Creature Feature (5e): The Queen of the White Court

Outsiders are often confused by the nature of the Queens. The Pieces generally chalk this up, probably correctly, to the fact that many outsiders are from lands where royal ladies, queens especially,  are treated delicately, whereas the Queens of the Board are the ultimate tools of war.  Even those from lands with less strict gender roles among their nobility (or no nobility at all) are nearly always in awe of the prowess the Queens of the Board possess, both martially and tactically.  Only once thus far has an outsider defeated a Queen: a Githyanki swordmaster whose name is lost to outsiders and rarely whispered by the Pieces. 

The Queens are in many ways polar opposites. The Black Queen is stern and serious, heavily involved in the planning and strategy involved in her husband’s war efforts.  She is rarely involved in combat except where necessary, and both she and her husband favor a defensive style. The White Queen is whimsical and perhaps even mad. She cares little for strategizing, although accepts her husband’s orders without question. She realizes that doing so will help her achieve what all Pieces want most: to win the Game. The Queen of the Black Court is arguably the better fighter, if only because of her blade of power, but only rarely can she strike at her impossibly fast rival. 

The Queen of the White Court

Large construct, lawful neutral

Armor Class 23
Hit Points 209 (22d10 + 88)
Speed 120 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
18 (+4) 28 (+9) 18 (+4) 18 (+4) 16 (+3) 14 (+2)

Saving Throws Strength +11, Dexterity +16, Intelligence +11, Wisdom +10, Charisma +9
Skills Acrobatics +16,  Athletics +11,  History +11, Insight +10, Perception +10, Persuade +9
Damage Immunities poison, psychic; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t adamantine
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 21 (33,000 XP)

Special Traits

  • Boardsight. The Queen of the White Court is aware of all creatures’ exact location whilst on the Board. She is equally aware when a creature on the Board has been killed or destroyed (and can usually quickly reason out who is responsible for that destruction).
  • Legendary Resistance (3/day). If the Queen of the White Court fails a saving throw, she may choose to succeed instead.
  • Magic Resistance. The Queen of the White Court has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Checkmate. The Queen of the White Court crumbles to dust if the King in White is ever destroyed.
  • Between the Raindrops and the Blades. The Queen of the White Court is unaffected by difficult terrain and attacks of opportunity made against her have disadvantage. 
  • Smiles. Be it a curse or a benefit, the Queen of the White Court will never truly fear for her own life or those of her allies. She obeys her King’s commands and self-preserves only because doing so helps with her ultimate goal: Winning the Game. For her more than any other, it is all just a game.

Actions

  • Multiattack. The Queen of the White Court may attack three times, using any combination of her piercing hand and hammer kick attacks.
  • Piercing HandMelee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (1d12 +7) piercing damage.
  • Hammer KickMelee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 +4) bludgeoning damage.
  • Strike of Impossible Stone. As her choice of either a bonus or standard action, the Queen may make the following attack: Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 10 (1d12 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Legendary Actions

The Queen of the White Court can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be chosen at one time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The Queen of the White Court regains spent legendary actions at the end of her turn.

  • Bold Gambit (Costs 3 Actions). The Queen of the White Court may immediately use her Multiattack on any combination of targets within range. After this action is resolved, it provokes opportunity attacks, which are made with advantage (temporarily ignoring the Queen’s Between the Raindrops and the Blades trait).
  • Illegal Move (Costs 1 Actions). The Queen of the White Court may move up to her speed. If this action is taken, she immediately takes 1d10 Bludgeoning damage (resistance applies) from the serious strains put on her body.

ABOUT

She races like lightning across the Board, faster than any other Piece and, some outsiders (probably incorrectly) claim, any creature in all the Planes. While her husband and king does not always send her on the offensive, it is her most common role, harrying enemy troops and supporting faltering allies. With a swirling stone dress of the purest white, upon her stone skin of the same hue, the Queen of the White Court races always on bare feet, entering combat, not unlike some demigoddess dancer.  Like her husband, she is younger than her counterpart in the Black Court, but as the centuries have gone by this fact has become increasingly less relevant. The Queen of the White Court is hated by her enemies, for once the armies required to perhaps defeat her are mustered and positioned, she usually has already dashed away, wearing her damned perpetual smile. They say she is mad but it is largely irrelevant: she remains a threat. A Game was once won when she whimsically raced through Black’s palace and stomped his head into the floor tiles while his Queen was out of position. 



About Quin Callahan

Quin Callahan is a freelance writer and college level English and economics tutor of over four years experience. He has written for a variety of gaming, technology, and economics publications. His favorite animal might be the squid but he is rarely certain.

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