Abyssal Gaoler
Traits
Magic Resistance. Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Warden's Chains. The Abyssal Gaoler can keep three creatures Grappled at once. Creatures it has Grappled can't teleport and can't travel to another plane.
Binding Presence. For enemies within 20 feet of the Abyssal Gaoler, any spell or feature that would let them teleport requires a DC 17 Charisma save. Failure: The effect fails, and its resource (spell slot, charge) is still spent.
Actions
Multiattack. Makes two Barbed Chain attacks and one Hooked Maw attack.
Barbed Chain. Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 20 ft. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) Piercing damage, and the target makes a DC 18 Strength save. Failure: The target is pulled 20 feet toward the Abyssal Gaoler and becomes Grappled (escape DC 18).
Hooked Maw. Melee Attack Roll: +10, reach 5 ft. Hit: 19 (3d8 + 5) Slashing damage. If the target is Grappled it takes an extra 10 (3d6) damage.
Oubliette (Recharge 5–6). The Abyssal Gaoler briefly drags all creatures it has Grappled into a prison dimension. Each makes a DC 18 Charisma save.
- Failure: The target is imprisoned in another dimension for 1 minute. The imprisoned creature is Incapacitated and does not exist on the Material Plane (can't be targeted, affected, or seen). It can repeat the save at the end of each of its turns; on a success, it reappears Prone next to the Abyssal Gaoler.
- Success: The target takes 21 (6d6) Psychic damage and breaks free of the Grapple.
If the Abyssal Gaoler dies, all imprisoned creatures are freed instantly.
Reactions
No One Leaves (2/Turn). When an enemy within 20 feet of the Abyssal Gaoler tries to move away from it or tries to teleport: the Abyssal Gaoler makes a Barbed Chain attack. On a hit, the target's movement/teleport is canceled.
How to Use
The Adamant Sentinel is a wall. The Abyssal Gaoler is a prison.
Their differences are critical:
| Adamant Sentinel | Abyssal Gaoler | |
|---|---|---|
| Against teleport | Defenseless | Binding Presence — teleport fails, slot is spent |
| Tactic | Blocks your passage | Catches and holds you |
| Deadliest moment | Seismic Stomp | Oubliette — erases you from the fight |
Binding Presence is a game-changer: the solution against the Adamant Sentinel was "teleport." The Abyssal Gaoler shuts that down. If you cast Misty Step, that's a DC 17 CHA save — fail it and the slot is spent and nothing happens.
Oubliette is the most dangerous: it erases Grappled characters from the fight for 1 minute. If all three are Grappled at once, the party can drop to a single member.
But it's fair: If the Abyssal Gaoler dies, everyone is freed. So the way to save the imprisoned characters is to kill it — this gives a clear goal.
Combination:
Balor/Demon Boss + Abyssal Gaoler
The Gaoler imprisons half the party. The remaining half faces the boss. It looks hopeless.
But if the party focuses the Gaoler (HP 195), their friends come back. This is the right target selection lesson.
Balance note: Oubliette is very strong. Erasing a player from the game for 1 minute (10 turns!) is frustrating at the table. A softening option: let the imprisoned character repeat the save at the end of each turn (already the case), with Advantage. That way it returns in an average of 2-3 turns.