Unicorn

Overview

Unicorns dwell in enchanted forests. Unrelated to the horses it resembles, a unicorn is a celestial creature that wanders sylvan realms, its white form glimmering like starlight.
A unicorn’s brow sports a single spiraling horn of ivory whose magical touch can heal the sick and the injured. Its ears catch the words and whispers of the creatures that share its domain, and it knows the tongues of elves and sylvan folk. Unicorns allow good-hearted creatures to enter their woods to hunt or gather food, but they hold evil ever at bay. Foul-hearted creatures seldom leave a unicorn’s domain alive.

Divine Guardians

Good deities placed unicorns on the Material Plane to ward away evil and preserve and protect sacred places. Most unicorns protect a bounded realm such as an enchanted forest. However, the gods sometimes send a unicorn to guard sacred artifacts or protect specific creatures. When the forces of darkness strike against an individual the gods wish to protect, they might send that individual to a unicorn’s forest, where evil creatures pursue at their peril.
Unicorns most often serve deities of the forest and woodlands, including the gods of benevolent fey. Although all unicorns have natural healing power, some serve the gods in greater capacities, performing miracles normally reserved for high priests.

Forest Lords

A unicorn’s forest is a celestial realm where nothing that occurs beneath the sun-dappled leaves escapes the creature’s notice. A unicorn hears each breathy tune sung by the elves that reside amid the treetops. It senses where every caterpillar spins its cocoon and each leaf and branch upon which a bright butterfly rests its tired wings.
In a unicorn’s forest, a sense of calm pervades. From wolves and foxes to tiny insects, the creatures of a unicorn’s domain seem quite tame. Pixies, sprites, satyrs, dryads, and other normally mercurial fey loyally serve a unicorn when they dwell within its woods. Under a unicorn’s protection, creatures feel safe from the threat of encroaching civilization and the insidious spread of evil.
A unicorn roams its domain constantly, moving ever so carefully so as not to disturb other denizens. A creature might catch a passing glimpse of the unicorn then suddenly see nothing but the wild woods.

Sacred Horns

A unicorn’s horn is the focus of its power, a shard of divine magic wrought in spiraling ivory. Wands of unicorn horn channel powerful magic, while unicorn horn weapons strike with divine force. Wizards can work powdered unicorn horn into potent potions and scroll ink, or use it as a component in eldritch rituals. However, any creature that takes a role, no matter how small, in slaying a unicorn is likely to become the target of divine retribution.

Blessed Mounts

When darkness and evil threaten to overwhelm the mortal world, the gods sometimes see fit to pair a unicorn mount with a champion. A paladin astride a unicorn is a sign of the gods’ direct intervention in the affairs of the mortal realm. It is a holy alliance made to cleave the heads from demons and banish devils back to the Nine Hells.
As long as the troubled times of darkness persist, the unicorn stays by the champion, its horn shining brightly to drive back the night. However, if the gods’ champion falls from grace or turns from the cause of righteousness and good, the unicorn departs, never to return.

A Unicorn's Lair

A unicorn’s lair might be an ancient ruin overgrown with vines, a misty clearing surrounded by mighty oaks, a flower-covered hilltop alive with butterflies, or some other serene woodland location.

Regional Effects

Transformed by the creature’s celestial presence, the domain of a unicorn might include any of the following magical effects:

• Open flames of a nonmagical nature are extinguished within the unicorn’s domain. Torches and campfires refuse to burn, but closed lanterns are unaffected.
• Creatures native to the unicorn’s domain have an easier time hiding; they have advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.
• When a good-aligned creature casts a spell or uses a magical effect that causes another good-aligned creature to regain hit points, the target regains the maximum number of hit points possible for the spell or effect.
• Curses affecting any good-aligned creature are suppressed.

If the unicorn dies, these effects end immediately.

Unicorn CR: 5 (1,800 XP)

Large celestial, lawful good

Armor Class: 12

Hit Points: 67 (9d10 + 18)

Speed: 50 ft

STR

18 +4

DEX

14 +2

CON

15 +2

INT

11 +0

WIS

17 +3

CHA

16 +3

Damage Immunities: Poison

Condition Immunities: Charmed, Paralyzed, Poisoned

Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Passive Perception 13

Languages: Celestial, Elvish, Sylvan, Telepathy 60 feet

Challenge Rating: 5 (1,800 XP)

Charge. If the unicorn moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a horn attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 2d8 piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Innate Spellcasting. The unicorn’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). The unicorn can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:

• At will: detect evil and good, druidcraft, pass without trace
• 1/day each: calm emotions, dispel evil and good, entangle

Magic Resistance. The unicorn has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. The unicorn’s weapon attacks are magical.

Actions

Multiattack. The unicorn makes two attacks: one with its hooves and one with its horn.
Hooves. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 2d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage.
Horn. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target. Hit: 1d8 + 4 piercing damage.
Healing Touch (3/Day). The unicorn touches another creature with its horn. The target magically regains 2d8 + 2 hit points. In addition, the touch removes all diseases and neutralizes all poisons afflicting the target.
Teleport (1/Day). The unicorn magically teleports itself and up to three willing creatures it can see within 5 feet of it, along with any equipment they are wearing or carrying, to a location the unicorn is familiar with, up to 1 mile away.

Legendary Actions

The unicorn can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The unicorn regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.
Hooves. The unicorn makes one attack with its hooves.
Shimmering Shield (Costs 2 Actions). The unicorn creates a shimmering, magical field around itself or another creature it can see within 60 feet of it. The target gains a +2 bonus to AC until the end of the unicorn’s next turn.
Heal Self (Costs 3 Actions). The unicorn magically regains 2d8 + 2 hit points.

Lifespan

1,000 years

Average Weight

1,200 pounds

Average Length

8 feet