USING MONSTER VARIANTS
Monster variants allow the GM to adjust encounters to better match the party’s strength, narrative needs, or world-building logic. A weaker variant may represent a juvenile, wounded, or lesser specimen, while a stronger variant can serve as a leader, champion, ancient creature, or apex predator.
Variants can be used to fine-tune difficulty without changing the core identity of the monster, making them ideal for scaling encounters, reinforcing hierarchy within a faction, or creating memorable boss-style enemies. You can even use the same stat block but different variants in the same encounter if you want.
Design Note. Each monster is primarily balanced around its normal version. Weaker and stronger variants are derived adjustments and may not always preserve every tactical nuance or “feel” of the original creature. GMs are encouraged to review variants carefully and adjust abilities or tactics as needed to best suit their table.