Lair Actions and Regional Effects - 5e's Third Good Idea

[Traskus]

Lair actions are actions a character or npc can take on their home turf. They know this place, they've prepared it for intruders, and it is usually imbued with the inherent might of the inhabitant. A creature in its lair is almost always more dangerous than outside it for these reasons.

Each round, on initiative count 15 (losing ties), the lair action happens. This could be the environment itself, its master, or a minion acting. The same lair action cannot be taken two rounds in a row, and ongoing effects of lair actions end at the beginning of the lair's next turn unless stated otherwise. Damage dice from lair actions cannot explode. While these are called "lair" actions and most such actions are in fact performed by the combatants' surroundings, it is possible for the creature to do things as part of the lair action. A lair cannot have more than five lair actions. Select (and write down) which ones it has before taking the players there.

Lair actions use the letters "A" and "B" in their effects. A = the creature's level. B = the creature's level/2.

Making your own lair actions: a lair action should complement a creature's strengths, mitigate its weaknesses, and serve to
make the lair its own character but not overshadow the individual who lairs there. Player characters should react to lair actions,
the lair shouldn't roll actions if it can avoid it. TNs to avoid lair effects should inversely correlate to their severity.

Author's note: I wanted to make a build-a-lair system to make things modular but it really is a futile effort. Lair actions are so specific to each statblock in 5e outside the "restore spell slot, deal damage, etc." to make anything more than a short list of generics at the beginning.

Generic
Generic lair actions are able to be put into any creature's list of lair actions, flavored as desired.
Ballistic damage could flavor as getting shot with a nearby soldier's gun, a mage's ambient magic drawing down meteorites, or
a tree branch falling on a character.

Ballistic damage- a character in the lair must dodge a ranged attack. TN 10 + A*2. It deals AkB damage.
Clapper- all the artificial lights in the lair turn on or off, at the creature's choice.
Debuff- a character in the lair must make a TN 15 characteristic test. If they fail, they suffer the effects of an elemental shot I, II, or III. The number cannot exceed B+1. Ice snares them, fire sets them on fire, etc. They count as failing any test associated with the elemental shot choice with equal checks to the failed characteristic test of the debuff.

Grenade- an explosion correlating to a grenade goes off. The tn to dodge = (lair master's ballistics *5).
Magic Aid if the lair master is a spellcaster, the lair can perform concentration of any kind with its action. The master can resume concentration before the end of its turn next round before the spell ceases.
Melee damage- a character in the lair must dodge or parry a melee attack. TN 10 + A*2. It deals AkB damage.

Smokescreen- an explosion correlating to a smoke bomb goes off. The smokescreen is 5m in diameter and lasts 10 rounds.
Splash damage- an explosion correlating to a frag grenade happens. The tn to dodge = A*5.
Sprinklers- The fire alarm goes off, calling what passes for the local fire department. Also, sprinklers go off and stop all existing fires from spreading.


Regional Effects
Rarer than lair actions, regional effects are, well, the effects the lair masters have on a region. This could be a magical effect like a dragon's power changing the weather, mechanical effects like the modrons, or just everyday effects like creatures being attracted to the territory. A territory usually extends in a 10km radius around the lair. These can be mechanical and/or narrative in nature, and should be appropriate to the master's nature. Regional effects last as long as the master is alive and calls the place home. Should the master die or leave, the effects will fade over time. Natural and magical effects take about a week to fade unless stated otherwise. A creature can have up to five regional effects, except dragons. They can have up to 10.

Generic
Communication- The territory is full of communication elements (gossip, spies, little birdies, etc.). If someone says or does something while being observed, the territory's master and servants will know within no more than a day, or even a few minutes depending. If the master dies or leaves, the servants and spies will leave.
Eden- Select elements of wildlife are attracted to, thrive, reproduce, and grow far greater than outside the territory. If the master dies or leaves, animals and plant growth go back down to normal levels and existing megaflora remain.
Pressure- The master of the region's force of personality makes the inhabitants reluctant to turn against him. The inhabitants are permanently jaded to charm and persuasion attempts to betray them while in the region.

Topography- Select elements of the environment are altered. More earthquakes, stronger rivers, magma plumes, stalagmites, etc. The terrain is difficult if not hazardous.
Weather- The territory's weather is prone to a certain type of weather (rain, thunderstorms, hail, clear skies, etc.). If it isn't a permanent condition, it's common to half of time there. With dragons, the weather is usually inclement while they're asleep and only pauses when it wakes up to hunt.


NPC lair actions and Regional Effects

I've ripped adapted lair actions for every npc and premade vehicle in books 1 and 2 (and regional effects for most of them) to get you started, but you can always change that. Add some, remove others, combine some or change some out. I'm also working on the various bestiaries for the profiles that lend themselves to it. A beholder? Sure. Mala Mala Jong, not so much.

Hypothetically any sort of creature can have lair actions, and even regional effects in different ways. As such, you can add lair actions and regional effects to any creature/s you deem appropriate.

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General Noncombatant - Dark Mechanicus

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General Noncombatant
A general noncombatant lair is usually the streets and buildings they spend their days around. It lacks any "special" abilities beyond how familiar noncombatants are with it.

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Angry mob: Noncombatants in the mob and around the area pelt their enemies with rocks, office supplies, rotten food, and other unpleasantness. Each enemy must make a tn 10 constitution roll or take 1k1 damage per ten general noncombatants.
Makeshift barricades:The noncombatants move their stationary supplies (desks, barrels, carts, etc.) to form a makeshift barricade. It is up to 3x2x1 meters in dimension, and has 5 ap. There can be up to one barricade per five noncombatants.
Restraining the outsider: The townsfolk attempt to capture their enemies with ropes and chains. Any enemies of the noncombatants prone and within 2m of one of them must succeed a dexterity test or be restrained. The tn to resist equals 10 + the number of general noncombatants within range. A restrained individual (or someone who wants to free them) can attempt a strength roll (same tn) to break free on its turn as a half action.

Regional Effects
General noncombatants live in settlements of course. These settlements have the communication effect and the effect ends when the settlement is destroyed.

Military/paramilitary lairs are usually field bases and fortresses. This includes fire warriors.

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Green Troop/Common Outlaw
Suppressing fire: A troop/outlaw performs a suppressing fire action.

Regular Troop/Rebel
These lairs can use green troop/common outlaw lair actions as their own.
Explosive barrels: A troop/outlaw shoots a nearby canister of oil, causing an explosion like a frag missile. The tn to dodge = 20.

Elite Soldier/Raider
These lairs can use regular troop/lair actions as their own.
Heavy fire support: The troops call in artillery support. An lrm swarm strike targets a randomly selected enemy. The tn to dodge is 20. If the target fails, they gain one extra hit from the full auto per check to dodge. This lair action can only be used twice per day.

Regional Effects
Military/paramilitary regions are large fields with bases forming the lair. The effects end when the base is cleared out.

Alarm: There are alarms strewn about the region. If a hostile (or even a close enough intruder) is detected they'll sound one.
Communication: See generic.
Live fire drill: Every hour or so, an lrm swarm strikes a random location in the region.
Patrol: Soldiers patrol the area on set routes and schedules. A given place is passed every hour, so either keep moving or pass a tn 15 stealth test to avoid detection.

Mortal heroes are often military or paramilitary, but not always. If they don't lair in bases and forts, they have their own castles and sections of spelljammers to call their lair. These lairs can use elite soldier/raider lair actions and military regional effects as their own.
Panic button: The Hero calls for support. 3 elite soldiers/raiders arrive to the combat at the end of the mortal hero's next turn, and act immediately after her in initiative.
This lair action can only be used once per combat.


Vampires like to lair in buildings of great import. Skyscrapers, palaces, and executive government buildings are popular. They are good places to socialize.

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Sabbat Thug
Sabbat thugs can only have lair actions while at least 3 are present in the combat.
Dinner came early: A restrained beast of burden appears in the lair. They may not like the taste but it's a good blood bag.
Wind Blows: A strong wind blows no matter how little sense that makes, blowing out every nonmagical fire. Even in enclosed lamps.

Sabbat Prince
Sabbat princes can use the lair actions sabbat thugs can, and if a sabbat prince dies a thug can take over the lair actions (using their own).

Antimagic missiles: Security shoots silver arrows, a character in the lair must dodge a ranged attack. TN 15 to dodge. It deals 3k2 r silver damage.
Knockout gas: The prince presses a button and the room fills with sleep gas. Anyone who breathes it must pass a tn 10 constitution test or gain 1 level of fatigue.
Shutter: Doors and windows in the lair open or close all at once. If they close, they can also lock at the thugs' choice.

Regional Effects
Overcast: The sun never truly shines in a vampiric region. There is a permanent overcast strong enough a vampire can walk around during the day without heavy clothing.

Zoanids who don't set up shop in the wilderness will make their own open-air mansions with precious few closed off areas to take vampiric guests.

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Zoanid Thug
Zoanid thugs can only have lair actions while at least 3 are present in the combat.

Call allies: A zoanid in the lair lets out a howl to call forth allies. A ferocious creature arrives to the combat allied to the lair, which acts at initiative 5 (losing ties).
Dog whistle: The lair emits a high-pitched sound, enraging werewolves. If a werewolf were to change into warform, they may do so as a half action and ignore the rage cost.
Lamp of Luna: The lair has special moon magic orbs, increasing the regeneration/fast healing of werewolves by 1 until the next lair action.

Zoanid Heavy
Zoanid heavies can also use zoanid thug lair actions.

Enchanted flourescents: The heavy claps his hands and special ultraviolet lights come on. You can use them to see, get a tan, and it counts as natural sunlight.
Heat silver: The lair selectively heats silver items. Anyone holding a silver item or weapon must pass a tn 20 constitution test to withstand the heat. If they fail, they may either drop the item or take 2k2 e damage from the intense heat at their choice. Natural weapons with silver effects and silver rounds in non-silver weapons do not force this test, though they will certainly feel intense heat nonetheless. Non-primitive ranged weapons with silver rounds gain overheats.
Ultrasonic motivation: The heavy's lair emits a sharp ultrasonic sound, giving the zoanid one extra reaction this round.

Regional Effects
Eden for Wolves: Wolves and their preferred prey are attracted to and thrive in the region. Every night, the territory is rife with the howling of wolves.
Everfull: The moon in the region is full every night in open defiance of how little sense that makes. This ends when the master zoanid in the area dies.
Scarcity of Silver: No silver items or sieves can be found in the region outside the lair. This doesn't really end but it's enforced by the zoanids and silver will naturally accumulate in the area over time as makes sense.

Modrons have an entire crystal sphere in Mechanus to call a lair. Why you would ever choose to go there, I'll never know. The scenery is endless gears in all dimensions.

Modrons
Rotate: The lair's massive gears turn the floor, moving one character 5m in any direction.
We'll be back soon: The lair accelerates the reanimation protocols of downed modrons. Any modrons that have phased out from their we'll be back power return now.


Zealots and arch-heretics prefer religious buildings and estates, of course. They often lack technological facets that aren't generally useful to a religious service.

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Zealot
Zealots can use lair actions so long as there are at least 4 are present in the combat.

Boon: The lair empowers its own. The zealots and anyone with their alignment gain +1k0 to their next roll. The bonus is lost if it isn't used in one minute.
Divine favor: The lair allows a zealot to make their own luck. The zealot affected regains the use of its luck feat.
Religious pressure: The lair rewards the sacrifice of the zealots. If a zealot lost more than 1 hp since the last lair action, they regain 1 favor.


Arch-Heretic
Arch-heretics can also use zealot lair actions and count as zealots when benefiting from them.

Armoring aura: The lair imbues the arch-heretic's armor with divine magic, giving the arch-heretic 8 aura until the next lair action.
Death ward:The lair protects the arch-heretic's life, giving it the benefits of the death ward spell. This lair action can only be used once per day.
Holy weapon: The lair imbues the arch-heretic's weapons with divine magic, giving it +1k1 damage and magic properties until the next lair action.
Light of Faith: The arch-heretic's enemies must roll a test to resist fear 1. They may instead avert their eyes and become blinded until the next lair action to automatically pass.

Regional Effects
The faithful can live pretty much anywhere that doesn't kill them.
Daemonic Invitation: Rolling a 73 or higher on the perils of the warp table does not cause its listed effect. Instead, an incarnate lesser daemon of the faithful's god appears next to whatever rolled the perils.
Knock-knock: Converters go out every day to evangelize at people's homes. They go to a given building once per week.
Sigil Spam: Marks of the arch-heretic's god appear improbably around the region. Graffiti from inspired artists, patterns in bark, even seeing a saint's image in their food.

Heretikal lairs are in ways a combination of modron and religious, though not as severe in either direction. And they are in some ways unique.

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Heretek
Hereteks can use lair actions so long as there are at least 2 present in the combat. The lair actions must be used in order, and can't be used after they have all been used.

Phase 1: Magical machines in the lair activate, boosting a creature's speed. They gain +2 speed and initiative.
Phase 2: Nanomechanical repair systems activate in response to physical trauma, removing the armor plating trait from a creature and giving them the regeneration (1) trait.
Phase 3: Nanomechanical restoration completes, restoring 2*A hp to a heretek.

Dark Mechanicus
Dark mechanicuses (mechanici? mechanics) can also use heretek lair actions and qualifies as a heretek when benefiting from them.

Arkanic subroutines: Antimagic devices activate, allowing the dark mechanicus to roll a saving throw against a spell currently affecting it.
N2 spray: The lair sprays a coolant on the dark mechanicus, recharging its plasma pistol and preventing an overheat if it is triggered before the lair's next turn.

Daemons have lairs in the warp or umbra, and while I doubt you'd choose to go to those places I would be less surprised than if you went to Mechanus. There are spikes, sigils, and living wisps of flame everywhere.

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Incarnate Lesser Daemon
Balefire spout: The daemon commands a balefire to erupt from somewhere, serving as a flamer attack that cannot jam. The dodge tn is 15, and the flame remains in place until the next lair action.
Blood sacrifice:One lesser daemon or friendly minion squad explodes into ichor, dying and transferring all hit points it had to an ally. If a minion squad was sacrificed, the beneficiary gains hp equal to the squad's size at the time.
Charge: The incarnate lesser daemon may make a charge action against a creature that failed its fear roll.

Frenzy: The lair can send a lesser daemon into a frenzy, as outlined by the feat.
Lights out: The lair turns off all the lights and envelops the area in darkness.
Torrent of gore: A torrent of ichor and gore erupts from somewhere, making the area difficult terrain. Each creature has to pass a tn 10 dexterity or strength test (rolled at the beginning of their turn) or fall prone and take 5 damage ignoring armor.

Regional Effects
These effects end when the master dies.
Foreboding: The greater daemon knows when someone enters its territory, where it entered, and what it is so long as the daemon is in the territory.
Trapped in here with Me: Teleportation methods cannot be used to leave the territory or lair.
Wasteland: The region 1km around the lair itself is clear with nowhere to hide except underground. This could take days or years to change depending on a variety of factors.

Incarnate Greater Daemon
This creature can use incarnate lesser daemon lair actions and qualifies as one for their purposes.
Frightening presence:The creature's form ripples and convulses, giving it a dragon's frightening presence.
Sadistic clarity: Ambient warp-ery gives the daemon motivation. If the creature entered a frenzy since the last lair action, they may take a full action. If the creature is not frenzied, they may frenzy with this lair action.
Sundown swing: The creature lifts a nearby pillar or tree and sweeps the room. It makes one melee all-out attack against all enemies within 3m. Allies of the daemon do not roll to dodge or parry, if they're hit they're hit. A size 3, tr 1, dr 1 (melee) minion squad appears to help the daemon.

Regional Effects
Incarnate greater daemons often have the regional effects of lesser daemons in addition to their own. These end when the master dies.
Deus Vult: If you do not have the master's alignment, you qualify as an enemy of the master's god. The master and its servants deal +1k1 damage to enemies of their god.
Gravitic Stealing: Unattended and unsecured weapons are attracted toward the lair at 1m/second (5m/round).
Seismic Steps: Distant rumbling permeates the region, growing louder as you approach the lair.

Creatures live all over the place, but connect to their power in the wilderness. Creatures include beasts of burden, ferocious creatures, slithering creatures, flying creatures, and walking creatures. A creature lair can only take actions if at least three "creatures" are in combat.

Disturbance: A loud crack goes off in the disatnce (an explosion, lightning, etc.), and all bestial creatures bull rush the direction opposite its origin.
Nature's causeway: The ground (or a tree limb or something) gives way to gravity and something else standing on it. An enemy combatant must make an athletics or acrobatics test (tn 15) or fall to the ground, prone. Anyone standing beneath a falling platform must also test or take 3k3 i damage to the head.
Perception: One of the creatures makes a perception roll.


Servitors

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Combat Servitor lairs are usually residences of important government officials, tycoons, and others who want lethality and prioritize loyalty over independent thought.
Combat servitors can only take lair actions so long as at least 3 are in the combat.
Frag missile: The lair fires a frag missile onto a location. Targets within the blast area must pass a TN 15 acrobatics test or take the hit.
Suppressing fire: A combat servitor performs a suppressing fire action. Other combat servitors are unaffected by the pinning if they are not hit.
Weapon calibration: Alteration mechadendrites change a servitor's engagement settings. Its attacks take -2k0 for damage and gain +4 pen.

Industrial servitors lair in factories and construction sites. Pistons, automated assembly robots, and conveyor belts are common fixtures in factories and cranes and other construction vehicles are common in construction sites.
Dissassemble drone: A servitor may cannibalize a destroyed servitor next to them for its delicious oil, regaining 5 hp.
Fire extinguisher: A fire extinguisher puts out a servitor that is currently on fire.
Line assembly: Conveyor belts turn on, moving a creature 5m in a direction.

Dragon

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A dragon will not fight in its lair by choice. A lair is a cramped place where the dragon cannot spread its wings to fly, and even a single adventurer could take one down.
Dragons are endlessly variable, but there are some consistent traits that form lair actions. A dragon's lair is usually dark. They don't need the light unless they have company that does.

Lair Actions

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Cave-in strike: The dragon slams its tail on the wall, making debris fall. A randomly determined enemy target must roll a TN 15 dodge test. If they fail, they take 3k3 i damage.
Tremor: The dragon slams its tail on the ground, shaking the lair. All non-flying characters (except the dragon, of course) must pass a tn 20 acrobatics + dexterity test or fall prone.

Divination
Obscuring fog: The lair fills with fog, obscuring everything. It dissipates at a normal rate unless somehow accelerated.
Perception: The dragon may make a perception test.
Whisper: The dragon sends a telepathic message to a target either lying, "throwing their voice," or posing as another creature. The target must pass a TN 15 scrutiny test or believe the dragon's deception.

Evocation
Galeforce: The wind blows, forcing everything except the dragon to make a tn 15 strength + size test. Those that fail are blown 5m, plus one per check in a uniform, pre-selected direction of the dragon's choice. This also blows away fog and similar cloudlike things, and puts out open fires.
Magical clumping: Stray magic coalesces in the lair, magnetizing to the dragon. The dragon is affected as though it cast energy bits, with raises equal to turns since combat started. This lair action can only be used once per day.

Hoard
Avalanche of gold: The piles of treasure collapse, forcing a target to make a TN 20 acrobatics + dexterity roll. If they fail, they fall to the bottom of the pile and are restrained until they pass a tn 15 strength roll to escape.

Minions
Call support: The dragon roars for aid from its minions. A size 5 minion squad (tr 3, dr 3) appear and act immediately after the dragon in initiative. The dragon may only do this twice per battle.

Air
Sheer cold: The dragon calls forth a biting, chilly wind. All creatures in the lair (except air dragons and those with immunity to cold) must pass a tn 15 constitution roll or be restrained until the next lair action.
Earth
Giant's causeway: The dragon touches a section of rock or earth up to open or close an opening to walk through.

Fire
Magma spout: A geyser of magma erupts in a blast 3 to the ceiling of the lair. Anything in it must pass a tn 20 acrobatics test or take 2k2 e damage.
Water
Tide comes in, tide goes out: The water the dragon lives in reaches out to grab a creature. Any creature within 5m of water in the lair must pass a tn 15 strength roll or be pulled into the water.
Wood
Grasping vines: The vines in the dragon's lair reach out an grab a target. One creature in the lair must pass a tn 20 acrobatics + dexterity test or be restrained until the next lair action. They may try to escape using a tn 15 strength roll on their turn as a half action, but the attempt does 2k2 r damage to them with the tearing property.

Heart
Warp diffusion: The dragon's innate magic courses through the lair. If psychic phenomena happens before the next lair action, roll it twice and the dragon can choose for either or both to occur.
Warp's vitality: The dragon's magic inhabits corpses and stands them up. Creatures that have been killed (for good) in the lair resurrect with the daemonic trait and hp equal to their constitution score under the dragon's control. If they are killed, they cannot resurrect again.

Metal
Xena's blessing: The dragon nominates an ally in the lair to bask in its glory. That ally gains immunity to fear and snaps out of whatever fear effects it is suffering.
Zelda's blessing:The dragon nominates an ally in the lair to benefit from its power. That ally gains +5 ap and aura until the next lair action.

Void
Starlight escalation: The dragon conjures a small, cool star to burn its enemies. A 2m radius ball of starlight appears in a place in the lair of the dragon's choice. Creatures other than the dragon in that area must pass a tn 15 dexterity test or take 2k2 e damage as the glow envelops them. The dragon has combat advantage against all creatures who took the damage and if invisible, become visible.
The only way to be sure: A room in the lair of the dragon's choice seals off and vents its atmosphere into the void. Alternatively, it refills the sealed room and then unseals it.

Regional Effects
Check the "The Dragon's Lair" section for more details. Dragons have the communication, eden, pressure, topography, and weather effects. Weather effects cease when the dragon leaves the territory or when dragon wakes, usually to hunt.

Attract Elemental: Elementals in accordance with the dragon's quickening take up residence in the territory.
Dare Not Speak Its Name: If anyone says the dragon's name in its territory, the dragon will know who and where.

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Air
Eden of Megafauna: Warm-blooded megafauna are attracted to the area and thrive in it. Mammoths, rocs, etc.
Islands in the Sky: The dragon can shape clouds, and make them strong and weighty as stone without reducing their ability to float. People take up residence on them, the dragon puts its hoard in them, and it might even sleep in one. This effect ends when the dragon dies.
Winter Storm: It constantly hails and snows heavily in the territory, concealing everything to everyone. The air dragon can see just fine, though.

Earth
Earthquake: Every day, an earthquake with a magnitude of d10 shakes the region.
Eden of Golems: Precious gems of a uniform kind grow everywhere. This creates/attracts golems (especially of that kind of gem) and prospectors looking for a payday.
Great Wall: There is a massive, 100m high and 10m thick stone wall encircling the dragon's territory and a second one around lair, immune to earthquakes. This remains indefinitely if the dragon dies.

Fire
Desertification: Clouds are sparse, rain scarcely falls, and life is rare outside precious oases. It's most uncomfortable and you need twice as much water to properly hydrate as a result, which will be tough because it's sulfurous.
Eden of Thermophiles: The hyperfertile soil in the lair and oases attracts flamingos, salamanders, and other things that thrive in heat.
Magma Plume: Magma plumes erupt from the ground or lava flows at random. "Something bad" happens once per scene and anyone subject to "something bad" has to pass a tn 15 dexterity test or take 2k2 e damage.


Water
Eden of Water Types: Aquatic creatures (especially large ones) are attracted to the region.
Storm Season: In watery water dragon regions, it rains constantly and sometimes storms. In deserts, it's a sandstorm and tornadoes. It creates concealment to everything that the dragon can see through.
X Marks the Spot: Pits marked with an X are scattered throughout the region. Sometimes, they hold a part of the hoard. Other times, it's a trap.

Wood
Pass Without Trace: The dragon does not leave evidence of its passage unless it wants to.
Wall of Brambles: A massive wall of thorns grows around the dragon's lair. 30m high, 3m deep, and inflicting 2k2 r damage to anyone who enters or starts its turn in it.

Eden of Decay: Everything's dead, Dave. The plants, the fish, everything but fungi, the smallest vermin that eat them, and the scavengers who eat them. Tar pits dot the landscape. The water isn't safe to drink, it's too foul.
OR True Eden: Megafauna and megaflora are common and thrive in the region. Large, giant, kaiju, and other massive creatures call the place home. Food and water is always abundant and readily obtained.

Heart
Gift of Gab: Size 1 and 2 animals gain the ability to speak draconic. They have high opinions of the dragon but don't necessarily know where she is.
Light the Way: Stones and other parts of the environment light up and create paths to places the dragon wants them to go. This could be to safety or to their doom.
Phenomena!: Do-dooo do-do-do. The sky is a permanent psychedelic trip. Psychic phenomena and perils of the warp rolls either have a +10 or -10 modifier, chosen each year. The dragon always knows when and where phenomena are triggered in its region. It also attracts daemons of its alignment.

Metal
Eden of Artifice: Sieves of precious metals and artifact materials (maybe even draconic, which are the dragon's shed teeth, claws, and scales) appear and grow in the region. This creates/attracts forged daemons of a uniform artifact material, treasure hunters looking for paydirt. Wildlife gain armor plating (4) or increases its existing armor plating by 3 as their exteriors become firm and shiny.
It Came to Me in a Dream: The dragon can communicate with a creature while that creature sleeps through its dreams. Moreover, any roll a character makes that furthers their alignment has an extra kept die.
Princess Detector: The dragon knows the status of everyone he sees in the territory, and the location of everyone with at least 1 dot in status (or narrative equivalent).

Void
Dead Space: If a creature besides the dragon were to lose fatigue in the region, they must roll a tn 15 constitution test. If they fail, they keep the fatigue until the next time they'd lose fatigue where they may retry the roll.
Space Hulk: The territory has a larger gravity than it should from its size, attracting debris. Every hour, "something bad" happens when micrometeorites pelt the territory. Those affected must pass a tn 10 acrobatics test or take 3k2 i damage with the tearing property and any void protective or air-supplying equipment they're using breaks. In the case of an enclosed vehicle, it ignores the tearing but leaks if it loses hp this way.
Void Eden: Void dragon territories attract spelunkers. While it doesn't attract other life, voidborn life gradually accumulates like kythons and undead.

Lich - Elementals

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Lich lairs are unique in that they always keep their phylactery there. They can have bases, but they spare nothing to protect that which houses their soul.

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Arcane cantrip: The lich's phylactery contains spell charges to protect itself and its creator. The lich rolls a d5. They cast a spell they know of that level or lower with the bare minimum to succeed. This cannot be used on the same magic school multiple times per day.
Destiny bond: The lich targets a creature within 10m and tethers them with a necrotic bond. If the lich takes damage before the next lair action, the target must pass a tn 20 arcana + constitution test or take half the damage dealt.

Elemental shot: The lich's lair imbues it with an elemental energy, giving its next attack the benefits of elemental shot I (any) or II (any).
Spectral chill:The lich calls forth spirits of the dead to attack its foes. One target in the lair must pass a TN 20 constitution test or take 3k3 i damage to the body as spirits pass through them and jumble their insides.

Regional Effects
Bleeding Crop: Plants grow thorny and crusty. Agriculture is impossible in the region, all crops grown ooze slime and are poisonous.
Confused Beasts: Animals go mad in the area, running around at random or away from the lair. Mounts require animal ken rolls to avoid getting bucked off, and even if you succeed they won't advance toward the lair.
Depressing Atmosphere: Thick fog permeates the region, and lightning randomly strikes. The fog conceals within 1km of the lair.
Shadow of Fear: Shadows of creatures look emaciated and move with a life of their own, usually betraying them to the lich.

Mind Flayers have laboratories deep underground and underhive to hide their diabolical experiments. They are jam-packed with technology, psionic resonance, and the occasional slave.

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Psycholocation homing: The lair's psychically attuned walls direct the mind flayer's... mind... stuff. The next time the mind flayer uses its mind blast it can target any and all chosen creatures in the lair it knows the location of within 20m.
Subversive coercion: The mind flayer's lair wriggles its way into the psyche of a target. A target must make a tn 25 arcana + willpower test. If they fail, they must serve the mind flayer as though subject to the suggestion spell.
Warp-inhibiting shutdown: The mind flayer's lair zaps a spellcaster in attempt to shut them down. A creature must make a tn 15 wisdom test. If failed, roll a d5. The caster may not cast spells higher than that level on their next turn.

Regional Effects
Bend Will: Once per day, "something bad" happens and a Mind Flayer tries to bend an intelligent creature to its will. They must pass a tn 15 arcana + willpower save or be controlled like affected by the dominate spell.
Detect Sentience: Mind Flayers are aware of all intelligent creatures in their region, and the distance and direction they are unless their mind is dampened somehow (like a psychic hood).
Telepathic Bond: Mind Flayers can initiate telepathic conversations with intelligent creatures in the territory.

Aboleths live in caverns under large cities to gain slaves from. All rooms in the lair are connected by tunnels filled with water, and there are often caverns full of water and little else. The slime is disgusting, but what about aboleths isn't?

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Mind magnum: The aboleth channels its adamantium rage through its water. All creatures in the water of the aboleth's choice must pass a tn 15 arcana + willpower test. Those that fail take 2k2 i spell damage to the head.
Misdirection: The aboleth's lair conjures an illusion like through the image spell. It fools all senses but touch, with a tn of 25 to discern the falsehood.
Tide comes in, tide goes out: Water within the lair reaches out to grasp the aboleth's enemies. Enemies of the aboleth within 6m of (but not in) water must pass a tn 20 athletics + strength test or be pulled into the water and knocked prone.

Regional Effects
Foul Water: Enemies of the aboleth can't derive proper hydration from water in the territory without assistance of some kind.
Misdirection: The aboleth's territory conjures an illusion outside the lair like through the image spell. It fools all senses but touch, with a tn of 25 to discern the falsehood.
Slimy Surfaces: The underground of the region has slime on every surface, making it difficult terrain.

Elementals lair in places abundant or conducive to their elemental makeup. Can't... can't help you beyond that.
Elemental territories are only 2km, not 10.

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Air Elemental
At least three must be in the region for lair actions and regional effects to happen.
Force of Wind: The wind picks up on a target of the air elemental's choice. The target must pass a tn 15 strength test or be restrained and rendered prone against the wall, floor, or ceiling. Whichever is closest at that time.
Vacuum: The elemental sucks up all nearby air to itself. Creatures that need to breathe within 20m must pass a tn 15 con test or take a wound. Creatures within the range cannot speak or cast spells with the verbal keyword.
Regional Effects
Stiff Wind: Flying speeds are halved for everything in the region.

Earth Elemental
At least three must be in the region for lair actions and regional effects to happen.
Bend Earth: The elemmental forces the ground to form a 3x3x1m wall next to it. It is stone.
Stalagmite: The elemental's lair shoots spikes and pillars around a target to create a tomb of rock. One creature in the lair must pass a tn 20 acrobatics + dexterity test or take 2k2 i or r damage with the snare quality (tn 15 to resist/escape).
Regional Effects:
Alter Quality: Any stone or metal object has a 25% chance of increasing quality and 25% of decreasing quality upon entering the territory. The effect ends 2 days after no longer under the effect of the region.
Tremors: Small earthquakes rock the region every hour. This deals 3k3 i damage to vehicles and buildings every time and spooks wildlife.

Fire Elemental
At least three must be in the region for lair actions and regional effects to happen.
Heat Metal: The elemental turns up the heat. All objects made of metal and similarly heat-friendly materials glow red hot until the next lair action. Anyone/thing in contact with one or grabs one takes 1d10 e damage, unless they let go of it. Guns gain the gets hot property during this time.
Absorb Element: The fire elemental draws ambient fire toward itself and recovers 2 hp.
Regional Effects:
Loose Sparks: All unattended flammable objects within 150m of the fire elemental combust.
Pyrophilia: All attempts to put out a fire take a check. All rolls to create fire in some way (like say, a spell) gain an extra raise.
Smoke: Smoke conceals the fire elemental within 150m. This ends when the fire elemental dies.

Water Elemental
A water elemental's region is 2km across. At least three must be in the region for lair actions and regional effects to happen.
Geyser: A target of the elemental's choice must pass a tn 20 acrobatics test or take 2k2 i damage with the tearing property.
Visual dissolution: The water elemental blends into the water, unable to be detected without a tn 25 perception + wisdom test. It then does a full move.
Regional Effects:
Flood: Water floods areas within 150m of the lair, the water level rising 1m every 5 minutes. Usually the entire region is as flooded as it gets when the party meets the elemental. The water starts to recede when the elemental dies.
Weather: It rains constantly. This ends when the elemental dies.
Whirlpool: Whirlpools appear appear within 150m of the lair. Anyone caught in it must pass a tn 15 athletics roll each turn or be shunted a random direction up to its speed. A vehicle requires a tn 15 maintain control test or go out of control. This ends when the elemental dies.

Walkin' Dead - Orks

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The Walkin' Dead don't have lairs, per se. They lack the will necessary to set up a base. Rather their lair is where patient zero of the walkin' dead curse or virus came from. This is usually a graveyard or a laboratory abundant in chest-high stones or medical equipment. Walkin' dead may perform lair actions and have regional effects so long as there are at least 5.
Curse of the Undead: A festering rot grows in the lair. Any character that has taken damage from a walkin' dead since the last lair action must pass a tn 20 arcana + constitution test. If they fail, they are diseased until the walkin' dead are slain again. If they die (for good) while diseased, they resurrect as a walkin' dead on their next turn.
Damnation: The damnation of the undead lair bleeds, and no one may spend hero points until the next lair action.
Regional Effects
These effects end when there are fewer than five walkin' dead left in the region, and can come back when their numbers replenish.
Restlessness: Trying to sleep is difficult. You must pass a tn 5 willpower test or gain none of the benefits of sleep.
Zombie Plague: Mundanes who die (for good) in the region come back as walkin' dead on their next turn, or in 5 seconds.


Ghosts unlive everywhere a violent death took place, which means they mostly stick to battlefields and homes where a murder took place.
Poltergeisting: Loose objects in the lair levitate and fly around. The territory becomes difficult terrain, and anything that fails a tn 20 composure test is dazzled until the next lair action.
Slime 'er! The ghost's presence asserts itself on a creature. The creature must pass a tn 15 charisma test or become stunned for a minute and take 1d10 spell damage as ectoplasm spews from every orifice.
Regional Effect:
Bitter Cold: The area is unnaturally cold, sufficient to need protection.
Ghostly Wail: Every hour of every night, the ghost lets out a wail. This prompts a tn 5 willpower roll. Those that fail must flee the territory. This ends when the ghost is re-deadified.


Ratlings set up in sniper towers and other high locations. There must be at least two ratlings to use lair actions.
Flashbomb: The ratling shoots a small packet of brightpowder next to a target. The target must pass a tn 10 constitution test or be blinded for a round. This lair action can be used three times before needing to set up those brightpowder packs again.

Squats are in their diggy diggy holes. They work in mines, live in mountains, and generally do everything they need to underground. There are machines, forges, magma tubes, and such in these lairs. These are usually cramped spaces and hallways between them, big enough for squats but that's about it outside of treasure vaults.

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Slayer
There must be at least three slayers to have lair actions.
Cave-in: The lair caves in, creating cover and blocking passage. It is loose stone with 16 ap.
Gas leak: There's a gas leak, and nary a parakeet in sight. Creatures that breathe in the air must make a tn 20 constitution roll or take 1 wound from the toxicity.

Living Ancestor
Living ancestors can use slayer lair actions and count as slayers when using them.
An axe to grind: Machinery sharpens the living ancestor's power axe, giving it +0k1 damage until the next lair action.

Talon of tiamat/dragonfire adept lairs are somewhat similar. They have icons of draconic greatness abound and areas to refine their techniques. These lairs may use zealot lair actions. Lairs like these are massive armories where dragonborn can pick up almost any weapon (up to rare) as they need to.
Recharge breath weapon: The ambient magic of the lair empowers the dragonborn. The lair's master may use their dragon breath power again.

Tinkerers make laboratories to house their stuff. Mechadendrites abound, weird science-y stuff that lacks any apparent explanation or purpose is more common than something that makes sense.
Automatic reload: The gnome's laboratory takes its gun for safekeeping. One of the gnome's guns (of its choice) is handed over to the lab, and it will be reloaded by the next lair action.


Orks live in semi-nomadic bases. Most often this is in the form of seasonal encampments lived in between campaigns, but spelljammers house ork freebootas.

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Ork Freeboota
Freebootas can use lair actions and regional effects so long as there are at least three freebootas present.
Avast!: An ork tries to be cunning, and gains the back stab and sneak attack feats until the next lair action.
Call Squigs: The orks either shout or open the squig pen, bringing 3 beasts of burden into the fight allied to the leader.
Charge: An ork may make a charge action.
I don't do shrooms, I AM shrooms: An ork tries to be brutal, and enters a frenzy as per the feat.

Ork Nob
Nobs can use freeboota lair actions as their own.
WAAAAAGHcry: The nob lets out a mighty and inspiring roar, restoring 3 hp to a target in the lair of their choice.

Regional Effects
Aggressive Fungus: Fungus grows quickly on exposed food. It goes bad within minutes of being exposed to air, even if it is sealed afterward.

Eldarin - Dark Eldarin Raiders

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Eldarin colony ships house the lairs of eldarin forces. They are laced with wraithbone and saturated with magic. They are half-temple, half-whatever else they are. The true lair of a migrant ship is usually either its navigation room, its control room, or its local cult temple. In any case, there are banzai trees everywhere.

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Aspect Warrior
Channel power: The wraithbone in the lair zaps an aspect warrior, restoring 1 shot to its lightning gun.
True transparency: The lair twists light, shadow, and space to obscure an aspect warrior. The aspect warrior may make a stealth roll to hide, even if they are being observed. The obscuring effect ends at the next lair action.

Farseers may use aspect warrior lair actions as their own.
Farsee: The farseer takes a quick peek into the future, granting a use of the luck feat before the next lair action. Dice altered this way cannot explode.
Mindjack: The farseer's lair attempts to charm an enemy. A target must pass a tn 25 arcana + wisdom test or believe an ally and the farseer have exchanged places. This mindjacking ends at the next lair action, assuming it happened at all.
Warp tack: The lair's ambient magic seeks to draw more magic to itself. If the farseer were to cause psychic phenomena before the next lair action, it may roll twice and have either or both occur.

Regional Effects
Regional effects of eldarin don't end unless the aspect shrine is destroyed.
Exarch: The master of the lair is an exarch, and the exarch has the frenzy feat and an extra reaction while in the lair.
Mirror, Mirror: Mirrorshields and mirrors are everywhere, showing bosh'tets what the eldarin want them to see. When looking into such a mirror, a creature sees an illusion that requires a tn 15 arcana+wisdom test to see through.

Space Marine/Chaos Marine lairs exist as an extension of their lord or lady's will. To call it a fortress, temple, or headquarters is accurate but insufficient. They have unarmed serfs everywhere doing busywork for the marines. They share regional effects

Regional Effects
Amnesia: Each day, everyone must pass a tn 15 intelligent test or lose the use of a skill or language until they are no longer the influence of the region. They may instead meditate for fifteen minutes in a specialized chamber in the lair to automatically pass.
Chorus: A droning chant can be heard throughout the region, with no apparent source.
Shared Dreams: Everyone asleep at the same time shares a dream, appearing and disappearing appropriately.
Warp's Whispers: Those welcome in the region hear the voice of a deceased loved one or a daemon of their alignment instructing them. Intruders to the territory start to hear voices telling them to do things, posing as someone the individual knows or a daemon of their alignment.

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Burning traps: Marine lairs are fortified with traps of fiery and gruesome design (hot tar, minotaur's fire, crossbows). A target must pass a tn 20 acrobatics + dexterity roll or take 3k2 e damage.
Exchange: A chapter serf throws a loaded gun of any kind at the space marine, the space marine throwing their own gun to the serf.
Razor focus: The marine enters a battle trance fueled by grim resolve. The marine gains +0k1 to all strength-based rolls and melee attacks.
Suppressing fire: Chapter serfs and neophytes shoot suppressing fire. Enemies of the marine must pass a tn 15 willpower test or take cover as outlined by pinning.

Grey Knight lairs are like space marine lairs, but with a magic bent. Grey knights may use space marine lair actions.
Clear mind: The warding runes and purity seals of the lair draw magic away from grey knights. One ongoing magical/magic-like effect ends.

Obliterators imbue their surroundings with the obliterator virus, slowly turning their lair from whatever it was into a resin-soaked warpscape of twists and odd angles. It's impossible to interior decorate for. Obliterators may use chaos marine lair actions.
Alter settings: The obliterator may ready any weapon it has in its integrated weapons array.

Dark Eldarin Raiders make their lairs in ships and spelljammers, as befitting their pirate's lifestyle.
Arachne's gift: The lair springs a large trap hidden in the lair. What appears as a spiderweb-shaped silk rug is in fact a large spiderweb that ensnares the lair's enemies. Enemies of the raider standing on or moving past the web must pass a tn 30 dexterity test or be restrained. A restrained character may spend a half action to cut themselves free.
The raider may move their warp miasma sphere from wherever it is to somewhere else he can see, refreshing its timer.
Wall of darkness: The raider has the lair make a wall of miasma to close off a threshold (doorway, hallway, etc.). It is solid and has 20 ap.

Regional Effects
Path to the Underdark: Attempting to warp jump or teleport out of the lair has a 10% chance of taking the traveler to Commorragh instead.
Venombite: Rolls to resist the toxic effect take a check, and failure inflicts two wounds.

Vehicles
For now, vehicles don't have regional effects. A vehicle doesn't bend its environment to its existence like an army or a monster.

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Basic Ground Vehicle
Toll Booth: Those chasing the vehicle must reduce their momentum to zero for one round. If they don't, they each will grant combat advantage to the ground vehicle, its operators, and their allies until the end of the scene or until they do.

Scorpion Tank
Medigel Administration: All those embarked on the vehicle regain 1 hp and if relevant, lose the blood loss condition.

Bio-Titan
Absolute Territory Field: The void shield rating of the bio-titan is increased to 20 until the next lair action.
Anti-Titan Field: The bio-titan's melee weapons gain +10 pen.
NERV Endings: If the bio-titan is separated from its power supply, it regains external power this round and rolls another d10 for its battery life.
Supply Line: The bio-titan exchanges one of its weapons for another of its type (melee or ranged).

Air Superiority Jet
Catapult: The runway has been weaponized. One enemy must pass a TN 20 acrobatics test or take 3k3 i damage as another plane is catapulted into takeoff.

Variable Man-Machine
Expose: The pod bay doors open, exposing those in the hangar to the elements. Or lack thereof. Creatures must pass a TN 10 athletics + strength test or be thrown outside the hangar, whether to the ground below or the void of space.
Transform: The vehicle changes from aerospace to walker drive or vice versa.

[Traskus]

I'm doing some for other bestiaries until the makers feel like having their own. There are quite a few profiles that are "core npc+" so refer to the core stuff above for those (draugr, walkin' dread, tridrone modrone, etc.).

Simple Expanded Bestiary

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Shoggoth
Shoggoths tend to live in glacial environments near syrneth and other ancient ruins.
Mitosis: If the shoggoth has at least 10 hit points, it splits in half into two new shoggoths. Each new shoggoth has half the hp the original did when it performed mitsosis.
Soft Ground: The shoggoth's acidic slime softens the ground, making it difficult terrain for the next hour.
Regional Effects
Barren Wasteland: Natural wildlife is scarce, and grows scarcer as you near the lair.
Mountains of Madness: The occasional bleating of the shoggoths force everyone who enters it to test against fear 1. Those that fail cannot relax and gain the night terrors hindrance until they pass or they leave.

Adamic Elemental
Adamic elementals tend to congregate in the umbral side of dragon territories where the quickening matches their makeup. Failing this, they live where they are born from the magic circuits of the world or in the case of heart elementals, the warp. At least three adamic elementals of the same type must be in their lair to have lair actions. These regions are only 5km across.

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Aether
Starlight: The light the aether elemental emits qualifies as natural sunlight until the next round.
Starbright: The dazzling effect their light is dampened and anyone in the light's range instead must pass tn 15 wisdom tests or be blinded for the next round.
Regional Effects
Kingdom of Light: Aether elemental slam attacks deal e damage in the region.
Midnight Sun: Moonlight qualifies as sunlight in the region.

Heart
Concentrate: The lair may sustain concentration of an ongoing spell of the heart elemental's choice in its stead.
Teleport Storm: Mystical lightning strikes the ground in a terrible displacement storm. Everyone within 3d10 meters of the lair master switches places with someone else at random.
Regional Effects
Power of Heart: Unintelligent creatures and constructs gradually come to serve the heart elementals, and attack outsiders.
Visions of the Warp: It is common to see the warp and what lives in it within the region. Intruders to the region must test against fear 1 once per day at a time of the sm's choice.


Metal
Harden: Metal elementals gain +1 resilience until the next lair action.
Sharpen: Metal elemental slam attacks deal r damage and gain the razor sharp property until the next lair action.
Regional Effects
Shiny: Everything has a distinct silvery sheen, making it harder to focus from the reflections and bright light. Ranged weapons and spells halve their range, and combatants in melee grant combat advantage to others in their melee. Blindfolding yourself negates this, but you have other problems if you do that.
Chrome: Metal items cannot rust, tarnish, or otherwise degrade in quality without breaking them outright.

Void
Singularity: The lair master nominates a point it can see. Everyone within 10m of it must pass a tn 10 strength test or be pulled toward that point.
Starlight Storm: A target must pass a tn 15 acrobatics test or take 2k1 spell damage, and another for each check on the roll.
Regional Effects
Astral Environment: Ambient gravity is screwy in the region. Everything capable of movement can move in all three directions in the territory.
Best Served Cold: It is dangerously cold in the region, cold as space itself.

Gelatinous Cube
Deadly Residue: A clump of residual gelatin within 10m of the cube reaches out and attacks with the gelatinous cube's slam attack.
Smooth Floor: A 6mx6m square of floor is smoothed out by the cube's habitual passing, slippery with goo but otherwise pristine. Anyone but the cube standing on it or passing through it must pass a tn 15 acrobatics test or fall prone.

Concordant Knight: see: daemons.

Feral Constructs
Acid Spew: A fluid of indescribable makeup erupts from a junk pile. A target in the lair must pass a tn 10 acrobatics test or take 2k2 e damage and lose 1d2 ap on the location hit until they repair it. If they have none, they take 1 critical damage.
Regional Effects
The regional effects of the zombots' landfill environment end when someone takes the time to burn it, clean it, or emp it. The region is only 1km across.
Junkyard: A feral construct arises every day. If there are five or more, one turns into a cyvorg every three days.
Neural Wetwork: Cyvorgs do not revert to feral constructs when they reach 0 vitae unless they leave the region.


Giant Creature/Large Creature
Call Allies: The master calls for allies, or allies just show up. A minion squad of size 4, threat rating 2, damage rating 1 appears of a similar species but mundane size of the giant creature.
Frighten: The nearest creature to the master must test against its fear. If they fail, they lose concentration on their spells, lose benefits of aim actions taken, and if holding their breath, they start to suffocate.
Regional Effects
Giant creature regions are full of patches of bones, either as disposal sites of a predator's meals or a graveyard for a species like pachyderms.
Eden: see: generic.
Animali Mini: smaller variants of the giant creature are more common in the region. Every 1d5 hours, 1d5 beasts of burden, ferocious creatures, flying creatures, slithering creatures, or walking creatures appear. They aren't usually hostile, but they are curious and often try to steal unguarded food or things of interest.


Briarheart, Leshin, Elfhound
Entangling Plant: The ambient plantlife (crops, vines, etc.) tries to grasp a target. One target must pass a tn 10 strength roll or be restrained until the next lair action.
Gust of Cold: A gust of wind swirls about, putting out all fires not sustained by magic and dispersing all clouds.
The Mist: A 10m radius cloud of fog centered on a point they can see appears, concealing whatever's inside. It lasts for a minute or until dispersed by a strong wind.
Regional Effects
Feylands: The region's plants take on bizarre hues, making the whole place look like an acid trip.

Forged Demon: see: daemons. You still need at least three to have lair actions and regional effects.
Regional Effects
Artifact Abundance: The artifact material the makes up the forged demons naturally appears and grows.
Blessed (Moradin): Forged demons' attacks have +1k1 damage against enemies of Moradin.


Golems
A golem's lair is where it was assigned to guard, its inherent magic seeping into its surroundings or the machinery built to accommodate it.

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Earthen Golem
Earthen golems are commonly found in houses of worship, dormant for decades before roused from slumber.
Boon of Prague: The golem and its allies gain 7 temporary hp, lost before their true hp and lost at the end of the scene. They also add +1k0 to all attack rolls and saving throws until the next lair action.
Curse of Prague: If the golem is frenzied, it gains fear 1 until the next lair action as the holy terror of the lair creates an oppressive atmosphere.
Mattersong: The golem shapes something around it like clay. Stone, fabric, wood, etc. It may shape up to 8 cubic meters of matter this way.
Taunt: The lair directs its enemies toward the golem. Until the next lair action, any enemy of the golem who can see it must pass a tn 15 willpower test. Those that fail must attack it or move toward it if they could not. If a melee attack misses the golem in this time, it may attack the attacker or full move/charge toward it.

Metal Golem
Metal golems are found in manufactorums and used as last-ditch bodyguards when skitarii and servitors fail.
Blade Barrier: The machinery of the lair causes buzzsaws to come out of the floor. Anyone standing on the terrain in the lair must pass a tn 15 acrobatics test or take 4k2 r damage with tearing. They go away at the next lair action.
Blowtorch: The machinery of the lair causes blowtorches to spit blue-hot fire. One point within 50m of the metal golem makes an attack with the profile of a hand flamer, and a tn 10 to dodge.
Magnetic Charge: Not like electricity, like an actual charge. Magnetic pulleys and conveyors on the ground pull the golem in the direction it wants to go. If its path crosses a creature, it may either move past without provoking opportunity attacks or make a charge attack against the creature.

Artifact Colossus Regional Effects
Artifact colossi take up residence in their creator's home away from home, wherever that is. This allows them to suppress the magic of the creator's enemies without constantly interfering with the creator themselves.
Antimagic Field: The colossus emits an antimagic field in its region. Magic is more taxing in the region and requires two more raises to successfully cast spells. It is not possible to teleport into, out of, or within the region via teleportation magic, gates, warp jumps, etc.

Feral Vampire
Feral vampires take up residence in abandoned buildings. At least three feral vampires must be present to use lair actions.
Blood Frenzy: The frenzy of the feral vampires escalates. All feral vampires gain a +0k1 bonus to attacks and damage until the next lair action. Feral vampires in a frenzy regain hp equal to wounds they deal in that time.
Feral Swiftness: The feral vampires may make a full move; this does not provoke opportunity attacks. Frenzied feral vampires may make a charge action instead.
Grasping Shadows: The shadows betray those who cast them. Enemies of the feral vampires must pass a tn 15 strength test or be restrained until the next lair action. Magical light and sunlight can disperse the shadows to end it early.

Wall of Darkness: The darkness itself envelopes the feral vampires, shielding them. The first time a single feral vampire were to take e damage before the next lair action, it takes 0 instead. If said feral vampire is in a frenzy, it is totally immune to e damage until the next lair action.
Wind Howls: The wind is cold and haunting, extinguishing all nonmagical fires and light sources in the lair. If three feral vampires are frenzied, magical fire and lights are extinguished unless they qualify as sunlight.


Misc. Simple NPCs
Champion
Battle Trance: The champion enters a resolute, nearly fugue state. He gains +1 resilience and +1k1 to all strength-based rolls until the next lair action.
Drive Them Back!: The champion shouts a command to repel his enemies. Up to two enemies of the champion must pass a tn 18 parry or dodge test or take 4k2 r damage.
Traps: Champions keep traps in their keeps for when they need them. A target within 20m must pass a tn 18 dodge test or take 4k2 e damage.

Mages
Mages live in towers, often full of impossible architecture and computers with those new graphics cards that no one has ever actually seen because no one can afford them.
Concentrate: The lair can fulfill the concentration of a spell the mage has cast this round.
Exploding Doors: Runes appear on every door in the lair. If anyone but the mage or their allies touch a door, they explode dealing 4k4 damage in a 3m radius. They disappear when used up or at the next lair action.
Gee Force: The gravity of the lair changes to pull a different direction from previous until the next lair action. The new direction is decided by the mage.

Madhouse: The doors of the lair are portals to other rooms. Until the next lair action, a creature that goes through a doorway must pass a tn 20 charisma test or be teleported into a room of the mage's choice.
Mana Generation: A magic rune lights up and gives the mage a raise to their next focus power test.
Server Room: The mage teleports up to three objects size 10 or smaller into the room from somewhere in the lair.
Regional Effects
Crystal Ball: There is a crystal ball in the mage's possession that allows her to see what is in the lair. Everywhere in the lair is within line of sight, line of effect, and non-touch range for the mage's spells.
Hologram Projector: The mage uses holograms (or illusions if they can) to serve as proxies to interact with others in the region.
Specialist Magic: The mage prides herself on a school of magic. Every focus power test in the region for a spell from that school treats the caster as 1 level, 1 caster level, and 1 school level to cast higher. Even the mage's enemies, that's how much she likes it!

Advanced Expanded Bestiary

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Beholder
A Change of Scenery: The beholder's magic alters the appearance of the room it is in, making illusory objects if so desired. The room does not itself change, react to the antimagic eye, and has a tn 20 perception test to overcome the deception. The illusion affects sight, sound, smell, and taste if you're a weirdo or the beholder decides he wants to parody Willy Wonka that day.
Eye Ray: A character is subject to the beholder's eye ray.
Grasping Slime: Everyone in the same room as the beholder adjacent the static scenery (floor, walls, pillars, etc.) must pass a tn 15 dexterity test or be grappled until they either slip free or the next lair action.
Portal: The beholder tells Aperture to suck it and makes a couple of portals in the lair that function like the porte spell. They last until the next lair action.

Regional Effects
The beholder's lair takes on the scenery and biome the beholder fancies, and therefore isn't picky beyond nearby amenities and strategic factors.
Portal Thinking: Every 8 hours, a pair of portals open up like the gate spell in the region. They last until the next pair of portals opens.
The Walls Have Eyes: Walls in the region and lair have eyes the beholder can see through.
Unnatural Wildlife: Clearly unnatural fungi and animals (though not plants, for some reason) roam the region, some unique to the region.

Epic Level Monsters

SPOILER: Click to show

Baernoloth
Dio's Staircase: The dimensional warping magic of the lair places those that move where they were. Each creature that used an action with the movement subtype on their next turn must pass a tn 15 willpower test or be placed back where they were at the beginning of their turn.
Mighty Roar: The bearnoloth has brushed up on looking down, and worked on its roar to demonstrate now. Each creature within 3m must pass a tn 15 constitution test or be deafened for one minute, though they may retry each turn until they succeed. The roar also drowns out noise in the lair, making verbal communication impossible and giving everyone a -1k1 penalty to perception (hearing) tests.
Slipping Hazard: A creature in the baernoloth's presence must make a tn 20 willpower test to resist the fearful bearnoloth. If they fail, they slip on the blood-soaked floor.
Regional Effects
A Disturbance in the Warp: Any time a creature enters the lair, the bearnoloth will know and where that is. Once the creature is in the lair, the bearnoloth can't pinpoint its location.
Hedge Maze: The bearnoloth's region's plant life is usually tiny and malnourished, having to eat something else to grow at all. Otherwise, thorny brambles and hedges that form mazes throughout the region up to 20m high.
No Bread Crumbs for You!: Any attempt to mark a path in the region by placing markers in the scenery is thwarted, fading after a minute. Compasses also spin wildly and magnetic poles are impossible to discern.
Teleport Roulette: Teleportation is screwy in the lair. Any attempt at teleporting cannot take the individual/s where they wish to go, instead taking them somewhere random in the lair at least 125m from any exit but still within the teleportation's range.


Dream Larva
Advanced Darkness: A 3m ball of vantablack appears in the lair within 10m of the dream larva until the next lair action. Creatures except the dream larva can't seen into, out of, or within it. Not even if they have darksight. Supernatural light sources can illuminate it, however.
Grasping Shadows: The shadows betray those who cast them. Enemies of the dream larva must pass a tn 15 strength test or be restrained until the next lair action. Magical light and sunlight can disperse the shadows to end it early.
Worst Nightmare: The dream larva bids a creature's shadow to betray it. One creature in the lair loses its shadow, as the shadow comes to life and separates itself from them. A minion squad with size equal to the creature's level and threat/damage ratings equal to their power stat is created. The creature gets their shadow back when this shadow monster is destroyed.


Phaethon
Magma Spout: A small release of magma spews from the side of the volcano. One random non-phaethon creature must pass a tn 20 acrobatics test or take 2k2 e damage.
Searing Heat: The Phaethon's volcano emits a searing heat in a 5m radius within 40m. Anything in or that enters this area before the next lair action must make a tn 15 constitution test or take 2d10 e damage.
Toxic Smoke: The volcano belches smoke into the air. Anyone in or above the crater must pass a tn 15 constitution test or suffer a wound, exactly like the toxic property.
Regional Effects:
Fiery Senses: The Phaethon has awareness of everything within 10m of an open fire at least the size of a torch in its territory.
Volcanic Fertility: Unless the volcano has recently erupted, the soil in the region is fertile and plants grow vibrantly.

Special: Eruption Yes, the phaethon's volcano erupts. When it dies, to be exact. Everything in the region takes 8k4 e damage. There is no save. If this sounds unfair, I originally made it the equivalent of a lance or torpedo orbital bombardments.


Phane
Regional Effects
Time Has No Meaning: Time is "stopped" in the region. You can move around and act normally, but no one ages, needs to sleep, eat, or drink, or the like. Conditions contingent on the passage of time (fire, temporary sensory deprivation) do not progress. That said, no one heals naturally or recovers resource that requires the passage of time (chosen, prometheans, etc.). This ends when the phane dies.


Xixecal
Ablative Ice: The xixecal rips some ice from somewhere nearby and puts it on its torso, gaining +2 ap to the body until hit there.
Coldsweep: The xixecal sweeps its arm around the ground, removing the snow to expose the ice beneath. The area in a 3m radius around the xixecal is difficult terrain until the next lair action.
Feeding Time: The xixecal picks up and eats a nearby hunk of meat it killed, which is at least size 1.
Regional Effects
Bitter Cold: The cold is so extreme that it causes muscles to seize and frost to bite. Those affected must pass a tn 10 constitution test every hour or take a level of fatigue. Last but not least, weapons with the overheats property lose that property in the territory.
Eternal Winter: There is a constant blizzard around the xixecal. The snow conceals those in the area (which the xixecal can see through) and creatures out in the hail take 1d5 r damage every 10 minutes.
Warrior's Memorial: Memorials and even graves of those the xixecal killed dot the landscape, placed by those unknown.

Sahuagin
At least three sahuagin must be present for lair actions to happen.
Feeding Frenzy: If a creature in the lair bites another creature before the next lair action, they gain temporary hit points equal to half the wounds dealt to a minimum of one unless it deals zero. These temporary hit points are lost before true hit points and lost at the end of the scene.
Sanguine Cloud: A creature that has lost hit points in this combat bleeds a cloud into the water, concealing it. Amphibious creatures ignore this concealment.


Atropal
Negative Energy Field: If a non-undead casts a spell before the next lair action, they must make a tn 10 constitution test. If they fail, the spell fails and they suffer one magical wound to the gizzards per level of the spell.
Negative Energy Sanctum: All undead have a +0k1 bonus to resist enemy effects until the next lair action.
Sense of Life: All undead in the lair know the exact location of all non-undead in the lair at all times until the next lair action.
Regional Effects
AIM Burst: The atropal has the ability to cast any spell an undead in the region can, using the caster's magic school as its own unless its ranks are already higher.
Misleading Signs: Divination spells have a 20% chance of providing misleading results when relevant.
Rotten Lands: Food molders and water evaporates instantly in the lair. Other nonmagical perishables otherwise become unappealing (like wine turning to vinegar).


False Evangelions
There must be at least three false evangelions in the lair to use lair actions.
Cleansing Light: All the false evangelions and their allies are freed/cured of any disease, poison, blindness, or deafness.
Divine Wind: A mighty gust goes throughout the lair, not so much wind as a force of the gods. Each creature of the false evangelions' choice within 20m must pass a tn 20 arcana+constitution test or gain 1 level of fatigue. If a given creature is within range of more than one false evangelion, it only gets affected once.

Monad
A monad can use false evangelion lair actions as its own, alone no less.
Begone: The monad chooses up to four hostile creatures in its lair it can see. Those creatures must make a tn 20 arcana+charisma test. Those that fail are banished from the lair.

'Flayer Variants
The creatures in this section may use mind flayer lair actions and regional effects, seen above.

SPOILER: Click to show

Illithilich
Draw Magic: The master channels the psionic power of its lair to pull magic from another caster's mind. One spellcaster in the lair of the illithilich's choice must make a tn 15 intelligence test. If they fail, they take a check to their next focus power test and the master gains a raise to its next focus power test.
Spell Conjuration: The master can cast a spell. If it requires concentration, the lair may maintain concentration on the master's next turn in its stead.
Regional Effects
Periapt of Mind Trapping: The illithilich knows when someone is in the same room as its phylactery, and when someone is touching its container. If someone touches its container, they are affected by its mind blast.

Ulitharid
Create Cover: The ulitharid telekinetically creates a barrier out of the ambient material in the lair in a 5mx15m wall. It must be visible to the ulitharid. It can instead be a dome 5m across. It is cover with 12 ap.
Seeing, Knowing: The lair master tries to pry into the mind of a creature in its lair. An non-consenting target that successfully passes a tn 15 intelligence test resists, but those that fail have a mental link. The master can perceive through the target's senses until the next lair action, and treats the target as the source of any spell it casts or its mind blast ability.
Warp Conduit: The ulitharid forms a link with a friendly creature in the lair. The ulitharid can use that creature as the origin point of a spell it casts until the next lair action.
Regional Effects
Nav on the Fritz: Navigational instruments in the region are impaired. Compasses spin wildly, etc. The sun and stars move in random directions across the sky until their time to leave, to the extent wild animals cannot navigate them either.
Psy Dampener: Divination spells take a check to cast. Telepathic messages in and going into the region are not secret. The ulitharid will know their contents, and the parties involved will know someone is listening.


Elder Brain
Assuming Direct Control: One allied creature of the elder brain's choice gains a raise to all its rolls and +1 resilience until it dies. Only one creature may be affected this way at a time.
Two Corpses in One Grave: One creature of the elder brain's choice must make a tn 20 charisma test. If it fails, it may not take actions of the movement subtype. It may retry the test as a half action on each of its turns, ending the condition on a success.
Wall of Force: A wall of force (as the spell) appears in the lair where the elder brain chooses. It disappears when it or its allies make an attack.
Regional Effects
Psy Dampener: Divination spells take a check to cast. Telepathic messages in and going into the region are not secret. The elder brain will know their contents, and the parties involved must make a tn 15 wisdom test to tell someone is listening.


Neothelid
Cave-in: The neothelid sprays acid and strikes the ceiling, making parts of it fall. A 3m blast of rock falls on a point the neothelid's room, forcing anyone under it to make a tn 15 acrobatics test or take 5k3 damage.
Frighten: The neothelid lets out a psychic blast of bottomless hunger, forcing everyone in the lair to test against fear 2.
Psychic Gravity: All creatures smaller than the neothelid must pass a tn 15 strength test or be pulled 5m toward the neothelid.
Regional Effects:
Cast Without Thinking: Don't attract the worm. Casting spells with a mental characteristic alerts the neothelid to the caster's presence and location.
Paranoia: Perception tests in the region gain a raise.
Shadow in the Warp: Telepathic communication is impossible in the region. Anyone who tries will just hear low growls and rumbles, and feel their brain tingle in a bad way.

[Traskus]

Reserved for generalized npc trait lair actions and regional effects.

[Traskus]

Reserved for magic and technique school relevant lair actions and regional effects.

[Traskus]

Coming eventually: magic, vehicles

[Traskus]

Making Your Own Lair Actions

I only provided lair actions for npcs in book 1. Lair actions for other creatures, npcs, and even vehicles may be in the cards for your game. So here are a few guidelines to making a lair:

1. Context: A lair should be special, and not just a place. For a dungeon crawl campaign, perhaps each level or even the entire dungeon is a lair but it may not be the best idea for lair actions in that game. It's too much work, if anything. If you include a lair, try to give it a character based on what and where it is.

2. Strategy: A lair's actions should serve its master thematically and mechanically. A capable but fragile ranged combatant should have a lair action to provide a small buff to defense like a chest-high wall to stand behind, but should also have a way to buff the creature's ability to shoot something like a markerlight on a target. A lair should stay limited to three lair actions, but never more than five. Lair actions should keep your players guessing, but after they repeat they should be able to figure out what it is and isn't capable of.

3. Balance: Remember the lair master's level. Benefits like recovering hp or numerical bonuses shouldn't exceed their level. Lairs shouldn't have the possibility of restoring more than one resource point at a time without some sort of cost or risk.
When hindering or damaging characters, there should be an inverse relationship between likelihood and severity. A difficult to avoid effect should be very forgiving (ex. a tn 25 acrobatics roll's consequences shouldn't be much worse than 2k2 damage, and since damage dice don't explode there's a maximum to the lethality), while a severely damaging roll shouldn't connect unless the dice or dice roller conspire against you.

I'm well aware I break this rule on occasion but those are special circumstances like the gorram tarrasque.

4. Flavor: DUNGEONS THE DRAGONING is a science fantasy hodgepodge wherein just about anything is possible, but an individual creature's lair should reflect its nature. Describe the lair and its actions in a fashion that its master had a hand in its realization. This is rather straightforward (a magic user's lair should use magical effects and flavor, a techpriest should have machines and wires everywhere, etc.) but the effects themselves feel best in service of the lair master's theme too. A promethean's lair action could involve a bunch of wires animating and shooting a makeshift taser to deliver the shocking property.


Lair Actions for Player Characters

The nature of adventure means player characters don't stay in one place for long, but they might. They could have a spelljammer or some sort of mobile residence they stay in. If such a place is the sole property of a single character, the lair's effects will generally be informed by their abilities, wants, and needs. If the story master provided one to the party on the whole, each player should provide input to one lair action. This should involve collaboration and a lot of downtime in the story. A player character lair shouldn't have more actions than the highest level character that serves as its master. You can also use this to make a home invasion combat session. This sounds cool at first but if the party is fighting on home turf, they are in some deep trouble. Why else would people follow them home?

Developing lair actions: A lair action is developed by either buying, arranging, or making it. Buying one is pretty simple, just roll an acquisition test to assemble it. They can be crafted by hand (crafts or tech use), or they can be conjured (arcana or forbidden lore). When the method has been chosen, it cannot be changed; developing a lair action can occur over multiple rolls, but the character must dedicate their time, effort, and resources toward it each time they do. You can pay toward your lair action or you can buy other stuff, not both.

For generic effects and their price, consult the menu:

Attack: TN = 15. This must be a standard attack, and cannot be a special attack. If it would be, the effects are delayed until the next standard attack so your setup isn't wasted.
Buff/heal: TN = 10 + 5* the number of rolled dice to buff or hp restored. If the buff is kept dice, it's 10 * the number of kept dice. Add the two together for combined buffs.
Charge: TN 30.

Debuff/damage: TN = 10 + 5* the number of rolled dice penalty or rolled damage dice. If the debuff is kept dice, it's 10 * the number of kept dice. Add the two together for combined debuffs.
Grenade: TN = the tn to acquire the grenade for normal purchase.
Movement: TN 15. This cannot be more than a full move.
Resource: TN = 10 + 5* the maximum number of resource points that can be recovered. As a rule, one resource point regained can be "free" but more than that should cost or risk and should always only be the possibility of more resource points.

Scenery: TN = 20. This should be a simple change in scenery like the clapper lair action.
Summon minion squad: TN = 5 * (sum of size, tr, highest dr of minion squad, and number of times per week it can be used).


Phew. Been working on this for a while. The other two were legendary actions and legendary resistance, by the way. Those three things make for truly climactic boss fights, at least in theory. Even when it doesn't the video game vibe feels cool to oppose. I'm sure as I look at this more and more people look at it the bugs will reveal themselves. I don't plan on regional effect mechanics; I don't much care for them and think they serve best as just fluff blurbs to guide the gm to set the stage. I've come around to them but currently haven't figured out a way to incorporate them. D&D is built on resource scarcity while DtD's resources refresh much more quickly.

The to-do list for this is book 2's vehicles and trying to get more than one unique lair action per variant (dragons and elementals especially, though not too many for dragons because phew that's a lot). I might do even more later for my own homebrew monsters but for now I'm gonna take a break to let the creative juices replenish and I can steal more from this third party pdf I got.


In the meantime, I'd like to see what people have thought of for their own monsters/characters!

[telok]

Personally, I wouldn't feel a need for actual rules on this. Kudos tho for addressing at least one of my main gripes about the d&d5e implementation, that npcs get more awesome stuff than pcs no matter what.

For major enemies I tend to give them resource points or full exaltations. Like my dragons all have the full perks of dragonblooded (dropping the useless overlap stuff like wings). That and the right sword schools, magic, odd feat, all give those npcs pretty much the off turn actions & extra resists they need.

Years ago when I ran my first campaign and the first real fight was pcs on a 100 meter boat with vehicle statted towers for grapple arms & machine guns versus a 140 meter long fish... that I'd stuck daemonhost power rank 4 and a couple feats on. It did basically the whole "legendary" resists & actions using just pc accessible rules from book 1 (well except for being a giant fish with about 7 str & con and extra hp).

The lair stuff is... buy a sentry gun with a voice activated command module and put it in a secret compartment? Its that level of buy, enchant, and diy build stuff to prepare your home security or ambush site. Plus if I'm approaching it from the world/room building & construction pov instead of the 'add abilities for cool' pov then I, personally, find I tend to think of stuff like how exactly the sentry guns identify targets, how well concealed, if they have armor & hp etc. That way if there's a visual cue, iff transmitter, computer link, summoned machine spirit, then the players can discover and interact with that instead of just having to be passive targets of random suppressing fire from the walls.

Your rules look ok, I just don't know if you need mechanics beyond notes on how to buy/build/install some equipment in anyone's (pc or npc) lair.

[Traskus]

Added in regional effects for core entries. I've warmed up to them while rereading the pdf.
Not everything has unique regional effects, and I couldn't tell you how a vehicle imposes itself on the environment, but generics can cover up the holes.

Next: The other bestiaries. Not everything in them, but still.

[GuardianTempest]

An attempt.

Elizabeth Bathory
Prison Castle Čachtice is the accursed place where where young girls are confined for the exploitation of blood. According to legend, Elizabeth would capture five virgins a day, execute three of them to bathe in their blood, and treat one as a pet so as to relish in killing her later. The final one remaining was given the right to challenge her fate, though the chances of a successful escape is 1/1000. In exalted terms, barely an inconvenience from an amateur's attempt at a cheap and gimmicky haunted house.

Sanguine Bond: This lair action can only be used while another character is suffering from blood loss. Elizabeth draws in and absorbs fresh blood from her surroundings. She heals 11-X hit points, where X is the most recent d10 result made by another character to survive blood loss. If X is 1, she also heals a point of critical damage.

Maiden-Catching Mechanism: There are no such things as "hidden torture traps" embedded in the castle architecture, only "convenient blood donation outlets". A mechanism of pointy spikes and serrated edges emerges to trap a character. It deals 2 rending wounds, immobilizes the target in a Snare, and causes blood loss. The trap may be avoided by passing a TN 15 Strength or Dexterity test. This lair action can only be used once per room.

Guards! Help me!: Elizabeth Bathory is a twisted outcast of a noble, but a noble nonetheless. Once per combat, Elizabeth calls for the aid of two entire minion squads. They arrive at the end of her next turn and act immediately after her initiative. These minions have a Threat Rating of 4 and a Damage Rating of 2 (various bladed implements). Their melee attacks have the Ripper special quality.

Hostage Crisis: This lair action can only be used once per combat. Roll 1d5, half that many young maidens blunder into the scene (round up) with the profile of a General Noncombatant. These maidens are either escapees from a different room or freed by Elizabeth to complicate the situation. They start with half their maximum HP due to previous injuries. If a 1 is rolled then the sole arriving maiden is also suffering from blood loss. Elizabeth's melee attacks always cause blood loss to them even if the attack deals no wounds.