Tethered are creatures cloned from humanoids. They were originally developed to take control of the humanoid from which they were modeled. Unfortunately, the experiment failed as the connection between the tethered and the living being was far too weak. However, some rare tethered have shown a tenuous ability to take control of their originators.
Tethered Template
A tethered is a clone of a humanoid. As such, only humanoids can carry the tethered template. The following characteristics change or are added to a humanoid that becomes a tethered.
Retained Characteristics. The tethered retains its Armor Class, hit points, Hit Dice, Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, vulnerabilities, resistances, and immunities.
Lost Characteristics. The tethered loses its original saving throw and skill bonuses and special traits, as well as any armor, arms or equipment it is carrying. It loses any action that isn’t Multiattack or a melee weapon attack that deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. If it has an action or a melee weapon attack that deals some other type of damage, it loses the ability to deal damage of that type.
Alignment. The tethered is chaotic evil.
Abilities Scores. The tethered’s ability scores change as follows: Int 5 (-3), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 8 (-1).
Languages. The tethered loses all known languages.
New Trait: Connection. The tethered shares a connection with the humanoid from which it was cloned, its originator. The tethered has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability checks made to interact with its originator.
Attacks. If the tethered has no other means of dealing damage, it wields scissors. On a hit, scissors deal piercing damage equal to 1d4 + the tethered’s Strength or Dexterity modifier (tethered’s choice).
Sample Tethered
The tethered statistics presented here use a knight as the base creature.
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Tethered Knight
Medium humanoid (any race), chaotic evil
Armor Class 10
Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
Abilities Str 16 (+3), Dex 11 (+0), Con 14 (+2), Int 5 (-3), Wis 9 (-1), Cha 8 (-1)
Senses passive Perception 9
Languages —
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Connection. The tethered shares a connection with the humanoid from which it was cloned, its originator. The tethered has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma ability checks made to interact with its originator.
Actions
Multiattack. The tethered makes two melee attacks.
Scissors. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage.
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