D&D 5E Epic Monsters: Cherub

These direct servants of god guard the Garden of Eden (and therein the Tree of Life) and carry around celestial thrones. Cherubim are said to be the closest to god in Islam (dwelling in the sixth heaven around the Throne of God), they have the second-highest rank in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, and Jewish scholars placed them as either the ninth (second-lowest) rank of angels or in the Kabbalah the third rank. It’s in western Christianity (second-highest rank there) where this angel gets associated with Cupid and starts looking like a baby—cherubs—but otherwise it’s thought to be a winged angel with four heads: one eagle (birds), one human (humanity), one lion (wild animals), one ox (domesticated animals).

Cherub​

Medium celestial, lawful good
Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
Hit Points 105 (14d8+42)
Speed 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (hover)

STR​	DEX​	CON​	INT​	WIS​	CHA​
18 (+4)​	17 (+3)​	16 (+3)​	13 (+1)​	17 (+3)​	16 (+3)​

Skills Athletics +12, Perception +7, Religion +9
Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 22
Languages Celestial
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Angelic Weapons. The cherub’s weapon attacks are magical. When the cherub hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 10 (3d6) radiant damage (included in the attack).

Brass-Legged. The cherub has advantage on saving throws made to resist being knocked prone.

Divine Coals. The cherub is surrounded by a halo of fiery sparking coals. At the start of each of the cherub’s turns, each creature within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage and 7 (2d6) lightning damage, and flammable objects in the aura that aren’t being worn or carried ignite. A creature that touches the cherub or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage and 7 (2d6) lightning damage.

Flyby. The cherub doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy’s reach.

Four Heads. The cherub has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, deafened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.

Innate Spellcasting. The cherub’s innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 15). The cherub can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: detect evil and good, see invisibility​

3/day each: healing word (as a 4th-level spell; 4d4+3)​

1/day each: dispel evil and good, flame strike​

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

ACTIONS
Multiattack. The cherub attacks twice with its wings.

Wings. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) radiant damage.

REACTIONS
Solar Flare (Recharge 6). When the cherub takes damage from a melee attack, it can use its reaction to blast its attacker with divine light. The creature makes a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or it is blinded for 1d4 rounds.

Angel, Cherub

Originally Posted by Shade of the En World forums.

On this Thread

Angel, Cherub
Large outsider (Angel, Extraplanar, Good)
Hit Dice	36d8+324 (486 hp)
Initiative	+11
Speed	30 ft. (6 squares), Fly 60 ft. (good)
Armor Class	42 (-1 size, +7 Dexterity, +26 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 35
Base Attack/Grapple	+36/+53
Attack	+5 fiery blast greatsword +53 melee (3d6+24 plus 3d6 fire/19-20 plus 6d6 fire on a critical hit) or slam +48 melee (2d8+13)
Full Attack	+5 fiery blast greatsword +53/+48/+43/+38 melee (3d6+24 plus 3d6 fire/19-20 plus 6d6 fire on a critical hit) or 2 slams +48 melee (2d8+13)
Space/Reach	10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks	Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities	All-around vision, change shape, damage reduction 20/epic and evil, Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to acid, cold, mind affecting spells and abilities, and petrification, localized omniscience, Low-Light Vision, protective aura, regeneration 20, resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10, Spell Resistance 38, tongues
Saves	Fort +29 (+33 against poison), Ref +27, Will +30
Abilities	Strength 36, Dexterity 25, Constitution 28, Intelligence 28, Wisdom 30, Charisma 32
Skills	Concentration +48, Diplomacy +54, Escape Artist +46, Heal +49, Hide +42, Intimidate +50, Knowledge (Arcana) +48, Knowledge (nature) +48, Knowledge (religion) +48, Knowledge (the planes) +48, Listen +49, Move Silently +46, Search +48, Sense Motive +49, Spellcraft +52 (+56 scrolls), Spot +49, Survival +10 (+14 following tracks, +14 on other planes, +14 in aboveground natural environments), Use Magic Device +50 (+54 scrolls), Rope Use+7 (+11 bindings)
Feats	Blinding Speed, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Great Cleave, Empower Spell-Like Ability (fire storm), Improved Initiative, Mobility, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (greater dispel magic), Spell Stowaway (heal), Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack
Environment	Any good-aligned plane
Organization	Solitary, pair, or host (4-8 plus up to 32 HD of lesser angels)
Challenge Rating	25
Treasure	No coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment	Always good (any)
Advancement	37-54 HD (Huge), 55-70 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment	—

COMBAT

Cherubim are watchful guardians, able to see in all directions at once with their four-faced heads. Although they possess the usual angelic array of spell-like powers, the cherubim’s greatest weapon is the fiery power they imbue into their mighty blades.

A cherub’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as epic and good-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

All-Around Vision (Ex): A cherub’s many faces give it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and it can’t be flanked.

Change Shape (Su): A cherub can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid.

Fiery Blast (Su): Any melee weapon wielded by a cherub is trated as a fiery blast weapon. A fiery blast weapon is sheathed in fire, though this deals no damage to the cherub. On any hit, this fire engulfs the creature struck, dealing +3d6 points of bonus fire damage. On a successful critical hit it instead deals +6d6 points of fire damage (or +9d6 if the critical multiplier is x3, or +12d6 if the critical multiplier is x4). Bows, crossbows, and slings with this special ability bestow the bonus fire damage upon their ammunition.

Localized Omniscience (Su): Cherubim continuously use arcane sight, detect thoughts, discern lies, and true seeing as the spells (caster level 20th), except all function to a range of 120 feet.

Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20 feet of the angel. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect and a lesser globe of
invulnerability, both with a radius of 20 feet (caster level 36th). This aura can be dispelled, but the angel can create it again as a free action on its next turn. (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in its statistics block.)

Regeneration (Ex): A cherub takes damage from evil-aligned weapons and from spells and effects with the evil descriptor.

• Spell-Like Abilities: At will – aid, animate objects, commune, continual flame, dimensional anchor, greater dispel magic, holy smite (DC 25), imprisonment (DC 30), invisibility (self only), lesser restoration (DC 23), remove curse, remove disease, remove fear, resist energy, summon monster VII, speak with dead (DC 24), wall of fire, waves of fatigue;
• 3/day- blade barrier (DC 27), chain lightning (DC 27), flame strike (DC 26), earthquake (DC 29), heal (DC 27), mass charm monster (DC 29), permanency, quickened greater dispel magic, waves of exhaustion;
• 1/day – empowered fire storm (DC 29), greater restoration (DC 28), power word blind, power word kill, power word stun, prismatic spray (DC 28), wish.

Caster level 25th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Tongues (Su): A cherub can speak with any creature that has a language, as though using a tongues spell (caster level 36th). This ability is always active.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #35 (1980).