Cyric, Prince of Lies — CR 30 Avatar Stat Block

The Avatar of Cyric

Medium fiend (avatar), chaotic evil

Armor Class: 26 (natural armor)
Hit Points: 594 (36d12 + 360)
Speed: 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
24 (+7)	24 (+7)	30 (+10)	26 (+8)	22 (+6)	30 (+10)

Saving Throws: Dex +16, Con +19, Int +17, Wis +15, Cha +19
Skills: Deception +28, Insight +15, Intimidation +19, Perception +15, Persuasion +19, Stealth +16
Damage Resistances: necrotic, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities: poison, radiant
Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened, poisoned, stunned
Senses: truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 25
Languages: all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge: 30 (155,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus: +9

Traits

Aura of Discord. A creature of the avatar’s choice that starts its turn within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 27 Charisma saving throw or regard all creatures as hostile until the start of its next turn. While affected, it cannot willingly provide another creature advantage, healing, or other assistance.

Deceptive Form. Attack rolls against the avatar have disadvantage unless the attacker has truesight or can see through illusions.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the avatar fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The avatar has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Shattered Truth (Mythic Trait; 1/Day). When the avatar is reduced to 0 hit points, his mask shatters and reveals a shifting void. He does not die, all conditions affecting him end, and he regains 315 hit points. Aura of Discord expands to 60 feet, and he immediately uses Whispers of Madness.

Actions

Multiattack. The avatar makes three Shadow Blade attacks.

Shadow Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 25 (4d8 + 7) psychic damage plus 18 (4d8) necrotic damage.

Whispers of Madness (Recharge 5–6). Up to three creatures within 60 feet make a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 45 (10d8) psychic damage and is confused, as the confusion spell, until the end of its next turn. On a success, it takes half as much damage.

Betrayer’s Command. One creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or use its reaction to make one weapon attack against a target of Cyric’s choice within range.

Convincing Falsehood. Cyric states a false description of one creature he can see within 120 feet. Each other creature that hears him must succeed on a DC 27 Intelligence saving throw or perceive the target as matching that description for 1 minute. Affected creatures repeat the save at the end of each turn and whenever the target damages them.

Reactions

You Saw Nothing. When a creature the avatar can see succeeds on an attack roll or saving throw against him, he forces it to reroll the d20 and use the lower result.

Legendary Actions

The avatar can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. It regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

False Image. The avatar creates an illusory duplicate in an unoccupied space within 30 feet. The next attack made against him before the start of his next turn misses, then the duplicate vanishes.

Whisper of Lies. One creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened until the end of its next turn.

Betrayal’s Touch (Costs 2 Actions). The avatar makes one Shadow Blade attack. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 27 Charisma saving throw or use its reaction to attack one of its allies.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the avatar uses one lair action. It cannot use the same option two rounds in a row.

Hall of Mirrors. Illusory duplicates fill the lair until initiative count 20 on the next round. Creatures other than the avatar have disadvantage on saving throws against his abilities.

Warped Reality. A 30-foot-radius area within 120 feet becomes difficult terrain until initiative count 20 on the next round. A creature there must succeed on a DC 26 Intelligence saving throw or be blinded until the start of its next turn.

Seeds of Treachery. One creature within 120 feet must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or regard one ally of Cyric’s choice as hostile until initiative count 20 on the next round.

Contradictory Doors. Cyric exchanges the positions of up to three pairs of creatures he can see within 120 feet. An unwilling creature avoids the exchange with a successful DC 27 Charisma saving throw.

Mythic Actions

The avatar can take 3 mythic actions per day, using one option at a time. It regains spent uses at dawn.

Unmasking Madness. Each creature of the avatar’s choice within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 27 Wisdom saving throw or take 27 (6d8) psychic damage and be stunned until the end of its next turn.

Shadow’s Betrayal. One creature within 60 feet must succeed on a DC 27 Charisma saving throw or make one attack against an ally before the end of its next turn. If it does not, it takes 45 (10d8) psychic damage.

Reality Unravels (Costs 2 Actions). A 60-foot-radius area centered on the avatar becomes heavily obscured until the end of his next turn. Creatures of his choice can see normally in the area. Other creatures treat their allies as hostile for opportunity attacks.

Introduction

Cyric, the Prince of Lies, Dark Sun, and Mad God, embodies deceit, intrigue, murder, and strife. Once a mortal thief, he rose during the Time of Troubles through betrayal and bloodshed. His faith treats paranoia as vigilance and contradiction as proof that truth belongs to whoever survives.

Cyricist cells hide inside corrupted sects, criminal societies, and divided courts. Their clergy wear black or purple robes trimmed with silver and mark themselves with a skull against a dark sunburst. Temples reward internal plots, sudden holy days, and sacrifices chosen to produce the widest suspicion.

The avatar manifests to break an alliance, corrupt a succession, or turn a necessary war into a civil one. He seldom leads openly. He arrives where trust is already damaged and supplies the final lie needed to make companions destroy each other.

Physical Appearance

The avatar is a lean armored figure wrapped in black cloth and angular blackened plate. A smooth silver mask covers his face and reflects no viewer. The absence behind it seems deeper than the mask should allow.

His shadow sometimes moves before he does. Reflections show him addressing different listeners, and his voice changes between calm reason, wounded sincerity, and sudden accusation without changing volume.

Roleplaying the Avatar

Cyric uses accurate details to support false conclusions. He tests which suspicion each listener already carries, then gives it a name and a target.

Begin with one fact the listener can verify.
Tell different creatures mutually exclusive versions of the same promise.
Answer an accusation by exposing a different secret.
Alternate calm explanation with brief, misplaced laughter.
Treat open violence as proof that the victim believed the lie.

Use in a Campaign

The False Heir

The avatar provides three claimants with convincing proof that each is the sole lawful ruler.

Necessary Testimony

Cyric knows the only fact that can stop a war, but any public statement he makes will be treated as a lie.

The Divided Company

Each hero receives private evidence that a different companion has already betrayed the group.

Temple of Contradictions

A Cyricist schism asks the party to judge which high priest is the heretic. Both follow genuine commands from the same god.

Lairs

Cyric’s lairs prevent observers from agreeing about space, sequence, and identity. Mirrors show false positions, doors return different creatures to different rooms, and spoken plans reach enemies as whispers.

Hall of Empty Mirrors

Each reflection shows a different arrangement of creatures and reveals one true secret among several false ones.

The Divided Palace

Two courts occupy the same building and believe the other faction seized it overnight.

Dark Sun Chapel

A hidden sanctuary uses masked congregants, rotating walls, and confession chambers that exchange voices.

The Betrayer’s Camp

An army encampment remains outwardly orderly while forged orders redirect patrols and supplies toward mutual destruction.

Shared References

Open a reference for its canonical description and related entries.