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Nihil, the Dark Father

Adversaries Designed by machine Poet • Art by Self

Adversary overview

Nihil is the steadfast yet conflicted follower of a trickster God, whose will changes on a whim. Even as they might be thrown away like a toy, Nihil obeys their will without another word.

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An exercise in making Adversaries, **heavily** based on a pre-existing character from a certain game. Though it is more complex and requires more to track than the average adversary, those features serve to be a fun puzzle fight. Information like the Prescripts are intented to be shared with the players to figure out and work around in whatever way you would find it to work best ludo-narratively.

The adversary hasn’t been tested, but it’s large numbers are *(in theory)* offset by its features that provide a way to wear them down and make them easier to hit, and to drain their stress. On its own, as per the nature of a Solo, it would not stand long, so depending on how difficult you wish the battle to be, I would suggest to either give multiple ‘HP-bars’ and refilling their Stress when one of their their HP-bars depletes to emulate phases or to create a new phase for them. This was just a fun little experiment, so I won’t go further for the moment, but in the future I may revisit it and create more phases.

Stat block

Tier
2
Type
Solo
Difficulty
13
HP
10
Stress
6
Attack mod
0
Damage thresholds
Minor Damage — Mark 1 HP Minor
Mark 1 HP
14
Major Damage — Mark 2 HP Major
Mark 2 HP
26
Severe Damage — Mark 3 HP Severe
Mark 3 HP

Standard attack

Thousand-Fold Weaponry
Range: Melee
Damage: See feature
Attack Mod: 0
Damage Type: Physical

Features

Passives

  • Relentless (2)

    Nihil can be spotlighted up to 2 times per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.

  • Thousand-Fold Weaponry

    Nihil wields a special artifact that changes its form based on the fluid, ever-changing will of their God.
    When combat starts, start a Looping Countdown (2), ticking down when the Nihil takes the Spotlight.
    When the Countdown ticks down to 0, roll a new weapon from the d8 weapon table as Nihil's weapon shifts in form. Use the attacks and features according to its type.

    d8 Weapon Table:
    1 — Rapier (Piercing Light)
    2 — Stiletto (Bladed/Piercing Light)
    3 — Whip (Bludgeoning Light)
    4 — Bastard sword (Bladed/Piercing Medium)
    5 — Hatchet (Bladed Medium)
    6 — Lance (Piercing Heavy)
    7 — Greathammer (Bludgeoning Heavy)
    8 — Scythe (Bladed Heavy)

  • As It Is Foretold

    When Nihil's weapon shifts according to the will of their God, they are given a new task to carry out. Roll a d4 on the Prescripts Table. Once a Prescript has been rolled, it cannot be rolled again until all Prescripts have been rolled.
    If Nihil's God deems that the task has not been carried out sufficiently before the next Prescript comes, Nihil must Mark 2 Stress. If the task has been sufficiently carried out by the time of the next Prescript's arrival, they clear 1 Stress.

    d4 Prescripts Table:
    1 — Restrict the Assistance, Press the Advantage (Deny the Players the opportunity to recover, target those who assist their allies.)
    2 — Fall Back, Ease The Tension (Successfully hamper atleast 2 Players. Must not deal more than 4 HP of total damage between all Players.)
    3 — With Great Agression, Fell Approaching Pests (Unleash a total offensive, deal atleast 4 HP of total damage between all Players.)
    4 — With Precision, Paralyze (Drain player resources, between all Players mark a total of 3 Stress or Armor slots, in any combination.)

Actions

  • Thousand-Fold Weaponry:: Light

    Melee Attack +4, 2d6+2 phys damage. On hit, Nihil can move to another target in Very Close range and make an attack against them.

  • Thousand-Fold Weaponry:: Medium

    Melee Attack +3, 2d8+3 phys damage.

  • Thousand-Fold Weaponry:: Heavy

    Melee Attack +2, 2d20+4 phys damage. On a miss or if the target marks only 1 HP, the next attack against Nihil has Advantage.

  • When Crushing Bones With A Blunt Instrument...
    stress 1

    Mark a Stress to attack with a Bludgeoning weapon, dealing damage and knocking the target back to Very Close range or Close Range with Heavy weapons.

  • When Tearing Skin With A Sharpened Blade...
    stress 1

    Mark a Stress to attack with a Bladed weapon, dealing damage and causing the target to Bleed. While Bleeding, the target must mark a Stress when making an action roll.

  • When Piercing The Lungs With A Pointed Tool...
    stress 1

    Mark a Stress to attack with a Piercing weapon. The damage you deal is direct damage.

Reactions

—

Motives & tactics

Follow the word of God Analyze the situation Act with a calm rationality

Experiences

  • Indulgence in the Will of God +2
  • Subsumed Individuality +1

Nihil, the Dark Father

Tier 2 solo

Nihil is the steadfast yet conflicted follower of a trickster God, whose will changes on a whim. Even as they might be thrown away like a toy, Nihil obeys their will without another word.

Motives & Tactics: Follow the word of God, Analyze the situation, Act with a calm rationality

Difficulty: 13 | Thresholds: 14/26 | HP: 10 | Stress: 6

ATK: 0 | Thousand-Fold Weaponry: Melee | See feature Physical

Experience: Indulgence in the Will of God +2, Subsumed Individuality +1

HP:

STRESS:

Features

Relentless (2) - Passive: Nihil can be spotlighted up to 2 times per GM turn. Spend Fear as usual to spotlight them.
Thousand-Fold Weaponry - Passive: Nihil wields a special artifact that changes its form based on the fluid, ever-changing will of their God. When combat starts, start a Looping Countdown (2), ticking down when the Nihil takes the Spotlight. When the Countdown ticks down to 0, roll a new weapon from the d8 weapon table as Nihil's weapon shifts in form. Use the attacks and features according to its type. d8 Weapon Table: 1 — Rapier (Piercing Light) 2 — Stiletto (Bladed/Piercing Light) 3 — Whip (Bludgeoning Light) 4 — Bastard sword (Bladed/Piercing Medium) 5 — Hatchet (Bladed Medium) 6 — Lance (Piercing Heavy) 7 — Greathammer (Bludgeoning Heavy) 8 — Scythe (Bladed Heavy)
Thousand-Fold Weaponry:: Light - Action: Melee Attack +4, 2d6+2 phys damage. On hit, Nihil can move to another target in Very Close range and make an attack against them.
Thousand-Fold Weaponry:: Medium - Action: Melee Attack +3, 2d8+3 phys damage.
Thousand-Fold Weaponry:: Heavy - Action: Melee Attack +2, 2d20+4 phys damage. On a miss or if the target marks only 1 HP, the next attack against Nihil has Advantage.
As It Is Foretold - Passive: When Nihil's weapon shifts according to the will of their God, they are given a new task to carry out. Roll a d4 on the Prescripts Table. Once a Prescript has been rolled, it cannot be rolled again until all Prescripts have been rolled. If Nihil's God deems that the task has not been carried out sufficiently before the next Prescript comes, Nihil must Mark 2 Stress. If the task has been sufficiently carried out by the time of the next Prescript's arrival, they clear 1 Stress. d4 Prescripts Table: 1 — Restrict the Assistance, Press the Advantage (Deny the Players the opportunity to recover, target those who assist their allies.) 2 — Fall Back, Ease The Tension (Successfully hamper atleast 2 Players. Must not deal more than 4 HP of total damage between all Players.) 3 — With Great Agression, Fell Approaching Pests (Unleash a total offensive, deal atleast 4 HP of total damage between all Players.) 4 — With Precision, Paralyze (Drain player resources, between all Players mark a total of 3 Stress or Armor slots, in any combination.)
When Crushing Bones With A Blunt Instrument... - Action: Mark a Stress to attack with a Bludgeoning weapon, dealing damage and knocking the target back to Very Close range or Close Range with Heavy weapons.
When Tearing Skin With A Sharpened Blade... - Action: Mark a Stress to attack with a Bladed weapon, dealing damage and causing the target to Bleed. While Bleeding, the target must mark a Stress when making an action roll.
When Piercing The Lungs With A Pointed Tool... - Action: Mark a Stress to attack with a Piercing weapon. The damage you deal is direct damage.

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