Mythological Figures: Brünnhilde (5E)

​Mythological Figures: Brünnhilde (5E) | EN World | Dungeons & Dragons | Tabletop Roleplaying Games

There’s an enormous amount of information about Brünnhilde (see her her Wikipedia page) and I’ll try to summarize it here. First off there are two versions of this valkyrie: one germanic and the other norse. Whichever one you’re looking at she’s responsible for the death of Siegfried (an epic dragonslaying hero) thanks to a spat with his wife. Ostensibly she’s based on either a Visigothic princess named Brunhilda of Austrasia or less popularly the wife of Ostrogothic general Uraias (slain by king Witiges for insults with his spouse).

In the Prose Edda she’s an armor-wearing mountain hermit living behind a wall of flame. Sigurd (same guy as Siegfried) approaches her then later he introduces his buddy Gunnar to her brother (Atli) who reveals Brünnhilde will only wed someone able to ride through the fires. Gunnar wants to but can’t so Sigurd swaps forms with Gunnar, rides through the flame wall, marries her, puts a sword between them to avoid consummation the night of their wedding, they exchange rings that morning, and then he leaves and changes places with Gunnar. Later on she’s washing in the river with Sigurd’s wife Gudrun but gets catty about sharing the water because Gunnar (her husband) is braver than Gudrun’s husband—so Gudrun reveals the trickery of Sigurd and Gunnar. Brünnhilde convinces Gunnar to kill Sigurd, and then afterwards kills herself.

Earlier legends sort of conflate her with a figure named Sigrdrífa who’s much more valkyrie-like—Sigurd is led there after tasting the blood of the dragon he famously slayed, she’s sleeping behind a wall of shields, wakens when he cuts the armor grown into her skin, and she demands a fearless suitor. More importantly she teaches Sigurd about runes.

There are a bunch of different legends that frequently argue with one another. Sometimes Brünnhilde/Sigrdrífa loves Sigurd so much that she has him killed because she can’t have him, sometimes other people get involved and the murderer is someone other than Gunnar, and the prerequisites for marrying her change too (they must know and overcome fear, not just be fearless, and so on). She’s kind of a mess.

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Brünnhilde/Sigrdrífa/Valkyrie
Medium celestial, chaotic neutral

Armor Class 20 (plate, shield)
Hit Points 133 (14d8+70)
Speed 30 ft., 90 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	17 (+3)	20 (+5)	13 (+1)	18 (+4)	19 (+4)

Skills Animal Handling +8, Athletics +8, Insight +8, Medicine +8, Perception +8
Damage Resistances acid, fire; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical weapons
Damage Immunities cold, lightning, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 18
Languages Celestial, Common (tongues)
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Brute. A melee weapon deals one extra die of its damage when the Brünnhilde hits with it (included in the attack).

Choose the Slain (1/Day). Brünnhilde can innately cast imprisonment without the need for material components. She is only able to target a recently killed creature, it must be a willing target, and Brünnhilde must choose the Minimus Containment effect. The target is stored inside of Brünnhilde’s sword, regaining 1 hit point after 24 hours.

Innate Spellcasting. Brünnhilde’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). She can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

Constant: tongues
At will: aid, death ward, gentle repose, plane shift (self and mount only)
3/day: call lightning, geas
1/day: conjure celestial, heal,revivify​

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

Powerful Attacks. When Brünnhilde makes her first melee weapon attack in a turn, she can choose to take a -5 penalty to her melee weapon attack rolls in exchange for a +10 bonus to melee weapon damage. In addition, Brünnhilde can use a bonus action or reaction to make one melee weapon attack after she uses a melee weapon to reduce a creature to 0 hit points or scores a critical hit with it.


ACTIONS

Multiattack. Brünnhilde attacks six times: four times with her spear and twice with her shield bash.

Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6+4) magical piercing damage. Immediately after hitting or missing the target, Brünnhilde’s spear returns to her hand.

Shield Bash. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 9 (2d4+4) magical bludgeoning damage. If the target is a Medium or smaller creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Vital Strike. Brünnhilde makes a single attack, automatically hitting her target and scoring a critical hit. She makes an attack roll with advantage and if she would have successfully hit, the critical hit does twice the maximum damage.

Brünnhilde

Surrounded by lightning, this impressive female warrior wears a gleaming golden breastplate and carries a shining spear.

Name Brunhild
Valkyrie CR 25

XP 1640000
CN Medium Outsider Extraplanar Subtype, Outsider traits Cavalier level 10 (skill points 40) Sword (Order of the Sword Cavalier)
Aristocrat level 6 (skill points 24) Aristocrat
Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60, Deathwatch; Perception +25

DEFENSE

AC 40, touch 25, flat-footed 36 (+3 Dex, +9 armour, +6 shield, +1 feats, +11 deflection)
hp 370 (16d10+10d10+6d6+192+10);
Fort +20, Ref +18, Will +24
Damage Reduction (Ex) 10/cold iron and lawful, Immunity to cold, electricity, poison, Resist acid 10, fire 10, Spell Resistance 23

OFFENSE

Speed 40ft., fly 100ft., Fly (perfect) 100ft
Melee +3 Mithral Medium Brilliant Energy Spear +43/+38/+33/+28 (1d8+12 X3), +2 Mithral Medium Flaming Longsword +35 (1d8+6/19-20)
Ranged Spear Thrown +34 (1d8+9 X3) range 20 Ranged +2 returning spear
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks

Banner (Ex) Allies within 60 ft +2 morale on fear saves and +1 morale on attack rolls in a charge. Additional bonus= 1
Cavaliers Charge (Ex) +4 bonus on melee attack rolls on a charge while mounted and no penalty to AC
Challenge (Ex) +1 damage per level against one foe (-2 AC against other foes). Per day = 4
Mounted Mastery (Ex) Ignores armor check penalty using Ride, +4 bonus to AC when charge, add mounts STR bonus to damage
Sword Challenge Receives a morale bonus on attack rolls against the challenged so long as mounted. Bonus = 3
Tactician (Ex) Standard action, grants teamwork feat within 30 feet last 3 rnds +1per 2 levels. Per day 3
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +18)
1/day- breath of life, heal, summon (level 8, 1 sleipnir 100%) , 3/day- divine power, geas/quest , At Will -aid, death ward, gentle repose, plane shift (self and mount only) , Constant- deathwatch, tongues , 3/day- call lightning storm DC(26) ,

STATISTICS

Str 26 + 2 = 28, Dex 17, Con 22, Int 11, Wis 22, Cha 27 + 6 = 33
Base Atk +30; CMB +39; CMD 64
Feats Armour Prof Heavy, Armour Prof Light, Armour Prof Medium, Blind-fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Dodge, Martial Weap Prof, Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by Attack, Shield Focus, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Skill Focus (Ride), Spirited Charge, Tower Shield Proficiency, Trample, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus, Weapon Focus(Ranged);
Skills Appraise +0, Bluff +24, Climb +7, Diplomacy +29, Disguise +11, Fly +28, Handle Animal +33, Heal +25, Intimidate +29, Know Geography +0, Know Nobility +18, Know Religion +0, Know the Planes +19, Linguistics +0, Perception +25, Perform Oratory +11, Ride +35, Sense Motive +25, Survival +6, Swim +13
Languages Celestial

ECOLOGY

Environment Any
Organization Solitary, Ride 2-8
Treasure Standard x 3

SPECIAL ABILITIES

ITEMS: +3 Chainmail, Mithral Medium Armor one category lighter than normal for purposes of movement and other limitations., Glamered : On Command changes shape and appearance to assume a normal set of clothing., Belt of giant strength (+2) +2 STR, Bracers of armour (+5) +5AC, Cloak of charisma (+6) +6 CHR, Headband of alluring charisma (+2) +2 CHR, Horn of blasting -, Ring of Protection (+3) +3 AC, Ring of Shooting stars -, +3 (+1 special ability) Shield, heavy wooden, Blinding : 2/day within 20 feet must make a DC 14 Reflex save or be blinded for 1d4 rounds., +3 (+4 special ability) Spear, Mithral Medium Weapon : Mithral weapons count as silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction., Brilliant Energy : Ignores nonliving matter., +2 (+1 special ability) Longsword, Mithral Medium Weapon : Mithral weapons count as silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction., Flaming : +1d6 fire damage,