Monster Monday: Cupid - A d20 Despot Valentine's Day Special

Playing D&D on Valentine's Day is like being a grizzled cop who doesn't play by the rules - to work properly, you either need the perfect partner, or no partner at all.  That said, if you are lucky/unlucky enough to be playing D&D this Valentine's Day (or if you happen to be playing sometime around V-Day, or maybe just in a Greco-Roman-themed campaign), consider slipping one of these babies into the game:

Cupid from Raphael's Triumph of Galatea, genitals hilariously censored with an ancient Roman d14

A cupid is a small, winged humanoid trickster that delights in sowing discord amongst people by shooting them with magic arrows that bring out emotional extremes like love, lust, and revulsion.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is (C)2014 Jonah Bomgaars.
Cupid                CR 2

XP 600

CN Small outsider (native)

Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +1 size)

hp 16 (3d10)

Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +5

DR 5/magic; Immune charm, compulsion

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., Fly 50 ft. (Good)

Ranged +1 shortbow +8 (Cupid’s Arrows [See below]) 60ft.

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3^rd)

   At-will - invisibility (self only)

   3/day – greater teleport (self only)

STATISTICS

Str 7, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 20

Base Atk +3; CMB +0; CMD 13

Feats rapid shot , weapon focus (short bow)

Skills Bluff +11, Diplomacy +11, Fly +15, Perception +8, Sense motive +8, Stealth +13

Languages Common; telepathy 100ft.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Cupid’s Arrows (Sp)

   Cupids are armed with magic short bows that shoot arrows which do no damage, but play with the emotions of their targets.  A cupid can draw forth an infinite amount of any of the types of arrows detailed here.  Both the cupid’s bow and his arrows are useless out of the hands of the cupid.  Those struck by a cupid’s arrow are struck as if by a spell-like ability at a caster level equal to the cupid’s Hit Dice.  Those struck by cupid’s arrows must make a DC 16 Will save or suffer the effects.  All saves are Charisma based.  No single creature can be under the effects of multiple cupid arrows.  Each successful strike of a cupid’s arrow counters and dispels all effects previously caused by other cupid’s arrows. 

   The varieties of cupid’s arrows are as follows:

   Charm – This red arrow makes the target friendly to the cupid and predisposed to favor the cupid’s suggestions.  This functions as the spell charm person.  The duration of the effect is 3 hours (1 hour/cupid’s HD). 

   Love – This golden-headed arrow fills the target with feelings of intense infatuation for a specific individual known to the target and designated by the cupid at the time the arrow is fired.  Thereafter, the target does all it can to remain within 30 ft. of the object of its desire.  If the target moves outside this range, it gains the staggered condition until it is again near the focus of its desire.  If remaining within 30 ft. of the focus of its affection would place the target in obvious physical danger, the target can attempt a second save to break the arrow’s effect.  This functions as the spell reckless infatuation.  The duration of the effect is 3 days (1 day/cupid’s HD).

   Lust – This copper arrow fills the target with lust and desire for a single creature or object designated by the cupid.  The object of the target’s affections must be perceivable by both the cupid and the target.  If the target would not normally have lustful feelings toward the object, it is granted a +4 bonus to resist the effects of the arrow.  If the target fails its save, it is filled with a compulsion to rush to the subject and passionately kiss or caress it on its next turn, taking no other actions.  This functions as the spell unnatural lust.  The duration of the effect is 3 rounds (1 round/cupid’s HD). 

   Revulsion – This lead arrow fills the target with feelings of terrible loathing toward a specific individual known to the target and designated by the cupid at the time the arrow is fired.  Thereafter, the target does all it can to remain at least 60 feet away from the object of its loathing. As soon as the target moves within this range, it becomes nauseated until it can again get away from the object of its revulsion. If traveling beyond 60 feet of the object of its loathing would place the target in obvious physical danger, the target can attempt a second save to break the spell’s effect. This functions as the spell unadulterated loathing.  The duration of the effect is 3 days (1 day/cupid’s HD).

   Sleep – This white-colored arrow causes the target to fall into a deep sleep.  It functions as the spell sleep except that it can effect a creature with more than 4 HD.  The duration of the effect is 3 minutes (1 min./cupid’s HD). 

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, amor (3-9)

Treasure love - the greatest treasure of all

   Cupids are mischievous creatures that delight in playing pranks upon unsuspecting mortals.  They look like chubby babies or children with white or bronze feathered wings.  All cupids bear a short bow and a quiver of arrows.  They can do no damage with these weapons, but instead use them to toy with their targets’ emotions, causing them to make or break friendships and trysts, at least temporarily, with a few well-placed shafts.  A favorite tactic of the cupid is to use its sleep arrow to incapacitate isolated, unsuspecting targets, and then follow that up with another arrow with a desired effect.  Cupids are particularly fond of shooting one target with a love arrow and the object of their affection with a revulsion arrow, causing a madcap chase which amuses the cupid to no end.  If brought into melee combat or serious danger, the cupid will teleport away, as it is incapable of actual combat.  

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As you might guess, a cupid is not intended to be the main combatant in a fight.  Rather, they are best employed to secretly mess with the party, at which point the characters must find a way to drive the cupid off and deal with the after-effects of his arrows.  Alternately, adding a few cupids to an encounter can turn an otherwise ordinary fight into a memorable madcap adventure.  Imagine the following scenario:

The party has garnered a bit of fame, having dealt with some local threats and saved a village.  But not all of the attention they have attracted is welcome; three cupids from the local sylvan grove have formed an unofficial fan club for the heroes, but they fall out over an argument about which party-members would make the best couple.  As the heroes head out to face a bandit gang led by a wily minotaur, the three rival cupids converge on the party, each attempting to make their own poorly-written fan-fiction a reality.  

If all goes well, the encounter may be worthy of being set to Yakety Sax.

Traditionally, at least according to Ovid's Metamorphoses, Cupid had golden arrows that caused love and lead arrows that caused revulsion.  I added the red charm, copper lust, and white sleep arrows to round out the cupid's abilities and because I thought they would fit well in his quiver, so to speak.  More powerful cupids might have additional types of arrows at their disposal, such as barbed arrows of spite, opal arrows of confusion, mirrored arrows of narcissism, wooden arrows of boredom, black arrows of remorse, and so on.

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We here are d20 Despot want to wish you all a happy Valentine's Day, whether you be spending it with a loved one, alone, or with friends.  As such, here are some Valentine's cards.

-your unrequited d20 despot