Solar 5e: Stats and Guide for Players & DMs

Last Updated on January 22, 2023

When it comes to the enemies you encounter in the Forgotten Realms, not all of them have horns and forked tongues; some of them have wings and halos. The solar is one such enemy. So, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the solar, whether you’re a DM or a player hunting one.

Solar

Large Celestial, Lawful Good

• Armor Class: 21 (Natural Armor)
• Hit Points: 243 (18d10+144)
• Speed: 50 ft., fly 150 ft.
• STR 26 (+8), DEX 22 (+6), CON 26 (+8), INT 25 (+7), WIS 25 (+7), CHA 30 (+10)
• Saving Throws: Int +14, Wis +14, Cha +17
• Skills Perception: +14
• Damage Resistance: Radiant; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks
• Damage Immunities: Necrotic, Poison
• Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Poisoned
• Senses: Truesight 120 Ft., passive Perception 24
• Languages: All, Telepathy 120 ft.
• Challenge: 21 (33,000 XP)

Angelic Weapons. The solar’s weapons are imbued with holy magic. Therefore, attacks made with these weapons are considered to be coming from a magical source; additionally, the weapon deals an extra 6d8 radiant damage.

Divine Awareness. You cannot lie to a solar as they know if they hear a lie upon hearing it.

Innate Spellcasting. Solars can spellcast by default; it’s an intrinsic part of who they are. Their spellcasting modifier is Charisma, and they have a Spell Save DC of 25 unless otherwise stated. The solar’s spell list is as follows:

• Detect Evil and Good – At Will
• Invisibility (Self Only) – At Will
• Blade Barrier – 3/day
• Dispel Evil and Good – 3/day
• Resurrection – 3/day
• Commune – 1/day
• Control Weather – 1/day

Magic Resistance. Solars have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. The solar makes two greatsword attacks. (Melee Weapon Attack: +15 to hit. Reach 5 ft., One target. Hit: (4d6+8) slashing damage, (6d8) radiant damage.

Slaying Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +13 to hit, reach 150/600 ft. one target. Hit: (2d8+6) piercing damage, (6d8) radiant damage. If the target is a creature that has 100 hit points or fewer, it must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or die.

Flying Sword. The solar can command its greatsword to magically hover in any unoccupied space within 5 feet of the solar’s starting position. As long as the solar can see the sword, it can mentally command the sword to fly up to 50 feet and make one magic attack against a target. The solar can also command the sword to return to its hands. Either of these actions can be completed as a bonus action.

Healing Touch. (4/day) The solar touches another creature, and the target regains 40 (8d8+4) hit points. Additionally, this dispels curses, diseases, poisons, blindness, or deafness.

Legendary Actions

A solar can take up to three legendary actions per round from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time, and it can only be activated at the end of another creature’s turn. The solar regains spent legendary actions at the beginning of their turn.

Teleport. The solar, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, teleports up to 120 feet to an unoccupied space within the solar’s vision.

Searing Burst. (Costs 2 actions.) The solar emits magical, divine energy that forces each creature of its choice to make a DC 23 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (4d6) fire damage and 14 (4d6) radiant damage. A successful save halves the damage taken.

Blinding Gaze. (Costs 3 actions.) The solar targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it and forces the target to make a DC 15 saving throw or be blinded until magic, such as the lesser restoration spell, removes the blindness condition.

Killing God – Step 1: Kill the Angels 

So, you want to kill God. We support the endeavors of all young entrepreneurial adventurers here at Black Citadel RPG. Thus, we are here to help. The first step is that you need to clear out all the Celestials. If you don’t kill them, they might defend God, which is inconvenient. So, save yourself the hassle of an unwinnable battle by killing all the angels first.

So, the first thing you’ll want to consider when fighting a solar is its monstrous radiant-damage bonuses. With a 6d8 radiant-damage bonus on every weapon attack, even your tanks will be in danger when fighting against a solar, but that probably makes sense seeing as the solar is an angel and you are a mortal, presumably.

You’ll also want to remember that players with low HP pools should do their best to avoid attracting attention in this fight. Any player hit by the solar’s Slaying Longbow will instantly die if they have less than 100 hit points. Since the solar can teleport around the battlefield to get away from your tanks and put them in a safe position to shoot at your Wizard with the Slaying Longbow, they’ll have no trouble at all felling squishy players.

Tanks will want to ensure that they can hold aggro effectively. In video games, this is determined by an AI running a threat formula. However, the solar will be controlled by a human Dungeon Master who can make decisions that an AI would not.

Sorcerers can use the Distant Spell Metamagic to keep themselves on the fringes of battle, but that won’t stop the solar from teleporting into their face and beating them over the head with a greatsword. So plan your strategy and positioning effectively. 

We cannot stress this enough: tanks must be appropriately threatening to prevent the solar from targeting their allies. Tanks who do not have an appropriate amount of threat will experience what is colloquially referred to as “all my friends are dead syndrome.” If you don’t have enough threat, the solar will simply walk past you and kill your friends before fighting you.

Players may also consider a diplomatic approach to confronting a solar. Solars are powerful creatures with access to a wide breadth of powerful spells, most notably the ability to cast Resurrection with no material components. Befriending a solar is almost certainly a more effective long-term strategy than killing one. But we understand why you might want to; we played Bayonetta too.

A Dungeon Master’s Guide To Incorporating Solars

Dungeon Masters who want to incorporate solars into their campaign must determine where the solar comes from and its role in the world. As solars are a type of celestial—an angel, effectively—they aren’t going to be found wandering the streets of every town. Additionally, solars are a CR 21 monster, meaning that only a 20^th-level party can effectively fight one. 

When it comes to deciding where the solars sit in your personal world-building opinion, you have to determine if they’re servants of a god. Celestials are often associated with gods. Some Dungeon Masters may even write them in as mini-gods or demigods or place them in other exalted status positions. 

Dungeon Masters may also consider allowing their players to roleplay with the solar and achieve their goals through diplomacy rather than combat. Solars are not unintelligent, far from it. Therefore, diplomacy may be a better route to handling a solar when compared to a battle and not just because of the difficulty rating of killing a solar. 

Allowing your players to diplomatically approach the solar and befriend it will likely set your party up for continued success. Powerful allies make a party more versatile. Even though it’s unlikely the solar will approve of being called upon like a servant, an occasional favor for a friend isn’t off the table, especially with good-aligned monsters.

As a Dungeon Master, you’ll also have to deal with the solar’s alignment if your party intends to hunt one. As a Lawful Good-aligned character, getting the solar to attack first will be almost impossible. Unlike neutral or evil creatures, good-aligned creatures are not inclined to take up arms for fun.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating a solar (or multiple solars?) into your game can be a fun experience, whether it’s solved through diplomacy or combat. In addition, these creatures offer immense storytelling versatility to both the players and the Dungeon Master. So, incorporating them is an excellent way to add depth to your world-building.

However, as always, the most crucial part of any tabletop game is that you and your players are having fun. Don’t be afraid to bend the rules or use monster stat blocks as templates for new monsters. Doing so can improve the experience for both you and your players.

So, good luck, have fun, and happy questing!