It would be ridiculous to try and out-do what Sean K. Reynolds has already brilliantly done for D&D 3.5 in The New Argonauts so at the start of every one of these posts I’m going to 1) thank him for making that supplement (thank you Sean!) and 2) tell you to go download it (it’s free–give it 5 stars because damn). This blog series is not intended to be a reproduction of that product, only a conversion update. Go get it.

Post 1: What You Need To Play

Master Page for D&D 5E Ancient Greece/Monster List

Bacchae (Maenad)

Medium humanoid (human), neutral
Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 19 (3d8+6)
Speed 30 ft.

Saving Throws Con +4, Cha +4
Skills Animal Handling +2, Athletics +4, Perception +2
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing (see Constant Rage)
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Common
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Animal Followers. Bacchae are often accompanied by wild animals. Beasts do not harm them and join them in any attacks against other creatures. The animals do not obey the commands of a bacchae but do not attack her unless magically forced to.
Constant Rage. A bacchae is always in an enraptured state, utterly zealous in her devotion of Dionysus. Unless calmed through magic, a bacchae gain the following benefits: advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, when she makes a melee weapon attack using Strength she gains a +2 bonus to the damage roll, a +3 bonus to armor class, and she has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage (included in her statistics).

ACTIONS
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d4+4) magical slashing damage.

In some tales, worship of Dionysus (also known as Bacchus) caused women to go mad with insight; they would roam the hills, dancing, cavorting with animals, and indulging in excesses of wine and sex. These mad women became known as the Bacchae or Maenads, and were considered very dangerous by more civilized folk. The

Bacchae would tear apart any person who opposed them or spoke out against Dionysus (they killed Orpheus because he wouldn’t stop grieving for his dead wife and join them in their revels). The god sometimes cursed his detractors so they joined the Bacchae in their madness.

Bacchae prefer swarm tactics, either going after their foes with nails emboldened by their maddened faith or cooperative grappling to pin down dangerous opponents so they are more easily defeated.

An Intelligence (History) check reveals the following information: 9—The Bacchae or Maenads are wild women devoted to Dionysus. They tear apart their enemies with their bare hands. 14—Like the wild beasts that sometimes travel with them, sometimes they kill innocent people that just happen to be in their way.